Unless you're in the Milwaukee area, the name Nate Valcarcel means nothing to you.
Pity.
This Whitnall senior (6-foot-1, 175 pounds) has run rough-shod over opponents this season. Coming off a 31 carry, 386 yard performance (five touchdowns in a 42-35 loss to Burlington), Valcarcel has run for 1,282 yards and 19 touchdowns in five games. Whitnall is a member of the Woodland East Conference.
Heck, he's AVERAGING 256.4 yards a game.
Pretty amazing. Is the single season record in sight? That was set in 2001 by Adrian Davis of Kenosha St. Joseph -- 3,422 yards.
On another state front, saw that Westfield has pulled the plug on it's high school football season, citing low numbers. After forfeiting to Adams-Friendship last week (recorded as a 1-0 A-F win), Westfield will finish the season forfeiting to Black River Falls, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau & Mauston. Looks like Westfield is yet another candidate to become a co-op team.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Baseball's Changing Times & Milwaukee's Playoff Chances
Hard to ignore the job that Milwaukee Brewers have done so far in September.
After all, a team that goes 15-3, posts an MLB-leading 2.81 ERA and a batting average of .202 is pretty impressive. Give the credit to Manager Craig Counsell for managing that pitching staff accordingly.
All this, mind you, with reigning MVP Christian Yelich on the shelf with an injury.
But pump the breaks a little as well. As of Sept. 1, teams again expanded their rosters from 25 to 40. That bumped up the Brewer staff to 20 -- plus Injured List players Corey Knebel and Bobby Wahl. This on the heels of the trade deadline moving UP from Aug. 31 to July 31.
This won't happen next year. Then, MLB will only expand rosters to 28. While that's the case, I think the baseball powers-that-be will adjust that trade deadline. This year, teams were left handcuffed by the early deadline, a terrible decision.
As I write this, the Brewers are in Cincinnati following their first off-day in 18 games. The club has three games with the Reds, then heads to Colorado to finish the season with three against the Rockies. Milwaukee currently trails Washington by a half-game for the top Wild Card playoff spot, and the Central Division-leading St. Louis Cardinals by three and a half.
The Cardinals have two more games in Arizona following a 9-7 win Monday over the D-Backs. St. Louis will then host Chicago's Cubs to finish the year with three games.
Washington, meanwhile, has five games against Philadelphia, including a double-header today (the Phillies still have an out-side shot at the playoffs) and the Cleveland Indians (also chasing that second Wild Card spot in the AL).
I don't think the Brewers can run down St. Louis. But, stranger things have happened. As it is, I do see the Crew grabbing that home field in the Wild Card game, which plays well for Counsell's pitching staff.
After all, a team that goes 15-3, posts an MLB-leading 2.81 ERA and a batting average of .202 is pretty impressive. Give the credit to Manager Craig Counsell for managing that pitching staff accordingly.
All this, mind you, with reigning MVP Christian Yelich on the shelf with an injury.
But pump the breaks a little as well. As of Sept. 1, teams again expanded their rosters from 25 to 40. That bumped up the Brewer staff to 20 -- plus Injured List players Corey Knebel and Bobby Wahl. This on the heels of the trade deadline moving UP from Aug. 31 to July 31.
This won't happen next year. Then, MLB will only expand rosters to 28. While that's the case, I think the baseball powers-that-be will adjust that trade deadline. This year, teams were left handcuffed by the early deadline, a terrible decision.
As I write this, the Brewers are in Cincinnati following their first off-day in 18 games. The club has three games with the Reds, then heads to Colorado to finish the season with three against the Rockies. Milwaukee currently trails Washington by a half-game for the top Wild Card playoff spot, and the Central Division-leading St. Louis Cardinals by three and a half.
The Cardinals have two more games in Arizona following a 9-7 win Monday over the D-Backs. St. Louis will then host Chicago's Cubs to finish the year with three games.
Washington, meanwhile, has five games against Philadelphia, including a double-header today (the Phillies still have an out-side shot at the playoffs) and the Cleveland Indians (also chasing that second Wild Card spot in the AL).
I don't think the Brewers can run down St. Louis. But, stranger things have happened. As it is, I do see the Crew grabbing that home field in the Wild Card game, which plays well for Counsell's pitching staff.
Monday, September 23, 2019
Net Time For MLB Ballparks
Why?
Why has it taken so long for Major League Baseball to recognize a safety issue and address it?
Granted, this is NOT mandated by MLB, but more and more ball clubs are extending the protective netting in front of fans. The Milwaukee Brewers among them.
Several years ago, MLB pushed it's members to extend the netting to include the dugouts. Now, many teams are taking that a step farther. Some have taken the netting all the way to the left- and right-field foul poles. Sounds like Milwaukee is following suit.
Early in the season, there were several fans injured by foul balls -- including children. Last year, a fan attending a Los Angeles Dodger game was killed. Seems like every season there's a number of fans struck, some injured seriously.
Any question WHY baseball needs to protect fans? You hear talk of "exit velocity" and "lift" along with more and more pitchers that can touch 98 to 100+ on the radar gun. Heck, Milwaukee's MVP Christian Yelich fouled a ball off his right kneecap and fractured it for a season-ending injury.
Let's face it, are the majority of those fans in the stands capable of reacting to a screaming foul ball? Probably not. At the games I've attended the last few years, especially so this season, there's a growing number of fans staring at their cell phones, not at the action on the field.
And please, please, please DON'T give me the "it takes away from the experience and the chance for a foul ball keepsake" -- or for pre-game autographs from players. If that's argument, I'm sure they can figure out a way to lower the screens early and raise them for the game. And the netting won't keep fans from chances at those pop-up foul balls.
I've read where, in Japan, the netting has extended to the foul poles for years. No problems or complaints there, where folks put the "fanatic" in fan.
I've sat down behind the screen a time or two at Miller Park. After the first couple of batters, didn't even take notice of the barrier. But was sure glad it was there to stop a screaming foul drive.
ATTENDANCE WAS UP for the Brewers by 72,458 from 2018. Sunday's home finale was the 20th sellout of the season (that's 24.69% of home games). The team finished with 2,923,333 fans for the season. An amazing total for a small market -- thanks to state-wide support AND that retractable roof.
Why has it taken so long for Major League Baseball to recognize a safety issue and address it?
Granted, this is NOT mandated by MLB, but more and more ball clubs are extending the protective netting in front of fans. The Milwaukee Brewers among them.
Several years ago, MLB pushed it's members to extend the netting to include the dugouts. Now, many teams are taking that a step farther. Some have taken the netting all the way to the left- and right-field foul poles. Sounds like Milwaukee is following suit.
Early in the season, there were several fans injured by foul balls -- including children. Last year, a fan attending a Los Angeles Dodger game was killed. Seems like every season there's a number of fans struck, some injured seriously.
Any question WHY baseball needs to protect fans? You hear talk of "exit velocity" and "lift" along with more and more pitchers that can touch 98 to 100+ on the radar gun. Heck, Milwaukee's MVP Christian Yelich fouled a ball off his right kneecap and fractured it for a season-ending injury.
Let's face it, are the majority of those fans in the stands capable of reacting to a screaming foul ball? Probably not. At the games I've attended the last few years, especially so this season, there's a growing number of fans staring at their cell phones, not at the action on the field.
And please, please, please DON'T give me the "it takes away from the experience and the chance for a foul ball keepsake" -- or for pre-game autographs from players. If that's argument, I'm sure they can figure out a way to lower the screens early and raise them for the game. And the netting won't keep fans from chances at those pop-up foul balls.
I've read where, in Japan, the netting has extended to the foul poles for years. No problems or complaints there, where folks put the "fanatic" in fan.
I've sat down behind the screen a time or two at Miller Park. After the first couple of batters, didn't even take notice of the barrier. But was sure glad it was there to stop a screaming foul drive.
ATTENDANCE WAS UP for the Brewers by 72,458 from 2018. Sunday's home finale was the 20th sellout of the season (that's 24.69% of home games). The team finished with 2,923,333 fans for the season. An amazing total for a small market -- thanks to state-wide support AND that retractable roof.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Taking a shot at the NBA
When the starting players in the National Basketball Association take a night off for "load management" purposes, it's always a road game.
Never mind that this may be the only time that, say, LeBron James comes to town -- and his presence has sold a lot of tickets.
Nope. The hell with the fans. Super Star X ain't gonna play. If a marque player is injured, that's one thing. But taking the night off for load management is another.
Need a solution, NBA? Require those stars to play on the road IF it is the team's only appearance in a given city. Need a night off? Sit out at home...
Just food for thought as the NBA season nears.
Never mind that this may be the only time that, say, LeBron James comes to town -- and his presence has sold a lot of tickets.
Nope. The hell with the fans. Super Star X ain't gonna play. If a marque player is injured, that's one thing. But taking the night off for load management is another.
Need a solution, NBA? Require those stars to play on the road IF it is the team's only appearance in a given city. Need a night off? Sit out at home...
Just food for thought as the NBA season nears.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Brewers Winning At The Gate
While the Milwaukee Brewers continue to keep their playoff hopes alive, the team keeps winning at the gate.
Attendance, after 70 home games, stands at eighth in Major League Baseball. The Brewers have drawn 2,498,346 fans to Miller Park, averaging 35,690 fans per game. Should that average continue through the final 11 home games, the club would finish the year at 2,890,936 -- just over 109,000 shy of the three million mark.
That's better than their 2018 total, when 2,850,875 showed up (good for 10th in the MLB).
Let's put this season in perspective. The Tampa Bay Rays are currently locked into a wild card spot with an 82-59 record (trailing the front-running New York Yankees in the American League East by 9 1/2 games). The only team worse than Tampa? Those mighty Miami Marlins, averaging UNDER 10,000 a contest. Anyone out there want to question the logic of professional baseball in Florida?
Despite a winning record, the Rays are second-to last in MLB, averaging under 15,000 fans a game. On Tuesday, for example, they attracted just 6,844 bodies. Milwaukee, in comparison, had a crowd of 29,335.
You can bet that the next four games with the Chicago Cubs will bring attract 39,000+ each game. And the Brew Crew will need to win at least three of those to stay relevant and in the chase.
Attendance, after 70 home games, stands at eighth in Major League Baseball. The Brewers have drawn 2,498,346 fans to Miller Park, averaging 35,690 fans per game. Should that average continue through the final 11 home games, the club would finish the year at 2,890,936 -- just over 109,000 shy of the three million mark.
That's better than their 2018 total, when 2,850,875 showed up (good for 10th in the MLB).
Let's put this season in perspective. The Tampa Bay Rays are currently locked into a wild card spot with an 82-59 record (trailing the front-running New York Yankees in the American League East by 9 1/2 games). The only team worse than Tampa? Those mighty Miami Marlins, averaging UNDER 10,000 a contest. Anyone out there want to question the logic of professional baseball in Florida?
Despite a winning record, the Rays are second-to last in MLB, averaging under 15,000 fans a game. On Tuesday, for example, they attracted just 6,844 bodies. Milwaukee, in comparison, had a crowd of 29,335.
You can bet that the next four games with the Chicago Cubs will bring attract 39,000+ each game. And the Brew Crew will need to win at least three of those to stay relevant and in the chase.
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