By: Big Rygg

What...a...season.

Ladies and gentlemen, as a reminder (or maybe it's new knowledge for you) I am 28 years old. I was 2+ when the American League version of the Milwaukee Brewers won the pennant. I vaguely recall bits and pieces, but really I don't remember much. There's a chance that part of my recollection is fabricated memories built up over time from all of the stories I've been told year and year of that magical and awesome year of baseball in Milwaukee.

Well I am quite pleased to report that I now have an official, unquestionable set of my own memories of playoff baseball. It's unfortunate that I won't be adding to those memories any more this year, but what a ride it was.

I was at the final four games housed by Miller Park in 2008 and I wouldn't have traded any of them away. (Side note: To those of you that sold your tickets to Cub fans for that final series of the season: Shame on you. Double shame if you actually attended a playoff game afterward.) In 36 innings of baseball I had a season's worth of emotions. High hopes when Saturday's (September 27th) game began, incredible angst when they couldn't pull it off and the Mets clawed back into a tie. Buoyant optimism with CC on the bump on the 28th, elation when Braun hit the go-ahead home run, euphoria when the Marlins squeezed the final out of the Mets' season in their mit and Miller Park erupted! Watching the team lose in Philadelphia on TV but knowing that they could won those games (especially Wednesday's opener) left a frustration in me, but I knew that it would be swapped out for eager anticipation on Saturday, October (yes, baseball in Miller Park in October) 4th.

Oh and what an experience last night was!

They handed out rally towels on our way in the door, so you knew the stadium would be a white out at times. We didn't sit down until the 2nd inning of that game and didn't do much sitting throughout the contest. The stadium was rocked to its core as Dave Bush pitched us back off the brink for at least one more night.

Unfortunately, one night was all we'd get out of that reprieve.

Pat Burrell and the Phillies came into Miller Park this afternoon with the goal of heading back to Philadelphia to host Game 1 of the NLCS. They accomplished their goal on Joe Blanton's arm and a few solid swings of the bat.

Jeff Suppan was flat out terrible in this one, losing not only the game, but his monicker of a big-time, post-season clutch performer as well. And while I understand not wanting to think of asking Yovani Gallardo to start on short rest, I do not agree with the decision. Gallardo, as he showed once he entered the game in relief, was our best option to start the game today. If he only could've gotten you three innings, or two...why not take them? Get into the Phillies heads with a dominant performance out of the gate and then hand the ball to what was becoming a more and more impressive bullpen (save, perhaps, Salomon Torres) as the days rolled on.

But, what's done is done, what's past is past. I will enjoy the 2008 season in review form when I pick up me free DVD in a couple of months.

The next post you see from me will be to discuss the off-season in all it's glory. I'll review our players that are free agents, those that are arbitration-eligible and those that are still under contract. We can talk trades, free agent pickups and whatever else is on your collective minds, Brewer Nation. In fact, if you have a topic that you'd like to see covered by either South Side Rob or me this off-season, email me at bigrygg@wi.rr.com.

But otherwise, I'm going to take at least a few days and bask in the glow of one heckuva seasaon.

Thank you, Milwaukee Brewers. See you at the Winter Warm Up!

P.S. I wonder what it would've felt like to have gotten swept in the post-season. Well, I know a few Cubs fans. I'll have to give one of them a call and ask. :-)

By: Big Rygg

BREWERS WIN!!!!
NLDS Series Stands at 2-1 in Philadelphia's Phleeting Phavor.

By: Big Rygg

by South Side Rob

Thanks to my "older" sister Cheryl, she put together a tribute to Sunday's 3-1 victory. Most of our family was there (Even the Cub fans of our family who live south of the border). They behaved so we let them stay. Actually, it was my sister-in-law who ponied up for the tickets in advance so many thanks go to her and my brother who swears is a Brewers fan.....and a Cub fan....and a White Sox fan.....but more than anything, a PACKER FAN. Right now, I'm only convinced he's a Packer fan but I actually caught him cheering for the Brewers which was a nice surprise.

It was my daughter Nicole's 13th birthday and my sister Cheryl just happens to be her godmother. After the 2nd inning, the jumbo-tron said happy birthday to her thanks to her godmother. Another cool part of the Sunday clincher.

Obviously, it was one of the greatest games in Brewer history. Enjoy the pics and Big Rygg and his buddy Jason stopped by at our tailgate and snuck in a shot and supplied the 1982 version of "What's Brewing".

To enjoy the pictures, just click here...

By: Big Rygg

 

THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS ARE YOUR 2008 NATIONAL LEAGUE WILD CARD WINNER!!!

THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS ARE IN THE POST-SEASON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 26 YEARS!!!

...I called it 3 years ago.

Ladies and gentlemen...this is an amazing feeling. The Milwaukee Brewers will be playing baseball in October. This is the franchise's first trip to the National League playoffs and the team's first trip to the playoffs over all since 1982's storybook season that ended with a World Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

But we're back in, baby, and now it's all about a best-of-five series with the champions of the NL East, the Philadelphia Phillies.

Game 1, Wednesday night in Philadelphia, Cole Hamels vs. Yovani Gallardo (most likely).

Let's get it on!

Oh, and as for the self-promotion earlier...at the end of the 2005 season I called the Brewers' participation in the 2008 playoffs. I also said that they'd compete for the playoffs in 2007 but fall short. Also, back in March I predicted 90 wins for the Brewers...I was right there too.

Sometimes, it's really good to be right!!

GO BREWERS!!!!!

By: Big Rygg

Six games to go. One game behind.

Who would have thought, after 156 games, that the Chicago Cubs would have as much to do with the Milwaukee Brewers making the post-season as anyone. Granted, the Brewers absolutely must take advantage of any help provided by the Cubs by handling what they can control, but the Cubs absolutely could control who wins the National League Wild Card this year.

That being said, as I sit down to write this, the Cubs are leading the New York Mets in the 4th inning at Shea Stadium. If the Mets go on to lose, and we go on to win tonight (our game just started), we will be tied for the Wild Card once again with 5 to play.

The season is getting short, Brewer Nation, and it's time this team took care of business.

It all starts tonight.

The Milwaukee Brewers have announced that Manager Ned Yost has been relieved of his duties...and shown the door from the organization altogether.

More on this later, but this news needed to be posted ASAP!

For fun, here is an old image of Brewer General Manager Doug Melvin helping Yost into his jersey upon his hiring.

The look on Melvin's face almost predicts how upsetting he knows the next several year could be.

Oh, any my top choice to replace Ned next year? Well, he got fired himself sometime last week...

Brewers Release Kremblas

September is the time where manager's make or break their opportunity to manage the following season. Now, in year's past, Doug Melvin was always quick to give Ned Yost a vote of confidence when his teams failed in the 2nd half of the season and more specifically, in September (much like this season). With 3 million tickets sold, 70,000 awaiting to be selected as lottery winners for the 2008 post-season, countless fans investing in 20 packs for next season to have a guaranty of at least 1 post-season game, and last but certainly not least, Doug Melvin proclaiming to the world that we are "Going For It".

With 2 weeks and 1 day left of the regular season, the ship is sinking again. All 3 phases of the game are slumping (offense, pitching, and defense). The best 8 are not starting anytime Bill Hall and/or Rickie Weeks are in the lineup. Manny Parra continues to be given the baseball every 5th game much like Yost gave Chris Capuano the ball last year for like 16 straight losses.

Besides Sabathia and Sheets, the other 3 starters are a combined 0-7 this month. Last year, Ned Yost used the excuse that his young player needed to "experience" the pressures of playing for the post-season. This season, to assist the young players, veterans with playoff experience were brought in (Kendall and Cameron). Yet, nothing changes.

Hitters don't know how to either give-up their at-bats or take the ball to the opposite field. Players back in May or June used to be held accountable. Remember that? Yet, management and the hitting coach seem to be untouchable no matter how poor the things they are responsible for perform.

If they blow this (post-season spot), I'm done with this team (time-investment-wise). I'm not saying I'm a big spender on this team in comparison to other fans. I know Rygg and Sherbe spend a heck of a lot more money on tickets for the Brewers than I do. I'm talking about the time-investment following this team. I know I'm not alone. Some people question that kind of talk as being fair-weathered. That's their opinion. The time spent away from family in order to follow a major league baseball team is valuable time taken away from the people we love. I, for one, cannot continue to do this year after year after year just to fall short. All of us have taken that 6 to 7 month sacrifice that last number of years.

Right now, most fans with the glass half full attitude and the belief that the Brewers will still make the playoffs are forgetting the fact that even if they manage to get in, the way they are playing right now, I woudn't expect them to last more than getting swept 3 straight from any of the other playoff teams who are all playing with purpose.

By: Big Rygg

So it's not always easy to blog (especially when we don't exactly get paid for doing this) during lengthy displays of ineptitude by the Brewers. Sorry about the absence, Brewer Nation, but we are most definitely still here.

And what do I kick off our Push to the Post-Season with? Why a little playrighting, of course!

Setting: Tomorrow night, Philadelphia, visiting clubhouse of Citizen's Bank Ballpark

Ned Yost has just placed the lineup card for tonight's game on the wall. Not expecting much change from the standard not-getting-it-done batting order, the men barely take notice.

That is until one young soul happens by...

Mat Gamel (whistling a happy tune): Second verse, same as the first. I'm Henry the eighth I am, Henry the Eighth I am, I...

From off-stage right Prince Fielder: I don't hear you singing, rookie.

Prince enters the scene and finds a dumbfounded, yet excited, silent teammate.

Fielder: What gives?

Gamel: Sorry, Superior Leader, sir. It's just that...well...um...

Fielder: Spit it out, kid...or do you need to sing it out?

Gamel: Well...look!

Gamel points to the lineup card. With the sarcastically feigned interest of a young child, Fielder looks at the wall.

Fielder: What's so special? What, is Rivera finally getting a start behind the dish?

Fielder eyes the lineup and his smile slowly fades into a look of confusion. Fielder scans the card up and down three more times before taking it off the wall and flipping it over. Not finding what he wants, he lets out a growl.

This draws the attention of his other teammates and Corey Hart, Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, Ray Durham and Alcides Escobar slide into the scene.

Fielder takes the lineup card in his hand and marches to Yost's office.

He pounds on the door twice.

Fielder: Skip...what the hell is this? Some kind of a sick joke?

The door opens and out walks Ned Yost.

Yost: A joke? No...that's tonight's lineup card.

Fielder: What the hell do you mean that it's tonight's lineup card? See, because I was looking and I don't see "Fielder, first base" anywhere on there.

Yost: Well, that makes sense since you're not starting tonight.

Fielder is incensed and shoves a passing-by Manny Parra (tomorrow's starting pitcher). Yost looks bemused at the reaction, but does nothing.

The rest of the team, save Gamel, obviously is confused by Fielder's not starting, but they don't know the whole story.

Yost: For those of you that might be confused, allow me to read the lineup card. For what it's worth, when the lineup card goes up, read the thing...period.

Yost clears his throat.

Yost: Leading off, playing centerfield, Tony Gwynn. Batting second, playing shortstop, Alcides Escobar. Next, hitting third is third baseman Mat Gamel. Fourth is first baseman Brad Nelson. Fifth in the order will be left-fielder Joe Dillon. Sixth is second baseman Ray Durham. After Durham will be the catcher, Vinny Rottino and eighth is the guy that's covering for Kapler since he's banged up, Hernan Iribarren. Of course, Ben Sheets is pitching and batting 9th.

Looks ranging from anger to anticipation to sheer and utter amazement alight on face after face in the clubhouse.

Fielder: We're trying to win the wild card here, what are you doing?

Yost: You are? You're trying to win a wild card? Are you sure? Well, then I guess maybe I could change the lineup card. I thought I was just doing what you are were doing.

Braun: And that is?

Yost: Isn't it obvious? I'm playing for next year? You all don't seem to want to play in October, and since we've got all these kids up here to get some experience, I say let 'em get some experience and see who's got the chops to stick next year.

Hart: Why do you say that we're not playing for October?

Yost: Because you're not. I base that on the past 10 days. Chicago hands you the division, but you don't take it. The Phillies, Cardinals, the Mets...they all lay down, cry wolf and say please just don't beat us by too many games, and you apparently listen. We've been given chance after chance and opportunity after opportunity to ensure our participation in the post-season for the first time in 26 years and you've frittered away every one.

Rickie Weeks (to Hardy): Did he say 'frittered'?

Yost: Yeah, Rickie, I did. Frittered. It's a word that comes from a time when baseball players played baseball to win. It's a word that comes from a time when putting a W in the book was the most important thing. It's a  word that comes from a time when every game mattered.

I wonder, far too often lately, if those things will ever happen again here in Milwaukee. I wonder if the Milwaukee Brewers are going to get up for a game...ever again. And I therefore wonder if these September callups should be swapping in at some key positions next year so that we have a chance to recapture the fire that ought to burn inside each and every one of you.

So yes, that's the lineup card we're going with tonight. It's up to each and every individual in this room to figure out for himself whether or not he wants to be in the starting lineup tomorrow and not just what they're willing to do, but what they'll already have done by the time I fill it out.

Stepping up comes with the chance of failure, sure, but that's what this game is. Whether or not you can overcome failure again and again is what makes you a great player in that game. You can piss and moan all you want to about "being benched", or you can take this as a simple day off and come back focused.

Now, Gamel, Escobar and the rest of you guys...you've been handed the opportunity that the rest of your teammates have been spitting on for a week and a half. Get your gear on, get out to the field, and see what you can do with it.

Yost walks back into his office and shuts the door.

***SCENE***

This is what I would do if I could write Ned Yost a script and have him follow it for one night. Yost has said he will not scream and yell and throw chairs to try to motivate his team. All I'm trying to do with the above is show that he doesn't have to.

If any competitor doesn't react to that in the proper way by being challenged by it, then he shouldn't be in the starting lineup during a pennant chase any way.

By: Big Rygg

As August comes to a close, the Milwaukee Brewers are sitting pretty in the catbird's seat of the race for the National League's Wild Card. The Brewers are also a season-high 24 games over .500, a mark they only eclipsed by 4 games at season's end last year despite being as high as 14 games over multiple times.

As currently comprised, this teams is firing on all cylinders as it does it's level best to chase down the Chicago Scrubs for the N.L. Central Division crown.

That leads me to my next bit of news, in that the 25 men currently kicking @$$ and taking names aren't the only 25 men that have put on a Brewer uniform this season to take the field.

September 1st in baseball means roster expansions and the Brewers are taking advantage of it in a big way. Not only are some of the men that have helped us reach 80 wins before September 1st coming back, but they are bringing along some of the Brewers' top prospects from it's talent-rich AA Huntsville team.

Coming back for more action this season are pitchers Mitch Stetter, Tim Dillard and Mark DiFelice, infielder Joe Dillon and outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. On his way up for the first time in 2008 is catcher Vinny Rottino from AAA Nashville. Rottino was a September callup in 2007 as well.

But here is where is gets very interesting. The Brewers have also booked a flight for 1B Brad Nelson, SS Alcides Escobar, C Angel Salome and the recently-promoted-to-Nashville Mat Gamel.

Gamel has been considered to be the best offensive prospect in the club's farm system (though admittedly he's been scuffling a bit lately probably due to both fatigue and the fact that his lineup protection was traded to Cleveland's farm system in the CC Sabathia trade) and Escobar is considered probably the best defensive prospect by a lot of people (though I still believe he needs a fair amount of work) despite his compiling of 20 errors at shortstop this year. Salome is a bit of a surprise to have been invited up in my opinion if for no other reason than they already are calling up Rottino. Believe me, I'm excited to see him and all the other callups in person (I chose five games of my 20-game pack this season in September), but I just didn't expect Salome to be called up regardless of his leading the league in hitting at Huntsville.

Obviously no one should expect starts from these guys, but it'll be interesting ot see what they can do as pinch hitters and possibly defensive replacements, etc.

So, just in case you want to have a nice, concise list:

• Mark DiFelice (RHP)
• Tim Dillard (RHP)
• Alcides Escobar (SS)
• Mat Gamel (3B)
• Tony Gwynn Jr. (OF)
• Brad Nelson (1B)
• Vinny Rottino (C)
• Angel Salome (C)
• Mitch Stetter (LHP)

Any thoughts on who they called up? Any comments on being 24 games over .500? Come on, Brewer Nation, I know you're out there...sound off!