Friday's Frosty Mug

Some things to read while eliminating your accomplishments.

Last year it was C.C. Sabathia, and in 2009 Trevor Hoffman is filling the role of well-known player who brings national attention to Milwaukee. Hoffman was profiled in the New York Times this week, discussing life in Milwaukee (or in his case, his lack thereof) and his impact on the bullpen.

One of the pitchers Hoffman has helped is Todd Coffey, but he apparently hasn't found a way to help fans tell the difference between Coffey and Seth McClung.

Maybe a new haircut would help. Mark DiFelice is the man for the job.

Adam McCalvy's new mailbag inbox is up, and features notes on Chris Capuano, Alcides Escobar, Geoff Jenkins, Jake Peavy, Jorge Julio and Ryan Braun.

Another homestand, another ghost story: This week, Cardinals SS Brendan Ryan reported some paranormal activity at the Pfister Hotel, but later recanted the story. Tony LaRussa says the ghosts are good friends.

Not everyone made friends in Milwaukee this week. Cute Sports has the video of Jason LaRue narrowly avoiding getting trampled by sausages.

"Sausage tramplings" were probably not among the criteria considered when the Brewers were nominated for SportsBusiness Journal's Professional Franchise of the Year.

Frank Catalanotto has already done a fair amount to endear himself to the fans in Milwaukee, but Beyond the Box Score lists him among 23 players who have seen significant big league time despite being below replacement level.

The Journal Sentinel has added a searchable, sortable database of every Brewer home run in the Miller Park era. I haven't had a chance to go take a look at it yet, but I'm glad they're making the effort. Baseball Reference also recently added a database of every home run in major league history.

Down in the minors, Cole Gillespie, BCB's #10 prospect, is struggling a bit with the adjustment to AAA. Gillespie is hitting .212/.342/.323 in Nashville and At The Old Ball Game is calling for his head.

Just one power ranking to report today: Yahoo has bumped the Crew down from sixth to seventh.

Around baseball:

Dodgers: Placed Will Ohman on the DL.
Phillies: Brett Myers has fraying in the labrum in his hip that will likely require surgery and cost him the rest of 2009.

As you've probably heard (and as noted in the comments in yesterday's Mug), Carlos Zambrano has been suspended for six games for making contact with an umpire and generally making a scene earlier this week. Jorge Says No! says six games wasn't enough. The Chicago Tribune is reporting Zambrano won't skip a start, and will instead be pushed back two days.

Elsewhere in transactions, it was a rare "coming and going" day for former Brewers in Cleveland, as Zach Jackson was sent to AAA and replaced by Tomo Ohka.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic wants D-Backs third baseman Mark Reynolds to be in the Home Run Derby this year, citing the entertainment value of watching Reynolds hit massive home runs. That got me thinking: while the Home Run Derby is fun as it is, I'd probably be more likely to watch it if the rules were changed, and hitters were looking to hit the longest home run, instead of the most. Imagine Mark Reynolds, Prince Fielder, Russell Branyan and the like competing to see who can be the first to launch one out of Busch Stadium. I'd watch it.

Speaking of Branyan, since moving into a full-time role in Seattle he's hitting over .300 and striking out less, and Lookout Landing is pretty excited about it.

Looking to make a list of players who might be available in the trade market? MLB Trade Rumors has a list of eleven teams whose postseason chances have fallen below 10%. BP's PECOTA-adjusted projection gives the Brewers a 38% chance at winning the Central, higher than any other team.

Roy Halladay is old school. On Wednesday, he pitched seven full innings in his eleventh consecutive start, tied for the fifteenth longest streak to start a season since 1954. Among the others with 11 are former Brewers Bill Wegman, Chris Bosio and Jerry Augustine, and legendary Milwaukee Brave Warren Spahn.

A few weeks ago, Jeff previewed the D3 World Series in Appleton. He was joined in attendance by Kirbir, who live tweeted the event and made it the focus of her Pictures of the Week post. Now, Jeff has a review of the event, and a look at how his prediction models fared.

Here's a cool feel-good story: Rock band They Might Be Giants is sponsoring a little league team in Seattle. (h/t C. Trent Rosecrans.)

Oh, and happy birthday to Charlie Hayes, who played for the 2000 Brewers and turns 44 today.

Drink up.