Man, what a week for baseball in Milwaukee!
The Brewers swept a tough four game set down in St. Louis to finish off an eight game win streak that included seven wins on the road. The games themselves were nail biters with three of the wins coming in the last at-bats for the good guys. First there was a Bill Hall homer in the 10th inning, then another last second blast from him the next day, and to cap the series off a cocky dinger off the bat of Ryan Braun. I was privileged to watch all three games and I couldn't have been happier.
After a loss yesterday they came from behind again to win today at home. Once again Ryan Braun and Bill Hall combined to do the job, with Braun homering to tie and Hall singling home the eventual winning run.
Ryan Braun is hitting like a beast.
Tonight's win puts the Brewers in a tie with Chicago for the Central Division lead with 58 games left to play and a pivotal three game set between the clubs coming up next week.
Last year the Brewers started hot, the Cubs cold, and 'round about this time the lead switched hands and flip-flopped the rest of the year until the Cubs iced it. Role reversal in '08???
Oh, and CC Sabathia? Lights out. 4-0 since coming over including *three* complete games. Knock of wood that guy is a workhorse, the kind of pitcher you drool over in a fantasy draft.
No matter how you look at it, this year's race is shaping up to be a doozie.
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Meanwhile the A.L. East, home of my beloved Yanks, has heated up. As Tampa flouders Boston has discovered its middle relief is no relief at all, and the Yankees have learned how to win on the back of a disturbingly effective pitching staff. As a consequence New York has now taken the first two games of their current series with the Red Sox.
Yesterday Joba Chamberlain buzzed Boston's Kevin Youkilis high and inside, and today payback came with a 98 mph fastball that struck A-Rod on the elbow.
Youkilis is a putz and from what I hear disliked even on his own team, but I doubt there was any intention to actually strike the guy. Intimidation has always been a part of the game and its made all the more important by how much these teams despise one another. For what it's worth Joba is now crawling around in Youkillis' head getting him flustered, and that alone might have made it worth the retaliatory hit on A-Rod (provided there is no damage to #13).
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For Christmas: I want some commemorative item from Yankee Stadium. I've seen $100+ items, but it can be as simple as the $25 coin I saw that includes certified infield dirt.
Yes, I'm serious.
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Memo to the Arizona announcers, our old alum Darren Sutton and the never-gonna-be-Hall Mark Grace: you suck. Quit yakking about nonsense and call the game, and for the love of all that is right in the world stop encouraging people to bring signs to the game. They are for the sole benefit of the cameras. They are obnoxious. They appeal to the crass insticts of the pack. They are unwanted, unneeded, and unholy.
Just stop.
4 comments:
I was selected as Guest Editor last Friday. I selected you as one of my picks!
Hugs, Rose
Yes, the last 58 games should be interesting. The Cubs/Brewers series starts Monday night :o)
I do not watch the games often, but am planning on turning on the Cubs today to see if ND's "The Shark" gets some more play time. I was called up on Thursday.
Have a great Sunday.
Wow, my husband gets called up to the Show and he tells you first. That hurts. (He says he meant to write that Shark was called up on Thursday.)
Congrats on being Guest Editor pick!
Beth
Brewers will go all the way this year :)
Jeanne
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