The Brewers Bar Weekly Hangover 9/14/14

Each Sunday evening we will review our favorite and least favorite events of the previous week, and share our perspective on how the team is doing. Please enjoy responsibly.

Cheers! (Best event/news of the week)

Hank the Dog Bobblehead a Smashing Success: If you were at the Hank bobblehead game on Saturday, it was something to behold.  The atmosphere and crowd density were comparable to Opening Day or playoff games.  It would be easy to scoff at how it took a silly gimmick like Hank to draw a huge turnout, but there’s something to be said for appealing to casual fans.  It takes more than the committed fans to keep a sports team competitive, so it was nice that a lot of folks who don’t come to Miller Park all that often had an excuse to show up.  Sitting in the Molitor 2 parking lot before the game, I saw a guy walking from the stadium back through the lot, lumbering under the weight of two large garbage bags filled with Hank bobbleheads.  He must have had a couple dozen.  I have never seen anything like that for an all-fan give away, and it really drove home how the Brewers stumbled on to something special with Hank.

Although it was a bit of an uncharacteristic crowd, Saturday was a reminder that Milwaukee is a great baseball town with a remarkably loyal fan base. In fact, the Brewers have the fourth highest attendance in the National League.  Promotions like the Hank bobblehead help make that boffo box office possible.

The day was not without its downsides. The game was a real stinker – the Brewers could only manage two hits against some jabroni minor leaguer making his third start.  But the outcome of the game was hardly the biggest shortcoming…

Buzzkill (Worst event/news of the week)

Security Theater Comes to Miller Park: On Thursday and Saturday, fans at Miller Park got a taste of the ridiculous and unnecessary security measures that will be in place for every MLB game next season.  The Saturday game was especially irritating since the crowd was much larger than usual.  Herding us all through metal detectors added a good 15-20 minutes to everyone’s ballpark experience, and for what?  If there is any evidence that metal detectors at MLB ballparks create a safer environment for fans, it has never been publicized.

The U.S. crime rate is at its lowest point in decades.  We’re safer now than we’ve ever been.  Why the hell are we acting as if we live in constant danger?  As I’ve written previously, this policy seems to have been enacted in response to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and a couple of other violent incidents that happened within the vicinity of MLB ballparks – none of which could have been prevented by metal detectors at the ballparks themselves.  Forcing new security measures on all of us for no sensible reason comes from the same idiot mindset that says we have to take our shoes off at airports, and that the NSA has to collect all our emails and phone records.  Just in case.  It’s sick.

I would guess the only way MLB will reverse itself is if attendance drops significantly in response to this insanity. I’ve never wished I had the power to organize a boycott as much as I do right now.

Have One on the House (Brewers player who deserves a drink)

Matt Clark: I don’t pay as close attention to the Brewers farm system as some fans.  When Clark got his first major league start at 1B against the Cubs earlier this month, I had no idea who he was.  After this week, my feelings about Clark have gone from “Matt who?” to “man crush.”  In the span of five days, Clark has hit three big league homers and driven in six runs.  Not only does he hit home runs, they are those soaring, big flies that make you feel good to be alive.

Too early to say he’ll be the Brewers’ first baseman for years to come? Two weeks in the big leagues is a small sample size, but Clark’s early success is the only thing we’ve been able to get our hopes up about recently.  Might as well fall in love while we can.

Time to Sober Up, Pal (Brewers player who made me want to drink)

Francisco Rodriguez: Christ.  After he gave up two more homers against Miami, there is no way K-Rod can be trusted to protect a close lead.  We’d be better off using Rob Wooten or Brandon Kintzler in save situations at this point.

Back on the Wagon (Thoughts on the week ahead)

So here we are. With road series in St. Louis and Pittsburgh this week, the Brewers can either re-take a spot in the postseason standings, or fall too far behind to catch up.  There’s a slim chance they can sweep the Cardinals and get back within striking distance of the division lead, but realistically we’re looking at that second wild card slot.  If they can make it to Pittsburgh within one or two games of the Pirates, they can at least set up an exciting final week of the season.  You could be forgiven for thinking the Brewers are already in “playing out the string” mode, and that they’re going to lay down for the Cardinals and Pirates without much of a fight.  But you never know.  The Pirates have folded for the Brewers in the past – maybe they’ve got one more collapse in them, and it will be Pittsburgh fans that remember 2014 as the year their team choked when it mattered most.  You never know…

(Image: MLB.com)