8/29/03 - Brewers (Sheets) @ Cubs (Clement)

[squarepusher]

2:20 PM, CST

TV: None

Radio: WTMJ 620

 

http://www.bandofmid-america.com/jpg/Brewermascot.JPG

 

Go! Go! Go!

 

The unbelievably hot Milwaukee Brewers try go for win #11 in a row this afternoon. An eleven game winning streak will give them sole posession of the 2nd longest winning streak in MLB this year (Arizona had 12 earlier this season).

 

Ben Sheets picked up a win in has last start, but got roughed up by the Pirates. He's really had a rough month, due to nagging injury, and shouldn't be expected to go very deep in this game. He's got a 6.93 ERA in the month of August that pushed his season ERA from 3.88 to 4.28.

 

Matt Clement is coming off a nice start against Arizona, where he went 7 IP giving up 2 runs on only 5 hits. He's having a down August, but still has his ERA at 4.85 for the month.

 

Brewerfan.net / Statfox matchup info:

www.brewerfan.net/matchup.jsp

 

Ben Sheets Player Profile:

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPlayerProfile.do?playerId=231

 

ESPN Game Day Preview:

baseball.espn.go.com/mlb/preview?gameId=230829116

 

Yahoo! Sports Preview:

sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=230829116

 

CNNSi.com Preview:

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/previews/2003/08/29/3471_preview.html

[squarepusher]

SportsTicker Game Preview:

 

Milwaukee (58-75) at Chicago Cubs (68-64) 3:20 pm EDT

----------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers look to extend their

winning streak to 11 games Friday afternoon as they visit

Wrigley Field to face the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a

three-game series.

 

The Brewers completed a four-game sweep at Cincinnati with

Thursday's 4-3 10-inning victory and have won 10 in a row for

the first time since 1988.

 

Rookie Bill Hall hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning and

Geoff Jenkins hit a solo homer. But Jenkins, who homered in

all four games at Cincinnati left the game in the seventh with a

fracture of the left thumb that is expected to sideline him for

the rest of the season.

 

Ben Sheets (10-10, 4.28 ERA), who is 6-0 with a 2.87 ERA in

eight lifetime starts against Chicago, gets the baseball for the

Brewers.

 

Sheets has pitched twice during Milwaukee's tear and did not

receive a decision in either outing. He is 0-3 with a 6.93 ERA

in his last five starts and gave up five runs and eight hits in

5 2/3 innings in Sunday's 10-9 win over Pittsburgh.

 

Chicago has lost seven of its last 11 games and is 1 1/2 games

behind first-place St. Louis and Houston in the National League

Central.

 

Sammy Sosa hit his 31st home run in the first inning Thursday,

but the Cubs managed just five innings and suffered a 3-2 loss

at St. Louis. Chicago is just 32-32 at home.

 

Cubs righthander Matt Clement (11-11, 4.22) has alternated wins

and losses in five August starts. He has split his last eight

decisions and is coming off Sunday's win at Arizona, where he

allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings.

 

The 29-year-old righthander is 3-3 with a 5.51 ERA in eight

lifetime starts vs. Milwaukee.

[deeswan]

Does anyone else think this is a "statement start" for Sheets? He's been pretty ineffective lately, either because of his shoulder or because he hasn't been any good. If he doesn't pitch well today this board will be burning up with speculation. Hopefully he throws a good one and puts our minds at ease.

[endaround]

If you mean by not any good getting hurt and a bad start following the early pull, yep Ben's doing poorly.

[Frisbee Slider]

Ben Sheets.

 

Edit: Really...Google Image search preventing a picture...?

[ItsCotter]

The Cubs' web site said the game was to be televised on WGN but should we expect one of those blackout sorta of deals?

[MassBrew]

From Baseball Prospectus:

 

Speaking of the NL Central, the longest winning streak in baseball belongs to the Brewers, who have won 10 in a row to move out of last place. They've been doing it with their bats, scoring 68 runs during the streak and pulling out a number of squeakers, including yesterday's 10-inning triumph over the now-last-place Reds. It's just another data point in the argument that over a short enough span of time, any major-league team can win a whole bunch of games.

 

Few teams will have as much opportunity to play spoiler in September as the Brewers will. They have six games left with the Cubs, six with the Cardinals, eight with the Astros, and three against the Diamondbacks. That's a lot of opportunities to be annoying. With so many games involving the Brew Crew, it's fair to say that how the three leaders play against the Brewers could be the deciding factor in the Central race.

[rluzinski]

If the Brewers DO end up playing spoiler for some of these teams, you may start hearing the national media talk about how the Brewers are "coming together".

[squarepusher]

[ If the Brewers DO end up playing spoiler for some of these teams, you may start hearing the national media talk about how the Brewers are "coming together". ]

 

That makes me think of something either BlazinWings or Batman said at the ballgame one time (forgive me for not remembering who)

 

Your 2003 Republican Guard: It's coming together

[squarepusher]

Today's lineups:

 

 MILWAUKEE CHICAGO CUBS AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Scott Podsednik CF .315 6 42 Kenny Lofton CF .283 10 37 Bill Hall 2B .290 3 12 Ramon Martinez 2B .283 3 31 Brady Clark LF .298 3 32 Sammy Sosa RF .291 31 84 Richie Sexson 1B .263 35 96 Eric Karros 1B .296 10 28 John Vander Wal RF .266 14 44 Aramis Ramirez 3B .273 20 85 Wes Helms 3B .253 18 57 Tom Goodwin LF .302 1 8 Keith Osik C .239 2 18 Alex Gonzalez SS .230 17 51 Royce Clayton SS .223 11 36 Damian Miller C .236 7 32 Ben Sheets RHP .088 0 2 Matt Clement RHP .163 0 3 (10-10, 4.2<img src=http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/glasses.gif ALT="8)"> (11-11, 4.22) 

[clancyphile]

Brady Clark.

 

Lovely.

 

/sarcasm

[squarepusher]

Who did you want instead?

[batman]

I'm going to be unable to catch this one on the radio or TV... anyone know the reason for Ginter's absence? Is he still hurting from yesterday? Routine day off? He died?

 

Curious,

~Bill

[squarepusher]

I would assume he's still hurting....

[batman]

The Cubs' bench for today includes:

 

Randall Simon - 28

Paul Bako - 31

Tony Womack - 33

Doug Glanville - 33

Troy O'Leary - 34

Moises Alou - 37

 

Those numbers aren't the first two digits in their on-base percentages, although they are remarkably close, but rather the number of years each player has been on earth. If I were a Cubs fan, I'd be mighty happy that this kind of veteranness is so prevalent on my club. Combine that with the astounding suckiness, and there's a Dusty Baker recipe for a playoff push!

 

But hey, at least most of those guys are black, right? I mean, it looks like a pretty hot day down there at Wrigley.

 

EDIT: I'm easily amused today. The Cubs' starting outfield consists of:

 

Kenny Lofton - 36

Tom Goodwin - 35

Sammy Sosa - 34

 

Average age, obviously, is 35.

 

The infield consists of:

 

Eric Karros - 35

Alex Gonzalez - 30

Ramon Martinez - 30

Aramis Ramirez - 25

 

Average age, obviously again, is 30.

 

I don't know why I find that interesting, but I do.

 

~Bill

[mls4]

Yes, Powell just mentioned that Ginter was still sore.

[clancyphile]

But the Cubs are up 1-0 right now...

[squarepusher]

How many miscues will Hall have to make before the brewerfan lovefest ends?

[SenatorShriv]

As of the Bottom of the third today does not look like our day...

 

Going to have to step up the level of play. Stupid mistakes will kill the streak fast!

[squarepusher]

Ugh.... i've seen better defense by the French.

[clancyphile]

Probably Hall will have to hit a lot lower than .296 for that to happen...

 

We still got time for a comeback... just keep it close, Ben...

[batman]

It's not so much what Billy Hall is doing as much as it is the person he should be replacing.

 

That said, both Hall and Ginter have played some very unspectacular defense lately. I'm certainly not ready to jump off either bandwagon, but it is a legitimate concern.

 

~Bill

[squarepusher]

God bless the Chicago Cubs and their equally crappy defense.

[slamotto]

Jenkins is listed on the Brewers bench on CBS Sportsline website.

 

I assume that he has not been officially put on the DL....is that right?

[clancyphile]

If so, then that is pretty bad roster management, IMO.

 

Unless Geoff...