In an attempt to copy Bill Simmons, I’m going to attempt to author a running diary during one Brewer game a week if my golf schedule allows me time to watch enough games. Here’s the first one.
We find the Crew in Cincinnati tonight playing against the Reds after taking the first game of the series yesterday. I’m picking things up at the start of the 3rd inning since I just got out of the shower after watching the first 2 inning sweating my nuts off following a run.
Notes from the first 2 innings: Dave Bush started out poorly as he seems to have a habit of doing. We got lucky only giving up 2 runs in the first, due at least partially to a bonehead running mistake by Brandon Phillips. Bush helped his own cause with a 2-run double in the 2nd, and we started the 3rd inning tied 3-3.
7:00: Fielder strikes out to start off the inning. You can’t tell me once this guys rookie contract is up he’s not bolting for the American League. He’s got DH written all over him.
7:02: Hall singles up the middle for his second hit of the night. Hall’s looked good in Cincy, hopefully this series gets him going and gets him back into the form we’ve all grown accustomed to him being in.
7:05: Johnny Estrada doubles to score Hall. I tell you what, I can’t say I’m all that impressed with this Matt Belisle pitching for the Reds. We’re going to tack up those two good starts to begin the year as an exception to the rule, and the rule is that no Red pitcher can actually pitch good for a whole season. That ballpark is like a glorified sandbox. Mench just ended the inning. Back in the bottom of the 3rd.
7:24: Alright, it’s the bottom of the 4th. I had to take a hiatus from the diary to field a phone call from what some would call my better half. As far as I’m concerned that’s up for debate. Dave Bush is still with us, so that’s good. We also just got a stat update that Hanley Ramirez had a leadoff homer for the fins tonight. Good news for everyones favorite nutbags.
7:31: Another scoreless inning for Dave Bush. He might be picking up the W tonight, folks. And there was some comic relief watching the Reds pitcher strikeout to end the inning. That’s probly one he’ll keep off his personal highlight film.
7:37: Two quick popups to start the 5th. Hey hey, Bill Hall just collected his third hit of the night. Schroeder tells us that Ken Griffey doesn’t run like he used to. Then again, not many people in their late 30s are going to run like they did in their early 20s. Now that I’ve got a minute, I don’t know about this new deuchebag doing the play-by-play with Schroeder’s color. There’s no emotion, no fun. You might as well have it be computerized. Then again, I never like Sutton all that much when he jumped in after Vaskersian. I’m sure I spelled that wrong. And Sutton grew on me, so who knows, I suppose you’ve gotta give this guy a chance. Inning over. Alright, I’m gonna eat something so I’ll be back for the start of the 6th. Hopefully Dave Bush can shut down the big red machine for another inning in the meantime.
7:57: Enjoyed some reheated cheesy crab dip while taking in a fairly questionable defensive inning from the Crew. I don’t know if Dave Bush’s runs are technically earned or not yet so far this game, but he really could have gotten away with only giving up 2 so far if Hardy picks up that ground ball in the 1st and Hall improves one of those 2 plays in the 5th.
Jenkins draws a walk to start the inning and Kevin Mench moves him over with a single. I tell you what, Ken Griffey really can’t run like he used to. I wonder if he’s thought about pursuing a DH position for the twilight of his career. Wait a minute, is the Reds pitching coach’s name really Dick Pole? I swear that’s what I just heard. Alright, taking a break to check the internet.
It has been confirmed. The Reds pitching coach really is Dick Pole. That’s unfortunate. Dick just made a call to the bullpen after Yost did the smart thing and had Counsell bunt the runners over to 2nd and 3rd. Bush is officially being pulled and will not get a decision tonight. The ‘Real’ Cormier comes in for the Reds to face Corey Hart. Yost must have started to read the blog as I notice we are playing the Jenkins/Mench tandem. Not every night, I say, but occasionally. Now we’ve got Hart available to pinch hit here.
8:07: And he takes one for the team. Nice. Time for another pitching change. Bases loaded, 1 out.
Would you believe that I once had this Saarloos pegged as a potentially good starter? Weeks with a knock up the middle, botched by the Reds! Run in for the Crew. Why didn’t Hart slide into second though? Hardy grounds out to end the inning and the lead is ours heading to the bottom of the 6th.
8:18: Charlie Villanueva is in town from the Bradley Center to carry the torch for Dave Bush. Little did you know, to aid the Bucks tanking this season, Charlie faked an injury and reported to spring training for the Crew instead. And he’s looking pretty good. The announcers have corrected me and I should note that Dave Bush is the pitcher of record at the moment. And Chuck gets out of the inning, looking solid. I’m going to skip another half inning here, back in the bottom of the 7th.
8:36: Ryan Freel gets his fourth hit of the night and Chucky V. gets pulled in favor of Brian Shouse, aka ‘the Lefty Specialist’. Shouse gives up a base knock to Josh Hamilton. Gotta love the story on Hamilton. The heart of the Reds lineup comes up, although do Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey really strike fear into the hearts of opponents these days? Dunn’s like a walking strikeout and despite the fact that Griffey’s swing is still a thing of beauty, the consistency just isn’t there anymore.
Alright, Dunn strikes out. This guy had led the league in strikeouts the last 3 years. Granted power hitters tend to strike out more and young guys take a while to adapt to major league pitching, but come on, dude. Wouldn’t you start to learn eventually? It’s not like he’s that young anymore.
Nice backdoor slider from Shouse to strikeout Griffey. I don’t think he meant to throw it there, but all’s well that ends well, they say. 1st and 2nd, 2 outs. Mark it a hold for Shouse, Donny.
8:47: Greg Aquino comes in and immediately blows the 1-run lead. And he’s actually been doing pretty well this year so far. This one’s getting dicey, folks. Wild pitch, Greg Aquino. Could’ve been ruled a passed ball. Time to load the bases intentionally to face Alex Gonzalez. This guy’s been around, hasn’t he? Of course, I might be confused because he had an alter ego that played in the league at the same time too. Alright, time to get this Aquino dude out. 4 straight balls to walk the go-ahead run in? Yikes. Dick Pole would’ve had someone else at least warming up by now.
This Valentine dude for the Reds looks like a fatter, shorter version of Jose. I’m pretty sure they’re brothers. And Valentine knocks an RBI single into center, the effects compounded by and error on Bill Hall. Can’t say that this has been the most spectacular night for the Brewers in the field, and now we’re down 9-5. Thank God the Reds showed some mercy and let their middle reliever Mike Stanton hit to end the inning. Well, 2 more at bats for the Crew to try and pull this off.
9:06: Pretty uneventful 8th, although it was highlighted by a solid dose of smoke blowing in from the Great American Ballpark party deck and another mound visit by Dick Pole. I always want to type Dick Pound when I do that, but that’s the guy that used to head up the IOC. Although when we’re talking about Dicks, a Pole or a Pound will both fit the bill.
9:08: Elmer Dessens graces us with his presence in the 8th. I was driving in my car on Sunday and listening to the radio broadcast and ol’ Elmer came in. He immediately gave up a bomb to Pujols, and in the commentary following the home run, Uecker said that he ‘hung a fastball’. Think about that one. Schroeder just noted that upon entering the game, they read his stat line for the season incorrectly. His ERA isn’t actually 1.37 as they said, it’s 7.20. Who would’ve guessed. I suppose that shows what we really thought about Brady Clark.
After only two runs and another questionable play by Hall in center field Elmer disposes of the Reds and the Brewers head back to the dugout down 6 with one at-bat left.
9:26: Game over. Weeks, Hardy, and Fielder go down in order and the Brewers come home 4-3 on the recent road trip. Better luck tomorrow night as they start a series against the Pirates at Miller Park.
We leave you with the Brewers a half-game ahead of the Pirates and Astros and a half-game behind the Reds. The Cubs are still in last.
Peace out,
the brat
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1 comment:
Uecker was classic on Sunday. He was in the middle of a story, stopped to call the pitch, then decided he didn't care about the play-by-play and went on with the story.
Later he stopped the story because he had a felling Jenkins was going to do something special. No sooner had that passed his lips and Jenkins swung and missed at a pitch for strike two. In stride Ueck's then said "Well there goes that felling."
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