In what surely is going to be a preview of the National League's First or Second Round of playoffs, Chicago traveled north on I-94 to take on their divisional foe. Brewer fans were out in full force making it the 8th consecutive sell out (Miller Park Record) and they weren't dissappointed. Yes, Milwaukee lost 6-4 in a heart break fashion. But keep in mind people, it's only late July. We could get swept and it would mean we would just have to make up those 5 games later in the season when we play a much easier schedule than the Cubs. Enjoy this atmosphere, because we as fans should expect nothing less than playoffs come October.
As for the game, you couldn't have asked for anything more....well, actually you could. Rickie Weeks should be platooned at secondbase with Ray Durham. Why? To either give him a kick in the ass or to cover our own asses because perhaps, this player isn't as good as Melvin, Yost, and the fans thought he was. It's apparent that this kid can not field under pressure. He has had 3 costly, extremely damaging errors in the last two games. Both games/losses could be partially (team effort I know) blamed on Weeks to some extent. Cruel and unusual punishment? Yes. But we should be expecting near perfection as we ascend upon August.
CC Sabathia pitched a great game which was not shown in the stats. He gave up 9 hits, 4 runs, and struck out 3 batters. Chicago's approach to CC was attack him early, very early in the count in order to wear him down. His pitch count finished at 124 when he exited the game in the seventh inning. It came down to Alfonso Soriano, the ex-Yankee who faced CC probably more than any other batter in the Chicago line up. The man (who likes a player from the 50's) tore us up with a home run and a game opening double.
As for the Milwaukee offense, it most certainly didn't lack. Besides Rickie Weeks, who went a miserable 0-4, the Brew Crew erupted for 8 hits (Cubs: 11). What will make the difference for the remaining 9 games we play against the Cubs will be the long ball. There were three different Brewers who went yard: Hardy (15), Braun, (29/2nd place in NL), and ol' man Branyan (12).
-Chicago batters seemed to be late on a significant number of CC's pitches, often times fouling it off over the first base line. Perhaps CC was a little too jacked up? To me, an inexperienced fan who was sitting on his couch at home, to me it seemed like he rushed his delivery. That's just me though. It looked as if he was a little too quick with his delivery, often times holding base runners at second with his stare a little too long. He then makes his pateneted 180 degrees rotation to the catche while throwing the ball.
-The entire media is jumping on the Brewer band wagon, we welcome you aboard. It's been an empty ride for as far back as I can remember. I started watching the Brewers religiously back in 1999. My first bar tending gig had me watching the game more than watching for empty glasses. As for the country, most now believe the Cub-Brewer rivalry to be tops in the NL, replacing the Phillie's - Mets. Although I love the match up, it's by no way even close to the latter. Not yet. It will be, most of that depends on how the Brewers maintain their surge in the years to come.
-I wanted to throw my water bottle at the TV last night when Soriano made the last out/catch of the game in the bottom of the ninth. He gave that cocky-ass smile to Milwaukee fans. He does have some pearly whites though.
-Jsonline cites a number of analysts who believe that this match up is the best in the NL.
-Milwaukee is favored tonight (-117). If I was a betting man, which I am, I would/will/am going to put money down on Sheets and the Crew tonight.
Look at how well they do the back-to-back-to-back mid air body check! Superb. My question is why Soriano's ass perfectly fits like a puzzle to his fellow Cub in back of him? Remember, these fools actually griped that "they were the ones who introduced that move". Reminds me of my friend Rat. He likes to claim the first "to do it" on everything.
No comments:
Post a Comment