liveforoctober

Can I get an address to send out a check too? I don't post all that often, but this is one of the first places I go when I get home and I think a little part of me would die if something happened to it. I'll send what I can ASAP!

I'm actually very happy he has had a down year and the Brewers have still played as well as they have. Prince having a "down season" this year probably saved the Brewers about 2.5 or 3 million dollars in Arby money next year. But he's been good enough where I'm still confident he will come up big when needed. Actually a fairly good scenario for the Crew... (edit: long quote --1992)

I thought the obvious answer here was that he chokes up on the bat. It's the David Eckstein school of hitting... choke up and put the ball in play, it's like he is playing pepper. And for what it's worth... his average is over .250 currently.

Yes, I think you are off base. To put it frankly... that is disgusting. Miller Park is a public venue nonetheless, and sunflower seed shells are too small (and after having been in someone's mouth) to be swept up... so they'd have to be cleaned some other way. Peanut shells are absolutely different. I doubt you two were meaning to be jerks, so the usher shouldn't have been hostile... but spitting shells is very gross.

This seems to be a common misconception. Granted it's only 235 major league AB's, but Gwynn's OBP in Milwaukee is .305. In the minors, it's been a more respectable .341, but for a guy with no power, that's not good either. His OBP in 305 AAA AB's this year is .329. And he's not even that fast. I probably should have chosen my words better. I just meant that with TGJr, you pinch hit him for a good at bat and someone to start a rally... you pinch hit a guy like Branyan or Nix in hopes that they finish a rally.

Nix = OF lefty with power off bench Gwynn = OF on base man off bench which we have with Durham With Branyan going down.. you go with Nix. Also, I understand the confusion with Counsell getting all of this playing time, but the Brewers have won 7 games in a row. Why change what is working? He may not have directly won any games for us... but he puts the ball in play and he puts together good at bats. It actually has been a little refreshing the last few days having Kapler, Counsell, and Kendall in the lineup together... we've actually got to see some pitches. And did anyone else notice the hit and run with Hardy and Kapler yesterday?!? When was the last time we saw that?!?

Short term fix is Kenny Lofton... I still can't believe that guy isnt' employed.

No chance. Among the long list of reasons why not would be that Bonds' ago wouldn't let him sign less than a Roger Clemens type contract and the Brewers can't afford much more than a Jay Gibbons type deal at this point...

I've never understood waiver-wire deals like this... can anyone explain it to me? (and you may have to talk like you are talking to a 6 year old... cause I'm not that smart) ... how does this deal get done after the trade deadline? And what is the trade deadline for then?

He is a Type B ... just looked it up, but I think you are right. I think he'd accept as well.

Random thought... does anyone know Durham's status? Is he a Type B free agent?

True... but I've heard Parra say on more than one occasion that the thinking aspect of pitching has been taken right out of the game for him... because he just "throws whatever Kendall tells me to throw" ... so take that for what its worth ... but all he has had to do is execute

Obviously CC Sabathia is from some other planet and we've always known what Sheets is capable of when he is healthy... but I don't think you can say enough about what Jason Kendall has meant to this pitching staff... most notably the grooming of Manny Parra and the conversions of Dave Bush and Seth McClung into big league pitchers. The guy could hit .200 the rest of the way and I don't think I'd blink about him being in the starting lineup everyday. His arm has been a fantastic surprise to boot... Cheers to the backstop.

Exactly... I wasn't moved either way when the Brewers signed Branyan. And certainly didn't expect Kapler to make the team when we signed him... and look at what happens. The guy has stated he would play for free... throw him the minimum... add some experience to Nashville, you never know what could happen to the big league club. After the season... thank him for his time and we move on. At this point... he wouldn't be blocking anyone by getting some reps in Nashville.

Rickie will play against lefties, where he is at .265 - .380 for the season. Against righties, he is hitting .199 with a .280 OBP. Meanwhile, Durham against righties this year is hitting .318 with an OBP of .398. So we are replacing a .199/.280 lead off hitter against righties with a .318/.398 guy. Why are you complaining? And if that's not enough (which it is) we now have either Rickie Weeks speed/baserunning and/or a switch-hitting veteran option off the bench late in games... both of which will be huge assets down the stretch... and a better option than Dillon. (Not a knock on Dillon... I like him)

Today's crowd at the game was announced as over 45,000 ... Uecker on the ride home said about 44,500. Either way... I was impressed. Dave Bush sells tickets!

Hall, Kendall, Kapler... that is two professional at bats to end it at least and if someone gets in scoring position... Mr Clutch himself

Absolutely... actually, when I mentioned the MLS... I meant for them to expand to us. I think it would be great for this country if soccer became more important... and us getting swallowed by their leagues would be a good step.

I'm going to approach this from a different angle as to why I think, if done responsibly both fiscally and logically, this could be a revolutionary idea. I'm a big "world peace" kind of fellow... one of those guys who doesn't understand war and fighting and all of that jazz... why we can't all "get along" ... and the thought of the expansion of one our biggest and oldest leagues into a world league, I think, would go a long way in "uniting" some people around this globe. Think about it. When the olympics come around, I cheer hardcore for the USA, as I should. But I can respect any of these athletes, no matter where they are from when they are competing for and earning the same things we are. It doesn't matter if they are from Sweden or Germany or Iraq and Bahrain or Cuba... wherever. Competing for a common cause or goal puts everyone on an even "platform" if you will... and it makes everyone equal. Obviously this is years and years and years away from occuring... but don't you think our relations with Cuba would improve if, let's say, the Florida Marlins had a Cuban minor league team? Or don't you think Taiwan and South Korea would love the thought of profit sharing (and us in return) with a joint MLB? Also remember, how many kids in North Korea (this is just an isolated example) are going to see a professional baseball league in South Korea and suddenly want to defect, or "hope" for that life. Maybe that is the start of the change in opinions towards us in some of these countries... or the start of better relations between feuding countries elsewhere. If the MLB did it... the NFL and NBA would follow suit ... the MLS and NHL shortly thereafter. I'm not sure how it could or would all work... but I think the benefits would go so far beyond just the individual leagues themselves. I dunno, just an opinion.

I can see Corey Hart finishing the year batting .320 with the fastballs he will be seeing with BoneCrusher behind him in the lineup...

If I were to pick the order of catchers... I would say ____ , then Martin, then McCann, then Kendall. (The blank is left for any Cubs player who deserves it) ... and I'm not saying he should necessarily make the team either... just that he should be getting a good # of votes.

I was wondering if that might be the reason for not having acknowlegement...that it may be too easy for the other team to "steal" the sign. My high school team (back when I played) started using an acknowledgment sign after they ran a suicide and the batter missed it. He lined a foul ball down the 3rd base line and hit the baserunner in the shoulder... the kid was out for a few weeks, but was about a foot from being dead. My coach decided that the "risk" of tipping off the suicide was worth making sure the baserunner lives... And the risk of tipping the play isn't that great if you use something in the everyday game... fixing your batting gloves, removing your helmet and wiping the sweat from your forehead with you right sleeve, making a cross on home plate as you step back into the box... things that every batter does regardless...

He is 4th right now... and let's think about this from an impact standpoint. The Brewer's pitching staff doesn't shake him off... and as well as McClung and Parra have thrown the ball, I am giving about 30% of their success to Jason Kendall. If he can figure out a way to make Dave Bush productive... he should be cantonized.... Not to mention that he leads the league in throwing out would be basestealers (%) Seriously though... unless you have a Russel Martin addiction... I don't think their is a catcher in the NL who has positively affected his team like Kendall has... vote Braun and vote Kendall ya'll.

First AB he hits a bomb. Ends up going 1-4 with a home run and a strikeout. Pretty much what I expect out of him at the big league level as well.