Some things to read while sharing too much information.
The season is over for the 2014 Milwaukee Brewers, and it appears it will be the last one for one of the team’s elder statesmen. On Wednesday Lyle Overbay told MLB Network Radio he’s “99.9 percent sure” he’ll retire this winter.
If this is it for Overbay, he’ll wrap up a 14-year MLB career with 1355 hits and 356 doubles, including a franchise record and MLB-leading 53 as a member of the Brewers in 2004. Over a six-year stretch from 2004 to 2009 Overbay hit .280 with a .363 on-base percentage and .455 slugging for the Brewers and Blue Jays, making a solid impact at first base despite lacking major power. After getting off to something of a slow start, Overbay posted a .735 OPS in his final 86 games as a Brewer this season.
Here are a handful of Overbay’s top moments from what appears likely to be his final MLB season:
- A pinch-hit, go-ahead three-run double against the Dodgers on August 15.
- A first inning grand slam against the Phillies on July 8.
- A go-ahead single in the 11th inning against the Cardinals on April 29.
Speaking of Reynolds, he finished the season by going 6-for-51 over his final 27 appearances to close the campaign with a .196 batting average. @AndrewGruman notes that he’s just the second player in Brewers franchise history to collect over 400 plate appearances while batting less than .200. With that said, Reynolds was one of four players across baseball to accomplish that feat this season.
So now we know that Lyle Overbay likely won’t be back for the 2015 season, but we’re still waiting for word on his manager. Here’s the latest on Ron Roenicke from around the web:
- Tim Muma of Brewers Mix says it’s time for Ron Roenicke to go.
- Jonathan Judge of Disciples of Uecker says, “all we can really ask is that the Brewers truly follow a reasoned process, and make a decision that will actually make the team better, rather than simply make the owner or talk radio feel better.”
- For what it’s worth, Chris Teeter of Beyond the Box Score has a statistic suggesting Roenicke was better than average at avoiding issuing bad intentional walks.
The Brewers’ disappointing run to finish the 2014 season wrapped up a year peppered with jersey changes, alternate uniforms and throwbacks. Nick Michalski of The Brewers Bar says the organization needs to get their jersey switching in check for 2015.
Francisco Rodriguez may have worn close to a dozen alternate uniforms while recording his 44 saves this season. Bill Chuck of Gammons Daily notes that K-Rod did not allow a baserunner in 21 of those saves, and struck out every batter he faced in three of them.
In the minors:
- Congratulations are due out this morning to Wisconsin catcher/designated hitter Clint Coulter, who Chris Mehring of Rattler Radio reports will be #7 on Baseball America’s list of the top prospects in the Midwest League when that list is officially announced. Earlier this week I also neglected to mention that Helena pitcher Devin Williams was the #16 prospect in the Pioneer League.
- The Arizona Fall League opens on Tuesday when the Glendale Desert Dogs, a team which includes several Brewers prospects, face the Mesa Solar Sox in an afternoon contest. If you’re planning on following the prospect league this fall you should expect some fast games: Major League Baseball is using their games to test some possible new rules regarding pace of play.
- One of the Brewers’ representatives in the league will be Wei-Chung Wang, who remains in the organization after being kept around as a Rule 5 Draft selection through the 2014 season. Jeff Todd of MLB Trade Rumors has more on Wang and the other players selected last winter.
If you missed it on Wednesday, the Brewers took out a full page ad in that day’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to thank fans for their support during the 2014 season. The Brewers’ tumblr page highlighted a dozen individual signatures for your further enjoyment.
Around baseball:
Athletics: Infielder Nick Punto’s $2.75 million contract option for 2015 has vested.
We’re down to eight teams remaining with a chance to win the 2014 World Series, as the Pirates were eliminated Wednesday night with an 8-0 loss to the Giants. Madison Bumgarner pitched a complete game, four-hit shutout for San Francisco and recorded ten strikeouts.
Postseason play continues today with a pair of ALDS games. The action starts at 4:30 p.m. when Chris Tillman and the Orioles host Max Scherzer and the Tigers, and continues at 8 p.m. when Jered Weaver and the Angels take on Jason Vargas and the Royals. The NLDS series are both scheduled to open on Friday.
The playoffs are a big money-maker for many of the players involved, with a full postseason share on a World Series-winning team valued at $307,000 last season. At least one player isn’t interested, however: Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera refused to sign the paperwork to receive his share this season.
Of course, two days later many fans and pundits are still discussing Tuesday night’s Royals/A’s game. Royals manager Ned Yost continues to face questions regarding his bullpen management in the contest, and told reporters the Oakland sixth inning rally that nearly sunk his team’s season was “just one of those things.”
Other notes today in former Brewers:
- The Twins reportedly met with Paul Molitor on Wednesday to discuss their managerial opening. He served as the Twins’ first base coach in 2014.
- Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks have announced intentions to interview seven candidates for their vacant managerial position, and one of them is Turner Ward. The 1994-96 Brewer has been working as Arizona’s hitting coach.
- 2004-05 Brewer Victor Santos, who turns 38.
- 1985-88 Brewer Ernie Riles, who turns 54 (Today In Brewer History).
- 1973-76 Brewer Kevin Kobel, who turns 61.
- 1973-75 Brewer Bob Collucio, who turns 63 (Today In Brewer History).
- 1964-65 Milwaukee Brave Mike de la Hoz, who turns 76.
Today is also the 57th anniversary of Game 1 of the 1957 World Series, Milwaukee’s first trip to the Fall Classic. Follow the link for that event’s entry in Today In Brewer History at Brew Crew Ball.
Drink up.
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