HAPPY FATHERS DAY
Here are a few thoughts on the Brewers...

In the second inning of the Brewers game today you saw why speed can be so dangerous. The way Jenkins was pitched to was completely set up by the fact that the Blue Jays were worried about Weeks running. He then stole second, but Geoff Jenkins couldn't drive him in.

Chad Moeller has to have the ugliest swing of any position player in the Major Leagues. Now I haven't seen every position player hit in the Major Leagues this season, but it's just a feeling I have. You could go take in a game at a county park and see lots of guys with better swings mechanically than Moeller. He doesn't use his backside at all. If you look at his back foot (right) it doesn't rotate through...That's one of the many reasons why he doesn't have any power.

New Faces in Milwaukee, Brewers head to Tampa Bay
Since I've been away, the Brewers have made a few roster moves. Gone from the Big League roster are Gary Glover (who was DFA'd and is now in AAA), Junior Spivey, Jr (traded to Washington), Dave Krynzel (who was called up and sent down since we last spoke). Future Greatest Player of All-Time Rickie Weeks has been called up, Tomo Ohka has been moved into the 5th spot in the rotation, and Julio Mosquera is also up with the Crew. Lots of movement, but what does it all mean?

Glover was too inconsistent for the Brewers (and that's saying something). The fact that nobody claimed him when he was waived shows that other teams aren't too impressed with him either. It's good that he accepted his demotion, because it's nice to have some depth on the mound.

Spivey being traded wasn't a surprise to anyone. Of course he made a spectacular defensive play and hit an eventual game-winning HR for the Nationals on Sunday, but I'm not too worried about it. Spivey just didn't look good at all this season. Now with FGPOAT Rickie Weeks up presumably for good (check above for definition) and with Bill Hall playing as well he has, the infield situation looks solid.

Mosquera is up because Damian Miller has been dinged up and perhaps because Chad Moeller has been so brutal. Once Miller is fully healthy and ready to play more than three games a week, the Crew will make a decision between Moeller and Mosquera. Moeller has been swinging the bat a little better lately (though, when hitting .085 it's not that difficult to do. If you get one hit a week you're probably doing better than you were before).

Tomo Ohka was a great addition for the Brewers. His incredibly low K/9 so far this season (2.83/9 in 54 IP) may be cause for some concern, but career his K/9 has been over 5.

The Brewers have three against the worst team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. INTERLEAGUE ACTION AT ITS FINEST!!!

The Devil Rays are in complete disarray (imagine that). Usually they just suck and keep quiet about it, but this time people are speaking out...

Lou Pinella: "This was supposed to be the breakout year. The problem is, we've got a new ownership group here that's changed the direction we're headed. They're not interested about the present. They're interested about the future. And that's their right."

Carl Crawford: We're getting blown out. It's been embarrassing, but right now, you just want to hide your head under the ground..."I'm afraid that we might break a record for losses this year," Crawford said. "I sit down and talk about that all the time. I'm afraid we might break that [106-loss club record]. And it might not even be close, either. That's just being honest. Right now, you just wish for anything to happen."

In an attempt to fire up the squad, Devil Rays' brass made some bold moves by deciding to DFA Alex Sanchez and release Charles Johnson. I'm sure those are the types of blockbuster moves the fans and players were hoping for.

Charles Johnson declined to be traded to Los Angeles down the stretch last season while playing in Colorado. I hate when people question a player's heart because fans don't know. But when a guy decides to stay on a moribund last-place quality franchise instead of being thrown into a playoff chase, I think that says all you need to know about him.

Translation: CJ sucks and has (apparently) no heart. Tough to keep a job in the big leagues with that combo.

Tampa Bay designated Alex Sanchez for re-assignment today, despite the fact that he had the highest AVG in the AL in May, and is hitting .346 on the year.
Translation: Alex Sanchez is a bitch.

Way back in Milwaukee during the summer of 2002 when Royster-Ball was all the rage, veteran clubhouse guy Lenny Harris threw Sanchez threw a wall. Also, once Ruben Quevedo, accompanied by his wife, beat up Sanchez in the players parking lot. I'm not sure as to why those two violent episodes occurred, but I'm guessing it can be easily related to my earlier description of Sanchez. Oh yeah, and this year the 5'9'' 160lbs (I don't care what he's listed as in the program) Sanchez was caught violating the MLB Substance Abuse Policy. He has enough talent to keep getting looks, but it seems like he has a way for wearing out his welcome.

The Brewers are 28-34 and should be a little better than that. I'm not basing this on anything other than observation, but it seems like the Brewers score runs only when they allow a lot and consequently lose 9-7 or something like that. Looking at this roster, coupled with how bad the NL Central is, if the Brewers were ever going to make a run at .500 in 2005 it has to be now, because the chips have all appeared to have fallen into place.