8/8/08 Nationals (Balester) at Brewers (Sabathia): 7:05 PM CDT

[wibadgers23]

CC Sabathia (11-8, 3.28 ERA, 166 SO)

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i289/brewers0048/25103_large.jpg

Previous Starts:

DATE	OPP	RESULT	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GB	FB	TBF	#Pit	Dec.	Rel.	ERA
8/2	@ATL	W 4-2	8.1	6	2	2	0	1	9	11	7	32	109	W(5-0)	--	1.88
7/28	CHC	L 4-6	6.2	9	4	3	1	2	3	10	8	30	124	--	--	1.82
7/23	@STL	W 3-0	9.0	3	0	0	0	2	7	12	7	31	106	W(4-0)	--	1.36
7/18	@SF	W 9-1	9.0	4	1	1	1	0	10	16	4	31	110	W(3-0)	--	1.88
7/13	CIN	W 3-2	9.0	8	2	2	0	1	9	10	8	36	122	W(2-0)	--	2.40
7/8	COL	W 7-3	6.0	5	3	2	0	5	5	11	2	27	97	W(1-0)	--	3.00
Previously with CLE, Acquired by MIL
7/2	@CWS	L 5-6	8.0	7	5	4	2	2	5	10	10	34	123	--	--	3.83
6/27	CIN	W 6-0	8.0	4	0	0	0	2	11	8	6	30	116	W(6-8)	--	3.78
6/21	@LA	W 7-2	7.0	5	1	1	1	1	10	12	2	27	116	--	--	4.06
6/15	SD	W 7-3	8.0	6	3	3	0	1	10	5	9	30	112	W(5-8)	--	4.26

Versus

 

Collin Balester (2-3, 4.55 ERA, 21 SO)

http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/images/2007/08/30/73Mr7AUC.jpg

Previous Starts:

DATE	OPP	RESULT	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GB	FB	TBF	#Pit	Dec.	Rel.	ERA
8/3	CIN	W 4-2	5.1	6	1	1	1	2	5	7	4	23	101	W(2-3)	--	4.55
7/29	PHI	L 1-2	6.0	6	2	2	1	0	5	7	9	24	93	L(1-3)	--	5.13
7/23	@SF	L 4-6	5.0	6	3	3	0	2	2	11	3	23	74	--	--	5.75
7/12	HOU	L 4-6	4.2	11	6	4	1	0	3	11	5	26	91	L(1-2)	--	5.87
7/6	@CIN	L 5-6	5.2	4	5	5	1	3	3	9	8	26	102	L(1-1)	--	5.06
7/1	@FLA	W 9-6	5.0	1	1	1	0	3	3	7	6	21	95	W(1-0)	--	1.80

N.L. Central Standings:

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road	East	Cent.	West	L10	Strk
Chi. Cubs	69	46	.600	-	43-16	26-30	9-6	31-21	23-10	8-2	W 2
Milwaukee (43)	64	51	.557	5	32-23	32-28	12-12	30-23	15-8	4-6	W 2
St. Louis (41)	64	53	.547	6	33-28	31-25	15-11	25-24	17-10	6-4	L 1
Houston (35)	55	59	.482	13½	29-26	26-33	13-9	23-28	12-11	7-3	W 1
Pittsburgh (32)	52	62	.456	16½	32-26	20-36	12-12	24-27	10-14	4-6	W 1
Cincinnati (30)	52	64	.448	17½	31-28	21-36	18-17	16-26	9-15	2-8	L 3

Wild Card Race:

Team	W	L	PCT	GB
Milwaukee	64	51	.557	-
St. Louis	64	53	.547	1
Florida	61	54	.530	3
N.Y. Mets	60	54	.526	3½
L.A. Dodgers	57	57	.500	6½
Houston	55	59	.482	8½
Atlanta	53	62	.461	11
Pittsburgh	52	62	.456	11½
Cincinnati	52	64	.448	12½
Colorado	52	65	.444	13
San Francisco	48	65	.425	15
San Diego	44	71	.383	20
Washington	44	71	.383	20

[datrain711]

This works out nice for the Brewers. We get a day off at home, and the Nationals have to play a doubleheader in Colorado. Hopefully we start to get hot at home again.

[Glennron]

I can't say I'd heard of Balester before this series. Does anyone know what kind of stuff he throws/does he throw hard?

[bigredrobbo]

Don't we at least have a pic of CC in Brewers gear to display?

 

That would never have happened on Woogie's watch!

 

J/K Wibadgers23. Great job on the stats!

[wibadgers23]

Don't we at least have a pic of CC in Brewers gear to display?

 

That would never have happened on Woogie's watch!

 

J/K Wibadgers23. Great job on the stats!

lol, I always get my pics from google or yahoo and they don't have any of him in a Brewers uni yet. Maybe by the end of the year they will http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[hawing]

http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/photographer/25/25103_large.jpg

 

Here's one from that energizing start he had right before the all-star break.

[SlideBernieSlide]

I can't say I'd heard of Balester before this series. Does anyone know what kind of stuff he throws/does he throw hard?

Looks like he features the fastball with an above average curve. Granted this blogger is a homer, but looks like Balester has been a top prospect in the org. I'm just gald he's not a junk baller in the form of Josh Fogg or Jorge Campillo

 

http://firejimbowden.blogspot.com/2008/07/balester.html

 

 

[Menotti80]

his ER trends concern me. he is on pace to give up 2ERs on Friday...

[sargennm]

his ER trends concern me. he is on pace to give up 2ERs on Friday...

We've got CC going. That's more than enough.

[And That]

Wouldn't he be on pace to give up 5 ER?

 

Edit: In the sequence {1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ...} a 5 comes after a 1. That combined with CC going, we have to win, right?

[owbc]

I'm excited about this one, it will be my first and possibly last chance to see CC pitch in person. I like his chances against the Nationals offense, but I've messed up way too many times to guarantee a victory.

[sargennm]

Wouldn't he be on pace to give up 5 ER?

 

Edit: In the sequence {1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ...} a 5 comes after a 1. That combined with CC going, we have to win, right?

Some might say, that combined with the dreadful home stand before this that it's a "must win."

 

[And That]

http://www.nickel-enterprises.com/SixBattles.jpg

 

 

[SlideBernieSlide]

I was just looking at the Nat's recent box scores. Man, this team has changed a lot since we played them in mid May. New players at 2b and SS. Plus 2 of the 3 OFers are different.

 

Here's their starting line-up from the Brewers at Nats on 05/28:

Washington Nationals

F Lopez 2B

C Guzman SS

R Zimmerman 3B

A Boone 1B

L Milledge CF

J Flores C

W Pena LF

E Dukes RF

T Redding P

 

Here's their starting line-up from the Nats game the other night:

Washington Nationals

E Bonifacio 2B

Alberto Gonzalez SS

R Zimmerman 3B

A Kearns RF

L Milledge CF

J Flores C

R Belliard 1B

R Langerhans LF

J Lannan P

[Menotti80]

Wouldn't he be on pace to give up 5 ER?

 

Edit: In the sequence {1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ...} a 5 comes after a 1. That combined with CC going, we have to win, right?

 

oops, i read it backwards

[hawing]

I just realized that we've been to only one game since the all-star break (our last two were July 27 and July 13). I'm surprised I haven't gone through withdrawal, and now I'm extra eager to get to the park on Friday.

 

Is Ryan destined to have a super night, on 08-08-08?

[splitterpfj]

Dear Brewers:

 

No pressure, just win, or it will ruin my entire Saturday....and it will be your faults.

 

Sincerely,

 

-Todd

[razzzorsharp]

I am sure Colorado fans were expecting a sweep as well...

[trwi7]

I am sure Colorado fans were expecting a sweep as well...

 

Maybe they pre-ordered sweep suits.

[RightFieldCoder]

They are on a roll

My Haikus have won both times

So I'll keep at it

 

We'll get two earned runs

The Brewers will still win big

Ten will be unearned

[RobDeer 45]

Start this series off right with a nice win. We have to keep the heat on the cubs.

[davemakovec]

Washington Nationals

Alberto Gonzalez SS

How far the mighty have fallen. Two years ago, this guy was one of the top prospects in the Bush administration, and now look at him! Playing shortstop for the Nationals...

 

Is your team any good, Mr Gonzalez?

I don't recall.

Was there a time when your team was good, Mr. Gonzalez?

My memory is unclear on that one.

Did your organization ever condone playing for the Nationals?

I don't recall.

[naivin]

With Sabathia, Sheets and Parra going, I dare say success (3 of 4 minimum) in this series is mandatory.

[TauPentaRei]

Hmmmmm,

 

1) The best pitcher in the National League against a John Doe

 

2) Slept in their own beds after a day off versus a team that played a double header, then traveled east

 

3) a .582 home team winning % versus a .356 road team winning %

 

4) the opportunity to gain a game in one of the two races the Crew is in.

 

Why does this feel like a 11 - 3 Nats win to me?

[Brian the Automator]

I'm feeling one of those 27 men left in scoring position nights.