June 2009 - Posts

• The Unsung Heroes of the Milwaukee Brewers

  Posted Jun 24 2009, 04:56 PM by TheRealBrewersGM

  Trevor Hoffman has received immense praise for his work this year and rightfully so. Hoffman has 16 saves in 17 chances this year with a 1.31 ERA, and he is very likely to make a return trip to the All-Star game next month.

  Hoffman would attribute much of his success to four players that usually go largely unnoticed to most fans. Without the great play of Seth McClung, Todd Coffey, Mitch Stetter, and Mark DeFelice, the Brewers' season would have a much different feel than it currently does.

  McClung and Coffey are quite the pair. They look like they could be tag team champions in the WWE, not major league relief pitchers. The red-headed duo has overpowered batters all season. They also give manager Ken Macha the ability to rest other arms as each can pitch multiple innings if needed.

  McClung will likely be called on to do even more for the Brewers. He is the leading candidate to make a start on Saturday for the Brewers. After Dave Bush was put on the disabled list and with Manny Parra still not ready for a return, the Brewers will likely turn to McClung for a start.

  McClung isn't a stranger to making starts having made 49 in his career. In the bullpen, however, McClung is a stud. He has a 3-1 record with a 3.24 ERA in 41 2/3 innings pitched.

  Coffey has been the choice for tight situations this season. If there are runners on base late in the game and the Brewers need to hold a lead, you can bet that Todd Coffey will be sprinting in from the bullpen.

  Coffey is 2-1, with a 2.83 ERA in 32 games this season. He always seems to make the right pitch to get out of every jam he has encountered this season.

  Every great bullpen needs a situational lefty that can get the one or two tough outs in that game. Mitch Stetter has been superb this season. He is 2-0, with a 2.82 ERA in 33 games this season.

  His slider has been devastating to left-handed hitters. In fact, the last 11 outs that Stetter has recorded have all come via the strikeout. He has made it quite easy for many fans to forget just how good Brian Shouse was for the Brewers.

  No pitcher has been as good for the Milwaukee Brewers this season as Mark DeFelice. He has been so good that many national pundits have called for his inclusion in the All-Star game. Middle relievers are never members of the All-Star roster, and the fact that DeFelice is getting the attention he is speaks to his greatness this year.

  DeFelice has largely relied on one pitch this year for his success: a cut fastball. It is the pitch that has made Mariano Rivera a future Hall of Famer, and now DeFelice is experience the greatest success of his 12-year career.

  In 27 games this year, DeFelice has pitched 28 innings, has a 2-1 record, and an ERA of 1.61. He has struck out 25 batters and only allowed 18 hits. His workload may increase if McClung has to stay in the rotation for any length of time.

  If the Brewers expect to remain competitors for the remainder of the season, Trevor Hoffman will have to hold up physically and continue pitching at an All-Star level. For Hoffman to get those opportunities, the rest of the bullpen needs to continue to be the unsung heroes of the team.
  Filed under: Milwaukee Brewers, Seth McClung, Trevor Hoffman, Todd Coffey, Mark DeFelice, Mitch Stetter

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• The Reconstruction of the Milwaukee Bucks Continues

  Posted Jun 23 2009, 03:51 PM by TheRealBrewersGM

  The Bucks traded Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday in a move very similar to the one made almost a year ago to the day.

  Jefferson was acquired by the Bucks on June 26, 2008, for Bobby Simmons and Yi Jianlian in a move that was, in part, a salary dump to get rid of Simmons' big contract.

  The Bucks now move Jefferson to the Spurs to get his salary off their books, and in return they get Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto. Of the three, only Kurt Thomas is thought to be sticking around Milwaukee for any length of time. Bowen and Oberto will likely be released and save the Bucks an additional $6.35 million on their salary cap.

  This trade was made, in large part, for the Bucks to get under the salary cap and try to resign Charlie Villanueva, Ramon Sessions, or both.

  The Bucks are slated to draft number 10 in the draft on Thursday night and most mock draft and experts have them taking point guard Jonny Flynn.

  If Flynn isn't on the board, there are still several other point guards that will be available that the Bucks could take.

  For that reason, I see this trade primarily being made to free up money to bring Charlie Villanueva back to the Bucks.

  Villanueva is coming off a great season that saw him attain career-highs in points (16.2), rebounds (6.7), and assists (1.8).

  Villanueva gives the Bucks versatility and depth in the frontcourt. Although he will never be confused for a great defensive player, he causes match-up problems for other teams, and gives the Bucks a great inside-outside tandem with Andrew Bogut.

  Retaining Kurt Thomas will also add depth to the frontcourt and give coach Scott Skiles another option off his bench.

  Bowen and Oberto would have been great depth for the Bucks, but saving on their salaries is more important for the development of the roster.

  The trading of Jefferson may seem like Bucks' management is already giving up on the 2010 season. However, Bucks' General Manager John Hammond and his staff are continuing to rebuild a once proud franchise to bring it back to prominence in the NBA.
  Filed under: Milwaukee Bucks, Andrew Bogut, Richard Jefferson

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• Three Weeks for the Milwaukee Brewers to Determine Their Fate

  Posted Jun 22 2009, 05:35 AM by TheRealBrewersGM

  The Brewers finished up a six-game road trip Sunday in Detroit by being swept by the Tigers. This came after a sweep of the Cleveland Indians earlier in the week.

  After a day off on Monday, the Brewers will return to Milwaukee to start a homestand on Tuesday. They now start a three-week stretch with most of their games in Milwaukee. This could very well determine whether or not the Brewers will be contenders for the playoffs again in 2009.

  The Brewers have 19 games before the All-Star break and 15 of them will be played at Miller Park. In fact, traveling will not be an issue at all for the Brewers. The four games away from Miller Park will be played only 90 miles down I-94 at Wrigley Field in Chicago against the Cubs.

  The Cardinals have overtaken the Brewers for first place in the NL Central, but the Brewers are primed to make their dip to second a short stay.

  The bats are starting to come alive again. JJ Hardy and Jason Kendall have been swinging the bat well lately. Although both are still hitting under .230 for the season, they have been hot recently. Hardy's bat is key to the Brewers lineup as he can give the Brewers another power bat in the order.

  Mike Cameron is playing a great centerfield but is struggling at the plate. Actually, to say Cameron is struggling is paying him a compliment. He is hitting .140 in June, with 25 strikeouts in only 57 at bats. He has lost the plate discipline that he showed earlier in the year and has reverted back to the free-swinger that he has shown in the past.

  The starters have had their hiccups lately but are still a solid unit overall. Yovani Gallardo was outdueled by Justin Verlander on Sunday, but Gallardo is still having an All-Star caliber season.

  Jeff Suppan has pitched well so far in June. Suppan is 2-0, with a 2.74 ERA over 23 innings pitched.

  Dave Bush and Braden Looper have had no success lately. Neither pitcher has won a game in June or made it past the sixth inning in eight starts. Both need to raise the quality of their outings for the Brewers to have success.

  The bullpen has been the most solid part of the team all season.

  Even though Trevor Hoffman blew his first save of the season this past week, he is still pitching well and makes everyone in the bullpen better. Names like McClung, Coffey, Stetter, and DeFelice are becoming household names due to their outstanding work getting leads to Hoffman.

  The Brewers may have the home field advantage over the next few weeks but there are no cupcakes on their schedule.

  The Brewers will host the Twins, Giants, and Mets before traveling to face the Cubs in Chicago. The final two series before the All-Star break will see the Cardinals and Dodgers make their way to Miller Park.

  Now that those bats have come alive, they will need to carry a starting pitching staff that is beginning to show signs of weakness. Dave Bush is likely to see his next start pushed back due to arm fatigue. The Brewers will likely call up an arm from Triple A Nashville to start for the team this week.

  Don't expect that pitcher to be Manny Parra. He still needs to sort out his control issues before returning to the majors.

  The Brewers are 7-12 in June, but all that can be forgotten with a solid next three weeks. Any sort of a winning record in the next 19 games should see the Brewers go into the All-Star break no worse than where they sit currently.

  That will give Doug Melvin the chance to go out and acquire talent to take the Brewers into the second half of the season that will hopefully lead to another playoff appearance.
  Filed under: Milwaukee Brewers, Yovani Gallardo, Jason Kendall, JJ Hardy, Mike Cameron, Trevor Hoffman

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• The Pitcher to Save the Milwaukee Brewers' Season

  Posted Jun 18 2009, 07:56 PM by TheRealBrewersGM

  It became obvious during their series with the Cleveland Indians that the biggest need for the Milwaukee Brewers is starting pitching. Unfortunately, trying to find that pitcher to acquire is going to be much easier said than done.

  There are good options, bad options, and options that are become more wishful thinking than anything that could be reality.

  Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine, and Ben Sheets are the top free agent options out there. Martinez seems to be leaning towards the Cubs or Rays at the moment. He has big game experience, but he has lost velocity in the past few years. It is also unclear how long it would take Martinez to be ready for big league ball.

  Tom Glavine was recently released by the Atlanta Braves but all reports indicate that Glavine has no interest in pitching for any other teams. Sadly, his Hall of Fame career will end with being cut by the team where he saw his greatest success.

  Ben Sheets may be a free agent but he isn't an option for the Brewers. The relationship between the two has sailed its course, and Sheets will likely sign with the Texas Rangers when healthy.

  The Brewers have been linked to all the "big name" pitchers on the trading market. Jake Peavy, Roy Halladay, Erik Bedard, and Cliff Lee have all been mentioned as possible options in trade talks.

  Fate has stepped in and made most, if not all of those pitchers non-options.

  Everyone knows my feelings about Peavy to Milwaukee. I think his salary over the next few years and his numbers at Petco Park create a bad match for the Brewers. He recently was placed on the disabled list, and he could miss anywhere from a month to the rest of the season which would take away any value he might have.

  Roy Halladay would look absolutely amazing in a Brewers uniform. A Halladay acquisition would be bigger, in my opinion, than CC Sabathia coming to the Brewers last year. The Blue Jays are playing very good ball this year, and they are in position to make a playoff push this season. Along with the fact that Halladay just went on the disabled list as well, there is very little chance he'll be coming to Milwaukee.

  Erik Bedard is having a great year, and he would serve as a great 1-2 punch along with Yovani Gallardo. The Mariners are under .500, but like Peavy and Halladay, Bedard is calling the disabled list home for the time being. He will likely come off the disabled list the soonest. If the Mariners continue to stumble, talks between the two teams could heat up in July.

  Cliff Lee is my personal choice for the pitcher the Brewers should obtain. Lee is having a very good year, and he shouldn't cost the Brewers as much in prospects as any of the other three. The Indians may not be a willing trade partner though. With so many players on the disabled list, they feel that they will still be playoff contenders when everyone returns to their lineup.

  Although it may not be the flashy choice, the Brewers may have to look internally for a pitcher to help stabilize their rotation. To many Brewer fans dismay, the pitcher they need to add is Manny Parra.

  Parra was sent down to Triple A Nashville and made his first start yesterday. He pitched six innings, struck out and walked four, and gave up two runs. It's not a great start but it is something to build on.

  No one has ever questioned the abilities of Parra. His heart and confidence are what he needs to improve on.

  Parra needs to focus less on trying to throw so many pitches and more on working his fastball and off-speed pitch.

  He has the ability to be a left-handed version of Ben Sheets. He has a plus-fastball with great movement. His main objective when on the mound should be to throw that for strikes and then work in his change-up and breaking pitches.

  Jason Kendall seems to want Parra to throw all his pitches, but that may be too much for Parra to handle at this stage of his career. There is nothing wrong with basing your foundation as a pitcher off of two pitches. He can add on from there to become a more complete pitcher.

  Veterans like Jeff Suppan and Braden Looper can handle the load of throwing four different pitches at different times in the count and situation. Parra just needs to mature, believe in himself and his abilities, and his success will begin to show.

  Parra will look to replicate the success that Dave Bush found after being sent down to the minors last year. Bush became the Brewers most valuable pitcher in the second half of the year not named Sabathia.

  The Brewers won't be in a rush to recall Parra until he can prove he has overcome his control and confidence issues. Tim Dillard could be called on to start a few games until Parra returns.

  There is still over a month to the trade deadline, and many options could become possible for the Brewers. If a deal can't be made, the Brewers will have to depend on Parra to be the pitcher everyone expects him to be. Hopefully, Parra can step up his game and be the pitcher to save the season.
  

  
  

  Filed under: Milwaukee Brewers, Manny Parra

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• Hank Aaron: The Most Underrated Player in Baseball History

  Posted Jun 17 2009, 05:43 PM by TheRealBrewersGM

  It's hard to imagine that the player who held the all-time home run record for 33 years as underrated, but Hank Aaron has lived his life being largely unnoticed and underappreciated by the baseball world.

  Aaron was voted the fifth "greatest baseball player" by The Sporting News when they ranked the 100 greatest players in 1999. Aaron ranked behind Ruth, Mays, Cobb, and Walter Johnson.

  It was the latest in a life-long list of injustices against one of the true legends and gentlemen of the game.

  There are multiple reasons as to why Aaron has been constantly overlooked.

  Aaron chased the most hallowed record in all of sport, and he did it as a black man in a country that still didn't embrace diversity.

  If Mickey Mantle had been the one chasing Ruth, Mantle would have been embraced by the entire county, and all the racial bigotry that Aaron dealt with never would have been an issue.

  Another reason why Aaron isn't as beloved as he should be is due to the markets he played in. Although Milwaukee was the first city in baseball to break two million in attendance, it was not the major metropolitan market like New York or Chicago.

  The Braves moved to Atlanta for the 1966 season, but the country was far different geographically 40 years ago. Atlanta was new to baseball due to the expansion to the southeast. The Braves never drew more than 20,000 per season in Aaron's time in Atlanta.

  Aaron also became a victim of his own success. He was a consistently good player and never really experienced a drop off in his production until after he turned 40. Fans became accustomed to his greatness and expected him to put up big numbers year after year.

  Aaron began his professional career in the Negro Leagues with the Indianapolis Clowns in 1952. The 18-year-old Aaron was a hard-hitting shortstop and didn't stay with the Clowns very long.

  After only three months, Aaron received contract offers from the New York Giants and the Boston Braves. Could you imagine an outfield that would have consisted of Aaron, Willie Mays, and Monte Irvin?

  Aaron, of course, decided to sign with the Braves and began his career with the Eau Claire Bears in Wisconsin, in 1952. While with the Bears, Aaron broke his habit of swinging the bat cross-handed, something he had done all his life.

  The 1953 season saw Aaron play for the Jacksonville Tars in the South Atlantic League. Aaron won the MVP award for the league that season and led the Tars to the league championship.

  For the season, Aaron led the league in batting average (.362), runs (115), hits (208), doubles (36), runs batted in (125), and total bases (338).

  Aaron started his career with the Braves to open the 1954 season. He had moderate success that season, finishing fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting.

  The following season saw Aaron start one of the most remarkable streaks in the history of baseball. He hit 27 home runs that season. It was the first of twenty straight seasons with at least 20 home runs.

  In a game that is beloved for the numbers it produces, no one ever had better numbers than Aaron.

  He had a career batting average of .305. He is the career leader in runs batted in (2,297), most extra base hits (1,477), and amassed the most career total bases (6,856).

  Add to that being number two all-time in home runs (755) and at-bats (12,364), third in hits (3,771) and games played (3,298), and tied for fourth with runs scored (2,174).

  One of the most telling stats of Aaron's greatness is the fact that if you take away his 755 career home runs, he still would have finished his career with more than 3,000 hits. That is a testament to his all-around game and not simply being a great power hitter.

  Aaron won three gold gloves and finished in the top ten of MVP voting thirteen times in his career.

  Aaron is now 75, and in the twilight of his life. He handled Barry Bonds passing him on the all-time home run list with a grace and dignity that Bonds could only dream of having.

  No one will ever doubt the greatness of Hank Aaron. He had to deal with the ghost of an icon, racism, and bad location. He overcame all of that to become a true pillar in the history of the game.

  Aaron deserves to be embraced for all he did on and off the field. Unfortunately, everything he over came as a player may be exactly what holds him back from being viewed in his rightful place in history.
  Filed under: Atlanta Braves, Hank Aaron, Milwaukee Braves

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