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.   

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)

At first glance, the return value does not appear to be anything spectacular if you’re a Bucks fan, considering Williams averaged over 17 points a game last year. But the fact is, Mo’s value was not as high as many (including myself) anticipated it would be, and this trade reiterates just how much the Bucks’ organization thought of him, that being, not much. Perhaps the best part about this deal was dumping his horrible contract (he resigned last season for 6 years, $52 million) and also acquiring two more expiring contacts in Griffin and Jones. No, they didn’t get adequate compensation, however, Skiles is determined to bring a more defensive-oriented mindset to this team, and Williams was not by any means a juggernaut when it came to opposing his man. And even though Ridnour, Griffin and Jones aren’t either, they have a history of being good locker-room guys (something Williams was not) and the potential to be role players.

I have no problems whatsoever with the ridding of Williams. The part of the deal that upsets me and unevens the trade is parting ways with Desmond Mason for the second time in three years. Remember he was shipped off to New Orleans in ‘05 for bust Jamaal Magloire? In his time in Wisconsin, Mason was nothing short of a consummate professional, and a genuine basketball fan can not help but feel for this guy. I wish him the best back home in Oklahoma.

Now here’s a look at the Bucks’ up-to-date projected depth chart:

PG: Ramon Sessions- Luke Ridnour- Tyron Lue
SG: Michael Redd- Charlie Bell- Damon Jones
SF: Richard Jefferson- Joe Alexander- Adrian Griffin
PF: Charlie Villanueva- Luc Mbah a Moute- Malik Allen
C: Andrew Bogut- Francisco Elson- Dan Gadzuric

* Elson has now officially signed according to JS Online.

I give Sessions a slight leg up on Ridnour for now because he has better familiarity with the team. He should be given every opportunity to run the show, however a time share between the two is possible barring another move. You may think I’m crazy for saying this, but I’m still not convinced Hammond is done. There are essentially five guys who can play point if you include Bell and Jones (remember Jones played point quite a bit in his last stint in Milwaukee). There is still reshaping that needs to take place as bench depth is putrid. The next man potentially on his way out via trade? Charlie Villanueva.

UPDATE: Courtesy of Wisconsin Journal Times’ friend Gery Woelfel, Hammond intends to start Ridnour. Hammond was on Milwaukee’s sports radio 1250 WSSP this morning discussing the trade. He seemed happy with the current mix of players but left the door open for more movement if the right deal presents itself.

1. QB Aaron Rodgers. How can you not focus on him? This is his chance to finally prove to his doubters that he can take the reigns and lead the Packers back to the playoffs. It will be interesting how his chemistry with the first-string wideouts has progressed, although he may be playing without one of them as Greg Jennings is questionable to play with a knee injury.

2. LB Abdul Hodge. What a great story this has been. He didn’t play all of last year with chronic tendinitis in both knees, and was on the verge of getting cut. But after surgery and training this off-season in Arizona, he’s back. More on his battle back here. He should be getting a lot of reps tonight, especially with teammate Desmond Bishop questionable with an Achilles’ injury. If he can prove to coaches he is back to his former-ball hawk self when at Iowa, he may land one of the final spots on the team. The linebacker competition should be fierce.

3. Nickelback spot. Charles Woodson and Al Harris have their starting spots locked up again this year, but after that, the third spot is really up for grabs. Tramon Williams and Will Blackmon both showed flashes of brilliance last year, mainly returning kicks. After those two, Patrick Lee, one of three second round rookies from Auburn, should make a strong case for candidacy as well. And don’t rule out Jarrett Bush in that mix, although many green and gold fans probably would like to.

4. [Backup QBs] Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn. Rodger’s will probably get a quarter of work, give or take a few minutes, but other than that it will be up to draftees Brohm and Flynn to take the rest of the snaps. Brohm was a surprising pick in the second round by Ted Thompson after he had taken an unexpected fall down the draft board. Flynn was taken in the 7th round. They will be working with the second and third teamers, meaning Jordy Nelson and Jermichael Finley, also high picks, could be likely targets.

5. Young O-Lineman. All I keep hearing out of Packer’s camp is how much coaches all in love with Allen Barbre, Josh Sitton and Brent Giacomini. Scott Wells, Junius Coston and Orrin Thompson are all questionable, leaving extra time for these three to impress. Barring serious injuries, Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher will secure the tackle spots, Wells center and Daryn Colledge/Junius Coston left guard. Of all five spots, Jason Spitz could be the one fighting for his starting job.

Sheets: 9 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 Ks, 113 pitches (78 strikes)–>Overall: 11- 5, 2.95 ERA
————————
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.

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.

Whether you like it or not, the answer is to trade Williams. Look at the guy play. Mo Williams is not a true point guard. He is a shoot first, pass second player. That won’t fit with Redd and Jefferson. There just isn’t enough ball to go around. Solution? Trade him to Miami, along with Charlie Villanueva and Dan Gadzuric for Shawn Marion. As crazy as this speculation may sound, this deal makes sense. Miami, who has shown interest in Mo, is desperately in search of a point so they can move Dwayne Wade to the 2. And Mo still has four years remaining on his deal, allowing to Heat to put off negotiations for several years. As far as Marion goes, he’s is a cash cow, making a hefty $17 million dollars a year. The catch is, he will become a free-agent after this upcoming season. So the Heat front office would be wise to move him now while he still has value.

The Bucks do this because everbody wants to return to the playoffs. With Redd, Jefferson and Marion, a trip to the postseason would be all but a lock. And because Marion has only one year left, the deal is low risk, high reward. Next year he would walk for more money elsewhere, allowing a more experienced Joe Alexander to assume the 4 spot in ‘09. They also would dump Dan Gadzuric’s awful contract, and let Sessions, a pass first player, take the reigns at point.

One thing is clear: after signing Tyronn Lue to a 1-year, $2.5 million deal as the third point guard, do not be surprised to see Hammond wheeling and dealing again before November.

Now for a concrete rumor: HoopsHype has reported the Bucks are very interested in signing center Francisco Elson as a backup center to Andrew Bogut. The 7-footer averaged three points and three boards a game last year for the Spurs, but what appeals to the Bucks’ front office is his ability to play aggressive defense and shoot very well from the free-throw line.

Brett has been trying to run the franchise ever since Mike Sherman was head coach/GM. And that just can not happen. You can’t have a player be above the franchise. Ted Thompson recognizes that. Mike McCarthy recognizes that. That shows great leadership on their part; to be able to put their foot down to arguably the greatest player ever to set foot on the gridiron.

Now I understand there is another side to this argument, and that is Ted Thompson’s bias toward Aaron Rodgers, and there’s definitely substance behind that point. Thompson wants Aaron to do well because he had the guts to draft him when nobody else would. He wants to give him his chance, before he bolts. Since 2005, Favre has known Aaron was the future. And now he’s come back playing the victim card. It’s sickening. Brett you knew this was coming. Don’t waltz back to 1265 expecting your job right back, despite cool aid guzzling green and gold fans’ chants and website making. Packer fans: you need to put Brett Favre in the past. He’s gone. Don’t pull this “Fire Ted Thompson” crap. Just look objectively at what he’s done for this franchise before jumping the gun. He pulled them out of the NFC North cellar, drafted extremely well and put them in a position to go to the Super Bowl in just three years. How many GMs would have gone after Ryan Grant off the Giants practice squad? Or drafted Greg Jennings in the 2nd round? This guy has a rare eye for talent. Don’t place the extent of the blame on him. Sure he could have handled it better, the whole Packers’ PR department could have.

Who was the guy that cost the team the NFC Championship, like so many other guy in his career? In a, “What have you done for me lately?” society, many will remember that last fateful pass. Whatever happens, when this saga is resolved, myself and I’m sure many other Packer fans will be relieved, because the way Favre has handled this, many have began losing respect he took 15 years to earn. He has become nothing more than a crying baby who for once did not get his way. His distraction has put this team behind and denied them precious time to prepare for 2008. At this point, getting rid of the headache to the Bucs, Jets, wherever, is paramount. Getting a player or pick in return of would merely be a bonus.

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!