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  1. TheIrrelevantWriter

    Monday Mound Check-In

    By TheIrrelevantWriter,


    Monday Mound Check-In
    Where I grab the one number that I think actually matters for each pitcher and let it do the talking.
    Monday isn’t for stat dumps. It’s for honesty. The weekend is over, the vibes have settled, and whatever the bullpen did is now sitting in the cold light of day like a notification you’ve been ignoring. So let’s check in on the arms that mattered; one pitcher, one stat, one story.
     Craig Yoho — The (Kinda) New Guy With Real Stuff

    Craig Yoho returned to Milwaukee looking like a pitcher who wants to make this a permanent address. Three innings, twelve batters, five strikeouts, that’s not a cameo, that’s a statement.
    Sure, he left one 79 mph changeup floating in the middle of the plate and Hunter Goodman sent it to a different time zone. But everything else? Crisp. Confident. Big‑league quality.
    And when you pair that with how he carved in Triple‑A, you can see the outline of a real bullpen piece forming. He doesn’t nibble. He doesn’t pitch scared. He attacks hitters like he’s been here longer than two games this year.
    The stuff plays.
    Now he just needs the innings to match it.
     Grant Anderson — The Steady Hand

    Every bullpen needs one guy who doesn’t make you clench your jaw. For the Brewers, that’s Grant Anderson.
    He’s not flashy. He’s not dramatic. He’s not throwing 102.
    He’s just… reliable.
    One earned run in all of May.
    That’s the stat. That’s the story.
    Anderson is the pitcher you call when the inning feels like it’s about to turn into a group project gone wrong. He shows up, throws strikes, gets outs, and leaves without making a scene.
    He doesn’t need velocity or theatrics; just a plan, a strike zone, and the confidence to execute both.
     
     Chad Patrick — The Chaos Arm With a Secret

    Chad Patrick is a walking contradiction.
    Some outings look like he’s auditioning for a highlight reel. Others look like he’s trying to escape a burning building with a blindfold on.
    But here’s the twist: he might not be that bad.
    His ERA is messy.
    His FIP? 2.52.
    That’s the stat that I think matters.
    That’s the stat that says, “Hey, maybe the universe is messing with me.”
    Patrick is the classic “better than the results” reliever; the kind who’s one clean week away from flipping the narrative entirely. The stuff is there. The strikeouts are there. The foundation is there.
    He’s not consistent yet.
    But he’s close.
     
     Aaron Ashby — The Accidental Ace of Wins

    Reliever wins are supposed to be meaningless.
    They’re baseball’s version of astrology: mostly nonsense, occasionally spooky.
    But Aaron Ashby?
    He leads the entire National League with 9 wins.
    More than Harrison.
    More than Misiorowski.
    More than every starter who’s actually trying to get them.
    And here’s the part that makes it real:
    In those nine wins, Ashby has allowed one run across 13.1 innings.
    That’s not luck.
    That’s a reliever doing exactly what a reliever is supposed to do.
    He’s entering tie games, holding the line, and giving the Brewers a chance to take the lead. He’s the bullpen’s pressure valve, the guy who shows up when the game is wobbling and quietly pushes it back upright.
    And then, out of nowhere, he touched 100.3 mph for the first time in his career. Not a sign of some new era; just a fun little “wait, he can do that?” moment.
    He’s become the Brewers’ human reset button, the pitcher who walks in, settles everything down, and lets the offense breathe again.
     
     Closing Thoughts
    The Brewers’ bullpen is a strange little ecosystem, part upside, part chaos, part quiet competence. Yoho brings the freshness. Anderson brings the calm. Patrick brings the intrigue. Ashby brings the wins.
    Monday is the perfect day to sort through all of it and figure out what’s real, what’s noise, and what’s quietly becoming the backbone of this team.
    See you next week for another Monday Mound Check‑In.
    Milwaukee Metric Mix-up Week 1 Results Teaser
    The first week of the Milwaukee Metric Mix-up is in the books, and the results are already shaking up the conversation. Stay tuned for the full breakdown and some surprising performances that could change the way we look at the Brewers bullpen.

    -Irrelevant
  2. TheIrrelevantWriter
    It’s the last Friday night before summer break, and I’m sitting here with the kind of “weekend energy” only a parent understands: a bottle of water pretending to be something stronger, West Coast games on at a volume so low it might as well be closed captions, and a laptop that’s seen more Brewers takes than any machine should reasonably endure.
    I wasn’t planning to write tonight.
    I really wasn’t.
    But then Jacob Misiorowski went out and threw a complete game shutout, a Maddux, with 15 strikeouts; on the anniversary of his MLB debut. He broke the record for fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher at 105. He threw fifty‑eight pitches over 100 mph like it was a casual suggestion. He faced the minimum. He allowed one hit that immediately disappeared like it offended him.
    And right after the final out, my best friend texted me:
    “Is that the best Brewers pitching performance ever?”
    I didn’t hesitate.
    I didn’t think.
    I didn’t breathe.
    I just typed: “Yes.”
    And then I sat there, staring at my own message, realizing what I had just said, because for twenty‑plus years, I’ve had a sacred No. 1. A performance I’ve protected like a family heirloom. A game thrown by the pitcher whose autographed card I still keep like it’s a piece of my childhood.
    Tonight didn’t erase that.
    But it did something I never thought possible:
    It made me rethink the list.
    So here it is: my Top 5 Brewers Pitching Performances of All Time, written in reverse order because drama matters and because tonight deserves a build‑up.
    5. Corbin Burnes — The 14‑K No‑Hit Bid (September 11, 2021)

    Burnes was a scalpel that night. Eight innings, fourteen strikeouts, one walk, and the kind of command that makes hitters question their life choices. He didn’t get to finish it, but he didn’t need to, the dominance was undeniable. It was the moment he fully stepped into acehood. However, it is not his best pitching performance as a Brewer.. Burnes was really dealing a month earlier.
    4. CC Sabathia — The Carry Job (September 28, 2008)

    This wasn’t dominance. This was heroism.
    CC pitched like a man who had been told the season depended on him; because it did. Short rest? Didn’t matter. Heavy workload? Didn’t matter. He threw a complete game and dragged the Brewers into the postseason by sheer force of will. It’s the most important pitching performance in franchise history ending the 25-year playoff drought.
     
    3. Corbin Burnes — The 10 Straight Strikeouts Game (August 11, 2021)

    Fifteen strikeouts in six innings. Ten in a row. A franchise record, an MLB record, and a masterclass in what happens when elite stuff meets elite command. Burnes made the Cubs look like they were swinging underwater. This was the day he became inevitable. This was Burnes’ best game as a Brewer.
    2. Ben Sheets — The 18‑Strikeout Masterpiece (May 16, 2004)

    This one is personal.
    Sheets wasn’t just a Brewer; he was my Brewer. My childhood favorite. The guy whose autographed card I still cherish like it’s a piece of who I was at ten years old. And for two decades, this game: eighteen strikeouts, one walk, a curveball that should’ve been classified as a controlled substance, was untouchable.
    It’s still perfect.
    It’s still sacred.
    It’s still the performance that made me fall in love with pitching.
    But tonight… someone finally matched the feeling.
    1. Jacob Misiorowski — The 105 MPH Maddux (June 12, 2026)

    A complete game shutout.
    Fifteen strikeouts.
    Ninety‑five pitches.
    Fifty‑eight triple‑digit fastballs.
    The fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher in the Statcast era.
    Facing the minimum.
    On the anniversary of his debut.
    This wasn’t a pitching performance.
    This was a franchise moment.
    The kind of game where you know, instantly, that you’ll remember where you were, what you were doing, and how you felt. The kind of game that forces you to rewrite your own personal history. The kind of game that makes you text your best friend “yes” without hesitation.
    Tonight, Jacob Misiorowski didn’t just throw the best game in Brewers history.
    He threw the kind of game that changes the way you talk about baseball.
    Closing Thoughts
    I didn’t plan to write tonight.
    But baseball doesn’t care about your plans.
    Baseball hands you nights like this, nights where a 24‑year‑old kid throws 105 mph and makes you rethink your entire childhood pitching hierarchy. Then, all you can do is sit down, open the laptop, and try to capture the feeling before it fades.
    If this is how the summer starts, I’m not sure I’m emotionally prepared for the rest.
    P.S.  Updated Milwaukee Metric Mix‑Up Lineup
    ·       Brice Turang: finally cracked one. Doubled in the bottom of the 5th, which puts him at 1 of the 3 doubles I predicted. Quiet night otherwise, but the man delivered the one thing I needed.
    ·       Garrett Mitchell: the baserunning was better, going first to third on a bunt + grounder in the second is the kind of chaos he was born to create, but the stolen base drought continues.
    No attempts since May 29.
    No successful steals since May 14.
    At this point, I’m convinced he’s saving all his stolen base energy for the exact moment it ruins your prediction.
    Everything else stays as is.
    Christian Yelich: 4 XBH - 1 Jackson Chourio: 6 R - 1 Brice Turang: 3 2B - 1 William Contreras: 4 HR - 0 Jake Bauers: 2 SO - 4 Garrett Mitchell: 2 SB – UGHHHHH 0 Sal Frelick: 1 3B - 0 Luis Rengifo: 2 H - 1 David Hamilton: 5 BB – 0 Lower your expectations.
    -Irrelevant
  3. TheIrrelevantWriter

    UPDATE: Milwaukee Metric Mix-up Day 1

    By TheIrrelevantWriter,


    Milwaukee Metric Mix-up
    Okay, so I think I was juuuuust a bit outside on the Jake Bauers strikeout prediction… thanks, Jake.
    But hey, we still saw some progress!
    Christian Yelich: 4 XBH - already picked up 1 with that double Jackson Chourio: 6 R - grabbed 1 last night
    Brice Turang: 3 2B - quiet so far
    William Contreras: 4 HR - villain arc pending
    Jake Bauers: 2 SO - struck out 4 times because of course he did
    Garrett Mitchell: 2 SB - still waiting
    Sal Frelick: 1 3B - TBD
    Luis Rengifo: 2 H - went 1‑1, halfway home
    David Hamilton: 5 BB - none yet, but the week is young
    Small victories count.
    I’m making a slight tweak to the format for next week; something cleaner, more obtainable, and honestly a lot more fun. Stay tuned for the upgraded chaos.
    FG.FTC.
    -Irrelevant
  4. TheIrrelevantWriter
    Welcome to the Weekly Milwaukee Metric Mix-up, my ongoing attempt to predict the unpredictable: the Milwaukee Brewers’ stat lines, one player at a time, one week at a time. The rules are simple: every starter gets one stat prediction, I can’t repeat a stat across players, and I’m not allowed to take the coward’s way out by calling for a zero.
    Think of it as a blend of gut feeling, matchup vibes, and whatever baseball gods happen to be awake this week. Some picks will look smart, some will age like milk, and a few might accidentally make me look like I know what I’m doing. Either way, it’s all part of the fun.
    So grab your glove, your beverage of choice, and your willingness to watch me be right, wrong, and everything in between. Let’s dive into this week’s metric mix-up.
    Today’s Line Up:
    1.     Christian Yelich (L) DH
    2.     Jackson Chourio (R) LF
    3.     Brice Turang (L) 2B
    4.     William Contreras (R) C
    5.     Jake Bauers (L) 1B
    6.     Garrett Mitchell (L) CF
    7.     Sal Frelick (L) RF
    8.     Luis Rengifo (S) 3B
    9.     David Hamilton (L) SS
    SP: Robert Gasser LHP 0-2, 4.73 ERA 12 SO
    Games This Week (6/10-6/16)
    6/10
    Jack Perkins (RHP)
    Athletics
    6/11
    OFF
    6/12
    Phillies 
    6/13
    Phillies 
    6/14
    Phillies 
    6/15
    OFF
    6/16
    Guardians 
    Metric Mix-up Predictions:

    Christian Yelich — DH
    YTD Stats: AVG .283 | OBP .353 | SLG .435 | 4 HR | 5 SB | 120 OPS+
    Prediction:  4 XBH
    Old Yeli is fun, and this feels like one of those weeks where he reminds everyone he’s still the adult in the room. The Phillies aren’t exactly a soft landing — Christopher Sánchez is basically Jacob Misiorowski’s only real competition for the NL Cy Young right now, and he’s absolutely going to be licking his chops at the chance to humble a Brewers team fresh off a few hitter‑friendly parks. But even with Sánchez looming, I think Yeli finds his spots and drives the ball with authority. Pencil him in for four extra‑base hits, even if I have to catch half of them on replay after the kids finally stop asking for “one more snack.”

    Jackson Chourio — LF
    YTD Stats: AVG .305 | OBP .362 | SLG .484 | 4 HR | 5 SB | 135 OPS+
    Prediction:  6 Runs
    Plate discipline has been a little spicy for Action Jackson, seven strikeouts this past week isn’t ideal, but when you stack that next to 10 hits, I’m not panicking. The kid put together three separate three‑hit games, which is the kind of heater that makes you forget he’s still learning how to lay off pitches that bounce before the plate. At one point this week he looked like he was ready to swing at the rosin bag, but when you’re hitting everything else, who cares.
    Stronger pitching might cool him off a touch, but he’s still finding ways to reach, and I’m saving “walks” for another player. Moneyball rule: get on base, score runs. I’m locking in 6 runs for Jackson Bryan Chourio.

    Brice Turang — 2B
    YTD Stats: AVG .278 | OBP .399 | SLG .485 | 10 HR | 11 SB | 147 OPS+
    Prediction:  3 Doubles
    Turang put together a strong week, even if the strikeouts keep popping up like unwanted weeds in an otherwise clean infield. But just like with Chourio, the contact is still very much there — he’s squaring balls up, staying inside pitches, and looking every bit like the former Platinum Glove winner who refuses to give away at‑bats. He ripped four doubles in the first week of the season but only nine since April 1st, which feels like a number begging for correction.
    Look for Milwaukee’s second baseman to spend even more time living in the gaps this week. I’m locking in 3 doubles as he reminds everyone that “up the middle” isn’t just a defensive calling card; it’s where he hits his damage.

    William Contreras — C
    YTD Stats: AVG .290 | OBP .349 | SLG .407 | 6 HR | 1 SB | 112 OPS+
    Prediction:  4 HR
    Did anyone else see him hit that three‑run bomb while literally falling onto his backside like a full‑on Looney Tune? Yeah, Wild Bill still has it. This is easily my hottest take of the week and powered almost entirely by vibes, but I’m convinced Contreras is about to enter his contract‑year villain arc.
    That 12‑inning thriller in Las Vegas (the one that kept me up way past my iPhone’s suggested bedtime) felt like the spark. The moment. The “oh, he’s about to go nuclear” switch flipping. So I’m planting my flag: four home runs this week as Bill makes his move to take over the NL catcher spot in the All‑Star race.

    Jake Bauers — 1B
    YTD Stats: AVG .286 | OBP .381 | SLG .531 | 12 HR | 5 SB | 153 OPS+
    Prediction:  2 SO
    Jake the Rake has quietly been one of the more disciplined hitters on the roster, striking out just three times against seven walks over the past week. That’s not exactly the profile of a guy flailing at sliders in the other batter’s box. And because I’m holding Bauers to a higher standard; put the ball in play and good things happen, I’m going light on the swing‑and‑miss this week.
    I’m calling 2 strikeouts, and as a bonus prediction, neither of them will be a backwards K. Bauers is earning his hacks right now.

     Garrett Mitchell — CF
    YTD Stats: AVG .235 | OBP .348 | SLG .382 | 3 HR | 6 SB | 105 OPS+
    Prediction:  2 SB
    It was a rough week for Garrett Mitchell. 7 strikeouts, 1 walk, 4 hits, and that three‑hit game against Colorado (triple included) did a lot of heavy lifting on the box score. Outside of that, it was a whole lot of swing‑and‑pray. But the part that really jumps off the page? Zero stolen‑base attempts. None. Not one.
    Mitchell is simply too fast, too athletic, and too disruptive to be standing still on the bases. That’s not his game, and it’s not who he is when he’s right. With JT Realmuto coming to town, I can absolutely see Mitchell testing him early and often; because if you’re going to wake up your season, you might as well do it against one of the best.
    I’m locking in 2 stolen bases this week as Mitchell remembers he’s a chaos agent, not a spectator.

    Sal Frelick — RF
    YTD Stats: AVG .222 | OBP .296 | SLG .308 | 3 HR | 5 SB | 70 OPS+
    Prediction:  1 Triple
    Being a Brewers fan in New England basically requires you to love Salvatore Frelick, the guy plays like he was built in a lab to win over every gritty, cold‑weather baseball soul in the region. The box score hasn’t been kind to him this year, but the effort never dips, and with the Phillies rolling into Milwaukee, this feels like a classic “Sal does something loud” kind of weekend.
    He’s due for one of those signature Frelick moments; the kind where he turns a routine single into chaos because he simply refuses to run at normal human speed. I’m locking in one triple for Sal this week as he reminds everyone why he’s impossible not to root for.

    Luis Rengifo — 3B
    YTD Stats: AVG .198 | OBP .276 | SLG .249 | 0 HR | 3 SB | 49 OPS+
    Prediction:  2 Hits
    Luis Rengifo has not exactly been lighting up the box score; at the plate he’s been rough, and at third he’s been… let’s call it “serviceable” and be generous. Brewers fans everywhere would love to see literally anything spark at this point. He managed two hits last week, and honestly, that feels like the most realistic baseline we’ve got to work with.
    So I’m keeping it simple: two hits again this week. Nothing flashy, nothing heroic, just enough contact to remind us he’s still holding a bat and not just borrowing one for cardio. Sometimes the safest pick is the right one.

    David Hamilton — SS
    YTD Stats: AVG .240 | OBP .328 | SLG .331 | 3 HR | 14 SB | 86 OPS+
    Prediction:  5 Walks
    If the Brewers want any shot at doing damage against the Phillies’ pitching staff, they need runners; and runners need to actually reach base. Enter David Hamilton, the fastest player on the roster and the guy who turns every single on‑base moment into a potential track meet. The problem? He can’t steal if he’s not standing on first.
    Hamilton is going to have to grind out some plate appearances this week, and with Philly’s pitchers living around the edges, this feels like a perfect setup for him to work counts and force mistakes. I’m locking in 5 walks; not because he suddenly becomes Joey Votto, but because the Brewers need him on base, and he’s too valuable a weapon to keep off the paths.
     
     
    And that wraps up this week’s Mix-up. Maybe these picks cook, maybe they burn, maybe they do that classic Brewers thing where they’re somehow both right and wrong at the same time. Either way, I’m rolling with them; typed up in the sacred quiet hours after the kids are finally asleep and I can actually watch a game without pausing every nine minutes.
    Come back next week for the victory laps, the roast session, and a fresh set of stats I’ll pretend I didn’t overthink while reheating leftover mac and cheese at 10:30 p.m.
     
    FG.FTC.
    -Irrelevant
     
  5. TheIrrelevantWriter

    Wishing You Well Wednesday... Rhys Hoskins

    By TheIrrelevantWriter,


    Wishing You Well Wednesday
    Wishing You Well Wednesday
    Today’s shoutout goes to former Brewer Rhys Hoskins. A short‑term Milwaukee legend and long‑term strikeout enthusiast.
    Hoskins suited up for the Crew in 221 games between 2024–25, putting up 162 hits, 38 homers, 125 RBI, and a very on‑brand 240 strikeouts. A true three‑outcome king.
    This past Wednesday, June 3rd, he had himself a day for Cleveland: 2‑for‑3, a homer, 3 RBI, and a walk against the Yankees. He launched a go‑ahead two‑run bomb in the 4th and added an insurance RBI in the 8th to lock down a 5–4 Guardians win.
    Wishing you well, Rhys.
  6. TheIrrelevantWriter
    On certain nights at American Family Field, you can feel the air tighten before Jackson Chourio even steps into the box. It’s not the usual anticipation that comes with a young star, rather, it’s something heavier, something Milwaukee-specific. This city has spent decades learning how to love its phenoms carefully, like handling glassware you’re afraid to drop. But when Chourio digs in, shoulders loose, eyes calm, there’s this flicker of belief that rolls through the crowd. It’s the same feeling Brewers fans had with Yount, with Braun, with Prince; that rare, electric sense that maybe, the future is standing right in front of them.
    What makes Chourio different isn’t just the talent (though the talent is loud enough to hear from the cheap seats). It’s the timing. The Brewers are in one of those strange transitional eras where the past feels too close and the future feels like now without any long-standing playoff success, the Yelich era, has settled into something quieter, more complicated from his 2018 MVP run. Milwaukee needed a new center of gravity, someone to pull the franchise’s orbit back into focus. And somehow, that responsibility landed on a kid who was still learning English when the Brewers signed him as an international free agent at just 17 years old.
    There’s a certain unfairness baked into all of this, but that’s the reality of small‑market baseball. In Los Angeles, a prospect like Chourio is another jewel in a crown that already sparkles. In Milwaukee, he’s the crown itself, or at least half of it. The other half sits 60 feet, 6 inches away in the form of Jacob Misiorowski, the kind of pitcher who looks like he was engineered in a lab for October baseball. Together, they represent something the Brewers rarely get: a homegrown superstar duo arriving at the same moment, offering the kind of synchronized hope that can reset a franchise’s trajectory. Fans don’t just want them to succeed; they need them to. They need the reminder that Milwaukee can still grow its own legends, that the next great chapter isn’t something that happens to other cities. And every time Chourio turns on a fastball or Misiorowski unleashes a 103‑mph heater that seems to rise, you can feel that hope sharpen into something real.
    But this time, it’s not just about a single savior. For once, the Brewers’ future doesn’t rest on just one pair of shoulders. As Chourio comes into his own in the outfield, there’s a mirrored story unfolding 60 feet away on the mound. Jacob Misiorowski, with his electric fastball and a presence that feels tailor-made for big moments, has become the other half of Milwaukee’s promise. For a fanbase used to pinning its hopes on one star at a time, this duo feels like a luxury, like the universe finally allowing Milwaukee to believe in more than one kind of miracle at the same time. In the story of the 2026 Brewers, Chourio and Misiorowski aren’t just players, they’re the two halves of a new kind of Milwaukee identity, one that’s finally learning how to hope in stereo.
    The Brewers’ Long History of “The Next One”
    Milwaukee has always had a complicated relationship with its phenoms. This city doesn’t get the endless conveyor belt of blue-chip prospects that bigger markets take for granted. When a special one arrives, the whole place leans in a little closer, hoping this is the kid who bends the franchise’s timeline in a new direction. It’s been that way for decades. Robin Yount was the original blueprint; a teenager who grew into the face of the franchise before he was old enough to legally toast his own milestones. Ryan Braun carried the torch next (only 14 years later), igniting an era where the Brewers finally felt like they belonged in the national conversation. Prince Fielder brought the thunder, the swagger, the sense that Milwaukee could punch above its weight and enjoy every second of it. With the help of a legendary pitcher for 17 magical games in 2008, the Milwaukee Brewers, led by a young duo and an electric veteran were in the playoffs for the first time since 1982.
    And then came Christian Yelich; not a phenom in age, but a phenom in impact. His arrival didn’t just elevate the Brewers; it recalibrated what the franchise believed it could be. The MVP season, the near-MVP season, the way he dragged the team into relevance with a kind of quiet, relentless brilliance, Yelich became the standard. Even now, in 2026, with Chourio and Misiorowski representing the future, Yelich remains the unquestioned leader of the clubhouse. He’s the steadying presence, the voice everyone listens to, the player whose professionalism sets the tone for the entire organization. If Chourio and Misiorowski are the promise, Yelich is the compass.
    That’s the lineage Chourio and Miz step into; not just a line of talent, but a line of responsibility. Milwaukee doesn’t crown stars lightly. When the city believes in someone(s), it’s because that player has earned a place in a story that stretches back generations. And now, for the first time in a long time, the Brewers aren’t just waiting on one “next one.” They’re watching two futures unfold at once on both sides of the plate, under the watchful eye of the leader who’s already lived the weight they’re learning to carry
     
    Why This Duo Means More in Milwaukee Than Anywhere Else
    In a big market, talent is a luxury. In Milwaukee, it’s a lifeline. The Brewers don’t get to paper over mistakes with nine‑figure contracts or buy their way out of developmental gaps. They live and die by the players they grow, the timing of their emergence, and the fragile hope that two or three stars might peak at the same moment. That’s why the arrival of Jackson Chourio and Jacob Misiorowski isn’t just exciting; it’s existential. This is the kind of synchronized breakthrough that small‑market teams spend decades waiting for.
    The Brewers have always operated on the margins, building competitive windows out of ingenuity, timing, and a little bit of magic. The 2018–2021 run worked because everything aligned: Yelich’s MVP explosion, a bullpen that felt like a cheat code, and a front office that squeezed value out of every corner of the roster. But windows like that don’t stay open long in markets like Milwaukee. They require a new wave, a new spark, a new reason to believe the next chapter can be as good as the last.
    Chourio and Misiorowski are that spark. They’re the kind of players who don’t just fill out a roster, they redefine it. Chourio gives Milwaukee a dynamic, athletic centerpiece it hasn’t had since 2018 Yelich (yes, I will argue that). Misiorowski gives them a frontline arm with the kind of electricity that can tilt a postseason series. And together, they give the Brewers something even rarer: a future that feels both homegrown and inevitable.
    In Los Angeles or New York, this would be a subplot. In Milwaukee, it’s the whole story. Because if this duo becomes what the organization believes they can be, the Brewers won’t just have stars, they’ll have a foundation. And in a small market, a foundation is everything.
     
    The Numbers Behind the Narrative
    Here are the key 2026 season stats for Jackson Chourio, Jacob Misiorowski, and Christian Yelich with the Milwaukee Brewers, presented in text form:
    Jackson Chourio has played 29 games with 134 plate appearances, 123 at bats, 19 runs, 36 hits, 11 doubles, 0 triples, 4 home runs, 16 RBIs, 5 stolen bases, a batting average of .293, on-base percentage of .351, slugging percentage of .480, an OPS of .830, and a WAR of 1.1. Jacob Misiorowski has appeared in 13 games as a pitcher, with a 7-2 win-loss record, an ERA of 1.50, 78 innings pitched, 116 strikeouts, a WHIP of 0.81, and 4 home runs allowed. (absolute video game numbers) Christian Yelich has played 34 games with 131 at bats, 26 runs, 37 hits, 4 home runs, 20 RBIs, a batting average of .282, and an OPS of .799. With the exception of the Miz, you would probably say that the productivity of 2 of the subjects are… pretty good. A little over league average with low power. With the Brewers in long-standing first place of the NL Central, the emergence of Yelich and Chourio are going to be more prevalent in September. 
    In comparison, last year 34 games in Chourio, was batting .255 with a .732 OPS/ Yelich .210 with a .696 OPS Baseball Reference
    These numbers highlight Chourio's promising offensive contributions in his 2026 campaign, reflecting his blend of power, speed, and on-base skills that make him a cornerstone for the Brewers' future with the stability that Yelich provides when he’s healthy.
     
    Closing Argument: The Future Arrives Twice
    In the end, this moment for the Brewers isn’t really about projections or prospect rankings or even the numbers, as impressive as they are. It’s about something far rarer in Milwaukee: alignment. For once, the franchise isn’t squinting toward the horizon hoping the next great era might eventually show up. It’s here. It’s standing in the outfield with a looseness that belies its age, and it’s stalking the mound with a fastball that feels like a declaration. Jackson Chourio and Jacob Misiorowski aren’t just the future, they’re the proof that the future can arrive twice at the same time.
    And yet, the beauty of this moment is that it doesn’t erase what came before. Christian Yelich is still here, still leading, still setting the standard for what it means to wear Milwaukee across your chest. He’s the bridge between eras, the reminder that greatness isn’t a fluke, and that the Brewers’ identity is built on more than hope. It’s built on work, on resilience, on the belief that a small‑market team can still punch with the giants if it grows the right stars and grows them the right way – the power of friendship. 😊
    So maybe that’s the real story of the 2026 Brewers. Not that they have a phenom. Not even that they have two. But that, for the first time in a long time, Milwaukee has a core that feels both homegrown and inevitable, a trio that spans generations, styles, and stages of a career, all pulling in the same direction. Yelich, the compass. Chourio, the spark. Misiorowski, the thunder.
    This isn’t a rebuild.
    This isn’t a reset.
    This is the beginning of something that feels bigger than a season.
    And if you listen closely on those nights when the ballpark hums just a little louder, you can hear it; the sound of a city realizing that its next great era isn’t coming someday.
    It’s already here.
    Which is why (Hot Take) the Milwaukee Brewers will be the reason there is baseball in 2027 and will overtake the Dodgers.
    FG.FC.
    -Irrelevant
  7. TheIrrelevantWriter
    **I spent almost 3 months working on this research paper and figuring out how to explain baseball to non-baseball people.  I'm looking for feedback if anyone is willing to help me out while I rant.  If not allowed, I will remove**
    Sports gambling is a big part of American culture in the 21st century. Rather it’s on the side of a bus, billboard, or is sponsoring the event you’re watching, odds are, you’ve probably seen advertisements for companies such as Fan Duel, DraftKings and MGM.  Since a Supreme Court ruling known as Murphy v. The NCAA in 2018, sports gambling legalization has been a state decision with little to no federal regulation on sponsorships and advertisements (Shannon). Professional sports leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB) have taken notice of economic gains presented by the vice and have gone from not wanting anything to do with it, to making $1.1 Billion in legal gambling revenue (American Gambling Association). You would think by the acceptance of the economic gains from gambling, that the leagues would be more generous to athletes in regard to the sports gambling industry. Unfortunately, you would be mistaken.  According to The MLB Rulebook Rule: 21, gaining any form of profit from a(n) legal or illegal betting agency, competing team or league officiant (umpire) stemmed from their duties of playing baseball is labeled as Misconduct and could have penalties up to permanent ineligibility. This has created an economic gap between what the league is allowed to profit from and what the athlete is allowed to profit from.  The topic itself, is such a taboo that it is very difficult to have as much as a conversation with someone involved with baseball about gambling revenue.  Players need to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness in the sports gambling industry if their parent league is able to profit from it.
    Analyzing the economics of sports gambling is an in-depth and complex process.  To understand how an athlete, worth multi-million dollars can be taken advantage of, we have to understand the origins of gambling. From Roman guards using Jesus’ crucifixion clothes as a lottery jack-pot, to supplementing the American income during The Revolutionary War, gambling or “casting of lots” has been a focal point in human history since the dawn of competition (East).  The blurred lines between competitor and beneficiary create a possible integrity gap that has been made famous by people looking to cheat the system.  In 1919, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, and the Chicago White Sox made it to baseball’s championship series known as the “World Series”, a best of nine (now seven) game series, against the Cincinnati Reds.  Jackson, along with 7 other players, were approached by gamblers and were offered money to lose on purpose or “throw the game”.  The gang allegedly accepted, went on to lose the series in 8 games, were tried in 1920 and acquitted of their crimes.  The Commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB) at the time, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, believed he had more information from the guilt of the players and decided to ban the 8 players for life in what is now known as the “Black Sox Scandal” (Mueller).  How Commissioner Landis handled the situation has been the model for handling gambling in sports to this day. Legislation has changed since then, however there has been no change to how professional sport leagues address and discipline gambling violations while being able to profit from its own prohibition.
    In 1992, there was a bipartisan effort to enforce a nationwide sports gambling ban known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).  One of the biggest supporters of this bill was, then Senator, Joe Biden, who has always represented the belief that gambling could cause integrity issues within the sport and “harm to children”.  The bill grandfathered Las Vegas (and later Atlantic City) to allow sports betting only within city limits (Bell).  Governor Chris Christie of NJ brought up the poorly written wording of the bill in the 2010’s to lower Federal Courts.  Governor Murphy, who followed Gov. Christie in office, continued the case.  It reached the Supreme Court in 2018 with lower courts favoring the bill.  On May, 14th, 2018, the court’s decision favored Murphy by a count of 7-2 paving the path to the end of the gambling prohibition and leaving the discussion to the states.  What this also meant was there was no federal regulation to the gambling industry (Shannon).  The days of professional sports leagues shunning the gambling world like in the days of Shoeless Joe, Pete Rose, and Phil Donohue would be numbered, well, kind of.  Using MLB’s model as an example, the leagues overall revenue for this past Fiscal Year is $11 Billion, the check they are receiving from Draft Kings is worth $1.1 Billion (10%) (American Gambling Association). While still prohibiting anyone in connection with a Major League team from receiving any compensation from the gambling industry within connection to their duties as a Major League baseball player (MLB Rulebook Rule: 21).  There is also 0 compensation from the leagues to the players from that revenue.
    Stake holders (front office, coaches, players) have little liberty to discuss the matter due to the strict rules put in place by MLB.  A General Manager of a Minor League Baseball team, who is currently not associated with Minor League Baseball at the time for this writing, said “The best part about [rule 21] is there is no ambiguity about it.” (7/3/2024) When asked if players or coaches have brought up concerns to management and front office staff about gambling rules in baseball.  While also stating “The league puts a lot of resources in everything from seminars to bathroom reading material on Rule 21.” A Minor League player from a different team (who consented to have a conversation about gambling in baseball on the condition of anonymity) no longer wished to be a part of the conversation once the interviewer brought up an effort to change Rule 21 to generate compensation to the athletes (7/5/2024).  The baseball player was young and skittish, almost to the point of being unpleasant.  The young athlete was careful with his word selection and went as far as to ask the interviewer to remove his headphone. The behaviors witnessed only leads to further assumptions on the amount of pressure being applied by MLB in regard to how baseball employees view gambling.
    There are solutions through legislation. However, since MLB conducts business in every state in the country, the federal government would need to legalize gambling before they could regulate how organizations receive revenue from gambling companies.  To stay within the current gray legality margins, MLB can have different advertisements on different networks, streaming to different regions (Hernandez).  In theory, if the national prohibition on gambling was lifted, it would pave the way for congress to view athletes as employees of gambling companies that allow patrons to place bets on events that the athlete is performing in.  This would be considered a tax law that would require finance committees of the US legislative branch’s approval.  This would also benefit MLB’s position due to states gambling laws prohibiting casino employees from gambling at the casino that they work for.  To say this would be an uphill battle is an understatement.  While the legalization of sports gambling is popular with the public, there are moral reasons, such as addiction and religion, that appear to make more sense to leave in the hands of state governments to decide (similar to gun rights, and marijuana prohibition).  On top of that, congress working to make more money for multi-million-dollar athletes would be viewed as wasted resources from the general public’s view.  It is safe to say, compensation to the players won’t come from possible legislation. There are simply too many hurdles to overcome.  That being said, it not out of the realm of possibilities. Major League’s top stars have seen the inside of capitol hill before. On March 17th, 2005, 10 baseball employees, headlined by Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafeal Palmeiro, went in front of congress in an 11-hour congressional hearing in an attempt to pressure MLB into taking Performance Enhancing Drugs more seriously in the “best interest of the American public” (Calcaterra).  We are pretty far away from being able to say players profiting from gambling is in the best interest of the American public.  If this is the eventual solution, it could take decades for this to be on Capitol Hill’s agenda.
    What options does that leave us with?  Well, it is possible for the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) to step in.  The MLBPA is the players’ union that stands up for the legal rights of the athletes in binding agreements with the MLB known as Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA).  The current CBA covers from 2022-2026, and while it addresses matters like team revenue sharing to make sure lesser wealthy teams benefit when a team is very successful, there no mention in the current CBA about gambling revenue sharing.  This would be the most likely source of change.  In theory, when this is next discussed in December of 2025, the two sides might not be able to come to an agreement.  In this case, we would see a player’s strike or a “lockout”.  In lockouts, players refuse to engage in any baseball related business until a deal is made between the MLBPA and MLB.  Baseball has made lockouts famous.  The MLBPA has closed their doors on MLB 9 times since 1966.  The 1994 strike was arguably the worst when the players went on strike on Aug. 11 and the sport halted, mid-season.  This was the first time in American sports history that a champion was not crowned (Fagan). Congratulations to the Montreal Expos who had a record of 74-40 at the time of the lockout (first in the league). Sadly, the Expos would leave Montreal in favor of Washington D.C. in 2005 having never won a championship for the French-Canadien capital.  The franchises’ only World Series title came in 2019 as the Washington Nationals (Hybl).  The reason for the 1994 strike: revenue sharing.  If the path to player compensation comes from a CBA, it could resemble the 1994 strike in theory and having fans crown another team the “1994 Expos”.  If there is one thing we can learn from the ghosts of strikes past, it is that if there is a solution by way of CBA, it will be chaotic for lack of better terms.
    Many athletes may have these thoughts about the gambling industry but do not have the standing to do anything about it without the help of the MLBPA or the US Government.  That does not mean that they are hopeless from getting in on the gambling revenue in unique and creative ways to say the least.  Lebron James is one of the most well-known basketball players on earth.  Playing over 21 years in the NBA, James has enjoyed a net worth of $1.2 Billion (Forbes).  That has not stopped him from pursuing more. Recently, James agreed to an employment contract with the sports gambling company, DraftKings.  Upon first glance, it may seem like James is participating in a violation of the NBA’s prohibition on gambling by profiting from a sports gambling company, but through a loophole, James, again, became a pioneer of the sports world by being the first active professional athlete to be employed in sports gambling as a Talent Ambassador, consulting on football related activities.  By avoiding basketball in his moonlighting, James’ employment is seemingly legal (Choi).  For now, this is a win for all athletes, but only the top 0.001% of athletes will find it fruitful. No one has a way of knowing if this will ever be challenged by the NBA, but at least it paves a path to shrink the economic gap between the professional sports leagues, and the athletes that are responsible for their financial success in gambling.
    The parent leagues’ (NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, NCAA) reservations about players and employees profiting from gambling do not go without merit. Pete Rose has more hits than anyone in baseball history with 4,256. To put that in perspective, second on the all-time hits record board is Ty Cobb (4,189) who last played in 1928 (Baseball Reference).   Even after eclipsing this tremendous feat, Rose is not enshrined in baseball’s Hall of Fame.  This is because Pete Rose is banned for life from baseball for, allegedly, betting on games that he was managing as coach of the Cincinnati Reds.  It is estimated that during a three-month span in 1987, Pete Rose lost over $450,000 in gambling dues. This was only discovered after bet slips with his name on them were found in an Ohio restaurant (Sutelan). From the leagues position, he could have made calls during the game for the best interest of his bets and not his team. After years of investigations, Rose and Commissioner Bart Giamatti agreed terms to end the legal battle in trade of Pete Rose accepting to be put on baseball’s ineligible list on August 23rd, 1989 (Baseball Almanac).  Commissioner Giamatti died suddenly of a heart attack on September 1st, 1989. Every commissioner since has had the opportunity to reinstate Pete Rose. Most recently with Commissioner Robert Manfred in 2015, each has denied reinstatement on grounds that he tarnished the integrity of the game (Axisa). Commissioner Manfred, coincidently, is the commissioner that has gladly accepted Billions of dollars from DraftKings. In theory, is it not true that Commissioner Manfred could profit off of the outcomes of games that he could advertise using the platform DraftKings provides to him? The MLB and DraftKings recently agreed on the ability to stream games from within the DraftKings app (DraftKings Press Release).  If integrity is what we are going to protect, it should start with the commissioner recusing himself and the MLB from all legal gambling deals until the players are able to receive gambling profit from the same deals.
    There is no black and white solution to avoid athletes at all levels from being exploited by their parent leagues, who have repeatedly shunned the gambling world since the days of the Black Sox Scandal. Leagues will continue to profit from the sweat of these athletes while standing at a podium, with a backdrop of DraftKings and MLB logos behind them, at the MGM Grand Plaza in Vegas, stating the league has an epidemic on their hands with athletes gambling.  This is not the example we want to set for our young athletes. We do not want to show them that it is okay to be bullied into working hard to help line someone else’s pockets while the league exploits their name, image, and likeness in an industry that they are forbidden from making a dime from. Prior to the 2018 Supreme Court Case of Murphy v. NCAA, MLB signed a deal with DraftKings.  At that time, DraftKings was known as a platform for daily fantasy sports which have been legal in most states since 2013. Current Commissioner Rob Manfred was asked about the future of baseball’s relationship with the gambling industry after the deal was signed in 2015 with Manfred responding, “I think there is a clear legal line, and quite frankly, we’ve spent some considerable effort and money to make sure we knew where DraftKings was in relation to that line,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “We’re very comfortable with the idea that it’s fantasy.” (Fisher) Commissioner Manfred, it is no longer fantasy, it is a hypocrisy, and you’ve crossed the line.
    -Irrelevant
    Axisa, Mike. CBS Sports. “Everything You Need to Know About Why Manfred Didn’t Reinstate Rose.” CBS Sports, 1. Accessed 31 Jul. 2024.
    Baseball Almanac Baseball Almanac, 1. Accessed 31 Jul. 2024.
    Baseball-Reference.com. “Career Leaders & Records for Hits.” Baseball-Reference.com, 1. Accessed 31 Jul. 2024.
    Calcaterra, Craig. “Today in Baseball History: McGwire, Sosa, and Palmeiro testify before Congress.” NBC Sports, 17 Mar. 2005
    Choi, Annette. "The Rise in Sports Betting and Gambling Violations by Pro Athletes, in 4 Charts." CNN, 15 June 2024, www.cnn.com/2024/06/15/sport/sports-betting-gambling-professional-athletes-dg/index.html.
    DraftKings. “DraftKings Expands Exclusive Partnership with Major League Baseball.” DraftKings, 1. Accessed 31 Jul. 2024.
    East Econ J. An Overview of the Economics of Sports Gambling and an Introduction to the Symposium 2021; 47(1): 1–8. Published online 2021 Jan 4. doi: 10.1057/s41302-020-00182-4
    Edward “Max” Bell, Betting On Gambling: How Professional Sports Leagues Could Increase Revenues Following Murphy v. NCAA, 14 J. Bus. Entrepreneurship & L. 215 (2022) Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/jbel/vol14/iss1/7
    Eric Fisher, A look into DraftKings’ MLB deal, 4/20/2015, A look into DraftKings’ MLB deal (sportsbusinessjournal.com)
    Fagan, Ryan. “Baseball Strikes and Lockouts: A History of MLB Work Stoppages.” Sporting News, 2 May 2018
    Forbes. “LeBron James.” Forbes, 23 July 2024, 
    Hernandez, Joe. “Sports Betting Ads Are Everywhere. Some Worry Gamblers Will Pay a Steep Price.” NPR, 18 June 2022
    “How Much Do Leagues Stand to Gain from Legal Sports Betting?” American Gaming Association, 18 Oct. 2018 How Much Do Leagues Stand to Gain from Legal Sports Betting? - American Gaming Association
    Hybl, Dean. “What Might Have Been: Remembering the 1994 Montreal Expos.” Bleacher Report, 3 Sept. 2009,
    Mueller, Chris. “7 of the Most Memorable World Series in Baseball History.” HISTORY, 31 May 2023 7 of the Most Memorable World Series in Baseball History | HISTORY
    Shannon, Erik (2020) "The Federalism Jackpot in Murphy v. NCAA: Going All In On Anti-Commandeering Fails to Protect the Vulnerable," Mitchell Hamline Law Journal of Public Policy and Practice: Vol. 41 : Iss. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://open.mitchellhamline.edu/policypractice/vol41/iss1/1
    Sutelan, Edward. Sporting News. “Pete Rose’s Gambling Scandal, MLB Hits Record, and Banned Betting.” Sporting News, 1. Accessed 31 Jul. 2024.
  8. TheIrrelevantWriter
    Since it is the All-Star Break, I thought it would be fun to look back at first half of the year’s Good, Bad, and Ugly of the Brewers season.  Going into the break with a 55-42 record and a steady hold on 1st place in the division is probably the best that any of us could have hoped for.  My overall feeling of this team is through the roof.  That doesn’t mean the team doesn’t have opportunities for improvements.  As we’ve seen the past couple of series, the bottoms of the leagues like to go on runs against us (Hey there, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Washington,).  Too many series like that back-to-back will have STL on our doorstep (4.5 games back to date).  The Brewers have an amazing opportunity to go from their “Franchise Manager” to the next without skipping a beat. Let’s take a look at what has gone right for the Brew Crew.
     
    The Good

    Bullpen
    According to Baseball Reference, The Brewers are no stranger to relying on reserve arms to get through day-to-day operations during the grueling 162.  This year is something out of the ordinary.  33-17 in games decided in relief is the highest in the NL. 74% in save opportunities (miss you DWill) is 2nd highest while having 9 different pitchers complete a save.  The relief pitching doesn’t get too many “short” outings either.  3.8 Outs per relief appearance also leads the NL.  Pitchers have come into the game while trailing 110 times.  Being able to turn that into 33 wins (more than half of our wins have come in relief) is pretty remarkable considering our IL (don’t worry, it won’t be the last time I bring up the IL).

    Defense
    Defense has always been the heart and soul of Milwaukee. One thing that is new this year than in years past? The Brewers could possibly see 2 or 3 Gold Gloves out of this year. Some would say Jackson Chourio has struggled in his first year in the blue and gold (if you haven’t watched baseball the past month). The kid has yet to commit an Error. He leads the NL Outfielders in Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average (RTOT on Baseball Reference) with 12 (basically, he makes 12 good plays before he makes a bad one). Ironman Willy has been a treat, even with a handful of errors (8). The fact that he’s out there with a 2.2 WAR while already playing 97 games is above reproach for any player, much less someone without a contract for next year. There is another Brewer on top of the entire NL in RTOT: Brice Turang. He also leads in Defensive Runs Saved with 15 while MKE leads NL in team Defensive Runs Saved with 38.

    Christian Yelich
    The rejuvenescence of Yeli is my favorite part of the 2024 Brewers today. Basically, if you need someone to get to first base from the batter’s box, you want Christian up to bat. He leads the NL in BAbip (balls in play) with .379, BA with .326, and OBP with .412. The last time Yelich had numbers like this in the middle of July, he was an MVP.  The fact that he missed time with his back makes his comeback that much sweeter.  Congrats on the ASG appearance Yeli, you’ve earned it.
     
    The Bad

    Injuries
    Where to begin. 3 starters are out for the season. None of them really got off to a start.  DL Hall, who didn’t seem too comfortable when he was healthy, keeps getting delayed on his return and his rehab starts have been hard to watch at best.  Devin Williams hasn’t thrown a pitch this year. Joe Ross has shown some life but not enough to cement him as a starter that we would be better with than without (in my opinion, @ me). Paredes looks solid but going down with an elbow is not a good sign this early in his career.  Lastly, our most efficient starter: Jared Koenig is on the shelf. Silver Lining: everyone but the 3 out for the season should be back by middle August.

    The West
    The Brewers are 55-42 so it’s not like there’s a ton of opportunity across the board. That being said, they are 13-13 against teams in the AL/NL West.  Against everyone else, their run differential is 345-273.  Against the West its 121-114.  I like that they fought in LA for 3 good games.  I enjoyed Sal Frelick’s play of the first half against the Angels. The struggles against Colorado and San Diego are not good. There is a world where they play SD in the Wild Card and the Dodgers in the NLDS (where it seems like we have to play every year) and those aren’t good match ups for the Brewers.  The Colorado series gave me heart burn. Refer back to my instant reaction on 7/1 here.

    Struggling Additions
    I am trying to love Rhys Hoskins and Gary Sanchez.  Both have delivered veteran appearances with their bat with “signature Brewer’s moments”. Both are still underperforming by their career numbers. Gary Sanchez (career) is batting BA .218 (.224), OBP .293(.308), and SLG .401 (.466). Eerily similar is Hoskins, BA .215(.240), OBP .308(.349) and SLG .414 (.485). The optics are just as gross.  Reminiscing on that terrible game on 7/1, Hoskins looks like a veteran that is doing all that he can to get production past his prime. That is not what he came to the Brewer’s to do. He knows that and I believe he has a chance to be a better player the rest of the year.  Gary on the other hand.. I really like Eric Haase.. I could see Sanchez getting traded for DFA’d if he comes back after the deadline.
     
    The Ugly

    FG.FTC.
    -Irrelevant
    If you enjoy this blog and want more. Follow my X @IrrelevantRiter. As always, your feedback is how I improve. My intention is to bring quality content with a hint of first-person humor. Please share your thoughts (and this blog).
     
  9. TheIrrelevantWriter
    Hey there, I’m Irrelevant.  After creating a couple of blogs and participating in the live thread a little bit, I figured I better do a more formal introduction to give some context.  I grew up in Wisconsin and my first love was baseball.  My dad would take me to as many Sunday day games as possible at Miller Park. We used to sit behind the 1st base dugout where we watched Ritchie Sexson, Lyle Overbay, and Prince Fielder for years.  I’ve cheered on the Milwaukee Brewers since before anyone knew who Matt Vasgersian was. I played, watched, and nerded out over baseball for most of my life.  Along with a friend of mine, we would watch every game that we didn’t attend as kids (most we attended was nearly 30 games one year).  On off days, we would talk about the next match up.  Everything during the summer was baseball.  I knew how to fill out a score card before I learned how to write cursive.  I knew how to bunt before I knew my multiplication tables.  I was so sure that my life would revolve around baseball.  Then life happened. 
    I realized my dreams of playing baseball were numbered. I had a hard time growing into my frame and became injury prone due to my lankiness. I decided to focus on my future and go into a military academy for High School. After graduation, I went straight into the military. Still following the Brewers, but from afar. Since we were the smallest market in the MLB, I didn’t get to catch too many games and I entered a dark period in my life filled with questionable decisions at best.  I’ve since retired from the military due to medical reasons.  During my rehabilitation, I discovered the joy that writing down what I felt brought me.  The aforementioned friend now works part time in baseball.  My sense of fandom has been rejuvenated.  Along with a bit of jealously, this led to the birth of The Irrelevant Writer. 
    I still don’t live in Wisconsin and no one I talk to cares about baseball. This is now my new “out of reality” and the evolution of my dream. In all honestly, I don’t care if nobody reads this or any of my blogs. If you do, I’m happy to have you along for the ride. I plan to be very candid. There probably won’t be a schedule of my postings. If I wake up with a good thought and I have time to write it down, I’ll post it. If I’m emotionally charged after a game, I’ll post an instant reaction.  If I feel like watching the game with a crowd, I’ll participate in the live thread.  I'm just having fun with this.
    Feel free comment, critique, commend, or tell me I suck. Any communication is good communication.
    Thank you, now let’s talk some ball!
    FG.FTC.
    -Irrelevant
  10. TheIrrelevantWriter

    Instant Reaction: 7/1

    By TheIrrelevantWriter,


    Instant Reactions
    On a dry, mostly sunny day in Denver, the Brewers were visually flustered by the Colorado Rockies for the 6th consecutive game at Coor Field. The Brewers' bats were clicking.  Unfortunately, so were their offensive miscues.  Listening to Pat Murphy's response on the controversial Joey Ortiz out call, I feel it's clear the ump's logic was sound.  I could see the change in directions. Rather it was right or not, may be another question.  I don't believe he changed direction by 3 feet though.  That turned out to be the difference maker with Contreras doing Contreras things in the next at bat going opposite field for his 10th HR of the year. Are there more disappointing things than the umpires? Yes. Tonight, that thing is Rhys Hoskins.  
    Rhys went 0-4 tonight but helped out the team with a clutch Sac Fly in the 8th inning to tie the game. Opening up July cold is never a good thing. Especially when you hit .213/.289/.313 (BA/OBP/SLG) in June. To top it off, he helped credit Ortiz with an error by not scooping a ball in the bottom of the 9th with 1 out.  The error went to Ortiz, but it was clear that Hoskins should have had it. With a good catch from Frelick, the Brewers found themselves going to extras.
    Adames swung at the first pitch. Flying out just past the infield on the 3rd base side, no chance to tag.  With one out, the baserunning plan started to take form. You could almost feel fellow worshipers of the Brew Crew sing joyous praises when Yelich stole 3rd. They were shouting Amen as Sal drew his walk, who then stole 2nd. Then, a crushing blow left fans feeling a bit blasphemous as Hoskins, somehow, hit a ball below sea-level in Denver. A ground ball to McMahon lead to Yelich being tagged out at home, two outs. Frelick advanced to 3rd with two outs. Garrett Mitchell came back to reality and struck out on some hard swings (form looked really good for him in his return other than that). 
    The Rockies decided to use Coors field to their advantage. Toglia popped fly to right allowing the ghost runner to tag. Followed by Weeks choosing to walk Doyle and Nolan Jones and then opt for a 5-player infield, just to have Cave hit a sac fly to right to end the game. 
    Wow. Disappointed but it's just another game at Coors Field. The Brewers have a chance to change the tide the next three games but at least I can look forward to watching some offense!
    Quick side notes:
    -I like the opener, I think I would like it a little more if they were able to drag out one more inning. I feel that would have put Wilson in the best spot tonight. The 5th inning was his downfall. If he could have gotten the Brewers to the 6th, I would have felt more confident of the back of the bullpen. 
    -Eric Haase, sneaky good call up with Sanchez out. The most impressive thing on his Savant page is 67 sprint speed but he still gives a little bit of that veteran presence behind the plate. I'm interested to see the plan for him going forward.
    -I was getting nervous that Sal wasn't going to lift his bat off of his shoulder on his first AB of the game when he came in to PH for Jackson Chourio in the top of the 8th. I was especially nervous when the pitcher worked the count back to 3-2 after the 3-0 start without a swing attempt. The catcher's interference was pretty fun to watch.
    -Anyone else excited to see Keuchel on the mound tomorrow?
    FG,FTC.
    -Irrelevant
  11. TheIrrelevantWriter

    2024: Halfway to Last Call

    By TheIrrelevantWriter,


    Recap/ Preview
    Throughout the first half the 2024 season, the Brewers can be described as one word: electric. I have been a fan of the Brewers for almost 30 years, the last time I saw this much excitement without expectation was when we were cheering Ryan Braun on for ROY in 2007.  The young pieces are coming along. Turang, Chourio, and Ortiz are going to be superstars in time.  Frelick scared me at the start of the year, but he's coming around since June 1st.  The leadership of Contreras, Yelich, Hoskins, and Adames is the backbone of this team. 
    48-33 is tied for the best first half record through the Counsell era (2018,2021). What attributes to this? Most people have been saying offense (which is true) but more specifically they commend the power of this team.  As it turns out, according to stats on baseball reference, it's a little more complex than that. If we compare some stats from this year's halfway point to years past (2015-2023) you'll see SLG/OPS are only .399/.731 which is less than the average for all of Counsell years. 
    Not to sound like a SABR analytics guy, but this year's OBP/BA/BAbip (balls in play) are .332/.255/.313 to this point.  According to Baseball reference, these numbers are higher than any year under Counsell at this point in the season.  It is clear Pat Murphy has been preaching the small things (and has received big rewards out of it). This team's approach to offense is so different to years past that it makes it seem like the power is more prevalent.  In reality, they're just getting on base and obviously not afraid to run.  The HR's and the Grand Slams are awesome, but if the power begins to die, don't start to panic. The formula is there: get on base. This team has done an amazing job to this point with little to no expectations. I love the direction and the attitude Murph has instilled into these players.  Let's continue this ride and hope for more!
    FG,FTC.
    -Irrelevant
    Stat of the day: Joey Ortiz leads the brewers in WAR with 2.6 followed by Brice Turang and Contreras at 2.5.
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