Hot Rod's Rants

REFUSED - NEW NOISE LIVE

2011-07-29T15:56:00.002-05:00

As long as I hear this and see John Axford strolling in from the bullpen, all will be well in the world tonight! Let's make it four in a row gentlemen, and welcome back for round two Felipe Lopez.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-25T23:48:00.004-05:00

This turned out to be quite a weekend that for unfortunate reasons, I will never forget. First off on Thursday morning, I get an unpleasant call from my mom that my grandma is not doing well and that "all the family should be gathered." We all knew what that meant. In the past, she's had her troubles, but always seemed to have pulled out of them even stronger. We all hoped this would be the

Another Home Town Story

2009-05-16T12:28:00.002-05:00

Besides having the pleasure of playing high school baseball with the Brewers' Vinny Rottino, I also was a teammate of Ben May. Ben and his brother Bill were in the class behind me and were great teammates. Here's another hometown piece from the Racine Journal Times about Ben and his path to becoming a hopeful Major League umpire. Major dreams May umpiring his way through the

Fan's Choice T-Rats bobblehead Day

2009-05-04T00:13:00.002-05:00

Vote early and often for a Brewers farmhand - Brett Lawrie or Cutter Dykstra - to be immortalized with a bobblehead on Thursday, September 3rd during the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers game. The key that the press release is failing to mention is that it's "Thirsty Thursdays", which means beers are a buck! Can't beat that with a stick!

Brewers Charities 5K Race

2009-05-03T16:54:00.002-05:00

I had the pleasure of doing this the first couple of years before it became too popular. Here were the results of that debacle. I wasn't exactly racing in the event, so to speak.... more or less there to enjoy the day!!

My night working

2009-05-02T05:05:00.003-05:00

After the regular 8 to 5 job on Friday, I immediately headed over to my second job delivering pizzas for Toppers in Waukesha. I've come to the conclusion I'm not a big fan of working from 8am to 4am the next morning. We'll see how long that continues. But anyway, it got interesting around 2am. The shift manager answered the phone and was asked if he'd deliver to 'such-and-such address'

Daily memorabilia addition

2009-04-30T22:41:00.002-05:00

I received in the mail today a signed Rawlings Official Major League baseball signed by Brewers prospect Jonathan Lucroy. I started a new tactic in obtaining autographs instead of just flat out buying them through auctions and online sites. I decided to take a stab and send a blank ball to the Huntsville Stars c/o Mr. Lucroy. After a couple of weeks, I was pleased to see that my ball was

No No for Brewers Prospect

2009-04-28T23:50:00.002-05:00

Manatee RHP Evan Anundsen Tosses No-Hitter Posted on: 04/28/09 by: Jim Goulart The very first nine-inning no-hitter in all of minor league baseball for 2009 belongs to Brevard County RHP Evan Anundsen, who struck out ten and walked only one in a 1-0 Manatee victory over the Daytona Cubs Tuesday morning in Daytona Beach. Anundsen, who will turn 21 years old in May, was drafted in the 4th round

Fan of Average Joe?

2009-04-28T17:57:00.001-05:00

Then visit this brand spankin' new blog where some schmoe talks about anything and everything! Actually, it's quite entertaining!

Latest addition...

2009-04-27T22:40:00.003-05:00

to the collection is......... an Enos Slaughter signed Official National League baseball! Enos was a Hall of Famer and I feel ashamed for not knowing that he played with the Milwaukee Braves back in the day. Granted, he only played the last 11 games of his fine career in Milwaukee, but he was part of the tradition nonetheless! Here are his stats courtesy of www.baseball-reference.com

Latest addition...

2009-04-26T21:27:00.002-05:00

I was finally able to track down an old Milwaukee Braves hat that was signed by Hank Aaron on the brim. There just isn't as much memorabilia for The Hammer w/Milwaukee than there is from his time in Atlanta. I had been looking for this for quite some time, so this made my day!

Stan the Man

2008-07-21T10:40:00.000-05:00

I've always been a fan of Stan Musial. He never did anything flashy, or had a dominating feat as a ball player. I was never old enough to actually see him play, but from all accounts on what I've read of the guy, he seemed to be the consummate professional. He'd just go about his business and try his darnedest. So, I bring to you an article by one of the best sports writers out there, Joe

Sabathia deal makes dollars and sense

2008-07-15T00:18:00.000-05:00

from The Business Journal of Milwaukee: The Milwaukee Brewers' acquisition of star pitcher CC Sabathia means the team won't make a profit this year. But the Major League Baseball team stands to reap a substantial financial gain long term in corporate sponsorships, ticket sales and more if the Brewers make the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. That's the business reason behind the team's

Brewers' owner tops list of non-playing heroes from first half

2008-07-15T00:13:00.001-05:00

Here's an article about owner Mark Attanasio by John Heyman of Sports Illustrated: When Brewers owner Mark Attanasio's car got stuck in traffic on I-94 on the way to a game the other day (yes, there is heavy traffic in Milwaukee on game days now), he hopped out of his vehicle and scaled a four-foot fence in hopes of seeing every last pitch. Luckily, a security guard recognized the Los Angeles

All Star Break

2008-07-13T18:20:00.001-05:00

Thoughts on where the Crew is currently at entering the All Star Break in New York City. These are the things that I see as a positive: 1. Nine games over .500 at the break, and only a half game from the Wild Card-leading Cardinals. 2. Front office brass willing to trade away vital parts of the future in an all out attempt to not only make the playoffs, but in my mind, make a push for the

Gabe Kapler piece

2008-04-25T02:19:00.000-05:00

Welcome Back Gabe Kapler Monday, April 14, 2008, 7:42:10 AM | by Dave Cameron Hey all. My name is David Cameron, and I’m thrilled to have been invited by David Appelman to join in the great work he’s been doing here at FanGraphs. You may have read some things I’ve written elsewhere, either at USSMariner, The Hardball Times, or Baseball Prospectus. I’m excited to be here, not only because the data

Brian Shouse Analysis

2008-04-25T02:12:00.000-05:00

Shouse the Strand-Masterby Eric Seidman - April 18, 2008 Brewers reliever Brian Shouse is a late bloomer. Graduating from Bradley University in 1990 he debuted in the big leagues with the Pirates in 1993 albeit for just six mostly ineffective games. For the better part of the 1993 season up until 2002, Shouse shuffled around farm systems, playing for minor league affiliates of the Pirates,

Booze Problems in the fine city of San Diego

2008-04-22T10:43:00.000-05:00

I remembered reading about an article about beer prices continuing to rise for San Diego Padres games. While I wasn't overly shocked by it - San Diego has quite the expensive lifestyle compared to Milwaukee - I was a little upset by the fact that they're distributing water-down beer!! I'll post three articles in succession. The first regards the beer prices in San Diego. The second is only a

JS Beat Writer chat

2008-04-21T23:44:00.000-05:00

Okay, here's the plan. I like answering the questions people write in on my own instead of the usual negativity of the JS writers. In all fairness to Witrado, he doesn't seem to be as much of a downer as the "Prince of Darkness." So away we go... April 21 mailbag Q: Jason of Milwaukee - Did Dave Bush help his cause in St. Louis? A: Brewers Mailbag - Probably. And now, with the Ben Sheets

Carlos Villanueva article by John Sickels

2008-04-18T11:41:00.001-05:00

Not a Rookie: Carlos Villanueva by John Sickels on Apr 17, 2008 1:30 PM EDT Carlos Villanueva was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2002. He made his pro debut with the AZL Giants that year at age 18, posting an 0.59 ERA and a 23/3 K/BB ratio in 30.1 innings. His command was obviously outstanding, but his mediocre stuff kept him off most

Memorabilia Pic

2008-04-14T14:17:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of some recent bobbleheads I've obtained. From left to right... - 2008 Prince Fielder Milwaukee Brewers SGA retro version (1 / 5,000) - 2008 Ryan Braun Forever Collectibles ROY version (487 / 504) - 2007 Don Sutton Milwaukee Brewers SGA regular version (1/40,000) - Bernie Mac Mr. 3,000 movie promo - Rickie Weeks Forever Collectibles 'On Field' version (355 / 2,008)

Article on former Brewers draft pick & brother of Rickie, Jemile Weeks

2008-04-14T13:57:00.000-05:00

With Weeks in the lineup, Miami is once again a CWS contender By Heather Dinich ESPN.com March 18, 2008 CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Three years ago, Jemile Weeks walked slowly across campus at the University of Miami, prolonging his arrival at his first class as a freshman. The small but speedy second baseman couldn't quite cross the threshold into the classroom -- not yet. His father, Richard,

Article on Brewers Scouting Director, Jack Zduriencik

2008-04-14T13:51:00.000-05:00

Scouting a scout at the National Classic Jim Seimas, Santa Cruz Sentinel Jack Zduriencik, 57, rattles off names with excitement, like he's a youngster flipping through his collection of baseball cards: "Paul Snyder, Huey Alexander, Howard Haak, George Genovese, Larry Doughty ..." All five men are a part of a predominantly unknown but important fraternity -- they are or were baseball scouts,

New Approach

2008-04-14T13:46:00.000-05:00

I think I'm going to try and take a new approach to this site. It's fairly obvious that I don't really update this all too often. I think I am going to start posting news articles that I find interesting that aren't necessarily about the Brewers results game after game, or daily news reports. Also, I am a huge fan of collecting Milwaukee Brewers & Milwaukee Braves memorabilia. I also dabble

Thanks a lot, Favre...

2008-03-04T15:46:00.000-06:00

Today sucks. It really does. No way to sugar coat it. Brett Favre retires. I'm not sure if I'm more upset with myself for not being able to see one of his games live in person, or at Brett himself for not giving it another run. Either way, here's an email response that I just got: HR, rough day...funny how you can just take #4 for granted, but i guess we're in mr rodgers neighborhood now.

MLBTradeRumors.com

2008-02-18T18:39:00.001-06:00

Get the MLBTradeRumors.com widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox!

The latest approved video

2008-02-15T13:47:00.001-06:00

I love unintentional comedy, especially when it's at its finest! Nothing beats being showered in whale...

Us poor Irish fans...

2008-02-10T12:58:00.000-06:00

So what.

"Screamin' A. Smith" has a blog, seriously.

2008-02-09T09:32:00.000-06:00

I know, hard to believe. Especially after he chastised everyone who writes one several months ago. Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black. Oops, I don't want him to go all racial on me know. Here's his blog: Stephen A Smith's 'My Blog" If you've got some time to kill, I'd suggest reading the comments section in his very first post. Granted, I don't care for the guy, but the comments

Mike Cameron signing

2008-02-09T09:05:00.000-06:00

Okay, so the outfield now is finally set. I really like the signing of Mike Cameron to man centerfield. Even though he hits from the right side, he brings a superior glove that has been sorely needed. The contract length is for 2008 with a club option for 2009, and the price is much much less than what anyone thought that he would sign form. It's kinda scary, look at the stats Torii Hunter

Chris Berman, um, wow....!

2008-02-09T08:55:00.000-06:00

And it gets better... And it gets better... And the best one of all, Emmitt Smith, thank you...

Another Canadian, eh?

2007-12-08T22:38:00.000-06:00

So, it came as pretty much a shock to anyone to learn Eric Gagne decided to sign w/the Crew today, pending a physical. From what I can tell, Gagne and Scott Boras chose the Brewers more as a process of elimination, instead of having a handfull of teams bidding for his services. Gagne's camp turned down salary arbitration from the Red Sox earlier this week. If he'd accepted, his salary would

Rolen, here we go again....

2007-12-05T22:18:00.000-06:00

With yesterday’s talk about the Scott Rolen rumors being dead, I was quite relieved. Then came today, where Tony La Russa decided it was best to basically question Scott’s manhood in the press. Haudricourt said that there is a possibility that the two clubs could revisit trade options down the road. It’s obvious I don’t want Rolen at the expense of giving up potentially both Capuano AND Bill

Winter Meeting rumors swirling....

2007-12-04T12:06:00.000-06:00

A lot of rumors have surfaced the past few days at the Winter Meetings in Nashville. There have been reports of Sheets being sent to the Dodgers for OF Matt Kemp & P Chad Billingsley. That wouldn't be a bad haul for one year of Sheets. Also a rumor that the Mariners are interested in him too. I'd think any return package would start with C Jeff Clement. The other two players on the Crew who have

Potential Doug Melvin moves....

2007-12-04T12:00:00.000-06:00

My feeling on the whole "LF or 3B" option is this. I think with Milwaukee playing to a smaller market and hence having a lower payroll, you have to look towards the future more and gauge what you have with prospects coming up in the future through the minor league pipeline more than other big spending clubs like Boston & NY would. I know, tell me something I don't know.... But, the whole key is

Long Absence....

2007-12-04T11:56:00.000-06:00

It's been quite a while since I've posted anything - basically a 2 year hiatus. But, perhaps I'll have more time now that I've made some big changes - a new job and a new condo all within the same week! It's fun to keep track of some of my thoughts both baseball related and otherwise, so I've said to myself that I'll try harder to keep track of everything a little better from here on out.

Various Tidbits

2006-01-28T14:08:00.000-06:00

Again, it’s been a while since anything of relevance was spewed out here. So I’ll try to cover a few different topics, shotgun-style. SHEETS IN WBC As of now, Ben Sheets is on the preliminary roster for the World Baseball Classic, against GM Doug Melvin’s best wishes. While I share the same views as Melvin and do not want Sheets to play, I honestly don’t see it as much of a problem as of

How the Mighty Have Fallen.....

2006-01-16T19:06:00.000-06:00

The news about Bob Brainerd keeps getting better and better for me....No longer is this no talent, ass clown going to be gracing us with his presence on Brewer games, but now he has been replaced as a part-time liason at Fox 6 in Milwaukee. That's too bad, I think I'll cry myself to sleep tonight.

Give Thanks!

2006-01-10T21:09:00.000-06:00

I make my triumphant return to this site with great, great news -- yeah, Lyle Overbay was traded, the Brewers have added four Blue Jays in the past month, Dan Kolb is back, Wes Obermueller is gone -- but the best news that I've heard in weeks is that FSN has decided NOT to bring back the train wreck known as Bob Brainerd for the 2006 telecasts!! Oh yeah, I'm headed back to Spring Training again!

The Rule V Draft

2005-11-18T11:30:00.000-06:00

Today is the deadline for all MLB teams to set their 40-man rosters for the upcoming Rule V draft. For an explanation on how exactly the draft is conducted, click here. As of right now, the 40-Man Roster currently has the following 33 players listed. Pitchers 46 Mike Adams 57 Jeff Bennett 52 Jose Capellan 39 Chris Capuano 49 Doug Davis 51 Kane Davis 47 Jorge De

YOUNT IN AS BENCH COACH

2005-11-08T21:46:00.000-06:00

I don't really know what to think about Robin Yount being hired as the bench coach for Ned Yost. My gut feeling is that this wasn't the best move the team could have made. I feel all coaches are essentially hired in order to be fired. And if you don't think so, ask yourself how you would feel if Yount were to be fired after a couple of years. It wouldn't sit well with me to see a Hall of

2005-11-08T21:44:00.000-06:00

New York Daily News Brewers' GM has big idea Tuesday, November 8th, 2005 INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - Baseball's general managers began their annual meetings at the Hyatt Grand Champions resort yesterday, spending much of their time in discourse over waivers minutia and instant replay, in and around sowing the first seeds for player deals that could involve Manny Ramirez, Jeff Kent, Jim Thome and

2005-11-08T19:09:00.000-06:00

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs have agreed to a 2 year contract for all time great run coster Neifi Perez. YEAR AGE RCAA OBA SLG OPS OWP RC/G AVG HR RBI SB G TEAM 2003 30 -20 .285 .348 .632 .279 3.05 .256 1 31 3 120 Giants 2004 31 -23 .296 .336 .632 .299 3.42 .255 4 39 1 126 Giants/Cubs 2005 32 -27 .298 .383

Minor League Recap

2005-11-03T19:01:00.000-06:00

In the 2005 organization preview of the Brewers, the following words ended the introduction to the report: The days of the Brewers trolling at the bottom of the division should be numbered. Well, whaddaya know? The Brewers finished out of last place for the first time since 2001 and ended with a .500 record for the first time since 1992. Contributions from Milwaukee's very rich farm system

Who'd A Thought?

2005-10-25T18:57:00.000-05:00

Who in their right mind would ever say this blog with this very inconsistant updating would think this? Let's just say that I'd be willing to settle for below book value!

2005-10-12T21:32:00.000-05:00

WisBiz In-Depth: Brewers profit from break-even season10/11/2005 By Gregg Hoffmann MILWAUKEE – Breaking even on the field has led to a profit for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005. Although exact figures have not been released, the 2.2 million fans who went through the turnstiles at Miller Park this season did net the Brewers a profit. The 81-81 mark – which broke a string of 12 losing seasons -

2005-10-12T19:54:00.000-05:00

OK, so it's been a long, long time since I did anything to this blog....I've had things to do, sorry. If you haven't already noticed, and I'm sure most of you have, Drew Olson of the JS is a moron. So with that said, I'm going to re-answer his questions during a recent chat last week about the Brewers. Just look at how different the nimrod's answers are compared to a Hot Rod's version!! Q:

"My" Chat Transcript, Part I

2005-08-03T12:09:00.000-05:00

I've had this idea for a long time now, but the Journal Sentinel beat writers have not held an internet chat in months until yesterday. What I decided to do was to answer all of the questions that were sent in. Enjoy!! Q: Kevin of Milwaukee - Any talk about what the Brewers payroll will be next year (and beyond . . . )? A: Hot Rod - Mark A has recently stated that Doug Melvin was allowed to

Sausage Aftermath

2005-08-03T09:56:00.000-05:00

This weekend will be one to remember...well, let's put it this way, I'll remember as much as I can! Myself and a buddy of mine took part in the annual 5K Sausage Run/Walk on Saturday morning that was held at Miller Park. We had been planning this day for several months now. But, we did not do it the conventional way. We were on a mission, and that mission was not to finish the race as quick

2005-07-24T11:35:00.000-05:00

Power falls as pitchers walk nine By Jay Srinivasan For the Charleston Gazette The West Virginia Power pitchers issued one walk after another. And the Lakewood BlueClaws gleefully accepted, walking away with a 7-3 victory in front of 4,441 paid fans at the Appalachian Power Park Saturday night. Power pitchers finished the night with nine walks. The Power took the lead in the bottom of the

2005-07-23T23:14:00.000-05:00

5K Run/Walk World Famous Sausage Race The seventh annual Sausage Race will take place Saturday, July 30th at 9:00 a.m. by the Klement's Sausage Haus parking lot at Miller Park. Entry fee includes T-shirt, hotdog/brat, soda and a Terrace Reserved ticket to the game. Presented by Brewers Charities, Inc. For details, call 414-902-4403. Well....myself and a friend of mine decided to sign up for

ROY

2005-07-21T12:03:00.000-05:00

Rickie Weeks has a very good shot at earning Rookie of the Year honors in the National League this year. Even though he was called up so far into the season, he still has a legit shot thanks in part to it being a poor crop of rookies this year. The line that Rickie has currently put up is .279/.373/.500/.873 with 7 homers and 7 stolen bases. Rickie's main competition, now that Rockies' SS

Pythagorean Standings

2005-07-13T01:46:00.000-05:00

First Half Analysis Heading into the start of the second half of the season, the Brewers' record stands at 42 wins and 46 losses, 14 games back of the St. Louis Cardinals. They also are 7.5 games back in the Wild Card standings to Atlanta. While there is virtually no chance of catching the Cardinals in the Central this year, the Brewers' record is not as bad as it appears to the naked eye.

Softball Update

2005-07-11T01:17:00.000-05:00

We ended up playing the top team in the league on Wednesday who were undefeated. We should have beaten them, but the umpire apparently held a personal vendetta against us. I'll elaborate. First, Player A stretches a single into a double, but he didn't slide (had shorts on) -- ump calls him out when he was clearly safe. Team lets him hear about it, I said nothing 'cause I could have cared less

Marlins dominate

2005-07-07T02:51:00.000-05:00

Wow, when this team doesn't come to play, it is fairly obvious. This had to be the worst game this season to watch. Actually, the Pirates' game this past Sunday would give last night's game a run for its money. I don't really even know where to begin with last evening's game, the fact that they were fielding with something other than a glove, or that they were at the plate with swiss cheese.

Don't Look Now.....

2005-07-06T00:35:00.000-05:00

.....But James Jerry Hardy is improving at the plate!! (Albeit in baby steps) Everybody knew that J.J. wasn't going to provide much offense this year. He was brought up basically w/o any Triple-A experience to play Gold Glove caliber defense. It was widely considered that anything he could do with the bat would be an added bonus. Take a look at the monthly splits for Hardy so far for

The Upcoming Month

2005-07-05T21:31:00.000-05:00

With baseball's trading deadline approaching fast for players who are not required to clear waivers by July 31st approaching fast, I thought I'd look at who could be headed elsewhere this upcoming month. The team has played well as of late, winning 8 of their past 12, including the first two of a seven game road stretch to reach the All Star break. It's a delicate situation when determining

Stop the Presses....It's NBA Draft Night!!

2005-06-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

I'll preface this by saying, I could really give a rat's a$$ about the NBA, but tonight is the annual draft. Since I've all but given up on the NBA, I'll say that the Bucks are my favorite team....but that doesn't mean a whole lot. And if you weren't aware, Milwaukee somehow snagged the first overall pick in the draft lottery tonight. There still is no clear cut choice for the Bucks to select.

ESPN.com Article by Alan Schwarz

2005-06-23T11:04:00.000-05:00

This is an article that I somehow missed from a couple of days ago by Senior writer Alan Schwarz from Baseball America. He goes into detail about our three top prospects -- Weeks, Fielder, and Hardy. Young trio injecting life into Brewers By Alan Schwarz Special to ESPN.com TORONTO – For at least a few days, the talk has turned to reality. We've been hearing for several years now about the

Softball Stats

2005-06-23T01:12:00.000-05:00

I've played on three softball teams so far this year, excluding my intramural team at UW-La Crosse. I thought it would be cool to keep track of my stats for an entire summer for once in order to see how well, or pathetic I really am. After last night's game, I feel I need to gripe about something. What does a guy have to do to show that he does not deserve to hit in the bottom of the lineup??

Top Prospect Grades

2005-06-23T00:33:00.000-05:00

Since we are at the mid-way point for most of the minor

All Star Futures Game

2005-06-22T16:21:00.000-05:00

It was announced today that 2B Hernan Irribaren of Low-A West Virginia and OF Nelson Cruz of Double-A Huntsville were selected to play in the Futures Game during the All Star break next month. I would have liked to have seen one of the trio of pitchers from Huntsville be selected, but I'm sure roster composition played a large part in why the two aforementioned players were selected. Both

State of the Minors Report

2005-06-15T14:16:00.000-05:00

I figured I'd take a look at how the top minor league prospects have performed up to this point for the Milwaukee Brewers. With the departures of Rickie Weeks last week and Prince Fielder earlier this week, there isn't a whole lot to get excited about, at least statistically wise. The two heads of the player development, Jack Z and Reid Nichols, have notoriously been known for pushing the

Stats

2005-06-15T12:48:00.000-05:00

West Virginia Power (A-) Individual Stats (Batting) (click column headers to sort) Name G AB R H 2B 3B

Recent Transactions

2005-06-14T22:42:00.000-05:00

Here is a nice recap of the recent moves the Brewers have made within the past week. This, according to www.baseballprospectus.com: Milwaukee Brewers: According to a certain popular General Manager, a front office spends the first two months of the season figuring out what team they have, the next two months putting together the team they want, and the last two months just playing. In April and

More Presents....

2005-06-13T20:46:00.000-05:00

With 2B Junior Spivey sent packing to D.C., it opened the door up for phenom Rickie Weeks to be called up, which took place on Friday. Weeks was absolutely tearing up the Pacific Coast League to the tune of a .320 batting average, .408 on-base percentage, and a .655 slugging percentage for AAA Nashville. He led the Nashville Sounds in batting average, home runs, rbi's, and just about every

Christmas Comes Early!!

2005-06-13T12:26:00.000-05:00

Even though the Brewers have been playing very poorly for the last couple weeks, there has been a flury of moves that has me very excited. First, the Brewers were able to find some incompetent GM in the name of Jim Bowden to take 2B Junior Spivey. If it wasn't enough just to get rid of him, Doug Melvin was able to acquire an actual, serviceable, big league pitcher in return! Spivey was

Sweep Suits!!

2005-06-08T17:48:00.000-05:00

The Brewers go for a sweep tonight as Chris Capuano takes the mound for the Crew. Cappy has been the most consistent starting pitcher for the Brewers so far this year. And if you're wondering, coming into tonight's game both the Yankees and the Brewers have identical 28-30 records. However, here is the funny part about that.... NEW YORK YANKEES MILWAUKEE BREWERS

With the 5th Pick.....

2005-06-07T23:57:00.000-05:00

....the Milwaukee Brewers select: Ryan Braun, 3B, University of Miami (FL). You can find anything and everything you would ever want to know about who the Brewers drafted in the first day of the First Year Amateur Player Draft right here. Braun was the fifth overall selection, yet he was the third 3B taken. So as you can see, it was a good year to draft college third basemen. There are some

Twins Prospects

2005-06-06T12:47:00.000-05:00

At the game Sunday in Beloit, I got to see some of the Minnesota Twins' top prospects in action -- SS Trevor Plouffe, SP Jay Rainville, and 3B David Winfree. And now for some brief analysis and observations from the game which pitted 2004 1st round draft picks on the mound, Jay Rainville against the Clinton Lumber Kings (Texas Rangers affiliate) and Eric Hurley. First off, Eric Hurley did not

Test Run

2005-06-06T03:05:00.000-05:00

I went out to the Beloit Snappers game on Sunday because it was Dave Krynzel bobblehead day. Since they only give out 500, not 45,000 like they do at Miller Park, I wanted to see just how early I had to get there in order to make sure I received one. I called it a "test run" because along with myself, about 20 of my friends will be making the trip from all corners of the state down to Beloit

More Cubs Crap

2005-06-03T18:28:00.000-05:00

After reading around a little bit, I stumbled upon this further detailing just how bad Neifi Perez actually is. From Aaron Gleeman over at The Hardball Times: Lost in the Cubs' sixth straight victory Wednesday night was the fact that the top of their lineup against the Dodgers looked like this: 1) Neifi Perez, SS 2) Enrique Wilson, 3B Normally I would mock such a thing, what with Neifi

Bar Time

2005-06-03T16:23:00.000-05:00

Nothing is worse than having to watch a Brewers game simultaneously with a Cubs game. After our horrible softball outing, we headed to the bar to drink our sorrows away. Unfortunately, the majority of our clan wanted to watch the friggin' Cubs. Most of the Cub fans are some of my closest friends, but I was ready to come to blows with them because they would not keep quiet. They insisted on

Brewers (Obermueller) vs. Padres (Peavy)

2005-06-01T09:05:00.000-05:00

I decided to try something new for the game last night, so I decided to track pitches for Wes Obermueller since it was his first start since being declared the official fifth starter. I wanted to see how he would respond as an official member of the rotation, instead of being the guy who filled in for Benny Sheets over the las month. Prior to last night's game, Obie has been pitching

Tough Schedule

2005-05-30T18:10:00.000-05:00

It would have been really nice to be able to sweep the lowly Astros this weekend, or at least take two out of three from them. The upcoming schedule is pretty brutal. They open up with a three game set against San Diego, then head north for a four game weekend series with the LA Dodgers, and come home for three more against a now red-hot Yankees club. Those three clubs have combined for a .564

5th Starter

2005-05-28T13:07:00.000-05:00

So who becomes the 5th starter now that Sheets is back in the rotation? Obie or G-love? As effectively as Obie has pitched the last couple of weeks in the rotation, my vote would be to send him back to the bullpen. I think he has the ability to adapt better to the bullpen and a long-relief role than Glover can. I would also be up for a piggyback of Glover and Obermueller every fifth day.

Mike Adams Demoted

2005-05-28T12:40:00.000-05:00

The much highly debated roster move has been made in anticipation of Ben Sheets' return from the DL today. There wasn't one single player on the 25-man roster that deserved to be either released or sent down to Nashville. There was no way Doug Melvin would have gotten rid of a position player to add yet another pitcher, so they were all safe, especially after Branyan got into the game last

The Rox

2005-05-26T12:32:00.000-05:00

The Crew just came off of a 3-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies, perhaps the team with the worst major league talent on it in all the league. By completing the sweep, the Brewers were able to return to .500 yet again before they take on the almost equally woeful Houston Astros this weekend. But back to the Rockies series...I would seriously feel comfortable that our own Triple-A Nashville team

Graduated and Unemployed

2005-05-24T14:06:00.000-05:00

Now that I'm through with college and presently have zero jobs lined up, I might actually have some time to pay attention to putting some thoughts down about the Brew Crew for a change!

6 in a row!

2005-05-05T10:47:00.000-05:00

The biggest surprise from the current 6 game winning streak has got to be the performance of Billy Hall. During Spring Training, he talked about his need for patience at the plate, to try and work the count. I just assumed he was just trying to say the politically correct thing at the time, but it appears he actually took it to heart. It has been obvious over the course of the young season

Wes Helms aka Everyone's Favorite Whipping Boy

2005-04-13T22:51:00.000-05:00

From the notes portion of the Tuesday edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tale of two players: While one third baseman, Russell Branyan, was playing the hero's role, the other two, Jeff Cirillo and Wes Helms, registered radically different emotional levels. Cirillo, back with the Brewers after a five-year absence, got the biggest cheers during pregame introductions. But that was nothing

My Baseball Thesis

2005-04-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

I've linked a copy of a project that I wrote for a business class two years ago, in case anyone has a couple of hours to read it, which I would highly doubt. I just wanted to put it out there. I didn't include any of the actual Milwaukee Brewer material, instead just focusing on Major League Baseball as a whole. Some editing errors exist because I couldn't figure out how to clean it up entirely.

Your 2005 Opening Day Roster

2005-04-01T00:52:00.000-06:00

As it stands, here is the 25-man roster that Doug Melvin, Gord Ash, and Ned Yost decided upon: CATCHERS: (2) Damian Miller Chad Moeller INFIELDERS: (8) Russell Branyan Jeff Cirillo Trent Durrington Billy Hall J.J. Hardy Wes Helms Lyle Overbay Junior Spivey OUTFIELDERS: (4) Brady Clark Geoff Jenkins Carlos Lee Chris Magruder STARTING PITCHERS: (5) Chris Capuano Doug Davis Gary Glover Victor

2005 Milwaukee Brewers Preview

2005-03-29T22:08:00.000-06:00

There is a nice in-depth article about the 2005 Brewers over at the Baseball Think Factory website. Go check it out. Obviously there are a few things that didn't pan out since this article was written, such as Kieschnick being released, and Ben Hendrickson and Jose Capellan being sent down to Nashville. But this excerpt from the article made my jaw drop: While Hardy hasn't put up jaw-dropping

Greatest Day on the Sofa Ever

2005-03-27T23:45:00.000-06:00

Noon - 1:30: Golf, The Players Championship (5th major) 1:30 - 4:00: Badgers v. N. Carolina 4:00 - 7:00: Michigan St v. Kentucky 7:00 - 8:00: Poker on FSN 8:00 - 11:00: Brewers ST game v. Rangers on FSN 11:00 - 12:00: last hour of "Major League" on ESPN classics I honestly didn't know who to root for in the UW/UNC game. It really was bittersweet for me because in the back of my mind, I

Updated Roster Predictions

2005-03-27T11:42:00.000-06:00

This was my projection on February 13th. As of now, it appears that three of my original projections will not break with the club when they head back to Milwaukee next week. Ben Hendrickson was sent down to AAA, again, due to the fact that he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with his pitches this spring. Brooks Kieschnick will be outrighted and has either 10 days to clear waivers or to be

Brooks Kieschnick Apparently Released

2005-03-27T00:09:00.000-06:00

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Brewers are planning on releasing relief pitcher and pinch hitter Brooks Kieschnick. 'Kiesch' pinch hit in 44 AB's off the bench last year, the fourth most in a season for the Brewers, and recorded 11 hits for a pedestrian .250 average. Other highlights...posted a 1.99 ERA in 14 games at Miller Park and a 5.75 ERA in 18 games on the road...

What's the deal w/me and money??

2005-03-24T11:09:00.000-06:00

So, I decided go out out for a night out on the town and get some cheap wings. It was one of those spur of the moment decisions. I went to park in a different parking ramp, this time away from the notorious ramp where minorities try to steal people's wallets. I left the bar around 1 AM and headed back to my car to go home and crash for a couple hours. I get to the parking ramp and make the

The Bill Hall Experiment

2005-03-22T19:01:00.000-06:00

It appears as if Bill Hall's role with the 2005 Crew will be in an even more expanded role than it was with the 2004 Crew. It appears to me as if Hall will take over Keith Ginter's role as the "super sub" who can play three infield positions plus dabble a little bit in the outfield if needed in a pinch. At the same time last year, it was Ginter who was trying to learn on the fly how to play the

Back from the Desert Southwest

2005-03-21T22:09:00.000-06:00

Well, it was quite the vacation. Went down to the Phoenix area on March 10th and came back late on the 16th. The theme of the week was nothing but food, golf, and most importantly, spring training baseball. We got down to Phoenix and its 70 degree weather around 5pm on Thursday, leaving the Wisconsin snow behind. We had quite the time getting our rental car with Alamo at the airport, it

Analyzing Doug Melvin

2005-03-20T23:06:00.000-06:00

Brew Tasting By Bryan Smith "In Billy We Trust." Over at Athletics Nation, this is the defining phrase of the site. Across the Internet, Billy Beane is lauded for his talents as a General Manager -- with admirers pointing to the team's performance over the last several years within the constraints of a tight budget. For one reason or another, I've never been a diehard fan of Beane's. Maybe the

3TO!! 3TO!! 3TO!!

2005-03-20T23:04:00.000-06:00

Another True (Outcomes) Hero by Tom Meagher March 10, 2005 Last year, one of the best hitters in baseball was Adam Dunn. Dunn achieved a degree of notoriety for breaking Bobby Bonds’ single-season strikeout record. To many, this was more of a triumph than a failure; Dunn has been dubbed a True Outcomes Hero for his refusal to put the ball in play. His strict adherence to the principles of

BA's Top 100: A Brewers Retrospective (Part One)

2005-03-09T00:10:00.000-06:00

By Bill Batterman of bf.net Concurrent with the release of this year's top 100 prospects, Baseball America made available a complete listing of their annual top prospect lists dating back to 1990. Compiled by their team of writers with the input of scouts and other baseball insiders, Baseball America's list highlights players with a mix of tools and performance that portend an exceptional big

2005 Off-Season Contracts

2005-03-08T00:10:00.000-06:00

Reading the Fine Print by Studes March 07, 2005 Call it morbid curiosity if you like, but I tried to keep track of all the contracts that were signed this offseason. Like a motorist slowing down to take in an accident, I couldn't help entering each dollar promised into my Excel spreadsheet just to see exactly what happened. I know I missed some deals, but I did my level best to capture every

Gotta Love Government Housing

2005-03-07T01:48:00.000-06:00

So I went to the grocery store this evening after my Tar Heels made a made comeback in the final minutes against Duke. I come back and get a prime, VIP parking spot next to the apartment building for a change. I bring a load up, and then came back to get the rest. And to my amazement, I see 3 little H-mongs, no older than 8 I'd say, rumaging through my groceries in my car like they haven't

Racine's Own Pride and Joy

2005-03-05T10:47:00.000-06:00

Milwaukee Brewers' Minor League Player of the Year, Vinny Rottino, has been turning heads yet again within the organization. Here are a couple excerpts from the Journal Sentinel and the Brewers' web site. _________________________________________ Catching on: Because the rest of the Brewers were preparing for the intrasquad game, minor-leaguer Vinny Rottino caught Sheets during the batting

The Brewers' Surplus of Pitching Candidates

2005-02-24T18:47:00.000-06:00

Again, by Bill Batterman~ After a busy off-season that saw closer Dan Kolb and setup man Luis Vizcaino depart in high-profile trades, the Brewers enter Spring Training with an abundance of pitchers competing for a limited number of spots on the club's Opening Day roster. In addition to past track record and performance during the Cactus League season, General Manager Doug Melvin and the rest of

Damian Miller Bio

2005-02-24T18:43:00.000-06:00

Damian Miller (Newcomer Breakdown)By Bill Batterman Published 2/23/2005 Spring Training is just beginning and the Brewers have no shortage of fresh faces at their Arizona compound. To help fans get acclimated with this year's crop of newcomers to the organization, the Daily Brew has been publishing a series of player

2005-02-24T18:36:00.000-06:00

I came across this nice little rant about the Cubs and their inept manager, Dusty Baker by Tim Marchmant of the New York Sun. Thank God I'm a Brew Crew fan! The last sentence made my day. There isn't much to like about blowhard Cubs manager Dusty Baker; when not waxing racist, overusing his pitchers, running good players and great broadcast teams out of town, or starring in obnoxious

Bucks Trades

2005-02-24T18:21:00.000-06:00

The Milwaukee Bucks made a couple of trades today that can be seen as an attempt to free up payroll to make a run at resigning Michael Redd at season's end. First, they shipped combo guard Mike James and reserve center Zendon Hamilton off to Houston in exchange for Madison, WI native Reece Gaines and two additional second round draft picks. Gaines will see his playing time dramatically increase