The little engine that could!
We are so juiced by the Milwaukee Brewers! Eleven straight wins to jump ahead of the Chicago Cubs. Best record in the majors at 60 and 40! When everyone gave them up for dead after trading away Corbin Burnes, Willy Adames, and Devin Williams (Who? Who? and Who?) in the off season.
The last time the Brewers had baseball’s best record this late in a season was in 1982, the franchise’s only World Series, according to Major League Baseball.
After taking 6 of 6 from the defending World Series champion Dodgers, a Los Angeles writer made the case “Why the small‑market Milwaukee Brewers might be America’s team.”
For that matter, Milwaukee lost a great manager, hometown boy Craig Counsell, two seasons ago to the rival Cubs. Even president of baseball operations David Stearns left for a bigger market.
But the team took its time getting Brandon Woodruff healthy after a layoff of a year and a half and he’s been lights out in his two starts, blanking the home run happy Seattle Seahawks over 6 innings. And where did they come up with Jacob Misiorowski? Or, for that matter, Andrew Vaughn and Caleb Durbin?
They’re playing smart, scratchy baseball — not waiting for the hands-on-hips home run; Brewers rank 9th out of 30 teams in walks per game; 2nd in stolen bases. Middle of the pack batting average but 8th fewest strikeouts; Putting the ball in play adds up to the 7th most runs a game. Matched with the 5th-best pitching, as measured by earned run average.
They’re doing it with a payroll of $115.1 million that ranks 23 out of the 30 MLB franchises. Compare that to the Dodgers’ $321.3 million, which itself is $2 million behind the biggest spender, the NY Mets. Pretty good for a metro area that ranks only the 40th largest.
The name game
A fan on social media posted: “THE greatest name in all of sports in the world!! Named after people that make BEER!”
Wisconsin sports do have great team nicknames. Who else claims “Badgers”? Recalls the lead miners of SW Wisconsin early in our history. The Packers, the Manitowoc Shipbuilders, the Monroe Cheesemakers. We wish our native Sun Prairie’s two high schools would honor its own history. Instead of the ubiquitous “Cardinals” and “Wolves,” name its two high school teams “Corn Boilers” after its now shuttered canning plant and “Fuses,” after the old porcelain factory — back when they were the only industries in what was then still a village. “Light the Fuses!”
BTW: Trump wants Washington’s NFL team to reclaim “Redskins.” Only a bit more racist than the Associated Press capitalizing “Black” but not “white” to categorize people. “Indians” is racist but “Vikings” is not?
While we’re at it
• At NewsMax, Jonathan Gregory reports: “BREAKING: Tulsi Gabbard Confirms Former President Obama Authorized Assassination Attempt on Trump.” Lots of laffs watching the readily duped chow down on the latest MAGA fool’s chum. Typical social media reaction: “I knew it!”
• Brandon Maly has resigned as chairman of the Dane County Republican party. Now we can rebuild!
• Madison Parks said they are looking for more Goat Checkers. The City uses goats from May to September to clear invasive plants.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Milwaukee has been called a “second-tier” city. That’s why its Major League Baseball team, we would argue, is more important to its sense of identity (and ours as a state) than, say, the itinerate Athletics are to Las Vegas or the Marlins to Miami. We do wish another billionaire could buy in and sew up the likes of Brandon Woodruff, Sal Frelick, and Miso.
11 responses to “We’ll drink to the Brewers!”
I like the Brewers and all, but baseball is dead to me. No salary cap or adequate revenue sharing and radically disparate payrolls don’t facilitate a level playing field. Inherently unfair.
They should change their name as it just glorifies Wisconsin’s awful drinking culture.
Yeah, Tea Sippers sounds good….
Milwaukee Teetotalers
Milwaukee Tea: So good, you won’t throw it into the lake!
Dementia Don did say his followers were stupid and weak. Bondi is going to take the fall on this. Johnson cut off all voting this week on any legislation. Next is 5 weeks vacation. Patel released 250,000 pages on MLK early, but nothing on Epstein. Homan is pissed off because people are being mean to his secret police running around the country. THE grand Old Pussies are freaked out. ROJO said he voted for all this crap because he is worried about the children. Retire Ron; you suck at your job. by the way….GO CUBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ultimate micro-Brew success story!
Is canceling all voting in the house and sending everyone on vacation considered a government shut down? Trump did say he was reducing drug costs by 10000%. what a guy!!!!!! Greatest ever!!!!!!. Best bet today…MAXWELL WILL BE FREE BY JAN.1.
Agree, Richard. I predict a Presidential pardon for Maxwell by Jan 01. Here’s hoping that the victims who testified against her at trial can afford bodyguards.
Maxwell needs one too. The real upside is it’s tearing apart their party and MAGA; Good riddance. Thanks for that Donny, you corrupt, lyingD- BAG. GO CUBS!!!!!!!
Agree drink to Brewers, whatever of your choosing. Beer, wine, water , cyanide to each their own.