Anger. Joy. Sloppiness. Heroics. All interchangeable words that emcompassed last night into early Sunday morning for Wisconsin sports fans. Lucky for us, in the prime-time California twinbill for the Brewers and Packers, the game that actually meant something was a success. While the Packers stumbled around in Candlestick Park, the Brewers held off the resilient Dodgers, backed by 53,000 fans, in dramatic fashion 380 miles southeast at old Chavez Ravine. Here are some positive and negative observations from both teams’ performances:

Positives:
1) Defensive clinic. What else can you say? Mike Cameron has shown that he is deserving of his fourth Gold-Glove every night. He was so convincing to Matt Kemp after his first two great catches that Kemp froze at first on a booming shot by Andre Ethier in the tenth, and was only able to advance to second; a game changing play. The catch by Gabe Kapler is without a doubt the greatest catch I’ve ever seen on live television. Simply amazing-another game changing boost for the Crew.

2) Braunny’s back. In his return from intercostal muscle spasms, Ryan hit a pinch-hit bloop single in the eighth and had the good sense to keep on chugging to second with a hustle double. He later struck-out on a 97 MPH heater in his second at-bat against fireballer Jonathan Broxton in the tenth. Overall a great sign to see Braun back healthy.

3) Snappin’ out of it. If you thought you were going to have a heart-attack in the later innings of the game, just think what J.J. Hardy must be feeling. He snapped out of a 2-23 drought at the plate dating back to August 10th with a 3-5 effort including a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth, followed by another go-ahead base hit to score Ray Durham in the tenth to seal the win. Unfortunately, they were sandwiched by an ugly error in the Brewers’ rough ninth, which he completely misplayed. J.J. came through though. Whew!

4) Gagne sharp; Riske not so risky. In his return to Dodgers Stadium, Eric Gagne had a efficient 12-pitch 1-2-3 inning with some help from his outfielders. Gagne reached a season-high in velocity, lighting up the gun at 95 MPH. Good to see. David Riske, who entered the tenth in relief of Salomon Torres, also had good command, striking out Manny Ramirez to end the wild 5-4 contest.

Negative:
1) Managing. A couple more horrible decisions by Ned Yost tonight. First of all relying on Ray Durham to hit Braun over to third base. Ned, lay a bunt down please. Braun saved Yost from that embarrassment with his speed. But as always, bad managing eventually hurt the Brewers in the ninth inning. Clutching his precious match-up cards, Ned elected to start the inning with Brian Shouse against the lefty Ethier. Of course, Shouse walks him, and the weight of the world is put on the real closer Torres with no outs and a man on first. It was a miracle he only gave up one run.

This was by far the best win of the season for the Brewers. A huge momentum shift into tomorrow’s game with a chance for a 4-2 West Coast road trip heading back home (how big would that be?). If I had to pick a defining game for this season this would be it. Hopefully they can string together some wins and slowly reel in the Cubs.

Positive:
1) Return game revitalized? It has been 12 years since the Packers had the likes of Desmond Howard returning kicks, but could the next great one at last be here? Jordy Nelson was the only statistical bright spot for the Packers against the 49ers, returning two kicks for 57 and 58 yards, respectively. He has all but solidified his spot as a returner for Mike Stock, the team’s special teams coordinator, and Mike McCarthy.

Negative:
1) Incohesive offense. The offense didn’t click all night long. Completely out of sync. The team gained an abysmal 182 total yards to the 49ers’ 355, an astounding differential to the team who ranked dead last in the NFL in total yards per game last season. The offensive-line looked particularly vulnerable, allowing six sacks.

Look for Mike McCarthy to whip his team into serious shape at practice Monday after the pathetic 34-6 showing against his old team. The Packers are now 0-2 this preseason.

And how can I forget about American Michael Phelps, who is now the greatest Olympian of all-time obtaining his eighth gold medal in the Beijing games, surpassing fellow U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz’s mark of seven golds in the 1972 Munich games. Congratulations to Mr. Phelps.   

With yesterday being the 122 game of the year for the Brewers, 40 remain. I’ve decided to begin a series called “Farm Fresh,” documenting one of the team’s top prospects each Saturday through the September 1st call-ups until the end of the season. I’ll give you the skinny on selected players (alternating hitter/pitcher) and when their chances of making it up to the majors will be. I will post the running list and the date on the bottom. Hope you enjoy!

Name: Alcides Escobar (AA Huntsville)

Age: 21 (Signed as ‘03 non-drafted free-agent)

Birthplace: La Sabana, Venezuela

Bats/Throws: Right

MLB Comparison: Orlando Cabrera, SS, Chicago White Sox

Minor League Accolades:

• 2007– Futures All-Star Game Selection.
• 2008– Southern League Mid-Season All-Star.
• 2008– Two-time Southern League player-of-the week.
• 2008– Rated as the club’s best infield arm and best defensive infielder (Baseball America).
• 2008– Rated as the most “exciting” player in the Southern League (Baseball America).

What he’s about: Escobar, as the only Double-A player on the 40 man roster, is arguably the best prospect in the Brewers’ system. He’s a lot like [Orlando] Cabrera and incumbent shortstop J.J. Hardy, as their consistent glove work has allowed them all to be successful despite the fact they don’t have elite power. Through 112 games in Huntsville this year, Escobar has posted a stellar .969 fielding percentage, a stat that earned him the nickname “Inspector Gadget” and should allow him to suit up in a big league uniform yet this season. Escobar has been a mainstay in Huntsville’s lineup along with catcher Angel Salome and third baseman Mat Gamel, batting .343 with a .378 on-base percentage and 31 stolen bases. It would be because of his excellent speed that he could contribute immediately on the base paths for the Brewers should he be called up come September.

Future outlook: With Hardy eligible for arbitration next year, Escobar is the likely candidate to replace him unless management chooses to lock up J.J. long-term. If they do, it’s unlikely Hardy will stay at short, with a possible move over to the hot corner. Look for Escobar’s full-fledged call-up in the spring of ‘09, possibly even sooner.

“Farm Fresh” Prospect List:

August 16: SS Alcides Escobar, AA Huntsville Stars.
August 23:
August 30:
September 6:
September 13:
September 20:
September 27:
(more if the team makes the playoffs)

Because this is a rarity, I thought I would savor the moment for Brewer fans and bask in CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets’ masterful outings the past two nights. Here are their lines, you decide which is more impressive:
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Sabathia: 9 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 9 Ks, 103 pitches (77 strikes)–>Overall: 12-8, 3.11 ERA

Sheets: 9 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 Ks, 113 pitches (78 strikes)–>Overall: 11- 5, 2.95 ERA
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Obviously Sabathia was more efficient, but I’ll tell you what, I struggle to think of another pitcher with as dominant a pitch as Ben Sheets’ curve ball. Unbelievable. Either way, both very impressive performances by these guys. National’s manager Manny Acta probably won’t be getting much sleep tonight.

Just to put this this whole feat into prospective, the Brewers are the first team to record back-to-back shutouts since the Twins did it in 2004 (Brad Radke’s 4 hitter followed by Johan Santana’s 3 hitter).

The last time the team did it was in 1992. That was courtesy of Cal Eldred’s 4 hitter and Chris Bosio’s 5 hitter.

Seven starts in and CC Sabathia has proved to every Wisconsinite he is the horse that management traded Matt LaPorta for him to be. He has created such buzz that regardless of who the Brewers are playing on a given night, even the cellar-dwelling Washington Nationals, the box office is guaranteed a sell-out crowd. How dominant can this guy be? Seven starts, a 6-0 record, an average of 8 1/3 innings per start with a 1.58 ERA. Finally, the Brewers look to have the kind of pitcher that can carry them into October. And just to throw in another stat, after tonight’s most recent complete game, Sabathia has notched the most complete games, four, among all National League pitcher’s, all in just over a month’s work.  

But the lingering question that will creep into Brewer fans’ minds as the season winds down is will CC-mania continue in Milwaukee for years to come? He will be the marquee free-agent come the off-season, and if the team fails to make the post-season, questions will be asked as to why Brewer’s management has been willing to deal future pieces for half-season rentals (Scott Linebrink last year). Are Owner Mark Attanasio and GM Doug Melvin just that desperate for a playoff berth? Or are they seriously considering making a run at Sabathia when he tests the market? For now, only time will tell, because CC has said he will not openly express his thoughts on free agency until that times comes. But if one thing is certain: the reigning AL Cy Young winner will not be cheap. And the Brewers will have to contend with the big-boys: the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Dodgers. Can they do it? Who knows. But a hidden indicator may be upcoming next weekend, when the team travels to L.A. to square off against the Dodgers.

Sabathia, who turned 28 in July, is from Vallejo, California, just under 400 miles northwest of Dodger Stadium. He will be wooed by multiple teams, but of all of them, L.A. may be the most attractive option for the very reason he would return home. Granted, Vallejo is vastly different than the second largest U.S. city, with a mere 120,000 residents to L.A’s four million. While Sabathia won’t be pitching in the three game set against the Dodgers, it may be a good thing. This will probably be the only shot the “CC-less” Brewers have at making a statement to the Big Man that, “we’re better than these guys, sign with us.” If the Brewers should take the series or perhaps even sweep, maybe, just maybe, the door opens for CC to consider a return to Brew Town.

Another plus is the team will be also be freeing up around $45 million next season, assuming Ben Sheets, Eric Gagne, Mike Cameron, Guillermo Mota, Ray Durham, Derrick Turnbow and Chris Capuano, among others, aren’t brought back. And there are some who will undoubtedly ask, why pay CC a boatload more when Big Ben could be had for less? Since 2001, Sabathia’s rookie season (excluding this year), he has logged close to 200 innings in every season, including 241-innings last year en route to his Cy Young with Cleveland. In that same time, while Sheets has also racked up impressive totals, he has not nearly shown the durability to complete a whole season, at least not enough to trust resigning him long-term. Bottom line: CC is a true, dependable ace. And the loss of Sheets would not be nearly as painful (no pun intended), especially since Milwaukee will have a healthy Yovani Gallardo back next year, along with Manny Parra, Jeff Suppan, Seth McClung and Dave Bush already fixtures in the rotation.

While it may be a long shot, as the contract would need to be somewhere near the $15-20 million a year range for him to even consider an offer, the way Sabathia has pitched thus far it would definitely be worth it. And who knows? If the team can perform well in L.A and down the stretch, the hefty-lefty might even consider a discount.

News broke in the wee hours of the morning that the Brewers were reportedly offering two top minor-league prospects for All-Star southpaw C.C. Sabathia.  Fox Sports’ insider Ken Rosenthal released the story, stating the Brewers had made an offer to the Indians, including arguably their best minor-leaguers in the system: Matt LaPorta and Alcides Escobar. The Double-A Huntsville stars have been tearing up opposing pitching. LaPorta is batting .291 with 20 bombs, while Escobar has complied a .331 average with 22 steals.  Sabathia is being actively shopped by Cleveland, trying to deal the 6?7, 290 pound lefty. While it would be an intriguing pick up for the Crew, giving them two bonafide aces (along with Ben Sheets) down the stretch, the offer is either over-exagerrated or just plain steep. At 27, Sabathia is not getting any younger, plus his contract is up following this season making him a risk to resign. Not to mention, LaPorta and Escobar would become eventual starters if kept by the club. So it’s doubtful the aforementioned players are truly involved; guys like Taylor Green and Mat Gamel would be more realistic trade-offs, as Brewers’ beat writer Tom Haudricourt points out. Hopefully more details become available as the holiday weekend wears on.

Update: It’s official. The Brewers have officially netted C.C. Sabathia, for star-prospect Matt LaPorta, along with prospects Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson, and a player-to-be-named later. What a deal for this club, who gains a bonafide ace next to Sheets for the remainder of the year. Despite the fact that that’s all it may be, a rental, they are in a position to reclaim a playoff berth. Losing LaPorta will hurt in the future, but because he was slated to be thrown in the crowded outfield mix, he may have lost his value already on an NL team’s roster, and may be a future DH for the Tribe, and hopefully a very good one. Back to Sabathia, who will take the mound tonight against the Rockies in Game 2. It should be fun!

With the Brewers long-awaited series at Fenway just a few days away, die-hard fans have already booked their flights. And what Milwaukee fan wouldn’t want to go catch this series? It’s not every year the team gets out to Beantown, in fact, it’s become a rarity. The last time the Brewers were fortunate to play the Red Sox in Boston was way back in 1997. Consequently, that year the two played each other six games in just over a week.  But due to the aforementioned fact, it would not only be a treat for traveling fans, but also wise for the front-office to make a minor personnel move. My proposal is this: push every starter back one day, to allow Ben Sheets to start Friday in the opener against Dice-K Matsuzaka, then subsequently recall Jeff Weaver from AAA to take Sheets’ spot Thursday (send down a reliever). Now this kind of move obviously isn’t plausible on a regular basis, but if there was ever a time to do it, this would be it. Why? Sheets, who is scheduled to pitch Thursday’s finale against the Dodgers, has posted a 4-0 record with a 2.53 ERA in 7 starts thus far. One day extra-rest would not only be advantageous for Sheets, it would be an opportunity for the Brewers to showcase Big-Ben on a national stage. And for all of you missing the point I’m getting at, Sheets’ contract is due up at the end of next season. While it’s always possible they could just resign him, they have a number of young stars entering arbitration in the upcoming years, and in order to retain them a chunk of change will have to be dished out. Allowing Sheets to start healthy, in Boston, against Dice-K, with six days rest, could be the last chance for the front-office to maximize his value before year’s end. It’s pure speculation, but if pulled off it would be a smart move looking down the road.

Fun Fact: Of the six games the Brewers played the Bo-Sox in ‘97, the lone game they won was against none other than Jeff Suppan, who was chased from the game after surrendering 6 runs in 1 1/3 innings. Suppan was originally drafted by the Red Sox in the second round of the 1993 Draft (Courtesy of BaseballReference.com).

It’s just 25 games into the season, but already the Brewers’ Double-A Affiliate, the Huntsville Stars, have gotten off to a hot start (17-8). One of the key contributors to their early success: Matt LaPorta. LaPorta, the club’s 7th overall selection in the 2007 MLB Amateur League Draft, was a first-baseman by trade at the University of Florida, but with Prince Fielder anchoring the position for the immediate and hopefully extended future, LaPorta was forced to make a position switch. That position was left fielder; where GM Doug Melvin saw him as the best fit. The best fit, huh? Well looking at it long term, left field was the lone position the Brewers had yet to shore up. That was until, of course, Ryan Braun made the switch there before this season. Nevertheless, since settling in his new home in the outfield, the young man hasn’t been phased one bit. Like Braun, LaPorta has been on an accelerated path to the majors, not because the team’s rushing him, but because he’s crushing his opposition. Just to give you an idea, in his first major league at-bat in Rookie-Ball, LaPorta launched a home run. Since then, LaPorta made a short stop in West Virginia (Single-A), and then played in the Arizona Fall League, one of the most prestigious leagues at the minor league level, after being selected by the club to represent them. Braun was also chosen in 2006. In 30 games for the Mesa Solar Sox (a Fall League team), LaPorta socked 6 dingers, tied for the league lead over that span. LaPorta has since then opened the ‘08 campaign in Double-A Huntsville, where he has picked up where he left off–raking. Through 24 games (82 at-bats), LaPorta has blasted 6 bombs, with 22 RBIs (both tops in the league). And if that’s not convincing enough, he also ranks 4th in runs scored (18), 2nd in total bases (behind only teammate Mat Gamel), 4th in slugging percentage (.602- tied with Gamel), and 7th in on-base slugging percentage. Hopefully that’s enough to convince you. I wouldn’t be surprised to see LaPorta reach Triple-A Nashville in the next few months, and possibly be called up as soon as September 1st, when the active rosters expand to 40. LaPorta ranks as the Brewers #1 prospect, as well as the #23 ranked player in all of baseball by Baseball America. As far his position once he reaches the big league club? Don’t be surprised if he ends up in right, with Corey Hart sliding to center after Mike Cameron leaves (Cameron signed a 1-year deal).

Content after a strong opening series with the rival Cubs in the Windy City, the Brewers will travel home tonight to get set to play the San Francisco Giants on Opening Day in Milwaukee. The Brewers were able to take two of three from Lou Pinella’s club, chosen by some prognosticators as the early favorites to reach the World Series. Recapping the three-game set, Ben Sheets wielded a gem in the soggy opener, much like his showing to kick off the 2007 campaign against the Dodgers. Sheets went 6 1/3 innings pitching two-hit ball, both hits coming off the bat of new Cubs sensation, outfielder Kosuke Fukudome.  Unfortunately for Sheets, Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano was pitching equally strongly. Sheets didn’t last long enough to notch his first victory of 2008, but a great start nonetheless. Jeff Suppan, although he didn’t quite outperform Sheets, also pitched solid in the second game of the series (6 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 K), good enough to propel the Brewer offense to a 8-2 win. And going for the sweep this afternoon, Dave Bush struggled mightily with his command, walking five batters through 5 1/3 innings. Bush was tagged with all six earned runs, and due to the Brewer offense’s inability to figure out Ryan Dempster, the Cubs won the finale, 6-3. In all, it was a great series to get the ball rolling. The one thing that irks me is the fact that Dave Bush was sent out by Ned [Yost] to start the sixth after giving up four in the previous inning. Hopefully this kind of start sends a message to Bush that he won’t be able to stay in the rotation consistently having poor starts this year, especially if Carlos Villanueva, Manny Parra and Yovani Gallardo (when he comes back) all show they are clearly superior. The formula for the Brewers, despite a bit clique, lies in this sentence: play .500 baseball on the road, play great baseball at home, and if you do that, the rest will take of itself. Tomorrow, the Brewers will begin a six-game home-stand with series against the Giants and Reds, before heading out east to take on the Mets. Let’s take a look at the pitching matchups for the Friday-Saturday-Sunday series with San Fran:

Game 1: Jonathan Sanchez (1-5, 5.88 ERA) vs. Carlos Villanueva (8-5, 3.94 ERA)
Game 2: Kevin Correia (4-7, 3.45 ERA) vs. Manny Parra (0-1, 3.76 ERA)
Game 3: Barry Zito (0-1, 7.20 ERA) vs. Ben Sheets (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
———————-
*Note: Game 1 & 2 statistics from 2007. Game 3 stats from 2008. Game times are 1:05, 12:05, and 1:05, respectively (all Central Time).

Doug Melvin is finally showing the rest of the league the Brewers aren’t messing around anymore.  They are ready to contend, and after off-season signings of veterans Jason Kendall, Eric Gagne, Salomon Torres, David Riske and now perennial Gold Glove center-fielder Mike Cameron, the mix of youth and vets is approaching the break even point.  Cameron, 35, will allow Ryan Braun to move to left field, shifting Bill Hall back to third base.  This signing could be the move that puts the Brewers over the top, and a low risk one at that, because the duration of the deal is one-year.  Although he didn’t come cheap at $6 million (with bonuses), Cameron will provide defensive stability around the horn, the Achilles-heal of the team last year.  Braun, although deemed with NL Rookie of the Year honors, committed 26 errors at the hot corner last year, with Hall, new to his position as well, committing nine.  The only negative I see in this deal, for the time being, is it blocks the slot saved for 1st baseman converted left-fielder Matt LaPorta.  LaPorta, who will start the season in A, probably won’t be recalled for at least a year and a half, which probably rectifies Melvin’s thinking with Cameron signed for a maximum of two years (2009 option).  Cameron also provides a bit of pop, as he launched 21 homers along with 78 RBIs for the San Diego Padres last year.  One would expect those numbers to rise playing in the hitter friendly confines of Miller Park compared to PETCO, which is scorned by all major-league sluggers.  A large incentive to play in Milwaukee perhaps?  I’m sure the money was the most enticing, but the idea of “padded” stats should be reassuring to Cameron that he made the right choice.

Now, with the Ned’s card essentially set, let’s take a quick look at the projected 2007-2008 lineup:

C: Jason Kendall (signed from Cubs)
1B: Prince Fielder
2B: Rickie Weeks
SS: J.J. Hardy
3B: Bill Hall (move from CF to 3B)
LF: Ryan Braun (move from 3B to LF)
CF: Mike Cameron (signed from Padres)
RF: Corey Hart

I like what I see, but let’s not get our undies in a bundle until they have gelled together and produce on the field.  Remember, this team always trends toward starting fast, so unless they can limit the prolonged losing streaks, fans will most likely witness another slow, painful downgrade in the second-half. 

Brewers beat writer Tom Haudricourt has reported that closer Eric Gagne (left) passed his physical today officially making him a Brewer. He added that Gagne looked in excellent shape, alot slimmer that his listed 240-pound frame. Another piece of great news for Brewers fans is that Salomon Torres (right), who the Brewers received last week for a couple of minor league prospects, informed GM Doug Melvin he would report to camp. Torres was a bit flustered after being traded away from Pittsburgh and was pondering retirement. So what does all this mean? Well, two more solid arms have been added to Doug Melvin’s arsenal, along with the additional two relievers, David Riske and Guillermo Mota, already in the fold for 2008. I feel the Brewers have definitely upgraded their pen, for a price less than what they would have had to pay Cordero for four years (44 million) and Scott Linebrink for another four (19 million). And you know the bullpen is improved when Gagne comments on the Brewers having “the deepest bullpen he’s ever seen.” Let’s just hope Melvin’s spending binge pays off.

Rumor Mill:  Another rumbling out of Brew City is that the Crew is actively trying to acquire either a LF or 3B. Names such as Andy LaRoche and of course Scott Rolen have come up, but another name who has jumped into that mix is Ranger 3B Hank Blalock. The Brewers probably wouldn’t have to give up a ton to get Hank, possibly Dave Bush or Chris Capuano and a minor leaguer, and he would allow ROY Ryan Braun to move to a position where Ned Yost and all of Brewers management can feel comfortable. It also would make sense to add a big bat, particularly a lefty, to the lineup, with veteran Geoff Jenkins leaving the club.