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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Highlights-Lowlights: Rockies-Brewers (6/26-6/29)

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 - Big weekend for Ryan Braun. I don't want to be like 'BRAUN BACK' and go all crazy because he owned Colorado's pitching which is as easy as finding a drunk underage Milwaukee suburbanite at Summerfest. Braun came through with his first walkoff hit in three years giving Milwaukee the win on Friday night. Braunie also added his eleventh home run in a loss on Sunday. In the last five games, Braun has two hits in four of them as well as driving in seven runs getting his average back to .290.

Kyle Lohse - Good start for Lohse on Friday night and probably deserving of the win, but things happen plus wins are silly. Lohse pitched well for seven innings working out of one jam that allowed a run, but nothing more. In the last two starts prior to this one, Lohse had allowed three runs and this one he only let one through seven innings with four strikeouts only yielding four hits. Good to see Lohse bounce back and hopefully the longish layoff will not affect him.

Lyle Overbay - I have said it before and I will say it again, I made a mistake with Lyle Overbay. He delivered a big sixth inning hit in Saturday's game driving in a vital insurance run which Milwaukee would need as Colorado slowly started to bang down the door. He added another hit in his only appearance for the weekend but came up in a big way. It has been really good to have Overbay on the roster plus I felt very comfortable with him playing defense for Matt Garza on the mound.

Carlos Gomez - He didn't really have a great weekend, but the three-run home run to lead off Saturday's game was ideal. Colorado obviously mad about losing to Milwaukee six straight times with the Brewers getting a walk-off the night before then BAM!  Carlos hits a homer. Also worth nothing since Gomez had his 0 for 6 night on Tuesday, he has one hit in each games putting him at four-game hitting streak meaning he has hits in 22 of his last 23 games.

Jonathan Lucroy - At this point, we are out of things to say about Lucroy, but once again, he came up big with some timely hitting driving in key runs in all three runs. Lucroy tied up the game Thursday night with a single after Wily Peralta gave up a grand slam. He put the Brewers ahead on Friday with the first run of the game in a tight pitcher's duel and added a RBI groundout on Saturday. Lucroy is a national treasure.

Lowlights
Injuries - Cramps, Face injuries, etc - Not a great weekend for the Brewers when it came to injuries. Jean Segura had to leave Saturday with cramping issues putting him out for Sunday's game, but it appears he will be back for Tuesday's game. Carlos Gomez had a collision with Braun leading to a face injury which could be described by the scene in Tommy Boy at the diner. Hopefully, Gomez will be back for the weekend. I don't really expect him for Toronto but with two days off this week, no reason to send him to the Disabled List.

Yovani Gallardo - Yeah not a great start for Yo, but I am not worried about it. There seems to be a vodoo hex over why Yo cannot beat the Rockies, the only National League team he hasn't beat for his career. It started off bad for him, and that's always how Yovani gets beat up is if he struggles early. I am a little worried about his seven-day layoff too.

Francisco Rodriguez - It was an up and down week for Frankie as he did get saves in both Thursday and Saturday's game. But he did blow one on Friday giving up a home run to Josh Rutledge. I am not worried at all about Frankie, but four runs in his last 10 appearances plus two home runs in the last week is never good.

Brewers schedule this week - Man, this sucks. We got two day games during the week which doesn't affect me too much but then we don't get a day game on the Fourth of July which is ludicrous. Further, they only play five games on which is a bummer, but Brewers do get some much-needed time off.

Highlights-Lowlights: Nationals-Brewers (6/23-6/25)

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
Marco Estrada - He has been the punching bag of this Milwaukee Brewers team for some time now, but he delivered a big start when the Brewers needed him. They were on the verge of getting swept for the first time this season. They are coming off a 16 inning heartbreaking loss the night before meaning the bullpen is completely taxed. Estrada is facing Stephen Strasburg as well. Estrada only gave up two hits, two runs and only walked two batters. And he went for 6 plus innings. Overall a great start for the Brewers fifth starter and hopefully, a step in the right direction.

Scooter Gennett - Look I was wrong about Scooter. I basically scorched the earth when he got called up to replace Rickie Weeks. I didn't want Scooter to fail, but I was convinced he wouldn't be a better player than Weeks. I couldn't have been more wrong. I want to apologize about how much I bungled the whole thing last summer. He's been great for the team. Gennett has the second-highest batting average since August 2013 in all of Major League Baseball. Scooter hit a grand slam and drove in an added run in the only Brewers win this week.

Yovani Gallardo - It continues to be a great month for Yovani, and my assumption would be he will win Brewers Pitcher of the Month. He again pitched great in a no-decision against Washington on Tuesday night. Gallardo only gave up four hits in six innings. If Gallardo is this way for the most part for the rest of the season, Milwaukee can contend with anyone. Whatever he went through in the month of May, he is over it. Gallardo's ERA is now down to 3.23 and keeps pitching strong for the Brewers.

Ryan Braun - In the sixth inning, Braun stepped to the plate with runners on second and third with two outs. He is having a disastrous June for the greater part, but this is a situation where Braun has to deliver the big moment. He did just that with a two-run single giving the Brewers the lead against the tough Jordan Zimmernmann. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come for the Brewers slugger. It seems like we are just waiting on a Braun hot streak

Mike Fiers - Even though he is hanging out in Nashville for a couple days, he did a great job for Milwaukee on Tuesday night despite taking the loss. Fiers went four innings only giving up four hits with two of them coming in the 16th inning. Fiers also struck out four batters and had no issue with the Nationals bats. He made a campaign pitch to be a starter on Tuesday night.

Lowlights
Carlos Gomez's Extra Inning At-Bats - This was easily the most frustrating part of the whole series. Not the 16 innings, not the lack of hitting in the first two games, but Gomez's at-bats in the extra frames. He had a chance to win it twice and jumped over the first pitch both times when the pitchers were a bit shaky in the first place. Gomez is the biggest first-pitch swinger in baseball so it's understood he would swing at the first pitch a great deal of times. It is honestly hard to be mad at him, but he needs to show a little more discipline in late at-bats.

Will Smith - Another player on the Brewers where it is hard to be mad at, but Smith didn't do his job on Tuesday night giving up a home run to Anthony Rendon. Is it time to push the panic button on Smith? Probably not because he played at such a high level in the first three months of the season. Smith giving up three runs in his last 10 appearances isn't a big deal... yet.

16 Inning Baseball Games - I realized how much I hated late extra-inning games. I like West Coast trips without question because of the late night atmosphere for a night owl, but my goodness, the 16 inning game on Tuesday night was horribly boring. The game dragged on and no one could get a hit to save their soul. Maybe 16 inning games are more exciting when we have teams going back and forth with runs, but Christ, this was bad.

Scary Nats - Brewers thankfully got a game from Washington, but this is a scary team without question. They have front line pitching with Strasburg, Zimmermann and Gio Gonzalez. They will be getting back Bryce Harper and Wilson Ramos. Additionally, the Nats have a great bullpen. This is a lethal team moving forward.

Charlie.

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 93

Charlie and Mitch delivering the latest edition of Tapping The Keg Podcast.  We lead off with talking about whether you would rather be an East Coast or West Coast fan. There are obvious advantages or disadvantages on both sides. We break down the Brewers game from last night with Kirk Gibson hitting Ryan Braun plus Jonathan Lucroy being an MVP candidate with reaction from St. Louis' fans. We talk a great deal about the World Cup breaking down the latest United States chances with Portugal losing players by the minute. Further we discuss struggling Brazil among other things. We talk about the NBA Finals for a little bit more so about where LeBron James might go plus quick Kevin Love discussion. The podcast finishes with a talk about new world order with the Milwaukee Bucks front office plus a couple more hot topics at the end.

Charlie.

The Immaturity of the Arizona Diamondbacks Franchise

Arizona Diamondbacks are the least likable team in baseball. They do not have one of the biggest salaried rosters in baseball like the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, but they do have a franchise full of sophomoric bullies. Their latest punk behavior featured D'Backs relief pitcher Evan Marshall hitting Ryan Braun intentionally after throwing behind him with one pitch and then actually hitting him on the next pitch with an open base on first. Marshall left with a standing ovation and got this kind of love from his manager, Kirk Gibson.

H/T @ChadMoriyama 

A manager championing the fact they loaded the bases in a 4-3 ballgame to prove a point is such an old jock mentality. Gibson seems like the type of guy whom would tell you consistently how he had a big package and his multiple sexual conquests. He wanted to prove a point by hitting Braun, the Brewers superstar and a man Gibson hates along with the rest of the D'Backs organization when in reality, they would love Braun on their roster. Braun is the Anti-Christ to Gibson and feels like his PED use caused Arizona to lose the National League Division Series (Hint: It was more about giving homers to Yuni B and Nyjer Morgan but whatever). 

This all boils from 2011 which was nearly three years ago. Gibson is like a jilted lover whom cannot get over the fact things didn't turn out in the right way according to his delusional brain. The fact Gibson had to prove a point that night was absolutely absurd even by his standards. Arizona had a 4-3 lead late in the game against one of the best teams in baseball and chose to hit Braun in order to face Milwaukee's best hitter and MVP candidate Jonathan Lucroy. Further, Lucroy hit a home run already that night. But Gibson had to puff out his chest and show Arizona means business playing 'right, gritty way' to play baseball. These are the decisions of an assclown truthfully. And the fanbase is completely brainwashed with their standing ovation of Marshall as they applauded a player getting hit by a pitch well over 90 miles an hour.  

It really didn't work out well for Gibson as Lucroy blasted a grand slam causing the usually reserved Brian Anderson championing the ball to get up over the wall in an unusual move of homerism from one of the best of the business. If an announcer like Anderson is fed up with Gibson, it speaks volumes to the absurdity of it all. This isn't one of those things where Arizona had a reason to hit Braun, they just did it because Kyle Lohse ran a couple pitches inside with no malice. Arizona is a team full of sensitive punks, and it stems from their manager Gibson and their General Manager Kevin Towers. No one wants to be shown up in that organization even if they are 14 games under .500.

If Towers were a smart man, Gibson wouldn't have a job. This Arizona team is by no means rebuilding, but Towers possibly more so than Gibson should be charged with murdering the future of this franchise. Trevor Bauer should be starting for this team. Same goes for Tyler Skaggs. Archie Bradley is simply hanging out in Triple A while this team struggles which is completely maddening.  Towers and Gibson are like the dumb and dumber of this organization bringing them down while Los Angeles, San Francisco and Colorado are on the rise in the coming years.

Who knows what will happen tonight. Matt Garza is the definition of a wild card basically Charlie Day of the pitcher rotation. Garza could easily hit Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Montero and things are completely on like Donkey Kong.  Something tells me this isn't the end with the Brewers and Diamondbacks.

Charlie.  

Brewers-Diamondbacks Preview (6/16-6/20)

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 

Monday: Wily Peralta (6-5 2.90) vs. Brandon McCarthy (1-9 5.29) 8:40 pm FSNWI

Tuesday: Kyle Lohse (7-2 3.00) vs. Wade Miley (3-6 4.71) 8:40 pm FSNWI

Wednesday: Matt Garza (4-4 4.17) vs. Chase Anderson (5-1 3.21) 8:40 pm FSNWI 

Thursday: Yovani Gallardo (4-4 3.51) vs. Josh Collmenter (4-4 4.05) 2:40 pm FSNWI

Five Things To Watch 

1.) Milwaukee's Payback for Arizona - It might not mean much to Milwaukee, but Arizona took two of three from Milwaukee in early May. You would think the Brewers want to excert a little revenge especially since not a lot of teams have done well against Milwaukee this season. Three out of the four pitchers faced this week did not pitch in the last series. They need to avoid known Brewers killers, Aaron Hill and Paul Goldschmidt if they want to have a good series. 

2.) Scooter's lead-off success to continue? - As we noted this morning in highlights/lowlights, Scooter Gennett is excelling in the leadoff role. He had multiple hits in all three games against Cincinnati this weekend plus he played well in the series against New York. Scooter setting the table for the big bats in the order is crucial, and it is nice to see a guy step up while Jean Segura is currently struggling on the offensive end.  

3.) Handling Josh Collmenter - One of the biggest Brewers killer of recent memory. Milwaukee cannot seem to unlock the code against him. I don't know if it is the delivery or the fact he throws the ball very slowly compared to other pitchers, who knows really. For reference, Milwaukee batters only have eleven hits off him with no home runs and only two doubles. I don't know if this will be the time they break Collmenter but it would be ideal. 

4.) Waitin' on Ryan - Currently, Ryan Braun is in a slump, and he has been struggling at the dish. For the month of June, Braun has been pretty bad with only .183 average with only eleven hits. Chase Field is a hitters friendly ballpark meaning it could be the breakout series Braun needs to get him his jump started for the month. 

5.) My love for West Coast baseball - Simply put, I am a night owl. I usually stay up until 1:30 or 2 AM regularly so the west coast baseball is a nice treat every once in awhile because I get to watch baseball into the night. It also helps when there are no other sports on anymore at night.  

Appropriate YouTube Video 


Sorry this went up late. I got caught up in the World Cup.

Prediction
Split would be ideal. 

Highlights-Lowlights: Reds vs. Brewers (6/13-6/15)

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
Yovani Gallardo - Who knows what changed with Yovani in the last couple starts, but he has come back to life. Gallardo delivered another great start only allowing one run in seven innings giving up six hits with eight strikeouts. In the last two starts, Gallardo allowed only one run striking out 16 batters with only 10 hits off of him. Yovani is not going to be this good all the time, but it is refreshing to see him bounce back after the brutal six-game stretch. You wonder if it motivated him to see Kyle Lohse starting to get attention as the quote 'ace' of the staff. I could be looking too far into it, but Gallardo does seem to be handling opposing batters like he did at the start of the year.

Scooter Gennett - You think he likes the lead-off spot? In the last four starts for Scooter Gennett, he has two hits in each of the games. He really does seem to flourish in a spot where Gennett says he is the most comfortable. He had two doubles on Saturday and added another one yesterday which drove in a run therefore he is not just getting on-base with singles, Gennett adds a little bit more. It would be great if he started taking more walks. Gennett's OBP is only .335 which isn't good for a player hitting .296.

Carlos Gomez - He continued his hitting ways this week as Gomez extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Gomez added a big hit on Friday night driving in the game-tying run. Gomez had two hits on Sunday as well as the run scored to tie Saturday's game. It is fair to say Gomez is the straw that stirs Milwaukee's drink. He helped ignite all of the big Brewers innings this weekend. Even though he dropped to fourth place in the All-Star voting, I think it is guarantee he will be in his second-straight All-Star Game.

Khris Davis - He started the scoring attack on Friday night with a solo home run off Homer Bailey, Davis' first home run since June 5th against Minnesota. Davis had a productive groundout Saturday to tie the game late on Saturday as well. The most important thing is Davis hasn't wavered after the hot streak he had in late May. He could have faltered a little bit, but Davis remained consistent throughout the last 10 games which is encouraging to see from a young player.

Ryan Braun's home run - He didn't really have a highlight weekend as Braun only had one hit during the weekend dropping his average to .281, the lowest its been since April 23rd. But we will not worry about that right now. Braun hit his first meaningful home run of the year. Eighth inning with one out and a runner on second, he hits an opposite field home run. People are waiting on Braun to get hot again, and with two hitter-friendly ballparks, he might have an opportunity to breakout.

Lowlights
Marco Estrada's home runs - They continue to be a problem for this Brewers team. He gave up homers to Billy Hamilton, Todd Frazier and Brandon Phillips allowing for the first five runs of the game. Milwaukee came back to tie the game at three only to see Estrada giving up a two-run shot in the subsequent inning. It is not good right now. He didn't even walk a batter today. They were all gopher balls. Estrada is a problem on this Brewers roster right now. I don't know how starting him again will help this Brewers team because it seems like a given Estrada giving up at least one homer.

Matt Garza's defense - PUKE. Matt Garza's defense reared its ugly head on Friday night with a short-arm throw to second base and airmailing a ball into the stands later in the game. He had four unearned runs. Garza actually pitched great if it weren't for the errors as he only gave up an earned run. Garza's next start is against Arizona, and I fully expect them to try to bunt more offense plus try to put more pressure on him as teams will notice this start.

Rob Wooten - Not the best outing for Mr. Wooten. He gave up six straight hits and allowed five runs. He is the first pitcher since John Gelnar in 1970 to give up six straight hits in an appearance without getting an out. Let's chalk this up to a bad outing by him. It is a bummer to see because the Brewers had a chance to get back into this game only being down a run and Wooten puked all over his shoes. It happens now and again unfortunately.

Francisco Rodriguez - Yes he got a save on Saturday night, but he blew the game on Friday night. That's one you would have loved the Brewers to have after coming back from a four-run deficit, but K-Rod gave up a run leading to Cincinnati's win. I have no idea what's wrong with closers when they are playing in non-save situations, but the wheels always seem to come off for them. Hopefully, Frankie will find the secret of pitching in non-save situations.

Irving Falu - Ron Roenick gave Jean Segura a night off on Friday night, and it did not work well for the Brewers.  The now-Nashville player Irving Falu added a couple errors to give Milwaukee four on the night with him and Garza's ineptitude on defense. He also came up multiple times in big spots with runners on and Falu went like a fart in the wind. Happy to see him back in Nashville.

Charlie.

Highlights-Lowlights: Brewers-Mets (6/10-6/12)

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
Jonathan Lucroy - Is this guy real life right now? Johnny Luc had another big series to cap off a fantastic eight-game road trip. He hit a two-run homer on Thursday night to break a 1-1 tie in the 13th inning as well added a run in on Tuesday night. Lucroy is currently hitting .336, but he had his average at .341 yesterday. No matter what happens with the All-Star game, Lucroy needs to be under consideration for the National League MVP right now. He is near the top of every offensive category other than home runs, but others have shown us in this era, home runs don't really matter in an MVP conversation. Lucroy handled this pitching staff perfectly and done a great job offensively.

Aramis Ramirez- Quietly, Aramis has came back pretty nicely for this Brewers team. He broke their home run drought comparable to my experiences on Tinder on Thursday night with a second-inning homer plus he added two more hits last night. In the first eight games back, Ramirez has six hits along with two home runs moving his average up to .261. I don't know if Ramirez will get warm here, but if he does, watch out. He's been known to just obliterate the baseball for a couple weeks.

Carlos Gomez - Does anyone know Gomez is on a 10 game hitting streak? Maybe, I am just a Luddite and missed this whole thing yet Gomey is playing pretty prettay well. He had hit in every game of the road trip. Gomez had multiple hits in three of these games including back-to-back games with runs driven in on Monday and Tuesday. He is in the starters group for the All-Star Game and he deserves it. The last time Gomez had an average under .300 was May 21st. Oddly enough, the last time he wasn't hitting in the cleanup position.

Wily Peralta - Milwaukee's manager Ron Roenicke asked Peralta to pitch more to contact and not try to strike out everybody in attempt to avoid his pitch count rising up. He did that on Wednesday night only striking out three batters. Peralta only allowed four hits through six and third inning with only one run allowed. Even though it was only three runs, Peralta actually had some run support to work with this game instead of Milwaukee putting up only one or two runs.

Brandon Kintzler - Is it really a highlight even when you have 40 pitches in two innings with four walks? I am going with yes because no runs were allowed in those two innings. Kintzler bridged the gap in two big innings, and he found a way to get it done. Sure, they were two Claudio Vargas-like innings and he got a favorable strike three at the very end, but still, a needed performance. Hopefully, he will figure out a bit because Kintzler will not always get this lucky all the time.

Lowlights
Ryan Braun - He does have hits and a run scored in the last two games, but Braun has seen his average dip to .294. It is a little flawed because he went one for seven last night in a 13 inning game. The more alarming thing is the amount of strikeouts. Braun has struck out at least once in the last six games and struck out three times last night. It could be the stadiums, and Braun needs some Miller Park love then heading to two hitter-friendly ballparks after it.

Marco Estrada - Another bad start for Marco as his home run and walk totals continue to rise at troublesome rates. Estrada gave up six runs on Tuesday night including a grand slam to Taylor Teagarden. We can argue all day if Ron Roenicke left him too long, but the fact remains Estrada cannot be giving up home runs to guys like that plus having all four walks score is never a good thing. The drum for Jimmy Nelson or Mike Fiers will continue to get louder.

Jean Segura - He is playing some great defense right now, and he did drive in a run on Wednesday night yet Segura is still struggling at the plate. In the last seven days, Segura is hitting .154 with only four hits in 26 at-bats. Granted, he added two of those last night, but hopefully, he will break out of his slump soon. I am curious to see where his spot in the order will be at the end of the day. It seems like like eighth or seventh when it is all said and done.

RISP problems - Once again, this has been a problem for the Brewers. On Tuesday night, they started to mount a comeback with runners on second and third with one out before both Aramis Ramirez and Khris Davis struck out. They would do the exact same thing on Wednesday night in the first inning. Too many men are getting left on-base right now. It is hard to complain with wins in four of the last five games, but still, Milwaukee needs to be a little more productive when runners are on third or second.

Charlie.

Brewers-Mets Preview (6/10-6/12)

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
Tuesday: Marco Estrada (5-2 4.19) vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-0 3.21) 6:10 pm FSNWI
Wednesday: Wily Peralta (5-5 3.03) vs. Jacob deGrom (0-2 3.19) 6:10 pm FSNWI
Thursday: Kyle Lohse (7-2 3.27) vs. Jonathon Niese (3-3 2.68) 6:10 pm FSNWI

Five Things To Watch
1.) Catching New York at the right time? - All the sudden, the bottom has sort of fallen out of the Mets season. They were hovering around the .500 mark after taking three of four from Philadelphia, but then they were swept by both Chicago and San Francisco resulting in a disappointing end to their road trip. Although, none of their losses have been blowouts by any means. Five out of the six games, New York lost by two or less runs with the only one being a three-run defeat. While New York is losing games, they could have easily won three or four of them becoming one of the warmer teams in baseball. Milwaukee shouldn't take them lightly despite the six-game losing streak

2.) Patience Brewers fans, late-game winners could be possible - These could be three really frustrating games for everyone involved in watching the Brewers. New York has the starting pitching to make them a a competitive team, but they have one of the worst, if not the worst bullpen in all of baseball. New York has only converted 56 percent of their save opportunities this season. That's barely half! This explains all of the close losses this season, and as someone whom watched Milwaukee's 2012 bullpen puke all over their shoes consistently, I can relate with Mets fans on this one. It is literally one of the worst things to watch as a fan. If New York finds an offensive breakout which is about as probable as me hitting it off with a supermodel,  all hope is not lost with the Mets bad bullpen. Brewers will get a chance to comeback if they do trail in a game this week.

3.) Ideal situation for Marco Estrada? - The last month has not been kind to Marco Estrada. On April 26th, Estrada had an ERA of 2.87 and now it is sitting around 4.19 with the Brewers starter giving up 16 runs in his last four starts. He needs a good start. Enter in the New York offense which has been anemic all season plus Citi Field is as big of a pitcher's park as we get in baseball. This seems like the door opening for Estrada to have a big start and start trending back down with his earned run average. Curious to see how he handles the pressure of Michael Fiers being up in the big leagues because we all know what the story will be tonight if Estrada struggles again.

4.) New York media and Ryan Braun - We have talked about a little bit on the podcast, but not really in the blogs yet how the media has been generally quiet on Ryan Braun. Although with the New York media involved this week, you have to figure Braun will see some attention. I don't know if we will get a scathing editorial or a good story on Braun yet I am curious to see if he is a part of the media's plan this week. My assumption would be unless he does something big in a game this week, it will probably be pretty tame. With New York Yankees being in Seattle this week, all of the New York media's focus can be on Braun taking on the Mets. I assume he will get some boos as well which we all know Braun uses as fuel to mash home runs.

5.) Can Milwaukee build a winning streak? - Brewers have a chance to go 13 games over .500 at some point in this series, and that would be their best record since their 20-7 mark at the end of April. They finally won two straight after alternating wins since last Tuesday. It is not a bad thing per say rather just annoying to toy with my emotions trying to decide whether this team is warming up or not. Honestly though, one more win and the team secures a .500 road trip which all you can ask for.

Appropriate YouTube video


KFC from Barstool Sports is one of the biggest Mets fans out there. He would be a good Twitter follow this week and for other purposes too, he also has a great podcast network. Here's a sample.

Prediction 
Brewers take two of three meaning the Mets break their streak at some time. Niese or deGroom will make the Brewers bats go silent, most likely deGroom.

Charlie.

Highlights-Lowlights: Cubs-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
Ryan Braun - I told ya. I thought Braun would have a big series, and he did exactly that with two big
performances on Friday and Sunday night. He hit two home runs so we can retire the whole thing about 'Braun cannot hit homers at home' which I don't think really was a thing but I got sick of everyone talking about it. Braun also drove in another run on Friday night plus he scored four times as well in those games. Braun tends to go on these tears for about a week or so meaning it should be a real fun time for Minnesota this upcoming week.

Kyle Lohse - What a game for Lohse needing a little bit of a bounce-back after his Memorial Day start. He finished the game with a three-hit shutout striking out six batters for his seventh win of the season. He messed around and picked up a Maddux as well. He finished the game with 93 pitches. An extremely efficient outing for Lohse on the mound whom seemed in full control. Lohse also did some damage with his bat driving in two runs. He apparently jokes about what a bad hitter he was, but he had Brewers fans fooled on Sunday afternoon. Lohse is pitching better than anyone on this team. Pretty good for a guy some fans believed to be the next Jeff Suppan.

Khris Davis - Sure, his hitting streak ended today at 10 games, but Davis had another big series. He added a hit on Saturday, but the headlines stem from his Friday night performance. Davis had two hits, both doubles and scored on both hits as well making for a very productive day at the plate. Who knows if Davis will hit as high as five again this season, but he seemed very comfortable at there. It is nice to see he can hit at any spot of the order.

Jason Hammel - It is time to annoint Jason Hammel with the Known Brewer Killer crown. He dominated the Crew for the second straight appearance at Miller Park. He did not give up a run once again and remained in control for most of the game. Hammel did not walk one batter, he struck out eight and only gave up four hits. It appears like Hammel will be dealt at some point this season, and Chicago should definitely consider it because he has been one of the brightest spots for the Cubs this season. He will garner some value.

Wei-Chung Wang - I need to give credit where credit is due, and Wang did pretty well in his two appearances this weekend. He pitched well on Friday night not allowing a run and only one hit given up. On Saturday, he did allow a run in his second inning of work, but that was sort of  Braun's fault as he attempted to dive for a ball yet he missed it. It does appear Wang feels comfortable on the home mound which is a good thing, and hopefully, he will start figuring out more stuff becoming an actual option out of the Brewers bullpen.

Scooter Gennett - He deserves this honor for his Sunday performance. Gennett added a home run and two doubles scoring all three times he reached base. Even though everyone else struggled against Hammel, Gennett found some success getting two of the four hits the Cubs hurler gave up on Saturday. Scooter has moved his average up to .281, the highest its been since May 14th against Pittsburgh. If he gets warm, it will only add to the potent Brewers offense.

Lowlights
Cubs accuse Brewers of 'stealing signs' - Oh so this is back? Cubs after Sunday's ass-kicking accused the Brewers of possibly taking some of their signs. This is flat out stupid. This is sour grapes from a team whose ace got dominated for the first time of the season. Guess what? Even the best pitchers have bad starts every now and again, and that's what happened with Jeff Samardzija on Sunday afternoon. The most ridiculous thing about the sign-stealing stuff is how bad the Brewers lost on Saturday. If they were taking signs, you think they would have swept the series, right?

Wily Peralta - Things really got out of hand quickly for the Brewers righty with his first real bad start of the season. He gave up two home runs to Anthony Rizzo and his whole sixth inning went to complete shit with Peralta giving up six runs on only five hits. Peralta did not have his best stuff out there, and the Cubs took advantage of it especially Rizzo. I don't think this is the regression truck coming around rather just an abberation in the game logs. Wily should be just fine for the next start against Minnesota.

Tyler Thornburg - Fair to be a little concerned with him as of late? Thornburg gave up two runs in the ninth on Friday night, and granted, they were meaningless, still Thornburg is having an issue serving up runs. In three of the last four appearances, Thornburg has allowed at least one run.  It is clear he needs to fine tune some of his skills because it appears the opposing teams have a good book on him finally after not being able to figure him out in the bulpen.

Mark Reynolds - Not a good weekend for him. He had five strikeouts this weekend including three at the plate on Friday night. Reynolds didn't really seem comfortable at the plate all weekend. Reynolds' average has dipped to .205.  Good thing, there are other Brewers to pick up the slack where he can be placed lower in the order.

Charlie.

Cubs-Brewers Preview (5/30-6/1)

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
Friday:     Travis Wood (5-4 4.35) vs. Marco Estrada (4-2 3.98)    7:10 pm FSNWI
Saturday:  Jason Hammel (5-3 3.08) vs. Wily Peralta (4-4 2.12)      3:10 pm FSNWI
Sunday:    Jeff Samardzija (1-4 1.68) vs. Kyle Lohse (6-1 2.92)      1:10 pm FSNWI

Five Things To Watch
1.) Whose bat stays the hottest? - If you didn't hear the Brewers are have a 10-game streak going where
they have 10 hits or more hits and if they get 10 tonight, it ties the franchise record set in 2011. Carlos Gomez and Khris Davis both have hitting streaks going as well Jonathan Lucroy has a hit in nine of his last 10 games. At some point, the bottom has to fall out a little bit on the offense. Not all of these guys can remain hot, but who really knows with this team. My vote is definitely not Friday as Brewers bats have thrived off left-handed pitchers all year.

2.) Big time Braun series - I have a feeling this will be the series where Braun hits multiple home runs and we proclaim "HE'S BACK." It seemed like he had a different pep in his step on Wednesday night. He was stealing bases, running a little better and naturally making good contact. Braun is due for a big series to get in on all the fun the rest of the guys in the lineup are having right now. Currently, the Brewers slugger has a sneaky five-game hitting streak with multiple hits in three of them. It seems like this is the type of thing that happens before Braun goes completely off and he loves Cubs pitching.

3.) No easy pitchers this weekend - Two out of the three pitchers (Hammel and Wood) dazzled against the Brewers this season already, one with a shutout and the other with one mistake to Rickie Weeks. The other (Samardzija) is pitching like a Cy Young on a last place team. I will say this about Hammel and Wood though. Both of these pitchers faced the Brewers when they were terribly beaten up with injuries. I'm interested to see how they both handle the Brewers at near full strength. Both pitched well in their last outing so it could one of those things where something has to give and I am betting on the Brewers bats personally given what we saw this week already.

4.) 7th inning blues hopefully disappearing - For the season, the Brewers are averaging .5 runs in the seventh inning which ranks 19th in MLB, and obviously, the last six games haven't helped one bit. Good news, the Cubs are one of the worst teams at producing runs in the seventh inning at 26th. For reference, Baltimore is in the top ten at producing runs in the seventh. I might be grasping for straws here looking for answers, but I am starting to believe it is a little bit of an aberration of one series. I could also be totally wrong and it continues to be a problem this weekend.

5.) Marco Estrada home run watch - I realize this has been a personal conquest of mine this season, but Estrada has given up 16 home runs already this season which leads all of baseball. Roof should be open, but I don't know if the panels will be open as well meaning some balls might stay in the park. But the Cubs have a great deal of power with Anthony Rizzo, Junior Lake and Starlin Castro. Estrada needs one of those games where he dominates in all facets instead of 'Well Marco pitched great except for the two home runs he gave up."

Appropriate YouTube video


I wanted to go with some Kanye West after hearing some snippets of his first single, but let's ride with the best of Harry Carey done by Will Ferrell.

Prediction
A sweep would be awesome, but with the pitchers lined up for this one, it is reasonable for me to expect two out of three in some way.

Charlie.