Thoughts from Brewers Nation ... or Is It "The Brewer Nation?"

Brewer bloggers - some with very similar blog names - weigh in on the weekend series

by Matthew Taylor

The Birds' Sunday blues continued this weekend as the O's dropped the series finale - and the three-game set - to Milwaukee. Final score: 7-3.

The Brewers, a franchise that in 2005 ended its run of 12-straight losing seasons, are in the playoff chase, which has the team's fans thinking about the O's as both an opponent and as a potential trade partner.

Here are some thoughts from the Brewer blogs:

A very complimentary Brew Crew Pub liked what it saw this weekend from Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis. However, Roberts is more of interest to Brewers fans than is Markakis thanks to former Sun columnist Ken Rosenthal.

Brian Roberts displayed why fans were intrigued by Ken Rosenthal's article about a straight up trade for Rickie Weeks. This switch hitting second baseman put on a show in the field and at the plate. Ultimately, he set the table for guys like Huff and Markakis and scored all three runs for the Orioles on Sunday. He may be over 30, but the guy can play and continues to have a good career ahead of him.

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If the Orioles bottom half of the lineup was a cause for concern, their 1-4 part of the lineup is something worth cheering about. Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts are straight ball players. These guys have an exceptional awareness of the strike zone, can steal bases and can hit for power. It's the recipe for consistency, and why the Orioles will have no trouble moving these guys if they ever wanted to. Roberts might get the heave-ho, but Markakis will get himself another three years of Orioles baseball and is not a bad guy to start building around. Though it's pretty difficult to build a monster that's good enough to take on teams like the Yankees and Red Sox on a regular basis.

The Brewer Nation offers its take on the Rosenthal article.

It was reported that Roberts' contract does not expire until the end of the 2009 season which really makes the deal more interesting since Roberts is a proven lead off hitter that is also a switch hitter which brings another left-handed bat into the everyday lineup to balance the lineup a bit.

Another factor is the age difference. Brian Roberts is 30 while Weeks in only 25. That's not too bad if you ask me. Also, when Weeks struggled down in the minors, he fixed whatever problems he had offensively and this year, we have seen a marked improvement on the field. The only problem with Weeks is that he appears to be regressing offensively. Can the Brewers afford to wait for Weeks to turn it around if they are seriously making a post-season push?

We might not have enough time to wait. If I was Doug Melvin, I'd give this some serious thoughts especially since the Cubs threw just about everything at the Orioles this off-season to obtain Roberts. There's nothing nicer than trumping the Cubs.

Don’t confuse "The Brewer Nation" with Brewers Nation. Yes, the team is just that popular; there aren't enough blog names to go around.

If Coca-Cola can call out Coke Zero for taste infringement, Brewers Nation can and does call out The Brewer Nation for name infringement. Nevertheless, Brewers Nation is excited about the team's rising attendance on the road and at home, a fact that also has Right Field Bleachers abuzz (or should it be "buzzed"?).

I can't tell you how nice it is to go to a Brewers game and see the seats filled with people. And those people are wearing Brewers' gear, not Packers'. It's a different era for baseball in Wisconsin and it's looking good. It took a little while to earn the fans' trust again after fielding uncompetitive teams for over a decade, but I think the Brewers are really building a strong fan base again. It seems especially strong with younger people, which is encouraging for the future of the club.

Finally, SportsBubbler.com is excited about Seth McLung’s performance this weekend.

Seth McClung ran his list of consecutive excellent (not quality) starts to four by dominating the Orioles tonight. McClung has now carved out a beach head on Legit Island. The last man on the pitching staff when camp broke in Arizona, Seth has seized a strong hold on a rotation spot with his side-step from thrower to pitcher. Nobody would have predicted that McClung would suddenly start doing what he is now executing. You have to love the game of baseball.

Sports Bubbler is written by Milwaukee Brewer broadcaster Jim Powell, a fact that should come as no surprise; only a sports broadcaster, or a teenager imitating a SportsCenter anchor, would use the phrase “carved out a beach head on Legit Island.”