If you have read this blog much you are aware that I have been a big supporter of Yuniesky Betancourt.  I have challenged the claims of him being the worst player in baseball over and over.  I still dispute that and support him.  He is just making it very hard to do.

Since August 14 the Yuni-Bomb-Ometor has gone from .270 to .249.  That happened pretty quickly.  He is in an 0-22 slump and his OBP is an awful .267 for the year.  He looked pretty bad trying to get the bunt down in the 9th last night.  That was more fuel for the fire.

Betancourt was very productive for June, July and the first two weeks of August.  If you compared his May AB’s with those months and were being honest you could really see a difference in his approach.  Manager Ron Roenicke has recently said that he is sticking with Yuni because his approach has still been real good.  Being honest now, I do not see what the boss does.  Is he wrong?  Well, kind of but I am sure he is just trying to keep his confidence up.  The truth is he has been less selective again and he looks uncomfortable at times.

Part of me just wants to be correct about the Betancourt debate.  It is not that simple. More importantly the team needs Betancourt to shake off this ridiculous slump soon.  What a huge difference one guy can make in the production of a lineup.  If “July Yuni” was playing last night the Brewers win that game.  At the very least it goes into extra innings.  These games are going to become real important very soon.  The production created out of the 6 hole just might determine who plays in the World Series this year.

Brew Beat has info on the the playoff ticker lottery.  McCalvey also has the reason behind tomorrows goofy start time.  Today’s pitching matchup pits Randy Wolf against Jake Westbrook.  Here is the lineup for this evening.

RF Corey Hart
CF Nyjer Morgan
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
3B Casy McGehee
SS Yuniesky Betancourt
2B Jerry Hairston Jr.
C   George Kottaras
P   Randy Wolf

The Cardinals made a big trade deadline deal sending young star CF Colby Rasmus for pitching.  The centerpiece for the Cards was starter Edwin Jackson.  Coming into tonight the Crew had faced him twice winning both games.  In the first game they pounded him including three Casey McGehee homeruns.  Tonight would be different.

 Albert Pujols made a nice grab in foul territory in the 2nd.  He extended the glove with the ball in it to an old dude and when the guy went to grab it he pulled it back.  Is being a douche bag an organizational pre requisite?

The TV guys interviewed first round pick Jed Bradley this evening.  The big left hander is considered an advanced prospect out of Georgia Tech.  It was also announced today that he will be sent to the Arizona Fall League to start his development.

In the 4th Shaun Marcum walked Pujols on a somewhat high and tight pitch.  The cameras panned to look at Tony La Russa’s reaction.  He looked pretty surely, so nothing out of the ordinary.  Marcum then cleared the bases with a double play ball.

Nyjer Morgan started the 4th with a single.  Brian Anderson said Morgan has been a very good base stealer in his career.  Ummmm, no he has not been.  He went on to say he has been caught stealing a lot though.  What?  Hey sir, you are ahh,  pretty good looking for an ugly guy.  Ryan Braun lined out to right.  Prince Fielder smoked one that was caught at the wall in center.  Morgan swiped his 10th base.  It was his 102nd career stolen base.  He has been caught a whopping 45 times.  Casey McGehee grounded to first to end the inning.

To start the 5th Fielder let a ball slip through his legs for an error.  Oops.  Then the problem should have been eliminated but Jerry Hairston Jr. booted a potential double play ball to put men on first and second. A CF single loaded them up with no outs.  The pitcher delivered an rbi single to right.  A sac fly made it 2-0.  A weak pop out and a Pujols ground out ended the frame.  The two runs were unearned.

The 6th began with Corey Hart smashing one off the wall for a double and then Morgan doing the same thing.  Nyjer’s was really weird as he hopped when he swung and both feet were off the ground when he hit it.  Hart scored to make it 2-1.  Braun moved him to third with a grounder.  Fielder struck out on a pitch at his man boobs.  McGehee drove a ball hard but it was caught for the final out.

Marcum pitched great going 7 innings and not allowing an earned run.  He improved his ERA to 3.24.  He leaves down 2-1.  That is a tough deal for him again.  In his last game he gave up just 2 runs in 6 innings and lost 2-0.  Marcum fell to 11-5.

Kam Loe pitched a scoreless 8th.  Nyjer Morgan picked up his 3rd hit of the game but that was all the Crew could do.

Marco Estrada gave up a couple hits in the 9th but kept them off the scoreboard.

Fielder started the 9th with a walk.  La Russa brought in his right handed closer Fernando Salas.  He has blown 5 saves this year.  McGehee also took a walk to put two on with no outs.  Yuniesky Betancourt tried to sacrifice the runners over and fouled the first one off.  He then got it down but the corner fielders were all the way in and threw out Prince at 3rd.  Yuni’s fingers got smashed on the bunt attempt.  Mark Kotsay hit into the game ending double play.  Bummer.

This is a pretty tough loss.  The Brewers produced the only earned run of the contest and lost.

The division lead is 9.5 games.

Pitching match up is Shaun Marcum against Edwin Jackson.  Still no Taylor Green in the lineup.  Bummer, I would like to see him play.

RF Corey Hart
CF Nyjer Morgan
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
3B Casey McGehee
SS Yuniesky Betancourt
2B Jerry Hairston Jr.
C   Jon Lucroy
P   Shaun Marcum

The Brewers are virtually a statistical lock to make the playoffs.  The likelihood of an appearance according to coolstandings is 99.5%.  I am finally willing to say that the fat lady will sing a little later this season.  It is not a complete surprise to me as I predicted 89 wins and a division title.  What I am surprised and thrilled about is the way that they are doing it.

Sure the two headed MVP candidate was somewhat predictable if you were assuming a division title.  You could also be pretty confident about the improved pitching considering the trades GMDM made in the offseason.  Recent history suggested that if the team warranted such,  a mid season trade would be made to bolster their chances. Done and done.  Even though John Axford has out performed any reasonable expectations heading into the year he did offer some evidence last season that he could be very good.

What surprises me is the way they are strutting towards the post season.  They have a record that puts them in the discussion with the best teams in baseball.  At 81-54 that marks the first time in franchise history that they are 27 games over .500.  Whoa.

A few weeks ago I mentioned an outside chance of winning 100 games.  I am beginning to believe it could really happen.  That would be amazing.  They need to go 19-8 over the final 4 weeks of games.  Fifteen of those games are at home.  Can they do it?

The next three games are against the plummeting St. Louis Cardinals.  Two of the pitchers are from the back of their rotation and the last guy is a minor league call up.  Let’s speculate they take 2 of 3.  Then its off to Houston where they are essentially fielding a triple A club.  Let us say 3 of 3 as they are very bad.  Next up is St. Louis on the road.  I want to be reasonable yet not overly optimistic so let’s predict 2 of 3 wins again.  Philadelphia comes to Milwaukee for 4.  A split is fair, right?  That stretch would put the record at 90-58.

Colorado comes to Milwaukee for two.  They will need both of these.  It is possible.    Three games in Cincinnati will require another 2-3.  Three games each in Chicago and Florida could/should produce a 4-2 stretch.  Three games at home against Pittsburgh wraps the regular season up.  With the Pirates looking to pack it in for the year the Brewers will need 2 of the 3 games.  No problem.  That is 100-62.  The blueprint is to split one series sweep one 3 game and one two game series and win 2-3 for the rest.

It would certainly be tough to make this run but I am not the guy who is going to say they won’t.  I predict that they do it.  Won’t that be something?  WoooHooooo!

The last pitch Zack Greinke threw in a 1, 2, 3 first inning was a called strike.  Aramis Ramirez didn’t like the call and argued after he turned around from running towards first.  Manager Mike Quade came out and joined him and lipped off enough to get tossed out of the game.

Corey Hart just got one through the infield to lead off with a single.  Nyjer Morgan advanced him with a bunt.  Ryan Braun took the ball to the opposite field for a run scoring double giving the Crew the early 1-0 advantage.

With one gone in the third Hart, Morgan and Braun all walked to load the bags.  Prince Fielder grounded into a double play to end the huge threat.

Marlon Byrd produced the first hit off of Greinke while breaking his bat in the 5th.  Zack made a slick play on a double play to retire the runner.

 Greinke singled and stole second in the 5th.  It was his first career steal.  Corey “the Hitman” Hart crushed an outside pitch over “Friday’s” for his 21st HR.  The lead was 3-0.  That hit capped this AB streak for Corey:

HR
BB
Single
HR
BB
Triple
Double
Single
BB
Single

As I am a full service blog I will tell you that is 10 straight appearances without making an out.  Others may make you count for yourself.  I my friends will not.

Hart made an awesome play robbing Starlin Castro of extra bases in the 6th.  I hope that dude is not under appreciated.  I think it is time to again play a dedication to Corey.  (who needs Casey Kasem)

Corey drove one to the wall in the 7th, it was caught to end his long on base streak.

Greinke was sensational going 7.2  innings and giving up just a run.  He allowed 4 hits and struck out 7 to improve to 13-5, 4.05.  F-Rod came in and gave up a hit that scored the runner left on base to make the score 3-1.  He then induced a ground ball to Casey McGehee to end the inning.

Yuniesky Betancourt continued his ice cold streak and went 0-3.  Hart and Braun picked up 2 its apiece to lead them offensively.

Super star closer John Axford allowed a one out solo shot that made things tight at 3-2.  He then walked a guy.  Alfonso Soriano crushed one that Hart caught with his back to the wall.  Whoa!!  McGehee made an error that put men on first and second.  Axford then calmly got the batter to bounce one to Casey to notch his 40th save.  He ties Craig Kimbrel for the ML lead.  The all time Brewers save record holder is Francisco Cordero who had 44.

The Brewers 50th home victory also completed the 2nd consecutive series sweep against the goat hating Cubs.  St. Louis is up by a run late so the division lead should remain at 10.5.

***Added- the Brewers now have a .600 winning percentage.  Nice.

The twitterland has been providing speculation that Prince Fielder is close to signing a contract extension.

Talk radio’s Doug Russell is the first place I saw mention of it.  Their is no concrete evidence of any kind of deal.  He said that his three different walk up songs last night could be a hint of a done deal.

1) I do not believe it.

2) I hope it is true.

3) Huge Scott Boras client Jered Weaver just signed a below market extension against the advice of his agent.

4) Prince Loves it in Milwaukee.

5) The Ryan Braun contract came out of nowhere.

6) The owner is smart and crafty.

7-10) I hope it is true.

Yovani Gallardo started the game by retiring the Cubs in order on 12 pitches.  The Brewers jumped on Ryan Dempster in the first.  Corey “the Hitman”  Hart smacked a deep double to center.  After Nyjer Morgan struck out Ryan Braun doubled to drive in Hart.  Prince Fielder struck out.  Casey McGehee stepped in and quickly made Bob Uecker say “get up get up get outta here gone for McGehee.”  His 11th homerun made it 3-0.

A Gallardo throwing error eventually led to a Cubs run in the 2nd.

Hart cranked a two out triple in the Crews hals to score Jon Lucroy and make it 4-1.

Ryan Braun just missed a homerun and Marlon Byrd made a nice catch on the play.  No one was going to catch the one Fielder launched to follow.  It was the 29th for Prince.

Gallardo loaded the bases in the 7th and got out of it with his 10th strikeout.  He was really good tonight, allowing just an unearned run in the 7 innings.  He improved to 15-8, 3.37.  He set a career high for victories in a season.

Corey Hart drilled a deep shot to left for number 20.  That put him just a single shy of the cycle. 

LaTroy Hawkins came in to work the 8th. He loaded the bags and then allowed a three run double to open the door for the Cubs.  F-Rod came in and cleaned up the mess.

John Axford came in to face the top of the Cubs order.  He picked up his 39th save with ease.

That is 5 consecutive wins against Chicago.  The Pirates shutout the Cards so the lead is extended to 10.5 games.

The JS reported that GMDM has given the agent for Felipe Lopez permission to find a new major league team so it is not likely he will be recalled when the rosters expand.  They also wrote that Doug Melvin claimed two players recently but was unable to make a deal.

Here is the lineup for game 2 V the Cubs.

RF Corey Hart
CF Nyjer Morgan
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
3B Casey McGehee
SS Yuniesky Betancourt
2B Jerry Hairston Jr.
C   Jon Luvroy
P   Yovani Gallardo