It's been nearly a month since I last wrote a blog post. In that time the Brewers have won 20 games and have increased their division lead from 3.5 games to 10.5. The Brewers now hold the second best record in the NL and the third best record in all of baseball. So with all this winning going on why haven't I written anything? I couldn't think of anything to write, thats why. I don't want this blog to be me just bashing the team or me just praising the team. I couldn't think of any angle to write about and the reason was the Brewers were just playing so well there was nothing really to talk about except how well they have been playing...I hope that makes some sense.
And the thing is, I still don't have an angle to write about but its been waaaay to long since I've written a post so something had to come out. My lame attempt at an angle is about this upcoming series against the Cards. While we are still in the month of August and have a whole month of regular season baseball left to play, you would have to think this could be the nail in the coffin for the Cardinals, thus letting the Brewers cruise to the division title. This is the second last series against the Cardinals all year, and its at home where the Brewers are 50-16. If the Brewers take at least two out of three this series, that puts their lead for the division at 12.5 games with only the month of September left in the season. With the way this team has been playing and especially the way they have played at home, you have to like the chances of the Brewers taking two out of three or even getting the sweep.
This team has put up impressive numbers so far this season. Braun and Fielder are the best one-two combo in all of baseball. Axford has 40 saves this season, the pitching has been outstanding, especially the starting pitching with Grienke being perfect at Miller Park this season, and the team's offensive, which has been good all year will only get better once Weeks gets back from his injury. I just don't know what to say, this team has been playing damn near perfect baseball the month of August. So this series against the Cardinals could be a big one. If the Brewers sweep they will pretty much secure the division. If the Cardinals sweep they put themselves back into the race, but with the way the Brewers are playing this month you have to think there is no way the Brewers lose this series.
So I"m already starting to repeat myself and I still don't have a solid angle to write about, so I'm going to end this thing before it gets real ugly. Hopefully I can come up with something creative to write about next time, I know the two of you reading this are waiting patiently.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
The "Big Inning"
This blog post is dedicated to a specific part of the offensive side of baseball and one that helped the Brewers greatly tonight. The "Big Inning" is something that teams want every night and when a team gets a it they can either secure the game, blow a game open, or take the lead and give a team momentum. Tonight the Brewers used the "Big Inning" to take the lead and used their pitching and defense to hold onto the win. The "Big Inning" usually contains three parts to it. Those parts are as follows:
1. The Start - The start to the "Big Inning" is just what the name implies. It can be two singles, a single and a stolen base, a double with a walk, etc. Basically its any form of consecutive batters of offense that gets a rally going.
2. The Turning Point - This is the part where the possible rally inning gives signs of the "Big Inning." This usually means bases loaded with no outs with a big hitter coming up, usually someone in the top part of your order. Its at this point that any hit will score multiple runs and still leave you with room for more.
3. The Big Blow - The final aspect to the "Big Inning" is the big blow. This is the hit that drives in runs and will ultimately end the "Big Inning" but will be what you need to pur that five or six spot in the score column for the inning.
The Brewers used every aspect described above during their five-run inning.
The Brewers entered the bottom of the fifth down 2-0 and Carpenter was shutting down the Brewers offense but that was all about to change. The inning began with Betancourt getting a single up the middle, followed by McGehee getting a single of his own. Then Lucroy gets a rbi single with a ball that bounces over Freese and just like that the Brewers have a start to the "Big Inning." Next came the turning point.
With runners at first and third and Zack Greinke at the plate you were expecting a bunt, possibly a safety squeeze but what happened was even better. It was a bunt by Greinke, and a good one at that. The ball rolled up the third base side and both the catcher, Yadier Molina and third baseman Freese were charing the ball. There was some indecision between the two and by the time Molina picked up the ball there was not enough time to throw out Greinke going to first. So the Brewers had bases loaded, no outs and the top of the lineup coming up. This is a perfect example of a turning point for a "Big Inning."
Corey Hart hit a single to center field to score one run making the score 2-2, bases loaded and still no outs in the inning. Then came the big blow and it came from Nyjer Morgan. Morgan ripped a hanging curveball that was a deep fly ball that kept slicing away from center fielder John Jay and landed on the warning track, scoring two runs with ease and because of Hart's speed he was able to score from first. And just like that the Brewers had a 5-2 lead. A lead they would hold on to, add an insurance run and eventually secure the win, final score 6-2.
So that was a breakdown of the Brewers use of the "Big Inning" tonight against the Cardinals. Not only did the win put them on the right track to start the month of August but it also increased their lead in the central to 3.5 games. Hopefully the Brewers have more "Big Innings" this season and if all goes well we could be having some "Big Innings" in the postseason.
1. The Start - The start to the "Big Inning" is just what the name implies. It can be two singles, a single and a stolen base, a double with a walk, etc. Basically its any form of consecutive batters of offense that gets a rally going.
2. The Turning Point - This is the part where the possible rally inning gives signs of the "Big Inning." This usually means bases loaded with no outs with a big hitter coming up, usually someone in the top part of your order. Its at this point that any hit will score multiple runs and still leave you with room for more.
3. The Big Blow - The final aspect to the "Big Inning" is the big blow. This is the hit that drives in runs and will ultimately end the "Big Inning" but will be what you need to pur that five or six spot in the score column for the inning.
The Brewers used every aspect described above during their five-run inning.
The Brewers entered the bottom of the fifth down 2-0 and Carpenter was shutting down the Brewers offense but that was all about to change. The inning began with Betancourt getting a single up the middle, followed by McGehee getting a single of his own. Then Lucroy gets a rbi single with a ball that bounces over Freese and just like that the Brewers have a start to the "Big Inning." Next came the turning point.
With runners at first and third and Zack Greinke at the plate you were expecting a bunt, possibly a safety squeeze but what happened was even better. It was a bunt by Greinke, and a good one at that. The ball rolled up the third base side and both the catcher, Yadier Molina and third baseman Freese were charing the ball. There was some indecision between the two and by the time Molina picked up the ball there was not enough time to throw out Greinke going to first. So the Brewers had bases loaded, no outs and the top of the lineup coming up. This is a perfect example of a turning point for a "Big Inning."
Corey Hart hit a single to center field to score one run making the score 2-2, bases loaded and still no outs in the inning. Then came the big blow and it came from Nyjer Morgan. Morgan ripped a hanging curveball that was a deep fly ball that kept slicing away from center fielder John Jay and landed on the warning track, scoring two runs with ease and because of Hart's speed he was able to score from first. And just like that the Brewers had a 5-2 lead. A lead they would hold on to, add an insurance run and eventually secure the win, final score 6-2.
So that was a breakdown of the Brewers use of the "Big Inning" tonight against the Cardinals. Not only did the win put them on the right track to start the month of August but it also increased their lead in the central to 3.5 games. Hopefully the Brewers have more "Big Innings" this season and if all goes well we could be having some "Big Innings" in the postseason.
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