NYChez

View 1. We're so good, we don't need to use any of our 4 best relievers late in close games.View 2. If we're not ahead late in the game, we give up. Details:June 13, game 1 at Wrigley - Loe comes into a tie game in the 9th inning - the 3rd day in a row he would pitch, and he gives up the winning run. 50/50 game turns into a loss.June 14, game 2 at Wrigley - Estrada starts the 8th inning with the Brewers up 3-0 and immediately gives up the lead - Braddock and Hawkins come into the game and do great, but too little, too late. 90% chance of winning turns into a loss.June 16, game 4 at Wrigley - Herrera (the guy who replaced Braddock) comes into a 6-5 game in the 6th, and it's 9-5 after one batter. 40% chance of winning turns into a loss.June 17, game 1 at Fenway - Herrera comes into a 5-4 game in the 6th, and it's 7-4 after four batters. 30% chance of winning turns into a loss.June 20, game 1 vs. Rays - Narveson walks the leadoff batter in the 7th (a red flag all season) and is left in until it's 3-0. 30% chance of winning turns into a loss.June 22, game 3 vs. Rays - Dillard enters a 3-2 game in the 7th, and it's 6-2 after three batters. 30% chance of winning turns into a loss. It's widely known that Axford, Loe, Hawkins, and Braddock are the Brewers' best, healthy relievers. Braddock was sent to the minors during a stretch when the Brewers absolutely needed as much late-inning relief help as possible. Braddock and Hawkins are two guys who could have been put into any of the situations mentioned above and given the Brewers a better chance of winning those games. Instead, it felt like the management gave up on those games. Game 2 at Wrigley and at least one of the other games absolutely has to be won. The reason we're 3-7 instead of 5-5 in this key stretch is that, for some reason, one of our top 4 relievers can't be used in key spots late in very winnable games.

Marcum could rest until a week from Sunday if need be. He could actually go on the 15 day DL and miss only one start.

While not as big of a draw as Fenway on a weekend, I'm hoping Brewer fans make a good showing for their first appearance in the Bronx since 1997. I'm guessing that there will be a group coming up from the Mad River Bar in Manhattan, the main Wisconsin bar in New York City.

These guys should replace the racing sausages as our pseudo mascots. I'm trying to decide which one of the 4 looks the funniest, and it's a really tough decision. Great job, guys.

New Narveson rule: if he gives up a leadoff walk to a subpar hitter after the 5th inning, take him out immediately. New lineup rule: Betancourt never again bats higher than 8th unless Wil Nieves rejoins the team.

It took Pujols over 9 seconds to get to first base from the time he hit the ball. For Braun's famous home run against the Cardinals in the 9th inning in 2008, it took Braun under 8 seconds to get to first base. This proves ... I don't know what it proves, other than Pujols worshipers are hypocrites, in a classy sort of way.

Will they ever pitch inside to Pedroia and knock him off the plate, or are they going to continue to let him dive over the plate. This game is totally different if one of those fouled off 1-2 pitches in the first inning is instead thrown at his chin. Instead they might as well place a ball on a tee for him.

Does anyone in baseball throw inside anymore? You've got Pedroia diving over the plate to foul off pitches. Throw one at his neck and see if he keeps diving.

I was thinking Ron Rightnower.

I hope this is an attempt to "get him better" rather than a disciplinary action. Some guys are just different and have negatives but are a net positive. If a relief pitcher shows up a few minutes late for batting practice, but he's able to do his job, then I don't see the big deal. It's a deal, just not a big deal. This should be a mature enough team to handle a guy or two that for whatever reason can't exactly conform with some rules. If this was a young team that needed to learn a lesson and to be shown that the manager is in charge, then that's one thing. However, this is a veteran team that needs to win now. I can't see Braun or Fielder being happy about this. Losing a good late-inning reliever at the current time hurts the team.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=310604102

Here's a story about the Rattlers' closer, Greg Holle. [Please discuss in the dedicated Rattlers thread] Can anyone report what his stuff looks like?

The schedule is about to get really tough. If the Brewers can't take advantage of unbelievably winnable games against the Cubs, they could be back to .500 by the end of the month.

Roenicke is learning on the job. By the time Fielder, Greinke, and Marcum leave town, the then-well-learned Roenicke will be the perfect guy to turn a 68-win team into a 73-win team. Seriously, it was a risky move to hand over a team whose future is 2011 and only 2011 over to a rookie manager. If Roenicke screws up this season for the Brewers with stupid decision-making, I don't think Brewer fans will ever forgive Roenicke or Melvin.

We, as lifelong fans, "deserve" someone with a higher than .260 OBP with some range playing shortstop for the team we support.

It makes sense why he was busting it to 2nd base. Also, as impressive (if that's the right word) as Morgan was in the interview, "Core" was brilliant as the straight man. Perhaps the years working with Ueck have prepared him for the role he played in this classic interview. I don't think Bob Costas could have handled this interview as well.

Yogi Berra is officially replaced. This is indescribable, classic, maybe a bit troubling. http://www.jsonline.com/s...y&audioFile=51764874

The Brewers probably have 6 guys who would be the 8th inning guy in Minnesota. Their bullpen is a disaster. And the Brewers have some tough choices upcoming. The Twins might just wait for the Brewers to waive a guy since their record is so bad, but a trade may be possible, too. Since the Brewers' MLB roster is pretty set right now, what would be desirable compensation? One of the 3 shortstops on their MLB roster (although they're all hitting worse than Betancourt)? A low-level shortstop prospect? A potential big bat first baseman (an option to replace Fielder)? Edit: probably want to make this deal after we play them.

I'd change the criteria from Henderson/Fielder to Molitor/Alex Sanchez.

With a 1-0 count, the bases loaded, and the winning run on 3rd, the pitcher's basically going to lob a pitch down the middle of the plate. The chances of Lucroy swinging at that pitch and hitting a hard-hit double play grounder or lining it to someone are probably higher than him missing or popping up the bunt - again on a pitch that you know is going to be medium speed, right down the middle. Whether it's a percentage play comes down to the quality of the batter as a bunter, and he looked pretty darn good on this attempt. Thumbs up from me.

I could see a moment for him like Jason Giambi just had for Colorado.

The only thing I dislike about the Reds is their announcer, Thom. Other than that, they're fine. I'd much rather have the Reds win the Central than the Cardinals.

The #1 unwritten rule is: don't whine about unwritten rules. As penalty, the next time the Brewers are up 10+ runs on the Cubs in the late innings, Carlos Gomez is going to steal a base on each pitch: first stealing second, then third, then run back to second, back to first, and then back to second. If he's ever thrown out, he'll run right across the pitching rubber on the way back to the dugout.

5.000 OPS

2 out of the last 3 games, the game is on the line in the 8th inning with multiple guys on base, and Almonte is the batter. My thought each time: just strike out so something worse doesn't happen. Not good. Hurry back Corey.