Don't expect to see any of the Brewers at Six Flags or in the Dells during the three-day All-Star break. These guys have been on enough of a roller-coaster ride the last three months.
The Brewers limp into the traditional midpoint of the 2009 major league season as something of an enigma. They started out awful, righted the ship and became baseball's hottest team thanks to solid starting pitching and a locked-in bullpen, then watched both of those pillars crumble as they went 3-7 in their last 10 games.
So now what?
With his team 45-43 and just two games behind St. Louis in the Central Division race, manager Ken Macha is feeling optimistic about the Brewers' chances in the second half, especially when it comes to the much-maligned starting rotation.
For starters, Manny Parra's seven-inning performance Thursday, his first big league start in nearly a month, put a smile on the skipper's face. He's hoping the young left-hander has found some much-needed confidence and will evolve into one of the National League's best southpaws.
"That was just a tremendous outing," Macha said. "The confidence he exuded was off the charts."
The rotation will get another boost if all goes well for Dave Bush in an exhibition start Wednesday. He could be back with the Brewers in time for a series with Pittsburgh next week, giving the Brewers all five of their opening day starters, and all of them at full strength.
Bush went 4 2/3 innings Friday night with Class A Wisconsin, allowing four hits and striking out five. His next start will come with Class AA Huntsville.
"We're going to get our rotation intact," Macha said.
The pitching has been problematic as of late, especially the bullpen, which coughed up a couple of leads in the last week. But at the same time, the offense hasn't exactly been knocking the cover off the ball. The Milwaukee lineup failed to get Yovani Gallardo a run in his last three outings and, as a team, the Brewers are hitting .255 (12th in the National League).
There have been bright spots, though. Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun have been a formidable 1-2 punch in the middle of the lineup all season and they're starting to get some help, especially from third base.
Mat Gamel got off to a slow start but has come on strong of late, hitting .289 with a pair of home runs, six RBI and 12 walks in 19 games heading into Sunday. Combine those numbers with Casey McGehee, who's hitting .352 since May 20, and the Brewers are getting some solid production from the hot corner – and protection for the big boppers in the lineup.
"I think we've been swinging OK," Macha said, "We're going to score some runs. I'm looking forward to the second half."
Their last 10 games haven't been helpful in the standings, but the Brewers were going up against some of the best the National League had to offer in Chicago, St. Louis and Los Angeles and they were doing so with a pair of fill-in starters.
With three days off, the players are hoping to clear their heads and come back strong for the final 74 games.
"We have to look ahead," said Braun. "Dwelling on that's not going to do us any good. (We need to) focus on the future, focus on the second half. "We have a pretty favorable schedule to start the second half, so we need to take advantage of that."
The Brewers open the second half with seven games at Cincinnati (42-45) and Pittsburgh (38-50). which has lost 17 in a row to Milwaukee. The Brewers finish out the month with four games at home against the Washington Nationals, owners of the worst record in baseball.
"There (is) a lot of baseball left, no doubt about it," said closer Trevor Hoffman. "I think its a deserved and well-needed rest for everybody."
Despite losing eight of their last 11, the Brewers are still in the thick of a tight NL Central race. The top five teams are seperated by just five games and only four games seperate the top four.
"We have guys out there playing hard and battling," Macha said. "We just needed a little bit here and there. Obviously you're not pleased that in your last 10 games you only win three of them, but you have to forget about that.
"The fortunate thing is we're still in the
hunt."
Stargazing: Hoffman actually won't be getting a break. Instead, he'll join Braun and Fielder at the All-Star Game in St. Louis.
Just before Sunday's game, Hoffman was added to the National League roster. The 41-year-old will be making his seventh All-Star appearance, but says none is more special than another.
"It's like trying to say you love one kid more than the other," said Hoffman, whose three sons are regular fixtures at Miller Park and will accompany their dad to St. Louis for the game Tuesday night. "They're all going to take on a different personality. You definitely don't take them for granted, especially when you start creeping up there in age. There's no doubt that I respect the process and I'm thankful that I get to do it again."
Hoffman is 1-1 with a 2.05 earned run average in 26 appearances this season. His 20 saves are the eighth-most in the National League and bring his career total to 574. More importantly for the Brewers, his presence has lent much-needed stability to the relief corps.
"It's a really big honor to be able to represent not only the Brewers, but the Brewer bullpen and the work they've accomplished in the first half. I think that's indicative of being able to put a guy like myself in position to go."
He was added to the team after Los Angeles closer Jonathan Broxton had to pull out because of an injury.
Gallardo struggling: For awhile, Yovani Gallardo looked like a bona fide National League ace. His last few outings, though, have been difficult to swallow.
He's 2-5 in his last seven starts and failed to get past the fifth inning four times during that stretch.
"The last two games, something mechanically is a little off," Gallardo said. I have to make an adjustment. The break will be a good time to kind of lay back a little bit. There's something a little bit off in my mechanics. I'll get away from the game a little for the next couple of days, and then figure it out."
His teammates haven't exactly helped. The Brewers have not scored a run during Gallardo's last three outings and just seven in his last five starts.
Rattlers revel in Brewers shadow: In their first year as a Class A affiliate of the Brewers, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are reaping benefits. The T-Rats set a franchise attendance record on Opening Day and broke the 100,000 mark in the first half for the first time ever. When Bush made a rehab start on Friday night, the team drew 5,433 fans.
Quick hits: Fielder started all 88 games in the first half. … Corey Hart returned to the lineup Sunday after being limited to a pinch-hitting role the previous five games with a bruised foot. … Hoffman has recorded at least 20 saves in a season 15 times in his career. … The Brewers are 23-15 against the N.L. Central this season. … Fielder's 78 RBI are the most-ever by a Brewer before the All-Star Break. … The Brewers are sending three players to the All-Star game for the fourth straight season. … Milwaukee has lost eight consecutive day games.
Injury report: Do we really need to mention Bush's rehab assignment a third time? Why not, if only in the spirit of filling space: Bush will pitch Wednesday for Huntsville. He was eligible to return from the disabled list a week ago.
On the farm: Alcides Escobar (Class AAA – Nashville) and Brett Lawrie (Class A – Wisconsin) both took part in the All-Star Futures Game Sunday night. Escobar, considered one of the top prospects in baseball, had a pair of infield hits while Lawrie sparked a four-run rally with a seventh-inning double. Both players were members of the World team.
He said it: "Line drives are a good thing," – Macha on Prince Fielder's participation in the home run derby. Some players have cited the event as a reason for a second-half slump.
This week: As mentioned, the Brewers are off until Thursday when they open a four-game series at Cincinnati. Braden Looper will take the mound in Game 1 of that series.
By the numbers: The Brewers are -- 24-22 at home; 21-21 on the road; 6-8-1 in series play; 8-8 when Miller Park roof/panels are open; 3-0 roof open/panels closed; 3-1 roof closed/panels open; 10-12 roof/panels closed; 18-11 in white uniforms; 12-8 grey; 13-21 blue; 1-2 retro; 1-0 Cerveceros.
Attendance (through 46 home games): Total -- 1,753,511; Average -- 38,120; Sellouts -- 21. (2008: Total -- 1,649,772; Average -- 35,847.)
N.L. Central standings: 1, St. Louis, 49-42; 2, Milwaukee, 45-43 (-2.5); 3, Houston, 44-44 (-3.5); 4, Chicago, 43-43 (-3.5); 5, Cincinnati, 42-45 (-5); 6, Pittsburgh, 38-50 (-9.5).
