The Brewerblog

We are going April 7th - 9th. It's a shame we won't get to see Ben Sheets pitch, but I will be where my heart is always ... Miller Park. Also, there is discussion of going on the Miller Brewery tour. I went last year for my 22nd Bday when I went to a game ( awesome game vs the Nationals where Carlos tied the game with a moster smash to left and we won on a balk - July 15th).

I just figured we needed to crank up the Brewerblog again. So here is to the Brewers turning up the heat!

The chips fell in my corner tonight as I witnessed the Crew lay out a hell of a welcome mat for the Marlins. As I predicted we sat up in RF but got 2nd row seats, and the weather was nothing short of perfect.

Can't think of anything to say about the game that isn't obvious from the score to Cappy's line. Each Brewers hitter took a good approach at the plate, and Capuano went right after the strike zone from pitch one (I think he had 8 pitches after one and 28 after three). Also, I'd like to send my congrats to Capuano for becoming the first 14 game winner for the Brewers since 1993.

One last thing, I'm very thankful to have been eyewitness to Rickie Weeks and his supernatural play-making ability. On that note, I was listening to Sunday's game and Jim mentioned something like the Brewers get to 80% more balls due to their defensive alignments. That stat sounds a bit bloated now that I put it in writing and actually think about it, but in this game alone there were plays made that wouldn't have been possible with traditional defensive placement.

Here's to the Crew keeping the bats hot and the pitches down in the zone. Also, Happy (early?) Birthday to Jon... I used your ID for a whole summer, you'd think I'd remember what day your birthday is, haha. I'll just say I don't blame the drugs, but maybe I should.

Finally, nearly a month after my last visit (which was a great game - July 15th walk-off balk in the 10th vs. the Nationals) I'll be returning to Miller Park for two games. First, Tuesday's start to the homestand against Florida. Second, Friday's turn-back-the-clock game against the Braves.

Florida comes at the Crew with Beckett (3.15 ERA), and seeing him will put another great pitcher on my list of have-seens. I saw Pedro pitch earlier this season, along with Santana at the dome, Sheets and Hernandez. Hopefully we'll get some good seats but I'm guessing they'll be RF/LF bleachers which is cool cause I'm going with my dad and no sense dropping $70. Most of all, I'd really like to see some emotion from the team tomorrow. That loss to Houston should upset them (though it was mostly Santos' fault). They are realistically (statisticlly speaking) in the hunt for the wild card and should jump on the Marlins early. I miss Brady for that.

As for Friday, I'm going with my buddy Bryan who is a big Braves fan (oh TBS). He hasn't seen Miller Park, which really suprises me cause he is a baseball fan in general. I enjoy taking new people to see Miller Park, showing off one of the many prides of Wisconsin. My girlfriend Sarah came with me to the July 15th game and we sat 7th row down the 3rd base line, poor girl is only use to games at the dome. I would try to figure out who the Braves are sending to the mound, but I'm honestly too lazy. If I remember correctly, the last time that Milwaukee and Atlanta played a turn-back-the-clock game, both teams had Braves written on their uniforms and was kinda confusing to watch. Maybe the Braves can wear those orange unis they got for their home alternative.

I'm giddy to be headed back to Miller Park. Hopefully I can talk Jon into going down in September for at least one more. GO BREWERS!!

Doug Davis got up on the mound tonight with a task: stop a 4 game Brewers skid. He did just that in resounding fashion. His line:

8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 112 pitches

That makes three big wins in a row for the south paw and sends him to a 7-5 record on the year with decisions in every game he's pitched thus far.

I'd also like to mention Clark and Lee leading the league in hits and RBIs respectively. The offense has been waiting for another player to step up and be consistant. If I can go so far as to say, this could be the series Jenks has been waiting for to bust out and get some HRs and RBIs on the board. Also, Hardy drew 3 walks tonight and is looking much, much better at the plate. However, I think the 3 BBs hurt him in his last AB when he should have swung at strike 3 - if anything just to protect the plate with two strikes.

Santana should get on the horn and thank the pitcher who designed PETCO. I won't lie: I had to clean my drawers after that ball left Blum's bat. Any other park and I'd be cut off from everything Brewers; but then again, Jenks would have had a 3 HR in about 30 other parks too. Turbow looked like he just got off the short bus out there; but like B & D said, its probably just under-use (Ned, he had work the other night!).

I do feel for Hall some because we've been tossing him all over the diamond and are expecting him to be perfect. Granted he should have made that play that was hit right at him, but it appeared to either take an odd hop or he tripped over the infield/outfield bump.

Anyway, I like getting on the bus with some cheers rather then jeers. The LADs aren't going to be a cake walk with the likes of Izturis and Saenz swinging some hot bats. Sheets looked strong in his last start in Milwaukee, and I know he wants to get out there and work more then 5 innings. Here's to hoping he Ks 10+. Go Brewers!

Well, chalk up another heart-break for the Brew Crew. My young heart can't take much more, but to be honest... I'd rather have them be in it til the end and lose close ones then get blown out. The ball has to start bouncing in our favor at some point.

Lets us look at some high points from tonight's game:

-- Jenkins in RF! Need I say more? He saved us at least 3 runs with streak into the corner, his run/leap at the wall, and that amazing dive. I'll admit, I get pretty frustrated with some of Jenk's ABs; but in the field, that guy gives 110%.

-- The pitching staff. Santos had another roller coaster of a day but managed to hold San Diego to only one run in six innings. He even battled his way through the sixth with a 110+ pitch count to set himself up for a win. If not for two errors by the sure-handed Overby, I would be singing a different song. Santana has also looked lights out as of late. He's inherited something like 10 runners this season and has yet to allow one to score ( 3 of those tonight).

The rolls will come around at some point for us (maybe I can't watch the games now either). Needless to say, we've all stuck around this long. Go Brewers!

Jon, thanks for pointing out my curse. Now if anyone sees me at the park, I'll quickly be run out or heckled to no end. Either way, I am running an 0-5 record and its becoming a bigger heartbreaker everytime.

But in all fairness, I about crap myself when we put up 5 runs with the line up we had going today (especially against Santana and the Twins' bullpen). About the only thing that could have handicapped our offense more would have been putting J.J. Hardy at short. Then again, Chad Moeller must be taking notes from Gary Bennett about how to suck the most in every possible situation. Sitting in the stands, I was completely dumbfounded when Moeller walked up to the plate in the 10th; but now that I know Miller has a sore right bicep, I guess I can't be too upset with Ned cause his hands were tied.

I feel bad for Matt Wise. We did the right thing by walking Stewart to load the bases, but I wasn't sure why we didn't have Hall and Spivey at double play depth. In hind sight, that ground ball hit to Spivey was probably too soft to pull a DP, but I think you have to play for it up the middle.

Santana had me scared when he came out and put his first pitch about 5 ft over Moeller's head then came back with some chin music. But he settled down and worked out of it, but I would have liked to see him go two innings. Turnbow was in there a bit long for my taste (obviously) but there isn't much you can do when he already got the first two outs of the inning - you have to give him the chance to close it up.

All in all, the road trip is one to be forgotten. Colorado is in town so hopefully we'll get to turn the fortunes around. Also, I won't be at the park for this series so there is a weight off the fans' shoulders. However, next time I'm there, I'm voting a million times for Chad Moeller to represent us in Detroit.

"I really believe in this team," Carlos Lee said. "We've got a really, really good clubhouse. It started from there. Everybody is working for the same thing. Did you see us out there -- bunting guys over? Look at Overbay. Third guy in the lineup, he just hit a home run, and he's putting down the bunt."

I couldn't have put it better myself. This is just a taste of what Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin has been waiting for - an unselfish team that can get the job done.

Since Houston lost today (wow, the Mets can win games) our MILWAUKEE BREWERS are alone on top of the NL Central.

It's looking like Sheets is gettin the nod on Friday and I couldn't be happier. With us leaving around 10 AM that morning, we should hit Miller Park before the parking lots open. We may have to tailgate prior to tailgating. It's going to be a party for the ages. Word is the weather is going to be splendid - 60's with sunny skies. We might even be blessed with the first open roof game of the young season.

Since we are sitting in the right field bleachers, I plan on asking Jenkins which brand of chew he indulges in. Come Saturday, Guff will be packing the tin I brought for him (there is discussion about getting him a silo for the whole clubhouse).

All I know is that it's Brewer baseball at Miller Park - does it get any better? Maybe we'll find out this October...

GO BREWERS!