Home Run Derby

Earlier this year, I wondered how Brewers fans would react to Jeff Suppan Bobblehead day on August 30, 2009.

Yes, that Jeff Suppan … the Brewers pitcher who surrendered three Home Runs in three innings to the Phialdelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the 2008 NLDS. 

I didn’t have to wait until late August to find out.  Because Brewers fans would like to sell Suppan. With a Starting bid on eBay of a penny.

The seller will throw in Bill Hall for free.  What a bargain.

Gosh.  I wonder how much Brewers fans would pay someone to take David Bush off their hands.

UPDATE:  Bidding made it to $20.50 before eBay pulled it.

I wonder when Cubs fans will try this with Milton Bradley.

If you’re about to be thrown out of a baseball game and get arrested … what do you do?

Comply quietly …
or get your money’s worth?

Well, this Milwaukee Brewer fan chose the Red Pill at a recent game at Miller Park and decided to strip down to his boxer shorts before a pair of Milwaukee’s Finest (should they be called Milwaukee’s Best?) could haul him away.

And damn if this isn’t the 21st Century … it’s all on video. 

Watch.  If you dare.

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I am proud to announce that due to popular demand  …
Home Run Derby’s MLB MASCOT BRACKETS IS BACK!!

Okay, when I say “popular demand” … I mean the two people who emailed me asking what the heck happened to the Baseball Mascot Tournament. 

We’ll pick up where we left off last year in the second round with what might be one of the most anticipated showdowns of the tournament.  One which is sure to whet your appetite.

#1 Racing Sausages (Brewers)  vs #5 Racing Pierogies (Pirates)

In Randy Johnson’s 20+ years of pitching, the Big Unit had never given up a Home Run to a pitcher.

That changed last night when Yovani Gallardo of the Milwaukee Brewers took Johnson deep for a game-winning 3-Run Home Run in San Francisco.

See Jason Kendall in that picture?  Johnson walked him to get to Gallardo. 

My wife loves it when a player gets a Home Run after the guy in front of him is intentionally walked. 

Her words “Intentional walks are for pansies.”

This week’s Jersey of the Week comes to us from last October, when the Milwaukee Brewers were in the midst of their first playoff appearance in 26 seasons.

I wish I had seen this shirt when it was a bit more relevant … say last October … but it’s just awesome.  It deserves to be recognized as a belated JotW.

Now, after finally making the playoffs after a 26 year postseason absence, Brewers fans were finally feeling some relief.  So much so that some of them peed their pants.

But others … well … they were hoping for another kind of release for their Racing Sausage.

Looks like the Polish is about to get polished. 

It kinda amazes me that no one’s done anything like this with Milwaukee’s Racing Sausages before.  They’re kinda made for innuendo.  If you’re unfamiliar with what a “Happy Ending” is … well, here.

Brewers Playoffs Happy Ending Shirt Rating:

• Cleverness:  10
• Originality:  10
• Understandability:  7  

That shirt used to be available on the internet … but it’s hasta la bye-bye now.  Something makes me wonder if the Brewers’ legal department had something to do with that.

So the Milwaukee Brewers published their 2009 Promotional Schedule.  I always like to see if there are any good bobbleheads on there.  The Brew Crew usually gives away some good ones, like Bob Uecker or the Racing Sausages.

Here’s the Brewers 2009 Bobblehead giveaway schedule …

• May   3 – Ryan Braun
• May 31 – Trevor Hoffman
• Jun 28  – Jason Kendall
• Aug 30 – Jeff Suppan
• Jul 26 – Bratwurst (Racing Sausage!!)
• Sep 20 – Doug Melvin, Brewers GM

All those bobbleheads will have something in common.  Even the Bratwurst.

They’re all white.  Just like the rest of Wisconsin.

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Well with the temperature at Home Run Derby headquarters currently at -7 degrees (wind chill of -29) and not expected to rise above zero for the next 27 hours … I was trying to stay warm by thinking about baseball.

Crack of the Bat, lush green grass, hot August sun, an ice cold beer, and a Kosher dog with grilled onions doused with the Stadium Mustard my brother in law sent me (hey Mike, I need more) and another ice cold beer.  That warmed me up for a while …

And then I accidentally clicked on Wrigley Field’s Webcam and saw this disturbing sight …

Singing at the Winter Classic may be all done, but it’s still winter at Wrigley.  And I got to wondering what the other MLB playgrounds look like in the snow and cold.   Let’s find out.

Staying at Wrigley, it looks like Harry Caray and Ernie Banks are keeping a quiet and chilly sentry along Addison Street.

Anyone else afraid of how cold it will be when if the Cubs do ever win the World Series? I hope I’m retired and living in Green Valley, Arizona by then.

Heading South, as in the South Side of Chicago … when last we saw US Cellular Field, it was in the midst of a “Blackout.” Now it’s in the middle of a “White-Out.”
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The “CC” in CC Sabathia used to stand for “Carsten Charles.”  Or maybe “Captain Cheeseburger.”

The New York Yankees want to change it to “Cha-Ching”

This past Friday, the New York Yankees offered CC Sabathia a six-year, $140 Million contract to anchor their starting rotation and help bring a World Series Championship the Playoffs back to the Bronx.   The offer is $40 million more than the five-year, $100 million offer he reportedly received from the Brewers to stay in Milwaukee.  And it would be the largest pitching contract in the history of Major League Baseball, besting the $137 million Johan Santana received from the New York Mets last offseason.

No other team is going to exceed (or even match) the Yankees contract offer.  The Brewers can’t do it.  Sabathia’s preferred home-state Dodgers and Angels won’t do it either.  They’ll be looking for a discount … and the Yankees’ monster offer might prevent the LA teams from even entering the bidding.  The Yankees have basically made this into a pissing match … and they drank the most beer before the contest started. 

But I think it would be a bad idea for Sabathia to sign with the Yankees … 

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And it’s the return of Jersey of the Week!! 

You’ve got to love fans of the Milwaukee Brewers. 

They’re not afraid to show their allegiances on their chest. 

Literally.

When they’re not peeing their pants about their 2008 NL WildCard Winning Brew Crew, they’re finding other ways to support their team … like this guy – who shaved “Go Brew” into into his chest hair.

That takes some dedication.  Besides, a lot of people just simply can’t do that.  Or wouldn’t.

He gets extra points for the bottle opener strapped to his arm.  Be Prepared, I always say.   And the ratty cap doesn’t hurt the cause either.

Mind you, we have to deduct some points for the purple pen outline that this guy didn’t wash off before the tailgate. 

“Go Brew” Chest Hair Rating

• Cleverness:  8
• Originality:  5
• Understandability:  10

I would have given Tens across the board if he had shaved the Brewers’ baseball glove logo (most awesome logo EVER) into that shag carpeted torso.  That would have been something to see.

By the way, what’s up with all the Brewers love on manchests this season?

Where’s the half-naked girls doing that?  Come on all you women of Brew Crew Nation … don’t let the boys have all the fun. 

Got a Jersey or Shirt we need to see?  Let us know at the JotW tip line !!