That 6-foot, 260-pound build is powered by wheatgrass, soy and tofu nowadays: That's right, it's the 2008 Brewers thread.

As of yesterday, Jason Kendall is ranked #12 in OPS.

Also: my mom has yet to make an out!

Ranked 12th, batting 9th!

call out the national guard -- bill hall is killing the giants

also: gabe kapler is alive?

ALIVE AND STRIKING OUT MY FRIEND! We have the most Jewish-ish teams in the history of baseball!

Also: I think I heard notorious Windy City blowhard Mike North praising Rickie Weeks on the radio this morning for taking Soto out in the game yesterday. WTF?

Dave, can your mom do mop-up work in the late innings?

neat...

http://i15.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/e1/77/c58c_1.JPG

paul molitor had a coke problem?

i think it's sugegsting he was a shaver, but i suppose it's possible.

WEAVER
WEAVER
WEAVER

Seriously -- what flavor Chunky Soup is Kapler's mom feeding him?

He is a good baseball player, he's motivated, and no one has a book on him anymore. Plus, he'll be back to pinch-hitting and spot duty once Cameron comes back this week, so he'll be THE STEALTH BOMB.

Seriously -- what flavor Chunky Soup is Kapler's mom feeding him?

b-12 and rice? hgh w/ meatballs?

The Brewers didn't need Jeff Weaver, but they got him anyway.

He is a good baseball player, he's motivated, and no one has a book on him anymore.

It's not a book, it's a one-sheet: How To Pitch To Oversized Singles Hitters.

I think GK had a similar little spurt when the Red Sox first acquired him, tho, so maybe it's just the freshness of the laundry that inspires Gabe to do business more suited to his body type.

Dear Ned Yost:

While I can't speak for my friend and super Brewer fan Matt C. in regards to his team, I would like to make a few humble requests, simply for the sake of my own peace of mind. To wit:

1) Move Bill Hall's all-or-nothing bat out of the 5th hole for fuck's sake and maybe give Corey Hart some opportunities w/ guys on base
1a) What the shit GABE KAPLER in the 2 spot -- are you fucking kidding?
2) Cut the "maintain batting order integrity even w/ two of our regulars on the pine to preserve retarded jockstrapped feng shui" shit, becuase Joe Dillon ain't no goddamn 3 hitter except in a beer league
3) Sell Gagne & Turnbow to that wrestling league where Mankind used to fall on spiked boards and flimsy tables and / or pretend they died

Thanks, and good luck!

1a) What the shit GABE KAPLER in the 2 spot -- are you fucking kidding?

Much like the afikoman, it's a move designed to keep children awake during Jeff Suppan starts.

Oh you are fucking kidding me (part X in a series):

So BPro readers know that Ms. Christina Karhl's giving the Brewers a rash of shit for having FOURTEEN PITCHERS currently active, meaning they only have 11 position player spots, meaning only 3 guys on the bench. So today, with the Brewers up 4-3 after 5, Boy Genius Ned Yost double-switches out today's 5th hitter (Corey Hart) after he made out in the previous frame w/ Gabe Kapler.

After Yost blows through 2 pitchers to get out of the top of the 6th, the Brewers tack on 4 more runs, and have the bases loaded w/ two outs when the pitcher's spot comes around. Of course, anything with the common sense given a Post-It note would pinch-hit and try to tack even more runs on the board. Yost, tho, lets David Riske hit, presumably because Riske only got one out in the top of the inning. And Riske gets out.

Riske then allows the first three hitters reach in the 7th (walk / double / walk), and gets yanked. Those three, and one more, cross the plate. Game's now 8-7 in the 9th, w/ Gagne in the process of screwing the pooch (2 on, 1 out, Pujols up).

And... he blows it, thanks to Weeks on the bad throw to first (and the baserunners).

Jeff Suppan just pinch-hit for Gagne!

earlier, Torres IBB'd (?) Pujols with the bases loaded and a 2 run lead.

I keep forgetting that Bill Hall is from this area. He went to high school in the next town up the road from here. The local media don't play it up as much as they could.

Turnbow DFA'd.

One step closer to tacos con Jefe.

aye, que barbaridad!

A troubled Brewers Nation breathes more easily tonight.

Gallardo probably out for the season.

ahem

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKCKCKCKCKC!!!!11!!

thank you

ouch

Wish my TiVo would know when Gagne enters a game.

I think the Brewers had to send Derek Turnbow to the minors as having him and Gagne around in the bullpen was too much like playing Russian Roulette with two bullets in the six gun.

Vote for Prince F. (or J0hn D.):

http://www.peta2.com/outthere/o-sexyveg08.asp

Bummed Peter Bogdanovich is not an option.

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/5194/eptsportsmlbexperts4553yf9.jpg

sweet jesus...are those trunks from the jack lillane collection?

EAT STEAK, HIT HOME RUN

Pick a theory, and chances are someone has floated it to explain Fielder's early lack of thump.

Among the most prominent: (1) Prince is hitting fewer homers because of his new vegetarian diet; (2) he was miffed in spring training when the Brewers automatically renewed his contract, and he's been out of sync ever since; (3) opponents are pitching him more carefully after his 50-homer season, and he's grown frustrated by all those breaking pitches and fastballs out of the zone; (4) he's pressing to prove that he deserves a $10 million, Ryan Howard-caliber deal in salary arbitration next season.

The Brewers offered Fielder and teammate Ryan Braun multiyear contracts in the spring. Braun signed for eight years and $45 million, while Fielder, a Scott Boras client, turned down a long-term offer. This is how life works with Boras: Young players go year to year, and they reap the desired windfall if they continue to produce. If not, they run the risk of being unhappy campers.

For whatever reason, Fielder has been more withdrawn and less media-friendly this season. When he hit four homers in five games during Milwaukee's last homestand, some observers joked that he had either stumbled upon some miracle tofu or slipped in a few late-night runs to Jack in the Box. In light of Prince's mind-set these days, we suspect he wouldn't find much humor in that.

Maybe the other power-sapped hitters aren't eating enough of the following things: 1) fruit; 2) vegetables.

What's the fan reaction to the CC trade?

riots, i believe.

happy riots or sad riots?

If the Brewers fail to sign Sabathia after this season, they get two picks: a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds and the first round pick from the team that does sign him (since he is a type-A FA). Is that correct? If yes, I think it's a reasonable gamble, given what the Brewers are trying to accomplish right now. LaPorta would be blocked for the forseeable future in MIL, anyway -- no?

Sabathia was lousy in the playoffs last year and appeared to be out of gas, but his second half was better than his first.

who's in the deal?

Matt LaPorta OF
Zach Jackson LHP
Rob Bryson RHP
PTBNL

http://myespn.go.com/s/conversations/show/story/3476456

Milwaukee sent Cleveland left fielder Matt LaPorta, pitchers Rob Bryson and Zach Jackson and a player to be named.

LaPorta
http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=32457

Bryson
http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=34624

Jackson
http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=22349

Hardly depletes their system.

xpost

(xpost)

LaPorta was Prince's projected replacement, and I think Prince already turned down a contract that extended him past this year. It seems risky to leave the team no 1B for 2009, but I understand trying to win now in a weak league.

CC looks all right in the NL.

Another HR.

Strikes out the side in the ninth.

That pitch that Fielder hit out against Volquez last night was freaking impressive. I think Prince was even surprised that it carried out. It was a tough pitch and look like Volquez jammed him pretty good.

CC looks all right in the NL.

-- Steve Shasta, Tuesday, July 8, 2008 6:04 PM (2 weeks ago)

shades of randy johnson w/houston, w/probably the same amount of time spent on the team.

Or '87 Doyle Alexander/Tigers

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/c_c_sabathia_prince_fielder_keep

Watching Braun hit a no-doubter to tie the game and affect a little pre-trot pose-n-toss just now was awesome.

Watching Prince Fielder come trucking around third like a runaway semi just now was AWESOME.

Meanwhile, Rickie Weeks = bum-in-training. :(

Prince had no business rounding 3rd on that play, tho -- Lee cutting off the ball gave them the run. And the Brewer announcers intimating that PF could've gotten to 2nd on a looping ball served into short LF is pretty optimistic.

Hay guys this game is pretty awesum!!!!!!

Also did not know they called Russell Branyan "The Muscle"!!!!

♥ CC

Great game

do not ♥ gagne

OK, I'll give Gagne my cell #.

This is a game worthy of a pennant chase. That having been said, I will be upset if we lose.

If only we had our regular first base coach!! Everything would be different.

oh i know, the whole series will be played under a pall

Famous last etc.

If anyone can clue me in as to why Corey Hart was trying to BUNT w/ 2 outs and a guy on 1st in the 8th inning, I'd appreciate it.

NED YOST COAST TO COAST is why

oh by the way F***

Why did Bill Hall give up on that ball?

oh umps WATCH THE FUCKING BALL

w'happen (my TV broke)

The last AB = Kapler clearly fouls off a 2-strike pitch into the dirt (& Soto's glive), home plate ump calls it a swing-&-miss 3rd strike, 2nd base umpire eventually (thankfully) overrules him. Then Kappy one-hands a fly ball to deepish LF for the final out.

I'm guessing Durham starts @ 2B today.

i guess Parra is a decent hitter (evidenced by his 3B to follow) but i turned this game on for 2 minutes last night to see the attempted hit & run w/ kendall running and the pitcher @ the plate o_O! i took it as a sign the brewers were conceding

Must-win game today? (and vs Harden ... yikes)

no such thing as a must-win game in july.

having said that, my favorite team is playing with no heart and no soul, and facing a team that seems to have both. it's depressing. all i can hope for is the fact that our schedule finally gets easier, and the cubs' finally gets harden.

i mean harder.

dammit.

I would not enjoy getting shoved and slapped by a huge vegetarian.

http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/08/05/is-it-a-big-deal.aspx

If what I heard was correct, Parra was getting ready to go to the clubhouse after being removed from the game and Fielder took exception to that, with the Brewers batting in the top of the seventh and trying to cut into the 6-1 that Parra dug for the team.

I heard that Prince yelled at Parra, "We stayed out there and watched your (bleep). You can stay out here and watch our (bleep)."

I can totally believe Prince said something like that. He was in an agitated mood about the team's sputtering offense and wasn't pleased that Parra caved in for six runs in the middle inning (of course, Fielder could have helped by not letting Joey Votto's two-run single get by him).

Anyway, Parra scooped up his glove and jacket off the bench and it might have come close to swiping Fielder in the face. He took exception to it and went after Parra, shoving him hard twice before teammates restrained him. It was an ugly scene that players basically attributed to "boys will be boys" afterward.

didn't they implode last year around this point too?

There was a Yost / Estrada blow-up late last year, coinciding with all their pitchers going down with pink eye. Wouldn't call this an implosion yet, tho, Senor Cardinal.

I'd feel 100% better about the Brewers chances if Yost wasn't the MGR, tho. And if they had non-sluggers that got on base more than 34% of the time.

DID YOU KNOW???

Jeff Suppan has restaurant in the Valley, Soup's Grill.

the menu includes:

Fielder's salad with Salmon
7-oz grilled salmon fillet atop mixed greens with grilled vegetables including mixed peppers, red onion, mushrooms, zucchini & bleu cheese crumbles tossed with honey vinaigrette dressing

That shit ain't vegetarian

Joe Sheehan of BP on CC:

The only pitcher in MLB possibly having a better season than Sabathia is former teammate Cliff Lee. It’s entirely possible that Sabathia will be the best pitcher in baseball this season while receiving little to no support in the award voting.

Can he win the NL Cy Young Award? No, of course not; even if he continues to pitch at this level, his NL performance will fall in behind that of the top four guys in the league, and likely others such as Peavy and Volquez. The name "Rick Sutcliffe" has popped up a few times, but Sutcliffe was traded on June 13 in 1984, giving him enough time to rack up 20 starts for the Cubs, enabling him to go 16-1 and steal the award. Sutcliffe wasn’t anything like the best starter in the NL that season, but he did have a great story, and more importantly, an unsophisticated voting pool drooling over "16-1."

No, the better comp for Sabathia is Randy Johnson in 1998. Johnson came over from the Mariners at the trade deadline and went 10-1, 1.28 in 11 starts. He finished seventh in the NL Cy Young voting that year, and at that he was a "story" vote—Johnson was 22nd in SNLVAR and 15th in VORP among NL pitchers. Sabathia, by virtue of being dealt earlier, can do a bit better than that, but he can’t, in a half-season, be worthy of being called the best pitcher in the league.

He might just be the best pitcher in baseball this year, though, which is a pretty nice way to head into the free-agent market. What he lacks in hardware, he’ll make up for in zeroes this winter.

Wonder where Doyle Alexander (11 starts, 9-0, 1.53 after being dealt to DET from ATL) fell in 1987 AL SNLVAR and VORP.

Forgot about this (Johnson deal):

July 31, 1998: Traded by the Seattle Mariners to the Houston Astros for a player to be named later, Freddy Garcia, and Carlos Guillen. The Houston Astros sent John Halama (October 1, 1998) to the Seattle Mariners to complete the trade.

NEVER FORGET (Alexander deal):

August 12, 1987: Traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Detroit Tigers for John Smoltz.

shades of randy johnson w/houston, w/probably the same amount of time spent on the team.

-- omar little, Wednesday, July 23, 2008 6:45 PM (3 weeks ago) Bookmark Link

Neyer on NL MVP

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=22022

Don't ignore Sabathia. Sure, it's an uphill climb for a starting pitcher, let alone a starting pitcher who didn't join his club until early July. But voters do like shiny objects, and Sabathia's as shiny as anyone. His sterling record (8-0) is impressive enough, but what really gets the writers (including this one) hot and bothered are all those complete games: five in his first nine starts for the Brewers. If Sabathia can finish, say, 15-1 with the Brewers and the Brewers qualify for the playoffs, he's going to get a great deal of support from the voters, just as Rick Sutcliffe (16-1) did with the Cubs in 1984.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2751758711_d06aa4ac8a.jpg

Tom: St. Louis MO: What are your thoughts on Yost having Sabathia pitch the 9th the other night when he had already thrown 110 pitches and the Brewers had a 7 run lead?

Keith Law: (1:22 PM ET ) Idiotic. I'm not sure which is more likely to cause the Brewers to lose in their NLDS - their flammable bullpen, or their addled manager.

http://pics.schwippy.com/forums/images/make_it_stop.jpg

major lols

Still going...

CC had maybe a 40% chance of making the out at first, so it was a hit.

also, surprise wisdom from KRUK on Sunday night that CC pitching the 8th and 9th with a big lead was (once again) fucking stupid.

lol Gagne

Captain Punch-a-Parra is about to get busy again.

ned yost fired!

Normally I'd say WAU at the timing, but I saw Saturday's game in Philly. What a dead-ass team, and he took Parra out 2 batters late.

isn't dale sveum one of those perpetually intriguing, bridesmaid manager interviewees?

sveum sounds like a venereal disease

Scraping Sveum Off the Wheel

Actually, all Foetus aliases are probably best reserved for Ross Gload.

Someone do something w/ "Clint Ruin" & "Clint Hurdle," plz.

probably not the place for this, but good job to the AP on including a first sentence that could be interpreted two different ways:

The Milwaukee Brewers fired manager Ned Yost on Monday with the team mired in a late-season slump that has jeopardized its chances of making the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

feel bad for brauny but moreso have to lol

poor Ryan, the hunky iron-gloved bastard

I'm rooting for the Brewers to get the wild card.

so that the cubs can play LA no doubt?

They would still be in first if Prince Fielder ate meat.

so that the cubs can play LA no doubt?

― the lord of overstock (ciderpress), Sunday, September 21, 2008 4:56 PM (4 hours ago)

:D

GO PIRATES... maybe

That was pretty great.

Tonight

PIT: Duke (5-14, 4.96 ERA)
MIL: Gallardo (0-0, 1.80 ERA)

Excuse me, that's Yovani "I feel you creeping, I can see it from my shadow, why don't you jump in my Lamborghini" Gallardo

he's back!!!!!!

MILWAUKEE -- Only 20 minutes after being made available to the public, all 5,000 seats purchased by Eric Gagne for tonight's game were gone.

"The response to Eric's offer was overwhelming," said Brewers Executive Vice President - Business Operations Rick Schlesinger. "We appreciate what Eric did for the fans and know that this will create a terrific atmosphere for tonight's important game."

As of 4 p.m., approximately 2,000 seats remain for sale in various seating categories for tonight's 7:05 p.m. game against the Pirates.

Tickets may be purchased at the Miller Park Box Office, by phone at 414-902-4000 or online at brewers.com.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080926/capt.55b17054185b4f91b98a38c689281edf.pirates_brewers_baseball_wimg115.jpg

Needs more beer.

AAAAAARGH, WHAT SPOILERS THESE PIRATES BE

Seth McClung is FEELIN' IT

HOWRY DOIN

CC for CY, MVP, president of world

You gotta think he got some votes today.

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/1b2d9e26-1920-4edc-9454-ea4494058aae.jpg

jesus, dude!

can we get a .gif of sabathia saying 'fuck yeah'?

lol

BREWERS BENCH COACH WILLIE RANDOLPH WAS EJECTED BY HOME PLATE UMPIRE BILL HOHN IN THE TOP OF THE THIRD INNING.

BREWERS HITTING COACH DALE SVEUM WAS EJECTED BY HOME PLATE UMPIRE BILL HOHN AFTER THE BOTTOM OF THE SECOND INNING FOR ARGUING BALLS AND STRIKES.

Hardy down, Escobar up.

Hall released... crazy...

he's still owed $11 million or something, too. his injections efforts several years ago did pay off in the end.

is it? i'd like to see more teams take this approach w/ veteran deadwood (tho I don't know, does Hall do something well anymore?).

xp

He'd be an upgrade at shortstop for the Royals!

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-and-service-time/

Hall's defense at 3B has improved a ton this year, one of the best in the NL there. But his hitting is el stinko.

Entrail Davis has signed.

HR - J Kendall (2, 9th inning off H Street 2 on, 1 Out).