They're just messing with the Cubs. They'll let the lead get down to a half game, then pull away. It's a baseball run that Cub fans need their hearts ripped out every so often, you know.
On last night's broadcast, the TV guys were noting how the Brewers always have an offensive outburst when they cut away for an interview w/ Coshun. Great line from Schroeder: "Craig is our version of the rally monkey."
"Bonds is getting hot, won't let him beat the Crew" Sounds good. Hope Yost was listening. He's never been afraid to challenge Bones in the past. Then again, if he has the same strike zone as he did the last time he was in town, it'd be impossible NOT to walk him.
Roberts, Winn, and Klesko in the ninth, to set the table for Durham and Bonds. San Fran stinks, but that's pretty close to as good as it could get, if the bully can keep the Cubs from padding their lead in the 8th.
Either way, this is awesome. If the Cubs lose, we pick up a game. If the Cubs win, San Fran will be "flat" tomorrow for sure, having staged three rallies, gotten two homers from Bonds, and still lost. Leave it all on the field, boys!
"What does that say about Parra?" Not nearly as much as it says about Yost, unless we hear that he's been dealt after the game. In which case I love it.
I think there's a clause in Yost's contract that he has to completely mismanage the bullpen in at least one game a week. Since this is a pennant race, he's getting it out of the way in a relative blowout today. Good thinking, Ned.
"Granted, I've never been a Tony Supporter..... but he might be the most logical choice to be the "starter" right now" Agree with everything here, except for the use of quotes around the word starter, and the constipated emoticon that followed the sentence.
"this is just another reason why bringing up TGJ made no sense." What are the other ones? I suppose you have it on good authority that Gwynn brought a Rickie Weeks voodoo doll with him from Nashville. Next let's find a way to blame him for the Sheets injury.
"The fact that Ned hasn't turned to either of them yet tells me he's not confident in them" Parra is the long man, at least for now, and we haven't seen a scenario in the last two nights warranting the use of a long man. Wasn't last night Balfour's first game? And wasn't he the one warming in the 8th when Villy was in trouble? Ned stuck w/ Villy, and it paid off, but I don't see any evidence that he's worried about using either of these guys.
I agree, Capuano's performance is by far the most interesting thing about the game tonight, to me. With Sheets down, he really needs to start carrying his share of the weight. Trust your stuff, Cappy, and get back on the good foot!
"And it's hard to justifiy keeping Weeks out there when he's hitting .217 when Graffy is hot and also playing great in the field. Almost wish Ricky would go down to Nashville for about 2 weeks to figure things out and come back here with a venegence for the stretch run." Not according to some longtime posters here. I think the Brewers (and 99% of us) expect Weeks to man second base for the Crew for the next several years, so obviously it's a senstive thing, if Rickie feels like he should be playing. He's been in the bigs long enough that going to Nashville to "work out the kinks" certainly feels like a demotion, even if it's only temporary. I don't think it happens unless Weeks suggests it, and it doesn't look like he will. Which is too bad, since I think it would be beneficial for all involved.