Snoopy1 0 Posted February 27, 2007 This is our year, baby!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SmartassBoiler 0 Posted February 27, 2007 You sound like a Cubs fan, only to be all about a month into the season when reality sets in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mungwater 588 Posted February 27, 2007 The Brewers are solid this season, and the NL Central has question marks all over it. Some say it is the worst division in baseball, but they do seem to have some success in the post season. The Cubs look solid, if their pitching holds up. The Astros look solid too, solidly locked into fourth place with that crappy rotation The Cards don't have much besides Carpenter, pitching-wise, but the do have Pujols All in all, I say they have as good as a shot as anyone. Although, I must admit, I've been a Cubs fan my whole life, so I'm always optimistic this time of year, only to have my heart crushed come may.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeremy 0 Posted February 27, 2007 This is our year, baby!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SmartassBoiler 0 Posted February 27, 2007 The Cubs look solid, if their pitching holds up. 1) Zambrano is a stud. 2) Rich Hill could be a stud in the making. Huge AAA numbers, and found his groove at the end of last year. 3) Lilly's shoulder is a concern, but his numbers should be helped moving to the NL. 4) Marquis was horrible in STL last year, I have no idea why they wasted Zambrano money signing this idiot. 5) Prior? Who knows what's up with him. Bullpen has quality arms. Wood should be great before his next injury. Dempster lost weight, and his added conditioning could make him a solid closer again. Howry and Eyre are good 7th and 8th inning guys, and Howry could close if needed. The offense should be among the better units in the NL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mungwater 588 Posted February 27, 2007 1) Zambrano is a stud. 2) Rich Hill could be a stud in the making. Huge AAA numbers, and found his groove at the end of last year. 3) Lilly's shoulder is a concern, but his numbers should be helped moving to the NL. 4) Marquis was horrible in STL last year, I have no idea why they wasted Zambrano money signing this idiot. 5) Prior? Who knows what's up with him. Bullpen has quality arms. Wood should be great before his next injury. Dempster lost weight, and his added conditioning could make him a solid closer again. Howry and Eyre are good 7th and 8th inning guys, and Howry could close if needed. The offense should be among the better units in the NL. I still don't know why they signed Marquis.. I'm curious to see how Prior holds up next monday. I'm grateful that Dusty isn't there to destroy his arm, but if he can still pitch, he is a solid SP. He still has ace stuff (that is if he can keep his arm attached to his body) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SmartassBoiler 0 Posted February 27, 2007 I'm curious to see how Prior holds up next monday. I'm grateful that Dusty isn't there to destroy his arm, but if he can still pitch, he is a solid SP. He still has ace stuff (that is if he can keep his arm attached to his body) Yeah me too. I'm curious to see what his stuff is like now. I'm much more of a White Sox fan, but I don't mind the Cubbies. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mungwater 588 Posted February 27, 2007 Yeah me too. I'm curious to see what his stuff is like now. I'm much more of a White Sox fan, but I don't mind the Cubbies. I'm a huge Cubs fan, I don't mind the White Sox, and when the astros were in the World Series, I just said "I think Ozzie is going to school phil garner.." Everyone here in town was amazed that I, as a Cubs fan, would say that. The media makes it out as if every Cubs fan and Sox fan just want to kill each other. I thought the sox were going to repeat last year, but they had a tough division. Three teams with 90 wins? Thats insane. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeremy 0 Posted February 27, 2007 Ahem. I believe this thread is about the BREWERS! Sheesh. It's like I'm at a family gathering. Everyone is from Wisconsin born and raised, but everyone is talking about the Scrubbies. Traitors. Anyway, I'm cautiously optimistic about the Brewers this year. The talent is there in a weak division. As usual, health will be the key, but that's been the Brewers downfall nearly every year. Then of course our young players are going to have to step up. The rotation looks decent, with a chance to be exceptional. As is the case with any small market club, almost everyone is going to have to play at their highest level for them to be successful. A down year by a couple key parts and we can forget about it (see Turnbow, 2006). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
donhaas 18 Posted February 27, 2007 Well, Bambi came from Baltimore The pitchers gave a might roar 22 for Mike in '78 Darrell Porter what a pity; he left for Kansas City but Charlie was taking care of business at the plate Talkin' baseball.... Molitor and Yount Thomas hits 'em out Gentle Ben and Bando come to play Larry Hisle.... will he have another day? Talkin' baseball.... Brewers all the way... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SmartassBoiler 0 Posted February 28, 2007 If Ben Sheets is healthy this year, he'll be the Santana of the NL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMoney 0 Posted February 28, 2007 Well, Bambi came from Baltimore The pitchers gave a might roar 22 for Mike in '78 Darrell Porter what a pity; he left for Kansas City but Charlie was taking care of business at the plate Talkin' baseball.... Molitor and Yount Thomas hits 'em out Gentle Ben and Bando come to play Larry Hisle.... will he have another day? Talkin' baseball.... Brewers all the way... COME SEE WHATS BREWWWWWWWIN COME SEE WHAT THE GOOD TIMES ARE COME SEE WHAT THE BREWERS ARE DOOOIN... COME AND CHEER A SUPERSTAR.. BE A BELIEVER IN BREWER FEVER.. ITS FUN TO JOIN IN THE CHEEEERIN.. STOMP YOUR FEET...CLAP YOUR HANDS.. YOURE PART OF THE TEAM SITTING IN THE STANDS... COME SEE WHATS BREWWWWWIN.. THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS.... YOULL BE A BELIEVER IN BREWER FEVER WHEN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT OF THE BIG HOME RUN... I FORGET THE REST AND THE ORDER.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy1 0 Posted February 28, 2007 The old county stadium is where I bought my first under-age beer.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hoffdaddy 1 Posted February 28, 2007 I like the Brewers a lot. I'm getting into baseball mode now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMoney 0 Posted February 28, 2007 The old county stadium is where I bought my first under-age beer.... i LOVE miller park...but when they show the brewers old time games, i admit..i still miss county stadium.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy1 0 Posted February 28, 2007 i LOVE miller park...but when they show the brewers old time games, i admit..i still miss county stadium.. Haven't made it to Miller yet. It was supposed to be completed before I moved, but the accident screwed all that up... Think I'll round up the old gang and make a trip back home this year and check it out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
donhaas 18 Posted February 28, 2007 I like the Brewers a lot. I'm getting into baseball mode now. Who are you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy1 0 Posted February 28, 2007 SI's take on the Crew! Though the Brewers ranked near the bottom of the NL in pitching, hitting and defense in 2006, that was more a function of injuries to three starting infielders and two starting pitchers than a lack of talent. With a solid starting rotation and bullpen and dynamic offensive threats in Bill Hall, Prince Fielder, and Rickie Weeks, this is a team that, despite a modest payroll, can compete with anybody in the Central Division. Rotation Optimists point to the Brewers' starting rotation and note that Ben Sheets has the stuff to become one of the game's elite, Chris Capuano is an All-Star-caliber lefty, Dave Bush and Claudio Vargas each won 12 games last year, and Jeff Suppan was the MVP of the NLCS. Pessimists say that Sheets is coming off an injury-plagued season and has never won more than 12 games, Capuano won only one game after the break last year, Bush and Vargas are hardly proven winners and Suppan has a career record only five games above .500. Still, even the highest-spending teams have question marks in the starting rotation, and the Brewers seemingly have assembled a more than adequate staff. Suppan's 44 wins during the past three seasons tie for ninth in all of baseball, while Sheets, though he's never finished a season more than one win over .500, owns a solid career ERA of 3.83. Bullpen Francisco Cordero, who was nearly perfect after being acquired in the Carlos Lee trade with Texas, enters the season as the closer, but he pitched his way out of that role as a Ranger. Derrick Turnbow, meanwhile, pitched well enough in the first half to earn a spot on the All-Star team but suffered one of the monumental meltdowns in recent baseball history, blowing eight saves in '06 and compiling a 13.06 ERA in his final 27 appearances. Greg Aquino is another setup man with big league closer experience, having served as Arizona's top fireman in late 2004. Jose Capellan emerged as a fairly reliable option last year, leading the club with 61 appearances, but he gave up too many costly hits and homers (11 in 71.2 IP). Brian Shouse is the top lefty -- he was outstanding in his first 52 appearances (2.12 ERA) before tiring late in the season (18.84 ERA in final 12 games). Middle Infield Relying on two young and unproven middle infielders, both coming off significant injuries, sounds like a recipe for disaster, but the potential reward is more than worth the risk for Milwaukee. In Weeks, the Brewers believe they have one of the game's most exciting second basemen. Though widely criticized for his defensive deficiencies, Weeks made major strides in the field before suffering a season-ending wrist injury. Weeks' quick and powerful bat and his speed on the bases could make him the sort of offensive catalyst unseen in Milwaukee since the days of Molitor and Yount. J.J. Hardy, meanwhile, has impressed Brewer brass with his steady play in the field, though his offensive production has been inconsistent. By moving Hall to the outfield, the Brewers have placed extreme confidence in Hardy's abilities. Corners At times, Fielder was the only productive bat in the Brewer lineup last year, and that may have been an unfair load to bear for a rookie. Fielder set a franchise rookie record with 28 homers and led the team with 81 RBIs, but his production cooled down the stretch; he hit .230 with eight homers in the final two months. Still, in a league full of talented rookies, Fielder ranked near the top of the class and figures to be a mainstay in the heart of the Milwaukee lineup as long as the team can afford his paycheck. Another infielder returning from injury is third baseman Corey Koskie, who missed the final three months with post-traumatic concussion syndrome. Koskie lends a veteran presence to the young infield, and his left-handed power stroke is much needed. Outfield Any club coming off a fourth-place, sub-.500 season has weaknesses, and the Brewers' biggest concern is in the outfield. Hall makes the transition from shortstop to center field, and while the move has worked in Milwaukee before (Robin Yount won the MVP at both positions), there's no guarantee of success. Hall's bat and relentlessly positive team attitude make him this club's most valuable and likeable player, but with more offensive production expected of an outfielder than a middle infielder, he is likely to feel more pressure to produce than ever before. Geoff Jenkins returns for a 10th season in Milwaukee, and detractors point to his weak production last year as no anomaly -- he's never driven in 100 runs. At the other corner, Corey Hart earns a full-time job after hitting eight homers in the final two months of the season when he earned more playing time. Catching The biggest trade the Brewers made over the winter brought Johnny Estrada from Arizona. With Estrada, the Brewers have a .300 hitter that deepens the lineup. They believe with the tutelage of Damian Miller, Estrada's defense will improve sufficiently. Bench Tony Graffanino and Craig Counsell, the Brewers have the epitome of hard-nosed veterans to help shepherd the young starters at every infield position. Counsell returns for his second tour of duty in Milwaukee (his first was largely unproductive), while Graffanino's all-around solid play was a bright spot last year in Weeks' absence. Miller gracefully takes a step back to the bench as his skills decline, but the veteran catcher with World Series experience is just what a manager wants in a backup. Tony Gwynn Jr. and Gabe Gross will also push for playing time in a crowded outfield -- both showed flashes of promise in limited action a year ago. Kevin Mench adjusted poorly to NL pitching after joining the Brewers last July, but hopes are he'll regain the pop in his bat that produced 25 and 26 home runs the previous two seasons. Management Owner Mark Attanasio and GM Doug Melvin have deservedly taken their place among the small-market executives recognized for knowing how to compete without big payrolls. By drafting wisely, trading veterans for solid young prospects and key role players, and using free-agent dollars judiciously, Melvin has compiled a roster that Yost can win with. Final Analysis The Brewers' time is now. Actually, it was last year, when 84 wins would have won the division, but a spate of injuries spoiled their chances. With perhaps the most exciting young infield in the game and a deep pitching staff, Milwaukee has the talent to compete. Chances are, however, they'll need a lot more than 84 wins to make the postseason this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SmartassBoiler 0 Posted February 28, 2007 i LOVE miller park...but when they show the brewers old time games, i admit..i still miss county stadium.. Miller Park is a nice stadium. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cdub100 3,402 Posted February 28, 2007 I’m talkin’ baseball Trammell, Dave and Lance Tiger baseball Kirk Gibson and the Champ Whitaker and Herndon are on the scene Wilcox and Aurelio have the steam I’m talking baseball, the motor city team Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hoffdaddy 1 Posted February 28, 2007 Who are you? Your worst nightmare. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy1 0 Posted March 1, 2007 Your worst nightmare. Aretha Franklin in a thong? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMoney 0 Posted March 1, 2007 SI's take on the Crew! Chances are, however, they'll need a lot more than 84 wins to make the postseason this year. SI is usually way off base with predictions.... I am not convinced that it will take WAY more than 84 wins to win the division this year...90, max... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy1 0 Posted March 1, 2007 SI is usually way off base with predictions.... I am not convinced that it will take WAY more than 84 wins to win the division this year...90, max... Predictions are a joke. 162 games for each team, who know's who gets injured. I only posted it, cause I think the analysis is accurate though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMoney 0 Posted March 1, 2007 Predictions are a joke. 162 games for each team, who know's who gets injured. I only posted it, cause I think the analysis is accurate though. dont mind me..its cool that you did.. who did they pick for the series? they arent big risk takers when it comes to picks.. last year for the NHL, they had Carolina missing the playoffs(they won it all) and the Penguins way up in the rankings(they missed the playoffs by a bunch... Im sure they are all over the Tigers bandwagon... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SWC 0 Posted March 1, 2007 Miller Park is a great place to see a game, no doubt about it, although County Stadium was excellent in a run-down warehouse (that you loved) sort of way. It was home. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy1 0 Posted March 1, 2007 dont mind me..its cool that you did.. who did they pick for the series? they arent big risk takers when it comes to picks.. last year for the NHL, they had Carolina missing the playoffs(they won it all) and the Penguins way up in the rankings(they missed the playoffs by a bunch... Im sure they are all over the Tigers bandwagon... Link to previews. I don't see where they have predicted a series winner, but I'm not about to go through each preview. Yeah, they are way conservative generally when it comes to there predictions. I recall for a few years it always seemed they just took the previous years final standings and basically just reprinted that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
donhaas 18 Posted March 1, 2007 I’m talkin’ baseball Trammell, Dave and Lance Tiger baseball Kirk Gibson and the Champ Whitaker and Herndon are on the scene Wilcox and Aurelio have the steam I’m talking baseball, the motor city team You copied us I miss the old American League East. When I first fell in love with baseball in the 80s as a kid that was the coolest division. National League Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mungwater 588 Posted April 2, 2007 National League I prefer baseball without the DH, but who really cares, its baseball season. I love football, but I like it that I can check the boxscores any morning and get updated. Any night that you go to the bar, there will be a game on. Here in Houston, you can still walk up and get an upperdeck ticket for five bucks, and sit wherever you want, just act like you belong, and you can sit right on the baseline. opening day is like my christmas. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeremy 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Already a half game ahead of the Cardinals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
donhaas 18 Posted April 2, 2007 Alright, Snoopy.... you can be T-Bone.... We'll do this thread this year. ....still wish I could get at that massive first Brewers one we did. Looks like a beautiful day for a ballgame. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy1 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Alright, Snoopy.... you can be T-Bone.... We'll do this thread this year. ....still wish I could get at that massive first Brewers one we did. Looks like a beautiful day for a ballgame. Probably the first time in years, I'm legitimately excited about the team's prospects. Genereally it's false optimism, but I think they actually are fielding a decent squad, anchored by what probably is the best pitching staff I've ever seen this team field(including the '82 squad). I'll probably just end up being called Gammy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sho Nuff 719 Posted April 2, 2007 i LOVE miller park...but when they show the brewers old time games, i admit..i still miss county stadium.. Yeah...loved County Stadium. Used to go to a few games a year with the fam. Playing catch with my brother while dad grilled some brats...head inside early to catch batting practice...my mom had a friend in Milwaukee who had season tickets so wed get their seats a few times. One year we were front row just past 3rd base...the other year was front row of the upper deck even with 2nd base. Dad caught a foul ball from Yount in the upper deck seats... Miller is nice though...same lady that used to get us tickets still has some. My wife and I sat in them a few years ago...3rd row of the club level directly behind the plate...Uecker up in the box just behind us. Best seats I have had to watch a game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMoney 0 Posted April 2, 2007 I prefer baseball without the DH, but who really cares, its baseball season. I love football, but I like it that I can check the boxscores any morning and get updated. Any night that you go to the bar, there will be a game on. Here in Houston, you can still walk up and get an upperdeck ticket for five bucks, and sit wherever you want, just act like you belong, and you can sit right on the baseline. opening day is like my christmas. i agree... as much as espn tries..sunday night is NOT the opener..Monday is... the reds should start first(as always) and away you go... i love the day..its such a long season..but every pitch has you jumping.. im still by those who say the brewers have a weakness at leadoff and in center... billy is fabulous and if rickie stays healthy..he will be just fine... (i have begged for a real catcher for YEARS..and now we have estrada..a switch hitter no less..quite the steal..) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeremy 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Sheets!! 1 down, 161 to go. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
