By: Big Rygg

This will be quick.

Caught word today of some potential specifics regarding the rumored "seriousness" regarding the Tampa Bay Rays' interest in acquiring Milwaukee Brewers right-fielder, and 2010 All-Star starter, Corey Hart.

As everyone knows, the Brewers are looking for pitching in return for moving any pieces right now. Well, the Rays are said to be offering that and another piece.

The other piece is said to be a minor-league infielder named Matt Sweeney who currently plays for the Rays Double-A affiliate. The supposed sticking point in negotiations? The name of the pitcher that would be going from Tampa Bay to Milwaukee.

The two names that were given to me were Wade Davis, who is currently in the Tampa Bay rotation, and high-A starting pitcher Matt Moore. What's more, I was told that the Rays would prefer to move Davis while Milwaukee would choose to have Moore included in the deal.

Davis' departure would clear space for Tampa Bay's top pitching prospect to perhaps join the rotation for the balance of the 2010 season in Jeremy Hellickson. Hellickson, of course, starred during the Futures Game played just a couple of days ago.

That being said, the Brewers prefer Moore for a few reasons, to be sure. I have no direct knowledge of the reasons for that preference, but if I were to speculate it would be because of the following things:

• Moore's service-time clock has not ticked even one-minute yet giving the Brewers a full six-years minimum out of him. Davis, conversely, is pitching in his second big league season already.
• Moore is billed as a hard-throwing, strikeout pitcher. He has amassed 122 strikeouts in 91 innings pitched so far.
• The Brewers might be positioning themselves for another run at the post-season in a few years when much of what's seen as its best pitching prospects, currently in the lower levels of the minor leagues, might reach the majors together.

That this information is coming down following the reports from credentialed sources as well about the Rays' increase in interest comes as no surprise to this writer. I have long been saying that it wouldn't shock me in the least if Corey Hart's last at-bat tonight in the 2010 All-Star Game is his final at-bat in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform.

The philosophy of Buy Low/Sell High only works on the sales end if you actually pull that proverbial trigger when the value of the player is at its highest.

Corey Hart is the quintessential Sell High candidate for the Milwaukee Brewers in that he is playing quite a bit above his level of play from the past couple of years.

The counter-argument, naturally, is that this is the real Corey Hart so why would you want to move him? What if he turns into an offensive force for another team? My response to that is a simple one: If he brings back a pitcher that helps us win next year or down the road, then the deal works out for both sides and I'm fine with it.

After all, I'd rather play the odds of regression, trend and past-performance and take my chances that Hart won't stay this hot going forward.

This Milwaukee Brewers team has had offense to spare in recent seasons with its Achilles' Heel having been a lack of pitching. There is no arguing that point.

It's high time to flip the script a bit and move a bat to get an arm.

We have to hope that it's a quality arm but at least we have the unknown to look forward to with that hope instead of the fear based on the past that we've seen out of Hart.

It's a gamble worth taking.

By: Big Rygg

Six of the standard eight participants of the 2010 Home Run Derby were recently announced. Miguel Cabrera, Vernon Wells, Robinson Cano and David Ortiz will represent the American League while only two sluggers have been named as National League representatives, Matt Holliday and Corey Hart.

While I don't have any issue with those men already announced (well, maybe a little with Cano), there is a gaping hole that can, and should, be filled by one of the game's premier power hitters, Prince Fielder.

I present to you five reasons why. Won't you come along for the ride?

1. You Know He'll Actually Hit a Few

Fielder may not have fared very well in his first Home Run Derby which took place in San Francisco as Fielder tried to blast batting practice fastballs into McCovey Cove, but he was young, inexperienced and probably succumbed a bit to the bright lights of the national stage. Still, he hit three that night.

The field would not be so lucky the second time around. Fielder and his max-effort swing tattooed ball after ball into the stands. After recent showings by guys like Troy Glaus (1 HR in 2006), Richie Sexson (1 HR in 2003), Bret Boone (0 HR in 2003), Brandon Inge (0 HR just last year), Jason Bay (0 HR in 2005)...

Look, I'm not expecting everybody to duplicate Josh Hamilton's 28-HR first round of 2008, but is hitting a few home runs in 10 swings really too much to ask?

Not for Prince Fielder it's not.

2. He Hits Tape Measure Shots

Wall-scrapers need not apply to the Home Run Derby. Sure, some sluggers have run into some bad luck under the bright lights but at least most guys that enter the Home Run Derby are true power hitters (Brandon Inge, I'm looking at you.)

To coin a cliche, when Prince Fielder hits a home run, it stays hit. In fact, I think one of the balls he hit in St. Louis in 2009 still hasn't landed yet.

In a competition where every successful play is a ball going over the outfield fence the extra excitement comes from watching how high and far they fly.

Fielder brings both of those attributes in droves.

3. He'll Agree To Participate

Bobby Abreu may be the most extreme example, but for several years now players have made mention of how the all-or-nothing approach in the Home Run Derby affects their swings and their subsequent at-bats that count (you know, those pesky regular-season ones).

2010 All-Stars like Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton stated their intent to decline should an invitation be sent their way for the Home Run Derby. Hamilton said "I feel like, 'Why mess up a good thing?'" and that he needed to keep the team in mind. Pujols, naturally, was more standoffish in his remarks: "I'm not doing it," Pujols said. "I don't care if they ask. I did it three times already...I don't feel like I want to do it this year, so that's it."

Fielder, however, has a natural home run swing that he could duplicate in his sleep. No tweak needed.

Therefore, Fielder would have no qualms about participation and would make it an easy situation for the event's organizers.

4. The Precedent Has Already Been Set

After winning the Home Run Derby in 2006, Ryan Howard failed to make the All-Star Team for the National League in 2007. It was a banner year for NL first basemen as even Dmitri Young was honored with a selection, a decision which left Howard on the outside looking in.

Despite not playing on Tuesday, Howard was busy Monday night as he was allowed to defend his title. He failed in his quest for a repeat, but the fact that he was there, swinging away, means that precedent has been established and it isn't a crime to have a non-All Star in the Derby under the proper circumstances.

5. He Won Last Year

Finally, the easiest argument is also the most basic one. Prince Fielder won the Home Run Derby in 2009 and, like Ryan Howard before him, ought to have the opportunity to defend his crown.

Despite already having one Milwaukee Brewer in the field in Corey Hart, Major League Baseball would be doing a disservice to players and fans alike by not allowing the reigning champ the opportunity to defend his crown.

If the league lets Fielder swing, he'll no doubt be beating off the challengers with a stick...a very big, very loud stick being swung in a natural arc that is capable of driving a baseball a tenth of a mile.

How could you not want that as a part of your showcase?

By: Big Rygg

In our annual tradition (started last year, but two years in a row makes it annual, right?), we bring to you an interview with a Milwaukee Brewer draftee from the most recently completed Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Last year we brought you fourth-round pick Brooks Hall. That interview can be read here.

This year, however, we bring you a local product named Conor Fisk. As with last year, the audio of this interview is available as well if you'd like to listen only or perhaps read along as you listen. Right-click this link to download the audio file.

Regardless of whether you choose to grab the audio, here is the transcription of the interview for your reading pleasure.

Enjoy!

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Brewer Nation (Big Rygg): Alright. Coming to you here with an interview, phone style. Just like last year, the Brewer Nation brought you a phone interview with Brewer draft pick Brooks Hall; well this year we're keeping it a little bit closer to home.

We are pleased to be joined, honored to be joined by local kid Conor Fisk from Grafton High School, the Brewers 34^th round draft pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.

Conor, we really appreciate your time. How are you doing tonight?

Conor Fisk: I'm doing good.

BN: Excellent. Well, first question first, man: How did you feel to be drafted at all, let alone by the Brewers the team that you no doubt grew up watching, how did it feel just to get that phone call...I assume it was Doug Melvin or one of the scouts, but how did it feel to get that phone call and to know, "Hey, I can play professional baseball."?

CF: Oh, it was awesome, because, I mean, as a kid you grow up dreaming of playing professional baseball, every kid does, and just to be even thought of and contacted by pro teams even if you didn't get drafted it's still such an amazing experience.

BN: That must have been an amazing feeling, absolutely. Now did you, I mean 34^th round it's not the late rounds by any means so did you kind of, did you have a feeling that you would be drafted? And if you did, did you think it was gonna be the Brewers? Did you hear from a different team? Or how did that whole thing go down?

CF: Well I was actually expecting to be drafted on the second day because that's what I was told by the Orioles. I was talking to the Orioles and the Mariners. They were the real big ones and from what my advisor told me he said I was gonna go second day but it happened where it worked out the third day getting drafted by the Brewers and that was pretty cool too because I mean getting drafted by the Brewers I actually didn't even know that they were looking at me. I knew they knew about me but I had no idea that they'd pick me. I was shocked. It was pretty cool.

BN: Yeah, we've all heard the stories of how tight-lipped the Brewer camp can be. You know, nobody knew who they were going to go with in the first round. So many names were linked to the team and they picked that Dylan Covey kid out of California. Everybody was like "Oh okay, it's a good talent but nobody had him linked to the Brewers so not too surprising I guess to hear that you didn't really have them or know that you were on their radar screen, so to speak. So that's kind of neat.

Now Cary had the question written down here about growing up as a Brewer fan, did you have a particular Brewer that you idolized? Did you idolize a different pitcher? Who was your favorite player growing up? That kind of thing.

CF: I think when I was real little, my favorite player was Jose Valentin, the shortstop or second base, if you remember when he played.

BN: Okay.

CF: I really like him. I remember having pictures of him and stuff but as it went on, I mean, as a Brewer fan I liked (Ben) Sheets when he came. He was pretty big with the Brewers, then the last couple years I really liked to watch Yovani Gallardo pitch. Those probably have been my three favorite Brewers.

BN: Okay, yeah. Not bad choices at all, by any means, that's for sure. Actually for the blog here, for the Brewer Nation, I put together an all-decade franchise roster team for the Brewers in the previous decade and Jose Valentin made the list as one of my infielders so I'm definitely...

CF: That's pretty cool.

BN: ...I'm quite aware of what he did as a Brewer so that's kind of neat to hear you say that. Not a big choice, especially from a kid that grew up and turned into a pitcher, so.

CF: Yeah I was always wanting to be a shortstop when I was little, but turns out I became a pitcher because I, like, throw hard, so...

BN: Okay. Now, speaking of that, did you...obviously you were drafted as a pitcher, I assume that the Brewers are going to have you play pitching, or I should say, have you be a pitcher...correct me if I'm wrong...but other than that a lot of high school kids play more than one spot, so what else did you play in school, if anything, and if the Brewers came to you and said, "Hey, you know, let's try you out here because we have a weakness", is that something that you would want to do or do you see yourself as a pitcher? How do you see your career progressing?

CF: Well, as for my career progressing, I see myself as a pitcher because that's what I've been. I was drafted that and that's what I've been really working at and I haven't really worked that much on hitting because I had tore my left labrum so I was out for hitting for about a year and pitching I was out about a half-year but it could be a possibility. I don't know about playing another position, but it could be pretty cool. I could be like Rick Ankiel, I guess.

BN: Okay, okay.

CF: Like a pitcher that became an outfielder, but I don't really see myself as doing that. If I work hard enough, yeah I could probably do that but as of right now I see myself just being a pitcher.

BN: Yeah, and obviously the Brewers have kind of a weak pitching staff as a whole. I mean, obviously they've drafted a couple of heavy drafts on pitching and some of the guys at the lower levels are starting to show something so hopefully you and a couple of the other guys can break in together and we can have some decent rotation guys here and have a five-man staff filled all the way out and maybe another couple guys in the bullpen...that would be pretty good for the parent club if a bunch of guys were able to come up together from these last couple of drafts.

So then obviously you said you focused on pitching, that's been your thing, that's what you've done, so I want to hear from your own mouth, what is the Conor Fisk Scouting Report? What kind of pitches do you throw? What kind of velocity do you have? What have you been told is your best pitch? What do you think is your best pitch if it's different? So give me, if somebody was scouting you, what would they see?

CF: Well, they'd see my fastball is usually in that range. I throw 88-90 consistently. I'll hit 91 a lot and I top out at 92. And my fastball, my four- and two-seam, I have very good arm-side run and I have really good tailing action which really helps me get a lot of ground balls and stuff and not get hit very hard. And then I also throw a curveball, a slider and a circle change I throw. My curveball, I've been told, with the scouting report on me they told me that's probably one of my best pitches because it has a very good tight, late break a very sharp...it's almost like a slurve you could you say and that goes from like 74-76.

BN: Okay.

CF: And I have a slider that I've been working on. I have it. I have thrown it but I haven't thrown it that much. I've been throwing it a lot more this year and that's around like 78-79 miles an hour. And then my changeup which I thought was really my best secondary pitch until a scout told me they really like my curveball, that's about like 80-82. It has dive, but if I had to pick my favorite pitch in all that it has to be my two-seam because it has very good movement and I can throw it at a high velocity and it has very good tailing action.

BN: Okay. Yeah, so if I'm hearing you right that counts five pitches, so obviously you've got quite the arsenal to get hitters out especially at the high school level. I mean you're playing against guys that, you know they're playing for fun they're playing in school with no real professional prospects for some of those guys.

CF: Yeah.

BN: Okay. You've got the low-90s fastball, an 82 MPH changeup. That's sounds like a good combination. I was gonna ask you but you already answered the question about what type of a curveball was it, if it was a 12-6 or you said more of a slurve pitch. So, you throw them all for strikes or is there anything that's more of an outside the strikezone, kind of get them to swing and miss and chase a little bit?

CF: I can throw all of them for strikes. Sometimes to high school batters it's kind of fun to do because they don't expect it on a 2-0 count they'll be expecting a fastball, sometimes I'll give them like a slider or curveball that's working better that day and I can't get my location with my fastball. But I can throw them all pretty good for strikes.

BN: Okay. Good to hear.

Cary Kostka: Baseball players are known for having various superstitions and rituals they perform on gameday. Do you have any of these?

CF: I don't think so, not really, not yet. I mean I do step over the line because I heard that on Brewer games; that the Brewer pitchers don't step on the line at all. I kind of picked that up. I try not to touch the lines when I go out there. But other than that I just go out there and try to do what I can on the mound and do the same thing. But as far as superstitions, though, I don't really have any.

BN: Yeah, I kind of the same way when I'm driving. If I'm running a yellow light, I tap my ceiling. I don't know how I picked it up, one of my friends did it I think, and I do it every single time now and if I don't do it...

CF: Yeah you've got to tap. It's one for yellow, two for red. My dad taught me that.

BN: Yup. And I figure now if I don't do it I feel like I'm going to run into a cop that sees me run the red light or something like that, so same type of thing.

Okay so we talked about your pitches, we talked about what you do on the mound. My main last question for you, and it's not every day you get to ask somebody this because even in high school I'm sure it's a rare occurrence, but using five pitches to strike somebody out, having all that at your disposal, but what was it like to actually throw a perfect game at the high school level? I mean, it was just a weak and a half ago or whatever It was, two weeks ago, whenever the date was, and then 12 strikeouts in five innings...that's gotta be kind of cool.

CF: Oh yeah, it was definitely cool. I mean I don't go into a game thinking about throwing a no-hitter at this level but, I mean, to do that it was really awesome. I went into that game and I was just, I just wanted to go after the hitters , throw strikes, get 'em out and get, you know, as smooth as possible. It was really awesome to go out there and throw a perfect game, especially on the same day as Roy Halladay throws one in the Major Leagues. That was pretty cool. I'll probably never forget that but throwing a perfect game, like, I knew it was going on but I was trying not to think about it at the time. I was just trying to go out there and do what I can and my team, they just, the last inning it was pretty cool because we came back with nine runs. It was 1-0 and they came back and scored nine runs in the bottom of the fifth and it was just, they just kept getting runs and I was like "Just get a couple more runs." and I got a perfect game. It was probably one of the best games I've played by far ever in my life.

BN: I was gonna ask you, as a follow up, have you ever come close to anything like that before? Like a one-hitter or even a game where you didn't walk anybody or something like that?

CF: I don't think so. I think maybe my travel team I played Rockhounds, I think I might've thrown a one-hitter...

BN: Okay.

CF: ...I'm not sure but that was probably the closest I had. But two starts later I believe, we played Cedarburg and I came close to throwing a no-hitter but with two outs left I was a little distraught because it was right after (Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando) Galarraga got robbed of his perfect game. It was kind of like the same thing except the kid, he blooped it but to throw a perfect game is awesome. I don't think I'll probably ever come close to that again.

BN: Well, we sure as heck hope you do at the big-league level. I tell, we, obviously I'm sure as a fan you know the Brewers have one no-hitter in their team's history and no perfect games, so even uh...although at this point even getting through five perfect innings would be a boost to this rotation on some nights. Hopefully you can continue that success and just tear through the system. I remember hearing an interview with the overall #1 pick, Dylan Covey. He said that he was told with Gallardo there was, I think it was 400 innings and he was pretty much in the big leagues. So hopefully if you dominate people you can move up pretty quickly, it sounds like. We've got a lot of open spots at the higher levels.

CF: Oh, yeah definitely, I mean that's why I hope to be able to do what I can, work, get better and move up as fast as I can to help our team win because we definitely need it right now.

BN: Yeah, definitely. Now, we kind of beat around this bush a little bit so maybe I could guess at the answer but I'll just ask the question anyway just to be official but it doesn't sound like you're gonna be going to Wabash Valley College. It sounds like if you get your...have you got an offer yet? And if you have, is it gonna be pretty much "Let's sign and get going, send me to rookie ball" and you're ready to go?

CF: Well, they haven't offered me anything yet because they're doing a summer follow so they'll watch me play my high school summer season and then they'll offer me something, but I mean if they gave me an offer I would love to sign and play pro ball. It's always been my dream and I mean going in the draft next year it's no guarantee I'll get drafted by the Brewers again. Another team could pick me up.

BN: Right.

CF: But it's definitely something I've been thinking about. Also, going to college is something too, so...But I'd really like to sign. I'd really like to do that.

BN: Yeah, that's sounds amazing. Just thinking as a fan myself, I mean, I'm only 29. I mean, that probably seems pretty ancient to you but I'm only 29 years old and just to have that opportunity to play professional sports, to me, it would seem like "Where do I sign?", I mean I'd pay them to let me play but obviously you've got that level of talent where they're going to have to give you a little bit of money. That's gotta be a cool feeling.

CF: Oh yeah, it definitely is because, I mean, I never thought in a million years I'd come this far or be this good. You know I always loved playing baseball. It was one of my favorite sports next to hockey when I grew up and just to be able now to play professionally, with the pros that I've watched for so many years...It's just a great honor.

BN: Definitely. Absolutely. Like I said before, and you've confirmed, it must be a really cool feeling. Say you get up to the big leagues in the next five years, just to put a conservative timeframe on it, anybody playing right now that you, and I know I didn't write this question down for you, but is there anybody playing right now that you're kind of like "I hate that guy. I would love to strike him out sometime."

CF: Well, I don't know, I mean I've been thinking about stuff like that too because it's really cool because now it's like, the times they were always racking up sooner or even later but...playing against guys that you've seen a lot. I mean there are guys I don't like. I don't know if he'll be around but I'd definitely love to strike out Albert Pujols. I mean, that'd be really cool because I like him as a hitter but, if I had to face him I'd definitely be gunning to go against him.

BN: Yeah, I mean, hey man shoot for the stars. You might as well take out the big dog if you're gonna go after anybody, right?

CF: Yeah, definitely. I'd love to go against...I love competition. I'd like to go against some of the best hitters and if they hit me, they hit me and if they don't, they don't but if I make a mistake then I'll just go out there the next time I face them and I'll try to do one up on them, be better.

BN: Yeah they always say pitchers have to have short memories so that's the best attitude to have; just go out there with the same mentality every time.

Well, excellent, man. Officially, Conor, thank you for your time. We really appreciate you joining us on the Brewer Nation. We'll have this podcast posted here pretty soon and you'll be able to send it to all your friends. And it's a really cool thing for us to interview you so hopefully it was a neat thing for a Sunday night for you to get your first interview as a professional baseball player.

CF: Yeah, yeah. Thank you very much. This was really cool. I've done a couple of them but this one's probably been one of the most exciting ones I've done by far.

BN: Alright I appreciate that, man. Well, again, continued success. Kick *** this summer and hopefully we will see you added to the official Brewer roster sometime in the next couple years.

CF: Yeah, I hope so. Thank you very much.

BN: Alright, man. Take care.

CF: Yup. You too.

BN: Buh-bye.

By: Big Rygg

The writing is on the wall. The precedent has been set...twice. The only question remaining is: When?

The Milwaukee Brewers have a decision to make, and there are rumors swirling that they may be making that decision during an internal meeting scheduled for today.

The timing works. The Brewers have an off-day tomorrow after yet another disappointing run of games. As I write this, they've lost five of six on this road trip including an extra inning affair yesterday.

Many times when a team makes a change mid-season, it is done on a day when that team has no game to play so that the new manager (whomever it may be) has a day to get things in order. This is why many people were pointing to May 24th (the team's last day off) for a change to be made. The noise got so loud that Mark Attanasio took the time to state that no change would be made that day.

By the way, it's not a good thing when the owner has to start fielding questions about the job security of his employees.

To be fair, the team responded well following that last day off. They went 4-2 on a six-game homestand and Macha seemed to be at least tentatively secure going forward.

All of that good will has been wasted in this most recent run of terrible decision-making and unacceptable results. The team is 1-6 over the past seven games and has fallen to a season-low 12 games under .500.

The Baltimore Orioles most recently and the Kansas City Royals before them, perenial losers over the last decade-plus, decided that things weren't working yet again. They made the sometimes tough choice to replace the man in charge of putting their players in the best position to succeed.

The same needs to happen in Milwaukee.

Macha is no longer managing to win, not that he was succeeding much when he was. The decisions that he is making seem to be fueled by a desire to simply keep his job by not losing again.

That style of managing, and please pay attention kids, does not work...ever.

You have to have an agressive, attacking, hit-them-in-the-mouth-before-they-hit-us attitude to succeed in any competition at the highest level.

Macha doesn't have that killer instinct any more, if he ever did.

There has been a lot of rhetoric about how Macha doesn't throw the pitches or swing the bats or field grounders. All this is true. However, preparation, focus and dedication are things that he has control over. Under his watch, the team is committing mental mistakes the likes of which haven't been produced by this team in some time.

When the message is no longer being received sometimes all you can do is change the vessel that delivers it.

To quote the late, great Owen Hart: "Enough is enough and it's time for a change."

How does tomorrow look on your calendar?

By: Big Rygg

It has been a while since I've written anything in this space. The reason for that is two-fold.

First, I am the proud parent to a new baby boy (he's a month old today, as a matter of fact)! Second, the team hasn't exactly given me much in the way of motivation to sit down and really put forth any concerted effort.

To be fair, in all reality it is the former that has kept me away more than the latter. I can write about my favorite team in the dead of winter when they're not even playing with no issue. Certainly I have had plenty on my mind during these recent lean days but diapers/bottles/baths/bonding/etc. really chew up my "free" time.

I was going to sit down and write a free-form rant (I even advertised it on my blog's Twitter account - twitter.com/BrewerNation) but I got busy and calmed down while caring for my little boy that can't care for himself yet.

That's kind of a metaphor for the 2010 Milwaukee Brewers so far this year.

I know that the team will tell you that they are maturing and how they don't want to be seen as the team that other teams love to beat, but if you ask me all they've accomplished by toning down their youthful exuberance is rip their own heart out.

They no longer seem to be having fun while playing a fun game. They no longer seem to be enjoying their days at the ballpark which is an enjoyable place. They no longer seem to have that swagger that carried them to a 90-72 record and a post-season playoff berth WAY back in 2008.

Yeah...2008. Remember when CC Sabathia couldn't be stopped and this team was having fun all summer long? It doesn't seem that long ago when you think about it outside of sports, but in Major League Baseball so much can change in two short years.

I could list things like that they've had three managers since then, or that they've burned through four pitching coaches but the main thing that's changed from 2008 to 2010 isn't tangible like that.

It's the fun.

Let me break it down to you this way. They say that a group takes on the personality and characteristics of its leader. But has there ever been a seemingly more mismatched pairing than Ken Macha and the majority of this Brewers roster?

Macha is admittedly old school. Don't get me wrong, I like a lot about old school baseball. I like (most of) the unwritten rules. I like drilling a guy for showing up the game. I like a good old-fashioned bench-clearing brawl.

The players, and perhaps it's mostly as a by-product of their median age, is decidedly new school in a lot a ways. The earthquake celebration against San Francisco, Braun and Fielder's boxing celebration after home runs, the untucking of their jerseys after victories...it all is about having fun.

They never were trying to show anybody up. They were simply trying to enjoy each other and each other's successes on the field.

But apparently somebody got in the ears of the clubhouse leaders over the off-season and planted a distinctive "knock it off" somewhere in there.

Sure, Braun and Fielder still celebrate home runs and now Fielder and McGehee have even developed a little foot shake routine. And yes, if they were still untucking their jerseys with a 16-26 record, it might seem a touch out of place.

My argument, though, is that once this team stopped having fun this team stopped playing loose. They've been uptight, trying to be to too perfect (I'm looking at you, pitching staff) and generally almost seem to be playing scared.

Not that they're afraid of the ball or anything, but they've got "What's going to go wrong tonight?" syndrome.

When you arrive at the ballpark and expect to lose, you generally lose. I'm not saying that any players have told me that they feel this way, or that I've heard any of them say it or even imply it. It's just my feeling as a very interested observer.

Maybe getting Trevor Hoffman fixed will be the spark that this team needs. It can't be easy when the innings are getting late and you don't have at least a four-run lead. Hoffman was so maddeningly inconsistent that you almost had to assume failure and be pleasantly surprised if he came through.

Maybe getting healthy will provide the boost that this team needs. When your Opening Day centerfielder and rightfielder have missed time and 40% of your starting rotation has replaced due to injury or ineffectiveness and your setup man is on the DL and now your starting catcher will miss at least two weeks...

Then again, maybe simply getting a few wins will be the ointment that heals the wounds of so many losses.

If you win, maybe you loosen up. If you loosen up, maybe you win some more. If you win some more, maybe you stay loose and go on a run.

So the question becomes: How do you win to start that chain of probabilities?

My answer to that question sounds simple. In fact, it sounds so simple that one might wonder why it isn't already happening. It sounds so simple that one might question why it was ever abandoned in the first place.

That answer to the Milwaukee Brewers? Find a way to enjoy the game again.

Untuck those jerseys, watch a few home runs a little too long, pump your fist when you strike out a guy in a key situation on defense, hoot and holler and get the other guy's dander up, put a target on your back again if you must.

In short...just relax and be yourselves.

You might find out that it's what's been missing this whole time.

By: Big Rygg 

The day was Monday, May 3rd. The Milwaukee Brewers were taking a much needed day off. After scoring all of two runs in the previous four games (three of them were shutouts), a more timely day off there may not be all season.

In Los Angeles, Ryan Braun's stomping grounds and home to team owner Mark Attanasio, the Milwaukee Brewers got away from baseball and got their heads straightened back out.

Tuesday night saw the start of a series against the Dodgers. It also saw the first of back-to-back 11 run outputs by the offense. The first night they needed more of the 11 than they did the next night, but even still both games wre wins for Milwaukee and suddenly they had won three of four.

Before the team could feel comfortable, though, they put up only three runs in the third game despite having a chance to sweep the Dodgers for the first time in franchise history. That game was lost in the bottom of the ninth inning when LaTroy Hawkins couldn't get the game to extra innings. He loaded the bases and succumbed to the moxie of Andre "All I Do Is Walk Off" Ethier to the tune of a grand slam. (Hawkins would land on the disabled list two days later with shoulder weakness.)

The Brewers headed for Arizona and Chase Field with a 3-4 mark on the roadtrip to that point.

So what happened after a three-run losing effort from the offense? How about a three-run winning effort complete with Trevor Hoffman's second save on the trip, his 596th career save? Yovani Gallardo (winning pitcher in the only victory in San Diego) threw another dominant start by striking out 10 Diamondbacks in just five innings.

Thinking that perhaps another pitching duel was on tap, Randy Wolf took the hill in Arizona where he had won six starts in a row in visitors' uniforms. History would be kind to Wolf on this day.

Wolf started off rocky, letting the D'backs plate two in the first inning, but settled down after that. His demeanor no doubt helped by his team going on a 12-0 run.

Yup. Twelve, zero.

The Brewers finished off the game with five more players touching home plate safely after Wolf gave up a solo home run to Mark Reynolds.

And the last of those runs? Plated when Jody Gerut finished off hitting for the cycle with an RBI double in the ninth. It was only the sixth cycle in Brewers history and the first since Chad Moeller accomplished the feat in 2004.

So to that point, after getting shut out three times in four games, the Brewers put up run totals of 11, 11, and 17 around winning four out of five and having somebody hit for the cycle.

To top off the week, Chris Narveson went out and spun yet another near-quality start, but very good start nonetheless and Prince Fielder hit another home run which is always a good sign.

Narveson struck out eight in 5.2 innings pitched before giving way to Todd Coffey to get out of a jam. Coffey got himself into a jam and was rescued by the freshly recalled Mitch Stetter. The bullpen threw up zeroes the rest of the way (despite Jeff Suppan loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth) and the Brewers head back to Milwaukee owners of a 6-4 mark on this 10-game road trip out west.

So let's recap this recap, shall we?

Brewers head to San Diego after a brief and rough homestand. They get shut out in consecutive games before Gallardo plays the role of stopper in game three. They promptly get shut out again before leaving San Diego.

The knock Dodger ace Clayton Kershaw out of his start in under three innings and rough up teammate Chad Billingsley as well while putting up consecutive 11-run games. They lose game three in L.A. on a walk-off grand slam. Demoralizing.

In Arizona, the Brewers sweep their gracious hosts and score a total of 26 runs in the three-game set.

What a week.

Then again, that seems to be this team's M.O. so far this year. As skipper Ken Macha said this week: "Get on the rollercoaster."

It should be a fun, if frustrating, ride this season with this team.

Yeah, that's quite the week that nobody saw coming.

By: Big Rygg

The latest Brewer Nation podcast has been posted and is available for download right now!

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Brewer Nation Podcast - Recorded April 20, 2010

By: Big Rygg

The picture shown here could very well be the last time that Prince Fielder greets his teammates on Opening Day in a Milwaukee Brewers jersey.

There; I wrote it.

This is not a reality that I look forward to. In fact, Fielder playing Major League baseball in a uniform other than that of the Brewers is probably the thing I'm least looking forward to as it relates to the Brewers since Robin Yount's retirement.

To be fair, though, 2010 doesn't have to be Fielder's last as a Brewer. In fact, unless the Brewers choose to trade or release him before Opening Day 2011, there is no way for Fielder to play for anybody but Milwaukee in 2011.

But how far Doug Melvin and Mark Attanasio can let this go remains to be seen.

That's also not what we're gathered here today to discuss. Whether or not they will or they should is a topic unto itself.

I'm wanting to look at the Milwaukee Brewers without Prince Fielder. I want to take a peek at the way this team will perform without it's perennial All-Star first baseman.

It's not actually all that difficult to envision because all one has to do is take a look at the team that's on the field for Milwaukee so far this season.

There; I said that too.

Prince Semien Fielder is one of the most talented players to ever put on the Milwaukee Brewers jersey. He was the youngest player in Major League history to hit 50 home runs in a season. He led the league with 141 RBI while setting team records in that category and walks in a season. He hit as close to .300 as you can get (.2994) without having his average reflect that on paper. All this is true.

What's also true is that there are a lot of men playing professional baseball that are capable of hitting .244/.311/.370 with 15 strikeouts and a measly three RBI, in 45 at-bats over 12 games.

That's the fact of the matter.

Will Fielder hit that line with over 200 strikeouts (a third of a projected 600+ ABs) and about 40 RBI? Of course not.

Fielder will warm up at the plate, hit plenty of homers, drive in a boatload of teammates and will show his plate discipline, strikezone awareness and his keen batting eye. Fielder is a notoriously slow starter, especially in the power department. He'll be fine. He'll get his.

When people wonder about a vacant Milwaukee throne if and when the Prince leaves on his royal steed lately, I tell them to just take a look at these games. Fielder has basically been a non-factor.

But what does that mean?

The team's biggest issue this season, like last season, is still the pitching staff. They are surrending runs at an alarming rate so far, including setting a team record for the number of home runs allowed to this point in the season. It doesn't matter if you score 12 runs a night if you're giving up 13.

Even with Fielder in a cold spell, teammates Ryan Braun and Casey McGehee are white hot. All three hitters will come back together so when Fielder starts to heat up, no doubt the other two will have cooled off a bit, so perhaps the offense is doing what it will do this season regardless.

Regardless of other players' individual performances, the point I'm trying to make is that this team without Fielder would be playing just as good (or possibly even better depending on the replacement) as it has been with him.

That performance has been "good" for a 5-7 record while scoring runs at a clip of basically five per game (61 runs in 12 games).

Again, this article is not necessarily an argument for or against trading away Prince Fielder before he might leave in free agency. This has simply been an exercise in "what might be" instead of constantly analyzing "what is", "what has been" or "what could have been".

I urge you to take it for what it's worth in helping you to form your own conclusion about how to address the All-Star elephant manning first base every day for Milwaukee.

By: Big Rygg

The Milwaukee Brewers optioned Mitch Stetter down to the minor leagues this week to make room on the 25-man roster for the return of Jeff Suppan to the rotation.

While this does leave the Brewers with two left-handed pitchers in their bullpen, it does not afford them the luxury of a LOOGy. Chris Narveson has been pitching quite a bit in relief and both he and Manny Parra aren't exactly quick to warm up.

Adam Dunn

The "Donkey" has been called country strong. That's an understatment. He hit a home run to the Dew Deck at Miller Park. That's a LONG way.

Dunn has also been labeled as a member of the 3TO club. When he gets a hold of one, though, it stays hit.

If the game is on the line late, Dunn is the textbook case of where a lefty-on-lefty matchup would favor the Brewers

Garrett Jones

Breaking into the league last year with an incredible display of power, both in frequency and distance, Jones has quickly established himself as the biggest threat in the Pittsburgh lineup.

At crunch time, if Jones is due up with ducks on the pond or in a one-run game, I'd much rather take my chances with a different look from the left side of the mound as opposed to sending a righty up there.

After all, Jones has hit RHP at a .306 clip over is career while struggling against LHP to the tune of a .195 average.

Ryan Church

While Garrett Jones is the biggest threat in the Pirate lineup, Ryan Church has hit his fair share of home runs over his career.

His batting average drops 33 points to .241 when facing a lefty pitcher and his slugging plummets by over 80 points (.463 to .380). Plenty of evidence that you'd want a LOOGy on the mound.

Kosuke Fukudome

It's true that Fukudome isn't exactly a power hitter but as evidenced by his clutch hit off of LaTroy Hawkins this past week, he's still a tough out...at least in April.

Mike Fontenot

Mike Fontenot makes Kosuke Fukudome look like Hideki Matsui, I get that, but there aren't many peskier hitters in the Cubs lineup. A left-handed pitcher late in the game with runners in scoring position makes Fontenot go from having a .274 average to a much better .232 rate.

By: Big Rygg

Talk about your worst-case scenario.

The Brewers had lost two in a row to the Cubs at Wrigley, the second game punctuated by a LaTroy Hawkins meltdown when the Brewers had a three-run lead in the eighth inning. The wind was blowing out for the third day in a row. Derrek Lee was back in the lineup (for a while at least) after sitting out the game prior while nursing a thumb. Cub ace Carlos Zambrano was on the bump for the home team coming off a strong outing against the Mets despite his Opening Day woes in Atlanta.

And the coup de grace? Jeff Suppan was on the mound for Milwaukee, making his first start of the 2010 season after starting the year on the disabled list due to an injured neck which many fans attributed to Suppan craning his neck to watch all of the hits he was giving up during Spring Training.

Ever hear of a perfect storm?

Well, with apologies to Chris Berman, "That's why they play the games."

Sure, Suppan wasn't great. In fact, he wasn't even good. He surrendered four earned runs over just five innings of work on six hits (including two home runs) and a walk. His season ERA now stands at 7.20.

But this article isn't about what the results were today. That's old news. We're here to break down how Suppan produced those results and what it could mean about his projected performance for the balance of the 2010 season.

The wind was blowing out, this is true, but both of the home runs the Suppan gave up (to Derrek Lee and Marlon Byrd, respectively) would've been homers on a different wind day too. They were crushed. Suppan missed up on Lee's home run, but at least it was on the same third of the plate as his catcher's mitt. On Byrd's blast, the target was set on the outside corner and the pitch drifted back to just inside the middle of the plate, just above the knee.

Other than those mistakes, Suppan was hitting the corners decently well and even struck out four batters today. The day was, however, a Brewers-career-in-a-bottle game for Suppan right down to the "except for a couple of pitches, Soup pitched great!" soundbyte from former Brewer manager Ned Yost.

Soup always seems to maximize the damage he does to himself with those bad "couple" of pitches. Either it's a multiple-run home run or walking the bases loaded before giving up a two-RBI bloop single or three-RBI gapper.

It's bad luck when it happens some of the time. It's a trend when it seems to happen most of the time. It's telling when you keep doing it to yourself.

Catcher Gregg Zaun, who caught today, said (to paraphrase) that no more could have been asked out of Suppan today.

Now I realize that he's just being a good catcher, but can we as fans really not ask more than 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 2 HR? I think we absolutely have to ask for more, nay demand more.

The problem with Jeff Suppan, though, is not with what can be asked of him, rather it is how much can be expected of him.

Assuming Suppan sticks around in Milwaukee and makes, say, 20 more starts this season for the Brewers, I think all that can be expected is seven wins courtesy of a 5.50 ERA and a WHIP around 1.75 at best.

Look, the offense won't be able to bail Suppan out like they did to Braden Looper so many times in 2009. The win/loss record and the supporting numbers should much more accurately reflect Suppan's pitching ability then did Looper's 14-7 record from a year ago.

I'd love to be able to see Jeff Suppan's career resurgence as he's in a virtual contract year. I'd love to see a 20-6 record over 33 starts with a sub-3.50 ERA. I'd love to see the Brewers actually have to consider exercising Suppan's option before still deciding to cut him loose.

I'd also love to win the lottery tomorrow. I don't play.

I have to be realistic in my thoughts about Jeff Suppan in 2010 and therefore I have to temper my expectations every fifth day as long as his number keeps getting called.

If Doug Melvin, Gord Ash and Ken Macha settle on a different fifth starter for the bulk of this year, the Brewers have a chance to win seven to 10 more games. That's a big swing out of the five-hole, but if anybody can live down to expectations better than Jeff Suppan...

Well let's just say that I wouldn't want him on my team either.