lcbj68c

Did anybody catch any glimpses of Axford, Yo, Estrada, or Green in that Mexico/Canada fight? Just wondered what their involvement or lack of was?

From 2007 to 2008, I was blessed to work for the Brewers in their stadium command center and performed some security functions as well. I was blessed enough that day to be standing on the field with the boys, covered in champagne and booze after clinching the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. That is something I'll never forget. I lost my Dad just two months prior unexpectedly at the age of 48. I couldn't help but think there was some divine intervention that day. The Counsell bases loaded walk, the Braun HR, the walkoff GIDP. What a moment.

I agree, you have to make sure your internet speed is good enough. My question is, does Directv have an app where you can watch your stations on an tablet or phone? If so can you watch outside of your house? I just love that I can pull up the games on the road and really like that I can pull up the audio anywhere too. I would use that all the time in the car to pull up the games (if you don't live in WI). Yes, Directv does have a mobile ap. It's called DIRECTV Everywhere. I use it to watch my NFL Sunday Ticket package while travelling all the time. However, I want to say that Extra Innings streams to a mobile device requires that your mobile device be connected to the same IP that you receiver is. That said, I'll reitirate what I said earlier that still seems to be in confusion...you need the Extra Innings package to watch out-of-market, non-National Market, s MLB games on Directv. Purchasing the Sports Pak alone (7/mo) will not allow you to watch Brewers games on FSN-WI out of the Milwaukee market.

Phew, you scared me pitch! I didn't want the fellar who just got Directv to think he could get Brewer games with the Sports Pack for $8/mo. Because that's a nasty lesson to learn on the monday after the first week of the season (when the EI free preview always runs out for folks).

This is untrue. I live in AZ and we watch all the Brewers game on channel 669-1, pre- and post-game as well. The only FSN-WI games that get blacked out, for us, are MIL-ARZ games because we can watch them on our "normal" home market channel of FSN-AZ. We never (well, almost never) watch the Brewers on a 700 channel. Of course, perhaps the rules are different for other parts of the country. I don't know. So perhaps for you, lcbj68c, this does occur. But for someone in Texas, like the OP, I'd guess that he'd have little trouble getting every Brewer game on 669-1 as well. WTH? I can watch them on 669-1 IF I have the Extra Innings of course. But I can't watch the 152 Brewers games produced by FS-WI simply by paying $8 a month of the Sports Pack. If you are telling me this is true, I'm rioting!

I have DirecTV has well for the last 12 years. Having the FSN sports pack doesn't do you any good when it comes to watching Brewers games. They will be blacked out on your FSN-WI channel or other FSN channel at start time. The only way to watch them is to have Extra Innings. Don't get me wrong, the sports pack is great for Wisconsin sports coverage, just not live MLB games.

reillymcshane said: Think of it this way: if someone said you could have an exact replica of Trout's or Cabrera's 2012 season (offense and defense) for next year, which would you pick. Cabrera. It led his team to the post-season, which resulted in a world series appearance. I'd take Carbrera's season over Trout's. Heck, I'd be put in Scutaro's shoes before Trout's, though doesn't make him an MVP. Trout's flashy defensive play aside and some extra stolen bases aren't enough to say he was the most valuable player to his team's success. He would win all kinds of awards and will, just not MVP in 2012.

For all the talk of Trout's defense, he's not even the best defender at his position in his league. (According to the writers giving the gold glove to Adam Jones). I think Cabrera now more than ever wins the MVP.

Whatever happened to a kickoff in American football being a live ball? All of a sudden I see officials blowing the whistle dead simply for a ball hitting in the end zone and the receiving team make zero attempt to cover the ball, yet the ball doesn't go out of bounds. Is that not a live ball still? This has been driving me crazy for weeks...also seen it in the college game.

I knew exactly what he was referring to and I don't mean to suggest pythag is the end all, be all. But I can't agree that a team that has a +41 run differential should be 18 games over .500. Any idea what Baltimore has done this year? http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings I think Pythag/ Expect W-L and run differential are complete garbage. Play the games!

It's about this time of the year that I start to review the minor league numbers and seem really impressed by Khris Davis. Does he have a shot for minor league position player of the year or has Hunter Morris locked that up? Also, for those that have seen him play...obviously he is blocked in LF by Braun, but does he have a shot at producing in RF at the MLB level?

So basically (minus the .5 game) the Brewers are 1 game out from making game #162 mean something.

Like somebody said...R1 and R3 is not a "contact play" situation. Because the defense is typically going to allow the run to score to attempt get the double play. And if they don't, barring an error, the runners are now R2 and R1. R2 and R3 is a contact play situation, but that doesn't play into Oxy's theory of "improving your base situation". R1, R2, R3 is also obviously not a "contact play" situation. No, the situation of the "contact play" that drives me crazy is the lone baserunner, R3 less than two outs. Especially when there are no outs at the time. I'd love to see some stats on "runs scored in an inning after a R3 is thrown out at the plate with less than two outs" vs the mlb average of expecting a sac fly, passed ball, infield single, base hit, wild pitch, etc (basically anything that would score the runner had he stayed put and the contact play not been on).

That was nice grunt work topper. Given that data, I would tend to favor a lot of bunts in these situations as opposed to looking for a hit? MLB average .27%???? I'd rather have 68% odds of having a successful at bat than 27% for a hit, (assuming the hit leaves the infield) Again, all things relative we are assuming we are only playing for a single run, which to me is just fine. What I find troubling is the contact play in which the runners are thrown out at the plate on a routine ground ball. But absent being privy to the conversations on the field or in the dugout, I can't lend blame to the runner, 3rd base coach, or manager.

For the love of god people...he was here for nearly two years and people still can't get it.... ZACK! Zack Greinke...not Zach. If you are going to use just his first name to reference him, try and spell it correctly. You'd think his name was some Russian or something. :rant over:

BASEBALL: Segura a hot prospect for the Angels By Landon Hall, The Orange County Register Posted: 07/26/2012 09:46:28 PM PDT ANAHEIM - Angels hitting coach Jim Eppard tells a story that helps show why the team is so high on shortstop Jean Segura. It was 2009, and Segura, then only 19, was playing for the Angels' Single-A rookie team in Orem, Utah. He had filled in wonderfully during a brief stint with Triple-A Salt Lake City, hitting .421 in seven games as an emergency fill-in. "He walked in the place and acted like he belonged there," said Eppard, who was then the Bees' hitting coach. Even after Segura went back to Orem, a 45-minute drive, he couldn't stay away from the Triple-A club. "Orem had an off day and we were playing," Eppard said. "He came up to Salt Lake, and he just came in the clubhouse and sat down on the couch. I was like, `What are you doing here?' He said, `Hey I had an off day, I had nothing else to do, so I came up here.' He's a baseball rat." The Angels might be forced to part ways with Segura before they've even had a chance to work with him extensively. Now 22, the Dominican is the organization's top prospect, and if the Angels pull the trigger on a trade for a starting pitcher, Segura could be a major component. Outfielder Peter Bourjos, starting pitcher Garrett Richards and catcher Hank Conger are other young Angels frequently named as possible bargaining chips, but Segura also is highly regarded. The Milwaukee Brewers are fielding calls for their coveted starter Zack Greinke, and Journal Sentinel writer Tom Haudricourt wrote that the Brewers "much prefer" Segura to Richards. Segura made his major league debut Tuesday in the Angels' 4-1 loss to Kansas City. He'd been called up from Double-A Arkansas, ostensibly to provide roster depth after Erick Aybar injured his right big toe when he fouled a pitch off his foot Saturday. But the move also allowed other teams to get a peek at him. Segura, who grew up playing second base but switched to shortstop, has been playing increasingly well this season after being slowed by a leg injury last year. In 94 games with Arkansas, he has hit .294 with seven home runs, 40 RBIs and 33 steals. He went 2 for 3 in the All-Star Futures Game in Kansas City on July 8. And last Saturday he was having a 2-for-3 night with a triple when the Angels summoned him; he was pulled in the seventh inning. "This is my dream," he said before Tuesday's game. "They don't call too many players from Double-A to the big leagues. Probably they need me, and they called me up because they think I can play in the big leagues." Yet his chances of becoming an everyday player with the Angels diminished sharply when they locked up their middle infield for the next several years: Over the winter they signed second baseman Howie Kendrick to a four-year, $33.5 million contract extension that will keep him in Anaheim through the 2015 season. In April, Aybar signed a four-year, $35 million extension that will keep him with the team through 2016. Segura went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts against the Royals, but too much shouldn't be drawn from that one game. Starter Will Smith was mowing down the whole Angels order that night. Segura saw seven pitches from him, and he didn't put a ball in play until he faced reliever Greg Holland in the eighth. His grounder was misplayed by second baseman Chris Getz for an error. Segura was then erased on a double play after Maicer Izturis' ground ball, so the Angels didn't get a chance to see Segura show off his speed, either. He broke an ankle and a finger in 2008, and after a great 2010 at Single-A Cedar Rapids - he led the Midwest League with 161 hits and 50 steals - he played in only 43 games in 2011 for Inland Empire, the Angels' Single-A advanced team, because of an injured left hamstring. But the Angels like his range and his arm in the field. As a hitter, he's patient and can hit for power, a rare combination in a shortstop. "He just shows a skill set that's special," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's not the finished product ... there's no doubt that there's some growth that has to happen with Seggy, and it will over time. He's a talented guy, and when he gets his opportunity, he'll be ready for it." Whether that opportunity comes with the Angels or another team isn't yet known. If Aybar has to go on the disabled list, the Angels might call up infielder Andrew Romine from Salt Lake and send Segura back to Little Rock. Or deal him. Segura said he'd play whenever and wherever the team wants. But he acknowledged that the Angels have a business decision to make about his future. "I'm not worrying about getting traded," he said. "I'm here, and I want to be part of the Angels, but if they did (trade me), it's OK. It's (their) job."

This bullpen is a freakin train wreck

Why does our pitching suck so bad?

No, that's why I asked why? Nice try. That's why I had asked. I am watching the game on the bottom espn ticker at work. Seen it was the 7th inning and Veras was in. Had no idea as to Greinke's count or WHIP. Removing Greinke is fine, just wondered for what reason exactly and why Veras, other than it's the 7th inning. Thanks for all the replies regarding pitch count and apparent ineffectiveness.

You'd rather have a starter go back out in the 7th having given up 9 baserunners and 115 pitches thrown in an April game? No, that's why I asked why?

Why was Greinke removed? Oh yeah, Veras is the 7th inning guy. This crap makes my head explode.

Following via gameday, is this game going to be lost on Axford dicking around with Giambi at first base?

Rant Alert: Weeks, Braun, and Ramirez all look like absolute hot garbage right now.

Apparently, MLB and the Union won't be making the written decision public. What garbage! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-kenney-baden/ryan-braun-steroids_b_1322389.html

You can't honestly think that the Rangers are concerned that Hamilton is gonna go back to being addicted to heavy drugs do you?I beg your pardon?