9/24/2007: Cardinals (Wainwright) at Brewers (Bush), 7:05 CT

[thablingster]

This is the final homestand of the year, so those of you going out to the game make sure to give our guys a standing O.

 

The pitching matchup is Adam Wainwright (13-11, 3.60 ERA; 0.56 ERA in 8 career appearances [one start] against the 'crew. 16 IP with 13 K, 6 H, and 5 BB) versus Dave Bush (11-10, 5.20 ERA; 9.00 ERA in 3 career starts against the Cardinals. 17 IP with 9 K, 21 H, and 6 BB).

 

According to the Brewers website, you can catch this game in FSN-HD.

[trwi7]

Well at least I get to watch the Brewers lose in HD tomorrow.

[billyhallfan]

i'll be there today, tomorrow, and sunday, I hope Milwaukee fans are smart enough to give jenkins a nice ovation on the 30th, and I hope that he plays.

[windiv07]

Dear Ned:

 

Please feel free to post this on the clubhouse door inside the tunnel facing the dugout...

 

It is pretty clear to the league what happened yesterday. It puts the Brewers in a heck of a position for this final homestand. Let's take full advantage. THIS IS YOUR HOUSE.

Your Goal:

Win out through Sunday.

 

Your Method:

Inspire you team.

 

Your Mode of Operation:

After yesterday's umpiring debacle, it is time to take the initiative. Send the message that bad calls will not be tolerated anymore.

 

Your Strategy:

Work out a bad/close-call signal from the squad. Tell every player not to hesitate to signal you immediately, but to not question or confront the ump himself. The moment the very first bad or close call occurs, question it. Not like you have in the past, but like LaRussa does. Call time, calmly walk to the ump in question, and ask for a clarification. If it was glaringly wrong, THEN be prepared to drag out the discussion with seemingly impertinent but civil questions, escalating (gradually) and (if necessary) getting tossed (but only after a creatively lengthy discussion). Remember, do not hesitate to take the initiative to interrupt the game by calling time and stay completely calm at all times. Then after getting tossed, stay on the field and behave with civility for as long as you possibly can (drag it out).

 

Your Tactics:

Plan A is to keep this up until the end of the season without getting tossed.

 

Plan B is if you get tossed: You have six very capapble 1st tier coaches to back you up; Sveum, Maddux, Skaalen, Leyva, Sedar, & Castro. Review the M.O. & Strategy with them (behind closed doors) and get their vote of confidence so that if and when you get tossed early (for instance for calling time & questioning a pitch location or check swing [an automatic ejection] on signal from your catcher), get their pledge that they will follow your M.O. & Strategy exactly as you did (preceding you OWN ejection) even to the point where they are each in-turn ejected (in the same way for the same reasons) after moving up into your slot and carrying this plan out. Of course you'll need a rotation to fill each slot (see below) as tossed acting managers move out and coaches move up.

 

The Brewers Fans' Role in This:

The moment the acting manager calls time and exits the dugout for one of these discussions, Brewers fans are to begin to chant the first name of the acting manager (or nickname...no Edgars for Ned...just Ned). Here they are in suggested ejection rotational order...

 

The Ejection Rotation:

NED (Yost)

DALE (Sveum) Bench Coach

MIKE (Maddux) Pitching Coach

EDDIE (Sedar) First Base Coach

NICK (Leyva) Third Base Coach

BILLY (Castro) Bullpen Coach

 

(and if it turns out to be one ejection per inning...)

 

MARCUS (Hanel) Bullpen Catcher

JOE (Crawford)

JIM (Skaalen) Hitting Coach

(hold Skaalen until last and run without base coaches if necessary...Frankie Cordero can captain the bullpen right up to the end as long as Skaalen is still in the dugout)

 

Four of us will be located not far from Uek's & Schroeder's mics for all 7 of these games. Trust me, the radio & TV audience will hear it when you step out of the dugout. The idea here is to chant (with as many fans as possible joining in) louder and louder as the discussion (hopefully lengthy) ensues down on the field so that as the homestand progresses, it becomes as customary as a rally-chant.

 

Remember Ned (and all you Brewers), you are home now. We fans have your back.

 

Players: Play well and leave the challenges of the umps to your acting manager. Do not give free space in your head for those who disrespect you (that includes LaRussa and his Cardinals).

Coaches: Coach well, stick together, and be ready to move up.

Ned (and all acting managers): Do not sit still for anything less than favorable fair umpiring.

BREWERS: TIME TO WIN OUT

 

<>

[ThePurpleStorm]

I agree! We've got to take the mentality that our fate is in our hands. If we win out, there's a ok chance that we can atleast force a playoff. LET'S GO CREW!

[naivin]

The goal for the next 7 days...win today. I'd really like to sqeeze at least a couple more interesting days out of this season. Win the next couple games, hope for a Cub loss or two and hopefully keep it interesting at least into the weekend. Extremely unlikely I know, but at this point, the Brewers can play with a bit of a "nothing to lose" attitude, and if we can cut it down to a couple games over the next 2 or 3 games, we can at least switch the pressure to the Cubs for a few games.

[patrickgpe]

although its dim, i think the marlins and reds showed they are not going to lie down for the cubs.

[hawing]

Nice work, windiv. Of course, your screen name is kind of riding on it. http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/wink.gif The only change I'd make is "do not sit still for anything less than fair umpiring," instead of favorable. I don't think the goal should be to get make-up bad calls.

 

The goal for the next 7 days...win today.

 

There you go. 1-0 mentality. It seems to work for Bret Bielema's Badgers. Come on, Brewers. I want you to not be eliminated before our playoff tickets arrive. Don't forget pitchleague either - he might not get his until Wednesday or Thursday.

[rluzinski]

It's a bad sign when you are rooting for a team starting up a "must sweep" series but that's where Brewers fans find themselves. I put the odds of a sweep at about 1 in 4, so at least it's reasonably possible. I'm not going to mention the odds of sweeping the Padres!

[pitchleague]

especially considering the Phillies and Rockies aren't doing the Padres any favors with the Wild Card.

 

It's looking more and more that San Diego will trot out their top arms to the mound.

[TooLiveBrew]

C'mon Crew - get back to having fun playing baseball! C'mon Bush - another strong outing is needed!

[patrickgpe]

tonight s lineup from jsonline

 

2B Rickie Weeks

SS J.J. Hardy

3B Ryan Braun

1B Prince Fielder

RF Corey Hart

LF Geoff Jenkins

CF Bill Hall

C Damian Miller

RHP Dave Bush

 

i'm fine with it. Id possibly rather have Rivera than Miller, but If you are going to go down, you might as well with your a lineup out there.

[kgbaseball]

That's got to be one of the worst 6-8s in the NL. Before the season started, the bottom of the order would've been perceived as a strength, but not with the way Jenkins and Hall have performed.

[patrickgpe]

that may be true, but there really isn't a better alternative. Maybe sub Dillon for Jenks. Estrada is hurt. Gross has cooled down and i wouldn't consider a big upgrade over hall.

[JET15]

That's got to be one of the worst 6-8s in the NL. Before the season started, the bottom of the order would've been perceived as a strength, but not with the way Jenkins and Hall have performed.

Precisely, and that's why it's the 6-8 guys chance to show us all why we believed at the start of this season that they would be leaders and not just guys. I like this lineup to turn it around.

 

I'm going to the game tonight wearing my BrewerFan.net T-shirt. This is either the beginning of one of the great comebacks in Brewer history (and just a another steaming pile for the Cubs) or it is the continued decline of the 07 Crew. You know what I will be screaming my head off for. Now let's go get the Cards and turn this thing around because it's not too late

yet

[pretendastronaut]

I like the optimism in this thread, got me a little pumped up. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif I'll see you all at the game tonight. I'll be the one wearing the Brewers hat. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[bthurley19]

If the Crew has any hope left, they have to get it done tonight. Making up three games in 6 days will be tough but making up 4 is pretty much impossible. We're not done yet.

[TerraceReserved]

I have some mixed emotions right now. The pessimistic side of me says the Brewers have no chance at pulling this out and the Cubs will continue to play great baseball. The other side says, "hey, one winning streak (possible) coupled with a Cubs losing streak (still possible) and we have a legitimate shot." So basically what I'm saying is.......

 

DO NOT GIVE UP HOPE!!!

[MoneyballMan]

I agree with all of the positive vibes - it ain't over til it's over. May as well enjoy it as long as we can. One game at a time.

[MoneyballMan]

Well at least I get to watch the Brewers lose in HD tomorrow.

If anyone else has Charter cable, have you heard when they may give us FSN HD? They just added a few HD stations, but I don't believe FSN was one of them. Which is a little disappointing...

[pebadger]

I wouldn't expect Charter to add FSN HD any time in the near future. I finally have DirecTV coming in to get myself off Charter, and making hte call to tell them to disconnet will be one of the highlights of my fall.

 

I'm just hoping I'll be watching some Brewers basball in HD in October.

[craigharmann]

I've got my can of cashews, and I'm ready to watch some baseball tonight. I will be pulling as hard as I can for these guys tonight, and all week long. It has been 15 years since we've had something to pull for and a team in competition in the last week of the season. This is going to be a fun week, win or lose. I'm pulling for the win 7 in a row, but it's probably unrealistic. BUT I DO NOT CARE! GO CREW!

[MoneyballMan]

I wouldn't expect Charter to add FSN HD any time in the near future. I finally have DirecTV coming in to get myself off Charter, and making hte call to tell them to disconnet will be one of the highlights of my fall.

 

I'm just hoping I'll be watching some Brewers basball in HD in October.

Yeah, I had DirectV before we built out here in Jackson. Subdivision supposedly has a rule against dishes, but I may be getting close to violating that little rule. Charter sucks.

 

Ok, sorry all - back to the in-game thread!!

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

If you are at the game...cheer a little extra for Jenks for me.

[bigredrobbo]

In the words of Scotty Nguyen - just win, baby!!