8/15/08 Brewers (Parra) at Dodgers (Billingsley): 9:40 PM CDT

[wibadgers23]

Manny Parra (9-5, 4.02 ERA, 62 BB/112 SO)

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/images/2008/04/11/JmlIK5nG.jpg

Previous Starts:

DATE	OPP	RESULT	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GB	FB	TBF	#Pit	Dec.	Rel.	ERA
8/10	WAS	W 5-4	7.0	6	1	1	0	0	9	10	4	27	92	--	--	4.02
8/4	@CIN	L 3-6	6.0	4	6	6	1	4	6	8	6	26	105	L(9-5)	--	4.18
7/30	CHC	L 2-7	5.1	8	5	5	0	4	5	11	2	29	96	L(9-4)	--	3.93
7/25	HOU	L 1-3	6.0	8	3	3	0	2	5	12	1	26	100	L(9-3)	--	3.72
7/20	@SF	W 7-4	7.2	7	2	2	0	2	9	14	2	32	106	W(9-2)	--	3.68
7/11	CIN	L 5-6	6.1	6	5	4	0	1	6	8	4	27	93	--	--	3.78
7/7	COL	L 3-4	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	4	18	--	--	3.65
7/3	@ARI	L 5-6	6.0	4	0	0	0	3	4	9	6	25	100	--	--	3.69
6/28	@MIN	W 5-1	7.0	2	0	0	0	4	6	12	4	27	112	W(8-2)	--	3.95
6/22	BAL	W 7-3	5.0	5	3	3	0	6	1	9	4	24	90	W(7-2)	--	4.29

Versus

 

Chad Billingsley (11-9, 3.07 ERA, 59 BB/157 SO)

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/fantasy/06/21/minorleague.watch/p1_billingsley.jpg

Previous Starts:

DATE	OPP	RESULT	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GB	FB	TBF	#Pit	Dec.	Rel.	ERA
8/10	@SF	L 4-5	6.0	9	3	3	0	3	6	9	3	30	116	--	--	3.07
8/5	@STL	L 4-6	5.0	6	1	1	0	0	6	8	3	21	74	--	--	3.01
7/30	SF	W 4-0	9.0	5	0	0	0	0	8	13	5	30	118	W(11-9)	--	3.05
7/25	WAS	W 3-2	7.2	5	2	2	0	3	4	10	9	31	106	W(10-9)	--	3.26
7/19	@ARI	L 2-3	5.2	7	3	3	1	3	5	9	7	27	114	L(9-9)	--	3.32
7/13	FLA	W 9-1	7.0	5	1	1	0	0	13	2	5	26	106	W(9-8)	--	3.25
7/8	ATL	L 3-9	5.1	6	6	5	1	4	8	10	2	26	104	L(8-8)	--	3.38
7/3	@HOU	W 5-2	8.0	6	2	0	0	1	5	13	8	30	92	W(8-7)	--	3.12
6/28	LAA	W 1-0	7.0	3	0	0	0	3	7	12	3	27	111	W(7-7)	--	3.38
6/22	CLE	W 4-3	5.0	8	3	3	0	1	4	9	5	25	108	W(6-7)	--	3.64

N.L. Central Standings:

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road	East	Cent.	West	L10	Strk
Chi. Cubs	74	47	.612	-	45-17	29-30	12-6	33-22	23-10	8-2	W 4
Milwaukee (37)	70	52	.574	4½	36-23	34-29	16-12	30-23	17-9	8-2	L 1
St. Louis (33)	68	56	.548	7½	33-28	35-28	18-12	26-26	17-10	6-4	W 2
Houston (30)	62	59	.512	12	33-26	29-33	13-9	26-28	16-11	8-2	W 8
Pittsburgh (23)	55	66	.455	19	33-28	22-38	14-14	25-29	10-14	4-6	L 1
Cincinnati (21)	54	68	.443	20½	31-31	23-37	18-17	18-30	9-15	3-7	W 1

Wild Card Race:

Team	W	L	PCT	GB
Milwaukee	70	52	.574	-
St. Louis	68	56	.548	3
Philadelphia	64	56	.533	5
Florida	63	59	.516	7
Houston	62	59	.512	7½
L.A. Dodgers	61	59	.508	8
Atlanta	55	66	.455	14½
Pittsburgh	55	66	.455	14½
Cincinnati	54	68	.443	16
Colorado	54	69	.439	16½
San Francisco	50	70	.417	19
San Diego	47	74	.388	22½
Washington	44	78	.361	26

[Yeti73]

I only like these late games on the weekends. Otherwise they keep me up too late. Important to get off to a good start this weekend. I would be happy with 2 of 3, but why not ask for a sweep?

[Hate those Rodents]

This series, with the pitchers we'll be facing, worries me. Thankfully, Ned used his giveaway lineup yesterday, wanting to lose to the Padres so we could possibly handle the Dodgers for at least 2 of 3. Also, I believe we were cautiously holding Braunie back for this series and will now push him and have him start these games.

[sheethead]

I have to be honest. This series is scaring me right now. While 2 of 3 will make me happy, I will understand if the Brewers only get one.

[Invader3K]

Can't they make some kind of concession for the away team fans, and not start a game past 9:00 PM or so local team? I know it will never happen, and it's probably due to the heat in LA this time of year, but it's really hard for me to stay up for a whole game when it doesn't start 'til after 9:30 PM.

 

2 of 3 games would make me really happy.

 

As far as Braun, I heard this morning he is not expected to start tonight, but may be available later in the weekend.

[RobDeer 45]

Getting two here would be awesome but I too think that we might be looking at just one. I can handle it but would love the 2.

[sargennm]

Let's start the next streak! Billingsley is a good pitcher. But he's hittable. Let's go Brewers. Hopefully we'll see Ryan back in the lineup tonight.

[brewcrewkid14]

Yeah, I too am expecting one this series. Just as long as we don't get swept!Scratch that: Series win or bust!

[sgtcluels]

More Ks less BB Manny.. or Prince will punch you in the mouth.

[jwill535]

I also think it will be a 1-2 weekend. Hopefully Ned keeps Counsel out of the sun today so he is rested up for another 3 days of starting.

[crewcrazy]

9:40? Sweet merciful crap...why do the Dodgers start their games later than the Padres and Giants?

 

Hopefully Manny can get a win tonight so we don't spend the rest of the series worrying about getting swept. The pitching match-ups are pretty unfavorable, but the Dodgers are still very beatable, even with Ramirez in that lineup.

 

I can't wait for Manny to be Manny on the hill while he's pitching to Manny being Manny in the batter's box. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[endaround]

Dodgers start latter due to LA traffic.

[TauPentaRei]

So, someone asked me yesterday how many more wins the Brewers would need to make the playoffs. (to figure out how many puzzle pieces of removable dress to put on the cardboard cutout of Wendy, of course)

 

I hemmed, hawed, mulled it over.

 

I caught Jason Stark on the radio singing the sweet music of - not only - expecting the Crew to make it, but stating that they were constructed for the playoffs better than any NL team.

 

Hemming, hawing & mulling - realizing 40 games left with 70 wins already... is it possible that going .500 to the tape and getting 90 wins would not be enough? I cannot imagine only going .500 from here on out. And I also can't imagine 90 wins getting the wild card comfortably enough to set the rotation in games #161 and 162.

 

SUPER bad time to catch the Dodgers.

[dlk9s]

I caught Jason Stark on the radio singing the sweet music of - not only - expecting the Crew to make it, but stating that they were constructed for the playoffs better than any NL team.

I would have to put the Cubs ahead of us in that department. Zambrano and Harden (with the obligatory "if he stays healthy") is a fantastic 1-2 punch, and Dempster is having a Cy Young-eque season. Lilly and Marquis as their 4 and 5 is pretty nice. And, while we've seen they can get cold at the plate, they have a very well-constructed lineup.

[craigharmann]

Time for Handy Manny to get to 10 wins! Thankfully, by the time the game starts, I will have watched Michael Phelps win his 7th gold medal of this Olympics, and will be ready to go for game time. And hopefully we'll get those bats going nice and early.

[razzzorsharp]

Billingley is really good and his K/IN rate is superb. He is my favorite non-Brewer and a guy who I enjoy watching. I would really enjoy watching him get lit up though...

[RightFieldCoder]

Brewers start their slide

Billingley strikes out fifteen

Dodgers win all three

[Brewtacular]

We better score early cause I figure to have a few bevarages in me by 940.

[tomwopat]

Uggh, flashbacks to Ann Carroll on Brewers Classics.

 

I had truly forgotten how horrible she was.

[ELCABALLO45]

2B Rickie Weeks

SS JJ Hardy

LF Gabe Kapler

1B Prince Fielder

RF Corey Hart

3B Craig Counsell

CF Mike Cameron

C Jason Kendall

P Manny Parra

[razzzorsharp]

I was selfishly hoping for Braun.

[crewcrazy]

Braun tomorrow, perhaps? Please?

 

It's probably killing him that he's not able to play on the team's one trip to his hometown.

[jason21nl]

without Braun in the lineup, our lineup looks pretty weak to me. Tonight is going to be a tough match up going against Billingsley.

 

 

I hate playing the Dodgers, all I can remember is a couple years ago, staying up all freaking night, just to have Nomar win a game on a check swing. Then if I remember correctly, he won the next game late into the night as well.

[Dmiles23]

Braun tomorrow, perhaps? Please?

In the JS Online blog, HERE, it says he's taking BP today for the first time and is probably eying a Sunday return... if all goes well.

 

[mls4]

I was selfishly hoping for Braun.

I was selfishly hoping for Hall and Durham myself. The Counsell love especially is getting ridiculous!