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Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Brewers lose; Fielder attacks teammate Parra

Their patience is running out, too.

After Manny Parra (9-5) left for a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning, first baseman Prince Fielder went up to him in the dugout and exchanged words. Fielder then shoved Parra twice before teammates pulled him away.

It was reminiscent of Aug. 2 last season, when manager Ned Yost got into a heated dispute with catcher Johnny Estrada in the dugout tunnel during a loss to the Mets and players intervened. That came during a run of 10 losses in 14 games, a fade that dropped them out of first place.

They’re at it again.

“If you want to know what happened or what transpired—blow-by-blow or what words were said—I’m sorry, you’re not going to know,” Yost said, his voice rising. “It’s private. It’s between us, and it’s not a big deal. And it’s not the first time it ever happened, and it won’t be the last.”

Prince nah seems like nothing…

Repoz Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:27 AM | 112 comment(s)
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1. Slapinions Posted: August 04, 2008 at 11:37 PM (#2890458)

WTF? Anybody have details?

2. Templeusox has reached his genetic threshold Posted: August 04, 2008 at 11:49 PM (#2890464)

I really didn't get a good impression of what was going on until ESPN replayed it for the 46th time.

3. McCoy Posted: August 04, 2008 at 11:49 PM (#2890465)

The video

4. Brandon in MO (Fire Trey Hillman) Posted: August 04, 2008 at 11:49 PM (#2890466)

The Onion saw it coming

5. Fred C. Dobbs Posted: August 04, 2008 at 11:50 PM (#2890467)

Prince that is not a cheeseburger, it is your teammate!

6. Raskolnikov Posted: August 04, 2008 at 11:57 PM (#2890470)

Proof that vegetarianism predisposes you towards violence!

7. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life. Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:09 AM (#2890477)

I liked how Fielder pushed Parra onto the bench, and Fielder was restrained by like five people while Parra just sat there motionless, staring into space. It looked like everyone was annoyed by Fielder but not surprised at all.

8. Robert S. Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:12 AM (#2890479)

Don't these guys know they're supposed to be ushering in a new era of post-racial brotherhood?

9. BeanoCook Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:30 AM (#2890489)

There has to be somebody with a Milwaukee source that reads this site. Please share inside information here. We won't tell, promise!

10. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:32 AM (#2890490)

For those who watched the game, was there anything that happened on the field involving Fielder before the altercation?

11. Ozzie's gay friend Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:17 AM (#2890500)

Oh ####, a bench altercation!
Now the Brewers HAVE to trade Prince away, because you know, if a blockbuster employee pushed a co-worker they wouldn't tolerate it.

12. Brandon in MO (Fire Trey Hillman) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:44 AM (#2890513)

The Brewers should trade Prince Fielder to the Royals for Ross Gload.

13. Shibal Posted: August 05, 2008 at 02:11 AM (#2890519)

Parra should be the one that's pissed at Prince. The fat ass couldn't get down to field a Votto ground ball that drove in two runs in the fifth inning.

14. Ozzie's gay friend Posted: August 05, 2008 at 02:16 AM (#2890522)

shi-that's actually what happened, Parra giving Price grief until PF snaps.

15. jwb Posted: August 05, 2008 at 02:50 AM (#2890527)

Hitler was a vegetarian.

16. Walt Davis Posted: August 05, 2008 at 03:38 AM (#2890531)

This seems a rather liberal use of the word "attack."

17. NTNgod Posted: August 05, 2008 at 03:43 AM (#2890533)

Parra, who surrendered six runs in six innings, had just been lifted from the game for a pinch hitter. Someone who overheard parts of the conversation said Parra apparently was headed back to the clubhouse and an agitated Fielder told him he should remain in the dugout to watch the Brewers bat that inning.

Parra angrily snatched up his cap and jacket from the bench and was walking toward the other end, side-by-side with Fielder, when the 270-pound first baseman suddenly turned and forcefully pushed Parra onto the bench. Fielder then lunged at Parra again and shoved him hard with both arms.

At that point, several players, including Bill Hall, Ray Durham, Dave Bush and Ryan Braun, with pitching coach Mike Maddux also intervening, jumped in, grabbed Fielder and pushed him to the dugout floor.

MIL Journal-Sentinel

18. Big Red Basketball (NJ) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 05:25 AM (#2890545)

Wow, interesting statement released by Fielder:

I understand what Ned said, but I'm still ghetto...That’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Manny has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Manny Parra gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about. If you go back to the fight, that’s a culture issue right there. Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from. People that know me know that Prince Fielder never changed.

19. xbhaskarx Posted: August 05, 2008 at 05:50 AM (#2890550)

did he just say sudden outbursts of violence are representative of black culture?
prince fielder: more racist than ty cobb.

20. Riki Tiki Javy Lopez Posted: August 05, 2008 at 06:07 AM (#2890555)

Or, at least as racist as Ron Artest, NJ...nice.

21. HOPE: Madison Obamagarner (Flynn) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 06:17 AM (#2890559)

but I'm still ghetto...

You were born in Ontario, California, your dad was making six and then seven figures throughout your childhood, you went to a boarding school, and you're a vegetarian. You are less ghetto than deck shoes and Ralph Lauren, if that's possible.

22. CFiJ Posted: August 05, 2008 at 06:43 AM (#2890560)

Not to mention that if he was really ghetto, that whole 100 word spiel could have been reduced to simply, "I gotta keep it real!"

23. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 06:54 AM (#2890562)

You were born in Ontario, California, your dad was making six and then seven figures throughout your childhood, you went to a boarding school, and you're a vegetarian. You are less ghetto than deck shoes and Ralph Lauren, if that's possible.

Thank you Flynn. I grew up in Hayward, CA in a house, I kid you not, 25 feet from the train tracks next door to drug dealers. I'm more ghetto than Prince ####### Fielder. These guys are taking their hip hop way too seriously.

24. BFFB

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:02 AM (#2890563)

Shooty, I think you have a new handle!

"Shooty, More Ghetto than Prince Fielder"

25. HOPE: Madison Obamagarner (Flynn) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:03 AM (#2890564)

I grew up in the Ingleside, a working-class black neighborhood with its share of problems (though it was hardly Hunter's Point). In other words, yeah, I'm more ghetto than Prince Fielder too. And anybody who's ever met me knows I'm as honky as it gets.

26. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:04 AM (#2890565)

Shooty, I think you have a new handle!

"Shooty, More Ghetto than Prince Fielder"

Hmm. Not bad. Not bad at all. Maybe I should make it, More ghetto than Prince Fielder, less racist than Ty Cobb. Naw, that's too clunky. A good handle should be poetry.

27. AROM Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:05 AM (#2890567)

This is hilarious on so many levels. First, I immediately thought of the Onion article. Then, the ghetto reference. I've seen players try to act tough that way before when later some investigative reporting shows they grew up upper middle class. But I've never seen it from a guy whose dad was at one point the highest paid player in baseball.

28. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:11 AM (#2890571)

I'm way more ghetto than Prince Fielder. I grew up next door to a guy who heated his house with a barbecue, and spend part of my teen years on the street.

29. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:19 AM (#2890575)

I'm way more ghetto than Prince Fielder. I grew up next door to a guy who heated his house with a barbecue, and spend part of my teen years on the street.

Damn, you might be my older brother! Do you look like me except a little uglier?

30. Edmundo is Super Average Man

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:21 AM (#2890576)

I'm more ghetto too. In high school, I was friends with a kid who lived in a 27 room house on the Main Line. He stayed over my house a couple of times, referring to our 5 BR, 2000 sq ft house with a 1/3 acre as being in the "ghetto of Norristown".
My best friend from my late teens od'd on heroin, albeit last year at age 55. The kid who lived across the street from him stabbed his own mother. That's pretty ghetto, ain't it?

31. HOPE: Madison Obamagarner (Flynn) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:27 AM (#2890577)

Hey.

32. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:29 AM (#2890579)

Hey.

What up.

33. ColonelTom Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:36 AM (#2890581)

Parra was trying to reach the post-game spread before Prince's fat ass got to it first.

Shibal's got it, I think - if the Votto play is any indication, Fielder's range is as far as he can flop in one direction or the other. Being able to move his feet would help - a lot more than staying on the bench after getting shelled.

34. Fumbduck Joe Bivens Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:42 AM (#2890584)

A wise career path would be for Fielder to sign with an AL team as a FA, and then attempt to not eat himself out of baseball before he turns 30.

Can he do A before B? I don't know his service status.

35. Herr Mike Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:46 AM (#2890587)

He seems even bigger than last year. Does vegetarianism = french fries, snickers, and onion rings?

36. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 07:47 AM (#2890588)

He seems even bigger than last year. Does vegetarianism = french fries, snickers, and onion rings?

I gained a bit of weight when I stopped eating meat. More carbs in my case. Lots more.

37. Ken Griffey's Grotesquely Swollen Jaw Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:01 AM (#2890599)

All right, so we know how many primates pay attention to basketball. Prince never said anything about being ghetto, the quote is made up. NJASD... was making a joke about a recent Ron Artest quote and only one person caught it.

Link

38. Hubie Brooks (Not Really) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:02 AM (#2890600)

#18 is the post of the year. Well done.

39. GregQ Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:04 AM (#2890601)

I believe that Einstein’s sister was a vegetarian but she loved hot dogs so he told her that for her they were vegetables. Maybe somebody did the same for Fielder, only for a larger variety of foods.

40. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:07 AM (#2890602)

#18 is the post of the year. Well done.

Awww, you d!ck! Well played, but you're still a d!ck.

The funny thing is that I did read that Artest quote a few days ago and thought they seemed kinda similar but I just figured Gary Sheffield had sent some kind of angry black athlete memo on how to behave to these guys.

41. Traderdave

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:09 AM (#2890603)

Shooty, check your email

42. retro-shiite Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:27 AM (#2890617)

"And it’s not the first time it ever happened, and it won’t be the last."

Well, that's reassuring.

Parra's workload appears to be catching up with him.

43. Big Red Basketball (NJ) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:27 AM (#2890619)

I posted that before I left for work and now that I'm sitting here reading the response...it was worth it. Thanks, guys.

44. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:32 AM (#2890622)

Hooray!

45. Templeusox has reached his genetic threshold Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:35 AM (#2890624)

Manny is a cancer wherever he goes.

46. RB in NYC (Now with Resolutions!) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:44 AM (#2890629)

Sadly, even if Fielder had actually said what NJ posted, he'd still be more ghetto than me.

47. retro-shiite Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:45 AM (#2890630)

he still be more ghetto

Stop overcompensating.

48. Shibal Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:50 AM (#2890631)

Parra's workload appears to be catching up with him.

Not sure if I would go that far. He was tossing a no-hitter into the fifth then melted down. If I remember right that happened a few times to Parra earlier in the year...he likely just has these episodes of losing control. Shitty defense doesn't help him.

49. Dave Spiwak Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:51 AM (#2890633)

This has got to get sorted out. Is anyone here more ghetto than Ron Artest?

50. Edmundo is Super Average Man

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:53 AM (#2890637)

This has got to get sorted out. Is anyone here more ghetto than Ron Artest?

Sheepishly walking away...

51. retro-shiite Posted: August 05, 2008 at 08:54 AM (#2890638)

Not sure if I would go that far.

His ERA's almost 6 in his last 5 starts, and he's about 12 innings away from a career high in innings pitched (which is not high--138; this is only the third time in 7 professional seasons he's topped 100 innings). Make of that what you will.

52. Andere Richtingen

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 09:10 AM (#2890659)

While I'm sure Fielder didn't grow up in a household typical of it, Ontario is a pretty bleak, crime-ridden place.

Of course, he went to high school at Florida Air Academy and Eau Gallie in Melbourne, FL. Far, far less ghetto than Ontario.

53. Mushmouth Posted: August 05, 2008 at 09:14 AM (#2890664)

I understand what Ned said, but I'm still ghetto...That’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Manny has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Manny Parra gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about. If you go back to the fight, that’s a culture issue right there. Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from. People that know me know that Prince Fielder never changed.

that's some funny stuff.

54. gef the talking mongoose Posted: August 05, 2008 at 09:30 AM (#2890685)

He seems even bigger than last year. Does vegetarianism = french fries, snickers, and onion rings?

I was a vegan for something like 2 1/2 years & ran an average of 1 to 2 miles every day during that interval. As far as I could tell, I never lost an ounce. *sigh*

55. Slapinions Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:09 AM (#2890732)

According to the JS Online blog:

If what I heard was correct, Parra was getting ready to go to the clubhouse after being removed from the game and Fielder took exception to that, with the Brewers batting in the top of the seventh and trying to cut into the 6-1 that Parra dug for the team.

I heard that Prince yelled at Parra, "We stayed out there and watched your (bleep). You can stay out here and watch our (bleep)."

I can totally believe Prince said something like that. He was in an agitated mood about the team's sputtering offense and wasn't pleased that Parra caved in for six runs in the middle inning (of course, Fielder could have helped by not letting Joey Votto's two-run single get by him).

Anyway, Parra scooped up his glove and jacket off the bench and it might have come close to swiping Fielder in the face. He took exception to it and went after Parra, shoving him hard twice before teammates restrained him. It was an ugly scene that players basically attributed to "boys will be boys" afterward.

56. Sexy Lizard Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:13 AM (#2890736)

In my experience, the weight gain or loss of a new vegetarian depends entirely on how seriously he takes the whole "vegetable" aspect of his new regime.

57. retro-shiite Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:14 AM (#2890738)

He seems even bigger than last year. Does vegetarianism = french fries, snickers, and onion rings?

No. Mac and cheese, fried okra and Haagen-Dasz.

58. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:17 AM (#2890740)

No. Mac and cheese, fried okra and Haagen-Dasz.

At the same time.

In a pie.

With a crust made of deep-fried Twinkies.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

59. retro-shiite Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:20 AM (#2890743)

You ever had a deep-fried Twinkie? It's not quite as bad as it sounds.

60. The Joe Mauer Power Hour (kj) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:22 AM (#2890744)

You ever had a deep-fried Twinkie? It's not quite as bad as it sounds.

"Not quite as bad as it sounds" is the type of recommendation that leaves me dying to try a new food.

61. HOPE: Madison Obamagarner (Flynn) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:29 AM (#2890749)

I was too busy selling crack in the hood to survive, man. I don't have time to read Ron Artest quotes. I'm still keeping the name too.

62. billyshears Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:36 AM (#2890759)

Deep-fried Twinkie sounds bad? To whom?

63. The Joe Mauer Power Hour (kj) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:37 AM (#2890762)

I don't much care for Twinkies to begin with. Deep-frying it doesn't sound like it'd solve any problems.

64. retro-shiite Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:38 AM (#2890763)

"Not quite as bad as it sounds" is the type of recommendation that leaves me dying to try a new food.

Mind you, I didn't say it was good.

65. SouthSideRyan Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:39 AM (#2890766)

Anyone got a review on deep fried oreos?

66. retro-shiite Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:39 AM (#2890767)

I was too busy selling crack in the hood to survive, man. I don't have time to read Ron Artest quotes. I'm still keeping the name too.

Flynn gots madd street cred, yo.

67. baseball chick (now, with NEW blog) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:41 AM (#2890771)

i don't get why people think you would lose weight eating vegetarian because you can have all the sugar and oil you want and nuts and seeds got a lot more calories then meat or chicken does

68. The Good Face Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:45 AM (#2890775)

Anyone got a review on deep fried oreos?

They are tasty and good. About two is MORE than enough for a serving. Ignore the subsequent chest pains, they pass relatively quickly.

69. The Marksist Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:46 AM (#2890778)

Deep fried Oreos will change your life.

70. Tropical Storm Davis aka Quilvio "Ebola" Veras Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:48 AM (#2890781)

I love the menu at this lesbian bar near me. They do have deep-fried Twinkies, which taste about like you'd expect (fried dough). They also brag that if they have it in the kitchen, they can fry it.

71. Ryan Jones Posted: August 05, 2008 at 10:50 AM (#2890785)

Ignore the subsequent chest pains, they pass relatively quickly.

As will anyone who eats deep fried oreos.

72. bunyon Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:10 AM (#2890812)

Anyone got a review on deep fried oreos?

They are tasty and good. About two is MORE than enough for a serving. Ignore the subsequent chest pains, they pass relatively quickly.

Seconded. Except to say that one is a serving. And they sell you six. I can eat a lot. I can eat a lot of crap food. I like fried food. I felt a bit off for a few days after one fried oreo. But it tasted like heaven.

73. baseball chick (now, with NEW blog) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:11 AM (#2890814)

quilvio,

so do you actually GO to the lesbian bar or just admire their, uh, takeout?

74. The Joe Mauer Power Hour (kj) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:14 AM (#2890818)

Deep fried Oreos will change your life.

"Oh my god I have a new favorite dessert" change your life? Or "oh, so this is what it feels like to have a coronary" change your life?

75. billyshears Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:24 AM (#2890838)

Anyone got a review on deep fried oreos?

I echo the sentiments of the previous posters. I just want to add that if you endeavor to deep fry oreos yourself, make sure you do so in an area with adequate ventilation. They nearly had to call the fire department when I tried this in my apartment building.

76. Chip Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:27 AM (#2890847)

Another guy upset about the uncertainty of his upcoming option year?

77. Not Marv Cook Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:30 AM (#2890858)

I've never been brave enough to try the deep-fried Snickers bar at my favorite bar. I feel off enough after a Monte Cristo.

78. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:35 AM (#2890869)

79. Joe C and the Pop Culture Portmanteau Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:42 AM (#2890879)

In high school, I was friends with a kid who lived in a 27 room house on the Main Line. He stayed over my house a couple of times, referring to our 5 BR, 2000 sq ft house with a 1/3 acre as being in the "ghetto of Norristown".

Man, I don't miss living in Ardmore.

80. phredbird

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:49 AM (#2890888)

A good handle should be poetry.

ahem.

81. The Good Face Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:57 AM (#2890897)

"Oh my god I have a new favorite dessert" change your life? Or "oh, so this is what it feels like to have a coronary" change your life?

Probably a little bit of both.

82. Al Kaline Trio Posted: August 05, 2008 at 11:58 AM (#2890899)

I tried some deep fried twinkie last night at the county fair after watching the Beach Boys. Not as good as the kettle corn, 12 inch corn dog or the chili cheese curly fries. And yes I went on rides afterwards without puking and even won two goldfish that I named Stamos and ghost rider (cause he ghost rides the whip in his little plastic cup).

83. villainx Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:14 PM (#2890922)

This thread has demonstrated a lot of versatility.

84. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:16 PM (#2890927)

Fielder almost certainly senses what Brewer fans have already accepted, the inevitable second half swoon which is standard practice for a Yost-managed team. The inability to score runs. The previously improved defense suddenly forgetting how to pick up a rolling baseball. The panicked looks when opposing runners get on base by the pitchers. And so on and so on.

Look, folks wander through these halls and tell me I am negative and a Yost-hater and present snippets of the particular season to tell me how wrong I am.

And all I do is present history. A COLLECTION of seasons. Not a week. Not a month. Not a series of months. I have YEARS at my disposal.

So when Prince Fielder goes all stupid in the dugout while Ned Yost sits there picking his nose I am not surprised. Brewer fans have seen this before. It's all part of the script. I have a copy. NTN has a copy. battlekow, JoeHova even Beano has a copy.

The only godd*mn stupid son of a b*tch who seemingly LOST his copy is Doug Melvin. He's still working off the script from 2004 when the world was young and hope was real.

Sigh......

85. billyshears Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:28 PM (#2890948)

Awesome! I hope you were very, very drunk or stoned when you tried this.

Unfortunately, just hungry.

86. SouthSideRyan Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:31 PM (#2890951)

It's all part of the script. I have a copy. NTN has a copy. battlekow, JoeHova even Beano has a copy.

Yeah but his copy has crayon all over it.

87. _ Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:51 PM (#2890978)

Of course, you are aware that the Brewers are still the wild card team right now. So if Prince is sensing anything and panicking, he's an idiot and a saboteur. They have won more games than they should have to this point. I don't know whether Ned deserves the 'credit' or the blame for that. I know one thing: I can't name one year during Yost's tenure, including this one, when this team had the best team in the division. If their first half and second half splits were reversed everyone would be talking about how those fast finishes portend great things for next year. Yes, you'd rather finish strongly, and the collapses are always remembered bitterly, but the fact is they've gone exactly as far as their talent can take them. The Cubs are clearly better this year, and there's nothing that Tony LaRussa or John McGraw could do about that. Now the Mets and Marlins and Dodgers and DBacks are another story, and I still have hope that even Ned might be able to manage not to #### that up. If he does, he's gone, and that will be that.

P.S. If Prince isn't suspended for that ####, I'll be very disappointed.

88. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 12:58 PM (#2890989)

HSF:

I don't know what having the best team in the divison has to do with anything. I was merely pointing out that the recurring theme of a Yost-managed team is that the second half winning percentage is lower than the first half. Typically much lower. And interestingly enough the schedules have often been regarded as "easier" in the second half. Over and over and over again I read from Jaffe or Sackman how the Brewers "should" do better in the second half because of the SOS.

89. RMc is the Commissioner of Baseball Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:05 PM (#2891001)

I was born in the whitest city in America with at least 100K people. But I gots teh mad skillz, yo.

90. _ Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:13 PM (#2891010)

Harvey, you said that the fans have 'accepted' the inevitable second-half swoon. That swoon consists of a 2-7 record after having played great for the month before (most of which was in, you know, the second half). Four of those losses were to maybe the only team in the league clearly superior to them. That was an ugly, miserable, and disappointing series, and then they came back and played well against the Braves until Ned stupidly started Ben frickin Sheets just when they were poised to sweep them.

What being the best team in the division has to do with it is looking at expectations vs. results. The team has been perceived to be better than they are because of the great starts, then when the record corrects itself everyone points fingers after the 'inevitable' collapse. Root for them, Harvey.

91. Devin has a deep burning passion for fuzzy socks Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:14 PM (#2891014)

This thread has demonstrated a lot of versatility.

Maybe so, but I don't see why it should get any extra credit for it. It's not like other threads couldn't be as versatile if that's what the posters wanted. [/obscure HoM reference]

92. Dag Nabbit: formerly tolerant of lactose Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:17 PM (#2891019)

Over and over and over again I read from Jaffe or Sackman how the Brewers "should" do better in the second half because of the SOS.

I made this point a few days ago with regards to this season but I honestly don't recall making it before.

I know I did go back to look at their month-by-month records and (from memory of something I looked up 10 months ago) they do brutally bad in July and August but pull up in September. I think it's more an offensive problem than pitching/fielding overall.

93. Charles S., enjoys the sparking period Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:21 PM (#2891031)

I tried some deep fried twinkie last night at the county fair after watching the Beach Boys. Not as good as the kettle corn, 12 inch corn dog or the chili cheese curly fries. And yes I went on rides afterwards without puking and even won two goldfish that I named Stamos and ghost rider (cause he ghost rides the whip in his little plastic cup).

Ain't that America, for you and me
Ain't that America, somethin' to see, baby
Ain't that America, home of the free
Little Pink Houses for you and me.

94. _ Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:22 PM (#2891033)

It's pretty easy to see why the offense tends to go into collective slumps: the over-reliance on the home run and the lack of walks.

95. JoeHova Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:28 PM (#2891045)

Hey Harvey, a couple weeks ago I was inspired by your frequent discussions of Yost's 2nd half records to run the numbers (I did it by hand, though I'm sure there's an easier way). Anyway, in Yost's managerial career through 2007 he has won 48.8% of his first half (through ASB) games, compared to 43.1% of his 2nd half games. I don't know if it means anything, but that is a 9 win difference over 162.

96. _ Posted: August 05, 2008 at 01:32 PM (#2891053)

I know the CW is that young teams tend to get off to faster starts and fade late, but I don't know whether there's hard data on that.

97. salajander Posted: August 05, 2008 at 02:15 PM (#2891164)

Tangentially related to this thread: Krispy Kreme bacon cheeseburgers

98. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: August 05, 2008 at 02:15 PM (#2891165)

HSF:

I DO root for them. I want desperately to be wrong. About EVERYTHING.

And while I understand why some may point to the home run what puzzles me is that some of the issues seem so easily addressed. To wit:

--Don't play Jason every day. I know Vlad says Kendall is following his usual plan but when you have a backup catcher who is hitting ok (yes, in extremely limited duty) you use him. Kendall has started a kajillion games in a row while guys like Hart/Hardy have gotten multiple days off.

--Bench Weeks for Durham. The team has been MORE than patient with Rickie. But the guy continues to swing through 85 mph fastballs. It's bizarre. Enough.

--Play Branyan against right-handed pitchers. Is this a difficult concept??

That replaces three below-average bats with guys all at 100 odd higher on OPS+. And Durham and Branyan take walks.

And if Ned is hot to play Counsell then let Hardy stew for a bit since he is back in a funk.

Ryan is doing his thing. Prince is now seeing the ball well. Just need to get guys on base. Sticking with Weeks is being loyal for loyalties sake. Let Weeks get his at bats against lefties to rest Ray but otherwise he's days as a starter have to be earned, not given.

99. Big Red Basketball (NJ) Posted: August 05, 2008 at 02:21 PM (#2891180)

Re: 97

I like the second comment, "my heart attack just had a heart attack"

100. JoeHova Posted: August 05, 2008 at 02:22 PM (#2891185)

--Play Branyan against right-handed pitchers. Is this a difficult concept??

Apparently it is because freaking Counsell is playing 3rd again today. Counsell hasn't ever had the bat to carry 3rd and he sure doesn't now as a 37 year old. Good move by Yost to play the guy who is playing even worse than Billy.

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