Rambling Rose, Part 1

After last night's heartbreaking Brewers loss (which is undoubtedly the most painful loss of the season to date and which successfully fueled my first official temper tantrum, complete with two hat tosses and at least a dozen f-bombs released in the span of 45 seconds...) I simply do not feel that I will be able to string together one coherent piece this morning. My head is still reeling from being one out away from a much needed team victory and a much-deserved Sheets shut out. Therefore, during these times when my head is malfunctioning from an overload of bad Brewers thoughts and general what-might-have-been thinking, I've decided to just except the fact that I am destined to ramble...

--During the midst of my tantrum, I did look up to the tv in time to notice that Sheets was the first to greet Cordero and give him a quick pat on the backside. Through the cloud of anger and disgust that encompasses me, I feel like that classy act is a sign of why the Brewers will eventually pull out of this funk. In the wake of the Zambrano/Barrett confrontation, it's becoming more and more evident that this Brewers clubhouse is a tight group. How many times have you seen the starter bolt from the dugout and into the clubhouse, the moment the save is officially blown? Sheets knows he'll need CoCo many more times before the season is done and had to realize that his string of perfection was bound to end sooner or later (it's just tough to accept that it ended in the manner that it did). I often hear Sheets criticized for being a bit of a nut job, but that move demonstrates that he is truly a leader in the clubhouse.

--I listen to WSSP's Brewers post game show frequently when I'm driving home from the stadium, and usually I get really bothered by all the negative callers after a loss. For the most part, I believe in Yost and Melvin and don't put nearly as much blame on Yost when the Brewers lose, instead putting the "blame" on the youth of the ball club with the knowledge that a young team is bound to go through month-long tough stretches like this one. I do not understand, however, the logic of batting Gabe Gross in the 2 hole. I'm not all that thrilled with him being the chosen DH in the first place, but to bat him second really makes me scratch my head. With Hart's success at the top of the order, I'd leave him there and bat Gwynn second. And if you really feel the need to move Corey, why not use Counsell of Graffanino in the two slot? Despite their poor averages, they both are smart enough to move guys over and set he table for your heart of the order.

--With Melvin in Texas, I have to believe that a trade will come out of this visit to his old stomping grounds. I'm not saying it will happen as soon as the Brewers leave town, but considering these two teams recent trade history, I'm sure several names have been discussed, thereby planting the seeds for a future trade down the road. (Gross and Capellan for Gagne, anyone?)

--In case you've missed it, here's Yovanni Gallardo's stats at triple AAA:
8-2 record, with a 2.89 ERA; he's walked 27 and struck out 98 in 71.2 innings.
I think it's about time we add this arm to the bullpen and see how he fares against big league hitting, don't you? After all, the Twin used Santana out of the bullpen for over a year before he finally cracked their rotation...

--After seeing the previews for Hostel 2 on tv, Sonia and I grabbed Hostel from Netflix and watched it after the game last night. I highly recommend it. Even if you don't enjoy the plot, it receives my 4-star nudity rating (I'd give it 5, but you do have do endure several moonings from the tall Icelander.) No, seriously, even without the nudity, it's a fun flick, although I would say the 9th inning last night was far gorier....

--Let me switch my focus, if I may, and a share a brief story.
Back in high school, one of our good friends, who for secrecy sake I will merely refer to as "Joel"...no, that might be too obvious to people who know him, so let's just call him "Kams." Anyhow, one day Joel, I mean Kams, showed up to school sporting the first white Afro that the Mayville High School hallways had witnessed since 1977. To this day, I'm not sure what possessed Joel, I mean Kams, to sit down in the chair where his perm was being conjured. I have no idea why he woke up one day thinking that a perm was just the look he needed. But let me assure you that from the first moment he walked through the doors of the school, we, as his good friends, razzed him unmercilessly. Because, quite frankly, that's what good friends do. If someone looks silly bobbing up and down the hallways, looking like one of those old Ronald McDonald Cookies, a true friend let's him know about. Sure, we got a good laugh about it at his expense; and truth be told the majority of us laughing were probably sporting a little look I refer to as the Mayville mullet, but we were not about to let our good friend look ridiculous (Remember when they would flashback to high school on Friends and show Ross? Very similar hair-do.)
The reason I bring this story up is because I strongly believe that Drew Gooden's Cavaliers teammates have dropped the ball when it comes to that God-awful patch of hair on the back of his head. Call it a duck tail or a baby rat tail or whatever you like, but I just call it ridiculous. So many people criticized LeBron for passing up the shot in game one of the Pistons series, but I blame him for not talking to Gooden about that hair patch. Why didn't he pull him aside and say, "look Drew, this doo might have been ok in Kansas, but we're in the NBA Finals now. Against the Spurs. And quite frankly, Duncan's going to make you look silly enough." Because those are things that leaders and friend do...
After all, had we not let Joel, I mean Kams, really have it back it in high school, he might still be sporting that perm today. Which would have meant that he would have never been able to start his good looking family...so in many ways, I guess he owes us...

And you owe it to the Crew to stick with them, so don't give up on them yet....