Tonights game will be televised state-wide by FSN, and nationally on MLB Extra Innings... 7:05 pm start, and its "Must-See TV" as Livan Hernandez (12-3 3.48) does battle with Ben Sheets (5-6, 3.41)
Just a gut feeling, but I think Sheets is about to go on a hot streak in the 2nd half of the season. Sheets might CURRENTLY be one of the most under-rated pitchers nationally in Baseball, but when he's on and his curve is wicked, there are few better... the problem seems to be consistency, as sometimes he's incredible and other times he just looks like a really solid #2 pitcher. He's particularily vulnerable to the HR early this year, and with Henandez pitching tonight, I'm looking (hoping, wishing) for Sheets to bring his A game tonight and then some.
Continuing on the "gut feeling" theme, I think the Brewers are going to have a 2nd half that we fans will remember fondly for years to come. The schedule plays out favorably for them (especially the last 40 games) and the team seems about ready to turn the corner: Weeks is a great upgrade for Spivey, Hardy is starting to make more contact consistently, Branyan is back and swinging well, Jenkins seems ready to truely break out of his slump (nice HR yesterday), and Miller has been more than solid. The keys (in my opinion) will be (as always) eliminating or minimizing dumb base-running mistakes and fielding mistakes and seeing if Carlos can come anywhere close to his 1st half pace...while some fielding mistakes by the youngsters seems inevitable, the base-running mistakes by rookies and vets alike in the 1st half are inexcusable.
While a run at the wild-card still seems implausible to even my furtive imagination, I am faithfully still predicting a winning record at the end of the season.
Go Brewers!