The Redemption of Ryan Braun

At the start of July, questions were raised about Ryan Braun. People didn't think he had it anymore in the same way he did before his suspension. Many started to consider Braun a second or third banana of the team with Jonathan Lucroy submitting an Most Valuable Player-like season, same with Carlos Gomez. Braun became an afterthought as the team was winning without the strong play of their once-leader. Just when people thought Braun was another player, he tears through the month of July like a hellcat and making everyone remember his name.

Braun is having the best month of his season thus far, and an argument could be made for him to win National League Player of the Month.  Braun is currently hitting .356 with an OBP of .405 as he has three home runs in the month with 10 of his 21 hits being extra-base variety.  Braun is currently on a 12-game hitting streak with only two games this month where he didn't have a a hit.  The strikeouts are down as well with only 14 in July. In five of the last six games, Braun drove in at least one run which means he is not producing meaningless hits, he is making them count every night out.  Last night in a 9-1 victory over New York Mets, Braun hit a massive 432 foot home run to left-center something we haven't seen all season.

ESPN's Buster Olney wrote an article on Tuesday morning where he pondered about Braun's pulling ability. Basically, the numbers showed Braun didn't have it like he did before his suspension. Olney did infer about not taking the PED's factored in to the Brewers slugger not being able to... well slug anymore. Braun did take the PED's not to make himself better more so to cure the lingering injuries that would be bother him although it is unknown how long Braun was a user. The national media made the assumption he did for his entire career versus one-time during an MVP run. I like to believe the latter yet I am not ignorant if that makes any sense.

Braun's injuries are the exact reason why the numbers were down this season, not the lack of PED usage. These are all the injuries Braun dealt with this season thus far... Oblique, hand, thumb and back injuries plagued him all season. All of those injuries directly involve his swing, most notably his ability to pull the ball hence why Braun's numbers to opposite field are off the charts. It is more impressive Braun found a way to change his complete approach at the plate amid all of the injuries and still be a productive player. Instead, we are staying up late at the night wondering why Braun isn't a power hitter and inferring it had something to do with special pills.

Ryan went Stone Cold Steve Austin on the haters with two middle fingers chugging beers on the way. That blast on Thursday night was a 'I am back, and you're all in big trouble.'  When the pull power isn't there, you don't hit 432 foot blasts. Braun has went through hot streaks in his career, and I feel we are on the verge of another one. This 12-game hit streak is child's play right now for what Braun is going to do in the the coming weeks.  It is almost like Braun wants to throw his name into the ring for MVP consideration. It is not ridiculous think about if he gets uber-hot for the next two weeks where the ball is flying out of the park, and his average gets around .320, he will need to be in the conversation.

Braun is back and his demise was greatly over-exaggerated.

Charlie.

Tap's Hangover Cure: Carlos Gomez, The Ninja Turtle

Carlos Gomez is the clubhouse jokester without question for the Milwaukee Brewers team. He loves to have fun with the guys and always seems to do weird things. So it shouldn't come as a surprise when Gomez dressed up in a full Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume to bother Mark Reynolds doing an interview with International Talk on MLB Network. The reason Gomez has the full costume is for his son, Yandal, who loves the Turtles like any four-year old. But apparently he wanted to meet Donatello, not Leonardo.   You have to love this stuff as a Brewers fan and a baseball fan really, the team is having fun again and it seems like the rain cloud that hovered over them  (WATCH THE VIDEO HERE, my browser can't support iframes, I guess)

Also Reynolds's 'Count' shirt with Garza's name and goatee on it is a must-have. I need it badly.

Charlie.

Highlights-Lowlights: Reds-Brewers

This is SnoTap's version of recap of the two, three or four game series Milwaukee Brewers will play this season. We focus on the positives and negatives with topics about the game and topics that were nowhere near close to part of the game

Highlights
Wily Peralta - The young Brewers pitcher continue to dazzle in the last couple outings. He pitched great against Cincinnati going seven innings strong with three hits allowed, one run earned and five strikeouts. Peralta seemed in full control all game long with great command and did not face many problems all game long. In the last two starts, Peralta pitched 15 innings only allowed six hits and striking out 10 batters. The last part is key, it seems like Wily is pitching more to contact than anything else which is important.

Ryan Braun - I wanted to write a longer blog post about Braun, and I might do it on Friday regardless of how he plays against New York. Braun seems fully healthy for the first time all season. He had another great series against Cincinnati. Braun went 5 for 12 in the series driving in five runs with a home run as well. He is in complete control of his swing whether it be pulling the ball or taking to the opposite field.

Zach Duke - When Milwaukee signed Zach Duke in the offseason, I didn't think much of it. Personally, I thought Duke wouldn't be on the roster by this time, or I would hate him like I did Mike Gonzalez. Duke is the best left-hander in baseball in terms of ERA. He struck out the side in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's game. Duke also came in to get out Billy Hamilton in the seventh inning with two outs and a runner on second.  He is one of the MVP's of the Milwaukee team thus far.

Mark Reynolds - Honestly, I had no idea if Mark Reynolds still existed with this Brewers team. He went radio silent for two months of the season then came through in a major way on Wednesday afternoon. Reynolds hit two home runs pushing the Brewers ahead by two runs and then added a solo shot in the eighth putting Milwaukee up by four runs and ensuring Francisco Rodriguez didn't have pitch for a third straight game. Hopefully, this is one of Reynolds' hot streak for the next couple of weeks.

Jean Segura - For the first time in a long time, Segura made an impact in a baseball game on the offensive side of the game. Segura had two hits on Monday night, one being a triple where he ended up scoring on a bad throw by the Reds defense, and he ignited the inning in the fourth scoring on Carlos Gomez's ground-rule double.

Lowlights
Instant Replay - If Major League Baseball is going to have instant replay, they need to use it right. Zach Cosart attempted to bunt the baseball to move the runners over, but the ball hit the bat plus his hand to go with it. The umpiring crew thought Cosart was hit by a pitch when in reality, it was a foul ball. Umpires felt sorry for Cosart because he had an injury. Simple as that. MLB needs to call it like they see it instead of trying to aid the player because he got hurt on the play. It doesn't mean shit, he still swung at the baseball.

Roenicke's not pulling Jimmy Nelson - With having a sweep, there is not much to complain about truthfully, but the manager of the Brewers had a couple mistakes this week with the pitching staff. Roenicke is damn lucky Jimmy Nelson did not get roughed up in the seventh when he gave up two straight singles then 'hit' two batters allowing a run in. Nelson still pitched great, but he could have really had a start spoiled in the seventh with Roenicke leaving him in too long.

Duke's one-pitch outing - This is another move by Roenicke that I failed to understand on Wednesday afternoon. Duke had only 13 pitches the night before and Hamilton swung at the first pitch. Duke could have easily stayed out for another inning saving Will Smith whose already pitching way too much for a day. Roenicke's logic on Wednesday afternoon baffled me. There is no reason Duke should have came out of the game.

Knowing these aren't the real Reds - I really hate to be a cynic. I really do, but we all know this isn't the Cincinnati team that owned Milwaukee for the first couple months of the season. They are without Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto plus missing some other pieces as well. Still, it is nice to build some momentum as well as a two and a half game lead in the National League Central.

Charlie.

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 97

Tapping The Keg Podcast with Charlie & Mitch graces your ears for another week of fun. We start off the podcast talking about random things in the news or in our life... Most notably, Joel Embiid's Twitter game and pop music. Sports happen around the 10 min mark where we talk about the Brewers sweep, Roenicke's bullpen management and is Yovani Gallardo' trustworthy? We move on to talk about the Bucks full roster with the addition of Kendall Marshall. We do a little Packers training camp before finishing with Tony Dungy and Michael Sam.

Charlie.

Brewers Need a Cautious Trade Deadline Approach

In life, there are times where we do things just because society tells us we are supposed to do it. For example, most Saturday nights are when people go out and get drunk off their minds during the college stages of their life. Fear of missing out on a good time sets in and even if a person doesn't want to go out, they end up spending money and getting drunk because they would be judged otherwise by their friends. That next morning might feature a hangover, maybe a 'I'm Sorry' text to a person from the opposite sex and the last thing you are doing is checking the bank account. This can happen in sports too. Milwaukee Brewers need to avoid FOMO and only make a trade if the player will vault Milwaukee into the playoffs. 

There are multiple needs for the Brewers right now. First base is still a nightmare even though Lyle Overbay has been an adequate option for a left-handed platoon. Brewers could use some more help off the bench in other regards as well. They also could really use a bullpen pitcher whether it be a middle reliever or an eighth inning guy as Will Smith's regression train continues to motor on in July. There are obvious needs for the Brewers team, but honestly, they shouldn't make a move just to say to the media and fans, 'Hey!  We did something before July 31st, check it out!!!'  

If Milwaukee doesn't make a move, many people will be upset at management, but where the frustration should be is with Major League Baseball's parity. Eight teams are within eight games of the American League Wild Card's second spot with Houston and Texas really being the only two officially out of the race. The National League is a complete mess with all three divisions featuring ties at the top of their standings with Miami and New York still hanging on by a thread.  Parity also means there will be many more teams wanting to be sellers when it comes to making trades. They aren't going to be many fire sale teams, and the one team who might do it, Philadelphia, doesn't have the greatest deal of parts. 

Currently, the two names brought up for the Brewers so far have been Jake Peavy and Ryan Howard which is like feeding me a well done steak. Both do not add much value to the Brewers current team plus they both cost a great deal of money even though it is likely to acquire either player will not take much.  Either of those players would be moves just to show their fans and media they are making a push towards the playoffs. It is likely Peavy is off the table given Boston becoming red hot of late which also means Koji Uehara is off the table making me a sad teddy bear.  If Milwaukee wants to talk about acquiring Steve Chisek or Ryan Dunn from Miami, I am more interested in a move like that versus a sexy, high-profile name. 

The other thing that needs to be recognize is the trade deadline is really at the end of August. They do the waiver claim situation at the end of August where teams can claim players for the long haul. There is a chance Milwaukee might not make a move in July, but could end up still adding a player or two in August.  People will be ready to raise their pitchforks at Melvin for not making a move, but in all honesty, the making moves process is not over until September 1st. 

Milwaukee's name will come up in plenty of trade talks in the next two weeks, but it doesn't mean every single one of them is coming to Milwaukee, good and bad.  Trade deadline season is here and it is much more fun to be buyers than sellers. 

Charlie. 

Reds-Brewers Preview (7/21-7/23)

Yes, your Brewers previews are back in full force. We have kind have been lacking on it during the month of July and honestly, I get real busy in the coming month so hopefully they will continue, same with highlights/lowlights.  

Monday:      Mat Latos (2-1 2.79) vs. Wily Peralta (10-6 3.72         7:10 pm FSNWI
Tuesday:      Homer Bailey (8-5 4.21) vs. Jimmy Nelson (1-1 5.40)  7:10 pm FSNWI
Wednesday: Mike Leake (7-8 3.63) vs. Kyle Lohse (10-4 3.16)      1:10 pm MLB Network

Five Things to Watch
1.) Figuring out Cincinnati - If there has been one team in Milwaukee's side this season, it is Cincinnati. The Brewers have not won a series against their division rivals yet this season. I believe they are the only team this season to take two road series from Miller Park. This is a different Cincinnati team that Milwaukee played earlier this month. Reds will be without Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips leading to their offense go silent this weekend against New York as the Yankees swept them.

2.) Mat Latos' dominance against Milwaukee - In two starts this season, Latos controlled the Brewers bats pretty well. In 14 innings pitched, Latos gave up only six hits and two total runs in two starts versus Milwaukee this season. Ryan Braun is the hottest Brewer on the team right now, and he struggles mightily against Latos only having two hits in 20 at-bats against the tatted up righty. Therefore it really doesn't matter that Latos never beat Milwaukee at Miller Park. It would be great to see the Brewers break through against Latos early and often. Latos' last start featured Pittsburgh jumping on him pretty hard with two home runs and five runs surrendered in five innings.

3. Johnny Luc looking for a spark - One of the things flying under the radar is Jonathan Lucroy is having a horrible month along with the team. Lucroy only has five hits in 38 at-bats. It is hard to think what's wrong with Lucroy right now. The book may have changed on Lucroy a bit where teams have figured him out slightly. I wonder if Lucroy will start doing things a little differently, or possibly Ron Roenicke mess with the lineup again putting Lucroy second ahead of Braun. He needs a good week to rite the ship, I don't think it is cause for concern.

4. Jimmy Nelson the sequel - This will be the second time with Nelson starting in the rotation. I don't think this is a do or die start for Nelson even though Marco Estrada pitched adequately on Saturday. Nelson faced a buzzsaw in a hot St. Louis team going up against a top five National League pitcher. Nelson will now face a Reds lineup that features a couple big bats in Jay Bruce, Devin Mesoraco and Todd Frazier yet not dealing with Votto or Phillips help him a little bit on Tuesday night.

5. Reds Road Losing Streak - All of the sudden, Cincinnati has lost six straight games on the road. They were terrible this weekend in New York. This is a little bit of a do or die series for the Reds. If they were to get swept, Cincinnati heads towards .500 again but if they were to win a couple games, the Reds build a little momentum trying to make a run at the NL Central Division title. Cincinnati only scored six runs over the weekend with three walks and 51 strikeouts. It could be Milwaukee's time to strike.

Appropriate YouTube Video 


I found this song on my Spotify playlist this morning and I think it fits perfectly for both teams. Pressure by Youngblood Hawke.

Prediction
Milwaukee hasn't won a series against a team not named Colorado since mid-June. It is about time to win a series. Brewers get two out of three.

Charlie. 

Highlights-Lowlights: Brewers-Nationals

This is SnoTap's version of recap of the two, three or four game series Milwaukee Brewers will play this season. We focus on the positives and negatives with topics about the game and topics that were nowhere near close to part of the game

Highlights
Ryan Braun - Milwaukee might be struggling in the month of July, but Braun has found his stroke at the plate. He added hits in all three games this weekend including a two-run homer on Saturday night amid a blowout. Additionally, at least one of Braun's hits scored a run for the Brewers this weekend. If other parts of Milwaukee can get working with Braunie, it would be a beautiful thing. While his average has not went over .300 yet, Braun still rocking an eight-game hitting streak into their home trip this week.

Khris Davis - A good weekend for the young Brewers left fielder who had another home run against Stephen Strasburg on Friday night and drove in a run on Sunday putting the Brewers temporarily ahead in the game. It might be unknown but Davis currently has a seven-game hitting streak for the Brewers. It is good to see him still being able to handle pitching in July. Davis being a reliable hitter is going to help Milwaukee in a major way.

Ryan Zimmerman - Have we officially put Zimmerman on the known Brewer Killer list? He probably deserves a spot there. He had two hits in each game of the series, drove in two runs on Saturday night and hit a game-tying home run on Sunday. While it is encouraging to see how Milwaukee handled Stephen Strasburg, it is discouraging to see how Milwaukee pitchers cannot figure out Zimmerman. He hurt the Brewers all weekend.

Aramis Ramirez - Clutch is such an arbitrary thing to talk about when it comes to sports. I probably talk about it too much, but it is the one 'old man' thing I still like to think exists in sports so sue me. Ramirez came up with a two-run, two out single putting the Brewers up four runs against one of the league's best pitcher. Rami always seems to come through for this team. He added two more hits in Saturday's blowout.

Marco Estrada - I know he has been a whipping boy for this team, but he saved Milwaukee's bullpen on Saturday night. He pitched nearly six innings and yes did give up three runs yet preserved the pen for a team that doesn't have a day off until July 31st.

Lowlights
Matt Garza - Should we really be mad at Garza for his performance on Saturday night?  I am going to say no. There are a couple factors playing in here.  The first one is Garza didn't pitch since last Thursday. From what I gather he is not one to pitch out of his usual five-day rotation and do it well. The second is all of the hits were bullshit. It wasn't like Garza got hit around like a ragdoll in that inning. He caught some bad luck, and yes, Ron Roenicke should have walked Wilson Ramos to face the pitcher instead Ramos drove in two runs putting the Nationals up 5-0.

Mark Reynolds - I believed in Mark Reynolds to start the season. I wanted him to be 'my guy' and be like 'I told you so!!!' at some point. Hell, I nearly bet my buddy Eric that I would get five dollars every time he hits a homer and give him a dollar every time he strikes out. I am glad I decided against taking that bet. Reynolds has been a shell of himself in the last two months, and Milwaukee is back to looking for a power bat for the next two weeks.

Yovani Gallardo - There are certain things in life where you just don't want to believe it to be true like the Lyla Garrity-Tim Riggins relationship (FNL comparsions are going to be heavy in the coming weeks FYI). Everyone keeps saying how Yo cannot pitch in the fourth through sixth innings. Like everything goes to shit and things change for Gallardo. It happened again on Sunday. Milwaukee had given him a two-run lead only to have it evaporate by the sixth inning. He is a third starter at best, more likely a fourth.

Rob Wooten in the Ninth - I don't really get the move by Roenicke on Sunday afternoon. Tom Gorzelanny hasn't allowed a run since coming back from injury albeit not pitching in the most high-pressure situations. He would have seen one or two lefties and could have handled a second inning if he got through the first one. It stresses the need for middle reliever before the trading deadline.

Charlie.

Tap's Hangover Cure: Kato Kaelin Hates Ron Roenicke

Once again, I am trying something new in the mornings. With the next month being a little crazy and

I am not finding myself on the computer as much at night, this is one way to add a post every morning that will just feature a paragraph, something that happened last night in sports or something dumb on the internet. 

Kato Kaelin is a Wisconsin native. He is originally from the Milwaukee area and we worked at the same campus television station in Eau Claire. Everyone uses their Twitter account differently, and I didn't realize Kato used his to voice frustrations with the Milwaukee Brewers. Basically, a fan like you, me and that psycho whom takes his shirt off no matter how fat he is at Miller Park.  I have to respect that decision even though I cannot remember many times where we are having a discussion about Kato Kaelin over some beers.

Ron Ronoecke must be FIRED. @Brewers idiotic management will never bring a pennant to Milwaukee. Resign and all pitchers on Milw r a JOKE
— Kato Kaelin (@Kato_Kaelin) July 20, 2014

Welp I mean I get mad at Ron too but I think he means well. 

As predicted Gallardo good for 3 innings top. @Brewers is Roenicke insane? Doesn't he realize the pattern for the last 3yrs with this guy?
— Kato Kaelin (@Kato_Kaelin) July 20, 2014

Can't disagree here. 

Matt Garza should be pitching on the Garza strip. 5 runs in 1st inning. Thanks @Brewers
— Kato Kaelin (@Kato_Kaelin) July 20, 2014

Might wanna stay away from that one.

Charlie. 

Brewers-Nationals Preview (7/18-7/20)

Yes, your Brewers previews are back in full force. We have kind have been lacking on it during the month of July and honestly, I get real busy in the coming month so hopefully they will continue, same with highlights/lowlights.  

Friday:     Kyle Lohse (9-4 3.26) vs. Stephen Strasburg (7-6 3.46) 6:05 pm FSNWI
Saturday: Matt Garza (6-6 3.69) vs. Gio Gonzalez (6-5 3.56)         6:05 pm FSNWI
Sunday:   Yovani Gallardo (5-5 3.68) vs. Doug Fister (8-2 2.90)   12:35 pm FSNWI

Five Things to Watch
1.) Return of Jean Segura - Honestly, I throughly believed we wouldn't see Jean Segura in a Brewers uniform until the start of August or even longer than that. I couldn't imagine a person going through something like Segura did with his child dying at only nine months old.  There is no one I am pulling harder for than Segura. Dead serious, if Milwaukee doesn't make the playoffs, but Segura ends up hitting around .275-.280 having a great second half, I am perfectly okay with things. That would be a hell of a bright spot.

2.) Brewers Bounce Back - Even though Milwaukee won their last game before the All-Star Break, Milwaukee is losers of eleven of the last 13 games. This isn't an easy task for Milwaukee to start the second half against Washington with their three best pitchers and a team desperately needing wins as well. Washington is playing solid baseball for the month of July therefore it is very possible to expect Milwaukee to lose two of three games even if the Brewers need a couple wins. Both St. Louis and Cincinnati start off hard with Los Angeles at home for the Cards, and Reds heading to New York against the Yankees. Pirates get the lowly Rockies.

3. Ryan Braun's Unnoticed Hot Streak - He's been hurt for a little while missing a few games in July, but he's having a hell of a month. People are kind of unaware of the fact Braun is near the league lead in a lot of different categories including seventh in Slugging Percentage. Braun getting four days off could do absolute wonders for him and his back injury. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a big-time Braun series because he was starting to feel it against St. Louis last weekend. Braun also has some pretty solid numbers at Nationals Park for whatever it's worth.

4. Strasburg's revenge - One of the weirder things of the last month was Milwaukee trotting out a B-squad lineup, and they scored seven runs on Strasburg.  No one really saw it coming. Everyone expected a sweep. Since that start, Strasburg allowed a total of five runs striking out 26 batters in three starts since his time at Miller Park.  He has been pretty prettay good at Nationals Park so we will see what happens tonight against a fully loaded Brewers lineup.

5. Garza's Hot July - Another thing getting sort of hidden under the radar because everyone is pushing the panic button about the Brewers' terrible month.  Garza only gave up two hits against Cincinnati with no runs scored and carried a no-hitter into the sixth against Philadelphia. Sure things when to shit after that, but most of it wasn't Garza's fault. He has been great lately and it should be a fantastic matchup to see Gio Gonzalez go up against him.

Appropriate YouTube Video 


I am providing some calm music to relax everyone and not freak out if the Brewers drop off a cliff again this weekend.

Prediction
I have a terrible feeling they are going to lose two of three because all three pitchers they are facing are really cooking right now.  But I have a little faith and think they will bullshit their way into two wins this weekend.

Charlie.

SnoTap's First Half National League Awards

I am pretty confident every blog across America has their own awards for the season, but I have to add SnoTap's to the mix. There are some standard awards with a couple different ones in there as well. Check out the American League version that came out this morning.  

NL MVP
Troy Tulowitzki SS, Colorado Rockies - Obviously, I want to give the award to one of the Milwaukee Brewers whether it be Jonathan Lucroy or Carlos Gomez, but it has to be Tulowitzki. He is the league leader in home runs, WAR by a full win mind you, batting average, OPS over 1,000 (Only one in the National League), Slugging Percentage and On-Base Percentage which is stunning .435. It is not out of the realm of the possibilities for Tulo to get the first National League Triple Crown since Joe Medwick in 1937 when he did with St. Louis.

NL Cy Young:
Adam Wainwright P, St. Louis Cardinals - Hear me out, I believe at the end of the year, Clayton Kershaw will be the winner of the Cy Young, but if we are talking about first half, Wainwright deserves the award as his statistics are spread over 19 games versus 14 for Kershaw who battled injury for the first two months. Wainwright allowed only 28 runs during the first half of the season and a WAR of five, the highest for National League pitcher. Kershaw's numbers are damn silly, but for the first half, Wainwright deserves the Cy Young.


NL Rookie of the Year: 
Billy Hamilton CF, Cincinnati Reds - I could make a compelling case for Jacob deGrom of the Mets and I think Gregory Polanco and Kolton Wong (Somehow still a rookie) might be there at the end of it. But Hamilton deserves it thus far. He is the glue that makes Cincinnati go. Hamilton already has 38 stolen bases hitting .285 and leads all rookies in both doubles and triples. It also seems like he only gets better as he scuffled a bit to start the season, but Hamilton has been red hot as of late hitting .407 in the last seven days.

NL Surprise Team:
Milwaukee Brewers - There is the hometown team making an appearance. It had to be the Brewers honestly. Many of the teams that are vying for playoff spots have been there before in the past couple of years. Milwaukee is back to prominence after two years of struggling especially early on in the season. Brewers are hurting right now losing eleven of their last 13 games, but still, no one expected them to lead the National League Central.

NL Disappointing Team: 
Arizona Diamondbacks - The expectations were not there for Arizona like they had been in years past, but truthfully, no one expected them to be this bad. They are 16 games under .500 with a startling run differential of -71. They also have been very immature with their actions against Ryan Braun earlier this year which should surprise no one. Arizona finally needs to start focusing on prospects and start selling pieces of the team not named Paul Goldschmidt.

NL Breakout Player: 
Henderson Alvarez P, Miami Marlins - Miami looks to have a solid front-line pitching staff for the future with Jose Fernandez and Alvarez. He is the ripe age of 24 and came over to Miami in the Toronto Blue Jays mega deal. He had a decent campaign in 2013 with a no-hitter at the end of the year, but he is excelling in his first full season as a Miami starter. He allowed only 35 runs thus far this season yielding to a WAR of 2.7. Marlins are set up real nicely.

NL Regressing Player: 
Ryan Howard 1B, Philadelphia Phillies - I know what you are saying, Ryan Howard has been regressing for years. But this is his first full season in the last two years therefore some people might think Howard would have a rebirth. Nope, that didn't happen at all. Howard is hitting a measly .220 with an OPS of .381 and a negative WAR. It is fair to say Howard is done for his career. Maybe he comes back in five years and has one more big year, but it's not happening for awhile.

Most Overplayed Storyline:
Yadier Molina-Jonathan Lucroy riff - I am sick and tired of this garbage. The attack ad was funny then St. Louis blew out of proportion making it a national story. After that, Molina gets hurt and the Cardinals fanbase shines again when Wainwright struggled in the All-Star Game giving up three runs with Lucroy behind the dish. I am done and over with it, let's move on.

Bold Prediction
The bottom will fall out on San Francisco - There are eight teams vying for five spots meaning one or two of them are going to fade off into an abyss. I have a feeling San Francisco is going to be one of them. They had a horrible second part of the first half. On June 8th, San Francisco had a 42-21 record, since then, they have only won 10 games. Five weeks and only 10 games won.

Charlie.

Brewers First Half Pitching Grades

This is an annual post here with SnoTap industries where we grade the Brewers offense and their pitching staff.  I would like to think I am a fair grader and some think I am a little too nice to people. If you missed the offense grades earlier this afternoon, check em out.   

Kyle Lohse - Personally, I feel he is the best pitcher on the team thus far. Lohse has been the most consistent Brewer of the bunch. Every now and again, he blows up, yet there have been some stellar performances including a complete game shutout against Chicago. Lohse's career in the last five years or so have been really unbelievable if you think about it, great consistency from him. GRADE: A

Francisco Rodriguez - The return of K-Rod. He probably takes Milwaukee's Cy Young because they had no idea who would close games for Milwaukee. Rodriguez closed the first game, and he continued for the rest of the first half of the season with no signs of slowing down. Most of Frankie's runs have came in non-save situations with only three blown saves on the season. The only thing to worry about a little bit is the amount of home runs he has given up in the past couple months. GRADE: A
G only allowed one run in the last two months and only allowed 15 hits in that timespan as well. He's been as good as anyone in the bullpen. Truly impressive performance from Duke. GRADE: A

Will Smith - It is really hard to be critical of Smith because of a bad month recently with the Brewers. Smith pitched so well for the first three months of the season. He looked like an All-Star for a long-time during the season and then Smith hit the regression wall. It happens to a great deal of players in baseball. If anyone needed the All-Star Break, it was Smith. Hopefully, the two appearances against St. Louis where he pitched two scoreless innings is the step in the right direction. GRADE: A-

Wily Peralta - This has been a breakout season for Wily. The numbers don't really show what Wily did for the 'first half' of the season. He had a real strong start to the season with his ERA getting as low as 2.12 by late May. Peralta had an average month of June despite him winning all five starts, but the glimmer of hope came in final start in a stellar start against St. Louis where he pitched seven innings giving up no runs and three hits. GRADE: B

Matt Garza - What a turnaround for him. Many people were ready to bring out the pitchforks for Garza after struggling for his first two months of the season. Yes, he cannot field his position to save his soul, but Garza is pitching his ass off right now. He had a strong June with having an ERA under three for the month along with some strong outings against Minnesota, Arizona and Cincinnati (Terrible defense from him but whatever). The first two starts in July for Garza, he only allowed five total hits with two runs. If he becomes a front-line starter for the second half, it will be like Milwaukee had made a trade for a pitcher. GRADE: B

Yovani Gallardo - This first half has sort of defined Yovani Gallardo's career. He had some great starts including a strong sart to his season and then he fell apart for awhile then bounced back a little bit. Gallardo's inconsistency continuing to be frustrating for Brewers fans because you see the potential in some starts then it all goes to shit in another one. GRADE B-

Tyler Thornburg - You kind of forget about him because he hasn't played in over a month and a half with his last start being against Pittsburgh in late May. Thornburg came out blazing in the first month of the season proving everyone right when they said 'You know Thornburg could be a great reliever.' He then scuffled in the month of May. Who knows what Throny we will get when he comes back. GRADE: C+

Rob Wooten - It is hard to really judge Wooten's season right now. The reliever's ERA is abnormally high because one blowup appearance against Cincinnati in June. If he can whatever he had in May where Wooten had an ERA of 0.71, that would be ideal. He is not a bad reliever where you worry when he comes in, but Wooten needs to be a little more solid. GRADE:C+

Brandon Kintzler - Here's where my frustration with Kintzler. He seems to choke it up in big, clutch moments. This worries me as we get closer and closer to the month of October plus need clutch outings in August and September. I know this paragraph sounds a little JS Comments-like but he has been on the losing end of a walk-off four times this season already. GRADE: C-

Marco Estrada - It has not been a good year for Marco. He gave up 27 home runs in the first half of the season. What honestly did him to lose his starting position was the month of June. He gave up 24 runs, 30 hits and seven home runs leading to a 7.45 ERA. Estrada could have a totally different second half as the Brewers long relief pitcher. GRADE: D+

Wei-Chung Wang - It is honestly hard to talk about him because it really isn't fair to talk about how he's done so far this season. I am extremely surprised he is still on a MLB roster. GRADE: Incomplete.

Charlie.

Brewers First Half Offense Grades

This is an annual post here with SnoTap industries where we grade the Brewers offense and their pitching staff.  I would like to think I am a fair grader and some think I am a little too nice to people. Pitching grades are coming later. 

Jonathan Lucroy - Easily, the MVP for Milwaukee thus far this season and maybe the MVP of the entire National League. Lucroy is having a fantastic year. He had a rough July so far with his average dipping 20 points, that's okay because he is still at .315.  Lucroy has 42 doubles and only 42 strikeouts. Really strong start to the season for Johnny Luc. GRADE: A

Carlos Gomez - I nearly downgraded Gomez to an A- because I am a little concerned about his swing rate where he is a little too aggressive with pitches lately, yet it has been a banner year for Gomez again netting him an All-Star starting appearance. Currently, Gomez has a six-game hitting streak and starting to get warm again which is an encouraging thing for Milwaukee.  GRADE: A

Ryan Braun - Some people might think this grade is a little high, but there are couple reasons behind when Braun got the third-highest grade on the offense. First, Braun started the year with everyone wondering about where his head might be with all of the Biogenesis stuff. Second, he is starting to heat up in a major way which is going unnoticed given Braun is battling all sorts of injuries, he is hitting .364 for July with six hits in his last three game. GRADE: A-

Aramis Ramirez - You have to be impressed with what Rami is doing this season. He battled through an injury that kept him out nearly a  month, but before that, he had his hottest April ever then came back to give Milwaukee a much-needed lift. Ramirez had a torrent June month hitting .348 with 31 hits including six home runs. Ramirez is also playing solid defense at third base for Milwaukee as well. Even though he notched an All-Star appearance, I think the best is yet to come. GRADE: B+

Scooter Gennett - We have went over a couple times about how wrong I have been about Scooter. He is having a good season, and some of it had to do with moving to the top of the order. Gennett hit nearly .400 for the month of June with big extra-base hits as well as getting on-base. He bounced back nicely after having a terrible May where I called for his head as Rickie Weeks was excelling. Gennett is doing work for the club. GRADE: B+

Khris Davis - This has been a really impressive start for Khris because he had a great deal of pressure going into this year. He needed to replace the production of Nori Aoki in a different way. Davis hit the skids hard to start the year, and people wondered whether there was a needed platoon. He went on a complete tear for the next month and a half plus currently leads all Brewers in home runs with 15. Davis scuffled a bit in the last month, but he's been hitting around .260 before then which is encouraging. GRADE: B

Rickie Weeks - Even though he is a bench player and his run with the Brewers might be done soon, I am happy for Weeks. He had a good season after a terrible 2013 thus far. The run in May brought me back to the old Weeks days when he would have two great weeks hitting everything in sight. Hopefully, they keep him around until the end of the year.  GRADE: B

Lyle Overbay - I went back and forth whether I wanted to give Overbay a B or B-, but it ended with a B. People didn't expect much from Overbay this season, and many people wanted Juan Francisco over him. He is hitting .243 with an OBP of .322. That's nothing to be mad about honestly. Sure, you want more from first base, but it's been better than what Milwaukee had last season. GRADE B

Mark Reynolds - For the first couple months, it seems like the relationship with Brewers and Reynolds would be a wonderful one then he completely fell off a cliff in the last two months. Reynolds only has two home runs since the start of June and currently, he is hitting .100 for the month of July. What's the use for him if he is not hitting home runs. GRADE: C

Jean Segura - This might be a tough grade for him, but I am hoping he finds his stroke again. No greater story would be Segura having a massive second half of the season  as he is dealing with the death of his young son. Segura has been pretty tremendous defensively and right there for a Gold Glove even if Troy Tulowitzki will win it. GRADE C-

Charlie.

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 96

We are dealing with some audio issues here at the SnoTap studios so I apologize for that one. Tapping The Keg podcast with the same old crew.  I recap my trip back to Eau Claire which is filled with some great stories in there including the greatest taxi driver ever.  We really only spend time on two topics so if you think about the podcast is split into about  15 minutes of baseball talk where we discuss the Milwaukee Brewers and the NL Central race then some All-Star Game talk.  The other 15 minutes features us talking about the Milwaukee Bucks Summer League struggles along with the possibility of Jerryd Bayless being a Buck and the ridiculous rumor about Milwaukee interested in J.R. Smith. Other NBA talk finishes us off with free agency talk including some laughable moments about Channing Frye.

Charlie.

Phillies-Brewers: Everything Sucks.

It is really hard to have a blog post about highlights and lowlights when the team you do it for loses all four games against a last place. Simply, it cannot happen. This isn't a state of the Brewers blog, rather, trying to figure out what's going wrong and how it can be fixed. It should be known that baseball happens like this sometimes where it is terribly weird and things go terribly wrong. Milwaukee Brewers have lost nine of 10 games, only one win since June 28th and somehow things are still alright.

There are problems all over the place with Milwaukee right now. Where would you like me to start? Offense seems to be a main concern with everyone right now so let's start there. Carlos Gomez has been a shell of himself in recent weeks.  It seems like he reverted back to some of his old ways with more swings and misses than in the early stages of the season as Alec Dopp of Gammons Daily pointed out a couple days ago.  Ryan Braun's bad back isn't helping things either. He missed two games in the series plus batted fifth yesterday although still added a hit. Jean Segura's struggles where he is now batting .232 is a true life concern. That's a panic button for me. It could be a sophomore slump, but something needs to change at the plate for him.

Milwaukee is a weird one too when it comes to hitting because they have come up with hits in some of these games during the losing streak, just not timely ones. Rickie Weeks deep fly ball on Monday or Scooter rope right at a left fielder on Tuesday come to mind. Only the last two days where the Brewers had a combined seven hits are days really feeling like Milwaukee has zero offense whatsoever.  I keep thinking back to Tuesday. They had a four-run lead early with a Lyle Overbay grand slam. If they hold that lead and break the streak, does Milwaukee win one or two of these games?  Who really knows because the pitching failed them in that game.

Pitching is still an issue for this team. Some of it has been good like Matt Garza. He pitched great in his two starts in the month of July continuing on with a strong June. Wily Peralta is dealing with some issues right now giving up four or more runs in the last three starts with him blowing up on Tuesday night with a nine-run debacle. One could argue teams have gotten a better book on Peralta, and he needs to make some changes to what's he is doing out there. The other could say he pitched in two hitter friendly ballparks for only the first and second time and shit happens like the Philly start. It's a mix of both in my opinion. One of the major problems right now is giving up early inning runs. In the last four of five games, Milwaukee gave up at least one run in the first inning. Brewers are putting themselves behind far too often early.

It is not just starting pitching either. Will Smith has been a major problem. He could worn out from making 50 appearances already this season. If I had it my way, Smith isn't playing in the series against St. Louis.  He needs a week off. Ron Roenicke wanted to use him carefully, but it seems like the bullpen management from him has been shortsighted. At some point, Smith will be fine because all relievers go through shitty stretches like this unless they have unreal seasons. Brandon Kintzler hasn't been great, and only Rob Wooten seems like a sure thing at this point. All July has done is making it a priority for Milwaukee to make a deal for a reliever. They need one badly. If they could get a closer to basically do what they did in 2011, it would be vital to their success. Huston Street or Koji Uehara sounds awesome in a Brewers uniform.

The crazy thing about all of this struggle is Milwaukee still has the best record in the National League. They have lost nine of the last 10 and still have the top dog position. Brewers have brought St. Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh back into the fold as all three teams are four or less games back from the National League Central division. It is completely wide open. No one expected this to be easy and if someone did, they should really start watching more baseball. With St. Louis coming to town this weekend, Milwaukee could win two of three games and have a three-game lead heading into the All-Star Break. Any Brewers fan or player would have taken that in the month of March. Honestly, it feels right St. Louis and Milwaukee are tied at the All-Star Break. Brewers played a bit over their head in parts of June. It is hard to see the Brewers running away with this division.

The last weekend before the All-Star with Milwaukee holding a .500 record at home. This is a time to strike for them to gain back a little what's been lost in this already terrible month.

Charlie.

My Promise to Brewers Fans.

So the Brewers have lost five straight games.  That is a fact we know to be true after they will likely lose to Philadelphia thus completing a four-game road sweep of the first-place Brewers. They have lost nine of their last 10 games since a four-game winning streak.  We need to shift around the momentum and that's why I came up with an idea.  This idea might not be a pretty one, but was the thought of Jason Giambi rocking a gold thong to break out of a slump pretty? HELL NO.  You have to shift the momentum entirely on its axis and just go for it.  

If the Brewers win 10 straight games, I will pose like Prince Fielder did for the ESPN: Body Issue. Momentum shifted.
— Charlie Tritschler (@SnoTap12) July 10, 2014

There is it.  Me and Prince together as a fat man solidarity move as well as a way to break up this awful slide from the Brewers. 

Charlie.   

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 95

After a week hiatus, Charlie and Mitch are back with another edition of Tapping The Keg podcast. We talk about all things Milwaukee Bucks for the first 15 to 20 minutes of the podcast going over Jason Kidd's hiring plus Jabari Parker and Summer League. Next, it moves to NBA Free Agency talking about LeBron James and whether he will go to Cleveland or Miami. Continuing on, we try to calm everyone down about the Milwaukee Brewers recent skid. It finishes with a little World Cup and Johnny Manziel talk.

DON'T FREAK OUT: Milwaukee Brewers Edition

It was time. I told myself if the Brewers lose to Cole Hamels on Monday night, I would provide a little voice of reason talk. I realize there are people that will go with the sky is falling technique over the blind optimism, but I want to believe. It didn't help Milwaukee lost a game that pisses you off to the core and makes you wonder why do I care so much about this team?  Regardless, it is time to put on some happy music and think about what's ahead for the Brewers meaning yes you shouldn't worry about their recent scuffles.  

 Losing Streaks Happen - I realize Milwaukee isn't technically on a losing streak, but I am trying to provide perspective here. I am also not saying Milwaukee will win the World Series, but four of the last five World Series Champions had one losing streak five games or longer. Every good team has a rough patch in their schedule. May wasn't really that bad with Milwaukee ending .500 for the month. That still can happen with July as well. No team is perfect, and skids happen like this to every baseball team. They will bounce back.   

Marco Estrada isn't going to start all season - Milwaukee's management, both front and clubhouse, are stubborn without any question. Brewers Twitter is taking the pitchforks to Estrada right now and wants to see Jimmy Nelson whose dominating Triple A right now. Estrada isn't a good starting pitcher right now, and maybe, he needs a change of scenery. Further, there is nothing to think Nelson will be a much better pitcher than Estrada although I agree watching Nelson struggle is far different than seeing Estrada puke on his shoes every five days.  

They are going to make a move - I have no doubt in my mind Milwaukee will have a new Brewer before the trade deadline is over. Brew Crew Ball did a great job at looking at the three Boston Red Sox's players the Brewers might be interested in. Currently, the three Boston guys are the only ones rumored to be a possible Brewer. Doug Melvin downplayed a major trade which I have to think stands for "No, we are going to make a move at some point yet I have no idea what it will actually be ."  Milwaukee will not go quiet into the night with three teams nipping at their heels. 

Carlos Gomez will find his swing again - He is going through a slump which should be almost expected at some point. This guy has been completely on fire for months, and he had a bad week a his job. Haven't we all honestly. Sure, we don't get paid like Gomez, but he will find his stroke again. I wouldn't be surprised if Ron Roenicke changes the order if Ryan Braun ends up playing again tonight. I would go for a lineup of Scooter-Braun-Lucroy-Ramirez-Gomez  or Gomez-Braun-Lucroy-Ramirez-Scooter (Yes hitting Scooter fifth is not ideal, but hey, he gets hits so why not at this point?)  

Ryan Braun will go on a 'Ryan Braun' streak - I felt like we were so close to having that happen after the Toronto series, but he ended up hurting his back which made him miss most of Saturday's game and all of Sunday plus he had to leave Monday night from running after a lead-off double in the eighth inning. Although Braun is still stinging the ball despite the bad back issues. I am telling you this becomes a different team without question. The thumb will always be an issue for him, but Braun will come fresh at some point soon. 

A part of me still believes in Jean Segura - I am not saying he will end up being an All-Star in the second half, but I refuse to believe he is only a .240 hitter. I refuse to believe the numbers of him July 1st 2013 and beyond are Segura's true ceiling. He is going to figure this thing on offense. That's going to happen at some point, and when it does, Milwaukee becomes a more dangerous team. 

This isn't part of my whole "Don't freak out", but the fact, Milwaukee finishes the year by playing the division for the entire month except for a home series against Miami is what you want as a fan and player. They control their own destiny. If they want to bury the rest of division and we as fans are celebrating in mid-September, hell yeah, let's do it. If they want to screw around and Milwaukee fights for a division title to the final game of the year, welp better give me all the alcohol in the world.  

To quote the great Alfred from "Batman Begins", 'Why do we fall Master Wayne?"   "To pick ourselves back up again."  Everything will be fine, y'all. 

-Charlie.  

Phillies-Brewers Preview (7/7-7/10)

Brewers previews to get you ready for the series where we have five things to watch, pitching matchups and prediction. We add a YouTube video in the mix, it could be really anything.  

Pitching Matchups & TV Times
Monday: Cole Hamels (2-5 2.98) vs. Marco Estrada (7-5 4.94)            7:10 pm FSNWI
Tuesday: Kyle Kendrick (3-8 4.12) vs. Wily Peralta (9-5 3.35)             7:10 pm FSNWI
Wednesday: Roberto Hernandez (3-8 4.48) vs. Kyle Lohse (9-3 3.18)  7:10 pm FSNWI
Thursday: David Buchanan (4-5 4.82) vs. Matt Garza (6-5 3.78)            1:10 pm 620 WTMJ

Five Things to Watch 
1.) Brewers hit the skids a bit - They are back in Milwaukee after a horrendous road trip where they went 1-5. Granted, these were against two of the better teams in baseball, but some people are getting a little nervous the bottom is ready to fall out with this team. I don't think it is time to push the panic button, but right now, I have my hands in my pockets, whistling near the button.

2.) Philadelphia isn't playing good baseball - While Milwaukee might be through their worst stretch of the season thus far, it isn't going much better in the City of Brotherly Love. They were swept this weekend at Pittsburgh, and Philly also has lost 12 of their last 15 games. Phillies were only five games under .500 three Saturdays ago, and now, the whole thing blew up on them again.

3.) Phillies offensive offense - This isn't the power-hitting, scary Phillies of team of yore. Their offense is completely anemic. The team has only scored more than three runs four times in the last 15 games, three of them were wins for Philadelphia. Ryan Howard completely fell off a cliff after a hot June. He is two for his last 19 at-bats, and the last time he hit a home run was June 19th.  

4.) Carlos Gomez heat up? - This hasn't been a great start to the month of July for Gomez. He did not have a good road trip and suffering his first slump of the season. I wouldn't be surprised if we see more bunts from Gomez as he attempts to get himself going more in different ways.

5.) Dealing with Cole Hamels - Even though Philadelphia isn't a good team, Cole Hamels is one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. Milwaukee is currently struggling meaning Hamels could be an issue for this team tonight. But if you want some optimism, Jonathan Lucroy has great numbers against him in a small sample size, same for Mark Reynolds and if he plays tonight, Ryan Braun hits .321 with three home runs off Hamels. Milwaukee has found a way to handle lefties pretty well this season.

Apporirate YouTube Video 


It is obvious Panic Switch by Sliversun Pickups. Don't push it yet Brewers fans. If they lose three of four against Philadelphia, we can all collectively freak out.

Prediction 
A split would be fine with me, but I think they end up getting three of four including beating Hamels tonight. They will lose one dumb game somewhere.

Highlights-Lowlights: Brewers-Reds (7/4-7-6)

This is SnoTap's version of recap of the two, three or four game series Milwaukee Brewers will play this season. We focus on the positives and negatives with topics about the game and topics that were nowhere near close to part of the game

Highlights
Matt Garza - This is the Matt Garza Brewers fans hoped for when Milwaukee signed the right-hander. This might be peak Garza, but still it was a joy to watch him pitch on Saturday afternoon. Garza looked completely dialed in with a complete game shutout only allowing two hits and struck out nine batters. Finally, Garza's ERA dipped below four, the first time it has been under four since April 14th, but Garza did have a 2.88 ERA in the month of June.

Jonathan Lucroy - He really didn't have a good series, but it is worth giving him credit for calling a great game on Saturday with Garza. Lucroy did also add a home run on Friday trying to bring the team back after a four run deficit early on. I honestly cannot remember the last time Lucroy wasn't on the highlight-lowlight chart for highlights. He deserves it almost every time out.

Logan Schafer - It has to be tough being Logan Schafer and other Brewers that get shifted around in Triple A and MLB. Schafer took his knocks but made the most of his opportunity on Sunday playing for Ryan Braun with a triple and double off Mat Latos whose been virtually unhittable lately. I like Elian Herrera, but it seems like Logan really helps out the team more. He is a better defender whom can play all three outfield positions and seems to come up with big hits every now and again.  

Aramis Ramirez - Good weekend for the All-Star starter at third base. He played really well on Saturday having two hits and driving in the only run of the game. Ramirez had hits in both of the other games as well. Ramirez also made a hell of a defensive play late in the game on Saturday with a bunt which is always a detriment of Garza

Lowlights
Ryan Braun's back spasms - Another Braun injury to deal with which really does suck even though it is not considered to be serious. This seems like Braun's sixth or seventh injury already this season, and yes that's probably an overreaction yet it is just a bummer. Braun is having a fine season, but it is unfortunate for him. Hopefully, this doesn't delay what seemed to be the start of a Braun hot streak too.

Kyle Lohse - We really shouldn't be concerned about Lohse because he arguably has been the best Brewers pitcher of the season, but the last four starts are a little unsettling. Three of the four starts he has given up three runs with a couple unearned runs mixed in there as well, and he goes only five innings in two of the last four starts. Lohse's runs came quick on Friday, and before you know, Milwaukee is trailing by four runs in the fifth inning.

Will Smith - As we talked about this in the last couple weeks, this had to be expected from Smith. He cannot be perfect for the rest of the year. Smith was so good and him regressing a bit shouldn't be surprising at all. Granted, Smith giving up a two-run homer to Known Brewer Killer President Jay Bruce is much better than him giving up multiple hits allowing multiple runs yet I realize this is flawed logic.

Carlos Gomez - Milwaukee had a road trip from hell and so do Gomez with going two for 18 during the five games. He dipped below .300 for the first time since May 23rd. I am not very concerned with Gomez's recent struggles. It is the law of large averages. He goes on a huge hitting streak and it seems inevitable there will be a little dip there.

Gotta figure out Cincinnati - At some point, Milwaukee will need to win a series against Cincinnati. They play them 10 times in the month of September. Cincinnati has the pitching and they might make a move for some hitting at some point in the trade deadline. Brewers need to find their way against the Reds sooner rather than later. Next matchup comes at The Keg on July 21st.  

Charlie.

Brewers All-Star Vote Confusion

I am not an All-Star voter. I used to be, but as my days go on, I do not find the time to do it. Granted, I am not knocking it whatsoever. It is a cool way to incorporate the fans as well as drive up the support with social media campaign as they have done in the past couple of years. Two of the Milwaukee Brewers are National League MVP candidates with Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy. In turn, Milwaukee fans want to see those players in front of the national audience getting attention from the start of the game. They are driving up the fan votes elsewhere yielding some weird results thus far

The funniest thing about All-Star voting right now is the fact the most deserving Brewers player Jonathan Lucroy is not a starter right now and probably will not be with only a couple days left. Lucroy trails Yadier Molina by way too far of a margin, but hopefully, Matt Matheny will not be spiteful when it comes to adding him to the roster given how great Lucroy has been all season plus Evan Gattis is currently on the Disabled List. If Lucroy ends up on the 'Last Five', that might be one of the most disrespectful thing I have seen in all season. He is an All-Star and doesn't need a frivolous fan vote to get him into the dance at Target Field. Lucroy should tell them to eff off if this ends up being the case.  

There are a lot of confusing Brewers on the list. It is hard to decide what's the most confusing on the list... Jean Segura in second, Aramis Ramirez in first or Mark Reynolds in second. It sounds like one of the weirdest MFK's in the short-term history of the game. Let's start with Ramirez because there is a chance he could be starting in the All-Star Game especially since David Wright is flirting with the Disabled List battling an injury. The only guy in the top five deserving of being the All-Star starter is Todd Frazier of the Cincinnati Reds. He is hitting .287 with 17 home runs with a .857 On-Base Percentage. If Cincinnati's fan base actually gave a damn and had decent attendance numbers, Frazier would be the pick for the third base All-Star. 

Segura and Reynolds make little sense at all.  Neither of these players are close to being All-Stars by any means. Segura plays really good defense and probably will be in some consideration for a Gold Glove yet defense doesn't usually earn you an All-Star game unless you are Omar Vizquel. Let's be clear, Segura isn't Vizquel by any way, shape or form. Although, most of National League shortstops not named Troy Tulowitzki have been slightly better than Segura, but not by a large margin so maybe Segura is not as ridiculous but he's been pretty damn bad offensively this season. Reynolds is also very confusing. Paul Goldschmidt, like Tulowitzki, will be the starter and deserves to be, but look at the list behind Reynolds... Adrian Gonzalez, Freddie Freeman, Matt Adams. Even though he battled injury, does anyone know Adams is hitting .324 this season?  For all of the Cardinal fans put in Yadier Molina, they have seemingly ignored the rest of their team which is such a Cardinals things to do.  

Some might ask why waste a bunch of words on this topic. It's fair because it will all be meaningless when starters are named over the weekend. But I find it interesting how Lucroy is a deserving number two compared to the fact all of these Brewers are near the top in other spots. It is clear the Brewers fan base did wonders to help Lucroy get closer in the two spot plus driven Gomez to the second position in the outfield to ensure his spot as well. 

From the looks of it, the Brewers will have two All-Stars with a chance at a third on offense then when it comes to pitchers, there will probably be one or two there as well. Milwaukee will have their hands all over Target Field's All-Star Game. 

Charlie.