What’s Brewing in ’09: The Anti-K Campaign, WBC Liability & Catfights

By: Melissa S. Wollering

I said it once.  I said it again.  Then Braun’s right intercostal became inflamed and the WBC infuriated me as I had predicted it would. A bottle of urine disguised as champagne is being delivered to WBC organizers as we speak.

I would go as far as obtaining legal representation to evaluate the liability organizers have on MLB game losses directly resulting from injuries developed during the WBC. Especially to a player like Braun.  Unfortunately, my attorney would shoot me down, citing pre-existing conditions.  Remember, Braun’s famous strain to that side last year produced a .208 average in the final month. For now, I’ll just resort to hating on the Dutch.  No particular reason – I just need an outlet.

In a column that only appears towards the end of Spring Training, we’ll share with you who is let go and sent down to the minors in “He Gone.” Eduardo Morlan, he gone.  As a Rule 5 Draft Pick, this guy is offered back to Tampa Bay and they have until Thursday to bite.

Usher in Wes Littleton, whom the Brewers claimed off waivers from Boston this week.  Besides the fact he’s a Bo Sock, he is a side-arm style pitcher. He pitched for parts of 3 seasons with Texas and isn’t terrible.  However, his spring has been less than stellar with 5 and 1/3’s innings, 11 earned runs, 8 hits, 7 BB’s and 5 K’s.

R.J. Swindle & Chase Wright have gone to AAA, leaving Mitch Stetter as the only lefty in our bullpen. I would think if anyone is needed mid-season, R.J. Swindle will get the call.

Nick Green and Tim Dillard shuffle over to AAA, while Omar Aguilar gets placed in AA.  No, not that AA. 

Two people who may need rehab as well as anger management are the chicks caught fighting in this video at Miller Park after a game in the parking lot. Great Zeus’ beard!

In “Friendly Fire With the Cubs,” this week’s heckling needs no introduction. Really?

Wait, our fans aren’t much better.

I don’t know if he got the teeth whitening that I recommended in the off-season, but Dale Sveum has initiated a no-more K’s campaign.

Sveum realizes the Brewers seem to live and die by the home run. And it’s true. In 2008, 297 of the Brewers’ 750 runs went yard, the 5th highest percentage in all of MLB.

Now, Dale is forcing guys to manufacture runs every game and avoid the strikeout. We ranked 5th in the NL for whiffs last year and have ranked top 6 in the league EVERY year THIS DECADE. 1,203 pieces of my heart sunk while watching last year. Amazing there’s anything left.

Sveum is not doing anything new – coaches have been trying to fix this problem for years. His strategy is to have players let go of the two things that produce anxiety in the box. Numero Uno – having 2 strikes on you.  Numero Dos – swinging when there is velocity on the mound.

Nice side story, apparently Sveum himself never struck out 100 times in the minors, until he belted homers during his first full big league season (1987) and increased his K’s to 133. Now he wants to teach the boys to have confidence, so that when they rack up two, they can still hit one out of the park. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Still pondering what that one means…

In “Where Are They Now?” Russell-the-muscle-Branyan is the Seattle Mariners’ full-time first basemen now. We get to see how an entire season of at-bats treats him.  Well, I hope.  I like Russell and wish him success there.

This week in “Just A Bit Outside”, Ken Macha pulls a Bob Uecker following one of Prince’s homers this week.

“You know what was funny about Fielder’s homer?” Macha asked. “He hit that to left and the leftfielder didn’t even move. That was a bomb.”

And finally, in “Chart Magnificence,” who’s the fourth outfielder you ask? Lil TG is injured but must make the roster or be set free. Brad Nelson was the big 1st base prospect before the Fielder signing, but he needs another year of development because he’s NOT playing centerfield. Ugh, no. Trot Nixon could provide the best bat and is rumored to be a Kapler, but has age working against him. Chris Duffy’s stats work for him and he’s less of an injury liability than Nixon.
Either way, in table form, we let you decide the fourth outfielder:

Player    Offense    Replacement    Position    Defense   
Gwynn     -17                20                2.5             5 

Nelson    -5                   20             -7.5            -7.5

Duffy      -7.5                20               2.5              2           

Nixon       2                   20              -7.5            -1                

Get excited for the first Brewers-themed Deposit Podcast, coming to speakers near you soon!