2008 Vent Thread (part 2)

[TooLiveBrew]

This team is absolutely done. Complete group of underachievers.

 

Reeeeeeeeee-diculous. Maybe if we were right in the thick of things with well over 100 games to play you'd feel better. Oh, wait...

[Fatter than Joey]

How does this team fail to score after the 4th inning -- They almost got a 9IP shut out against Houston's BP

[RU Rah Rah]

This is less a vent and more a lament. It genuinely saddens me to see how many people here apparently don't really enjoy watching baseball very much. I swear, every other post seems to be about "hating" something with white-hot passion: the umps and their obvious conspiracy against our poor team! The Cubs and their horrible, arrogant fans! FSN and its criminally bad production! The manager! Innumerable current and former players who are/were not worth their contracts! ESPN and its insidious East Coast bias! Other BF.net posters who don't share my appreciation for some obscure stat! And on and on . . .

[jazzytrav]

This is less a vent and more a lament. It genuinely saddens me to see how many people here apparently don't really enjoy watching baseball very much. I swear, every other post seems to be about "hating" something with white-hot passion:

I don't think people come here and watch games and talk about them because they don't enjoy it.

the umps and their obvious conspiracy against our poor team!

I don't see it being against our poor team. I see it being baseball-wide, and it lessens the entertainment value of baseball when you see an ump baiting a player or saying racist comments. Many others have pointed out that the umps mess up calls against the other team when we're playing them, so I don't think anyone feels that there's an umpire conspiracy against the Brewers specifically.

The Cubs and their horrible, arrogant fans!

Dude, it's the Cubs. And it's a rivalry.

FSN and its criminally bad production!

When your team is making a lot of money for a broadcasting company on a bad contract and they put out their C- team, there's a problem. I realize it's light years ahead of what it used to be, but it's a little annoying when it takes a step back. When it would be relatively simple for someone to do their job (which they're paid for) and they can't do it, it's definitely frustrating and makes it hard to watch.

The manager!

I'll just leave that one. My opinion is in plenty of places out in cyberspace already http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

 

[ecjimg]

RU Rah Rah wrote:

---

This is less a vent and more a lament. It genuinely saddens me to see how many people here apparently don't really enjoy watching baseball very much. I swear, every other post seems to be about "hating" something with white-hot passion:

 

I have "enjoyed" the Brewers since 1973. It was sometimes hard to watch the bad teams, the 2000 and 2001 teams in particular. And I had fun last year until July.

But ......you know what..........although I havent articulated it on here......Im one of the "mad haters" this year too. Because this is when our team was finally going to go to the playoffs. This is the team (Fielder, Hart, Hardy, Weeks, etc) that we were waiting for for years. And now, its the same old brewers. It was last year too. When they gave away the division, we consistantly heard Ned saying: "Dont panic, We are still in first place!" Well as we know we didnt FINISH in first place. And its all because adjustment werent made. Just like they arent being made this year........and wont be. Hurray! They subtracted the outfielder that seemed to always strike out at key situations and the catcher that swung at the first pitch no matter what. So i was optimistic. Subtracted Vargas, and ineffective Turnbow and Capuano (ok, the injury did it for us)....and THEY STILL ARENT WINNING!( And it looks like "bad baseball"). To me "its only May 4th sounds a lot like last years " We're still in first place". Im seeing the 2008 playoffs dissapear before my eyes, and I dont like it. How can I 'ENJOY" that.

[Fatter than Joey]

This is less a vent and more a lament. It genuinely saddens me to see how many people here apparently don't really enjoy watching baseball very much.

 

The one thing I have learned on BF.net is that we are all hard-wired differently. Some of are pessimistic, some eternally optimistic -- some are emotional, some are very passive. Some appreciate small-ball, some love Weaver-ball, and the list goes on.

 

I think everyone here LOVES baseball and the Brewers, it's been a long week, losing 3 to Houston, having the Cubs drop 19 on us, Yo done for the season, leaving us .5 games out of 4th place. There has been a lot of frustration, and it probably has gotten the best of many if not all of us.

 

Personally I'd rather see frustration than apathy.

 

the umps and their obvious conspiracy against our poor team!

 

I do agree that any conspiracy talk, is probably over the top, but no one wants to watch a poorly officiated game in any sport. Poor officiating takes the essence out of competition.

 

As far as Gagne goes, Houston seemed to have an organized approach to deal with his pitching -- basically lay off his change-ups and look for the fastball. In all fairness Gagne has been very erratic this season (for a pitcher of his quality), and if he can't locate his changeup better -- he is not going to get a lot of calls. The umps helped the Astros out with a couple of calls, but I thought that they had a very good approach to Gagne. I am quite sure more teams are going to make Gagne throw his change-up for strikes now.

[adamb100]

How did Gagne fall apart? I was reading up on him on wikipedia. This dude won the Cy Young in 2003, collected 150 saves or something like that in 2+ seasons and only blew maybe 1-2 a season. I also read that he had Tommy John Surgery twice, did the 2nd time screw him up?

[naivin]

See Mitchell report.

[BrewCrewForever]

See Mitchell report.

See the fact that he had his best year in 2003 and the Mitchell Report stuff was 2004. I think he has pitched okay, he isn't the guy he was from 2002-2004 for two reasons. Elbow and back surgery. He still thorws 94-94 with a decent breaking ball and a wicked changeup.

[cnycerveceros]

I agree with the earlier lament, but also FTJs response. There is a lot of 'hating' on this board, but it's hate that comes from passion. I complain as much as anybody else, but it's only because when this team finally gets to the promised land no one will be happier than me. I think about when the Packers won the Super Bowl after the 96 season, and I multiply that by infinity to estimate my joy when the Crew finally wins it all. Relative to that perceived happiness, it's hard not to be extremely upset about the way things are right now.

 

Also, why doesn't FSN-Wisconsin use the 'Pitch Tracker' that I see other team's broadcasts show (it shows pitch location)? It would have been interesting to see Gagne's pitches yesterday.

 

This is the Vent Thread after all.

[jazzytrav]

This is less a vent and more a lament. It genuinely saddens me to see how many people here apparently don't really enjoy watching baseball very much. I swear, every other post seems to be about "hating" something with white-hot passion: the umps and their obvious conspiracy against our poor team! The Cubs and their horrible, arrogant fans! FSN and its criminally bad production! The manager! Innumerable current and former players who are/were not worth their contracts! ESPN and its insidious East Coast bias! Other BF.net posters who don't share my appreciation for some obscure stat! And on and on . . .

I have to bring this up just because I busted out laughing. This is from a ESPN chat that's going on right now with Jerry Crasnick about the 3-team race right now with the Cubs, Brewers, and Cards.

 

ESPN Management (CT): Umm......what does this have to do with the Red Sox and Yankees?

 

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/sn2.gif Jerry Crasnick: (1:41 PM ET ) Management, Let's take a break with the sarcasm, OK?

Classic.

[SeriesFinale]

My vent is having to hear Astros fans crow in that chat after their team's sweep this weekend (as is their right)...they think the Astros actually have a chance this year.

[jazzytrav]

Yeah, I caught that, too. It's definitely their right, but also definitely annoying.

[Postseason2006]

I was equally as steamed at Sheets for not throwing in or at Lance Slugman for lollygagging around the bases after his homerun. Could the guy have run any slower soaking up the moment? Guy looks like he fights Fielder for food.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/mad.gif

 

 

 

 

[stoutdude04]

I always thought lance did that. It is funny that you mention it though, my friends who were watching the games with me(casual fans) asked me if that guy is any good. Im like, yea, hes pretty good. They thought he didnt look much like a baseball player. I then wondered how you "look" like a baseball player.

[Roscoe Chill]

Say what you want about the Astros, but with a win tonight and a Brewers loss, they move up to third place.

 

So, my two vents are related to that. One of my vents is when people around here dismiss a team like the Astros even though on an unbiased, national level, the Brewers are probably in the same boat as said Astros. And another vent is when people dismiss the Cardinals, who at 21-12, aren't just going to magically disappear out of the race.

[endaround]

What unbiased level? The Astros have no starting pitching. They are still projected as a 74 win team by BP.

[StatPipes]

I don't think the Brewer's starters are much better than the Astros at this point, and the Astros bullpen seems to be better

[jazzytrav]

What unbiased level? The Astros have no starting pitching. They are still projected as a 74 win team by BP.

While I agree that there's no reason they should win enough games to be involved, I think NDOG has a point that we can't just write them off. Also the same with the Cards. It's almost like we just figure they'll come back down to earth and we'll surpass them. But what if they don't come back down to earth until we're 100 games into the season and no one can catch them anymore?

 

I really like all the stats and I think they're very useful, but I don't think we should ever rule anyone out based on them. I don't remember who said it or where it was said, but someone once said that the run that a team made one year was because their entire pitching staff had career years. That's great to know if we want to make predictions for next year, but if we're in the midst of a bunch of guys on the Astros or Cards having career years, I don't think it should just be assumed that they'll come back down to earth and allow us or the Cubs to fly by.

[Roscoe Chill]

So BP has them down for 74 wins and that makes it so? Another vent for me I guess. The Astros and Brewers aren't all that different. My point is that while I don't think the Astros will be a factor when it's all said and done...I feel the same about our Brewers.

[TooLiveBrew]

The Brewers are better than the Astros at CF, 2B, & 3B... most likely C too for this season. The Astros (at best) are better in RF, LF, SS, & 1B -- except that the Brewers are on a par at each of those positions or better. SS is the only spot that the 'Stros might be better, unless Braun completely forgot how to hit & isn't just getting off to a slow start.

 

And on top of that our pitching is better.

[endaround]

So BP has them down for 74 wins and that makes it so? Another vent for me I guess. The Astros and Brewers aren't all that different. My point is that while I don't think the Astros will be a factor when it's all said and done...I feel the same about our Brewers.

You were complaining about how it was only Brewer fans saying the Astros aren't very good. Except that it isn't. there is a very good reason to think the Astros aren't very good and it has to do with their pitching being terrible and having bad players at 3B, CF, and C and hoping for average at 2B.

 

[Roscoe Chill]

No end...I'm saying the BREWERS aren't very good. That's the unbiased angle I was talking about. I couldn't care less how good the Astros are. I don't think they're a playoff team. And again, the Brewers are a similar team. And I agree the Brewers have more talent. Although Miguel Tejada might be a better SS than Hardy? That's not up for debate.

[StatPipes]

I would be hard-pressed to say the pitching is better. The brewers bullpen has the worst ERA in the NL. And I don't think you can put Prince on par with Berkman, and I have trouble saying Rickie Weeks is better than Kaz Matsui.

 

Rickie Weeks- .197 4 HR 9 RBI 6 SB 31 games

 

Kaz Matsui - .290 1 HR 10 RBI 4 SB 16 games (roughly half of Weeks)

 

Just an opinion of course, except for the stats shown. And luckily, it is only May 6th.

 

And I doubt BP had the Rockies going to the playoffs, let alone the World Series.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't think you can put Prince on par with Berkman, and I have trouble saying Rickie Weeks is better than Kaz Matsui.

 

Wow. I honestly don't know what to say to ya.