The stache

Unfortunately, Braun could hit .330 with 35 HR and 120 RBI and some of the voters would not vote for him. this Braun was second in the MVP voting in 2012 after Outside the Lines broke the story about him. With voters names now being made public, I think fewer voters will hold it against him than you think. Sure, there will still be doubters. But if he has that hot a finale, and the Brewers win the division, I think he'll be right there in the voting. Part of this is wishful thinking, sure. But you have to have some fun with everything, and Braun has been a great player his entire career, and he's quite capable of pushing his way into the discussion.

Want to hear a wild prediction? Ryan Braun goes off the last 31 games of the season, and puts himself in serious contention for the MVP. Think it can't happen? A pitcher is the favorite to win it right now. I can see the discussion now, Braun and Kershaw, and the highlight of Braun hitting that opposite field home run off Kershaw in the evening. Braun has 10 hits, including 2 home runs, in his 6 game hitting streak. Anybody here want to bet me that he can't hit 8 home runs, and drive in 26? If Braun hits .300 with 25 HR and 100 RBI, while missing, what, 25 games of the season, and leading the Brewers to the division championship while injured--it could happen. And we've seen Braun go on those kind of tears before. He's hitting the ball real well right now. The next 5 games will be very telling. If he's able to continue pulling the ball with power, look out.

Thank you, BRC. I didn't know if we'd see the day, but I hoped we would. This last week, I've found myself learning a lot about a guy named Mark Belanger. It's a name that we should all be familiar with. He was the great shortstop the Orioles paired with Brooks Robinson in the 70s and early 80s. In the eight seasons they were full-time starters together, they won a combined 13 out of 16 possible Gold Glove Awards. But that doesn't even begin to tell the story of how great Belanger was. I think everybody has seen the highlight reel plays Brooks made, seemingly at every impactful moment in the biggest games. The man had unparalleled range, he had great footwork, and he had an arm that would have made John Elway, Dan Marino or Brett Favre jealous if he'd played baseball while those men were in the NFL. His sheer power in throwing the ball was surpassed only by his accuracy. Well, though Belanger won 8 Gold Gloves, I've always felt he was a little underappreciated in baseball history. Everybody gushes about Ozzie Smith, the "Wizard of Oz", with his backflips, and his incredible grace. And the compliments bestowed upon Smith are well deserved. Yet Belanger was not only Smith's equal, I think he might have been better. I am a monthly subscriber to Baseball Reference.com, so I can access their database to run any report I want. Here's something shocking. dWAR, which is obviously defensive wins above replacement, attempts to place a players total defensive skillset in one number. Ozzie Smith has the highest dWAR in history. But he leads Belanger by less than a point, and he played some 550 games more than Belanger. Brooks Robinson is third all-time, and Cal Ripken is 4th (I admit I was surprised by this. Surely I expected to see somebody like Greg Maddux, or Bill Mazeroski. But three of the top 4 best defensive players, at least per this metric, were Baltimore Orioles. And Ripken was Belanger's successor. The Orioles also had Davey Johnson at second (he won 3 Gold Gloves), and Paul Blair in center field. Blair had 8 Gold Gloves in center. I would like to see the Brewers continue to develop players that are equally adept offensively and defensively. While we won't ever equal the level the Orioles reached, if you go through and count the number of 20 game winners the Orioles had every year during Brooks Robinson's career, you'd be shocked. Jim Palmer had many of them, and he was a Hall of Famer. But there were 20 win seasons by a lot of other pitchers that weren't superstars. Very good pitchers suddenly become great when they have a stifling defense behind them. Let's head in that direction, Doug Melvin.

Thank you I'm excited by Tyrone Taylor and Orlando Arcia, as well. I mean really excited. MLB.com has both of them listed as having 55 defense on the 20 to 80 scale. I think Orlando Arcia on his death bed would have a 60 defensive upside, and healthy he should be much higher. He's been the guy in our system that gets scouts from other organizations excited. I think Taylor's defensive grade is underscored, too. I think he has good instincts. When you combine those instincts, and his just stupid athleticism, wouldn't it be a kick in the head if we had another Gomez type player in our system? He might not ever be quite as fast, or as strong, but I like his overall profile. This will make the third time the Brewers have made the playoffs recently (within the last ten years). We're starting to have some success. But I believe that in order for us to reach that next level, we need to continue stressing defense. I don't think it's at all a coincidence that we have surprised so many people, and have played so well at the sam time that our team defense has improved. I don't know what our overall numbers are, and how we rank among the teams in the National League. But I see improved play. Ramirez has been better than I ever thought he would be at third. Segura, though he has struggled mightily with the bat, has still been solid with the glove. Scooter Gennett is never going to be Joe Morgan or Bill Mazerowski with the glove. But he's been pretty good, and he's been productive offensively. I think he is so close to being the player I hoped he would be. If he can decipher left handed pitchers, we're set at second. Solid hitting, solid run production. Some surprising power, and solid defense. Nothing sexy, but pretty good across the boards-that would make me happy. Jonathan Lucroy has also elevated his game behind the plate. Carlos Gomez is excellent in center. Ryan Braun has been adequate in his first season in right field, and I think he will improve to be a pretty good right fielder. And of course, we have a super addition in Parra. This track the Brewers are on with their improved defense could mean long lasting success. The Brewers want to go from a team that makes the playoffs every 4 years to somebody that can make the playoffs every year, or every other year. And I believe they can do it.

Jesus, thank God this game isn't in Milwaukee, or Smith might have just given up what, 3 runs?

Say what you want about the Brewers not having a highly rated farm system the last few years, but that system has produced a guy that right now is tied for the league lead in wins, another guy on his way to a 25 + HR season, a second baseman that might not be playing against lefties yet, but has been ultra impressive against righties, a backup catcher with an absolute gun for an arm, the best starting pitcher in baseball the last month, and some other good young pitching talent. The Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres have been in the top ten in preseason organizational talent, yet most of their prospects have bombed thus far. The Mariners cast of flops, led by Dustin Ackley and Brad Miller, could take on the failing friars, manned by Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko, all of whom are struggling to keep north of the Mendoza line. While I do think these guys will turn it around, taken as a whole, these highly touted systems have been awful for the most part Kyle Seager has been an exception).

Halfway to St. Patrick's Day. Wow.

Another injury, oh joy. Well, he certainly had no problem hitting with it. Let's hope that continues, and he's able to play through it. I think I'm just going to put that in my signature so I can copy and paste it. Save some time to enjoy the finer things in life.

Chris is too busy setting a good example for his son to pick up the phone.

Not quite as bad as Brian saying "Ryan Braun has 11 home runs in 45 games at Petco. That's a home run every 4 at bats."

Six Cardinal players just picked up their smartphones to bish about Gomez not playing the game right on Twitter. Kirk Gibson just called the Padres GM and ordered Gomez to be hit in his next at bat. winner winner chicken dinner.

Oh damn, Braun would have had a shot at a grand slam in a place he hits home runs like mad.

Six Cardinal players just picked up their smartphones to bish about Gomez not playing the game right on Twitter.

Hey Bears fans. Our catchers are better than Cutler, too.

That was a derp. Down 6 runs, men on second and third with two outs, and you get thrown out leading off too far from second. The Padres are just bad.

We like the West Coast, it seems.

Brauny now 8 for his last 17 with a pair of homers. Now with a six game hitting streak, too. Nice to see.

My God, for all we know, Jimmy Hoffa could be hiding out in that beard.

Braun's power is fine.

As shown in his homer the night before last, his power is just fine. Braun is still an elite talent. He's just not able to produce at an elite level because he has an injury in just about the worst place he could possibly have one. In his hands. Bat grip is everything. If you can't control the bat correctly, and by that I mean generate bat speed while meeting the ball squarely, you're not going to put up eye popping numbers.

Byrd Byrd Byrd, Marlon Byrd is the word. Phillies tie it up at 5-5!

How many times has Gomez done his "swinging for the fences but screwing himself into the ground" thing tonight?

LOL, when I saw Gallardo was due up, I thought for sure we'd see a pinch hitter. Nope. I seriously don't understand what he's doing. We can score 3 runs, Ron, in five innings. Now we have to score 4 in 4 just to tie.

Could somebody please explain to me why the hell Gallardo is still in there after giving up 5 runs in the first four innings?

Braun's power is just fine. The last home run he hit a few nights ago was an opposite field home run at Chavez Ravine...at night. I've heard more times than I can remember that hitting opposite field home runs at Dodger Stadium, particularly at night, is one of the hardest things to accomplish in baseball. The home run before that was an absolute bomb to left center field, 440 feet. When he connects with the ball square on, he's driving the hell out of the ball. But he's not able to meet the ball square on because his swing has being ravaged by this thumb issue. At certain times during the season, he's appeared like the Ryan Braun of old. He hit 3 home runs in a 5 game span not too long ago. Then he slumped again. He got down to the upper .270s, went on a 13 or 14 game hitting streak, and was back over .300. Now he's back in the mid .270s. It's not Braun's power that is missing. It's his ability to hit the ball squarely and drive it that is. He's having to take more chances because he just can't make adjustments once his swing has begun. I'm fully confident that if his thumb heals, he will be the same player we've become used to since 2007. I just hope that happens.