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Brewerfan.net Daily Brew http://www.brewerfan.net Brewerfan.net Beat Reports 1 daily A Look Back: 1992 v. 2008 http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewDailyReport.do?dailyReportId=494 Upon the recent acquisition of 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia, I thought it appropriate to take a look back at the best Brewer team that I followed (I was only 4 for the '82 team). The 1992 squad finished 92-70, and took the Blue Jays down to the final weekend. They would've been the Wild Card team that year, but the extra playoff team wasn't introduced for two more years. For the purposes of the debate, OPS+ , which measures the production of a hitter against that season's league averages, will be the main statistic used for the offensive side, while ERA+ will do it for the pitchers. 1992 Brewers vs. 2008 Brewers C Jason Kendall (.258, .339, .333, 79 OPS +) v. BJ Surhoff (.252, .314, .321, 80 OPS +) Kendall came to the '08 squad as a free agent signee over the winter. Coming off the worst season of his 13-year career, Kendall has proven to a be terrific defensively, throwing out 41% of would-be base stealers, while maintaining a solid average, walking above that 1BB/10 PA mark that baseball people look for, and calling a great game. The last one is indeed tough to quantify, but there can be no question that these pitchers simply love throwing to him. I've never seen so many comments regarding the way he calls a game, and keeps the pitchers mentally sharp. He's also the best catcher that I've seen on a daily basis at popping out from behind the plates and fielding bunts, nubbers, etc. He has been a terrific signing. Kendall's backup is Mike Rivera, is rarely used, but is effective when deployed, posting a 112 OPS+. Surhoff, meanwhile, was in the 6th year of his long career, and like Kendall, didn't have a lot of pop (4 HR's), rarely struck out (just 41 times all season, versus 46 walks), and was decent behind the plate, throwing out 35% of runners. In what was a hallmark of his career, B.J. got off to a slow start at the plate (just .136 in April), but turned it on the rest of the way, including hitting .274 in the 2nd half. One major difference between the two was that Surhoff started just 105 games behind the dish, while Kendall is on pace to start nearly 150 times for the '08 team. Surhoff's backups were Tim McIntosh (28 OPS+!) and rookie Dave Nilsson, who posted a respectable 85. 1B Prince Fielder (.270, .357, .488, 121 OPS+) v. John Jaha (.226, .291, 308, 70 OPS+) /Franklin Stubbs (.229, .297, .368, 87 OPS+) Fielder, coming off a record 50-home run season in 2007, has not approached those kinds of numbers in 2008. He is currently on pace to hit over 30 home runs, and walks at a good rate, and his numbers overall are still very good. 1st base was a real trouble spot for the Brewers in '92. Franklin Stubbs manned the bag for 43 of the first 58 games, and was benched based on his .203 average with just six home runs. The bag was manned by normal DH Paul Molitor and the brutal McIntosh in Stubbs' stead, until after the All-Star break, when prized prospect John Jaha was recalled from AAA and handed the keys to 1st base. Unfortunately, Jaha proved to be even worse than Stubbs, hitting for no power at all. He started 14 of the first 18 games after the break, and posted a line of .222/.250/.296, which landed him back on the bench. Molitor, Stubbs, Jaha, and even Surhoff rotated the final games, and the position posted a .752 OPS for the season, brutal even for 1992. 2B Rickie Weeks (.217, .320, .367, 81 OPS+) v. Scott Fletcher (.275, .335, .360, 96 OPS+) Weeks, expected by many observers to have a breakout season following a torrid final two months of 2007, has largely struggled again in his 4th season in the bigs. In fact, by OPS measures, he's having the worst season of his career, as his slugging percentage is down, along with his BA and OBP. His defense has improved, but is still no better than average. Fletcher, meanwhile, was a revelation for the '92 team. He was coming off an awful season for the White Sox, which saw him post an ungodly .528 OPS, and was signed by the Brewers just before camp started in '92. Interestingly, he started the first six games of the year at shortstop, but Pat Listach stepped in after that, and for a while, Fletcher wasn't getting much time, as Jim Gantner was holding down the fort at 2nd. However, he stepped in on June 14, and started 85 of the final 103 games, and put up largely unspectacular numbers (.268, .328, .340). However, I have always remembered Fletcher coming up with huge hits in that season, and indeed that does seem to be the case. To wit: he hit .336 with runners in scoring position, and .344 with two outs and RISP. In ?high leverage? situations, he hit .329. He also provided solid defense, committing 4 errors at 2nd. SS JJ Hardy (.283, .352, .476, 116 OPS+) v. Pat Listach (.290, .352, .349, 99 OPS+) After putting up a solid season in 2007, Hardy used a red-hot 3-week stretch prior to the break to post numbers of .283, .352, .476, and a healthy OPS+ number of 116. His defense is always steady, and though his range is limited, he has committed just six errors in the half. Listach literally came out of nowhere to post a very solid season, then reverted back to form and had five consecutive awful years before he was out of baseball. He started the season as a utility guy, but hit .500 in his first four starts, and never relinquished his job on the way to winning Rookie of the Year over Kenny Lofton. He had a very consistent season, as his average never dipped below .274. He was a real threat on the bases, swiping 54 bags while being caught 18 times, an even 75%. His defense was very average, if that, as he committed 24 errors without displaying great range. 3B Bill Hall (.234, .294, .431, 88 OPS+)/Russell Branyan (.245, .331, .604, 140 OPS+) v. Kevin Seitzer (.270, .337, .367, 99 OPS+) Bill Hall struggled for much of the first half, putting up decent home run troubles, but not much else. Branyan came along and set the world on fire for about a month before going cold as the break neared. He hit 11 home runs in his first 74 at bats, and since then has gone homerless in 47 AB's, while posting a .159 batting average. Defensively, they are pretty average, with Branyan more steady, and Hall able to make the spectacular play on a regular basis, but struggling with the routine chances at times. Seitzer came to the Crew even later than Fletcher did, signing on April 5 after the Royals released him at the end of spring. He stepped right in and started 146 games at 3rd, and performed very well. He was a consistent performer throughout the year, walked more than he struck out, and committed just 12 errors at the hot corner. His final line of .270, .337, .367 included numbers of .313 with RISP and two outs, and .349 in ?late and close? situations. LF Ryan Braun (.286, .324, .549, 125 OPS+) v. Greg Vaughn (.228, .313, .409, 103 OPS+) Braun, in his first full professional season, was an All-Star starter, and despite not having great plate discipline, is a hitting savant, and has been about as good as can be expected out in left. Vaughn had terrific seasons in both '91 and '93 (57 homers combined in those two years), but struggled in '92. He got off to an especially terrible start that season, and he found himself hitting just .183 with 10 home runs on July 1. He did improve in the 2nd half of the season, batting .261 with 13 home runs and a .787 OPS the duration of the season. It's worth noting that he was pretty awful on the basepaths that season, going 15-30 in stolen base attempts. CF Mike Cameron (.231, .320, .481, 108 OPS+) v. Robin Yount (.264, .325, .390, 101 OPS+) Cameron has been pretty much as advertised for the Brewers. Although his batting average is a bit lower than his career, he's slugging just fine, and has provided solid defense. Yount was in the penultimate season of his Hall of Fame career. He started 139 games in center, and 11 more as a DH. His defense was average, as he committed just two errors, but had limited range. Yount had only 8 homers on the season, but did mash 40 doubles and hit .287 with RISP. RF Corey Hart (.289, .327, .504, 116 OPS+) v. Darryl Hamilton (.298, .356, 400, 113 OPS+)/Dante Bichette (.287, .318, .406, 103 OPS+) Hart was elected to his first All-Star team in the Final Vote by fans, and earned it with his solid first half. Hamilton, despite baring a striking resemblance to Milwaukee bleacher legend Freeway, had a terrific season, splitting time with Dante Bichette as the 4th outfielder. He logged 28 starts in left, 30 in center, and 71 more in right, showing his versatility, and was a threat on the basepaths, going 41-55 (74%) in steal attempts. He was a model of consistency the whole season, batting .305 in the first half, and .291 in the second half. Traded after the season for Kevin Reimer, Bichette was in the his 2nd and final year in Milwaukee. He started 94 games in RF for the Crew, and showed little of the trademark power that would mark his time in Colorado. He hit just 5 home runs in 387 AB's, though he did hit 27 doubles and steal 17 bags. DH Gabe Kapler (.315, .352, .517, 126 OPS+) v. Paul Molitor (.320, .389, .461, 139 OPS+) I used Kapler in this spot because he was the player off the bench with the most AB's. What a year it's been for Kapler, whose comeback after a year out of baseball has been well documented. Molitor had just a stunning season, and his huge numbers in '92 paved the way to him signing a big money deal with the Blue Jays after 15 years with Milwaukee. Molitor finished among the league leaders in many categories, including OPS (10th), Batting average (4th), singles, doubles, and triples. The guy was a hitting machine, and there was not a situation that he encountered, beyond when there was just a man on 3rd base, that he hit less than .300. IF Craig Counsell (.248, .348, .338, 83 OPS+) v. Jim Gantner (.246, .278, .313, 66 OPS+) Counsell has improved his performance over that of last year, which saw him go .220, .323, .309. His solid work defensively has allowed him to start at 3 positions on the infield. He may see a bit more action in the 2nd half if Weeks continues to struggle. Gantner was in the final season of his 17 year career. He started 29 of the first 37 games of the season, and struggled, hitting just .228, .287, .575. Scott Fletcher took over, and for the rest of the season, Gantner would get just 40 more starts, getting playing time at both 2B and 3B. His defense remained solid, as he committed just three errors all season. <p>#1 P Ben Sheets (10-3, 2.85 ERA, 151 ERA+) v. Bill Wegman (13-14, 3.20 ERA, 121 ERA+) Sheets has been able to avoid the nagging/fluke injury bug that allowed him to around 400 innings over his previous three seasons. Not surprisingly, Sheets has excelled, earning a starting bid in the All-Star game, and pitching an NL-high 3 complete games, and another in which he was removed after 8.2 frames. Wegman was the ultimate victim of lack of run support, as he sported a sub-.500 record on a 92-win team, with an ERA of 3.20. That's very difficult to do, but the Brewers offense scored just 4.23 runs. However, that is an imperfect number, to say the least. The team scored 16 runs in one game, and 15 in another. Take out those two games, and the number goes down to 3.51. In 15 of his 35 starts, the team scored two runs or less, including just one run nine times. Channel your inward Edward Rooney. Nine Times. Wegman came out on fire, pitching at least into the 8th inning in his first 11 starts. He ended up pitching 261.2 innings, good for 2nd in the league, and had a WHIP of 1.17, good for 7th. He would have to be near the top of the discussion for not using wins to evaluate a pitchers performance. Perhaps due to the workload, Wegman' career was shot after that, as he never pitched more than 120 innings, and retired at age 32. #2 P CC Sabathia (2-0, 2.40 ERA, 179 ERA+) v. Cal Eldred (11-2, 1.79 ERA, 216 ERA+) Sabathia came to the Brewers in a pre-break trade with the Cleveland Indians, and made an immediate impact, winning his first two starts, which included a fantastic 2nd start which saw him go the distance and hit a home run in the process. He will be counted on to provide a huge push as the Brewers head for their first playoff berth in 26 years. Eldred was a sensation in 1992, and was the main difference in their amazing 2nd half run. Called up to replace an ineffective Ron Robinson, Eldred made his first start on July 19, four games after the All-Star Break. He was simply fantastic the entire 2nd half, never working less that 5.1 innings, and only twice allowing more than 3 runs in his 14 starts. His strikeout numbers certainly weren't overwhelming (62 in 100 innings), but he only walked 23, and his WHIP was under 1. He finished 4th in the Rookie of the Year voting, despite making only 14 appearances all season. #3 P Manny Parra (8-2, 3.78 ERA, 114 ERA+) v. Chris Bosio (16-6, 3.62 ERA, 107 ERA+) Parra, long regarded as the top pitching prospect in the organization, has shaken off minor league injury problems and posted a really solid first half. He was on the verge of being sent down to the minors in late April when things turned around for him. He retired the last 9 hitters he faced against the Cardinals on May 9, and since then has gone 7-0 with a 2.83 ERA. It will be interesting to see if the Brewers try to limit his innings in the 2nd half, as they probably don't want the 25-year old to throw much more than 175 or so before the playoffs. Bosio was coming off an outstanding season in 1991, and parlayed his terrific '92 campaign into a free agent deal with the Mariners, where he made big money, 83 starts, and little acclaim besides a no-hitter in 4 seasons. In '92, however, Bos was an innings-eating machine that was very solid. He pitched 231 innings, and his 1.15 ERA was good for 6th in the league. He was amazing down the stretch, going 10-1 with a 2.99 ERA in the 2nd half. #4 P Dave Bush (5-8, 4.39 ERA, 98 ERA+) v. Jamie Navarro (17-11, 3.33 ERA. 116 ERA +) Dave Bush had such a brutal start to the 2008 campaign that the Brewers sent him down to the minor leagues after his start on April 23, where he was 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts. After Yovani Gallardo's knee injury sidelined him indefinitely, Bush was called back up, and wasn't much better in his next four starts, going 1-2 with a 6.65 ERA. Since then, however, he has gone 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 9 starts. His home/road splits are so dramatic (2.49 ERA at home, 6.95 ERA on the road) that the Brewers are considering platooning him with Seth McClung based on the location of the game. Because of his later struggles in his Milwaukee career, it's easy to forget just how good Navarro was when he was right. Just a terrific season from Jamie, as his 234 innings included 5 complete games, and 3 shutouts. He was 8-5 with a sparkling 2.64 ERA after the break, and was a huge reason for Milwaukee's success in '92. Sadly, his performance dropped off the table in Milwaukee the next two seasons. He would go on to have two very good seasons for the Cubs, before finishing his career with four terrible seasons, including five starts for the Brewers in his final season of 2000, which saw him compile a 12.54 ERA. #5 P Jeff Suppan (5-6, 4.71 ERA, 91 ERA+) v. Ricky Bones (9-10, 4.57 ERA, 85 ERA+) Suppan started out the year strong with a 1-0, 3.48 start over his first five starts, but since then is 4-6 with a 5.25 ERA. His peripherals are even worse, as opponents are hitting .313 off of him in that stretch, and a 1.75 WHIP. It will be interesting to see how long the Brewers stick with him in the rotation in the 2nd half should he continue to struggle. Bones was acquired in late March in the Gary Sheffield deal, and was plugged right into the rotation, Bones had a Dave Bush-esque home/road split, having a 3.25 ERA at home, and a horrendous 6.64 mark away from County Stadium. Like the rest of the staff, he got better in the 2nd half, going only 4-5 but posting a 4.08 ERA. CL Salomon Torres (4-2, 2.74 ERA, 15/17 SV, 157 ERA+) v. Doug Henry (1-4, 4.02 ERA, 29 saves, 96 ERA+) Torres started out the season as a set-up guy, but moved into the closers role after Eric Gagne. Since assuming the role, he is 14/15 in save opps, and has literally saved the Brewers season from unraveling. He has already thrown 49 innings, and as durable as he is, the workload is a bit of a concern. Henry took over as the closer in the 2nd half of 1991, and reeled off 15/16 saves, while posting an improbable 1.00 ERA. It was a bit of a roller coaster in '92 for Henry, who converted 29/33 saves, and took the loss in two other games. Like Bones, he had an extreme home-road split (2.72 ERA v. 5.65 ERA), and blew all four of his saves on the road. Henry was later acquired for 2nd baseman Fernando Vina from the Mets, and went on a to a long career out of the pen. SET David Riske (101, 4.66 ERA, 92 ERA+) v. Mike Fetters (5-1, 1.87 ERA, 207 ERA+) Riske was signed over the winter after posting a 2.45 ERA for the Royals last season. He's been just average for the Crew this season, and had a month-long stint on the DL as well. The Brewers really need Riske to develop into a dependable set-up man for Torres if the bullpen is going to stabilize . Fetters, acquired over the winter for Brewers mainstay Chuck Crim, was outstanding in his first season as a Brewer. He posted a sparkling ERA, and maintained a WHIP of .99. His numbers are actually more impressive than they seem, as he carried a 1.19 ERA into his final game of the season, but he allowed five runs over two innings to inflate the number. In fact, his ERA was under all season until August 23. SET Brian Shouse (3-1, 1.91 ERA, 225 ERA+) v. Jesse Orosco (3-1, 3.23 ERA 120 ERA+) Shouse has been solid again this season, as the 39-year old LOOGY has already appeared in 44 games. He has allowed 16 of 42 inherited runners to score, which is not as good as previous seasons, but overall has been very solid, allowing lefties to hit just .169. He has allowed four home runs this year, after allowing none in 2007. Orosco was acquired over the previous winter, and did well in his first of three seasons in Milwaukee. His splits certainly were not what you'd expect, as righties hit just .207 against him, while lefties managed a .273 mark. SET Guillermo Mota (2-5, 5.77 ERA, 75 ERA+) v. Darren Holmes (4-4, 6 saves, 2.55 ERA, 152 ERA +) Mota was outstanding to start the season, posting a 2.20 ERA over his first 15 appearances. Since then, however, he's blown two saves, lost two other games, and posted a 9.00 ERA in 19 games. He certainly can't be trusted in a close game, and it will be interesting to see how long they stick with him. Holmes was in the 3rd year of what would become a lengthy 13-year career, and had a solid campaign. Hitters managed just a .224 mark against him, and he was equally tough on righties and lefties. He also notched six saves in eight opps, and was nails in the 2nd half, notching a 1.96 ERA. Holmes would be picked in the expansion draft by the Colorado Rockies, and pitch five seasons for the Rockies before moving on. SET Eric Gagne (2-2, 7.33 ERA, 10/15 SV, 59 ERA+) v. James Austin (5-2, 1.85 ERA, 209 ERA+) Gagne was signed for a 1-year, $10 million deal before the season, and he pitched in some bad luck early, but then began getting rocked, and went on the DL with a 6.98 ERA. While he posted 3 scoreless outings to give some optimism, his last outing before the break was a disaster, as he was touched for four runs, including two home runs, against the Reds. Austin was unexpectedly rock solid in the pen for the '92 squad. He had flamed out in a call-up in '91 (8.2 IP, 11 BB, 8.31 ERA), and was out of baseball after a mediocre season in 1993. However, despite having a 30/32 K/BB ratio, Austin was terrific for the Brewers. He allowed just 38 hits in 58 innings, and had just two outings all season where he allowed more than one run in a game. Batters hit just .191 against him, with righties in particular struggling, with a .171 mark. He allowed just two home runs in 58 innings of work. Long: Seth McClung (5-5, 4.16 ERA, 103 ERA+) v. Dan Plesac (5-4, 2.96 ERA, 79 IP, 131 ERA+) McClung has really been terrific for the Brewers. Acquired in 2007 for another hard-throwing but erratic RHP, Grant Balfour, McClung started out the season in the bullpen, and posted a 3.54 ERA with decent peripherals in 11 games. The Brewers then moved him to the starting rotation, and since then 4-3 with a 4.41 ERA in 9 games as a starter. In his 7th and final year as a Brewer, Plesac had an interesting role on the '92 team. He started four games, finished 13 games, and had 15 outings out of the pen that lasted at least two innings. He posted a 1.55 ERA in the 2nd half, and was very valuable in his versatility. Following the season, he played 11 more years in the bigs, and finished with 1054 appearances, which is 6th all-time in baseball history. Long: Carlos Villanueva (3-5, 4.97 ERA, 76 IP, 86 ERA+) v. Bruce Ruffin (1-6, 6.67 ERA, 58 ERA+) Villanueva started the season in the rotation, and was 2-5 with a 6.43 ERA in the rotation. Since being moved to the bullpen on June 19, he was 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA, though he has given up exactly one run in his last 6 appearances. Acquired over the winter for current Brewers coach Dale Sveum, Ruffin was the weak spot on the '92 staff. He was in the bullpen most of the year as the long man, where he struggled, and made six starts, where he didn't fare much better. Surprisingly, despite the success of the pitchers around him, this was Ruffin's worst year of his 12 in the bigs, and he went on to play for the Rockies for five years to close out his career. Conclusion: These two teams certainly don't have a lot in common. The '92 Brewers had a 3.73 ERA, good for first in the AL by almost half a run! Offensively, they finished 5th in runs scored, stealing an amazing 96 more bases than the 2nd-place team that season. However, they hit just 82 home runs, finishing 13th in the 14-team league. One wonders what the Brewers could have done had they acquired a big bat for the stretch run. There were hardly any bats traded that year, as Jose Canseco was the big name, going to the Rangers for 3 big-leaguers. Time will tell how this comparison will play out. One thing is for certain, however, and that's that both of these teams have given Brewers fans a lot to cheer about. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT From the Bleachers: June 2007 http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewDailyReport.do?dailyReportId=485 Welcome to the first edition of Brewerfan.net's monthly major league recap From the Bleachers.  Each month we?ll review what?s gone on in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on">Milwaukee</st1:City> over the past thirty days, recap <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Milwaukee</st1:place></st1:City>?s place within the National League Central and name a Brewerfan.net Player and Pitcher of the Week.  On to June 2007! June was, by most accounts, a bit of an unusual month for the Milwaukee Brewers. The month started as May finished. After a 24-10 start, Milwaukee was 10-20 from May 11 through June 12. Things look perhaps their bleakest during the last four games of that stretch, which included Francisco Cordero blowing saves on consecutive days in Texas after converting 22 consecutive chances and getting no hit in the opening game against Detroit.  Geoff Jenkin's three run home run in the 12th inning against Texas on June 10th saved the Brewers from being swept by the 23-40 Rangers. While Brewer fans have grown accustom to such stretches in recent years, they aren't used to their team having a 5.5 game division lead at its conclusion. It was after that Justin Verlander no-hitter on June 12 that the Brewers appeared to set out to prove that the baseball season is a marathon rather than a sprint. Milwaukee proceeded to win nine of their next 10, and closed out the month by going 13-3.  This stretch included sweeps of San Francisco and Houston on their way to an 8-1 homestand. Their 17-9 June allowed Milwaukee to extend their division lead from 6.5 games over St. Louis at the beginning of the month to a 7.5 game over Chicago. The Brewers 47-33 record is also the best record in the National League, as was their 30-13 home record. Perhaps most unusual of all for Brewer fans, Milwaukee extended their consecutive days in first place streak to 71. Not bad for a team that has only finished .500 once since 1992 and hasn't played in a post-season game since... well, you know when. Standings for June 30 <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0> <TR> <TD>NL CENTRAL </TD> <TD>W </TD> <TD>L </TD> <TD>PCT </TD> <TD>GB </TD> <TD>HOME </TD> <TD>ROAD </TD> <TD>JUNE RECORD </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Milwaukee </TD> <TD>47 </TD> <TD>33 </TD> <TD>.588 </TD> <TD>- </TD> <TD>30-13 </TD> <TD>17-20 </TD> <TD>17-9 </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Chicago Cubs </TD> <TD>39 </TD> <TD>40 </TD> <TD>.494 </TD> <TD>7.5 </TD> <TD>19-21 </TD> <TD>20-19 </TD> <TD>17-11 </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>St. Louis </TD> <TD>35 </TD> <TD>42 </TD> <TD>.455 </TD> <TD>10.5 </TD> <TD>17-19 </TD> <TD>18-23 </TD> <TD>13-13 </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Pittsburgh </TD> <TD>35 </TD> <TD>45 </TD> <TD>.438 </TD> <TD>12 </TD> <TD>17-21 </TD> <TD>18-24 </TD> <TD>12-15 </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Houston </TD> <TD>34 </TD> <TD>47 </TD> <TD>.420 </TD> <TD>13.5 </TD> <TD>19-19 </TD> <TD>15-28 </TD> <TD>12-16 </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Cincinnati </TD> <TD>31 </TD> <TD>50 </TD> <TD>.383 </TD> <TD>16.5 </TD> <TD>15-24 </TD> <TD>16-26 </TD> <TD>10-16 </TD></TR></TABLE> Team Statistics for June 2007 <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0> <TR> <TD>G </TD> <TD>AB </TD> <TD>R </TD> <TD>H </TD> <TD>2B </TD> <TD>3B </TD> <TD>HR </TD> <TD>TB </TD> <TD>RBI </TD> <TD>AVG </TD> <TD>OBP </TD> <TD>SLG </TD> <TD>OPS </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>26 </TD> <TD>914 </TD> <TD>156 </TD> <TD>261 </TD> <TD>61 </TD> <TD>3 </TD> <TD>42 </TD> <TD>454 </TD> <TD>150 </TD> <TD>.286 </TD> <TD>.359 </TD> <TD>.497 </TD> <TD>.855 </TD></TR></TABLE> <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0> <TR> <TD>G </TD> <TD>W </TD> <TD>L </TD> <TD>ERA </TD> <TD>SV </TD> <TD>CG </TD> <TD>SHO </TD> <TD>IP </TD> <TD>ER </TD> <TD>R </TD> <TD>BB </TD> <TD>SO </TD> <TD>BAA </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>26 </TD> <TD>17 </TD> <TD>9 </TD> <TD>4.02 </TD> <TD>10 </TD> <TD>1 </TD> <TD>0 </TD> <TD>237.1 </TD> <TD>106 </TD> <TD>114 </TD> <TD>85 </TD> <TD>207 </TD> <TD>.250 </TD></TR></TABLE> Milwaukee lead the National League in runs, doubles, total bases, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS for the month of June. The Brewers were also second in home runs and batting average, third in batting average against and fourth in team ERA. While the marathon has only reached the half way mark and there is a lot of baseball yet to be played, the Brewers clearly have been the best team in the division during the first half of the season, and perhaps the best in the National League.  How cool is that? Fielder's Dash While Milwaukee's place at the top of the standings might qualify as unusual for recent Brewer teams, it was no more unusual than the ride Prince Fielder took on June 17. Fielder helped Milwaukee come back from a 9-2 5th inning deficit by hitting a 9th inning home run against Twins closer Joe Nathan. While Fielder hitting a home run isn't unusual (he leads the NL with 27), the fact that the 260 pound first baseman did so without hitting the ball into the Metrodome stands was. Fielder hit what appeared to be a towering, but routine fly ball to CF. Minnesota's Lew Ford, however, never saw the ball until it landed on the Metrodome turf. Fielder never stopped running and was rounding second when the ball finally hit the ground. Fielder scored standing after racing around the bases to the delight of his teammates. While the Brewers ended up losing the game in the bottom of the 9th, Fielder's dash will probably remain one of the more memorable sights of the 2007 season. Gallardo's debut The much anticipated Major League debut of pitching prospect Yovani Gallardo came on June 18th against San Francisco at Miller Park. Gallardo received his call to Milwaukee on June 15th when Chris Capuano was placed on the 15-day disabled list. After a shaky first in which he gave up a run, Gallardo settled in to give up only one hit between the second and sixth en route to a 5-1 lead. The 21 year old rookie helped his own cause in the second with an RBI double in his first major league at-bat. Gallardo gave up two runs in the seventh, but Milwaukee's bullpen worked two and two-thirds solid innings to allow him to pick up the win in his debut. Gallardo's Line <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0> <TR> <TD>IP </TD> <TD>H </TD> <TD>R </TD> <TD>ER </TD> <TD>HR </TD> <TD>BB </TD> <TD>SO </TD> <TD>GB </TD> <TD>FB </TD> <TD>BF </TD> <TD>PITCHES </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>6.1 </TD> <TD>4 </TD> <TD>3 </TD> <TD>3 </TD> <TD>1 </TD> <TD>3 </TD> <TD>4 </TD> <TD>5 </TD> <TD>7 </TD> <TD>26 </TD> <TD>102 </TD></TR></TABLE> Gallardo started two more games in June and could be 3-0 except for a couple of hiccups by the bullpen.  Gallardo will remain with the team and slide from the rotation to the bullpen after Capuano returns on July 3. Parra's Perfect Game While not a Major League accomplishment, Manny Parra's perfect game on June 25 for Nashville against Round Rock deserves to be mentioned here. Parra's gem was the eighth perfect game in Pacific Coast League history and the first by an individual since April 7, 2003.  The 24-year old accomplished the feat in only his second AAA start. Congratulations Manny! Parra's Line <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0> <TR> <TD>IP </TD> <TD>H </TD> <TD>R </TD> <TD>ER </TD> <TD>HR </TD> <TD>BB </TD> <TD>SO </TD> <TD>GB </TD> <TD>FB </TD> <TD>BF </TD> <TD>PITCHES </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>9.0 </TD> <TD>0 </TD> <TD>0 </TD> <TD>0 </TD> <TD>0 </TD> <TD>0 </TD> <TD>11 </TD> <TD>6 </TD> <TD>10 </TD> <TD>27 </TD> <TD>107 </TD></TR></TABLE> Pitcher of the Month Ben Sheets It's amazing what a good offense will do for a pitcher that has been criticized for "not knowing how to win". Not only did Ben Sheets go 5-0 in six stellar June starts, but he ended the month with a National League-best 10 wins. Three of those June wins came after a Milwaukee loss, including a June 30 win at Chicago that pushed Milwaukee's division lead to 7.5 games. As good as his month was, Sheets could have been 6-0 had the Brewers not blown a 3-0 9th inning lead to the Rangers on June 9th.  Maybe he still has just a bit to learn about that whole winning thing. Sheet's June Line <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0> <TR> <TD>W-L </TD> <TD>IP </TD> <TD>H </TD> <TD>R </TD> <TD>ER </TD> <TD>HR </TD> <TD>BB </TD> <TD>SO </TD> <TD>GB </TD> <TD>FB </TD> <TD>BF </TD> <TD>PITCHES </TD> <TD>ERA </TD> <TD>WHIP </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>5-0 </TD> <TD>41.2 </TD> <TD>37 </TD> <TD>10 </TD> <TD>10 </TD> <TD>2 </TD> <TD>11 </TD> <TD>40 </TD> <TD>44 </TD> <TD>48 </TD> <TD>171 </TD> <TD>672 </TD> <TD>2.16 </TD> <TD>1.15 </TD></TR></TABLE> Player(s) of the Month Corey Hart and Ryan Braun Normally when you have the kind of month that right fielder Corey Hart and third baseman Ryan Braun enjoyed in June, you'd be the run-away player of the month. Not so this month. Hart took over for Rickie Weeks at the top of the order when the second basemen went on the disabled list at the beginning of the month. Hart never looked back, and by the end of the month his 16-game hitting streak was the longest active streak in the NL. Hart had 10 multi-hit games during the month, including three three-hit games, and hit 9 of his 11 home runs for the year.  Hart didn't win a share of this reward only with his bat, however, as his 10 stolen bases for the month are more than other Brewer has for the entire season. Braun has done nothing but hit since being called up in May. He started June by going 3-3 with a double and a home run in a win against Florida and ended it by going 4-5 with two doubles and a home run in a win against the Cubs. In between Braun had nine other multi-hit games, including three three-hit and another four-hit game. Hart and Braun's June Line <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0> <TR> <TD></TD> <TD>AB </TD> <TD>R </TD> <TD>H </TD> <TD>2B </TD> <TD>3B </TD> <TD>HR </TD> <TD>RBI </TD> <TD>BB </TD> <TD>SO </TD> <TD>SB </TD> <TD>CS </TD> <TD>AVG </TD> <TD>OBP </TD> <TD>SLG </TD> <TD>OPS </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Hart </TD> <TD>110 </TD> <TD>28 </TD> <TD>37 </TD> <TD>4 </TD> <TD>0 </TD> <TD>9 </TD> <TD>21 </TD> <TD>14 </TD> <TD>22 </TD> <TD>10 </TD> <TD>3 </TD> <TD>.336 </TD> <TD>.421 </TD> <TD>.618 </TD> <TD>1.039 </TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Braun </TD> <TD>102 </TD> <TD>27 </TD> <TD>39 </TD> <TD>12 </TD> <TD>2 </TD> <TD>6 </TD> <TD>21 </TD> <TD>10 </TD> <TD>22 </TD> <TD>4 </TD> <TD>0 </TD> <TD>.382 </TD> <TD>.435 </TD> <TD>.716 </TD> <TD>1.150 </TD></TR></TABLE> 2007 Milwaukee Brewer All Stars Prince Fielder was voted the NL starting first baseman, while shortstop J.J. Hardy, starting pitcher Ben Sheets and closer Francisco Cordero were also named to the game. Milwaukee's four All-Star representatives are most in the National League and their most since 1983 when shortstop Robin Yount and catcher Ted Simmons were voted to starters for the American League team by the fans and first baseman Cecil Cooper and outfielder Ben Oglivie were named as reserves. Fielder is also the first Brewer to start the All Star game since Jeromy Burnitz replaced Tony Gwynn in 1999, and the first Brewer voted into the game as a starter since Paul Molitor in 1988. The 2007 game will be Sheets' third All Star Game, Cordero's second and the first for Fielder and Hardy. Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EDT From the Bleachers: July 2007 http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewDailyReport.do?dailyReportId=489 This edition of From the Bleachers is dedicated to the memory of former Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Mike Coolbaugh. Coolbaugh, the first base coach for the Colorado Rockies AA affiliate Tulsa Drillers, was killed July 22 after being struck in the neck by a line drive. Coolbaugh appeared in 39 games for the Brewers in 2001 and five more for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2002. Mike is survived by his wife Mandy and sons Joseph and Jacob. The Coolbaugh's are expecting their third child in October. For those wishing to make a donation to the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund, please visit the <a href="http://tulsadrillers.com/news/drillers/?id=4992"> Tulsa Drillers</a> web site. Much like the epic western, the month of July consisted of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". With Brewer fans accustomed to illusions of "good" and plenty of genuinely "bad" and "ugly", a month that includes as much good as July actually did might not seem so bad. While winning does make watching this team much more enjoyable, it comes at a price. When your team is hanging on to first place by the narrowest of margins, there is little consolation watching a rookie pitch six solid innings if the bullpen doesn't hold the lead. The days of appreciating a good Manny Parra start that ends with a loss are over. That's "good, bad and ugly". Before we delve into this month, here are the National League Central standings as of July 31. Standings as of July 31 <table cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="1" width="600" border="1"> <tr> <td>NL CENTRAL </td> <td>W </td> <td>L </td> <td>PCT </td> <td>GB </td> <td>HOME </td> <td>ROAD </td> <td>JULY RECORD </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Milwaukee </td> <td>58  </td> <td>49  </td> <td>.542 </td> <td>- </td> <td>37-17 </td> <td>21-32  </td> <td>11-16 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Chicago Cubs </td> <td>56  </td> <td>49 </td> <td>.533 </td> <td>1  </td> <td>28-24  </td> <td>28-24 </td> <td>17-9 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>St. Louis </td> <td>50  </td> <td>53  </td> <td>.485 </td> <td>6  </td> <td>25-25  </td> <td>25-28 </td> <td>15-11 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Houston </td> <td>46  </td> <td>60  </td> <td>.434 </td> <td>11.5 </td> <td>28-25  </td> <td>18-35 </td> <td>12-13 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Cincinnati </td> <td>45  </td> <td>62  </td> <td>.421 </td> <td>13 </td> <td>24-29  </td> <td>21-33 </td> <td>14-12 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Pittsburgh </td> <td>42  </td> <td>62  </td> <td>.404 </td> <td>14.5 </td> <td>23-30  </td> <td>19-32 </td> <td> 7-17  </td> </tr> </table> THE GOOD The streak Easily the best news of the month is the Brewers extended their consecutive days in first place to 102. The last time the Brewers were not at least tied for first place was April 20 when the 9-7 Brewers trailed the Houston Astros by 1/2 game. This is perhaps even more impressive when one considers how poorly Milwaukee played for a good portion of July and how good the Cubs have played, but we'll save those details for the bad news. The rookies For those looking for a sign that this Brewer team is different than those in the past need look no further than the performance of rookies Yovani Gallardo, Manny Parra and Ryan Braun. When Ben Sheets and Tomo Ohka went on the disabled list during the 2006 season, the Brewers attempted to replace internally only to watch the three primary replacements struggle to a 2-7 record with an ERA well over six. Fast forward a year and the Brewers have replaced, at different times, Chris Capuano and Sheets with Gallardo and Parra. Unlike past years where a start by a minor league pitcher meant almost no chance of winning, Gallardo and Parra have gone a combined 4-2 (2-0 in July) while both sporting an ERA under three. And then there is Braun, who was good enough to win both the NL Player and Rookie of the Month awards for July. He seems to be intent on having the best rookie campaign by any player has had since Albert Pujols' 2001 season. These guys are just like Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy and Corey Hart; "studs" manager Ned Yost called them. They aren't your average players, they are different, better, and they are a big reason the Brewers are still in first place. And they are a big reason to be excited about next year, and the next, and the next. The game To wrap up the month of July (at least our good news section), we'll take a look back at the game of the year so far, the July 31 game against the Mets. The Brewers came home to Miller Park after having lost three straight to the St. Louis Cardinals. Milwaukee's lead had shrunk to a mere game over the surging Cubs. And the Mets were not only sporting the best record in the National League, but were also sending 299 game winner Tom Glavine to the mound. The Brewers appeared to be on their way to a fourth consecutive loss, trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the 8th. Bill Hall proceeded to smack a one-out double off Aaron Heilman to tie the game at two. Milwaukee loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th and 11th, but failed to score. The bullpen threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings, including the top of the 13th by starter Dave Bush, setting the stage for Geoff Jenkins' 13th inning walk-off, two-run home run off Aaron Sele .  The win kept the Brewers in sole possession of first place in the National League Central as the month ended.   THE BAD The Cubs While the Brewers remained a game ahead of the Cubs by months end, that good news is somewhat tempered when one remembers they started July with 7.5 games lead. Combine an 11-16 month for the Brewers with a 17-9 month for the Cubs and you end up with a lead 6.5 games smaller after 31 days. The team performance After being solid in nearly every facet of the game thru June, the Brewers struggled both offensively and on the mound. Statistical Comparison: The first 80 games versus July <table cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="1" width="650" border="1"> <tr> <td width="14%">  </td> <td width="7%">AB </td> <td width="7%">R </td> <td width="7%">H </td> <td width="7%">2B </td> <td width="7%">3B </td> <td width="7%">HR </td> <td width="7%">TB </td> <td width="7%">RBI </td> <td width="7%">AVG </td> <td width="7%">OBP </td> <td width="7%">SLG </td> <td width="7%">OPS </td> </tr> <tr> <td>June 30 </td> <td>2742 </td> <td>399 </td> <td>735 </td> <td>161 </td> <td>12 </td> <td>111 </td> <td>1253 </td> <td>382 </td> <td>.268 </td> <td>.337 </td> <td>.457 </td> <td>.794 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>July </td> <td>930  </td> <td>116 </td> <td>230 </td> <td>42  </td> <td>5  </td> <td>33  </td> <td>381  </td> <td>113 </td> <td>.247 </td> <td>.318 </td> <td>.410 </td> <td>.728 </td> </tr> </table> <table cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="1" width="650" border="1"> <tr> <td width="14%">  </td> <td width="7%">W </td> <td width="7%">L </td> <td width="7%">ERA </td> <td width="7%">SV </td> <td width="7%">CG </td> <td width="7%">IP </td> <td width="7%">ER </td> <td width="7%">R </td> <td width="7%">BB/9 </td> <td width="7%">SO/9 </td> <td width="7%">BAA </td> <td width="7%">WHIP </td> </tr> <tr> <td>June 30 </td> <td>47 </td> <td>33 </td> <td>4.01 </td> <td>30 </td> <td>3 </td> <td>716 </td> <td>349 </td> <td>319 </td> <td>2.94 </td> <td>7.19 </td> <td>.258 </td> <td>1.32 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>July </td> <td>11 </td> <td>16 </td> <td>4.63 </td> <td>6 </td> <td>0 </td> <td>241.0 </td> <td>124 </td> <td>128 </td> <td>3.47 </td> <td>7.10 </td> <td>.261 </td> <td>1.39 </td> </tr> </table> I think "ick" about says it all.   THE UGLY The injuries The injury bug finally struck the Milwaukee Brewers during July after being absent for most of the first half of the season.  Center fielder Bill Hall and starter Ben Sheets both missed the majority of the month with injuries. Hall suffered a right ankle sprain in the second inning of Milwaukee's 6-3 loss to Pittsburgh at PNC Park on July 5. Hall, who was hitting .271/.310/.448 with a team-high 24 doubles in 79 games before the injury, landed hard after trying to rob Ryan Doumit of a home run. Hall's injury was initially diagnosed as a high ankle sprain and there was some talk that Hall may miss as many as six weeks.  However, it was discovered his injury was not so severe as initially thought and he rejoined the Brewers on July 25. Ben Sheets was injured during his July 14 start against the Rockies after throwing a pitch to Todd Helton in the top of the fourth inning.  Sheets tore tissue in his middle finger on the pitch and was place on the disabled list on July 15.  Sheets, who was 10-4 at the time of the injury, was expected to miss between four and six weeks, but no immediate time table was established.  It is also thought that Sheets may have to make a rehab start or two in the minors, which means the earliest Sheets will probably be back is September 1. Although hardly the sole reason for their slide, it isn't a coincidence that the Brewers had a sub-.500 month with two starters missing so much time. Rickie Weeks One can't mention the "ugly" and not talk about second baseman Rickie Weeks. We all know about the wrist injury Weeks suffered in 2006 and the subsequent surgery to repair it. We also know that while Weeks has been well enough to play he is still experiencing soreness.  That soreness not only lead to a stint on the DL but it has clearly affected his performance.  So, while Weeks' performance to date may be more of a reflection on his health than his ability, he has had a rough year (hitting .212/.330/.363/.693) and a bad July (.125/.279/.143/.422). In fact, Weeks was in such a funk that the Brewers optioned him to AAA Nashville at the end of the month. While the Brewers should benefit from increased offensive production from Tony Graffanino, a return by Weeks to his 2006 form in September would be a tremendous shot in the arm to the team that needs a player or two who can get on base consistently. The Cardinals Easily the ugliest stretch of the month had to be the Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29, in St. Louis. Milwaukee lost three of four to the Cards, including three in a row after taking the opener on Friday night 12-2. The ugly started on Saturday afternoon in game one of a day-night doubleheader. Milwaukee jumped out to a 6-0 lead, and still led 6-3 after Manny Parra's six solid innings. But, the Cardinals got one more run in the seventh before scoring three in the ninth of All-Star reliever Francisco Cordero to win 7-6. St. Louis scored three first inning runs of Chris Capuano en route to an easy 5-2 victory. Sunday started much like Saturday. A rookie starter (this time Yovani Gallardo) was given a big lead early (this time 5-0 after 4 1/2 innings), only to see that lead evaporate into nothing. This time St. Louis did all their damage in just two innings, scoring four in the bottom of the fifth off Gallardo to make it a game and five more in the bottom of the eighth. The Brewers 9-5 loss capped off a brutal 27 hour period that saw them lose three straight and two after leading by five or more runs. Before everyone runs out and rents the Sergio Leone classic, here is a look at the rest of the month of July. Don't worry, there are plenty of good things to read about to take your mind off the bad.   2007 All-Star Game The Milwaukee Brewers sent four players to the 2007 All-Star game in San Francisco. Each of the four got into the mid-summer classic as the National League lost 5-4. First baseman Prince Fielder got into the action a day early as one of the five National League representatives in the Home Run Derby. His three first-round home runs were good for fifth place, with only the top four advancing to round two. Fielder, was voted the starting first baseman, hit sixth for the National League. Prince committed a first inning error that allowed David Ortiz to reach base, walked in the second off Danny Haren and lined out in the fourth off Josh Beckett before giving way to Derrek Lee in the fifth. The next Brewer to enter the game was pitcher Ben Sheets, who replaced Brad Penny in the top of the third with the NL ahead 1-0. Sheets worked around hits to eventual game MVP Ichiro Suzuki and Derek Jeter to record a scoreless inning. Closer Francisco Cordero entered the game in the top of the sixth with the American League ahead 2-1. While Cordero did retire Alex Rodriguez, Home Run Derby champ Vlad Guerrero and Carlos Guillen, he did give up a two-out home run to Carl Crawford. J.J. Hardy entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with the AL clinging to a 5-4 lead as a pinch hitter for Jose Reyes. Hardy's at-bat came after Alfonso Soriano's two run home run off J.J. Putz. Hardy drew a walk and eventually advanced to third before Francisco Rodriguez got Aaron Rowand to fly out to end the game. The loss by the National League, their tenth in 11 games since 1997, ensures the American League will have home field advantage in the 2007 World Series.   Barry Bonds comes to Milwaukee Barry Bonds hit his 752 and 753 career home runs on July 19 against the Cubs, leaving him two short of home run king Henry Aaron's magical 755.  That made San Francisco's series at Miller Park July 20-22 potentially historic. The three-game series opened on the 31st anniversary of Aaron's final home run, hit on July 20, 1976 at Milwaukee County Stadium. With Commissioner Bud Selig looking on, Bonds went 0-4 with a walk as the Giants beat the Brewers 8-4.  Bonds faced starter Jeff Suppan three times, grounding out, walking and popping out.  Bonds flew out in the seventh off reliever Carlos Villanueva and was struck out looking by Derrick Turnbow in the eighth. The Giants shut out the Brewers 8-0 on July 21, but Bonds was again held homerless, going 0-2 with two walks, one intentional.  Starter Dave Bush struck out Bonds swinging in the first and induced a 1-3 ground out in the fourth before walking in the sixth.  Brian Shouse intentionally walked Bonds in the eighth, at which time he was lifted from the game for pinch-runner Fred Lewis. Bonds didn't play in the series finally on July 22 but he his presence was noted.  With the Brewers leading 7-5 entering the top of the ninth, Bonds lurked in the dugout and appeared ready to pinch hit should a Giant hitter reach base.  However, Brewer closer Francisco Cordero had a 1-2-3 ninth, preserving a victory. For the series, Bonds was 0-6 with three walks, one intentional.  It wasn't until July 27th that Bonds hit number 754, his last home run before the end of the month.   Parra's debut and first start It's been quite a ride for Manny Parra.  The Brewer left-hander started his professional career as a 26th round pick in the 2001 draft.  As a draft-and-follow candidate, Parra wasn't signed until just before the 2002 draft, but the wait was worth it, as he signed a contract with a $1.55 million signing bonus. Parra made his Miller Park debut on August 14, 2003, not with the Milwaukee Brewers, but rather with the class A Beloit Snappers.  That was Parra's last of the 2003 season, as he was sidelined for the rest of the year.  That was the last season before this year that Parra pitched more than 100 innings in a season. Parra started the 2007 season healthy.  After starting the season in AA Huntsville's rotation, he was promoted to AA Nashville on June 15.  Just eleven days later, in his second AAA Start, Parra fired the eighth perfect game in Pacific Coast League history, striking out 11. Parra was recalled to Milwaukee on July 16 and made his debut against the San Francisco Giants on July 20.  Parra entered the game in the top of the 8th with the Brewers down 8-4 and the bases loaded.  Parra struck out Guillermo Rodriguez to end the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth with two more strike outs.  Of Parra's 15 pitches, 13 were for strikes. Parra made one more relief appearance in July before making his first major league start in St. Louis on July 28.  Parra went six innings, allowing three runs, one earned, and left the game with the Brewers leading 6-3.  A three run St. Louis ninth inning cost Parra his first major league victory.  Parra's Line <table cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="1" width="600" border="1"> <tr> <td>IP </td> <td>H </td> <td>R </td> <td>ER </td> <td>HR </td> <td>BB </td> <td>SO </td> <td>GB </td> <td>FB </td> <td>BF </td> <td>PITCHES </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1.2  </td> <td>0  </td> <td>0  </td> <td>0  </td> <td>0  </td> <td>1  </td> <td>3  </td> <td>0  </td> <td>1  </td> <td>4  </td> <td>15  </td> </tr> </table>   Linebrink acquired from San Diego With the bullpen turning from a team strength in July to a weakness, the Brewers traded three minor leaguers, including their top prospect, to San Diego for Scott Linebrink.  Linebrink, who had been the Padres top setup man until recently, was acquired for Will Inman, Joe Thatcher and Steve Garrison. Because Linebrink's wife was due to deliver the couple's first child, Milwaukee's newest reliever appeared in only two games before leaving the team at the end of the month.  The Brewers hope that the 31 year-old Texan will stabilize a bullpen that has been worked a lot this summer. For an analysis of this trade, please read <a href="http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewDailyReport.do?dailyReportId=487"> Analyzing the Linebrink-Inman Trade</a> and this months' <a href="http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewFarmHops.do?dailyReportId=488"> Farm Hops</a>.   Pitcher of the Month Yovani Gallardo When Yovani Gallardo was recalled to start for the injured Chris Capuano, it was thought that Gallardo would leave the rotation when Capuano returned.  This would allow the Brewers to better manage Gallardo's innings and help keep him fresh for September.  Gallardo did pitch twice out of the pen during the early part of the month, but the best laid plans changed on July 14 when Sheet's injured the middle finger on his pitching hand.  Gallardo pitched 4.2 one hit innings that night, while striking out four and walking none. In three July starts, the 21-year-old Gallardo was 2-0, pitching 17.2 innings.  In those 17.2 innings Gallardo allowed only 13 hits and 5 runs, walking 7 and striking out 17. While losing a pitcher the caliber of Ben Sheets is never good, it's nice to have a pitcher as good as Gallardo to slide into the rotation in his place. Gallardo's July Line <table cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="1" width="600" border="1"> <tr> <td>W-L </td> <td>IP </td> <td>H </td> <td>R </td> <td>ER </td> <td>HR </td> <td>BB </td> <td>SO </td> <td>GB </td> <td>FB </td> <td>BF </td> <td>PITCHES </td> <td>ERA </td> <td>WHIP </td> </tr> <tr> <td>2-1 </td> <td>27.0 </td> <td>20 </td> <td>9 </td> <td>8 </td> <td>0 </td> <td>9 </td> <td>21 </td> <td>28 </td> <td>34 </td> <td>108 </td> <td>428 </td> <td>2.67 </td> <td>1.07 </td> </tr> </table>   Player of the Month Ryan Braun Ryan Braun has spent two full months in the major leagues, and he has been named the Brewerfan.net Player of the Month twice. Ok, so that might not be as cool as being named National League Rookie of the Month for June and July, and National League Player of the Month for July, but I think Braun would appreciate the award anyways.  Braun became the first player to win Rookie and Player of the Month in the same month since the inception of the former in 2000. After recording 11 multi-hit games in June, including four three-hit and two four-hit games, Braun "only" had 10 in July.  In fact, as good as Braun's July was, his June was statistically better.  Only in home runs and RBI did the rookie better his June numbers. In case that didn't let you know the kid can hit a little, Braun is having the best rookie campaign since Albert Pujols' 2001 season.  Just for fun, let's project Braun's numbers as of July 31 to the 590 ABs that Pujols had in 2001. <table id="Table1" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="1" width="600" border="1"> <tr> <td> </td> <td>AB </td> <td>R </td> <td>H </td> <td>2B </td> <td>3B </td> <td>HR </td> <td>RBI </td> <td>BB </td> <td>SO </td> <td>SB </td> <td>CS </td> <td>AVG </td> <td>OBP </td> <td>SLG </td> <td>OPS </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Braun </td> <td>590 </td> <td>119 </td> <td>204 </td> <td>40 </td> <td>5 </td> <td>44 </td> <td>123 </td> <td>47 </td> <td>140 </td> <td>25</td> <td>5 </td> <td>.347 </td> <td>.394 </td> <td>.657 </td> <td>1.051 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Pujols </td> <td>590 </td> <td>112 </td> <td>194</td> <td>47 </td> <td>4 </td> <td>37 </td> <td>130 </td> <td>69 </td> <td>93 </td> <td>1 </td> <td>3 </td> <td>.329 </td> <td>.403 </td> <td>.610 </td> <td>1.013 </td> </tr> </table> I really am having trouble finding a comparable season by any Brewer player, much less a rookie. While he has only played 59 games, his batting average is the third highest in Brewer history behind Paul Molitor and Cecil Cooper. Braun's current home run pace is 36, which would break Prince Fielder's rookie record and be the 9th highest single season total in Brewer history. His full season projection of 44 home runs would be second only to Richie Sexson and Gorman Thomas (depending on what Fielder does the rest of the year). That's one heck of a rookie season. Brewer fans can only hope Braun continues to hit like that for the next 10-15 years. Braun's July Line <table cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="1" width="600" border="1"> <tr> <td>AB </td> <td>R </td> <td>H </td> <td>2B </td> <td>3B </td> <td>HR </td> <td>RBI </td> <td>BB </td> <td>SO </td> <td>SB </td> <td>CS </td> <td>AVG </td> <td>OBP </td> <td>SLG </td> <td>OPS </td> </tr> <tr> <td>110 </td> <td>18 </td> <td>38 </td> <td>3 </td> <td>0 </td> <td>11 </td> <td>25 </td> <td>9 </td> <td>27 </td> <td>4 </td> <td>2 </td> <td>.345 </td> <td>.397 </td> <td>.673 </td> <td>1.069 </td> </tr> </table> Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT Analyzing the Linebrink-Inman Trade http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewDailyReport.do?dailyReportId=487 The recent trade to Milwaukee of San Diego Padre relief pitcher Scott Linebrink for prospects Will Inman, Joe Thatcher and Steve Garrison was a shock or surprise to nearly all Brewer fans. While their initial reaction was almost always the same, what those same fans thought about the trade was not nearly so universal. While some fans applauded Doug Melvin for making a move that would make the team better for the stretch run, others disliked the trade because they felt Linebrink wasn't much of an improvement over those already pitching out of the pen. Given a few days to think about this trade, what one thinks about it seems to largely boils down to a few key points: - How good is Scott Linebrink? - How much can he help the Brewers over their last 60 games? - How good are the prospects Milwaukee traded to the Padres, in particular Will Inman? - Did the Brewers give up too much to get Linebrink? This article will offer some thoughts on those four questions. How good is Scott Linebrink? Probably the most important question in regard to this trade is the very first. The better Linebrink is, obviously, the better the trade for the Brewers. This may also be the hardest question to answer because it involves trying to project his performance over the next 60 games. Before we make any sort of attempt to project Linebrink, let's take a look at Linebrink's numbers starting in 2004 when he established himself as one of the better setup men in the game. <table cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" border="0"> <tr> <td> Year </td> <td align="right"> W </td> <td align="right"> L </td> <td align="right"> G </td> <td align="right"> GS </td> <td align="right"> CG </td> <td align="right"> SHO </td> <td align="right"> GF </td> <td align="right"> SV </td> <td align="right"> IP </td> <td align="right"> H </td> <td align="right"> R </td> <td align="right"> ER </td> <td align="right"> HR/9 </td> <td align="right"> BB/9 </td> <td align="right"> SO/9 </td> <td align="right"> ERA </td> <td align="right"> AVG </td> <td align="right"> WHIP </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> 2004 </td> <td align="right"> 7 </td> <td align="right"> 3 </td> <td align="right"> 73 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 7 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 84.0 </td> <td align="right"> 61 </td> <td align="right"> 22 </td> <td align="right"> 20 </td> <td align="right"> 0.86 </td> <td align="right"> 2.78 </td> <td align="right"> 8.99 </td> <td align="right"> 2.14 </td> <td align="right"> .209 </td> <td align="right"> 1.036 </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> 2005 </td> <td align="right"> 8 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 73 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 17 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 73.2 </td> <td align="right"> 55 </td> <td align="right"> 17 </td> <td align="right"> 15 </td> <td align="right"> 0.49 </td> <td align="right"> 2.81 </td> <td align="right"> 8.55 </td> <td align="right"> 1.83 </td> <td align="right"> .209 </td> <td align="right"> 1.059 </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> 2006 </td> <td align="right"> 7 </td> <td align="right"> 4 </td> <td align="right"> 73 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 11 </td> <td align="right"> 2 </td> <td align="right"> 75.2 </td> <td align="right"> 70 </td> <td align="right"> 31 </td> <td align="right"> 30 </td> <td align="right"> 1.07 </td> <td align="right"> 2.62 </td> <td align="right"> 8.00 </td> <td align="right"> 3.57 </td> <td align="right"> .243 </td> <td align="right"> 1.216 </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> 2007 </td> <td align="right"> 3 </td> <td align="right"> 3 </td> <td align="right"> 44 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 7 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 45.0 </td> <td align="right"> 41 </td> <td align="right"> 19 </td> <td align="right"> 19 </td> <td align="right"> 1.80 </td> <td align="right"> 2.80 </td> <td align="right"> 5.00 </td> <td align="right"> 3.80 </td> <td align="right"> .240 </td> <td align="right"> 1.222 </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">   </td> <td align="right"> 25 </td> <td align="right"> 11 </td> <td align="right"> 263 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 42 </td> <td align="right"> 4 </td> <td align="right"> 278.1 </td> <td align="right"> 227 </td> <td align="right"> 89 </td> <td align="right"> 84 </td> <td align="right"> 0.97 </td> <td align="right"> 2.75 </td> <td align="right"> 7.95 </td> <td align="right"> 2.72 </td> <td align="right"> .224 </td> <td align="right"> 1.121 </td> </tr> </table> Three things stick out to me when looking at the numbers. The first is that Linebrink was very good in both 2004 and in 2005; he didn't allow many hits, his home run rate was good, his walk rate was good and his strikeout rate was solid. The second is that Linebrink was less solid in 2006, but his peripherals were still pretty solid. He did allow more home runs and struck out fewer hitters while also allowing more hits. Those are solid numbers, but they aren't as good as they had been the previous two years. The third, and perhaps most important, is that Linebrink has been even less impressive this season, to the point where he has been pretty average. His home run rate is way up and his strike out rate is way down. When looking at his 2007 numbers, it should be pointed out that Linebrink's wife is due to delivery a baby. His number over his last three outings in San Diego covering 2 2/3 innings, Linebrink has allowed five hits, two home runs, seven earned runs while walking three and striking out two, for an ERA of 27.00. That said, those two poor outings don't explain why he is only striking out 5/9 innings or why his home run rate (excluding those two hit near the end of July) is 1.48/9 innings. Those numbers could well be the sign of a pitcher on the decline or a pitcher just having a rough year. After the trade was made and I saw those numbers, the first question that popped into my mind is the question we are trying to answer: How good is Linebrink, and how good is he going to be for the Brewers? Will his numbers trend upwards towards those he put up over the recent past, in which case he'd be a great addition to the bullpen? Or do his numbers suggest a bit of a downward turn, in which case he'll be "just another arm" in the pen? How will no longer pitching in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park affect his numbers, in particular his home run rate? How much of an affect with Mike Maddux, who worked with the right-hander in Houston, have on Linebrink? Obviously time will tell. I tend to believe, long-term, he's seen his best days and that over the course of a full season he isn't likely to revert back to his 2004 and 2005 form, especially away from PETCO. Short-term, it's harder to tell. I think it's entirely possible that he'll improve on his 2007 numbers over the course of the remainder of the season, especially if Maddux or bullpen coach Bill Castro can have an impact, but I think it's just as likely he won't, and what we have seen to date this year is what we'll see during his time in Milwaukee. While one never knows what to truly expect from a player over the course of 60 games, and the clich? "anything can happen" applies in this case, there seems to be a lot of uncertainty about the level of performance Linebrink will bring to Milwaukee. Trade for those types of players is definitely high-risk, high-reward. How much can he help the Brewers over their last 60 games? The addition of Linebrink should help this team. Unless he completely falls apart, he will at the very least be an extra option in the 7th, 8th or 9th innings, which is better than what we saw from Grant Balfour in his short stay in Milwaukee. The ability to rotate arms to keep them fresh or simply having another pitcher who can be counted on to perform well in a close game is important for a team looking to win a division title. With that said, just how much Linebrink helps will in large part depend on which Scott Linebrink shows up in Milwaukee- the dominant setup man from 2004-5, or the solid, yet recently demoted pitcher. Perhaps the easiest (and admittedly the most simplistic) way of trying to determine how much of an impact Linebrink might have is to compare his numbers to those players currently in the bullpen. Let's take a look at how Linebrink compares to the current Brewer bullpen in four key statistical categories: home run rate, walk rate, strike out rate, and WHIP. <table cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" border="0"> <tr> <td> PLAYER </td> <td align="right"> HR/9 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> PLAYER </td> <td align="right"> BB/9 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Shouse </td> <td align="right"> 0.00 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Wise </td> <td align="right"> 2.02 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Cordero </td> <td align="right"> 0.21 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Linebrink '06 </td> <td align="right"> 2.62 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Linebrink '05 </td> <td align="right"> 0.49 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Linebrink '04 </td> <td align="right"> 2.78 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Turnbow </td> <td align="right"> 0.79 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td align="right"> Linebrink '07 </td> <td align="right"> 2.80 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Wise </td> <td align="right"> 0.81 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Linebrink '05 </td> <td align="right"> 2.81 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Spurling </td> <td align="right"> 0.82 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Cordero </td> <td align="right"> 2.95 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Linebrink '04 </td> <td align="right"> 0.86 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Spurling </td> <td align="right"> 3.00 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Linebrink '06 </td> <td align="right"> 1.07 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Shouse </td> <td align="right"> 3.10 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Villaneuva </td> <td align="right"> 1.16 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Villaneuva </td> <td align="right"> 4.11 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Linebrink '07 </td> <td align="right"> 1.80 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Turnbow </td> <td align="right"> 4.33 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> </tr> <tr> <td> PLAYER </td> <td align="right"> SO/9 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> PLAYER </td> <td align="right"> WHIP </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Cordero </td> <td align="right"> 12.02 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Shouse </td> <td align="right"> 1.00 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Turnbow </td> <td align="right"> 11.23 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Linebrink '04 </td> <td align="right"> 1.04 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Linebrink '04 </td> <td align="right"> 8.89 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Linebrink '05 </td> <td align="right"> 1.06 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Villaneuva </td> <td align="right"> 8.61 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Wise </td> <td align="right"> 1.10 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Linebrink '05 </td> <td align="right"> 8.55 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Turnbow </td> <td align="right"> 1.16 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Linebrink '06 </td> <td align="right"> 8.00 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Cordero </td> <td align="right"> 1.17 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Wise </td> <td align="right"> 6.45 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Linebrink '06 </td> <td align="right"> 1.22 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Spurling </td> <td align="right"> 5.45 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Linebrink '07 </td> <td align="right"> 1.22 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Linebrink '07 </td> <td align="right"> 5.00 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Villanueva </td> <td align="right"> 1.26 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Shouse </td> <td align="right"> 4.66 </td> <td width="100px">   </td> <td> Spurling </td> <td align="right"> 1.52 </td> </tr> </table> If Linebrink 2007 is the version that we see in Milwaukee, it looks like he won't be a clear statistical upgrade over anyone in the pen outside Spurling. Since Linebrink's role with the team will be to pitch in the 7th or 8th inning,it looks like Linebrink is going to get some important innings down the stretch. If Linebrink continues to pitch as he has so far in 2007, his impact beyond being an extra arm in the pen could be minimal. If he reverts back to the form we have seen earlier in his career, however, he's a viable option to pitch anywhere from the 7th-to-9th inning and a big boost to the bullpen. Another possibility, of course, is that Linebrink continues to pitch as he has in 2007 to date and is still an upgrade due to poor pitching by Wise, Shouse, Villaneuva, Turnbow or Cordero. While that sort of an "upgrade" would be important, it doesn't really upgrade the Brewers so much as allow them to maintain the status-quo. Realistically, it appears the most likely impact that Linebrink will have is to be an additional, solid option to pitch in the 7th and 8th inning, tho he probably won't be dominate like he was in 2004 and 2005. While that additional depth should not be overlooked, especially if someone else falters, he doesn't really project to be superior to those pitchers who are already throwing those innings. And while that value shouldn't be overlooked, is it worth what was given up to acquire him? More on that later. How good are the prospects Milwaukee traded to the Padres, in particular Will Inman? It is always easy to overvalue prospects. For every Yovani Gallardo and Ryan Braun, there are a number of guys who don't make. Even pitchers with the stuff and makeup of Gallardo don't make it simply because they get hurt at some point during their career in the minors and aren't able to recover. With that in mind, trying to project Will Inman, Joe Thatcher and Steve Garrison is difficult to do with a high degree of certainty. Of the three, Thatcher is clearly closest to contributing for a major league club, as his promotion to San Diego after the trade shows. As a left-handed reliever, he definitely has value, but his ceiling is probably not much higher than a one-inning guy or lefty specialist. Steve Garrison is a nice prospect. He doesn't have overpowering stuff but he does throw four pitches and has had solid success at both single and high A. Garrison's ceiling probably tops out as a back end of the rotation or reliever. The wildcard is clearly Will Inman. Inman was poised to become Milwaukee's top minor league prospect with the graduation of Gallardo and Ryan Braun. The 6'0" Inman, Milwaukee's third round pick in the 2005 draft and the all-time high school strike out leader for Virginia, has been spectacular the past two seasons. In 2006 he dominated the South Atlantic League, going 10-2 with an ERA of 1.71 for class A West Virginia. In 23 games and 20 starts, the then 19-year old Inman allowed only 75 hits over 110.2 innings, walking 24 and striking out 134 on his way to being named a SAL Post-Season All-Star. Promoted to high A Brevard County for the 2006 season, Inman again dominated, going 4-3 with a 1.72 ERA in 13 starts. In 78.2 innings the Florida State League All-Star allowed only 56 hits while walking 23 and striking out 98. Inman encountered his first rough stretch after being promoted to AA Huntsville in early June. In 8 starts for the Stars, Inman was 1-5 with an ERA of 5.45. His secondary numbers were still solid, as he allowed 38 hits in 39.2 innings while walking 16 and striking out 42. Opinions vary on just how good Inman can be. On one side, scouts have expressed some concern about his size, or more accurately, his lack of size. They worry his fastball isn't dominant and his secondary pitches are not plus pitches. His lack of pure stuff and his dominant numbers don't match up, and as he moves up to higher levels he'll become less effective, as indicated by his struggles in AA. All of those things place his ceiling at a back-end of the rotation starter. On the other hand, baseball people rave about his poise and his ability to "pitch", which is as or more important than pure stuff. In spite not having a blazing fastball or a dominant secondary pitch he strikes out a ton of hitters and doesn't give up many home runs. He has dominated everywhere he has pitched at a young age, and while his overall numbers at AA Huntsville weren't great, his first several starts were made while battling mononucleosis. <table cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" border="0"> <tr> <td> DATE </td> <td> OPP </td> <td align="right"> W </td> <td align="right"> L </td> <td align="right"> ERA </td> <td align="right"> IP </td> <td align="right"> H </td> <td align="right"> ER </td> <td align="right"> BB </td> <td align="right"> SO </td> </tr> <tr> <td> JUNE 15 </td> <td> BIR </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 20.25 </td> <td align="right"> 2.2 </td> <td align="right"> 6 </td> <td align="right"> 6 </td> <td align="right"> 2 </td> <td align="right"> 2 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> JUNE 20 </td> <td> @ TEN </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 4.50 </td> <td align="right"> 6.0 </td> <td align="right"> 4 </td> <td align="right"> 3 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 6 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> JUNE 25 </td> <td> CHA </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 31.50 </td> <td align="right"> 2.0 </td> <td align="right"> 8 </td> <td align="right"> 7 </td> <td align="right"> 2 </td> <td align="right"> 4 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> JUNE 30 </td> <td> @ WTN </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 1.50 </td> <td align="right"> 6.0 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 4 </td> <td align="right"> 6 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> JULY 5 </td> <td> TEN </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 4.76 </td> <td align="right"> 5.2 </td> <td align="right"> 8 </td> <td align="right"> 3 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 7 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> JULY 11 </td> <td> @ CHA </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0.00 </td> <td align="right"> 4.0 </td> <td align="right"> 4 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 5 </td> <td align="right"> 5 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> JULY 17 </td> <td> TEN </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 3.00 </td> <td align="right"> 6.0 </td> <td align="right"> 4 </td> <td align="right"> 2 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 7 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> JULY 23 </td> <td> @ JAX </td> <td align="right"> 0 </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 2.45 </td> <td align="right"> 7.1 </td> <td align="right"> 3 </td> <td align="right"> 2 </td> <td align="right"> 2 </td> <td align="right"> 5 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td align="right"> 1 </td> <td align="right"> 5 </td> <td align="right"> 5.45 </td> <td align="right"> 39.2 </td> <td align="right"> 38 </td> <td align="right"> 24 </td> <td align="right"> 16 </td> <td align="right"> 42 </td> </tr> </table> In his last five starts for the Stars, Inman allowed only eight earned runs over 29 innings (2.48 ERA), walking 12 while striking out 30. His ability to strike out more than one per inning is a good sign, though admittedly over only 30 innings. That's pretty good for a pitcher that won't turn 21 until next February. So how good will Inman be? I think the answer is he has a chance to be good. He might not have the stuff that projects him to be a top-of-the-rotation guy like Gallardo, but his make up and ability to pitch will give him a good chance to be a middle- to back-of-the-rotation starter. When you combine the fact that he was already in the Brewers system with his ability be a be a contributor as a starter, that gives him a lot of value. Did the Brewers give up too much to get Linebrink? It is the answer to this question that probably ultimately will determine the answer to the question "Do you think this was a good deal for the Brewers?" Whether or not this trade helps the Brewers this year will be decided by Linebrink's performance on the field. If the Brewers end up making the playoffs and Linebrink plays a big role, that will definitely make this a solid trade from the Brewers point of view, regardless of what happens with the guys that Milwaukee traded to the Padres. The Brewers do have some reason to believe that if Linebrink doesn't help them make the playoffs this year, he might help them by becoming a Type A free agent. If that happens, the Brewers could get an additional first or second round pick (depending upon the signing team) and a sandwich pick (again, depending up who signs him, as high as between the first and second round). How much any future draft picks might help the team is highly speculative, but given the Brewers ability to draft and develop talent, having a few extra picks won't be a bad thing. However, when this trade was made, Melvin didn't have the benefit of a crystal ball. Any initial analysis of the trade needs to be made based upon our best projects about what is likely to happen as opposed to any best- or worst-case scenarios. Given that criteria, I am inclined to believe that Milwaukee probably did overpay a bit to acquire Linebrink. This opinion is based not so much on what the Brewers gave up, as you have to give talent to get talent, but rather based upon Linebrink's declining numbers over the past two seasons. Even when taking out his bad July, declining peripheral numbers offer enough doubt as to how well he will really perform down the stretch to make this trade far from a sure thing. In that regard, I would rather the Brewers have used Inman to bring someone of higher quality to Milwaukee. Maybe Inman could have been used to get Eric Gagne from the Rangers instead? Final Analysis I think it's clear that the Brewers upgraded their bullpen by adding Linebrink. His addition gives the Brewers more quality arms that will be available to pitch in high leverage situations than they had before his arrival. Nor am I too upset by the Brewers dealing Inman. The use of prospects as components to acquiring major league help is a legitimate way to add pieces to a solid major league team. And while Inman is very good, he could well fail to ever pitch a single inning in the majors. I am a bit concerned that Linebrink's declining K-rate and his increased home run rate will mean he isn't as effective in those situations as he has been in the past. Even though his recent past suggests he may rebound, he seems just as likely to not. And while Inman may only project to be a fourth or fifth starter, his performance to date and the fact that he hasn't failed at any level in which he has pitched a significant amount probably gives him more value than others with that same ceiling. In the final analysis, I think the Brewers overpaid to acquire a merely solid reliever. By the end of the season we should know just how accurate this initial assessment has been. Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT Brewers-Phils Series Preview http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewDailyReport.do?dailyReportId=495             Just 16 games remain in the 2008 season, and the Brewers and the Phillies are matching up in a huge four-game series in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Philadelphia</st1:place></st1:City> starting Thursday night. The Brewers currently lead the Phillies and the red-hot Houston Astros by 4 games in the Wild Card standings, while the St. Louis Cardinals sit 4.5 games back.             The two teams split a closely contested 2-game series in April at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Miller</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, and both teams are struggling heading into the series. The Brewers are coming off a terrible 3-7 homestand, while <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Philadelphia</st1:place></st1:City> just dropped 2/3 to the Marlins at home.             Some disturbing numbers are coming from the Brewers two top run producers, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun. Over his last 24 games, Prince is hitting .178. That number is perhaps the most flattering. In that time, he has a total of 9 hits...only 1 of them for extra bases, and that was a double! Amazing. His OPS over that time is an Enrique Cruz-esqe .478. Compare that with light-hitting and pretty awful by now Craig Counsell. Over the course of his last 24 games, Counsell carries an OPS of still terrible but over 100 points better .605..with two more XBH's.             Meanwhile, Braun has no extra base hits in his last 9 games, or a home run in 12. He's hitting .188 over that relatively short amount of time. Prince's numbers are certainly much more damning, but Braun is either in the worst slump of his career, or hurting badly. For the sake of the Brewers, I'll hope it's just a bad slump. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p> Game One: Ben Sheets (13-7, 2.82 ERA) v. Jamie Moyer (13-7, 3.64 ERA)<o:p></o:p>             The series opener pits the Brewers Ace1A, versus Jamie Moyer, who made his major league debut in 1986. His mound counterpart that day? Hall of Famer Steve Carlton, who took the loss for the Phillies in a 7-5 Cubs win.             Sheets has been outstanding in his last 3 starts. After shutting out the Cardinals in 6 innings, he was on the plus side of a 2-0 battle with Johan Santana and the Mets before he was pulled with a tight groin.             He put Brewers fans? worst nightmares to rest when he then put up an outstanding performance on Saturday against <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Diego</st1:place></st1:City>, throwing his 5th complete game of the season, and 3rd shutout, beating fellow ace Jake Peavy in a 1-0 virtuoso performance. The game, which ended with a Will Venable 3-2 groundout to 2nd with the tying run on 3rd, saw Sheets throw 120 pitches, the 3rd time this season he?s reached into the 120?s for a pitch count.             The other two outings were followed by outings on regular (4 days) rest, and one on 5 days. The results were encouraging, as he allowed three runs over 12 innings. Sheets has been very consistent this year, allowing more than four runs just four times in 28 starts. The Crew has been good in his starts, going 17-11, and have given him decent run support, though the total of 4.5 is skewed by 4 games of 9 or more. The Brewers have given him two runs or less in 8 outings.             Although Sheets hasn?t faced the Phils this year, he did pitch a really solid game at First Citizens last season, going 7.2 innings and allowing just two runs in a taut 3-2 Brewers victory.             Meanwhile Moyer, who will pitch on 3 days rest after shutting down the Mets Sunday, is aging like a fine wine, holding lefties to a .228 average while allowing 7 home runs. His numbers against righties aren?t awful, either, as they have a .749 OPS against the veteran, including 11 home runs. He has been better on the road than at home, not surprising considering First Citizens Park is a hitters park (105 on the park factor: anything over 100 is a hitters advantage; for the sake of comparison, Miller Park is a 102).                He faced the Brewers back in April, and despite allowing 11 baserunners over the course of 6 innings, allowed just one role in a solid pitchers duel with Jeff Suppan. The Phillies would go on to win 3-1 when David Riske allowed two 8th inning runs. Last season, the Brewers roughed Moyer up, as JJ Hardy hit a three-run home run in a game where the Brewers allowed six 8th inning runs (remember that one, kids?) to lose 8-6. <o:p> </o:p> Game Two: Manny Parra (10-7, 4.03 ERA) v. Cole Hamels (12-9, 3.12 ERA)<o:p></o:p>             Although Parra?s overall numbers look OK, his pitching of late hasn?t exactly inspired a lot of confidence as the Brewers head down the stretch. In his last outing, he allowed just one earned run, but 6 overall as a disastrous 3rd inning and an unhittable Chris Young performance doomed the Brewers to a 10-1 loss. He didn?t pitch against the Phillies in the brief two-game series back at Miller Park, and indeed pitched only once against them last year. That was another terrible memory for Brewers fans, as he took the loss, giving up two runs in the 11th inning of an 8-6 setback. In that game, the Phillies scored five runs in the 9th inning to tie the game at 6.             Hamels, meanwhile, has already thrown 208 innings, the most in the National League. He started in what was one of the best games of the ?08 season back in April. After allowing three 1st inning runs, including a Prince Fielder 2-run home run, Hamels completely dominated <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Milwaukee</st1:place></st1:City>, striking out 11 while the offense came back on Dave Bush. Leading 4-3 heading into the 8th, Hamels gave up a leadoff double to Ryan Braun, and Fielder came up huge, hitting a two-run home run to right field to give the Brewers the lead, and, when Derrick Turnbow got the nail-biting save, the victory.             Last season, Hamels allowed just two runs in 8 innings against <st1:City w:st="on">Milwaukee</st1:City> at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">First</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Citizens</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, striking out 11 in the process. He then was again involved in a memorable game, as he allowed four runs over seven innings at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Miller</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, exiting with a 5-4 lead. However, Fielder struck again, hitting a two-run monster blast off of Tom Gordon to give the Crew the lead. When Corey Hart robbed Tadahito Iguchi of a home run with one out in the 9th, the Brewers hung on for the win.    <o:p> </o:p> Game Three: Dave Bush (9-10, 4.23 ERA) v. Joe Blanton (7-12, 4.86 ERA)<