Now That May is Over...

This is not a post about the Brewers' recent roster moves, or even the latest garbage journalism to come out of ESPN related to the Biogenesis controversy. Rather, this is an account of where the Brewers stand as of the beginning of June, 2013, a time by which teams tend to have more-or-less settled into their roles within their divisions. Needless to say, the Brewers' role in 2013 is not good.

5 Things to Hope For in a Brewers New Year, Part 3

Part three of five.

 3. An improved bullpen

Brewers Face Pivotal July

Thus far the 2012 Brewers have underperformed and, aside from stellar performances by Ryan Braun, Norichika Aoki and Zack Greinke, underwhelmed, to say the least. Although at times blame has been placed on the hitters and starting pitchers, the main problem has been the bullpen. Blown leads, blown saves, and altogether shoddy work have been the orders of the day far too frequently, and each reliever has an ERA of at least 4.06. Much of the finger-pointing finds its way toward John Axford, though in my opinion he's still the best available option in the bullpen and should remain the closer for the time being.

Despite the fact that it feels like every other day another game is lost by the bullpen, the Brewers have mostly tread water right around five games below .500. Sporting a losing record for each of the first three months of the season, they sit seven games back of the first place Pittsburgh Pirates(!), six behind the Reds, and 5.5 behind the Cardinals in the NL Central. Many now figure the Brewers to be sellers at the trade deadline and rumors have started to swirl, particularly regarding Zack Greinke.

Axford Saves 25th Straight

When John Axford recorded the third out in the ninth inning last night against the Cubs he matched the club record for consecutive games saved. Axford's run seems all the more impressive considering how his season began. He lost a heart breaker on opening day, allowing a walk off home run to Ramon Hernandez. He then blew his second save within his first five opportunities, bringing back memories of 2010 and Trevor Hoffman's infamous implosion that opened the door for Axford in the first place. Since that second blown save, though, he's been nothing short of remarkable. True, he still puts a runner or two on base more often than we'd like, but you can't argue with the results.

One Down, Three to Go

The Brewers pulled off a tough win last night at Sun Life Stadium against Ricky Nolasco and the Marlins. I was on the road in Wisconsin at the time and when I finally found decent reception of the game on the radio I heard that Yuniesky Betancourt was leading off the ninth inning while the Brewers trailed by one. When he reached base I thought, hey, maybe the bottom of the order might do something here. Through the still choppy signal, I barely made out that Ryan Braun had stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter, and I remembered that he wasn't in the lineup yesterday to give his shoulder some extra rest. My radio signal became stronger just in time, allowing me to enjoy Bob Ueker's signature "get up, get up, get outta here, gone!" as Braun quickly crushed what turned out to be a game-winning two-run home run. My wife and I shared a high five as we couldn't quite believe that Braunie came off the bench and again stepped up in the clutch.

John Axford hurriedly warmed up and entered the bottom of the ninth seeking his fourteenth save of the year. He certainly made it interesting, loading the bases on three walks (one intentional to Mike Stanton) before striking out Brett Hayes to end the game.

What a Difference a Week Can Make

I've been busy the last few days and haven't had time to post. I'm glad to be back at it today, but with everything that's gone on over the past week that also means that this will be a long one. Bear with me, though; there's a lot of good stuff in here that will make you feel great about the Brewers.

Last Tuesday Brewer fans found themselves lamenting an 0-4 start with their team facing the tough Atlanta Braves for three more games. Yovani Gallardo took the ball that day, put the team on his shoulders, and delivered a two-hit complete game shutout in which he also scored the Brewers' only run. That game started a stretch by the Brewers that left them 5-2 on the home stand and 5-5 overall, moving them back to .500 quicker than even the most optimistic Brewer fans likely hoped.

Estrada Effective Through Six, Axford Notches First Save

Most Brewers fans probably didn't expect much from Marco Estrada yesterday, called up from the minor leagues to start in place of the injured Zack Greinke. Although Estrada fell short of a quality start thanks to a Jason Heyward three-run home run in the sixth, he made it through that inning with the lead intact. Zach Braddock, Kameron Loe, and John Axford combined for three scoreless innings to secure the win and Axford's first save of the season.

Brewers Bats Begin Season With a Bang, Axford Blows Save With Walk-off Home Run

The Brewers began their season with a bang today as Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez led off with back-to-back home runs. Ryan Braun hit a solo shot in the fifth and went 2-3 with two walks for the day. Despite Yovani Gallardo's quality start (7 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 ER) the Brewers couldn't grab the win in the Reds' home opener.

Round Two of John Axford's Online Entrance Music Poll Has Begun!

Visit Axford's Facebook page to vote in round two! Our choice, Rush's "Working Man," made the cut into the second round but is currently not close to first place. Still, I know that Rush fans can make it happen! Either way, kudos to Axford for doing such a great job at fan interaction.

John Axford to Make His 2011 Debut Today vs San Francisco

The Brewers play the San Francisco Giants for the second time this spring today at 2:05 CST. Tim Dillard leads a pitching staff that will include appearances by some of the team's best bullpen arms of 2010, including closer John Axford, whose debut was delayed by a bout of food poisoning at the beginning of camp. Axford tweeted this morning that he's "SUPER PUMPED" for his first Cactus League appearance.

Vote Online For John Axford's Entrance Music

Last night Axford posted the poll on his facebook page to let fans choose his entrance music for 2011. In the end he chose Rush's Working Man as an option rather than Tom Sawyer. We can forgive him since he at least included a Rush song, even if not the Rush song we asked for.

Visit Axford's facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/JohnAxford, to vote for your favorite selection.

Axford to Hold Online Vote For 2011 Entrance Music. Our Choice: Rush's "Tom Sawyer"

Brewers closer John Axford tweeted Wednesday night that he would soon post a poll on his facebook page to let fans decide his entrance music for 2011. In one of my first posts on this blog I argued that he should use Tom Sawyer by Rush. A Rush fan blog, Rushisaband.com, stumbled upon the post, linked to it, and Rush fans helped make it my most hit entry, and by a wide margin (142 hits vs Miller Park Scoreboard Update [59], Braun-Rodgers Bucks Game [56], and Brewers Bobblehead Giveaways [54]).

It truly would be amazing if Axford picked Tom Sawyer and we even have a brand new reason thanks to a lone commenter from my previous post:

Axford's Mechanical Remedy Described at ESPN.com

I wrote here previously that Brewers closing pitcher John Axford found success after adjusting his mechanics on advice from a coach. ESPN's Buster Olney wrote yesterday that Lee Tunnell, a minor league pitching coach for the Brewers, suggested in 2009 that Axford copy the delivery of former AL Cy Young winner Roy Halladay. The change involved a lower arm slot with more athleticism in his delivery, fixing a hitch in his mechanics that developed after Tommy John surgery in college. He literally found instant success with his new delivery, noticing increased pitch control within ten pitches of a subsequent bullpen session. Axford went on to make seven appearances with the Brewers in 2009 and then, of course, became the everyday closer once Trevor Hoffman struggled out of the gate in 2010. Click here for Olney's entire article.

Brewers Announce 2011 Bobblehead Giveaways

The Brewers made some interesting choices for their 2011 bobblehead giveaways. Obvious selections include John Axford (April 24 vs Astros), Casey McGehee (May 22 vs Rockies), and Zack Greinke (June 12 vs Cardinals). Less expected were the picks of the racing Hot Dog (July 10 vs Reds), Craig Counsell (August 14 vs Pirates), and Randy Wolf (September 25 vs Marlins). Note, too, that single-game tickets go on sale on February 26 at 9:00 am CST.

Brewers Closer John Axford Featured in "National Post"

The National Post published a nice feature today on Brewers closing pitcher John Axford. The article touches on Axford's mustache, the ups and downs he encountered throughout his minor league career, his emergence last May as a rookie thrust into the closer's role, and the time he spent working with Trevor Hoffman. Axford also says that he has no plans to move to the states; he and his wife enjoy spending time with family during the offseason.

Axford certainly provides a remarkable story. After a rough spring in 2009 he thought he saw the writing on the wall that his career may nearly be over. Yet Axford persevered. He adjusted his delivery upon advice from a coach, kept working hard, and found himself called up to Milwaukee in September of '09. Less than a year later he stepped into the shoes of a future Hall of Famer and proceeded to save 24 games in 27 attempts with a 2.48 ERA. Axford even seemed to fit in with the old school style of former Brewers manager Ken Macha, who frequently called on Axford to pitch more than the requisite final three outs of the game. Axford's four and five out saves remind fans of a bygone era, linking him to closers of the 70s and 80s such as the great Rollie Fingers (and not just for the mustache!).

Previously known for his high walk-rate, Axford seems to have fixed this problem after tweaking his delivery in '09. The closer's job is Axford's to lose in 2011. If he continues to pitch like he did in 2010, Brewers fans should enjoy watching their "throwbacker" close games and sport a mean 'stache for years to come.



Here's another article, from the Toronto Sun, describing Axford's first save of 2010 in May in Minnesota and his success against solid Canadian sluggers Justin Morneau and Joey Votto.

Why John Axford should use "Tom Sawyer" as his entrance music

Axford says that he is looking for a new song for 2011, and Rush's Tom Sawyer would be perfect for the Brew Crew's closer. I don't suggest this song just because Axford and Rush both happen to be Canadian. Here are the reasons: