A Post Card And A Can Of Worms

The "first half" of the Milwaukee Brewers season was chock full of exciting games.  The following are my five favorite in particular order.

5. June 8: Brewers 7, Mets 6 @ Miller Park
    After Kameron Loe turned a 2-1 eighth inning Brewers lead in to a 6-2 deficit the Brewers battled back in their half of the inning.  Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder each knocked in two runs to tie the game.  In the bottom of the ninth Nyjer Morgan doubled in Craig Counsell for the walk off win, spawning perhaps the greatest post game interview of all time.

4. May 20: Brewers 7, Rockies 6 (14) @ Miller Park
     A back and forth regulation nine innings left the Brewers and Rockies tied at four.  The Rockies drew first blood in extra frames plating a run in the thirteenth, but Yuniesky Betancourt answered with a solo home run.  The Rockies notched a single tally in the fourteenth as well, but this time Fielder put the Rockies down for good launching a walk off two run shot in the bottom of the frame.


3. July 10: Brewers 4, Reds 3 @ Miller Park
    In the final game before the All Star Game the Brewers entered the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 3-2, but the bottom of the Brewers roster refused to lose.  Mark Kotsay singled in Morgan to tie the game before Counsell's sacrifice fly drove in George Kottaras sealing the club's second walk off win vs. Reds closer and former Brewer Francisco Cordero in three days.

2. June 12: Brewers 4, Cardinals 3 @ Miller Park
    The Brewers trailed by three heading to the bottom of the sixth inning when the bats awoke.  Braun and Kotsay each knocked in a run to set up a two run, go head bomb from Fielder.  Shaun Marcum, Loe and John Axford took care of the rest and the Cardinals were swept out of Milwaukee.

1. May 28: Brewers 3, Giants 2 @ Miller Park
    No win displayed the change in leadership and philosophy Ron Roenicke has brought to the Brewers than this game.  Randy Wolf and Loe coughed up a two run lead in bottom of the eighth inning with help from a Casey McGehee error, setting the stage for a stunning Brewers victory.  In the bottom of the ninth Braun reached third with one out and the pinch hitting Jonathan Lucroy dropped down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt for the thrilling walk off victory.

Bonus Fun

One of my favorite parts of the baseball season is follow the current Brewers as they move up the club's all time statistical lists.  Here is a list of current Brewers in the top 50 of some of my favorite categories.  Current Brewers will be listed in bold behind the historical Brewer they trail.  All stat totals reflect action before tonight's game.

Runs
7.    Ben Oglivie 567
8.    Prince Fielder 529
10.  Gorman Thomas 524
11.  Rickie Weeks 513
14.  Jeromy Burnitz 467
15.  Ryan Braun 454
17.  George Scott 402
18.  Corey Hart 389
43.  Marquis Grissom 216
44.  Craig Counsell 210

Hits
10.  Jeff Cirillo 1000
11.  Prince Fielder 921
13.  Gorman Thomas 815
14.  Ryan Braun  809
18.  Sixto Lezcano 749
19.  Corey Hart 719
20.  Jeromy Burnitz 714
21.  Rickie Weeks 713
41.  Pat Listach 420
42.  Craig Counsell 415
48.  Ernest Riles 364
49.  Casey McGehee 354

Doubles
9.    B.J Surhoff 194
10.  Prince Fielder 185
13.  Gorman Thomas 172
14.  Ryan Braun 168
15.  Cory Hart 163
22.  Jose Valentin 132
23.  Rickie Weeks 131
37.  Dale Sveum 80
38.  Craig Counsell 77
40.  Johnny Briggs 76
41.  Casey McGehee 73

Triples
5.    Cecil Cooper 33
6.    Corey Hart 26
6.    Rickie Weeks 26
9.    B.J. Surhoff 23
10.  Ryan Braun 22
17.  Jose Valentin 18
18.  Craig Counsell 17
48.  Dale Sveum 10
49.  Prince Fielder 9

Home Runs
1.    Robin Yount 251
2.    Prince Fielder 214
9.    Paul Molitor 160
10.  Ryan Braun 144
14.  George Scott 115
15.  Corey Hart 108
16.  Rickie Weeks 106
38.  Glenn Braggs 45
39.  Casey McGehee 44

Runs Batted In
5.    Ben Oglivie 685
6.    Prince Fielder 608
12.  B.J. Surhoff 524
13.  Ryan Braun 482
19.  Ted Simmons 394
20.  Corey Hart 388
25.  Jose Valentin 343
26.  Rickie Weeks 304
38.  Jose Hernandez 210
39.  Casey McGehee 206

Stolen Bases
9.    B.J. Surhoff 102
10.  Rickie Weeks 98
11.  Ryan Braun 82
13.  Cecil Cooper 77
14.  Corey Hart 74
39.  Geoff Jenkins 31
40.  Craig Counsell 30

Wins
15.  Ricky Bones 47
16.  Yovani Gallardo 46
34.  Steve Woodard 25
35.  Manny Parra 24
40.  Bob Wickman 21
41.  Chris Narveson 20
45.  Randy Wolf 19

Strike Outs
7.    Cal Eldred 686
8.    Yovani Gallardo 629
19.  Dan Plesac 448
20.  Manny Parra 418
32.  Bill Parsons 280
33.  Chris Narveson 272
41.  Glendon Rusch 233
42.  Randy Wolf 224

Saves
10.  Doug Jones 49
11.  John Axford 48