By Soxman and Melissa S. Wollering
You have to reach back to years of California’s rolling blackouts, Mad Cow disease media-hype and the release of the very first Apple’s IPod for the last time the Chicago White Sox played the Milwaukee Brewers. 2001 was remarkable. Fast-forward to 2009, as Soxman and Melissa cheese it up about the latest meeting between the two teams, sure to be as memorable as the smell of limburger left in a vehicle at 90 degrees for 8 hours.
(SM) Nope, I’m not going to do it. There will be absolutely no gloating by this White Sox super fan regarding our series sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. Why? Well, I have two reasons. One: our victories actually helped the Cubs in the standings. Two: the Brewers are my second favorite team in the National League. Yes, for Soxman, there are other teams in baseball beyond the boys who protect the diamond at 35th and Shields.
The Brewers franchise is the little engine that could. The small market team, built from home-grown prospects and complemented, not defined by free agents. I love their park and their fans, so you will not hear me “drop a beat down” on this team.
That said, to quote the 70’s sensation Meatloaf, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.” Any thoughts you would like to share overall on the competitive series that took place at Miller Park this weekend?
(MW) First off, I count a sweep as taking three of three. Brewers won on Friday 7-2, so let’s say you ‘won the series’. Your pitchers got it done when ours didn’t, your hardwood performance made our players appear to be using toothpicks, Pierzynski was ‘one to watch’ even though Paul M. Banks thought I was nuts for saying so last week. To top it all off, you robbed Trevor Hoffman of a perfect ERA. Robbing Hoffy made me feel as though the Sox had cursed death upon my future first-born child. It left me that empty.
(SM) Okay, let’s look at each game in a little more detail. The first game to me was not a loss by the White Sox as much as it was a loss to Ozzie Guillen. He pulled Clayton Richard after pitching five solid innings and only giving up one earned run. It was also the start of a great series (and hopefully a hot streak) for Corey Hart. A double, a triple, and 3 RBIs. Our bullpen, which had been pretty automatic, gave up six earned runs. For a final thought, where in the heck did former Cub, Casey McGehee come from?
(MW) He came from Cubbie purgatory where if you vow to contribute to the Milwaukee Brewers after a life with the Cubs, then you reach heaven after your career is finished. Amen, brother! He got the leadoff spot in Sunday’s lineup and contributed to that game, too, before it took a Turnbow nosedive.
I also love pitchers that can get it done on both offense and defense. On Friday, Suppan retired the side in just 7 pitches in the 2nd inning. Then he stepped up to the plate in the 3rd and advanced Kendall to second with a nice Sac. Richard doubled for his first major-league hit in the 5th, too. Ozzie pulled him for that error in the following inning, which I agree, wasn’t completely necessary. Still, Suppan and Richard impressed overall.
(SM) Game II. Let’s just say your premonition regarding Manny Parra in last weeks exchange with Paul M. Banks was spot on. Six earned runs in an inning and two-thirds pitched. What is wrong with this guy? With an ERA over seven, perhaps he’ll follow his opponent’s lead and figure everything out in the minors? Did I mention that Jose Contreras appears to be back? Eight innings of two-hit ball. Bottom line, that was the story of this game. Care to offer your perspective?
(MW) If you care to sweep Manny Parra’s glove and uniform under Miller Park’s bleachers, douse them with lighter fluid and start tailgating around them with a couple of Usinger’s famous bratwursts, then by all means SWEEP away. Let’s just say I awoke Sunday extremely unsurprised that he was sent down to AAA Nashville.
What cracked me up though is that Macha is so disgusted, he currently does not give a rat’s rear-end about trying to replace him. We brought up the reliever Chris Narveson and will use Seth McClung to start if need be. However, the next 8 games include two off days, so a 4-man rotation works until June 27th. Attanasio is probably doing some Father’s Day shopping in the starting pitching department, aisle better than a 7.52 ERA? You had to know this was coming. It’s not IF, it’s WHEN with the Milwaukee Brewers and their pitching woes.
Contreras impressed with the number of innings pitched, copious amounts of strikeouts and no signs of returning ailments. That is a trifecta to me because those Achilles can take some time. Hey, come to think of it you know, we could use a starting pitcher…
(SM) Well, if we are going to tailgate, I’d prefer Johnsonville beer brats. The series finale was like bizarro baseball world in my opinion. Jim Thome attempts to bunt, Mark Buehrle homers and Trevor Hoffman gives up his first run of the season. Corey Hart brought us back to reality by belting two homers and Casey McGehee appeared to be playing with Cubs ire as he went 3 for 4, falling a triple short of the cycle. Thoughts ?
(MW) Hart does well in June, it’s his month. It is the month of the harvest, when his ‘International Harvester’ as a batting song actually makes sense for 30 days. JJ Hardy looked absolutely dismal. He got shoved down the batting order to eighth on Monday as a direct result. He is something like 1 for 32 right now in at-bats.
Buehrle surprised with his bat and I enjoyed watching White Sox fans cheer in utter shock! I cheered with them. Heck, who cares? It was exciting. Looper didn’t deserve any cheering whatsoever, so….
Also, let’s describe how Melissa watched the 0.00 ERA on the gigantic wrap scoreboard flicker at status quo for the last time in Brewers history for Hoffman. Let’s pause 30 seconds for silence. Now let’s never speak of it again. I heard he was .8 innings away from making club history. I said let’s never speak of it again! This is me, writing to myself in my alter ego.
(SM) I actually did a Sox Exchange once with my alter ego Bruce Wayne Parker, so I know how these things go. It will get better. Earlier this season, I scouted the Brewers farm system, taking in Nashville Sounds game. All the buzz surrounded super-prospect Mat Gamel and Alcides Escobar, yet most of the return on investment thus far seems to be coming from McGehee, who only hit .167 with the Cubs last year despite driving in 92 runs for AAA Iowa. Former Brewer Scotty Podsednik has been that guy for us. Left for dead by the Colorado Rockies, Pods was out of work until mid-April when the Sox took a chance on him. The 2005 World Series hero has made the most of his second chance with Sox, posting a .360 OBP, and hitting .311, 1 HR, 13 RBI, and 8 SB. The Brewers and Sox both have a history of getting the most out of frugal signings. Do you think its that Midwest mentality or dumb luck ?
(MW) It’s karma…we lose people like Richie Sexson and Geoff Jenkins who go on to semi-resurrect their careers with other organizations. But we also give away people like Scott Linebrink to the White Sox and watch him implode on himself, like he did Saturday.
You win some, you lose some. So, somewhere smack in the middle of Midwest mentality and sheer dumb luck. That dances around your question like a circus performer on hot coals. Sorry, Soxman. But I agree, kudos to the Sox for picking up Scotty Po Po. I cheered for him this weekend and I was in the vast majority! You would have been proud of my Milwaukee Brethren.
(SM) Finally, lets play Maybe or Mirage, where we hit 5 quick points on the White Sox (and Brewers) and offer our opinion whether it is a sign of things to come or something likely to fade quickly? Remember, no answer can be longer than 20 words! Let’s play ball…
White Sox pitching was good for Corey Hart.
(SM) Maybe, He was in a 2 for 23 slump on Wednesday, looks like Ryan Braun against the Sox.
(MW) Mirage, it had nothing to do with the pitching. In June 2007, Hart batted .336 with nine home runs and 21 RBIs from the leadoff spot. June of ’08 was decent, too.
Jose Contreras is back.
(SM) Maybe, 2 starts, 16 IP, zero ER, and three hits allowed. Enough said.
(MW) Maybe, watch his health, keep stretching that achilles and I don’t see why not.
The Brewers will be buyers at the trade deadline.
(SM) Maybe, they need another solid starting pitcher and perhaps a hitter hat can get on base.
(MW) Strong Maybe if not Definitely. For the first time in years, more MLB teams are looking to trade for bats. It may give us an advantage when seeking pitchers. Starting pitcher = happening for us.
The Sox will be buyers at the trade deadline.
(SM) Mirage, who are they going to give up on? Sellers are a possibility.
(MW:) Mirage, they’ll be selling to teams like the Brewers and salvaging the future. My sincere apologies, but…
The Brewers and the Sox will meet in the 2009 World Series.
(SM) Mirage. Not unless we start scoring more runs.
(MW) I like your thinking! But probably not, so mirage it is. Bless what we have in common until then–our hatred for the Cubs!
(SM) Great exchange Melissa! Good luck to you guys down the stretch.