Posted by Steve
Time for another cornucopia of thoughts! Before we get started, I’d like to wish everyone a happy belated brewerfan.net-proclaimed Andre Ethier day. It’s the first annual.
- Dan hasn’t posted in quite some time. I encourage all readers to send him heinous emails that also encourage more posting.
- I’m feeling good about the Crew right now. I’m feeling loose. I’m pretty sure they’re going to win the division still. The bullpen’s still an adventure, but the starting pitching has turned around. Ben Sheets is back, and more importantly, effective. The offense is suddenly on fire. Bill Hall’s actually swinging the bat pretty well lately and he still can’t crack the starting lineup. Unfortunately the Brewers cannot play the Astros every game, but they do play some unimpressive teams the rest of the way.
- Even though I have a positive outlook, this is uncharted territory for me as a Brewer fan. I am not used to watching games that matter in September, and I don’t know if I’m adjusting well. I get really into the games, I get more animated than usual when Yost makes a questionable move, I get more excited at home runs, etc. I’m constantly checking Cubs and Cardinals scores, and my general mood for the couple hours following the game is dependent upon the outcome.
- I really think I am going to like Matt LaPorta. Patrick Ebert of Brewerfan has a great interview with LaPorta that you can find here. My favorite excerpt:
PE: There are quite a few readers at Brewerfan.net that are big proponents of the modern slugger, the kind that not only hits for average and power, but also one that has a very selective eye at the plate by drawing a bunch of walks. Can you share you overall approach to hitting, what you’re looking for and what you’re trying to do from at-bat to at-bat?ML: I really just try to get up there and relax. It’s really as simple as “see the ball, hit the ball,” knowing what you want to hit, and then hitting it. If you get something that you don’t like, you don’t need to swing at every single pitch. That’s something I’ve learned over the past few years. Just because you have two strikes on you doesn’t mean you still can’t make great contact and be a great hitter in those situations.
PE: So do you employ a different approach with two strikes?
ML: No, I really just stick with the same approach. It doesn’t matter what the count is.
- Even if the Brewers manage to make the playoffs, I don’t know if Ned Yost should keep his job. He has made simply dumbfounding moves lately. I don’t hide the fact that I hate the sac bunt, but that’s at least excusable because many managers use it. But Ned has made some moves that no other manager would make (i.e. using Mench over Jenkins against the righty and using Aquino with the game on the line with two outs in the eighth). I’m almost scared to have Ray King on the roster. King is great against lefties and terrible against righties. There should be no reason he should ever face a righty with less than a four run lead. That should be obvious, yet I’m worried about it because of Yost’s managing lately. I could see Doug Melvin changing managers even with a playoff appearance, a la Billy Beane to Ken Macha.
- Dan’s birthday is tomorrow, so try not to make those emails too heinous.
