Corbin Burnes has been Traded, and the Brewers Executives Suck

I think this trade is horses**t. 

First of all, it isn't a "blockbuster" trade unless you're sitting in Maryland.  In exchange for sending away a 3x All-Star and Cy Young winner, we receive infield prospect Joey Oritz, LH reliever DL Hall, and a throwaway compensation draft pick. 

Whoo-hooo.

Now, I do hope that in the years to come I look back on this and say "I was wrong, man those guys worked out for us!" Hall could potentially move into the rotation, Oritz is ranked the 63rd best prospect in the minors, and of course maybe we draft Babe Ruth with that pick. 

Could be. 

It would still be horses**t. 

Milwaukee and its myopic, ever-hopeful, ever-masochistic fans have already chimed in, repeating the script they've read every year:  "By golly, we will miss this player. But ya gotta think long-term. He was gonna leave as a free agent next year and this way we got some VALUE out of him. That's just the way a small market team has to operate dontcha know?"

Again, horses**t. 

That's the same malarkey you heard when the Brewers traded Josh Hader in the midst of a playoff run a couple years back, a move that sucked the life out of the team and left them .watching the playoffs from the couch. 

The ONLY value a player has for a team is the contribution they make towards winning. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a player's trade value as a flesh and blood stock certificate because they are an integral part of you getting a championship and the here and now, not next year, matters. 

It would be swell if Brewers executives understood that concept, because it's been "next year" for all 49 years of my life. 

Counsell Turns Traitor

Not really. 

Baseball is a business, and the man was offered $40 over 5 years to work for a vile, cursed   well funded, marquee organization. He'd have been a fool not to accept. 

Does it fly in the face of his constant harping on how he's a local boy in his "dream job?" 

Sure. 

But again, $40 million boo. $40 million. That's twice the sum of his career earnings as a player. 

Plus, the Brewers weren't exactly knocking down the door with offers enticing him to stay. Was that proof the organization is cheap, or did they suspect his leadership value was inflated? Hard to say, and I don't think Chicago is guaranteed to provide the answer to the latter either; deep pockets have the potential to solve many problems. 

(I think he was overvalued, but who am I? I'm just a schmuck with a blog.)

So congrats to Counsell -  although given his new job I can't exactly wish him success. 

update: Oops. I guess this "player's manager" forgot to actually inform his players of his move until AFTER the news was public. Smooth sir. smooth. 

Pete Ladd

Pete Ladd had an unassuming major league career, notching 17 wins, 39 saves and 23 losses in 205 games, with a 4.14 ERA. Take away a very solid 1983 campaign and those number go from "ho hum" to "less than respectable."  

In 1982 however, with closer Rollie Fingers injured, Ladd was on the mound for arguably the greatest moment in Brewers history: it was his pitch that Angel Rod Carew grounded to short for the final out of the ALCS, giving Milwaukee its only penant in the last 65 years. 

I watched that happen live on TV, and it's one of my favorite moments with my Grandpa.

Ladd died Friday at age 67 after a short bout with cancer. 

RIP

Congratulations on doing what you do Best.

Congratulations to the Milwaukee Brewers for finishing with a 90-72 record, a National League Central title . . . 

and then getting swept by an 84 win team in the first round of the playoffs. 

#$@$%%

49 years. 

FORTY NINE YEARS this team has disappointed me and left me bitter and angry and incapable of EVER trusting that they'll win a Championship. They would have to be up by six in the ninth inning of game seven of the World Series before I could feel certain of victory. 

You think I'm kidding? 

In the example above, I originally wrote "up by 5 in the 9th inning." Why did I change it? 

Because, hand to heart, I immediately pictured a scenario where they allow a couple runs and some baserunners, fall apart as the momentum swings, and surrender a grand slam to lose the Series. Right here, at my desk, I could see it clear as day, and my heart dropped. 

No mas. No mas. 

Clinched!

The first 43 years of my life the Brewers made it to the postseason all of four times.

Tonight, they made it five times in the last six years 

It's a nice change. 

Now let's do some damage in the playoffs, shall we?

Milverine's Jersey

On August 22 Milwaukee legend, Bay View's own Milverine, aka John Frank Hamann, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Brewers game.

  This is the jersey they gave him.

If the Brewers haven't thought about producing replicas of this, they should.  Make one in my size and I'd proudly wear it!

Brewers v Rockies, August 8th

My employer gave me two tickets for section 119 - the best seats I've ever had to be honest- for Tuesday's game against the Rockies, and I went with my friend Tre. 

It was Wade Miley's 300th career start, and the Brewers wasted a six inning, 2 hit, 1 run performance courtesy of a some awful relief work.

 We tied it, but then in the tenth Chafin and Uribe walked in three runs and surrendered another. A pathetic end to an otherwise fun evening on a warm and muggy night. 

Kestdaddy

So Keston Hiura wasn't claimed on waivers (idiots abound) and was outrighted to Nashville March 28th. Here's what he's done since then: 

.333/10/26 with an OPS of .394 and an OPS of 1.118 - oh, and he's been Player of the Week three out of the last four weeks. 

Now the argument goes that his performance wouldn't necessarily carry over to the bigs, and I agree, at least as far as Milwaukee goes. The Brewers have s*it him up so bad that I doubt success is attainable for him here. But in a different system, if he can shake off the Brewers handling of him . . . well, I think he'd thrive. 

I hope he gets the chance. 

Keston Hiura Deserves Better

The Brewers have been doing this guy dirty for years now. Giving him bits and pieces, never letting him regain his rhythm, passing him over for bums. He deserves better - and not just because he looks a bit like YaYa's boyfriend. I hope eventually he finds his footing with a team that values him. 

 

Sal Bando

Sal Bando might have been an awful GM for the Brewers, but he was an awesome 3rd baseman, earning 3 rings with the A's and helping the Crew to its first postseason appearance in 1981.

RIP

Chuck Carr

Former MLB outfielder Chuck Carr, who  led the league in stolen bases for the Marlins and entered Brewers lore with an epic quote, has died at age 55, reportedly of cancer. 

In 1997, when told to take a pitch, he swung and popped out.  Brewers manager Phil Garner was furious and a screaming match erupted. Carr's response  was so great it may echo in eternity with Brewers fans: 

"That ain't Chuckie's game. Chuckie hacks on 2-0."

He was cut soon after. 

RIP

 

Bruce Sutter

HOF reliever Bruce Sutter, who threw the final pitch of the 1982 World Series as a member of the Cardinals team that defeated my Brewers, died today at age 69.

RIP

40 Years Ago Today

40 years ago today, seated on the living room floor, I watched Robin Yount pick up a weak grounder and throw to Cecil Cooper for the final out of the 1982 ALCS. 

I will always remember Coop leaping off the bag with joy.

And I'll always remember my Grandpa clapping his hands together, leaning forward on his chair, and saying "Hot damn!"

I'm sick of celebrating these guys at every turn - give us another Brewers team to lionize already! - but today I say, sincerely: thanks for the memories. 

30 Years Ago Today

Thirty years ago today Robin Yount notched his 3000th hit with a seventh inning single off Jose Mesa. The game, believe it or not, wasn't even televised! Small market baseball, ladies and gentlemen, was a different breed. 

I was at the game with my sister Katie and I remember jumping to my feet, just like everyone else in County Stadium, and applauding until my hands ached. What a moment!

Later, I picked up a Yount t-shirt for my friend Tre.  He'd asked me to grab one for him in class that morning, and I took it as a sign that our newly reconnected friendship was growing. 

A few weeks later my Dad and I attended a game where Robin was honored by the team with a hardcover book about the accomplishment. Scalpers had bought up the tickets and we had to give away our books to them in exchange for admittance. Why the Brewers allowed this nonsense right in front of their staff still boggles the mind. 

One more fact: unbeknownst to me, my future wife was in attendance at the 3000th hit game too.

A Comeback Win!

THAT was a fantastic end to the Brewers game tonight!  

I'd all but conceded the loss and was ready to go to bed - down by 3 at home, and facing the second best reliever in the game, Taylor Rogers, it was a safe bet  -but bam! A bases loaded triple by Jace Peterson ties it, and an improbable single by the 0 for his last 31 Andrew McCutchen brings the win! 

That W, btw, went to 27 year old undrafted Peter Strzelecki, who worked two innings in his major league debut. 

Nicely done gentlemen!

The Brewers are now 33-20 and sit atop the NL Central. 

My suggestion for MLB: Offensive Assists

 I might have said this before, and if I have - good. It's worth repeating, because I think it's a good idea. I've done a cursory Google search and come up dry, so it might even be a unique idea. I doubt that - I don't see how - but who knows?

Baseball is a game rife with statistics, where every action, even bat angle and launch speed, is measured. If you get on base and score, you are given a run scored. If you knock in a run, you're awarded a RBI. So why no metric that awards a batter for moving a runner (that subsequently scores) into scoring position? 

Case in point: last week Yelich singled Rowdy doubled, moving him to third. McCutchen waked to fill the bases, and the next batter brought Yelich and Rowdy home. 

Ok. So they both get a Run, and the batter a RBI. But other than adding to his batting average and slugging percentage, Rowdy got no recognition (formal that is) of his moving Yelich into a position that then made it possible for him to score on the subsequent hit. 

There should be such a statistic. And it should be called an Offensive Assist. If you move a runner from first to either second or third, be it by a walk, hit, or fly out, and they score during a subsequent at-bat, you get credit. 

Period pooh. 

 

Cy Young Baby!!

Congrats to Corbin Burnes on the well deserved accolade! Boom!!!

A Brewers No-Hitter!

Two days ago I randomly spent far too much time thinking that 34 years was too long between no-hitters, and that with our current pitching staff, we should've gotten one this year. . . .

You're welcome.

A No-Hitter for the Brewers!

Two days ago I randomly spent far too much time thinking that 34 years was too long between no-hitters, and that with our current pitching staff, we should've gotten one this year. . . . 

You're welcome.

A Brewers Anniversary

On this day in 1989, Genn Braggs went 3-4 with two homers and 5 RBI in a 10-4 Brewers win over the Twins.