This is the penultimate entry in our one-day series looking at the Brewer first half and the second half to come. Our guest this time is resident Uni Watcher Nicole Haase.
KL: What's your favorite Brewer alternate uniform the Brewers have worn this season? Any you're looking forward to in the second half?
NH: I'm still a fan of the pinstripes. I understand that the team wants to create their own identity and not be tied to the '82 club, but the fans love the look. We haven't done to many alternates so far this season, so there's not a lot to choose from. The Cerveceros were an abomination I hope we never repeat.
Follow the jump for the rest.
KL: Complete this sentence: "If I ran the team, every Brewer would wear his uniform like _________."
NH: Nyjer Morgan. I prefer it when he wears stirrups, but he's only been wearing high socks recently. He has a good amount of bagginess to his shortened pants. It's a total old school look. It just looks clean and proper to me.
KL: Most of our readers probably don't know that you just got back from a week in Key West. What'd you miss most about the Brewers while you were gone?
NH: I'm not sure if there's one specific thing I missed, but I did find it extremely hard to not to be able to watch games.We're far enough into the season that you become used to watching a game every night. We were lucky that the Brewers played the Rays while we were in Florida because we were able to watch one of the games of that series in the bar we were at. I just felt so left out and removed. I'd check twitter before we went to bed and would feel like I'd missed out on some great stuff - the Nyjer Morgan-led untucking, the Yuni inside-the-park home run. I mean, your fandom can officially be listed as a sickness when you're in paradise for 10 days and you're still checking espn.com for score updates.
Now, the lightning-ish round:
If you had to grade Ron Roenicke's performance to date, what would you give him?
B. I just don't have much animosity for him, yet. There are some decisions I have questioned, like playing Kotsay or keeping Nieves, but for the most part, I'm on board with his aggressive philosophy and I think the players really like and respond to him. Maybe he's benefiting from a Macha hangover, but I think the fact that the players like him is undervalued. Plus, we're in first place by three games.
Give me one roster move the Brewers should make today.
Get rid of Mark Kotsay and bring up Brandon Boggs. I'm so sick of seeing Kotsay come up to pinch hit when we have better options on the bench. I can't find one reason why Kotsay should be on the team. We don't need more veteran leadership, we have better options for PH and folks with better range in CF. It seems like management feels like they "owe" Kotsay the chances he keeps getting - for some reason they can't just let him languish on the bench, but continually start him . Free Brandon Boggs.
Do you think this Brewer team will make the playoffs?
I do think the Brewers will make the playoffs. The thing I like most is that it does seem like the NL Central is their's to lose and they are a highly motivated, competitive team. I can't imagine that they'll let the opportunity slip through their fingers. I prefer that they control their own destiny and not have to rely on how another team is doing to determine their future.
If so, do you think this Brewer team will make the World Series?
I think there's a chance. It's an outside chance, but I think there's a chance. The fact that they haven't lost back to back games at home says a lot about this team and I think that could carry them through. Obviously lots of things have to fall in to place, but I don't think it would be absurd to expect that outcome from this team. They've had some rough patches and still sit atop the division despite that. They have the pitching to match up with a team like the
Phillies and the offense has always been there.
Which Brewer are you most excited to watch in the second half?
Zach Greinke. I think the best is yet to come for him. Some fans have been disappointed with his output so far, but his last few starts have been impressive and his K/BB rate is still unbelievable. I think he still has a gem or two up his sleeve and he's going to have an outing that just makes fans' jaws drop and I can't wait for that.
