Just For The Record

My preseason predictions on the playoff teams was awful. I only got two teams correct that are currently in the playoffs. The Dodgers and the Red Sox. And I had the Red Sox in as AL East champs, of course they won the Wild Card. My World Series was the Red Sox over the Mets. Of course that Mets prediction didn't work out so well, but if the Red Sox win it all I can still hang my hat on that pick.

Here is the link to that preseason prediction post.

Braun and Fielder 2009

Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder who are now the best 1-2 punch in MLB and who I like to call the modern day Aaron and Matthews end the season with these lines:

Ryan Braun: .320/.386/.551, 32 HR, 114 RBI, 20 SB, 203 Hits (Led NL)

Prince Fielder: .299/.412/.602, 46 HR, 141 RBI (Led MLB)

Simply amazing seasons from both guys. With these two leading the charge and the other good supporting offensive cast, all we need is some decent pitching and the Brewers should be back in the playoffs in 2010.

I'm Really Starting To Realize

After seeing the Brewers drop 2 of 3 to the Braves at home this weekend, I think for the first time this season I really see that this team really just is not that good. They are okay, maybe a little above average, but not really a playoff contender. It pains me to have to write that, but I think I really believe it now. The pitching staff both starters and bullpen is a complete mess, save for Gallardo, Hoffman, Stetter and Coffey. Pretty much everyone else has been average or below average, especially that 5th starter spot which has been terrible between McClung and Burns. Tim Dillard will now get a chance to fill that role Tuesday after getting called up from AAA Nashville yesterday. Looper has a nice W/L record but has given up a ton of homeruns and his ERA is not to pretty, same for Suppan save for his W/L record not being very good. Manny Parra has had two really nice starts since getting recalled from Nashville and one "okay" start so he is at least showing some improvement and promise.

The bullpen just can't be trusted. Outside of the three names I listed above. Smith, Burns, Villanueva, McClung and to a lesser extend DiFelice have all had issues and when any come into a tight ball game I'm not usually real confident they will keep the lead or keep the Brewers close if behind. Maybe I'm being a little to hard on Mark DiFelice, he has been almost outstanding against right handed hitters. But he just can't seem to get left handed hitters out at all. I know Al from Al's Ramblings has called him a "ROOGY" and he is probably right.

As for the offense, well it is a story of inconsistency outside of our two All-Stars Braun and Fielder. Those two have been there all year hitting for average, power and getting on base. Without them I would hate to even think where this club would be. Craig Counsell and Casey McGehee have been very pleasant surprises playing above their expectations and have filled in nicely for the injured Rickie Weeks and the disastrous Bill Hall. Felipe Lopez just got here, but looks pretty good thus far. The rest of the offense has been nothing to write home about. Especially JJ Hardy and Corey Hart. Those two have underachieved so much that it has really killed this team from having a consistent offense. Both have played WAY below expectations. And in todays game it looked like Corey Hart was really lacing in effort, which never sits well with fans or management. If they were even putting up numbers close to their career norms, I might not be writing this blog. And don't get me started on the bench, it's been terrible. Gerut (who dropped a ball a little leaguer would have caught today, just looked pathetic), Hall, Rivera and Catalanotto have not done much of anything to note.

Basically what I'm getting at is that this team is not one or maybe even two players away from being a real contender so I would hate to see the Brewers make a trade to mortgage the future for a player(s) that won't do much for us. Just stand pat with what we have and hope they somehow get hot and we sneak into the playoffs. If not, hey no big deal. I'm still gonna watch and support this team no matter what. Then you go into the offseason and you have some trading chips like Hart and Hardy that you can get more value for at that time. Next year Gamel and Escobar should be up and contributing and you get Rickie Weeks back who was playing outstanding before getting hurt, I still think that was a HUGE loss for this team that they never really recovered from. Right now the Brewers stand at .500, 49-49 and maybe that is who they really are.

It's Been Awhile, Please No One Panic (About Me Or The Brewers Start)

I hated going this long between posts since the start of the season. I have just been running circles getting last minute stuff together for my wedding which is about two weeks away now and I have been living out of a suitcase the past three weeks while the bathroom is getting re-done at our house. Lets put it this way, I have not even seen the two new episodes of "The Office" from last week or the pilot of "Parks And Recreation". I pretty much work, watch the Brewers, drive to my future sister in-laws place, sleep and repeat. With random wedding stuff to do in between.

So the season is underway and were 2-6. Yeah it has been pretty rough for us in Brewers Nation. It has mostly been bad pitching and specifically our pitchers walking batters at an alarming rate. The hitting has been decent. Besides yesterday game, runs have been scored. Its just that our two big hitters Braun and Fielder are not having much to do with the runs that have been scoring. On a bright note Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks have looked very good.

Getting to my point, after only 8 ball games people are already calling into sports radio shows in town and saying they are "done" with the season because the Brewers are "done". I mean the worst part is the people are serious. I mean some of the calls I have heard are just comical. I think people just need to take a step back, a deep breath and realize we have played 8 games and have another 154 to go. Don't get me wrong, if our record and the players numbers are progressing like they are now at say the start of June then I would start to panic a little bit. But for now, just relax and enjoy the fact that baseball is back and that the Brewers will turn it around and hopefully soon. Oh except Jeff Suppan, its fine to panic about him. He just is not a very good baseball player.

My 2009 MLB Predictions

Here is the way I see the 2009 season going down. Feel free to agree or rip my predictions with your own.

American League

AL East Champs: Boston Red Sox

AL Central Champs: Cleveland Indians

AL West Champs: Oakland Athletics

AL Wild Card Champs: Tampa Bay Rays

AL Champs: Boston Red Sox

AL MVP: Grady Sizemore

AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay

AL ROY: Matt Wieters


National League

NL East Champs: New York Mets

NL Central Champs: Chicago Cubs

NL West Champs: Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wild Card Champs: Milwaukee Brewers

NL Champs: New York Mets

NL MVP: Hanley Ramirez

NL Cy Young: Cole Hamels

NL ROY: Cameron Maybin

World Series Champs: Boston Red Sox

Ken Rosenthal Thinks Yovani Gallardo Is Pretty Good

Over at foxsports.com Ken picks Yovani to win the NL Cy Young in 2009. Says Yovani could be this seasons Cliff Lee. I wouldn't say he his quite like Cliff Lee, yes like Lee it would be kind of a shock if Yovani won the award. But here is the thing, Lee was a virtual cast off and nobody, got demoted to AAA by the Indians. Gallardo at 23 is the Brewers ace and most people/fans around MLB know about Gallardo and how special he is/will be. I have to disagree with Ken, I doubt Yo will win the Cy Young this year (but he will win a couple at some point in his career), although it would be cool. What I think he will do is be very good, win at least 16 games have an ERA under 4, WHIP around 1.20, 200 K's and 180-190 inning pitched. Any which way it's always nice to see a national baseball reporter give a Brewers player some props. Thanks Ken.