Posted by Steve
We’re just a few minutes away from the Brewers’ first Sunday Night ESPN game in as long as I can remember. Beautiful HD, national attention and best of all… Joe Morgan!
It’s too early to call anything a must-win, but it’s crucial that the Crew plays well today. I say this because in two months when someone asks Joe what he thinks of the Brewers in one of his chats, he will base his entire opinion of the team on this game.
In all honesty, I cannot wait to hear how little Joe Morgan knows about the Brewers. Almost my entire reason for blogging this game is to note all the awesomely insane things he says. I also reserve the right to turn this in early if/when Suppan gets shelled and embarrasses the city of Milwaukee on national television. It’s been a great series so far, an I’ve been stunned by the patience of the Brewer offense. Let’s keep it going against Dempster.
- I’m not complaining, because I know the Brewers haven’t been featured in this game in forever, but I’m a little annoyed that it’s a home game against the Cubs. Everyone will get to hear cheers for the Cubs, and that kind of bugs me.
- Hey, there ya go Soup! First pitch of the game! Shades of Jimmy Rollins in the playoff game. Man, was that pitch grooved. Awful.
- I like that ESPN now shows OPS for every player. Step one of the plan to enlighten the masses is complete.
- Soup follows the homer with a walk to Fukudome, and later Hardy juggles the transfer on what would have been an easy double play. Why do I feel like this will come back to bite them?
- Well sweet, it didn’t except for some extra pitches.
- Duffy in center for Cameron tonight. Alright, fair enough. Counsell in at third… Less crazy about that one.
- Steve Phillips talking about Braun needing more plate discipline, which is nice to hear. Then Joe basically says, “What more do you want? He led the Brewers in homers and RBIs?”
- LOL. A Cubs fan fell through the gate in the front row leading for a foul ball. Ah, baseball.
- Brewers in business early here. Weeks led off with a single, Counsell drew a walk and with one out Fielder was intentionally walked. Please no DP JJ.
- Sac fly to center and we’re tied.
- Corey Hart had 27 walks all of last season, yet has four already this season. I’m trying not to get too excited about that too early.
- Inning over. Tied but runners stranded on second and third.
- Hey, a quick 1-2-3 for Soup.
- And a 1-2-3 for Dempster.
- The first real Joe Moment of the evening. Saying that Soriano is more comfortable leading off, so therefore that’s where he should hit. ”A lot of times he’s driving in himself of course, but who cares? He hit a home run in the first inning, that’s one run on the board. That’s as good as… er better than a single with a runner at second base… Cause the runner doesn’t always score.” Steve Phillips then sensibly says he should be hitting further down in the order, and Joe then says he’d be pitched to differently. ”He’s not a third place hitter. He doesn’t have the right mindset.” Man, he’s making Steve Phillips sound smart.
- Suppan has held the Cubs through three other than the Soriano home run. Good deal.
- It took Dempster eight pitches to Counsell to finally throw him a strike, and then he walked him again on the ninth. Bizarre.
- Kind of a goofy play. Fielder hits a grounder to the shift, and Fontenot fielded it well into right field. Fielder caught Fotenot a bit off guard and beat the throw. Sweet wheels. Dempster now at 59 pitches and we’re in the third. Like I said, I’m loving the patience.
- Crap, a great diving play by Fontenot robs Hardy of an RBI. Still tied at 1 after 3.
- So I just realized there are like 5 comments already. What’s up guys? Isn’t this an awkward way to communicate?
- Suppan in trouble here. Hit Bradley with a pitch, walked Fontenot and gave up a single to Theriot. Bases loaded with one out. Milton Bradley was just taken out of the game; looked like he pulled a hamstring.
- Good idea. Let’s fall behind Koyie Hill 2-0 with nowhere to put him. Ugh.
- Better yet, a four pitch walk to Hill. What’s next, intentional walk to Dempster?
- Dempster grounded into a force at home. Please don’t groove another one to Soriano…
- The impenetrable force meets the immovable object. Suppan throws a 3-1 pitch in the dirt, but Soriano refuses to take the walk, swinging at it.
- Never fear, Suppan nearly hit him this time, so he walked in another run. I hate watching this man pitch.
- OMG. He just walked in his third run of the inning. Jeff Suppan ladies and gentlemen!
- Jorge Julio in. I almost hope he surrenders a grand slam just so Suppan gets charged with as many runs as possible. He certainly deserves it.
- Hey, 3-0! Cue the circus music! Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo! BALL FOUR!
- I have an honest question here. What is the major league record for most runs walked in in one inning? Have we just witnessed history? I’m just laughing at this point.
- For the love of God, it’s over. Side finally retired.
- Hey, maybe this will stay interesting for a while yet? Hart crushes a home run deep to right center.
- I have to say, maybe it’s the Joe exposure, but I’ve been somewhat impressed by Steve Phillips’ knowledge of the Brewers so far.
- Nugget number two from Joe: “My philosophy is the worst hitter should be the seventh hitter, not the eighth hitter because you want someone to get on base for the pitcher.” Whaa?
- Jon Miller awesomely points out that the Cubs have five runs on two hits.
- This just in: Jorge Julio’s as bad as we thought. Two walks and a double in 2/3 of an inning so far.
- Inning over. 6-2 Cubs… Depressing.
- Bizarre sequence from Joe comparing turning double plays to dancing. I don’t even know how else to explain it.
- Hey, back to back sharp singles from Weeks and Counsell. Seems like a good time for Braun to hit a ball hard for the first time this year. Is it crazy for me to at least wonder whether his side injury is affecting him more than he’s let on?
- Hey, Braun HBP loads the bases for Fielder with nobody out! Let’s make this interesting…
- AAH! CRAP! Reed Johnson just robbed Prince of a grand slam! What a play… How lame.
- Well that was sure disappointing, but they did get two runs back. They’re right in the game, 6-4 Cubs at the end of five.
- Counsell is still solid defensively, but his arm is quite weak. A ball down the line and he just couldn’t get it to first on the fly. That’s a play Hall makes easily.
- Hmm… Julio just plunked Johnson square in the back. If that was intentional, that’s pretty bush league. It wouldn’t make sense to do that anyway, so… I don’t know?
- Ha! Joe just made his only conversation with Jackie Robinson seem like some monumental moment. The dialogue? ”Thank you.” ”You’re welcome.” I know what he meant, but that’s funny anyway.
- Two out single for the former Cub Casey McGehee. How about a two-out rally? Best parties start after two.
- It’s as if the Brewers have said, “Hey, we haven’t walked enough guys today. Let’s put Seth McClung in!”
- Man alive, I just refreshed the page. This post is absurdly long. There’s no way anybody reads this far into this. I could just type anything in here because I know it won’t be read. In the eighth inning, I’ll post my social security number.
- Nice inning from McClung… Good to know the good Seth is still in there sometimes.
- Alright, seriously, between the length of this post and the amount of comments, this is officially the stupidest/coolest post in BBKTUTH history. If someone tries to read the post and comments later, it will be impossible to do so in chronological order. I’ve been jumping from post to comment back to post. There’s no rhyme or reason for it, but I can’t stop! The other posts will soon be sucked into this one as though it were a black hole.
- So the Cubs bring in lefty Sean Marshall with Counsell up, and Macha leaves Bill Hall on the bench. Even Joe Morgan questioned the move…
- And the Mighty Sean Marshall works through the Brewers 1-2-3, and suddenly we’re running out of outs. 6-4 moving to the eighth.
- McClung walks Joey Gathright on four pitches. That’s a guy you want to pitch around. Cause he’ll really do some damage with the bat. And it’s not like he’s fast so you don’t mind putting him on base. Yep.
- And replay shows Joey Gathright’s stolen base should have actually been an out. Weeks tagged him before his foot was down. Brewers have been getting screwed on some calls on the bases this series. Better yet, the announcers barely mention that he “might have been out.” The replay was even shown repeatedly, as if the producer was trying to say, “Hey guys look! He was out!” and they didn’t take the hint.
- Nice play by Counsell gets an out, but now a hit moves Gathright to third with one out. Leadoff walks make my head hurt.
- Now the sac fly brings Gathright in. Combo of the walk and the blown call costs the Brewers a huge run.
- Inning over, but that one hurt. The Crew needs to get at least a run in the eighth.
- Marmol pitching AGAIN. I can’t believe how much they’re using him already.
- And he’s good enough that he doesn’t need an extra three inches off the outside corner. Annoying. Marmol gets those calls all the time.
- I have to say, I’m a bit disappointed with the broadcast tonight. I was hoping for more craziness from Joe, but the addition of Steve Phillips cuts down severely on Joe’s talk time. It’s almost as if this was done by design…
- Hey, the guys at brewerfan made an observation that I’m sure will make you all feel better. Reed Johnson was a sub for the injured Milton Bradley. Therefore, if Bradley wouldn’t have gotten injured, Prince would have had a grand slam because there’s no way Bradley is able to catch that. Great.
- Braun tentatively plays a ball in the corner and takes forever to reach it, which allows Theriot to score from first on a ball to left field. Braun has been pretty shaky defensively so far this season if you ask me. 8-4 heading to the ninth. Are we having fun yet?
- Alright, I have to post this because I love it that much. From GormanHarvey at brewerfan: Can you imagine how drunk you could get if you played a drinking game along with sunday night baseball where you take a drink everytime Joe Morgan starts a sentence with “I…
- Hey, I thought we actually might make it through the game without anyone calling Prince Cecil, but with two outs in the ninth Jon Miller comes through.
- Whoa, huge homer from Rickie. Have I mentioned I think he’ll have a big year?
- Ok… Now Counsell doubled, and Braun walked all after two outs. Suddenly the tying run has come to the plate with two outs. I have to say, this post would become absolutely epic if the Brewers somehow won this game.
- Well, darn. They made it interesting at least. Fielder swung right through a fastball and struck out. Man do I hate losing to the Cubs.
- Good show everyone. If you somehow took the time to read all the way through, well… I’m sorry. Goodnight.
