KTE - Milwaukee Brewers x2

[TransMonk]

The Brewers were riding high coming into a Mother's Day weekend meeting with the Mets at Shea. The Mets took 2 of 3 from the then best team in baseball and the Brewers went on a downward spiral before rebounding in June. July, however, has seen them go 10-15 and they face the Mets at home clinging to a half game lead on the hungry Chicago Cubs.

The Brewers have watched their pitching staff go from one of the league's best to merely average as Jeff Suppan's ERA has bloated, Ben Sheets is once again on the DL and Chris Capuano has not found the arm that he lost after the 2006 All Star game. The ray of hope for the Brew Crew comes in the form of two youngsters: Yovani Gallardo and Ryan Braun. Both were touted prospects in the Brewer organization and both have lived up to expectations early in their rookie years. Gallardo has been excellent since his June 16th call up going 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA. In 46.1 innings he has 40 Ks and just 16 walks and has allowed only one HR. Braun is running away with the 2007 Rookie of the Year as Milwaukee's new thirdbaseman and #3 hitter. Since his debut on May 25th, he is batting .350 with 18 HR and 50 RBI in 234 at-bats.

This Week's Pitching Matchups:

Tuesday: Tom Glavine (9-6, 4.51) vs. Jeff Suppan (8-9, 5.08)
Glavine tries to become the 23rd 300 game winner on Tuesday. Though he pitched well in his last start, he has not won on the road in his last 5 tries. Jeff Suppan has worn out his Milwaukee welcome as his ERA is now up over his career average. He allowed 4 ER in 6 innings in a loss to the Mets on May 11th.

Wednesday: Oliver Perez (9-7, 2.84) vs. Dave Bush (8-8, 4.91)
Perez continues to have a delicate mix of prolonged brilliance with spots of chaos. He is looking to repeat his May 13th performance against the Crew where he went 8.3 innings giving up just 1 run and 2 hits. Bush pitches better at home than on the road and better to lefties than righties.

Thursday: Jorge Sosa (7-6, 4.59) vs. Claudio Vargas (9-2, 4.30)
Sosa has lost 3 straight and is starting to look more and more like the pitcher that Atlanta let go. Vargas has mediocre stats, but the Brewers are 15-3 in games that he starts. He has won 3 straight.

The Brewer Bullpen has been shaky all year through innings 6, 7 & 8. Their deadline deal was to trade 3 valuable pitching prospects for middle reliever Scott Linebrink. Brian Shouse, Derrick Turnbow and Matt Wise also bridge the gap to closer Francisco Cordero who leads the NL in saves but has blown his last 2 chances


Brewers Lineup:
Corey Hart RF (.280AVG, 16HR, 44RBI, .350OBP, .510SLG)
JJ Hardy SS (.272AVG, 18HR, 60RBI, .328OBP, .461SLG)
Ryan Braun 3B (.350AVG, 18HR, 50RBI, .395OBP, .662SLG)
Prince Fielder 1B (.283AVG, 30HR, 75RBI, .373OBP, .591SLG)
Bill Hall CF (.272AVG, 9HR, 41RBI, .337OBP, .442SLG)
Geoff Jenkins LF (.262AVG, 13HR, 40RBI, .333OBP, .469SLG)
Johnny Estrada C (.283AVG, 8HR, 38RBI, .301OBP, .421SLG)
Rickie Weeks 2B (.212AVG, 5HR, 19RBI, .330OBP, .363SLG)


Hot and Not:
Mets Who's Hot: Milledge - .378AVG, 2HR, 8RBI last 10 games
Brewers Who's Hot: Braun - .405, 4HR, 11RBI last 10 games
Mets Who's Not: Delgado - .265AVG, 1HR, 4RBI last 10 games
Brewers Who's Not: Weeks - .200AVG, 0HR, 0RBI last 10 games

Who's New:
Linebrink vs. Mets in 2007: 1-0, 13.50ERA, 2IP, 1H, 3ER, 1HR, 2BB, 0K
Castillo vs. Brewers in 2007: 25AB, 4R, 6H, 0HR, 0RBI, 2BB, 3K, .240AVG

I'll be at the Tuesday night game rooting Glavine on for win #300. For other out of towners, Wednesday's game is on ESPN.

*Edited for math...Linebrink's stats are over two appearances.

[DocTee]

Nicely done-- enjoy the game.

[Frayed Knot]

Day game Thursday

[Willets Point]

Wow, I'd like to see the Mets against Linebrink again and this time prevent him from getting a vulturey win.

[metirish]

Nice work , wouldn't it be great if Glavine,Bonds and Rodriguez all reached their milestones tonight...or maybe not...what's the milestone for Rodriguez anyway?

[Guest Edgy DC]

If all goes well tonight, it'll be the 500th time someone wrote a column about how Jeter is better.

[Willets Point]

Edgy DC wrote: If all goes well tonight, it'll be the 500th time someone wrote a column about how Jeter is better.

Bullet of cool.

[TransMonk]

There are changes to be made to the pitching matchups after Jorge Sosa and Dave Bush both appeared in relief during Game 1.

Wednesday's Game will now feature Oliver Perez vs. Claudio Vargas

Thursday's Game will have Chris Capuano going for the Brewers and the ever-mysterious TBA for the Mets. Per Metsblog, Willie was quoted as saying that Sosa was in the bullpen all night on Tuesday and was never scheduled to start on Thursday (even though Mets.com still has him scheduled as of this morning). Possible starters are Jason Vargas, Phillip Humber and Brian Lawrence. Mike Pelfrey is not an option.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I vote Humber. I've seen enough of Vargas. (Dave Williams isn't an option? Is he still in the organization?)

[TransMonk]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I vote Humber. I've seen enough of Vargas. (Dave Williams isn't an option? Is he still in the organization?)

Williams is an option...he is currently active on the NO roster and last pitched 5 innings on 7/29. He and Brian Lawrence are not currently on the 40 man roster, where as Humber and Vargas are.

Humber is once again scheduled to start today for New Orleans after missing his scheduled starts on Monday and Tuesday.

[Frayed Knot]

Several other changes for the Beermakers in time for tonight's game:

- Newly acquired Scott Linebrink will not be available all series as he's been put on a temp unavailable list due to the birth of a child

- Pitcher Elmer Dessens has been called up. formerly a starter (I had no idea he was still pitching) we may see him out of the pen.

- Richie Weeks, who has been the only mis-firing piston in what looked like one of the great young infields in many years, was sent to AAA Nashville. His year just started slow and then got worse.

- OF Joe Dillon has been called up from Nashville. Don't know anything about this guy.