Catching Up To Do

I just got back yesterday from my 7 night honeymoon in beautiful Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Me and my bride had a fantastic time, it was sunny and in the 80's every day we were there. While the weather was hot in the DR it was not hot here in Wisconsin, but the baseball team sure was.

In my absence out of the country the Brewers won 5 of 6 games in home series over the Cubs and Marlins. This led the Brewers to now being tied for 1st place in the NL Central with the hated Cardinals. While I was able to text a friend to get final scores each day it seems I missed out on some happenings while I was gone. So I spent some of last night during that rain delay/postponement and this morning catching up on what happened in these 6 Brewers games I missed.

Nelson was DFA and then selected free agency. I wish Brad the best, I liked him a lot and thought it was cool he finally made an opening day roster. He just didn't do anything after spring training though and we need some production off the bench other then Craig Counsell. Hopefully Nelson catches on somewhere else, just not in the NL. I think he would come back to haunt us at some point.

With Nelson DFA the Brewers called up top prospect Mat Gamel. This kind of shocked me when I first heard the news. I thought the Brewers might trade Hall which I did not want to happen. But it does not seem likely and more likely Gamel was called up for much of the same reason Prince Fielder was in 2005. Spend some time with the big league club, maybe get a start or two and DH in some inter league series before going back down to AAA Nashville. I like the move and look forward to seeing Gamel hit and see if his defense has gotten better.

Weeks and Bush seemed to have continued their strong starts. It seems 2009 really will be the "breakout" season for both guys. Weeks is hitting well and has an over .880 OPS while Bush has been the Brewers 2nd best pitcher after Gallardo. At the beginning of the season I told a fellow Brewers fan at work that Bush would breakout this year and legitimize himself as a solid #3 and maybe even a #2. So far Dave is proving me correct, thanks Dave.

Braun has a RED HOT week and was the NL player of the week. But it seems the local and national media has a problem with his "attitude" or "cockiness". I say screw them both. Braun is no more cocky then any other star in MLB. He is good, he knows it and he is super confident in his ability. So he watches his HR's a little bit, so does A-Rod, Pujols, Manny and many other of the stars of the game do. Can you blame him for the one he hit off Dempster? I mean Dempster did hit him the freaking head in the at-bat before the HR. Bottom line, Braun is a superstar that is super confident. Just let him play the game and don't worry about what he does after he hits a HR. And he will hit A LOT of them before his career is up so get used to it uptight media members.

I Understand It's Just Spring Training, And Early But....

Jeff Suppan still looks like shit. Picking up right where he left off last year in game 4 of the NLDS, today in Suppan's second start he gave up a 3 run HR in the first inning. His line on the day was 3 innings, 3 hits, 3 runs all earned 2 BB's and his ERA at 7.20. Suppan is making a strong case to surpass guys like Jeffrey Hammonds and Franklin Stubbs as the biggest free agent signing bust in Brewers history. I think if Suppan was getting money that a #5 starter normally gets this really wouldn't be a big deal, but he is getting more like #2 or #3 starter money and he sucks. If he continues to get rocked in spring and Braden Looper ends of being fine, at some point does Ken Macha go with McClung, Green or even DiFelice as the #5 starter? It's a fair question I think, kick Suppan to the pen.

While Suppan is sucking it up early in spring, Corey Hart and Brad Nelson continue to impress. Hart was 3-3 today with 2 RBI's and a HR, now hitting a cool .700 in Cactus League action. After Corey struggled so much in the second half last year and specifically in September it's great to see him raking. Nelson is getting rave reviews from Macha, was 1-3 with an RBI while playing LF. Macha is now giving Nelson consideration for a reserve OF spot. And why not? Look at the others fighting for that spot; Gwynn (hurt and really is nothing more then a AAAA player), Duffy (doing well, should be considered), Nixon (old, not hitting a lick) and Thorman (hitting well, but really just a 1B). Nelson is also more of a 1B, but has played OF in the minors.