Monday night was one of those nights where I wish I was an early riser. It would have resulted in an earlier bed time, and therefore the likelihood that I missed the end of the opener of a 3-game series between the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals. For those of you that were smart enough to let your heads hit the pillow before about 10:15 PM and thought the Brewers would hold for a 2-0 victory (and make up a game in the standings on all three teams ahead of them in the Central Division), allow me to fill you in on what kept the Brewers seven games out of the playoffs.
Per usual, Ron Roenicke "stuck with his guy" and called on his "closer" John Axford to put away the Cardinals. I hope everyone got a good laugh from that last sentence. I'll cut to the chase here: three base hits (two of which were seeing-eye singles) and two walks later, Kameron Loe was in the game, and the Brewers were down 3-2. Sure, the two hits that drove in runs weren't exactly crushed, but Axford got behind nearly every hitter, and the fact of the matter is that you can't walk the opponent when holding a 2-run lead. The Brewers offense failed to reach base in the bottom half and thus concludes the career of John Axford as the Milwaukee closer.
I'm too quick to draw that conclusion, you say? First of all, I doubt anyone is saying that, but for those of you who are sarcastically asking such a foolish question, let me throw some numbers at you. Axford has now converted 16 of 22 save opportunities (72.7% rate). That's good for 18th in the National League among closers with at least 12 save attempts. Yes, there are only 16 teams in the NL. His ERA has ballooned to 5.35, making him 17th among those same 18 closers with 12+ save attempts. Monday night, Axford was one strike away from saving the game against four different batters. And finally, Axford wears number 59, the same number - you guessed it - Derrick Turnbow wore.
Almost a month ago today, I didn't allow myself the necessary recovery time after a disappointing loss and went on a rant I only somewhat regret. To prove it was nothing short of a rant, I shamefully called out Ryan Braun for failing to come through in the clutch. One thing I will stand by in that rant was my bashing of the Brewer bullpen, specifically the combination of Francisco Rodriguez and Axford himself at the tail end of games. Who did I say should replace them? Tyler Thornburg and Mark Rogers. I'm sticking to it. Although the call-up of Rogers may realistically not happen until September, Thornburg is here, and as far as I'm concerned, it's a "why not" situation when it comes to putting Thorny in the closer's role.
Here are a few reasons that support my case for both being placed in late inning situations. First of all...why not? The Brewers are 42-47, have lost 20 games in which they've held a lead, and the bullpen has BLOWN 16 SAVES THIS SEASON (19 BS all of last season). So there's that. There's also the fact that both are extremely talented and have the stuff needed to perform at the big league level. Rogers has had his share of injuries and plenty more was expected of him by this point in his career, but the fact of the matter is that he's still only 26-years old. Mike Fiers? He's 27. Rogers has also pitched well as of late down at AAA Nashville. And other than the four long balls Thorny has allowed (I know...not good), he simply just needs to make adjustments and better mix his pitches to avoid these home run problems.
I know I've forgotten to address one problem - both of these guys are starting pitchers. But last time I checked, there still isn't room in the starting rotation (for now). Sure, we would all like to see Randy Wolf take a hike, but he's the team's only left-handed starter and he's in the final year of his deal, so the suffering will only last so long. Thornburg is making a spot start on Wednesday in place of a supposedly fatigued Zack Greinke (something smells there), but as far as we know, he'll just return to the bullpen immediately following his start. So who do the Brewers send down to make room for Rogers?
How about John Axford? Seriously, what's the worst that could happen? Best case scenario is Axford works out his control issues and eventually works his way back into the closer's role. I know that his career path is taking almost the same exact course as He Who Must Not Be Named (Turnbow for those who didn't follow), but the least the Brewers can do is give him a chance to regain his bearings. Let's not forget this dude went 46/48 in save ops last season with a sub-2.00 ERA. He's got good stuff, and although the problem could just be that the rest of the league has figured him out, I wouldn't consider such an extreme idea as parting ways with Axford.
Monday night's loss hurt a lot - not any worse than some of the other tough defeats the Brewers have suffered through this season, but certainly not any better. With that being said, not all hope is lost, but last night was kind of the Brewers' season in a microcosm. It would probably be best for the Brewers to start making some trades that benefit the team for the future and make things easier on the organization and it's fans when it comes to everyone's "hope factor." As much as I don't want to care, this team isn't losing enough for me to quit on them, but boy does it sting when they lose in such heart-breaking fashion time and time again. Thanks to the extra Wild Card slot, less teams are going to be "sellers" as the trade deadline approaches, and more teams are going to be caught in no-man's land.
But back to the team's most pressing issue besides the trade deadline - the bullpen, and more specifically the end-of-game situation. What we are realistically looking at is Francisco Rodriguez being inserted into the closer's role and John Axford being used in less-stressful situations to help him get his mojo back. I'd love for Axford to hit the minors and Rogers to get his shot, but Roenicke will likely do with Axford what I mentioned just before. In my opinion, I believe Axford's confidence could receive a jolt in AAA, but there's also the risk of him struggling, leading to his career going down the shitter. Sure, his 2011 success is still reason for the Brewers - and other teams for that matter - not to give up on him quite yet, but in the meantime, give some guys who haven't received an opportunity...an opportunity.
Okay. I'm going to try and combine the extreme with the real. I'll accept the fact that Rodriguez will now take over the closer's role. At least this gives the Brewers a chance to showcase him at the end of games, which could make him a more enticing asset for teams in need of bullpen help. Axford...fine, you can stay in the Bigs, but in no way can you pitch in a meaningful situation until you figure things out. That leaves the eighth inning role open for Thornburg to enter. After his Wednesday start, it appears as though Thornburg will return to the 'pen (at least until Greinke is dealt). Why not put him in the setup role? There isn't anyone else worthy of such a job (Kameron Loe 4 BS, Manny Parra 4.20 ERA, Jose Veras...just no, Livan Hernandez already in the long relief role...no need for two LRPs). He could pitch in the eighth, potentially move into the closer's role should Rodriguez be dealt, and if all else fails, throw him in the starting rotation when Greinke is dealt. I'd be hard pressed to believe both Rodriguez and Greinke will still be in a Brewers' uniform come August.
I still believe Rogers' time will come at the big league level, and I haven't even discussed how dominant Wily Peralta has been lately (only 1 ER allowed in his last 22.1 IP). I strongly believe pitching remains at a premium for the Brewers...now they just need to learn how to use it. The closer's role is the most delicate role in baseball, no questions asked, and that's what makes it so valuable. There are only so many guys like Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. I've gone as far as saying bullpens - or at least specific bullpen roles - shouldn't exist, but again, that's me being a little too extreme. If it weren't for starting pitchers having to be in their cute little "routines," I believe the best plan of action would be to pitch whoever gives you the best chance to win on any given day, given that such a pitcher is healthy/not fatigued. We can still monitor pitch counts for the sake of taking care of arms, but everyone pitching at the big league level should have the ability and the arsenal of pitches necessary to go at least 100 pitches/five innings in a game.
Whatever. Not going to get into that argument right now. As it currently stands, the Brewers are 42-47, seven games out of the playoffs, and once again not doing a whole lot in yet another important stretch in the schedule. C'mon, Brewers. Mix it up a little, hold on to your leads and get some good, young talent for the years to follow instead of completely wasting away another season of baseball. You owe it to the fans that have stuck with you this long, and they need something to root for this season and look forward to in future years. Should such things occur, I'll be back to discuss them. In the meantime, we're 27 days away from Aug. 9, also known the day the Packers open up their pre-season slate, and I can't wait to talk about a team with its head on straight. Until then, we're stuck with baseball, so here's to hoping you - and the Brewers - make the most of it.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Brewers' first half season review
The Milwaukee Brewers have made the playoffs two times in my lifetime out of 22 potential chances. Compare that to some of the other Wisconsin sports teams. The Green Bay Packers have made it 14 times, including two Super Bowl victories in three appearances (that's more "finals" appearances for the Packers than total playoff appearances for the Crew). The Milwaukee Bucks have made it nine times (wait, what??). Marquette and Wisconsin men's basketball have made numerous trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Wisconsin football team has won three Rose Bowls and played in five overall. All things considered, the Brewers have been the most disappointing team for Wisconsin fans to root for. This season is proving to be no different, with the Crew standing at 40-45 heading into the All-Star break, eight games out of first place in the Central Division and six games out of a Wild Card position. And yet baseball remains my favorite sport, with the Brewers being my favorite team to root for. I'm as helpless as they come. Within the past couple of weeks, I've conceded the season for various reasons, one of the most prevalent being that Milwaukee is a small market....and being a small market team doesn't hurt any professional sports franchise in Wisconsin more than the Milwaukee Brewers. Why? A lack of a salary cap.
Of course, baseball is about as traditional as it gets. It likely won't make any strides towards implementing a salary cap any time soon. Obviously, this puts the Brewers at a disadvantage despite spending more than they ever have lately thanks to Mark Attanasio. They are forced to make a decision every season: are we in contention and therefore going to be "buyers" as the trade deadline nears, or are we out of contention and "sellers?" This season, even though many of you would disagree, the Brewers are caught in a tough position. Being six games out of the playoffs with 77 games remaining doesn't seem insurmountable. It's been done time and time again. But for reasons I've stated previously (can't risk going "all-in," constant bullpen struggles, the inability to string wins together), the Brewers need to sell. I don't like giving up hope. Even though I'm trying to part ways with hope, deep down, I can't help but remain hopeful. As Andy Dufresne said in The Shawshank Redemption, "hope is a good thing...maybe the best of things." I couldn't agree more, although the one glaring problem with hope is the disappointment that can come along with it. But hey, I'm done preaching now. Let's take a look back at the Brewers' first 85 games of the season, and look forward to what might happen during the last 77.
Milwaukee Brewers: 40-45, 4th in Central, 8 GB
Let me begin by saying this: I've been relatively good at predictions since I've started this blog as far as records and overall team success goes. However, my 2012 Brewers' record prediction might be one of my worst ever. For the Crew to finish 91-71 and win the division, they would have to make up eight games on the Pittsburgh Pirates (hmmm...) and go 51-26 to close out the season. Essentially, the Brewers would have to win two of three games, or basically win every series they play for the remainder of the year. It ain't gonna happen. Not with this bullpen. Not with the injuries they've sustained.
Speaking of the bullpen and injuries, those are easily the two most glaring issues with this club. I know I promised I wouldn't complain about injuries for the rest of the season (and I promise I won't), but they have to be addressed since we're going back in time here and I'll try and get them out of the way ASAP. Losing so many players was bad enough, but the kicker was how it occurred in such a small time frame. The Brewers were forced to scramble to replace guys like Mat Gamel (1B), Alex Gonzalez (SS) and Jonathan Lucroy (C) while also dealing with some other slight aches and pains. A depleted farm system didn't help their cause. It took awhile, but they found a full-time replacement for Gamel by bringing Corey Hart in from right field. The move made sense...with the talent the Brewers already have in the outfield (see: Ryan Braun and Norichika Aoki), moving Hart to first almost left the team better off without Gamel because Aoki was able to move into a full-time role in right, allowing Carlos Gomez and Nyjer Morgan...who have both had their struggles...to platoon in center. Even at the catcher position the Brewers managed to tread water. Martin Maldonado (.303 OBP, 5 HR, 17 RBI) filled Lucroy's role while George Kottaras (.430 OBP, 3 HR, 12 RBI) has still mainly served as Randy Wolf's personal catcher (ugh). I'd like to see George get more than just one start a week, but he's a valuable bat to have coming off the bench and judging by his on-base percentage you can see why. So there's certainly been a drop off at catcher, but not as much as originally thought. Lucroy's projected return date is July 20 for those of you wondering how long a suitcase can keep a professional baseball player from the sport.
But then there's Alex Gonzalez. Shortstop, no matter which way you cut it, is always going to be one of the hardest positions to replace. It's where team's place their best infield defender and good shortstops are few and far between. Is Alex Gonzalez "good?" I certainly think so. He isn't a top five shortstop by any stretch of the imagination, but his defense and pop were two of his most valuable assets and he was an upgrade over Yuniesky Betancourt. Gonzalez was performing better at the plate (.326 OBP, 4 HR, 15 RBI through 24 games) than many expected coming into the season and brought some stability towards the bottom of the lineup. I'll tell you a few things the Brewers DON'T have right now...stability at the bottom of the lineup, and a mainstay at shortstop. The platoon of Cody Ransom and Cezar Izturus is, well, painful to watch. Sure, Ransom brings some power to the plate (pun intended) and both are pretty steady with the glove, but neither is hitting above .214, and that's a problem. The Brewers were able to do a nice job replacing Gamel, a decent job at replacing Lucroy, and a not-so-good job replacing Gonzalez. If the Brewers were in a buying position right now, they would certainly be looking for a shortstop to help them for the stretch run. You know what else they would be looking for?
A new left fielder. And by a new left fielder, I mean an entire bullpen. Take a stab at how many blown saves the Brewer bullpen has this year....give up? 14! Four-freaking-teen! That's about 16 percent of their games. Let's just be realistic and assume the bullpen only blows half that number. The Crew's record is now 47-38, a game out of first place with a spot in the postseason. In 2011, the Brewers had a total of 19 blown saves. What the 14 blown saves fail to show is how many late leads have been given up by the starting rotation as well, a product of Ron Roenicke both not knowing when to pull the string and having absolutely no faith in his bullpen. Kind of puts him in a tough spot, don't you think? I'm not going to take the time to calculate the bullpen's ERA this season, but I'll give you a hint: it's somewhere between "NOT GOOD" and "PATHETIC." John Axford simply hasn't been the same guy this season and already has five blown saves to go along with a 4.86 ERA (last season: 1.95 ERA, two BS). His setup man hasn't been the same guy, either. Francisco Rodriguez has blown four games of his own with an ERA surfacing above 4.00 as well. This doesn't exactly bode well for his trade value and what the Brewers could get in return. Not having a viable shortstop and bullpen are easily the two things holding back the Brewers the most from being contenders.
Now we know why the Brewers aren't doing well. But why are they doing as "well" as they are? On Wednesday, I traveled to Miller Park with my head held high because the Crew had a four game winning streak going, which I'm pretty sure was their longest of the season to date. They were up 5-1 in the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins and I had finally stopped sweating to an extent (it was 95 degrees out), but there was one glaring issue: Randy Wolf was on the mound. As you probably know by now, the Brewers would not win that game...believe it or not, Axford had something to do with that. It was kind of a culmination of the Brewers' season. Oh, sorry...this paragraph was supposed to have a positive vibe to it. Well, as I mentioned before, the Brewers took a little while to adjust after their slew of injuries, and in the process they found out a few things:
A lead-off hitter (Norichika Aoki)
An MVP candidate (Ryan Braun)
A stellar run producer (Aramis Ramirez)
A new best pitcher (Michael Fiers)
These are some nice things to find out, no? Looking at the Brewer offense, the first six hitters in the lineup should make you feel good. Lately, it has gone Aoki, Morgan, Braun, Ramirez, Hart, Weeks. Aoki currently has a 15-game hitting streak and has a .369 OBP. No complaints here. Braun is once again putting up HUGE numbers and Ramirez has been swinging a red-hot, and most notably clutch, bat. Hart doesn't really hit for average but we know what we get out of him by now. And then there's Rickie Weeks. Weeks started the season unbelievably slow for reasons unknown. I'm not quite sure how long it takes to recover from a sprained ankle, but the guy played at the end of last season (rather poorly), and the fact that he was playing on it gave me the idea that he would be 100 percent heading into 2012. Whether he was 100 percent is unknown to me, but the fact of the matter is that Weeks is finally heating up. A career .250 hitter, Weeks has climbed back up to .199 (try not to laugh, please), but his on-base percentage is what we should really be looking at, people! It's at .314. Not bad for a guy hitting below the Mendoza line. It reminds me a lot of a former teammate of mine my junior year during varsity baseball. His average was roughly where Weeks' was, but his OBP was over .400. Our head coach, whose hatred I have towards is indescribable, clearly does not value one's ability to get on base (sounds kind of important to me, but what do I know), sent him down to junior varsity. Bull spit, I know. So what I'm trying to say here is Weeks, who strikes out an absurd amount, also walks an absurd amount, and I guess I'm willing to accept this despite how bizarre and frustrating it can be. He's on the upswing, and that's undoubtedly a good thing for the Brewers.
How about we dish out some mid-season awards?
MVP (Offense): Ryan Braun (.990 OPS, 24 HR, 61 RBI)
Duh. No surprise here. It might be a surprise to the rest of the league that Braun can continue to have success despite now being off of the PEDs (allegedly), but Brewer fans knew what they'd be getting from the slugger. Braun has been incredible, being among league leaders in all the major offensive categories while being steady in the field, arguably making him a five-tool player to go along with his 15 stolen bases. The Brewers inability to stay in contention may hurt Braun's chances at winning back-to-back MVPs, but he's starting in his fifth All-Star Game on Tuesday and is the second Brewer in franchise history to be elected to at least five All-Star games (Cecil Cooper...Robin Yount only made 3?) He's well on his way to solidifying his place as the best player in franchise history, and I couldn't be happier to be along for the ride.
MVP (Pitching): Zack Greinke (9-3, 3.32 ERA, 111 SO)
Greinke has All-Star caliber numbers, but was one of the most notable snubs this season. That, combined with the lingering trade talks, have in my opinion taken a toll on Greinke lately, but this won't stop me from giving him the honor of pitcher of the season thus far for the Brewers (sure as hell ain't giving it to a bullpen member). He's been a reliable "ace" and never loses at Miller Park, which makes me wonder why he would ever want to leave Milwaukee. There are various factors that go into this that I've gone over previously, but Greinke is highly unlikely to return to Milwaukee and for all intensive purposes may have made his last start in a Brewer uniform on Sunday. All-in-all, his stint in Milwaukee was a successful one, and the decision to bring Greinke in prior to the 2011 season was the right one.
Newcomer of the Year: Aramis Ramirez (.346 OBP, 10 HR, 52 RBI)
As far as guys who were brought in from outside the organization, Ramirez has to be the best newcomer this season for the Brewers. He almost always seems to come through with runners on base and this shows in his 52 RBIs, only second to Braun on the team. He's filled in nicely as the cleanup hitter for Prince Fielder, whose numbers aren't all that better than Ramirez (.380 OBP, 15 HR, 63 RBI). Ramirez is doing pretty much what's expected of him and it's helping me slowly overcome my hatred for him when he was a Chicago Cub.
Rookie of the Year (Offense): Nori Aoki (.301 AVG, 5 HR, 20 RBI)
Hard to argue this selection. Aoki has quickly replaced Morgan in the fan favorite department (with the exception of Braun) and having "Right Round" by Flo Rida as his at-bat music doesn't hurt. As I mentioned before, Aoki is in the midst of a 15-game hitting streak, the longest current streak in the Bigs. He's also taken on the difficult role of lead-off hitter and thrived in it while becoming the every day right fielder for the Crew. I'd like to think he has an outside shot at NL ROY, but the popularity factor surrounding Bryce Harper will probably shut down that dream (see: Dontrelle Willis over Scott Podsednik in '03). Still, Aoki has been a pleasant surprise and is one of the reasons we should continue watching the Brewers this season.
Rookie of the Year (Pitching): Michael Fiers (3-3, 2.31 ERA)
Speaking of guys not getting enough publicity, how about the job Michael Fiers has done? Since being called up from Nashville, Fiers has arguably been the Brewers' best pitcher. His story is one to behold. Fiers is 27-years old and this is his first true chance at the Major League level. When in college, Fiers fell asleep behind the wheel and was forced to sit out an entire season because of the injuries he sustained from the crash. Now, Fiers has fought all the way back and should be a mainstay in the Brewers' rotation this season and moving into next season. It'll bring up an interesting proposition when Shaun Marcum is ready to return from the DL, but perhaps by that time the Brewers will have dealt Greinke or another starter to resolve that issue.
There you have it. My first half review of the Brewers is complete. In the next couple weeks, we could be looking at a totally different baseball team depending on how the Crew acts with the trade deadline approaching. We'll continue to keep an eye on the following things: where Greinke will be traded and what the Brewers receive in return, whether or not the Brewers will make any other news worthy moves, Ryan Braun's MVP bid, and how rookies Nori Aoki and Michael Fiers perform moving forward. It would be ideal to receive several prospects in return for Greinke along with a bullpen arm or two, and in my mind, the more trades the Brewers can make, the better. They need to turn their depleted farm system into a nourished one in order for there to be hope in the coming years. I can't think of a bigger travesty than wasting Ryan Braun's prime years. To deal Greinke, Marcum, Wolf, Rodriguez and Kottaras would satisfy my desires and likely refresh the Brewers' organization, but if the Brewers can get three of those guys off the books, I'd take it. Don't get me wrong...I'm still cautiously optimistic about the Crew's chances to make a late-season push, but with the bullpen this team has, I'm not getting my hopes up. Hope. There's that word again...
Some news and notes. Ersan Ilyasova has reportedly signed a 5 year/$45 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks (like). I'm still currently unemployed (like/dislike). I threw out my back on Saturday cleaning because I'm an old man (dislike). Well, I think we're all caught up on the world of Wisconsin sports. I'll catch you guys on the flip side.
Of course, baseball is about as traditional as it gets. It likely won't make any strides towards implementing a salary cap any time soon. Obviously, this puts the Brewers at a disadvantage despite spending more than they ever have lately thanks to Mark Attanasio. They are forced to make a decision every season: are we in contention and therefore going to be "buyers" as the trade deadline nears, or are we out of contention and "sellers?" This season, even though many of you would disagree, the Brewers are caught in a tough position. Being six games out of the playoffs with 77 games remaining doesn't seem insurmountable. It's been done time and time again. But for reasons I've stated previously (can't risk going "all-in," constant bullpen struggles, the inability to string wins together), the Brewers need to sell. I don't like giving up hope. Even though I'm trying to part ways with hope, deep down, I can't help but remain hopeful. As Andy Dufresne said in The Shawshank Redemption, "hope is a good thing...maybe the best of things." I couldn't agree more, although the one glaring problem with hope is the disappointment that can come along with it. But hey, I'm done preaching now. Let's take a look back at the Brewers' first 85 games of the season, and look forward to what might happen during the last 77.
Milwaukee Brewers: 40-45, 4th in Central, 8 GB
Let me begin by saying this: I've been relatively good at predictions since I've started this blog as far as records and overall team success goes. However, my 2012 Brewers' record prediction might be one of my worst ever. For the Crew to finish 91-71 and win the division, they would have to make up eight games on the Pittsburgh Pirates (hmmm...) and go 51-26 to close out the season. Essentially, the Brewers would have to win two of three games, or basically win every series they play for the remainder of the year. It ain't gonna happen. Not with this bullpen. Not with the injuries they've sustained.
Speaking of the bullpen and injuries, those are easily the two most glaring issues with this club. I know I promised I wouldn't complain about injuries for the rest of the season (and I promise I won't), but they have to be addressed since we're going back in time here and I'll try and get them out of the way ASAP. Losing so many players was bad enough, but the kicker was how it occurred in such a small time frame. The Brewers were forced to scramble to replace guys like Mat Gamel (1B), Alex Gonzalez (SS) and Jonathan Lucroy (C) while also dealing with some other slight aches and pains. A depleted farm system didn't help their cause. It took awhile, but they found a full-time replacement for Gamel by bringing Corey Hart in from right field. The move made sense...with the talent the Brewers already have in the outfield (see: Ryan Braun and Norichika Aoki), moving Hart to first almost left the team better off without Gamel because Aoki was able to move into a full-time role in right, allowing Carlos Gomez and Nyjer Morgan...who have both had their struggles...to platoon in center. Even at the catcher position the Brewers managed to tread water. Martin Maldonado (.303 OBP, 5 HR, 17 RBI) filled Lucroy's role while George Kottaras (.430 OBP, 3 HR, 12 RBI) has still mainly served as Randy Wolf's personal catcher (ugh). I'd like to see George get more than just one start a week, but he's a valuable bat to have coming off the bench and judging by his on-base percentage you can see why. So there's certainly been a drop off at catcher, but not as much as originally thought. Lucroy's projected return date is July 20 for those of you wondering how long a suitcase can keep a professional baseball player from the sport.
But then there's Alex Gonzalez. Shortstop, no matter which way you cut it, is always going to be one of the hardest positions to replace. It's where team's place their best infield defender and good shortstops are few and far between. Is Alex Gonzalez "good?" I certainly think so. He isn't a top five shortstop by any stretch of the imagination, but his defense and pop were two of his most valuable assets and he was an upgrade over Yuniesky Betancourt. Gonzalez was performing better at the plate (.326 OBP, 4 HR, 15 RBI through 24 games) than many expected coming into the season and brought some stability towards the bottom of the lineup. I'll tell you a few things the Brewers DON'T have right now...stability at the bottom of the lineup, and a mainstay at shortstop. The platoon of Cody Ransom and Cezar Izturus is, well, painful to watch. Sure, Ransom brings some power to the plate (pun intended) and both are pretty steady with the glove, but neither is hitting above .214, and that's a problem. The Brewers were able to do a nice job replacing Gamel, a decent job at replacing Lucroy, and a not-so-good job replacing Gonzalez. If the Brewers were in a buying position right now, they would certainly be looking for a shortstop to help them for the stretch run. You know what else they would be looking for?
A new left fielder. And by a new left fielder, I mean an entire bullpen. Take a stab at how many blown saves the Brewer bullpen has this year....give up? 14! Four-freaking-teen! That's about 16 percent of their games. Let's just be realistic and assume the bullpen only blows half that number. The Crew's record is now 47-38, a game out of first place with a spot in the postseason. In 2011, the Brewers had a total of 19 blown saves. What the 14 blown saves fail to show is how many late leads have been given up by the starting rotation as well, a product of Ron Roenicke both not knowing when to pull the string and having absolutely no faith in his bullpen. Kind of puts him in a tough spot, don't you think? I'm not going to take the time to calculate the bullpen's ERA this season, but I'll give you a hint: it's somewhere between "NOT GOOD" and "PATHETIC." John Axford simply hasn't been the same guy this season and already has five blown saves to go along with a 4.86 ERA (last season: 1.95 ERA, two BS). His setup man hasn't been the same guy, either. Francisco Rodriguez has blown four games of his own with an ERA surfacing above 4.00 as well. This doesn't exactly bode well for his trade value and what the Brewers could get in return. Not having a viable shortstop and bullpen are easily the two things holding back the Brewers the most from being contenders.
Now we know why the Brewers aren't doing well. But why are they doing as "well" as they are? On Wednesday, I traveled to Miller Park with my head held high because the Crew had a four game winning streak going, which I'm pretty sure was their longest of the season to date. They were up 5-1 in the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins and I had finally stopped sweating to an extent (it was 95 degrees out), but there was one glaring issue: Randy Wolf was on the mound. As you probably know by now, the Brewers would not win that game...believe it or not, Axford had something to do with that. It was kind of a culmination of the Brewers' season. Oh, sorry...this paragraph was supposed to have a positive vibe to it. Well, as I mentioned before, the Brewers took a little while to adjust after their slew of injuries, and in the process they found out a few things:
A lead-off hitter (Norichika Aoki)
An MVP candidate (Ryan Braun)
A stellar run producer (Aramis Ramirez)
A new best pitcher (Michael Fiers)
These are some nice things to find out, no? Looking at the Brewer offense, the first six hitters in the lineup should make you feel good. Lately, it has gone Aoki, Morgan, Braun, Ramirez, Hart, Weeks. Aoki currently has a 15-game hitting streak and has a .369 OBP. No complaints here. Braun is once again putting up HUGE numbers and Ramirez has been swinging a red-hot, and most notably clutch, bat. Hart doesn't really hit for average but we know what we get out of him by now. And then there's Rickie Weeks. Weeks started the season unbelievably slow for reasons unknown. I'm not quite sure how long it takes to recover from a sprained ankle, but the guy played at the end of last season (rather poorly), and the fact that he was playing on it gave me the idea that he would be 100 percent heading into 2012. Whether he was 100 percent is unknown to me, but the fact of the matter is that Weeks is finally heating up. A career .250 hitter, Weeks has climbed back up to .199 (try not to laugh, please), but his on-base percentage is what we should really be looking at, people! It's at .314. Not bad for a guy hitting below the Mendoza line. It reminds me a lot of a former teammate of mine my junior year during varsity baseball. His average was roughly where Weeks' was, but his OBP was over .400. Our head coach, whose hatred I have towards is indescribable, clearly does not value one's ability to get on base (sounds kind of important to me, but what do I know), sent him down to junior varsity. Bull spit, I know. So what I'm trying to say here is Weeks, who strikes out an absurd amount, also walks an absurd amount, and I guess I'm willing to accept this despite how bizarre and frustrating it can be. He's on the upswing, and that's undoubtedly a good thing for the Brewers.
How about we dish out some mid-season awards?
MVP (Offense): Ryan Braun (.990 OPS, 24 HR, 61 RBI)
Duh. No surprise here. It might be a surprise to the rest of the league that Braun can continue to have success despite now being off of the PEDs (allegedly), but Brewer fans knew what they'd be getting from the slugger. Braun has been incredible, being among league leaders in all the major offensive categories while being steady in the field, arguably making him a five-tool player to go along with his 15 stolen bases. The Brewers inability to stay in contention may hurt Braun's chances at winning back-to-back MVPs, but he's starting in his fifth All-Star Game on Tuesday and is the second Brewer in franchise history to be elected to at least five All-Star games (Cecil Cooper...Robin Yount only made 3?) He's well on his way to solidifying his place as the best player in franchise history, and I couldn't be happier to be along for the ride.
MVP (Pitching): Zack Greinke (9-3, 3.32 ERA, 111 SO)
Greinke has All-Star caliber numbers, but was one of the most notable snubs this season. That, combined with the lingering trade talks, have in my opinion taken a toll on Greinke lately, but this won't stop me from giving him the honor of pitcher of the season thus far for the Brewers (sure as hell ain't giving it to a bullpen member). He's been a reliable "ace" and never loses at Miller Park, which makes me wonder why he would ever want to leave Milwaukee. There are various factors that go into this that I've gone over previously, but Greinke is highly unlikely to return to Milwaukee and for all intensive purposes may have made his last start in a Brewer uniform on Sunday. All-in-all, his stint in Milwaukee was a successful one, and the decision to bring Greinke in prior to the 2011 season was the right one.
Newcomer of the Year: Aramis Ramirez (.346 OBP, 10 HR, 52 RBI)
As far as guys who were brought in from outside the organization, Ramirez has to be the best newcomer this season for the Brewers. He almost always seems to come through with runners on base and this shows in his 52 RBIs, only second to Braun on the team. He's filled in nicely as the cleanup hitter for Prince Fielder, whose numbers aren't all that better than Ramirez (.380 OBP, 15 HR, 63 RBI). Ramirez is doing pretty much what's expected of him and it's helping me slowly overcome my hatred for him when he was a Chicago Cub.
Rookie of the Year (Offense): Nori Aoki (.301 AVG, 5 HR, 20 RBI)
Hard to argue this selection. Aoki has quickly replaced Morgan in the fan favorite department (with the exception of Braun) and having "Right Round" by Flo Rida as his at-bat music doesn't hurt. As I mentioned before, Aoki is in the midst of a 15-game hitting streak, the longest current streak in the Bigs. He's also taken on the difficult role of lead-off hitter and thrived in it while becoming the every day right fielder for the Crew. I'd like to think he has an outside shot at NL ROY, but the popularity factor surrounding Bryce Harper will probably shut down that dream (see: Dontrelle Willis over Scott Podsednik in '03). Still, Aoki has been a pleasant surprise and is one of the reasons we should continue watching the Brewers this season.
Rookie of the Year (Pitching): Michael Fiers (3-3, 2.31 ERA)
Speaking of guys not getting enough publicity, how about the job Michael Fiers has done? Since being called up from Nashville, Fiers has arguably been the Brewers' best pitcher. His story is one to behold. Fiers is 27-years old and this is his first true chance at the Major League level. When in college, Fiers fell asleep behind the wheel and was forced to sit out an entire season because of the injuries he sustained from the crash. Now, Fiers has fought all the way back and should be a mainstay in the Brewers' rotation this season and moving into next season. It'll bring up an interesting proposition when Shaun Marcum is ready to return from the DL, but perhaps by that time the Brewers will have dealt Greinke or another starter to resolve that issue.
There you have it. My first half review of the Brewers is complete. In the next couple weeks, we could be looking at a totally different baseball team depending on how the Crew acts with the trade deadline approaching. We'll continue to keep an eye on the following things: where Greinke will be traded and what the Brewers receive in return, whether or not the Brewers will make any other news worthy moves, Ryan Braun's MVP bid, and how rookies Nori Aoki and Michael Fiers perform moving forward. It would be ideal to receive several prospects in return for Greinke along with a bullpen arm or two, and in my mind, the more trades the Brewers can make, the better. They need to turn their depleted farm system into a nourished one in order for there to be hope in the coming years. I can't think of a bigger travesty than wasting Ryan Braun's prime years. To deal Greinke, Marcum, Wolf, Rodriguez and Kottaras would satisfy my desires and likely refresh the Brewers' organization, but if the Brewers can get three of those guys off the books, I'd take it. Don't get me wrong...I'm still cautiously optimistic about the Crew's chances to make a late-season push, but with the bullpen this team has, I'm not getting my hopes up. Hope. There's that word again...
Some news and notes. Ersan Ilyasova has reportedly signed a 5 year/$45 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks (like). I'm still currently unemployed (like/dislike). I threw out my back on Saturday cleaning because I'm an old man (dislike). Well, I think we're all caught up on the world of Wisconsin sports. I'll catch you guys on the flip side.
Monday, July 2, 2012
How we fix the All-Star Game
Alright. I've had it up to here (holding my hand level with my forehead) with baseball's All-Star Game. This season is the last straw. How many deserving players can be robbed of being All-Stars because of selfish, ill-informed fans and selfish, ill-informed players and managers? If this game really "counts" (which is a whole different argument I'm not getting in to), then how come the selection process is such a scam? Even if this game didn't matter - and in my mind, it has to if it gives a league home field advantage in the World Series - I'd still be upset because being named an All-Star is a great honor. It was cool to be named to my little league's All-Star Game in sixth and seventh grade. Guys who deserve to be there...should be there! So how do we fix it? Do we completely eliminate the fan aspect from the voting? Do we give them even more power? Please read on if you do so choose if you'd like to find out.
Let's start from the top with the players who are selected to start the All-Star Game via fan voting. These are the starting lineups for the American and National Leagues:
AL
C - Mike Napoli (A.J. Pierzynski)
1B - Prince Fielder (Paul Konerko)
2B - Robinson Cano
3B - Adrian Beltre
SS - Derek Jeter (Asdrubal Cabrera)
OF - Jose Bautista
OF - Curtis Granderson (Mark Trumbo)
OF - Josh Hamilton
DH - David Ortiz
NL
C - Buster Posey (Carlos Ruiz)
1B - Joey Votto
2B - Dan Uggla
3B - Pablo Sandoval (David Wright)
SS - Rafael Furcal (Jed Lowrie)
OF - Melky Cabrera (Andrew McCutchen)
OF - Matt Kemp (Ryan Braun)
OF - Carlos Beltran
Okay. Some of these selections are an absolute joke, and some of them don't even deserve to be All-Stars in the first place (I bolded such players). And out of the 17 players that fans voted to be starters, only eight were deserving of these spots. Now normally, fans do a much better job than this, but this year apparently San Francisco was pumping drugs into the drinking water because their fans messed everything up. Pablo Sandoval isn't even eligible for the batting title, let alone considered a top four third baseman...in his own league! Shit...even Aramis Ramirez is more deserving than Panda. If Sandoval wasn't like anyone else on this planet, he would give up his roster spot to someone more deserving, but I certainly won't hold anything against him for playing. Another brain fart from the fans...is anyone aware that Kemp has missed half the season with injury? Dude won't even be able to play in the All-Star Game, but that didn't stop fans from blindly penciling him in their ballots. Buster Posey is another product of Giants' fans being Giants' fans ahead of baseball fans. Yeah, you can vote for your entire team over and over again, but it doesn't make it right. Ryan Braun was the only Brewer I voted for, and the only Giant they should have been voting for is the Milk Man.
But guess what? I'm not going to eliminate fan voting. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to revamp the ballot. First of all, can we do a better job of who we actually put on the ballot? For example, Mat Gamel and Alex Gonzalez stayed on the ballot throughout the entire voting process despite going out in the first month with season ending injuries. Corey Hart is a freaking first baseman for God's sake, and he's still listed as an outfielder. Nori Aoki is an every day player now, and his name is nowhere to be found. Sorry if this costs you some of your precious money, Major League Baseball, but how about you update your ballots every now and then? Don't just look at the opening day lineup and assume that's how it'll stay the entire year (especially this year, seeing how injuries have ravaged teams all over the league...I'm just using the Brewers as an example). But that's not even the biggest problem I have with the ballot. While updating the names on the ballot, say, once every week or two, we should also input statistics on each ballot and update those every few weeks. Fans look at a ballot, see a name they recognize (see: Derek Jeter), and automatically pop a hole next to their name. But what if they see that Derek Jeter actually has the fourth or fifth best statistics among AL shortstops and see that Asdrubal Cabrera is without question deserving of the start? Then I'm hoping this would change their mind, and they'd vote for Cabrera (of course unless they're Giant fans).
Call me crazy, but shouldn't All-Stars be determined based on the numbers they put up? I'm not taking the power of the vote away from the fans...I'm simply making them smarter and more informed. It's up to the moral values of the fan whether or not they want to be "selfish" and continue voting for their entire team to fill out the roster. I'm looking at you, Giants' fans.
Still, fans aren't the only issue with how the All-Star rosters are assembled. Players and managers fill out the remainder of the roster, and this season there seemed to be just as many injustices done by those who play and coach the game. Here's one problem - ex-manager/lunatic Tony LaRussa is managing the National League after retiring at the conclusion of last season. Now I'm sure LaRussa still follows the sport of baseball to an extent, but I vehemently disagree that he should be coaching this game, let alone selecting nine of the roster slots. Again, if this game really matters so much, how can a guy living at a retirement home be responsible for 16 teams vying for home field advantage in the World Series? So of course, LaRussa botched some picks and the players did as well. This also goes for AL manager Ron Washington and the AL players, although they (and their fans) did a much better job. I didn't take away the voting power from the fans, but I'm going to take it away from the players and managers. Aren't they too busy doing what they have to do for their own teams? The fans probably watch more baseball than the players, and we've already got them screwing up, so let's just let the players play, the coaches coach and the fans cheer...and vote.
I'm going to bring up that crazy "statistics" word again because, you know, it kind of gauges how good a player is or something wacky like that. Judging by my rule changes on how ballots should look for the fans, I'm going to make the assumption they select players who are at least deserving of an All-Star roster spot, if not a starting position. Therefore, with all the advanced statistics we have these days along with people becoming smarter about which of these statistics actually matters, I feel this is the best way to determine who fills out the remaining roster slots. Of course, we can't forget that every team needs to be represented (another rule I would change if this game truly matters). Let's begin with the position players that SHOULD be playing in Kansas City on July 10.
AL
C - Pierzynski (CWS) - Joe Mauer (MIN) - Matt Wieters (BAL)
1B - Konerko (CWS) - Prince Fielder (DET)
2B - Cano (NYY) - Jason Kipnis (CLE)
3B - Beltre (TEX) - Miguel Cabrera (DET)
SS - A. Cabrera (CLE) - Elvis Andrus (TEX) - Derek Jeter (NYY)
OF - Bautista (TOR) - Adam Jones (BAL) - Granderson (NYY)
OF - Trumbo (LAA) - Mike Trout (LAA)
OF - Hamilton (TEX) - Josh Reddick (OAK)
DH - Ortiz (BOS) - Edwin Encarnacion (TOR)
NL
C - Ruiz (PHI) - Yadier Molina (STL) - Posey (SF)
1B - Votto (CIN) - Bryan LaHair (CHC)
2B - Uggla (ATL) - Brandon Phillips (CIN)
3B - Wright (NYM) - David Freese (STL) - Chase Headley (SD)
SS - Lowrie (HOU) - Ian Desmond (WSH)
OF - Braun (MIL) - M. Cabrera (SF) - Giancarlo Stanton (MIA)
OF - Beltran (STL) - Carlos Gonzalez (COL) - Matt Holliday (STL)
OF - McCutchen (PIT) - Michael Bourn (ATL)
Yikes. On paper, it looks like the American League is going to destroy the National League. Then again, we haven't gotten to the pitchers yet, so let's get to it.
AL
SP - Chris Sale (CWS) - David Price (TB) - Jered Weaver (LAA) - Justin Verlander (DET) - C.J. Wilson (LAA) - Jake Peavy (CWS) - Felix Hernandez (SEA) - Matt Harrison (TEX)
RP - Jim Johnson (BAL) - Fernando Rodney (TB) - Jonathan Broxton (KC) - Joe Nathan (TEX)
NL
SP - R.A. Dickey (NYM) - Johnny Cueto (CIN) - Matt Cain (SF) - Zack Greinke (MIL) - Wade Miley (ARZ) - Stephen Strasburg (WSH) - Clayton Kershaw (LAD) - Gio Gonzalez (WSH) - James McDonald (PIT)
RP - Craig Kimbrel (ATL) - Joel Hanrahan (PIT) - Aroldis Chapman (CIN) - Huston Street (SD)
FINAL VOTE (AL): OF Josh Willingham (MIN), OF Austin Jackson (DET), RP Chris Perez (CLE), DH Adam Dunn, SP Yu Darvish
FINAL VOTE (NL): SP Ryan Vogelsong (SF), 2B Aaron Hill (ARZ), 3B Chipper Jones (ATL), OF Bryce Harper (WSH), SP Cole Hamels (PHI)
BOLD = Not originally included on roster
There. Not sure how much you guys get out of that other than my inclusion of Greinke, but this is who should be in the All-Star Game, bottom line (pending any injuries or guys who are starting on the Sunday before the ASG). I also included who should be included in the final vote because no matter which way you cut it, a few guys are going to be left out who are deserving of an All-Star spot. Granted, a few of the guys who were snubbed will obtain roster spots as a result of the Sunday-start rule or injuries, so it ends up being fairly fair in the end, but it should never come down to that in the first place. With my roster, everyone is deserving, every team is represented and players who didn't make it that may have deserved it are involved in the final vote. Whew. Glad I could get that off my chest.
The Brewers trade watch is on. This week could be the final nail in the coffin depending on how the Brewers do entering the All-Star break. Their next seven games? Four at home against the Miami Marlins and three on the road against the Houston Astros. Well...if the Brewers can't have a winning record during that stretch, then it's officially time to throw in the towel and Greinke might be leaving Kansas City in a different uniform (I'm banking on Greinke being named to the All-Star team...call me hopeful). So yeah. This week is kind of important.
Stay cool out there. Current 620 Lincoln temp: 92. Pray for me.
Let's start from the top with the players who are selected to start the All-Star Game via fan voting. These are the starting lineups for the American and National Leagues:
AL
C - Mike Napoli (A.J. Pierzynski)
1B - Prince Fielder (Paul Konerko)
2B - Robinson Cano
3B - Adrian Beltre
SS - Derek Jeter (Asdrubal Cabrera)
OF - Jose Bautista
OF - Curtis Granderson (Mark Trumbo)
OF - Josh Hamilton
DH - David Ortiz
NL
C - Buster Posey (Carlos Ruiz)
1B - Joey Votto
2B - Dan Uggla
3B - Pablo Sandoval (David Wright)
SS - Rafael Furcal (Jed Lowrie)
OF - Melky Cabrera (Andrew McCutchen)
OF - Matt Kemp (Ryan Braun)
OF - Carlos Beltran
Okay. Some of these selections are an absolute joke, and some of them don't even deserve to be All-Stars in the first place (I bolded such players). And out of the 17 players that fans voted to be starters, only eight were deserving of these spots. Now normally, fans do a much better job than this, but this year apparently San Francisco was pumping drugs into the drinking water because their fans messed everything up. Pablo Sandoval isn't even eligible for the batting title, let alone considered a top four third baseman...in his own league! Shit...even Aramis Ramirez is more deserving than Panda. If Sandoval wasn't like anyone else on this planet, he would give up his roster spot to someone more deserving, but I certainly won't hold anything against him for playing. Another brain fart from the fans...is anyone aware that Kemp has missed half the season with injury? Dude won't even be able to play in the All-Star Game, but that didn't stop fans from blindly penciling him in their ballots. Buster Posey is another product of Giants' fans being Giants' fans ahead of baseball fans. Yeah, you can vote for your entire team over and over again, but it doesn't make it right. Ryan Braun was the only Brewer I voted for, and the only Giant they should have been voting for is the Milk Man.
But guess what? I'm not going to eliminate fan voting. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to revamp the ballot. First of all, can we do a better job of who we actually put on the ballot? For example, Mat Gamel and Alex Gonzalez stayed on the ballot throughout the entire voting process despite going out in the first month with season ending injuries. Corey Hart is a freaking first baseman for God's sake, and he's still listed as an outfielder. Nori Aoki is an every day player now, and his name is nowhere to be found. Sorry if this costs you some of your precious money, Major League Baseball, but how about you update your ballots every now and then? Don't just look at the opening day lineup and assume that's how it'll stay the entire year (especially this year, seeing how injuries have ravaged teams all over the league...I'm just using the Brewers as an example). But that's not even the biggest problem I have with the ballot. While updating the names on the ballot, say, once every week or two, we should also input statistics on each ballot and update those every few weeks. Fans look at a ballot, see a name they recognize (see: Derek Jeter), and automatically pop a hole next to their name. But what if they see that Derek Jeter actually has the fourth or fifth best statistics among AL shortstops and see that Asdrubal Cabrera is without question deserving of the start? Then I'm hoping this would change their mind, and they'd vote for Cabrera (of course unless they're Giant fans).
Call me crazy, but shouldn't All-Stars be determined based on the numbers they put up? I'm not taking the power of the vote away from the fans...I'm simply making them smarter and more informed. It's up to the moral values of the fan whether or not they want to be "selfish" and continue voting for their entire team to fill out the roster. I'm looking at you, Giants' fans.
Still, fans aren't the only issue with how the All-Star rosters are assembled. Players and managers fill out the remainder of the roster, and this season there seemed to be just as many injustices done by those who play and coach the game. Here's one problem - ex-manager/lunatic Tony LaRussa is managing the National League after retiring at the conclusion of last season. Now I'm sure LaRussa still follows the sport of baseball to an extent, but I vehemently disagree that he should be coaching this game, let alone selecting nine of the roster slots. Again, if this game really matters so much, how can a guy living at a retirement home be responsible for 16 teams vying for home field advantage in the World Series? So of course, LaRussa botched some picks and the players did as well. This also goes for AL manager Ron Washington and the AL players, although they (and their fans) did a much better job. I didn't take away the voting power from the fans, but I'm going to take it away from the players and managers. Aren't they too busy doing what they have to do for their own teams? The fans probably watch more baseball than the players, and we've already got them screwing up, so let's just let the players play, the coaches coach and the fans cheer...and vote.
I'm going to bring up that crazy "statistics" word again because, you know, it kind of gauges how good a player is or something wacky like that. Judging by my rule changes on how ballots should look for the fans, I'm going to make the assumption they select players who are at least deserving of an All-Star roster spot, if not a starting position. Therefore, with all the advanced statistics we have these days along with people becoming smarter about which of these statistics actually matters, I feel this is the best way to determine who fills out the remaining roster slots. Of course, we can't forget that every team needs to be represented (another rule I would change if this game truly matters). Let's begin with the position players that SHOULD be playing in Kansas City on July 10.
AL
C - Pierzynski (CWS) - Joe Mauer (MIN) - Matt Wieters (BAL)
1B - Konerko (CWS) - Prince Fielder (DET)
2B - Cano (NYY) - Jason Kipnis (CLE)
3B - Beltre (TEX) - Miguel Cabrera (DET)
SS - A. Cabrera (CLE) - Elvis Andrus (TEX) - Derek Jeter (NYY)
OF - Bautista (TOR) - Adam Jones (BAL) - Granderson (NYY)
OF - Trumbo (LAA) - Mike Trout (LAA)
OF - Hamilton (TEX) - Josh Reddick (OAK)
DH - Ortiz (BOS) - Edwin Encarnacion (TOR)
NL
C - Ruiz (PHI) - Yadier Molina (STL) - Posey (SF)
1B - Votto (CIN) - Bryan LaHair (CHC)
2B - Uggla (ATL) - Brandon Phillips (CIN)
3B - Wright (NYM) - David Freese (STL) - Chase Headley (SD)
SS - Lowrie (HOU) - Ian Desmond (WSH)
OF - Braun (MIL) - M. Cabrera (SF) - Giancarlo Stanton (MIA)
OF - Beltran (STL) - Carlos Gonzalez (COL) - Matt Holliday (STL)
OF - McCutchen (PIT) - Michael Bourn (ATL)
Yikes. On paper, it looks like the American League is going to destroy the National League. Then again, we haven't gotten to the pitchers yet, so let's get to it.
AL
SP - Chris Sale (CWS) - David Price (TB) - Jered Weaver (LAA) - Justin Verlander (DET) - C.J. Wilson (LAA) - Jake Peavy (CWS) - Felix Hernandez (SEA) - Matt Harrison (TEX)
RP - Jim Johnson (BAL) - Fernando Rodney (TB) - Jonathan Broxton (KC) - Joe Nathan (TEX)
NL
SP - R.A. Dickey (NYM) - Johnny Cueto (CIN) - Matt Cain (SF) - Zack Greinke (MIL) - Wade Miley (ARZ) - Stephen Strasburg (WSH) - Clayton Kershaw (LAD) - Gio Gonzalez (WSH) - James McDonald (PIT)
RP - Craig Kimbrel (ATL) - Joel Hanrahan (PIT) - Aroldis Chapman (CIN) - Huston Street (SD)
FINAL VOTE (AL): OF Josh Willingham (MIN), OF Austin Jackson (DET), RP Chris Perez (CLE), DH Adam Dunn, SP Yu Darvish
FINAL VOTE (NL): SP Ryan Vogelsong (SF), 2B Aaron Hill (ARZ), 3B Chipper Jones (ATL), OF Bryce Harper (WSH), SP Cole Hamels (PHI)
BOLD = Not originally included on roster
There. Not sure how much you guys get out of that other than my inclusion of Greinke, but this is who should be in the All-Star Game, bottom line (pending any injuries or guys who are starting on the Sunday before the ASG). I also included who should be included in the final vote because no matter which way you cut it, a few guys are going to be left out who are deserving of an All-Star spot. Granted, a few of the guys who were snubbed will obtain roster spots as a result of the Sunday-start rule or injuries, so it ends up being fairly fair in the end, but it should never come down to that in the first place. With my roster, everyone is deserving, every team is represented and players who didn't make it that may have deserved it are involved in the final vote. Whew. Glad I could get that off my chest.
The Brewers trade watch is on. This week could be the final nail in the coffin depending on how the Brewers do entering the All-Star break. Their next seven games? Four at home against the Miami Marlins and three on the road against the Houston Astros. Well...if the Brewers can't have a winning record during that stretch, then it's officially time to throw in the towel and Greinke might be leaving Kansas City in a different uniform (I'm banking on Greinke being named to the All-Star team...call me hopeful). So yeah. This week is kind of important.
Stay cool out there. Current 620 Lincoln temp: 92. Pray for me.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Milwaukee Bucks NBA Draft preview
Well guys, it's 90 degrees and rising here at my Oshkosh stomping grounds, so as I sit on the couch with a fan blowing in my face and the EURO 2012 semifinal between Italy and Germany showing in the background, I've decided to write a (short) preview for what we should expect to see tonight when the Milwaukee Bucks are on the clock. First things first, the Bucks made a trade yesterday that supposedly solves the lack of a legitimate big man problem. In a deal with the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee received 7-footer Samuel Dalembert (7.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG), who ranked as the 10th best fantasy center last season for what that's worth. They also swapped picks with the Rockets, who will now pick 12th while the Bucks move down to 14th overall in the first round. I believe I also read somewhere that the Bucks would receive the Rockets' 2013 2nd round pick.
So what did the Bucks give up? Jon Leuer, Shaun Livingston and Jon Brockmon. Three players who had relatively limited roles last season in exchange for a starting center. It looks good when you put it in that context, but you wonder if the Bucks are giving up too early on a player like Leuer, who showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie season and was for some reason benched for a large portion of the season by head coach Scott Skiles. Also, Leuer was a fan favorite because of his time with the Wisconsin Badgers, so it could be viewed overall as a negative decision to ship him off. Now the Bucks roster looks a little something like this:
PG Brandon Jennings, PG Beno Udrih, SG Monta Ellis, SG/SF Carlos Delfino (Free Agent), SF Mike Dunleavy, SF Tobias Harris, PF Ersan Ilyasova (Free Agent), PF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF Ekpe Udoh, PF/C Larry Sanders, PF/C Drew Gooden, C Samuel Dalembert
BOLD = Last season's main starters
That's ten players and three starters under contract heading into the 2012-2013 season. The Bucks will likely look into re-signing Carlos Delfino, but for some reason all hope appears to be lost in retaining Ersan, which would only further distance myself from being a Milwaukee Bucks fan along with departure of Leuer. I could see the Bucks starting Gooden at the four next season and also look to bolster their bench through free agency or trade. But enough about next season...let's look at tonight's draft.
Now that the Bucks have the 14th selection and are no longer targeting a big man, most have been saying that the team will now look at adding a wing player with good size to compliment the small back court of Jennings and Ellis, who were 12-9 last season playing together. With that in mind, here are some players who could potentially be available that fit such a build:
SG - 6'5" Austin Rivers (Duke, FR)
SG/SF - 6'7" Terrance Ross (Washington, SO)
SG - 6'5" Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut, SO)
Rivers and Lamb are the more recognizable names on this short list, but Ross is the guy likely to still be remaining at the 14th pick and several mock drafts have the Bucks selecting him there. There are also others who still like the Bucks taking either:
C - 7'0" Tyler Zeller (North Carolina, SR) OR
C - 7'1" Meyers Leonard (Illinois, SO)
There have even been whispers of John Henson, Moe Harkless, Terrance Jones, and Jared Sullinger should any of the previously mentioned players be available, but that would seem to give Milwaukee a little too much size. That's why I'm pretty set on the Bucks taking either Lamb or Ross with their first round pick, especially since Milwaukee is high on both of these players...but should Rivers somehow drop to 14, I don't see how the Bucks could pass him up unless they got an enticing trade offer from...oh say, the Boston Celtics? It'll be interesting to see what the Deer end up doing.
Assuming the Bucks take a swing man with their first round pick, I could see them looking at some size in the second round. Maybe not a center...we might be seeing a trend in the NBA about teams playing without a center based on what the Thunder and the Heat did in the Finals...but a guy in the 6'9 to 6"10 range who has some upside. Or, maybe the Bucks take a big man in the first round and think a swing man they like will be available at the 41st pick. With these things in mind, here are some players who could potentially be available that fit the bill:
PF - 6'10" Furkan Aldemir (Turkey)
PF - 6'9" Drew Gordon (New Mexico, SR)
SG - 6'6" Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech, SR)
SG - 6'6" Kim English (Missouri, SR)
Honestly, it's so wide open once you get to the second round. I somehow predicted correctly last season that the Bucks would take Tobias Harris with their first round pick and had Jon Leuer on my shortlist for the Bucks' possible second round selection. I've already had to make some assumptions based on which positions the Bucks will select and where they will select these positions, so here is my official prediction for the two selections the Milwaukee Bucks will make in the 2012 NBA Draft (assuming no trades):
1st round, 14th pick - SG Terrance Ross
2nd round, 42nd pick - PF Furkan Aldemir
Might as well get a good sized guard for when Monta Ellis leaves and might as well get another Turkish guy to replace Ilyasova. Forgive me if I sound ill-informed about the NBA and the state of the Bucks in this blog post. I really haven't paid much attention to either lately. In fact, I basically just did all my research on the Bucks and this draft in the last three hours. You know, kind of like cramming for a college exam (WHICH I'LL NEVER HAVE TO DO EVER AGAIN!). What's that, David? You don't have a job yet? Yeah. You should probably hold off on the bragging. Okay, that's enough from me. Enjoy the draft if you so choose to watch it and I'll be back soon with some more yapping about sports.
Chao.
So what did the Bucks give up? Jon Leuer, Shaun Livingston and Jon Brockmon. Three players who had relatively limited roles last season in exchange for a starting center. It looks good when you put it in that context, but you wonder if the Bucks are giving up too early on a player like Leuer, who showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie season and was for some reason benched for a large portion of the season by head coach Scott Skiles. Also, Leuer was a fan favorite because of his time with the Wisconsin Badgers, so it could be viewed overall as a negative decision to ship him off. Now the Bucks roster looks a little something like this:
PG Brandon Jennings, PG Beno Udrih, SG Monta Ellis, SG/SF Carlos Delfino (Free Agent), SF Mike Dunleavy, SF Tobias Harris, PF Ersan Ilyasova (Free Agent), PF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF Ekpe Udoh, PF/C Larry Sanders, PF/C Drew Gooden, C Samuel Dalembert
BOLD = Last season's main starters
That's ten players and three starters under contract heading into the 2012-2013 season. The Bucks will likely look into re-signing Carlos Delfino, but for some reason all hope appears to be lost in retaining Ersan, which would only further distance myself from being a Milwaukee Bucks fan along with departure of Leuer. I could see the Bucks starting Gooden at the four next season and also look to bolster their bench through free agency or trade. But enough about next season...let's look at tonight's draft.
Now that the Bucks have the 14th selection and are no longer targeting a big man, most have been saying that the team will now look at adding a wing player with good size to compliment the small back court of Jennings and Ellis, who were 12-9 last season playing together. With that in mind, here are some players who could potentially be available that fit such a build:
SG - 6'5" Austin Rivers (Duke, FR)
SG/SF - 6'7" Terrance Ross (Washington, SO)
SG - 6'5" Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut, SO)
Rivers and Lamb are the more recognizable names on this short list, but Ross is the guy likely to still be remaining at the 14th pick and several mock drafts have the Bucks selecting him there. There are also others who still like the Bucks taking either:
C - 7'0" Tyler Zeller (North Carolina, SR) OR
C - 7'1" Meyers Leonard (Illinois, SO)
There have even been whispers of John Henson, Moe Harkless, Terrance Jones, and Jared Sullinger should any of the previously mentioned players be available, but that would seem to give Milwaukee a little too much size. That's why I'm pretty set on the Bucks taking either Lamb or Ross with their first round pick, especially since Milwaukee is high on both of these players...but should Rivers somehow drop to 14, I don't see how the Bucks could pass him up unless they got an enticing trade offer from...oh say, the Boston Celtics? It'll be interesting to see what the Deer end up doing.
Assuming the Bucks take a swing man with their first round pick, I could see them looking at some size in the second round. Maybe not a center...we might be seeing a trend in the NBA about teams playing without a center based on what the Thunder and the Heat did in the Finals...but a guy in the 6'9 to 6"10 range who has some upside. Or, maybe the Bucks take a big man in the first round and think a swing man they like will be available at the 41st pick. With these things in mind, here are some players who could potentially be available that fit the bill:
PF - 6'10" Furkan Aldemir (Turkey)
PF - 6'9" Drew Gordon (New Mexico, SR)
SG - 6'6" Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech, SR)
SG - 6'6" Kim English (Missouri, SR)
Honestly, it's so wide open once you get to the second round. I somehow predicted correctly last season that the Bucks would take Tobias Harris with their first round pick and had Jon Leuer on my shortlist for the Bucks' possible second round selection. I've already had to make some assumptions based on which positions the Bucks will select and where they will select these positions, so here is my official prediction for the two selections the Milwaukee Bucks will make in the 2012 NBA Draft (assuming no trades):
1st round, 14th pick - SG Terrance Ross
2nd round, 42nd pick - PF Furkan Aldemir
Might as well get a good sized guard for when Monta Ellis leaves and might as well get another Turkish guy to replace Ilyasova. Forgive me if I sound ill-informed about the NBA and the state of the Bucks in this blog post. I really haven't paid much attention to either lately. In fact, I basically just did all my research on the Bucks and this draft in the last three hours. You know, kind of like cramming for a college exam (WHICH I'LL NEVER HAVE TO DO EVER AGAIN!). What's that, David? You don't have a job yet? Yeah. You should probably hold off on the bragging. Okay, that's enough from me. Enjoy the draft if you so choose to watch it and I'll be back soon with some more yapping about sports.
Chao.
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