Brewers: Highs and Lows After 10 Games

Three series into the 2012 MLB season, the Milwaukee Brewers sit at 4-6, three games behind the first place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central Division.

The Brewers lost two out of three games to the Cardinals to open the season, and bounced back to win three of four games against the Chicago Cubs. Over the weekend the Brewers lost three straight to the Atlanta Braves.

Milwaukee's starting pitchers have given up a combined 38 earned runs and 10 home runs in 52.2 innings, with Randy Wolf allowing a team high 11 runs on 18 hits in just 9.1 innings pitched (10.61 ERA). Brewers pitchers have been susceptible to big innings, and gave up four or more runs during several innings.

As a team, the Brewers have given up 57 runs, the most of any team in baseball. Milwaukee fielders have also committed 11 errors to begin the season, which is 4th most in the MLB. Alex Gonzales leads all Brewers with three errors, and seven Brewers have committed at least one error.

On the positive side, the Brewers have scored 43 runs on 74 hits, and are 3rd in the league with 14 home runs.

Kottaras hits a 2-run homer
against the Cubs

The Brewers have seen great production from their two catchers, Jonathan Lucroy and George Kottaras. The duo has combined for 12 hits, six runs, six RBI and five home runs.

Corey Hart is off to a hot start as well, batting .321 with four home runs and eight RBI.

The Brewers will need to eliminate the big innings and cut down on errors as they head to California to begin a three game series against the 9-1 L.A. Dodgers Tuesday night. Yovani Gallardo (1-1) will face Chad Billingsley (2-0).

Brewers Set for Opening Day

Friday afternoon Miller Park will play host to the Milwaukee Brewers 2012 season opener against the NL Central rival and reigning World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. The two teams last meeting was during last season's NLCS.

Although Friday's game opens the season for Milwaukee, St. Louis began their season with a win Wednesday night against the Miami Marlins.

Yovani Gallardo will take the mound Friday for the Brewers, and Jaime Garcia will get the nod for the Cardinals.

While no official lineups have been announced, expect to see Jonathan Lucroy catching Gallardo, Matt Gamel at first, Rickie Weeks on second, Alex Gonzalez at shortstop, Aramis Ramirez on third, and Ryan Braun, Carlos Gomez, and Corey Hart rounding out the outfield.

Both teams are opening their season missing last year's slugging first basemen, Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols.

Ryan Braun Wins Appeal

Ryan Braun, the reigning National League MVP won his appeal of a 50 game suspension as a result of a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs.


Braun had tested positive for synthetic testosterone during last season's playoffs, and challenged his suspension in January. After 35 days of arbitration, a neutral third party voted in 2-1 decision to clear Braun.

Said Braun on Thursday:

"I am very pleased and relieved by today's decision. It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation. We were able to get through this because I am innocent and the truth is on our side. We provided complete cooperation throughout, despite the highly unusual circumstances."

Braun will address the media again on Friday.


The MLB is less than enthusiastic with the outcome brought forth by the neutral third party and arbitrator Shyam Das. Rob Manfred, MLB's vice president for labor relations, said:

"Major League Baseball considers the obligations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program essential to the integrity of our game, our Clubs and all of the players who take the field. It has always been Major League Baseball's position that no matter who tests positive, we will exhaust all avenues in pursuit of the appropriate discipline. We have been true to that position in every instance, because baseball fans deserve nothing less.

"As a part of our drug testing program, the Commissioner's Office and the Players Association agreed to a neutral third party review for instances that are under dispute. While we have always respected that process, Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered today by arbitrator Shyam Das."

Regardless of the MLB's opinions, Braun is back, and will report to training camp on Friday.

Zack Greinke Shines in First Start at Miller Park

In his first home start for the Milwaukee Brewers this season, Zack Greinke pitched six innings, struck out nine, and gave up just two earned runs on the way to a 4-3 Brewers victory over the San Diego Padres.


Read the rest of the article here on the Bleacher Report.

Zack Greinke's Milwaukee Brewer Debut Scheduled

Zack Greinke will make his first start for the Brewers on Wednesday. Check out the Bleacher report article here.

Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun Win NL Player of the Week Awards in April

Although the Brewers have struggled somewhat as a team so far this season, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun have been off to a red-hot April.


Check out the rest of the article here on the Bleacher Report

Corey Hart Set to Return to the Milwaukee Brewers

According to sources for the Milwaukee Brewers, Corey Hart will return to the team for his first start on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on how well he feels after his Monday night start for Triple-A Nashville.


Read the rest of the article here on the Bleacher Report.

Braun Homers, Brewers Win Series

The Brewers beat the Braves for the 3rd straight time to win the home series and improve their season record to 3-4.

Ryan Braun got the scoring started with a 2-run homer in the first inning. After the Braves tied the game, Nyjer Morgan ran over Brave catcher Brian McCann, jarring the bar loose and scoring the go-ahead run. The Brewers added a run in the 8th on a Prince Fielder RBI.

Shaun Marcum pitched well, giving up 2 runs in 6 innings of working. He also recorded 4 strikeouts and walked just 2 batters. The Brewer relievers held on to the lead, and John Axford tallied his 2nd save of the season.

The Brewers welcome in the rival Cubs for a 3 game series starting tomorrow. Randy Wolf will face off against Carlos Zambrano.

Yo to the Rescue

The Milwaukee Brewers finally scraped out their first win of the 2011 MLB season last night in a 1-0 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Yovani Gallardo was undoubtedly the hero of the game, pitching a complete game shutout, giving up just 2 hits and scoring the sole run for the Brewers.

Gallardo became the first Brewer pitcher in history to throw a complete game shutout and score the only run of the game, and is the first player in the MLB to accomplish the feat since Pete Harnisch of the Houston Astros did it in 1991.

The Brewers face the Braves again tonight at 7. Marco Estrada takes the mound for the Brewers facing Mike Minor. Both are making their first starts of the season.

Hart Rewarded for Hot Season

The Milwaukee Brewers and Corey Hart reached an agreement Monday on a three-year, $26.5 million contract extension. This comes after pre-season contract arbitration and numerous mid-season trade talks.

Hart was anything but hot coming into the 2010 season. The 2009 campaign and spring training of 2010 were not high points in Hart's career. He was left out of the opening day starting line-up and failed to make the All-Star Ballot.

Despite this, Hart has lit up the field throughout the first half of the season. He made the All-Star Team by way of the players' ballot, and ended up starting for the National League due to an injury to Jason Heyward.

After trade talks surrounded Hart, he publicly announced his preference to stay a Brewer.

"In years past, I think I've pressed too much to worry about what would happen next year," he said. "I told them all along I wanted to be here [in Milwaukee], because my family likes it there and it's a comfort level. Not having to worry about that now, I can take a deep breath and go out there and relax."

As of Monday, Hart is hitting .288, with 23 homers and 72 RBI's.

"The Brewers are very excited to have Corey signed for the next three years," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said in a statement issued by the club. "He is one of our drafted and developed players and with his two-time All-Star performances, Corey deserves this contract that will provide his family security. We appreciate his wanting to remain a Brewer and a part of the Milwaukee community."

Suppan Released by Brewers

Veteran pitcher Jeff Suppan was released by the Milwaukee Brewers today in the most costly cut in Brewer history. Suppan, in the final year of his contract, still had more than $10 million left on his contract.

Suppan, in 2 starts and 13 relief appearances, had an 0-2 record and an ERA of 7.84.

His spot on the roster is being filled by right-hander Chris Smith, who will be promoted from Triple-A Nashville. Smith played 35 games for the Brewers last year, and has been dominant so far this year in Nashville, compiling a 2-1 record with 16 saves and an ERA of 1.71.

This is the statement released by Suppan earlier today:

"I want to thank Mark Attanasio and Doug Melvin for all they have done for my family and me, especially how they handled this situation.  I've played with a number of organizations, and the Brewers are one of the classiest.

"When I signed in 2007, I was committed to winning, and to this day I still am.  Nobody is more disappointed than I am with how things have turned out.  I enjoyed my time here in Milwaukee as both a player and a member of the community.  As such, I will continue my involvement with Brewers Charities for the remainder of the 2010 season.  My commitment to this cause and the people it serves is unwavering.

"I wish the Brewers organization, its fans and especially my teammates all the best."

Roy Halladay, Ubaldo Jimenez, and the Brewers

,On Saturday, Roy Halladay threw the 20th perfect game in Major League history, and the second this season (Oakland's Dallas Braden was the first). Halladay was absolutely nasty, making the right pitches at the perfect time and striking out 11 Marlins. This is just another great accomplishment for Halladay, who already has a Cy Young award and 7 All Star Appearances. With a 1.99 ERA, you'd think he'd be the frontrunner for this year's NL Cy Young, but a certain Colorado pitcher is blowing away the competition...

Rockies righty Ubaldo Jimenez has been absolutely lights out this season. He is the first pitcher to 10 wins and only two months have passed in the season. His ERA is filthy; 0.78 in 80 innings pitched. That means that he has only given up 7 runs all season. He even beat 2-time reigning Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum yesterday. It is probably inevitable that his numbers will go up a little bit, but right now a Jimenez start essentially means a Rockies win. If he keeps up this pace, he is undoubtedly headed for an All-Star Game start, Cy Young award, and even in the running for NL MVP. We could be in for a historic season watching him.

Finally the Brewers. How disappointing this season has been. Already 9 games under .500, no one is fearing the beer right now. A couple thoughts:

• John Axford looks like a keeper in the Milwaukee bullpen. He throws super hard and has the potential, with fellow prospect Zach Braddock, to be in the back end of the Brewers pen for years to come. Plus he's trying to grow a handlebar mustache.
  
• I'm excited to see what Chris Capuano has to offer, as he is getting the start Thursday in Florida. I hope he does well, as he's come so far, but I don't think he could be as bad as Chris Narveson and Manny Parra have been.
• Corey Hart is on fire. Trade him while he still has value!
• How bad is the Brewers pitching? Besides having the third worst ERA in the majors (5.36), it is so bad that Brewers hitters lead the league in many of the major statistical categories and they still can't keep up. Ryan Braun is third in the NL with a .318 batting average, Casey McGehee is first in the NL with 41 RBIs and Corey Hart leads with 13 home runs. Alcides Escobar even leads the league with 5 triples. The old addage is that pitching wins championships and that is soooo true!
• Yes, everyone is saying this, but Jeff Suppan is horrible. Plain and simple. If the Brewers have better options than him, he shouldn't be on the team. I'm obviously not the person to determine that, but at this point money should not be a factor in deciding whether he stays or not.
• Bill Hall, still making roughly $8 million from the Brewers this season, threw a 1-2-3 inning for the Red Sox on Friday night.
  

Capuano defies the odds

Chris Capuano, a former 18 game winner and All-Star for the Brewers is making his return after being away from the game for 30 months. He underwent his second Tommy John surgery in 2007, with most believing his career was over. Yet Cappy never gave up and finally got a chance to prove himself this year down in the minors. Between Single-A Brevard County and Triple-A Nashville, he went 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA in 7 starts. The Brewers were forced to make a decision today on whether to bring him up to the majors or allow him to be a free agent and sign with another team. Obviously intrigued by his minor league stats and most likely not wanting to see 3 years of commitment to him while injured get flushed away, they agreed to call him up.

With a few of the Brewers starting pitchers in flux (aka Chris Narveson, Dave Bush, and Manny Parra), it should be interesting to see if he gets an opportunity to start or if he will exclusively pitch out of the bullpen. I'd personally like to see him start over Narveson, but Macha really seems to like Narveson. The Brewers have yet to make a corresponding move, but it's likely that Marco Estrada, who has actually pitched very well since being called up, will get sent down. Personally, I'd like to see the Brewers make a statement and get rid of Claudio Vargas or even Jeff Suppan, but Brewers management doesn't really seem to work that way. I'll be at today's game, so I'm very excited to see #39 back on the field, even if he doesn't get into a game. If he does get a chance to pitch, I expect a huge standing ovation from the Milwaukee faithful.

Dork's Video Game Skills Pays Off

This guy was the first to throw a perfect game on MLB 2K10, so he won a million dollars. This guy's interview is painfully awkward, it is no surprise he happened to win this contest.


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MLB Picks

As the beginning of my baseball preview, here are the preseason picks of 4 of our writers here at Two Cents. In the next week, I'll analyze each division team by team. Enjoy the picks!

AL East

Brendan: Damn Yankees. I think they will win because people realize that Tiger Woods was way better at cheating on his wife then ARod. A Rod will be seen as a saint because he at least cheated on his wife with the Queen of Pop not the worker from Dairy Queen like Tiger.

Eliot: Yanks. I try every year to find a way not to pick them...but it's just not possible this year.

Jimmy: Yankees. They bought a pretty good team last year and have a lot back

Mike: New York walks out of this one with Tampa and Boston fighting for second but both being disappointments.

AL Central

Brendan: The Minnesota Twinkies, Hometown boy Joe Maurer is going to carry his team to the playoffs. They are going to be so excited the whole year they signed this guy long term. Hopefully Fielder will see how happy Maurer is in Minnesota and want to stay long term in a small town too!

Eliot: White Sox. I will probably root for the Twins, but the White Sox have Jake Peavy and Mark Buehrle at the front end of their rotation, plus John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Freddy Garcia. TheTwins "O" may be better than the ChiSox, but without Joe Nathan, the Twins will hurt in their bullpen.

Jimmy: Twins. Joe Mauer is good...

Mike: Minnesota wins this one but it's going to be tight all the way to the finish. The White Sox steal second and the Wild Card while the Tigers are a close third.

AL West

Brendan:

Seattle Mariners, Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball N64 was an excellent game. My favorite team to play with was the Seattle Mariners, with Griffey, Jay Buhner, Alex Rodriguez, Alex Cora, and Randy Johnson, this team was nearly unstoppable. I see a return to glory days for the Mariners.

Eliot:

Los Angles Angels of Anaheim of Disney World of Orange County of California...If Cliff Lee was healthy, I'd pick the Mariners, but that's a big question mark at the front of the rotation.

Jimmy: Angels. I think they edge out the Mariners.

Mike:

L.A. wins the division with Seattle close behind.

AL Wild Card

Brendan:

The Sox, I think maybe John Lackey got a little bigger payday then he should have put he adds another stronger arm to a strong staff already.

Eliot: BoSox: It's gotta be the Sox. If not, then the Rays. I would love to see the Rays and Sox kick the Yankees out of the playoff picture but unfortunately I don't see that happening.

Jimmy: Mariners.

Mike:

Chicago White Sox take this one from Seattle who will fight hard all season but fall short right at the end.

NL East

Brendan:

Philadelphia Phillies, lose a CY Young Winner, replace him with a better one, is just what the Phillies did to make there team even stronger. There lineup is so deep and strong and their staff is one of the stronger ones in the NL. I see this team doing some serious damage. Although, the Braves may play hard for their manager Bobby Cox in his last year and stick in longer than you would think. Also the Marlins always seem to surprise people especially now when they actually signed a good young pitcher in Joshua Johnson. The Mets are the Mets so don't be too worried about them even if they are leading the division by ten with eleven to go.

Eliot: Phillies. The Phils only improved after adding Roy Halladay and bring back pretty much the same team that won the NL Pennant two years in a row. The Marlins and Braves will challenge but it won't be much of a contest.

Jimmy: Phillies. Great pitching and tons of power in the lineup.

Mike:

Philadephia takes this one but watch out for late surging Atlanta and always pesky Florida.

NL Central

Brendan:

Can I pick anyone else? THE BREW CREW! While I don't think it will be easy I think they need to stay healthy and the pitching staff needs to have the season of their life. I may a big fear that the Randy Wolf signing may be too similar to the Jeff Suppan signing. I see the surprise player of the year is Corey Hart, I think he feels the pressure from Jim Edmonds and steps up his game.

Eliot: Brewers! Yes, I'm biased, but why not? They won 80 games last year with the leagues worst starting pitching. Adding two solid lefties in Randy Wold and Doug Davis could make a big difference. The bullpen is also very strong with Hoffman, Hawkins, and Coffey in the late innings. Defensively, Escobar and Gomez in SS and CF respectively are gold-glove caliber. This team will hit, and if the pitching holds up, they have a legitimate shot at the division title.

Jimmy: Brewers. If the pitching shows up this year, we're in business. As far as the offense goes, the middle is super strong - Braun, Fielder, McGehee are a powerful 3-4-5.

Mike:

St. Louis takes this one but comes out black and blue. Milwaukee and Chicago will fight hard just like always and watch out for the Reds.

NL West

Brendan:

LA Dodgers. I think this will be the most competitive division in baseball. I see Arizona Diamondbacks with a strong 1,2,3 rotation to be a tough team to beat. I also see the Rockies and Giants be right in the thick of things come September.

Eliot: Rockies. They were very impressive last year and Jeff Francis comes back after missing a year. Troy Tulowitski will be an MVP candidate and this team could go far.

Jimmy:

Giants. Strong pitching wins games.

Mike:

San Francisco takes this one and leaves leaves L.A. out of the playoffs in second.

NL Wild Card

Brendan:

St. Louis Cardinals, a very strong team last year and didn't lose much. I think that it is ambitious of me having them the wild card and the Brewers winning the division but thats what I have to do.

Eliot: Cards. As long as their big 4 - Pujols, Holliday, Carpenter, and Wainwright - stay healthy, this team has the tools to make a run.

Jimmy: Cardinals. Pujols. That's a hell of a start.

Mike:

Milwaukee Brewers followed by Chicago, Atlanta, and L.A.

AL Champion

Brendan:

Sox take it, seems like they got the swagger and feel they need a championship without steriods overshadowing it

Eliot: Red Sox: I love their balance of pitching and defense to go along with a stellar and deep offense.

Jimmy: Yankees

Mike:

Minnesota Twins

NL Champion

Brendan:

Phillies, just too much hitting and pitching!

Eliot: Phillies. I'd love to pick the Brewers, but the Phillies are clearly the team to beat barring injury.

Jimmy: Phillies

Mike:

Have to take my Brewers in 7 over San Francisco

World Series Champion

Brendan:

Phillies in 7....

Eliot: Red Sox. It's all about pitching in the playoffs and I feel Lackey, Beckett, Lester, and Buchholz > Halladay, Hamels, Blanton, and Haap. It'll be very very close. In 7 games...

Jimmy: Phillies take the cake.

Mike:

World Series will be a border battle between the Twins and the Brewers and for the first time in Milwaukee Brewer history they will be World Series Champs in 6 games.