He’s a springy little guy, isn’t he? Photo: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Last week, when Scooter was called up and Alex Gonzalez was let go, I said that we were looking at “The Beginning of the End”.  I believed that to be true because Uncle Mark and Uncle Doug had chosen youth over veteran leadership for the remainder of the season.  It seemed pretty simple.  The team was not a postseason contender, so it might be best to let some young guys cut their teeth and play with the big kids.  In my mind it was a wave of the white flag.  This team had no interest in competing and wanted to see what they had, or so I thought…

Then a week had passed and things were different.  Today we find ourselves staring down the barrel of a 4 game winning streak, a starting pitching staff going deep into games, and an offense that appears to be capable of scoring runs WITHOUT Ryan Braun in the lineup.  What a difference a week makes…

Now based off of the title, I am not suggesting that Scooter Gennett is the reason the team seems to have found some semblance of continuity.  However, I do believe the motives behind his call up were much like a Transformer…there’s”More than meets the eye” .

This would not mark the first occasion where I jumped the gun without considering the long-term plans of a man much smarter than myself (Mark Attanasio).  But is it possible that the sole reason for bringing in Scooter and waiving Alex Gonzalez was to light a fire under Rickie Weeks’ backside?  Whether or not it is possible is irrelevant.  It is working. 

Going into last Monday night’s game, RW was hitting .184.  His season had been getting worse and worse.  Then, in said 2-10 loss, Weeks hit a HR and triple, driving in both of the Brewers runs.  And for the record, it should have been 2 HR’s and 3 RBI’s, but thanks to instant replay the umpires blew the call.  Scooter Gennett had been called up that day and it looked like Weeks got a little scared.  Naturally, the skeptic in me thought this was just a one night flash of power, per usual…I was wrong.

Over the past week, Rickie is batting .429 with a .467 OBP.  His season batting average has climbed from .184 to a much more respectable .209 (still not good enough, but I like that it is getting better).  Meanwhile, Gennett has gotten off to a slow start.  They have essentially split time at 2^nd base, Weeks had 14 AB’s and Gennett had 13.  In those opportunities, Gennett is batting .154 with 4 K’s and only 2 hits.  Based off of this small sample (are you ready for this Justin), Weeks is the better option at 2^nd base. 

However, isn’t it possible that having Gennett around is pushing Weeks to work harder and focus more?  I can guarantee you that at no point this season has Rickie Weeks ever looked in the mirror and said,

“Man, I better get it in gear.  Otherwise Alex Gonzalez is going to take my job.”   -Rickie Weeks’ fake inner monologue

On the flip side, I bet he has at least contemplated the possibility of Scooter taking his job.  That is the sort of thing that will make anyone work harder, whether you sell cars or play a game for money.  

At no point in the past 3 months has Alex Gonzalez, Yuniesky Betancourt, or Jeff Bianchi proven themselves as a worthy successor.  Thus, Rickie probably felt like no matter how bad it got, he would still be the everyday 2^nd baseman.  Enter Scooter…and Ron Roenicke deciding that they would each play based on the oppositions starting pitcher.  Scooter gets the Righties, Rickie gets the Lefties.  The ideal situation would be to create a dueling banjos atmosphere, where the two are always trying to “one-up” the other.  So far though, it has only served to get Rickie back on track.  Not to mention the fact that the team has played significantly better baseball over the last week. 

So, while I do not believe that Scooter Gennett the “player” is responsible for the quick resurgence of Rickie Weeks…and likewise the team.  I do believe that the “idea” of Scooter Gennett seems to have given RW and the team a little shot in the arm.  That “idea” of Scooter, is what I am going to deem “The Scooter Gennett Effect”. 

Now the only question is which one will disappear faster…the “player” or the “idea”.  As a Scooter fan, I hope that the “idea” goes first.  As a Brewers fan, I hope they both stay and we all can live the next 3 months in victorious bliss.

What do you think?  Is Scooter Gennett making Rickie Weeks play better?  Or is it simply a coincidence?  Will Scooter and Rickie be able to stop the Penguin from freezing Gotham?

Ryan Braun is simply doing what we are all thinking….Photo Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

In my time at Reviewing the Brew I have been accused of many things, but being a team “apologist” has never been one.  Truth be told, this team does not deserve any apologists.  Be that as it may, I had been holding out hope that the team could maybe bounce back.  Then Monday happened and I decided it was time to reassess this team and where it is headed. 

With Monday’s call-up of Scooter Gennett and the release of Alex Gonzalez, the winds of expectation began to change.  This move indicated a direct shift in the mindset of Brewers management.  Teams looking to compete, tend to go with veteran leadership over youthful potential.  And even though this move pleased me on a personal level (I hated Alex Gonzalez and love Scooter Gennett), I still found myself disappointed. 

Then news broke that the Brewers had acquired Juan Francisco from the Atlanta Braves, for minor league pitching prospect Thomas Keeling.  This was the move where I began to wonder if we, as an organization, were throwing in the proverbial towel.  Francisco is just an ok player, but he is young and can play the corner infield spots, and when he does make solid contact…it is for big time power.  This move signifies the end of Corey Hart or Aramis Ramirez, in my opinion.  Otherwise, what possible need could you have for this guy?  I know Yuni B is back to his old tricks, but surely he is a serviceable back-up to both Ramirez and Hart…right?  Then why do you need… 

The 2013 Brewers are 14 games under .500 and are just 12-18 at Miller Park.  Only the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros have a worse team ERA than the Crew (4.63).  If you pair that with the 4^th worst defense in baseball (41 errors, only Dodgers have more) and being in the bottom 10 in runs scored…you have a recipe for a losing team. 

What happens to losing teams?  The veterans with high value contracts go away, the young guys making $10 a day come up, and the team flails through the remaining 4 months of the baseball season.

This is where the Milwaukee Brewers are heading right now. 

Initially you may be shocked, or even angry with me for feeling like the season is over already, but why shouldn’t I feel that way.  As far as I can tell, our best starting pitcher has 4.37 ERA with a 1-6 record.  Our best offensive player is striking out 25% of the time.  If it wasn’t for Jean Segura and Carlos Gomez, we would have nothing positive to talk about. 

This is a bad team.

The moves made yesterday should signify to all of us that this is the beginning of the end.  Look for more young guys to get playing time, while veteran players watch helplessly from the dugout, spitting sunflower seeds all over the cold concrete floor. 

Prepare yourselves for some of your favorite Brewers to go away.  If I was a betting man, I would say…Aramis Ramirez, Corey Hart, Martin Maldonado, Yovani Gallardo, Kyle Lohse, Francisco Rodriguez, Burke Badenhop, Mike Gonzalez, and even John Axford should all have their bags packed.  The only players that I can say are 100% safe are Ryan Braun, Jean Segura, Jonathan Lucroy, and Carlos Gomez.  Outside of those 4 names, it could be a complete and total overhaul. 

Come this time next year, this team could be unrecognizable.  The sooner we all accept that fact, the sooner we can all relax and come down off the ledge.

What I love most about baseball is that next season could be THE season.  There is no way to know until it starts.  What I do know, however, is that 2013 is not THE season…it is just a season to be filed away under the “forget about this season” file.  It will join the 1972 season, as well as the 2001-2004 seasons in the “forget” file. 

I was born in 1983 and I have been through some really rough seasons, but this one has not even been fun to watch.  We are usually out of the game by the 3^rd inning every night and each game their fight dwindles away.  We are only a few weeks away from watching malnourished sloths take the field.

What I would recommend, is that we all hunker down and prepare to weather the storm.  My recommended provisions: beer, buffalo wings, nachos, hot dogs/brats, hard liquor of your choice, maybe some candy…peanut butter M&M’s maybe, and of course a hobby.  Might I suggest whittling, or perhaps facial hair education courses?

What did you take away from the deals made yesterday?  Am I being  over-dramatic?   Will Batman escape the Riddler’s dastardly trap?

Yes, Scooter Gennett, the newly called-up second baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers has long been the heir-apparent to any and all hopes, dreams, and aspirations we can throw at our beloved Brew City Ballclub for the better part of two years.

The move today slightly shocked those of us who pretend to be in the know (read: me) as we had pegged Gennett to come up to the Show later in the season. But, desperate times and all.

So, without further ado, here’s the skinny on the kid called Scooter, our newest Milwaukee Brewer.

(more…)

Scooter Gennett getting down and dirty Photo: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

With all of the winter weather tearing through the country right now, it is hard to even fathom the thought of Spring.  But, regardless of how much snow we get tonight in the land of cheese curds and beer, Spring Training is in full swing.  After 4 games, I think that it is pretty clear who will be on the roster in 2013 and who will not (unless you count the bizarre 1B situation we find ourselves in) .  What I am looking out for are the next big pieces of the franchise.  And I think they are already starting to emerge. 

Spring Training is a magical time of the year when you can actually watch and follow the future of the franchise.  These are 5 players who are going to turn heads this Spring and build momentum for the 2014 Brewers roster.  I personally believe these 5 players could all be on the Opening Day Roster in 2014, which is why I have chosen them to watch this Spring Training (or ST, as it will be further known).    

Keep in mind that I do not think any of these 5 players will find themselves on the Opening Day roster this season.  Which makes it all the more imperative you watch them now.  

Hiram Burgos - In the RtB Prospect Rankings, I had Burgos as my 10th rated prospect.  After watching his outing from yesterdays game, there is a lot to like.  Of the outings I have seen so far, he seems to be the only Brewers pitcher who does not need to work on his location as ST progresses.  If anything, location is the biggest strength of Burgos’ game.  None of his pitches (fastball, change-up, curve ball, and a cutter) are electric, but as many Hall of Fame pitchers can tell you “It’s about location, location, location.”  Despite Burgos moving from Single-A ball to Triple-A ball over the course of one season and being named the 2012 Brewers minor league Pitcher of the Year, I still believe he needs a full season in Nashville to really fine tune his arsenal.  At this point though, I am fairly confident that he will be a front runner for a rotation spot in 2014.  So take note and follow the kid on Twitter @Burgos196

Johnny Hellweg -  I really like this guy (Ranked him 12th in my Prospects list).  Hellweg was a piece of the Greinke deal with the Angels last season.  The kid looks like a giraffe on the mound, standing 6’9″ tall and only weighing about 210 pounds, but throws a nasty fastball.  From everything I can gather, the Brewers front office isn’t sure where this kid belongs.  Is he a starter, reliever, set-up, or closer?  No one seems to know.  Prior to coming over to play for the good guys, Hellweg was having success as a starter and had struggled out of the bullpen.  His biggest obstacle in being a starter for the Brewers, is the staggering amount of young starters already in the team pipeline (Thornburg, Fiers, Jungmann, Bradley, Peralta, etc.).  If he wants to be on the big league roster sooner, rather than later, he should focus on coming out of the pen.  If he makes the team in 2014, then he will need to have a solid enough ST to get a Nashville assignment rather than being sent back to Huntsville.

Caleb Gindl - I have liked Gindl for a few years and his time is getting closer(6th in my Prospect list).   Ron Roenicke has pretty much guaranteed that Logan Schafer is going to be the 4th outfielder (ranked him 2nd on my Prospect list) and it is justly deserved.  Gindl could find himself on the big league roster in 2014 because Carlos Gomez only has a contract through this season, and Nori Aoki has an option for 2014.  If the team continues to gear towards youth, they may decide Gindl is ready for the challenge.  So far this ST he is 2 for 3 with 2 RBI’s, not too shabby.  Gindl’s numbers at Nashville last season were underwhelming; .261 batting average, 12 HR’s, and 50 RBI’s, but I still believe that he has big league talent.  This particular ST will be great for him, thanks to all of the Brewers who will soon be departing for the World Cup of Baseball.  Whether or not Caleb can make the Brewers Opening Day roster in 2014, may have very little to do with him.  But should Gomez or Aoki leave the team via Free Agency, then I expect Gindl would be the primary benefactor.

Scooter Gennett - (Ranked 4th in my prospect list) Before you even start, I know Rickie Weeks is our 2nd baseman and he is locked up for a couple of years.  In case you missed it, I have been seeing a therapist about my hang-ups with Rickie.  The reality is that Scooter was the first prospect I fell in love with when I started writing for RtB in the winter of 2010.  Gennett has excelled at every level of the minors.  Last season was his worst statistical season in the minors, but he still hit .293 and had 156 hits.  Not to mention that when the Brewers acquired Jean Segura and he went to play a few games in Huntsville, several scouts acknowledged that the two had almost instant chemistry.  So, should the team decide that Rickie Weeks is not worth the contract, or they can trade him for some quality prospects, I envision Scooter Gennett becoming our everyday 2nd baseman.  However, he might still be on the fence in 2014.  At 22 years old, we still have some time…  The real thing to watch with Scooter is, how much playing time he actually gets this ST.  Catch him on Twitter @Scooterg11

Tyler Thornburg - (My #1 Rated Prospect) I saved him for last for one particular reason, which is that many of you will disagree.  Tyler Thornburg is very, very good.  The hard truth is, I don’t think he is ready just yet.  While I only have one outing to go off of (2 IP, 2 ER, 0 K’s, and 1 BB), it just seems like he needs another season in Nashville to truly be an option for the starting rotation.  Thornburg is immensely talented and will be in the starting rotation soon, just not quite yet.  Let us not forget his MLB debut, where he surrendered back-to-back-to-back home runs.  Does that mean he is not a big league talent?  Heck no!  Does it mean he needs more time to work on his game?  Yes.  There is no need to rush him into the rotation, there are 6 solid guys who are already vying for those spots.  So, we should enjoy watching him this Spring.  If you care what I think, he will be in the rotation in 2014.  That means we should use this opportunity to watch him grow against big league hitters.  Follow him on Twitter at @TylerThornburg

No one knows more than me how much can change in Spring Training (Erick Almonte anyone?).  These are just guys who are young and on the verge of being Brewers, so it is best to get familiar with them now.  Feel free to disagree, or share some guys you are looking for this ST.

Some Brewers fans are calling for the removal of Weeks after one significantly bad season. Forget about 2012. Erase Weeks’ pathetic excuse of a season where he posted a .230 batting average and struck out a whopping 169 times and take this into consideration. Weeks was coming off a gruesome ankle injury in 2011 that clearly bothered him during the first half of the season. As a result, he got into some bad habits and slightly (but enough to do some damage) altered his swing. This new swing contributed to his worst season in his major league career.

Rickie Weeks is primed for a bounce back season. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

But as his ankle improved so did his play. After hitting .183 in the seasons first three months, Weeks finished strong, batting .270 the rest of the way. This is the Weeks we can expect in 2013. If his ankle holds up and if the rest of his body doesn’t let him down, he’ll hit around .270 with 25 home runs and 80 RBIs.

Even Ron Roenicke believes that Weeks will bounce back nicely.

I think Rickie will be back to being Rickie. I truly think the ankle injury messed up Rickie for not just the end of that season but the first half of the season last year. It’s a tough injury to come back from when you depend a lot on your stride and how you land. There’s a lot of things there that led me to believe that was the reason.

However, Roenicke must find a different spot for him in the lineup than leadoff. Weeks is by no means a true leadoff hitter; in fact, he’s probably one of the worst. His strikeout numbers are too high and his on-base percentage, which ranked 41st in the National League last season, is too low to be taken seriously as the first man up. With his power and ability to drive the ball, batting him fifth would be ideal, at least until Corey Hart recovers from knee surgery. Leave the leadoff position to Norichika Aoki and stick Weeks in between Aramis Ramirez and Jonathon Lucroy, and watch him flourish.

I can understand the notion that Weeks is overpaid (he will make $10 million in 2013), but suggesting that he should be replaced by Gennett is ridiculous. I mean, you must be joking, right? Weeks’ combination of power and speed is rare, especially when talking about a second baseman. Organizations don’t just throw away that skill set after one lousy season.

Lasy year was a bump in Weeks’ career but he should in no way be judged on that alone. If he turns in another insufficent season to forget, then we can talk. But that won’t happen. Weeks is primed to return to the All-Star game.

Mark my words.

Do you believe Rickie Weeks will bounce back in 2013? Leave comments and questions below! Follow Justin and @ReviewngTheBrew on Twitter. Be sure to like us on Facebook, too.

What we haven’t talked about is the fact that the Brewers actually lost three players in the deal. Of course, we all know the Crew lost Greinke, but in turn, the corresponding prospects forced the hand of Milwaukee to deal out two current Milwaukee Minor Leaguers: Brock Kjeldgaard and Edwin Maysonet.

(more…)

Here are some short news clips to get your day started while your sipping coffee, still waking up, or generally not doing what you’re supposed to at work.

Don’t worry, we won’t tell.

(more…)

This year, the name might as well describe the level of talent on the Minor League club. As of right now, six of Milwaukee’s top 20 prospects call Joe Davis Stadium home. The team itself, despite an enormous amount of talent, is sitting at 6-6 and two games back from the division lead. Of course, records don’t matter in the Minors any more than batting average does in Spring Training – that is to say, everything is conditional. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the key players on this roster who are mere steps away from playing in Miller Park.

(more…)

I have always believed that in baseball, more so than other sports, you can learn more from a loss than you will from a win.  Even though today’s games did not end in victory, there were some very exciting things happening.  If certain players learned something, or gained some confidence from today’s games…then the loses are well worth it.

Today the Brewers played the Oakland A’s, meanwhile the Milwaukee Brewers also played the Seattle Mariners.  It’s very strange I know.  Basically, it is a ST gimmick, used to cram more playing time in than the calendar would allow.  This is a practice only used during Spring Training (where attendance is in the Benjamin’s).  It can only happen because of the sheer number of players involved in ST.  These sort of shenanigans can only happen in the magical land of…Arizona.

Game 1:

Brewers 6  vs.  Athletics 8

This game was bizarre.  It really reached ‘Total Recall’ status, when the A’s decimated Frankie De La Cruz in the bottom of the 7th.  Let’s keep it simple.  He did not record an out, but was responsible for 4 runs.  This is something we already know, FDLC is erratic as H.  However, Michael Fiers looked very good today.  The aspiring prospect got the start , pitched 2 solid innings.  Gave up 1 run, on 1 hit, with 4 strikeouts.  Any pitcher will give up runs, but to strikeout 4 of the 6 outs you recorded…nice.  Tim Dillard continues to be very impressive, as h threw two innings and gave up one solo home run. 

The offense was a different story.  Martin Maldonado was the lone Brewers home run in this game.  Logan Schafer and Nyjer Morgan were the only two player to record more than one hit.  On the ST seasons, Schafer is batting .588.  Who is going to complain about that?  Then you have Carlos Gomez…who went 0 for 4, with 2 strikeouts.  That brings his ST average to a smoldering .125.  Maybe we will see a trade before the season starts, because it appears that the Brewers are stacked in the outfield.  Brooks Conrad was no better, he struck out in all 3 of his AB’s.  But my favorite downer of this game would be the 5 and 6 spots in today’s lineup, Taylor Green and Mike Rivera.  Those two fellows combined to leave 11 runners on base. 

What did we learn?  Fiers can pitch.  FDLC is a coin flip.  Dillard should be in the pen.  Logan Schafer might steal Carlos Gomez job. Brooks Conrad misses a lot.  Don’t ever bat Tay Green in front of Rivera.  Score more runs.  Let’s see what was going on with the other Brewers.

Oct 14, 2011; St. Louis, MO, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher

Game 2:

Mariners 7  vs.  Brewers 4

This game featured another 5 run outburst…this time it was in the Top of the 9th inning.  The score was tied 2-2, until Mark Rogers put himself in a really bad spot.  He left the game with the bases loaded, one run had already scored, and he had only recorded one out.  Things just spiraled out of control from there.  The highlight of this game though, was Zack Greinke.  Our boy threw 3 complete innings, striking out 5, giving up one hit, and one walk.  I’m calling it right now, he is going to win the Cy Young.  You can all laugh if you want, but we should have locked him up before the season started.  We will never be able to afford him after the clinic he puts on this season. 

What I was really excited about today, was Scooter Gennett.  Now, he went 0 for 2, but I was just excited to see him on the field.  Ryan Braun went 0 for 3 again.  My panic meter skipped a little, but went right back to “Don’t Panic”.  It was nice to see Aramis Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez both get into the swing of things, each going 2 for 3.  Travis Ishikawa is trying really hard to make this team.  Today, he hit his 2nd home run of ST and went 2 for 4 on the day.  There are all kinds of upsets a-brewin’ (pun intended).  And, even though the team was down 7-2, George Kottaras hit a 2-run homer to make the score more acceptable.  That home run also gave me hope that the Crew will be able to hit multi-run homers this season…because so-far, it seems like 2011 was not a strange coincidence.  Get ready for A LOT of solo home runs. 

So, what did we learn?  Mark Rogers is meh.  Zack Greinke is going to win the Cy Young and we will all cry.  Scooter Gennett played.  Braun is not making me panic.  Aramis and Alex are in talks to star in their own sitcom.  Travis Ishikawa wants to be the Japanese Prince Fielder. George Kottaras gave me hope. 

Tomorrow we play the Cubs.  Wolf is on the mound.  Aramis Ramirez should sit this one out, unless he wants to get beaned. 

Go Brewers!!!