Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Donahue

Roberto Clemente: Baseball's Last Great Hero

Ryan Donahue — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:36:20 -0400

I just returned from visiting the Hoard Museum in Fort Atkinson, Wis., where today was the last day that the Roberto Clemente exhibit would be there, and I didn't want to miss it. I called my friend Nick up and we drove over.

When we arrived we were met by a nice older couple who ran the place. They gave us a bit of information and showed us the way to a small hall where a video from the PBS series American Experience would be shown about Clemente's life.

Fifty minutes later, I was humbled and awestruck by the the God-send's life. Clemente was unique and very ahead of his time spiritually and physically. Long before the New Age movement took off in the West, Clemente was experimenting with various vitamin and supplement concoctions he believed would improve his physical prowess.

Deeper than that, he also believed in mystical abilities, not least of which was an ability to connect between life and death. His older sister died when he was just a baby. He said that at various times throughout his life he felt his sister standing right beside him. There was a melancholy about him which he carried his whole life.

Being one of the first Latin Americans to break into the big leagues, he regularly had trouble with a cynical press. They made fun of his accent and the way he would talk about his pain, both physical and emotional. He broke the mold of the stoic player's kingdom; a feat with which the press, fans, and fellow players all had trouble grappling.

Having grown up poor and disenfranchised in Carolina, Puerto Rico, in life his heart was as big as his legend would become in death. The season after he helped the Pirates win the World Series, Clemente batted his 3,000th hit on a double in 1972. The fans cheered for minutes, so intensely that players stopped playing until the stands were quited. In December that year there was a terrible earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua.

Clemente bought tons of relief supplies and sent them to the disaster ridden country. After vandals stole the relief supplies, Clemente boarded a plane carrying relief supplies from his native Puerto Rico to personally oversee their distribution. A few minutes after the old plane took off it crashed into the sea, taking Clemente's life. The current took almost all the wreckage out to sea and with it, his body.

This was a man who gave his life helping people. He gave most of his money away to charities and to helping the poor in America, Puerto Rico and Nicaragua.

Clemente once said, ''Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth.'' To complement that mantra, he also said,

"I am convinced that God wanted me to be a baseball player. I was born to play baseball."

There is no doubt about the validity of those two statements. His life ripples through the ages, touching all who saw him, all who heard of him and all whom he has moved. America and its past time is better for his American experience.

2009 Brewers Pitching Staff Prospectus

Ryan Donahue — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:24:19 -0500

The projected starters for the Milwaukee Brewers 2009 season include Yovani Gallardo, Dave Bush, Jeff Suppan, Manny Parra and Seth McClung. Last season the Crew averaged an ERA of 3.86 with 2.31 strikeouts per walk and a BAA (batting average against) of .259. With the departure of CC Sabathia and Brewers veteran Ben Sheets, only time will tell how much more the Brewers will improve those figures. Enjoy the slide show and the Brewers successful 2009 season!

Begin Slideshow

Wright and Mendoza Acquired By Brewers in Prospect Trade with Yanks

Ryan Donahue — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:05:04 -0500

Today, the Milwaukee Brewers aquired former Yankees pitchers Chase Wright and Ramiro Mendoza in a trade involving rookie prospect Eric Fryer from Class-A West Virginia.

Milwaukee's thin bullpen does not go unnoticed to Brewers fans with the departures of eight year starter Ben Sheets, CC Sabathia, Brian Shouse and closer Salomon Torres the club is left with its starting five and a handful of relievers. Perhaps in the short run, aquiring Wright and Ramirez may add perceived depth to the bullpen. The question now is how will that depth pan out in the long run and will we come to regret the loss of Eric Fryer?

Fryer is coming off his rookie season in the minors during which he focused on catching. He batted .335 with a .407 on-base percentage with 10 HR, R63 RBI and 15 SB.

Lefty Wright had his first majors appearance last season in three games for the Yankees in which he had a 2-0 record and a 7.2 ERA. During his time in the minors, he went 10-3 with an ERA of 2.72. He is unproven in the majors.

Mendoza first appeared in MLB in 1996 and played for the Yankees with sporadic Red Sox seasons until 2005 when he pitched his last game. He has a career record of 59-40 with an ERA of 4.30 and 62 games saved out of 342 games and is on the preliminary roster for Panama's World Baseball Classic team.

The Brewers boast a deep farm system whose roots can be traced to the beginning of the Doug Melvin/Mark Antanasio era.

In the current age of baseball, it is wise to zealously guard young talent, especially in small to middle market teams. It will be interesting to see how these three aforementioned players perform over the next season.

I personally question Mendoza's pitching as he's been unused for several years now. Wright has yet to prove himself. Perhaps this will be his breakout season.

Depth is depth but talent is still talent, especially when it's young.

Expect The Miraculous With The Brew Crew

Ryan Donahue — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:35:45 -0500

Go Brewers!

Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers Avoid Arbitration, Agree to Terms

Ryan Donahue — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:20:08 -0500

The Brewers are wrapping up talks with first baseman Prince Fielder on a two year, $18 million deal. A detailed account of the Brewers' deal with Fielder will be released within the next 24 hours. It could be released at "Bob Uecker's Winter Warm-Up," which will be held Friday evening in downtown Milwaukee.

Fielder's contract will cover the first two of three arbitration seasons he is eligible for. The vegetarian slugger must pass a physical before the contract will be enacted.

Last season, Fielder hit .276 with 34 home runs and 102 RBI, which followed his career 2007 season. He had 50 home runs and 119 RBI in 2007. Barring any injuries, Fielder's 2008 statistical season can be expected from the third-year Brewer.

Recent players offered arbitration-avoiding deals include shortstop J.J. Hardy and pitcher Dave Bush. Hardy was offered a one year, $4.65 million deal. He hit .283 with 24 home runs during the historic 2008 season. Bush had a 4.18 ERA in 31 games last season, of which he earned 16 quality starts.

Arbitration-eligible players remaining include pitcher Seth McClung, right fielder Corey Hart, and second baseman Rickie Weeks.

Bucks-Bobcats: Milwaukee Defeats Charlotte Team Struggling with Mediocrity

Ryan Donahue — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:26:40 -0500

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats last night in a 101-96 win, moving their record to 9-12 as the Bobcats sink to 7-12. For a team that has been plagued by injuries since the beginning of the season, this is a much-needed victory.

“You can see that the lineup has changed throughout the course of the year based on the injuries and as we get these guys back we’re getting a little momentum,” Assistant Coach Joe Wolf said.

The Bucks should be glad that 7'0" center Andrew Bogut’s migraine was the only injury going into the game. With a total of 33:59 of playing time and 10 points, the Australian’s migraine seemed not to have affected his game.

On the flip side of ailments is the mediocrity which has shrouded the Charlotte Bobcats for the past five years of the franchise’s existence. The ingredients for this recipe of mediocrity are unconventional.

Ask many people if Michael Jordan and basketball equals failure and they will no doubt tell you "No." Yet this is exactly what is happening to the former superstar’s team. Jordan, whose Bobcat position is “managing member of basketball operations,” joined the team in June 2006 with a minority ownership stake and the role of über-general manager according to a Sports Illustrated reporter.

Jordan, who primarily manages the team from his home in Chicago, excels in absentee-style managing.

“Michael doesn’t come to many practices,” Bobcats head coach Larry Brown told a media source. “And I think it means something to the guys when he does.”

It may not only be Jordan’s absence that is affecting the Bobcats. Brown may need to be reminded that from the book of Proverbs one can read that "a kind answer turns away anger."

Perhaps too, it encourages winning, as evidenced by the phenomenal turnaround of the 2005 Tampa Bay Devil Rays (67-95) after the departure of skipper Lou Piniella. Current manager Joe Maddon led his renamed Tampa Bay Rays to the World Series this year with positive upbeat sayings and his now famous equation: 9=8.

“Coach doesn’t like telling you something twice,” 6'0" guard D.J. Augustin told a media source. “And he likes it less and less the more he has to tell you.”

Bucks rookie Joe Alexander had 6:47 of playing time and brought in two points and had one blocked shot. Alexander, who was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, was the eighth overall draft pick for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2008.

“He’s working hard every day and I think he’s learning the NBA game,” Wolf said of Alexander. “But that’s going to take time and patience is going to be a big key.”

Forward Charlie Villanueva connected on 25 consecutive free throws dating back to the Nov. 21 game against the New York Knicks which the Bucks won 104-87. Villanueva’s streak unfortunately came to an end tonight after going 1-2 on free throw attempts. The free throw was not Villanueva’s only contribution to the Bucks' win as he brought in a total of eight points over 19:00 of playing time.

“Our first half was a little bit sloppy but we picked up and had a big win today and that’s what matters,” Villanueva said.

With cellar-dwelling standings, much work has yet to be done before either of these teams can be seen as real playoff contenders.

UW-Whitewater's Win Streak Ends in Sobering Defeat to Stevens Point

Ryan Donahue — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:58:55 -0400

Homecoming fans solemnly left Perkins Stadium Saturday following a 17-16 loss to University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Point’s offense brought in the win with a touchdown followed by a two-point conversion.

Whitewater scored a touchdown on a 33-yard pass from Jeff Donovan to wide receiver Aaron Rusch with 13:02 left in the first quarter. Rusch made UW-Whitewater player of the week.

Stevens Point answered several minutes later with a 20-yard field goal by kicker Ryan Graboski, bringing the score to 3-6 Whitewater. With 4:02 left in the first quarter, Graboski evened the score with a 43-yard field goal.

Paul Wick, also UW-W player of the week, picked off a pass by Jared Beckwith and returned it to Stevens Point’s 49-yard line. Freshman running back Levell Coppage scored on a 35-yard run, followed by a one-point conversion by UW-W kicker Jeff Schebler with 7:10 left in the second quarter, taking Whitewater to 6-13. This would be the last score of the half.

Graboski once again shined at 12:58 in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard field goal on a five-play, 38-yard drive to bring Stevens Point within four points of Whitewater. With less than five minutes remaining on the clock, Schebler scored on a 19-yard field goal attempt, taking Point’s tantalizingly close hope further from them.

Fate would prove to be on Point’s side when, with less than 15 seconds on the clock, quarterback Jared Beckwith passed to receiver Jared Jenkins for a touchdown. UW-SP brought in another two points with a diving catch by Jenkins on a conversion, winning the game 17-16.

The loss to Stevens Point ended UW-W’s Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 25-game win streak and their WIAC home field win streak of 27 games.

Whitewater’s last two homecoming losses have come at the hands of Stevens Point, the last loss being in 2004 with a 15-12 score.

Whitewater will host UW-Eau Claire Saturday, Nov. 1 at 12 p.m. in Perkins Stadium. UW-W is 6-1 and 4-1 in the WIAC and will end their home field schedule against UW-Stout the following week.

Adoring Brewers Faithful Send Off Heroes In Style

Ryan Donahue — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:57:08 -0400

In ecstatic roars emanating from the crowd, the 2008 Milwaukee Brewers were sent off as heroes to the team’s first playoff series in 26 years at the Summerfest grounds in Milwaukee yesterday September 29.

"Twenty-six years," closing pitcher Salomon Torres boldly proclaimed to Brewers faithful. "You've waited 26 years, and you can wait no more!"

Torres pitches 3.49 and has gone 7-5 in his last 12 games.

The Brewers have named Yovani Gallardo as the starting pitcher for Wednesday’s game against the Phillies. This will be Game One in the best of five National League Division Series.

Gallardo returned from the DL on the September 25 game against the Pirates in which Ryan Braun hit his first game-winning grand slam of his career. The game was tied 1-1 from the fourth when in the 10th inning and bases loaded with two outs Braun hammered the ball high over left field into the jubilant crowd.

Gallardo, who has been kept from pitching with a torn ACL in his right knee will be squaring against Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels who has a 3.09 ERA and 196 SO this season.

"He might be a rookie on paper, but he's not a rookie in his heart," Dale Sveum said of Gallardo. "He's an 'ahead of his time' young man."

The beast himself, Mr. CC Sabathia will take the mound in Thursday’s game. The left-handed pitcher has gone 11-2 with an ERA of 2.7.

"It's the fans here that gave me the motivation for going 'all in,'" general manager Doug Melvin said. "I want to thank CC for that trade. It made up for all of the bad ones I've made."

“It’s unbelievable…the fans have been so supportive of us all year. It just makes you feel that all the hard work you put into this game pays off,” all star Ryan Braun said. “It’s really cool to have the opportunity to sit back and reflect on what we just accomplished and to see how much it really means to this city.”

“It’s a fantastic day for Brewers fans—it’s a fantastic day for Milwaukee. It’s something we’ve waited for for a long time,” mayor of Milwaukee Tom Barrett said.