Posted by Steve
I haven’t posted in a few days, mainly because there wasn’t really much to say. Not really any decisions to scrutinize or anything like that in the Cubs series. They just got destroyed. I almost blame myself, since before the series I said the only way one team would make a big gain on the other is if one sweeps. What a disaster.
The last two games have lessened the blow a bit. Two wins over the lowly Braves have allowed the Crew to gain a game back on the Cubs and Cardinals.
Going for the sweep today. A couple of minor demons to exorcise today. One is Jorge Campillo, who has hog-tied the Brewers with his sweet screwball in two starts this season. It would be nice to knock him around. The second is Ben Sheets. He has not been sharp at all lately, and I keep waiting for a great start from Sheets. Ironically, his last one came in Atlanta. Sheets’ biggest issue has been his inability to throw efficient innings. He’s throwing the same amount of pitches as earlier in the season, but is only getting through five or six innings for the most part.
- Bit of a throwaway lineup again on getaway day. Counsell, Durham and Kapler all playing. I don’t mind Hardy sitting. He’s in another cold streak, having reached base once in his last 21 plate appearances. Quite the streaky hitter, that J.J. Hardy.
- Brewers go pretty quietly in the first. Stranded Counsell on second. The highlight of the inning was Braun swinging at the first pitch he saw, a low screwball, and weakly grounding out to short. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
- Right on cue, Gregor Freakin’ Blanco works like an eight pitch walk to start the game. So much for that efficiency, at least early on.
- After a sac bunt from Yunel Escobar (thanks for the free out Bobby!), Kotsay works another long at-bat and lines an RBI double to left center. It’s like I’m reading a mystery novel: The Hardy Boys and the Case of the Disappearing Out Pitch.
- After another out, Sheets hangs another curveball that the ever-dangerous Omar Infante pulled down the line for an RBI double. 2-0 Braves.
- Hooray for a 36-pitch inning! Sheets looks terrible. This is very concerning to me.
- Corey Hart with a lead-off single, and steals second and third around a Russell Branyan flyout. Runner on third, one out for Gabe Kapler.
- Kapler with an awful at bat. He missed a two-strike curveball by about a foot. I really can see Campillo pwning the Brewers once again. The free-swinging team simply doesn’t match up well with good junkballers.
- It’s up to Kendall. I have to say, I’m missing his beard. It made him seem more grizzled, gritty, scrappy and battle-y.
- His approach didn’t change much. A nice, scrappy roll-out to third. Kendall with a cool .493 OPS in the last 28 days, yet Rivera can’t get a start to save his life.
- Bill talking about Sheets: “Alls he has to do is be Ben Sheets.” He sure talks good, duh-knee pardner?
- Now two walks to Gregor Blanco. Awful.
- Got out of the inning, but he’s at 56 pitches. This looks like another six-inning outing at best.
- A 1-2-3 inning for Campillo. If he beats them again, Jorge Campillo is officially a Brewer killer.
- Lead-off walk to Mark Kotsay, Ben’s third of the game.
- Got out of it quickly with a flyout and a double play ball. Hopefully he can settle down. 2-0 Braves after three innings.
- Just flipped over to the Cubs game in time to see Soriano TERRIBLY misplay a ball and give Pittsburgh a run. It was hilarious, yet it doesn’t even give back one-one hundredth of the damage he did in the Brewers series.
- FSN reminds us that Campillo has allowed eight baserunners against the Brewers in 12 innings. God.
- Prince remains the only Brewers’ threat as of late, ripping a one-out double to right. Let’s see if they actually can drive him in… Novel idea.
- Nah, probably not. Hart somehow dribbles out to the mound on a 2-0 pitch. Up to Branyan.
- Whiff! CAMPILLOPWN.
- Now a leadoff double for Kelly Johnson. This is one of those games that feels like your team has no chance, despite the score being close.
- Wow, Johnson gunned down stealing third with nobody out. Very dumb play; I’ll take it though.
- The next two were quickly retired, and suddenly Sheets has been able to settle down a bit. Let’s see if Kapler, Kendall and Sheets can… Oh, who am I kidding. Hopefully they’ll get to him the third time through the order.
- Kapler just struck out on a ball at his head. It was literally even with his face. What a joke. How Doug Melvin can announce they’re “going for it,” then trot out Gabe Kapler as his fourth outfielder is pretty pathetic. They need a lefty-hitting outfielder badly. Kapler’s first month is being exposed as smoke and mirrors, and he needs to be replaced.
- Five shutout for Campillo. I hate facing this guy.
- Branyan’s error allows Jorge Campillo to reach base to start the inning. If Atlanta gets a three run lead it will seem like eight runs.
- Blanco doubles to right, but only after failing to get a sac bunt down. Two biggest reasons the Brewers are losing: Jorge Campillo and Gregor Blanco.
- Escobar RBI groundout. 3-0…
- WOW!!! Play of the year from Prince Fielder! Leaps and snags a Mark Kotsay liner, and doubles Blanco off of second. Inning over. Hopefully the top of the order can get something going. Campillo’s third time through the lineup now… It’s now or never.
- Counsell with the best at bat of the day. Worked the count full and singled to right. Unfortunately that was with one out, and Braun flew out to right. Two outs and one on for Fielder. Asking for his sixth homer in five games is probably too much, right?
- Yep. Unbelievable. Six more shutout innings, and he’s only at 83 pitches. He should have at least two more in him.
- Meanwhile, Ben Sheets has almost exclusively thrown from the stretch today. Casey Kotchman singled to give the Braves their fifth leadoff baserunner in six innings. This one not going well.
- Sheets works out of it and gets through six innings. This is pretty much what I was referring to. Three runs over six innings isn’t bad, but it’s not Sheets even close to his best. He threw 97 pitches through six, and he routinely does that over seven or eight innings.
- I can’t wait to see what Kapler does this time. How can he top the first two. Strike out on a ball that hits the backstop? Jump and strike out in mid air? Stay tuned; he’s up third this inning.
- Hart grounds out, and Branyan singles nicely to center. Here’s ol’ Gabe.
- Hey, whatever works. Kapler with a nice bunt, and Campillo throws it away. Second and third with one out, but unfortunately Jason Kendall coming up.
- Seemingly the only thing Jason Kendall gets praised for offensively is his ability not to strike out. Naturally, he struck out stranding the runners.
- Can really see these two strikeouts coming a mile away. Kendall one, Weeks about to be two I’m guessing. Prove me wrong Rick.
- Struck out looking on a pitch that looked inside. Awesome. Kendall really screwed the pooch that inning.
- Speaking of polish wearing off, McClung has rediscovered his ability to walk the ballpark. Two walks with one out, and then Yunel Escobar singles to drive in the fourth run. Guys on first and third, and suddenly this has a chance to turn into a blowout.
- Brewers bailed out once again by a double play ball. 4-0 Braves. Campillo’s out of the game, so I guess they still have a shot.
- Hellboy Jeff Bennett coming in, and he walked Ray Durham on four pitches. Let’s get something going.
- Bad break. Counsell lines to right, and Francoeuer traps it. Durham had to hold and was easily thrown out at second.
- Braun looks at strike three on the outside corner and yet another promising inning is about to collapse.
- Will Ohman comes in and retires Prince Fielder on a pop-out on the first pitch. What a pleasant game this has been.
- Three walks and a HBP in 1+ innings for Seth McClung. And the Brewers also didn’t acquire a reliever at the deadline. I’m pretty baffled by their contentment with the bullpen.
- McClung knocked from the game. 5-0 Atlanta, and they’re still threatening. Oh well, at least they won another road series.
- Mike Gonzalez is doing some goofy ass sway on the mound for like four seconds before delivering a pitch. Very strange, and probably annoying as a hitter.
- Kendall lobs out to center field to end the game. Thankfully, that’s the last time the Brewers will face Campillo this year.
