Sunday Sundries - Week 16

A disappointing week for the Crew, as they went 2-4 against divisional rivals Pittsburgh and Chicago, and kicked away opportunities all week. They wasted two good starts by Junior Guerra, lost a game with a walk-off error for the second week in a row (actually, the second GAME in a row), played generally shoddy defense, and left 40 men on base for the week while scoring 26 runs.

Do you know who leaves lots of guys on base? Really good hitting teams and really bad hitting teams. The team with the most left on base this year is the Miami Marlins (!); second is the Chicago Cubs; third is the Boston Red Sox. The Brewers are 15th. Not so bad. But the Red Sox score the most runs per game in the majors, and the Cubs the fourth most. The Marlins are at 21st. The Brewers score the 27th most. I can’t find anything that gives me the most runs left on base by strikeout, but that’s probably a good thing.

TOP HITTING STORY

Hernan Perez has been very solid since the break, and I’ll ride it until he regresses, as I am told he is bound to do. Hernan slashed .409/.462/.545, scored 3 runs and drove in 5, had 3 doubles, and stole 4 bases without getting caught. He played rightfield and thirdbase at least adequately. And guess what...he will probably play almost every game from here through the end of season.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Braun has been consistent all year. I’d like more power, but he is way better than the rest of the outfield, as outlined by Kyle.

Braun had a .391/.462/.652 week, scored 9 runs (that's a LOT), drove in 1 (that isn't), walked thrice, had a double, triple, and homer, and also stole 4 bases without getting caught.

Where's Capt. Kirk Nieuwenhuis? Two good games do not a good week make. Well, they usually do, but I'm still mad at the 0 for 18 slump up until Saturday.

TOP PITCHING STORY

You'd think that I'd get tired of talking about Junior Guerra, but no...he just keeps on putting up good weeks. Two starts, two earned runs in 12.1 innings, a WHIP of 1.17 (higher than usual; he walked 6). Since the Brewers are a bad team, he didn't get any wins, so it's a good thing that doesn't matter.

Honorable Mention: Last Chance for me to talk about Jeremy Jeffress...perhaps. (It could be my last chance to talk about Juni G too, but I don't think so.) Jeffress worked two innings without allowing a hit, fanned two, walked one, and didn't have a save chance because both Brewer wins were by 4 runs. Dang. Enjoy pitching in meaningful games, Jeremy...unless you don't get traded.

IMHO

Perhaps the recent poor play will make it easier for the proverbial "casual" fan to take the deals made this week. By the time we meet again next week this roster could look significantly different. (Although Will Smith may have guaranteed his retention on the Brewers today.)

But probably not. We are about to be inundated with the accusations of the team stealing our money, shedding salary, and putting an inferior product on the field and expecting us to still go to games. Of course, that last part is true, and I hope they do too. We're there for you, David Stearns! (And Mark Attanasio.) Most of us, anyways.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

In one of our many conversations about what would happen with Jonathon Lucroy, a Red Sox fan commented on the impossibility of the Sox making Rafael Devers available in a Lucroy trade. The Sox fan compared Devers early stats to Miguel Cabrerra's and reached the conclusion that Devers was a slam dunk hall of famer. Tepo6688 summarized the situation nicely.

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Once he's playing like Cabrera in the Majors