Nothing is really normal when the Brewers and Cubs get together. All you have to do is look at the two latest clashes between these titans of the baseball world.
First, on Tuesday night, the Cubs looked headed to an easy 5-1 win, but the Brewers came back to post a 6-5 win in the 11th inning. Alex Sanchez singled home Jose Hernandez with the winner.
Sanchez's single glanced off the glove of Chicago shortstop Alex Gonzales, who made a desperate dive for the ball. Corey Patterson hustled in center and made a good throw to the plate, but Hernandez slid past the tag.
Only two innings earlier, Sanchez, perhaps the most schizophrenic player to ever hit Milwaukee, had run right through a stop sign by third base coach Gary Allenson and was nailed at the plate.
Wasted in that effort was a great starting pitching performance by Cubs' starter Kerry Wood.
Then, on Wednesday night, Ruben Quevedo held the Cubs to three hits in eight innings. Jeffrey Hammonds made two great catches. Like Wood's performance on Tuesday, all was wasted.
Manager Jerry Royster made a rather odd move and brought in Ray King to start the ninth inning. King walked the first batter and was promptly relieved by Mike De Jean, the Brewers usual closer.
De Jean was going after his 13th straight save, but just did not have it, giving up a run in the top of the ninth to tie it, 1-1. Extra innings again!!!!
You have to question why Royster didn't start the ninth with De Jean and save King to pitch to lefty Fred McGriff. As it turned out, the Brewers had to intentionally walk McGriff, setting up a clutch RBI double by Moises Alou.
The Cubs scored four runs off De Jean and Valerio De Los Santos in the 10th to post a 5-1 win, and break the Brewers' winning streak at five straight.
Milwaukee holds a 7-2 edge in the I-94 rivalry this season, but many of the games have featured blown leads and other abnormal things. This actually has been the case for a few seasons. As Wood said after Tuesday's game, "We've come to expect these kind of games whenever we play Milwaukee."
It might not be great baseball. The two teams might not be very good. But, it is certainly entertaining if you like the abnormal. The teams still play each other eight more times.
Presently Known As Prince
Prince, not the old "formerly known" entertainer, but Fielder, son of Cecil, is coming to town. The Brewers took the 18-year-old first baseman with their first pick in Tuesday's amateur draft.
Fielder, like his dad, is a big man. He is listed at 6, 245, and reportedly weighed over 300 pounds as a 10th grader!!!! This could be a deadly combination in Milwaukee, where the brats and beer are very good. In fact, Milwaukee has been picked the fattest city in the nation in past years.
But, if Prince has the athletic ability and power of his dad, it could be a very good pick. Cecil Fielder was a ballplayer, despite the fact he looked like a defensive tackle. Cecil led the American League in homers and made the All Star team. I once saw him hit what I believe was the longest homer in County Stadium history.
The Brewers say Prince also has better athletic ability than his bulky body shows. They say his power potential was just too good to pass up. Let's hope they are right.
With other picks in the draft, the Brewers continued to shore up the pitching in the minor leagues, and took a few position players with potential. "You can see the pieces coming together one by one," Royster said after seeing whom his club drafted.
In the 25th round on Wednesday, the Brewers took John VandenBerg, an all Horizon League selection at UWM and son of Miller Park groundskeeper, Dave VandenBerg.
The Anaheim Angels drafted pitcher Ryan Rote, son of Channel 58 sports director Rock Rote, in the 29th round. Rote played at Kishwaukee College.
Other Wisconsin players taken include: pitcher Adam Peterson, Abrams, Michigan State (4th round, Toronto); pitcher Ryan Warpinski, Texas A & M (8th round, Florida); pitcher Michael Mueller, West Bend, Auburn (16th, Atlanta); shortstop Jared Koutnik, Milwaukee, Michigan State (16th, Yankees); pitcher Luke Nelson, Oconomowoc, Southern Illinois (17th, San Francisco); first baseman-catcher Sean Luellwitz, Brookfield, Vanderbilt (28th, Arizona); pitcher Kenneth Pokryfke, Wilmot High School (35th, Texas); and pitcher Thomas Zimmerman, Hales Corners, Whitnall High School (45th, Texas).
Helfaer Opening
It was wonderful to see kids playing baseball on the new Helfaer Field. Somehow it seemed appropriate since the site was where County Stadium sat for 47 years.
The Brewers, baseball district and Helfaer Foundation opened the park on a beautiful afternoon last Friday. The weather hasn't been as beautiful since, so play on the field has been somewhat limited. But, you will be able to see a lot of youth baseball there this summer and for years to come.
During the opening ceremony, Tom Smallwood, who runs the Helfaer Foundation, told a story about the late Evan Helfaer, whose fortune funds the foundation that paid for the park. Smallwood described Helfaer as a quiet, humble man who loved baseball and avoided the limelight, If asked to give a speech at the event, Helfaer would have said, "Thank you, thank you, let's play baseball," according to Smallwood.
Players of the Week
Ruben Quevedo, who pitched two fine games, allowing only one run in 15 innings. Quevedo tied his career high with 11 strikeouts Wednesday against his former team, the Cubs.
Give an honorable mention collectively to the first four hitters in the lineup — Alex Sanchez, Eric Young, Jeffrey Hammonds and Richie Sexson. Sanchez and Young have been setting the table, and Hammonds and Sexson have been getting them in. Let's hope Sanchez's bruised hand, suffered Wednesday night, doesn't set him back.
Plays of the Week
The final play in the Brewers' 6-5 win over the Cubs on Tuesday night was a great one. Sanchez lined a shot that glanced off the glove of the diving Alex Gonzales at shortstop and rolled into center. Chicago's Corey Patterson charged the ball and made a good throw home, but Jose Hernandez slid to the infield side of the plate to avoid a tag. Run scored!!! Mob scene on the field!!! Five straight wins for the first time this season!!!
Give an honorable mention to the fantastic catch made by Jeffrey Hammonds, who robbed Sammy Sosa of a homer Wednesday night.
{INSERT_RELATED}Goat of the Week
Geoff Jenkins continued to struggle at the plate. If the Brewers are to start beating teams other than the Cubs and Padres, Jenkins has to turn it around. Mike De Jean shares the goat horns with Jenkins for his blown game Wednesday night.
Special All Star BCRs
A regular Brew Crew Review column will run next Thursday, June 13, but the column then will switch to All Star mode. Special BCRs will replace the Milwaukee Sports Buzz and regular BCR format columns on June 17, 20, 24, 27 and July 1 in advance of All Star Weekend, July 5-9.
This is just too big to do business as usual! These special columns will be devoted to All Star Game history in Milwaukee and Wisconsin, and other advance information. Then, look for daily BCRs during the 5-day All Star event period.
Reviews of home games will continue on the BCR news and message board during the period of June 17-July 5. Regular Sports Buzz and BCR columns will return after the game.
But, again the All Star Game coming to Milwaukee is just too big for regular treatment. Catch the All Star fever and show the baseball world this is a great place capable of hosting a world-class event.
Gregg Hoffmann writes The Brew Crew Review and Milwaukee Sports Buzz columns for OMC.
