En Espanol
Feedback

FanHouse

FanHouse

Resources

Email our editors with your tips, corrections, complaints, inquiries, suggestions, etc.

Blog Roll

Milwaukee and St. Louis Officially Kick Off Interesting and Meaningful Baseball

Pat LackeyPosted Aug 26th 2008 11:22AM by Pat Lackey (author feed)
Filed under: Brewers, Cardinals, NL Central

I'm never exactly sure when the "pennant race" begins in earnest, but if I had to pick I think I'd go with the Brewers-Cardinals series this week. The Brewers have a 3 1/2-game lead on the Cardinals in the NL wild-card race and as the calendar is about to turn to September, that's suddenly becoming significant. A sweep by the Brewers gives them a massive lead. A sweep by the Cardinals makes things very interesting.

In the two-game series, the Brewers are kicking things off by sending the semi-scuffling Ben Sheets to the mound against Todd Wellemeyer tonight, while Manny Parra and Adam Wainwright go at it tomorrow. That means that the Cardinals are thanking their lucky stars that CC Sabathia pitched against the Pirates on Sunday and they won't have to see him in their most important series of the season.

Oddly, this is the last time the division rivals will play this year. As Andrew noted yesterday, the schedule is much more favorable to Milwaukee than it is for St. Louis, which heaps even more pressure on the Cards for these two games. If they don't take advantage of these two games with the Brewers, they really might not get a better chance to make this race interesting.

What's Left for NL Playoff Contenders?

Andrew JohnsonPosted Aug 25th 2008 7:30PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Brewers, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Phillies, NL Central, NL East, NL West


Somehow, only five weeks remain in the baseball season. Other than injuries, a contending team's schedule might be the biggest factor in determining which teams get a shot at postseason glory and which spend October on the golf course.

The following is a quick breakdown of what the NL teams still fighting for a playoff spot will face over the season's final weeks.

Brewers

The Good: There are plenty of bottom-feeding clubs left on Milwaukee's schedule. The Brewers will play six against the Pirates and Reds as well as four against the Padres down the stretch. In all, 16 of their final 31 games will be against sub-.500 competition. In addition, they only face the Cardinals -- the team chasing them in the wild-card race -- two more times.

The Bad: The Brew Crew still have six games left against the Cubs, including a three-game set to finish the season. Milwaukee might want to lock up the wild card before that final series.

Key Stretch: From Sept. 11-21, Milwaukee will embark on its final road trip of the season. The Brewers will head to Philadelphia for four games and then Wrigley Field for three before ending the trip in Cincinnati. They'll have a chance to catch the Cubs over the final 2 1/2 weeks of the season, but if they take care of business, the NL Central title should be a point of pride more than anything else.
Continue Reading What's Left for NL Playoff Contenders?

CC In Dodger Blue? A Former Teammate Thinks So

Matt SnyderPosted Aug 24th 2008 2:05PM by Matt Snyder (author feed)
Filed under: Brewers, Dodgers, NL Central, NL West

There's still a pennant race being staged in baseball, but with the way CC Sabathia is straight dealing right now for the beermakers in Milwaukee ... well, we just can't stop thinking about the free agent frenzy. The big left-hander is going to easily break the bank with a Johan-like contract. Where will he end up? Casey Blake thinks Los Angeles:
"I think he wants to be close to home," Blake said. "I think it would be in his best interest to stay in the National League."
If this is the case, the Dodgers are obviously the last remaining team, since the Padres and Giants won't be in the running. Blake also went on to say that he'd like to stay in La-La land, but it's more likely they pay CC instead.

On Sabathia, the move would make sense for both sides. CC is reportedly looking for a house in southern California, after growing up in the bay area. The Dodgers can afford to pay him, and they've completely dwindled their farm system for this season's run. If you're gonna act like the Yankees (trading prospects for veterans over and over), you might as well spend like them as well.

On Deck: Rays of Light

MulletPosted Aug 16th 2008 10:00AM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, Brewers, Dodgers, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox



On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Tampa Bay Rays (74-47) at Texas Rangers (61-62) 8:05 PM ET

It's time to face facts, boys and girls: The Tampa Bay Rays aren't going away. They lose Carl Crawford. They lose Evan Longoria. They lose Troy Percival. Those are their two best hitters and their closer. Does it matter? No. They just keep on winning ... three out of four since both Crawford and Longoria have been out of the lineup. This team will be a team to watch not only tonight, but all this week, as they visit the Angels and then host the White Sox after this Texas series ends. It's a tough go without three of their best players, but the way the Rays have gone, doubt them at your own risk.

Continue Reading On Deck: Rays of Light

Ryan Braun Is Living the Good Life

Tom FornelliPosted Aug 9th 2008 7:28PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Gossip, MLB Media Watch

There are a lot of reasons for men to be jealous of Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun. First and foremost, there's the fact that he gets to play the game of baseball for a living while the rest of us can only watch it or play it on our XBox. Then there's the fact he gets paid money to do it, and a lot at that seeing as how he signed that eight year $45 million extension earlier this season.

Marisa Miller Snapshots

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Television personality Robert Verdi and model Marisa Miller attend a party hosted by Vans and Marisa Miller celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Television personality Robert Verdi and model Marisa Miller attend a party hosted by Vans and Marisa Miller celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Television personality Robert Verdi attends a party hosted by Vans and Marisa Miller celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Television personality Robert Verdi attends a party hosted by Vans and Marisa Miller celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Model Anya Kop attends a party hosted by Vans and Marisa Miller celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Model Anya Kop attends a party hosted by Vans and Marisa Miller celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Model Marisa Miller hosts a party with Vans celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Model Marisa Miller hosts a party with Vans celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Model Marisa Miller hosts a party with Vans celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - JULY 16: Model Marisa Miller hosts a party with Vans celebrating Vans by Marisa Miller at Cabana at the Maritime Hotel on July 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

    Getty Images



As if those weren't enough, here's the final nail in the coffin. While we spend our days off from work doing running errands or watching crappy reality television, Ryan gets to spend his shooting commercials with Marisa Miller. God I hate Ryan Braun.
On a sun-dappled Friday on the baseball field behind Brookfield East High School, Braun took on what even he admitted beforehand might be a more daunting task: trading lines with supermodel and magazine cover girl Marisa Miller in a viral video for a new Remington men's hair-care product.

"Aren't you baseball all-star Ryan Braun?" Miller said to Braun as cameras rolled and a large crowd of technicians, actors, aides, associates, gofers, spectators and hangers-on stood by quietly from a safe distance.
Continue Reading Ryan Braun Is Living the Good Life

Prince Fielder Enjoys CC Sabathia's Pitching

Pat LackeyPosted Aug 9th 2008 2:47PM by Pat Lackey (author feed)
Filed under: Brewers, NL Central

When CC Sabathia was traded to the Brewers last month, you may have seen the Onion article poking fun at him and Prince Fielder for their rather large size, casting them as a giant cheeseburger and chili dog hellbent on eating each other. When asked about it, CC laughed. Last night, he went out and threw his second complete game shut-out for the Brewers to run his record to 6-0. Talking about Sabathia's start afterwards, Fielder was positively salivating:
"It's a lot of fun, man" said Fielder, who was a ton more animated talking about Sabathia than he usually is about himself. "As a position player, it makes you step your game up because you don't want to waste this opportunity. When you get a pitcher like that, you want to make sure you give him everything you got. He's doing his part.

"I just get excited when he's pitching because you know if you score a couple runs, that's probably all you need. When you go early, it's a wrap."
A .. wrap?I kid, I kid. Truth is, Prince is right. In seven starts with the Brewers, CC is 6-0 with four complete games, two shut-outs, a 1.58 ERA, and a 0.912 WHIP. In just 57 innings, he's already in the top 25 among NL pitchers in VORP. It's been a dominant six or so weeks for CC in the National League. If the Brewers only make the playoffs by a game or two, he could very well be the difference.

On Deck: Brewers Brawling and Falling

Tom FornelliPosted Aug 5th 2008 2:25PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Brewers, Cardinals, Dodgers, Indians, Rays, Reds

\

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing matchups

Do you remember last year when the Milwaukee Brewers jumped out to a big lead in the NL Central, but then began fading as the season wore on? A lot of the blame for this collapse was placed on the front office not making any moves at the trade deadline by the team's fans. So as a response to such criticism last season, the Brewers went out and made a couple of moves this season.

The biggest one (both literally and figuratively) of course being the addition of CC Sabathia to the starting rotation.

Well, they may have a new philosophy, but unfortunately for the citizens of Milwaukee, they're still the same old Brewers. After climbing to within a game of the Chicago Cubs last week, the Brew Crew had a pivotal four-game series with their divison rivals in their home park. Instead of taking advantage of the opportunity, the Brewers collapsed under the pressure and before they knew it, they were being swept out of their own park.

Now Milwaukee has lost eight of it's last eleven games, and have fallen five games back of Chicago. Instead of working together to fight through this slump and beat the other team, they've begun fighting amongst themselves.

Can the Brewers get their act together tonight, or are they doomed to another late season fade? Find out after the jump.
Continue Reading On Deck: Brewers Brawling and Falling

Things Are Getting Ugly in Brewerland

Pat LackeyPosted Aug 5th 2008 12:36AM by Pat Lackey (author feed)
Filed under: Brewers, NL Central

After a four-game sweep at the hands of the division leading Chicago Cubs last week, things have been getting tense in Miller Park. Instead of chasing the Cubs for the NL Central lead, they're batting the Cardinals for the Wild Card spot. Tonight, during their game with the Reds, the frustrations boiled over in the dugout when Prince Fielder and Manny Parra got into a shoving match in the dugout. I was actually watching on TV when it happened, but with the Reds' feed it was hard to know what went down. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Brewers' blog helps fill in the blanks:

Parra, who surrendered six runs in six innings, had just been lifted from the game for a pinch-hitter. Someone who overheard parts of the conversation said Parra apparently was headed back to the clubhouse and an agitated Fielder told him he should remain in the dugout to watch the Brewers bat that inning.

Parra snatched up his cap and jacket from the bench and was walking toward the other end, side-by-side with Fielder when the 270-pound first baseman suddenly turned and forcefully pushed Parra onto the bench. Fielder then lunged at Parra again and shoved him hard with both arms.

This was where the teammates stepped in and tried to pull the two apart and the whole thing nearly devolved into a full-on Major League 2 dugout fight. As it stands, it looked an awful lot like Prince (who certainly has shown a temper in the past) taking his frustrations out on whoever happened to be closest. For a team that's barely clinging to a playoff spot, this is not a good sign.

On Deck: The Second Day

Pat LackeyPosted Aug 2nd 2008 12:30PM by Pat Lackey (author feed)
Filed under: Angels, Athletics, Braves, Brewers, Red Sox, Yankees, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East


On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups

Oakland Athletics (53-55) at Boston Red Sox (62-48)- 7:05 PM EST
As debuts go, making two nice catches and scoring both of your new teams' runs in a 2-1 win that helped end a slide of 5 losses in six games is a pretty nice way to start off a career with a new team. That's exactly what Jason Bay did last night with the Red Sox. The thing is, anyone that follows the Red Sox can tell you that it's going to take a whole lot more than that from the guy that's replacing Manny Ramirez in the lineup.

Tonight, he gets his second start in left field at Fenway while the Red Sox try to stave off the Yankees (who they're 2.5 games up on) and/or catch the Rays (who they're three) games behind. Whatever happens to the Red Sox down the stretch, Bay's going to play a huge part in it.
Continue Reading On Deck: The Second Day

Who Won and Lost During Trading Season?

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 31st 2008 9:08PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Astros, Angels, Braves, Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, Mariners, Marlins, Mets, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, White Sox, Yankees, MLB Transactions

Take a deep breath, baseball fans. The dust has settled after another trading deadline, and what a deadline it was. Three future Hall of Famers were moved. So was a reigning Cy Young winner and two former All-Stars. And we haven't talked about Rich Harden yet. Undoubtedly, 2008 was the most entertaining trading season in recent memory for baseball fans.


Truth be told, it will take years before we know who helped themselves or hurt themselves at the 2008 trade deadline. That's just the way it is when boom-or-bust prospects are involved. But here's an educated (and roughly ordered) guess anyway at which teams won and which teams lost now that the July 31 deadline has come and gone.

Winners

Angels: With a double-digit lead in the AL West, the Angels didn't need to do anything to get to October. They went out and got slugging first baseman Mark Teixeira anyway, and it's nothing short of a coup. For all the praise heaped upon Mike Scioscia's throwback run-at-all costs strategy, it hasn't done much for Los Angeles in the postseason. The Halos have scored 17 runs in their last eight postseason games dating back to 2005, and they don't have single regular slugging over .500 this year. They needed a bat to go all the way in October, and that's just what they got in Teixeira.
Continue Reading Who Won and Lost During Trading Season?
ADVERTISEMENT
Play Fantasy Football
ADVERTISEMENT