I'm not sure if you've heard, but the Brewers played yesterday. Unfortunately, it was more of the same.
Win Expectancy Graph
BR Box Score
Even Mike Cameron's return (1-for-4 with a K) and a Jason Kendall home run weren't enough to save the Brewers last night.
Sounds like the locker room after the game might have been a little lacking in realism, as well. Salomon Torres said the Brewers will still catch the Cubs, and Ned Yost said everything short of "math is still on our side." I'm officially starting to worry.
I'll just go ahead and lump all the bullpen stuff together in bullet points:
I haven't talked much lately about defense. Would it surprise you to discover that the Brewers are the sixth best defensive team in baseball? Beyond the Box Score makes that case. Other notes from the same post: Jason Kendall is the top defensive C in baseball, Ray Durham is tied for the worst defensive 2B (and not with Rickie Weeks), and Prince Fielder's defense has cost the Brewers 17 runs this season.
The new Whisnant rankings have the Brewers 9th.
On injuries:
Giants SS Emmanuel Burriss could be done for the year with a strained oblique.
Rays C Shawn Riggans will be out 3-5 days with bursitis in his knee.
Rays RP Juan Salas had to be taken to the hospital after suffering an epileptic seizure at Fenway Park yesterday but should be fine today.
Marlins C Matt Treanor will likely be relegated to emergency-only duty for the remainder of the season after fouling a ball off his left knee.
Rays CF B.J. Upton has a strained quad and will miss a few days.
Billy Wagner is out for the rest of 2008 and could be the first pitcher out for all of 2009 with a torn MCL in his elbow.
Jack Wilson is finished for 2008 with a hairline fracture in his finger.
Yesterday I mentioned that A's OF Rajai Davis had entered the game as a pinch runner and hit a grand slam in the same inning. Recondite Baseball followed up on that. Today, another strange line: Tigers 1B Mike Hessman was hit by two pitches in the same inning last night. It was only the fifth time in baseball history that that's happened.
Via Baseball Musings, I found out that Chris Young shook off his catcher before throwing the pitch Gabe Kapler used to hit a home run and end his perfect game on Sunday. Oops.
This seems unlikely at best, but worth mentioning: Mark McGwire may consider a 2009 return.
Oh, and apparently the pizza is terrible in Cincinnati.
Drink up.
Win Expectancy Graph
BR Box Score
Even Mike Cameron's return (1-for-4 with a K) and a Jason Kendall home run weren't enough to save the Brewers last night.
Sounds like the locker room after the game might have been a little lacking in realism, as well. Salomon Torres said the Brewers will still catch the Cubs, and Ned Yost said everything short of "math is still on our side." I'm officially starting to worry.
I'll just go ahead and lump all the bullpen stuff together in bullet points:
- Buster Olney ranked the Brewer bullpen 11th out of the 14 remaining playoff contenders.
- In-Between Hops crunched the numbers and suggests that the bullpen may actually be suffering from underuse.
- The Official Site says David Riske might have a sore arm. Seriously, someone couldn't just walk up to him and ask?
- Chuckie Hacks has made Gagne into a verb.
I haven't talked much lately about defense. Would it surprise you to discover that the Brewers are the sixth best defensive team in baseball? Beyond the Box Score makes that case. Other notes from the same post: Jason Kendall is the top defensive C in baseball, Ray Durham is tied for the worst defensive 2B (and not with Rickie Weeks), and Prince Fielder's defense has cost the Brewers 17 runs this season.
The new Whisnant rankings have the Brewers 9th.
On injuries:
Giants SS Emmanuel Burriss could be done for the year with a strained oblique.
Rays C Shawn Riggans will be out 3-5 days with bursitis in his knee.
Rays RP Juan Salas had to be taken to the hospital after suffering an epileptic seizure at Fenway Park yesterday but should be fine today.
Marlins C Matt Treanor will likely be relegated to emergency-only duty for the remainder of the season after fouling a ball off his left knee.
Rays CF B.J. Upton has a strained quad and will miss a few days.
Billy Wagner is out for the rest of 2008 and could be the first pitcher out for all of 2009 with a torn MCL in his elbow.
Jack Wilson is finished for 2008 with a hairline fracture in his finger.
Yesterday I mentioned that A's OF Rajai Davis had entered the game as a pinch runner and hit a grand slam in the same inning. Recondite Baseball followed up on that. Today, another strange line: Tigers 1B Mike Hessman was hit by two pitches in the same inning last night. It was only the fifth time in baseball history that that's happened.
Via Baseball Musings, I found out that Chris Young shook off his catcher before throwing the pitch Gabe Kapler used to hit a home run and end his perfect game on Sunday. Oops.
This seems unlikely at best, but worth mentioning: Mark McGwire may consider a 2009 return.
Oh, and apparently the pizza is terrible in Cincinnati.
Drink up.