To say Ryan Braun's career has been defined by ups and downs is an understatement of
http://www.marlinsfanproshop.com/authentic-j.-t.-realmuto-jersey , well,Braunian proportions.In 2011, Braun hit his apex. He signed a five-year,
$105 million extension with the Milwaukee Brewers??he only big league franchise
he'd ever known??n April of that year.He promptly led the National League with a
.994 OPS, swatted 33 home runs and won the NL MVP award.The following season,
Braun again paced the Senior Circuit with a .987 OPS and 41 homers, and finished
second in MVP balloting.In the process, he cemented his status as an undisputed
superstar.In July 2013, the facade came crashing down. MLB slapped Braun with a
season-ending suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.Rather than contesting
the punishment and insisting upon his innocence like he did after the initial
positive test in 2011, Braun issued a contrite statement dripping with guilt."As
I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect," Braun said. "I realize now
that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those
actions."In 2014, Braun returned to the Brewers lineup and posted a
then-career-low .777 OPS with 19 home runs in 135 games. The question of whether
PEDs had amplified his stats was all but settled...and not in his favor.More
essentially, his place in the baseball hierarchy was drastically redefined.In
late August, a new book about the PED-connected clinic Biogenesis cast further
aspersions on Braun.He went from MVP to pariah, from hero to villain.
Forgiveness seemed like a distant, unlikely dream.Dylan Buell/Getty ImagesAs we
enter the stretch run of the 2018 campaign, that dream is attainable.Since the
All-Star break, Braun has raised his average more than 30 points (from .235 to
.268) and his OPS nearly 80 points (from .711 to .789). In August, he slashed
.299/.349/.494.Concurrently, the Brewers have remained in the thick of the
postseason chase. Milwaukee has a solid hold on the NL's top wild-card spot and
a chance to catch the Chicago Cubs for the division crown.Braun is no longer the
leading man. On Monday, Christian Yelich hit for the cycle for the second time
this season. Lorenzo Cain has been a well-rounded addition to the
lineup.Braun
Brian Anderson Jersey , meanwhile, has been reduced to a supporting player in his age-34 season.That said, the Brewers are on track to ascend the
October stage for the first time since 2011 and possibly make noise in the
wide-open NL. If Braun's bat heats up, he could club his way to redemption.Morry
Gash/Associated PressBraun owns a .379 average and 1.060 OPS in 64 playoff plate
appearances. Small-sample caveats apply, but he's proved his mettle under the
brightest lights.Drilling deeper, his .271 batting average on balls in play for
2018 is 56 points behind his career mark of .327, per FanGraphs. His
hard-contact rate, on the other hand, is 40.8 percent, right next to a career
average of 36.4 percent.There's rotten luck in the mix. Steroids and age-related
regression aside, Braun's numbers should be more impressive.Milwaukee hasn't
been to the World Series since 1982. It has never hoisted a Commissioner's
Trophy. Braun could rewrite his legacy and etch his place in franchise
lore."When you're on a small-market team, it's unlikely that you're going to be
in this position every year," Braun told reporters. "When you do get
opportunities, you have to embrace them and make the most of them because you
don't get that opportunity every year."Matt Slocum/Associated PressHe's right.
Opportunities don't come along every year. That's true for postseason sprints
and swings at vindication.Braun will never erase his PED past. He'll always
carry the stain.But he might engineer a final-act about-face. He can seize it by
slugging Milwaukee past Game 162 and turning back the clock on his once-storied
career.It would be intriguing. It would be noteworthy. And it would be a rewrite
of Braunian proportions. All statistics current entering Tuesday and courtesy of
Baseball Referenceand FanGraphs. As heart rates in Boston begin to get back to
normal, anxiety levels are going up in Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Houston as the
Brewers, Dodgers and Astros prepare to play in the MLB League Championship
Series.The Red Sox were the last of the four teams to advance, as they sweated
out a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees Tuesday night to give them a 3-1
victory in their American League Division Series.Boston had a 4-1 lead heading
into the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday night with closer Craig Kimbrel on
the mound. Kimbrel gave up two runs and the tying run was on second when Gleyber
Torres hit a slow roller to third. Eduardo Nunez charged the ball and threw
Torres out by a fraction, and the play survived replay review and led to a Red
Sox celebration.The Astros quickly disposed of the Cleveland Indians in three
games and have been off since finishing that series Monday afternoon.The Red Sox
and Astros will begin the ALCS Saturday night, and Boston has home-field
advantage based on its 108-win regular-season total. The first pitch is
scheduled for 8:09 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised by TBS.The Dodgers
and Brewers will get underway one day earlier in Milwaukee. The Friday night
game will get underway at 8:09 p.m. and will be broadcast by FS1.NLCSFri., Oct.
12
http://www.marlinsfanproshop.com/authentic-miguel-rojas-jersey , Dodgers at Brewers, 8:09 p.m. ET, FS1Sat., Oct. 13, Dodgers at Brewers, 4:09
p.m. ET, FOXMon., Oct. 15, Brewers at Dodgers, 7:39 p.m. ET, FS1Tues., Oct. 16,
Brewers at Dodgers, 9:09 p.m. ET, FS1Wed., Oct. 17, Brewers at Dodgers*, 5:05
p.m. ET, FS1Fri., Oct. 19, Dodgers at Brewers*, 8:39 p.m. ET
Bryan Holaday Jersey , FS1Sat., Oct. 20, Dodgers at Brewers*, 9:09 p.m. ET, FS1*If necessaryALCSSat., Oct. 13, Astros at Red Sox, 8:09 p.m. ET, TBSSun.,
Oct. 14, Astros at Red Sox, 7:09 p.m. ET, TBSTues., Oct. 16, Red Sox at Astros,
5:09 p.m. ET, TBSWed., Oct. 17, Red Sox at Astros, 8:39 p.m. ET, TBSThurs., Oct.
18
Brad Ziegler Jersey , Red Sox at Astros*, 8:09 p.m. ET, TBSSat., Oct. 20, Astros at Red Sox*, 5:09 p.m. ET, TBSSun., Oct. 21, Astros at Red Sox*, 7:39
p.m. ET, TBS*If necessaryThe Red Sox will send staff ace Chris Sale to the mound
for Game 1 of the series, and the Astros have given the starting assignment to
Justin Verlander. This game has every chance to be a classic pitcher's duel
where one or two runs could decide the winner.Sale pitched and earned the win in
Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees, and he pitched a perfect eighth inning
in the series clincherThe Red Sox have tapped David Price to get the start in
Game 2, and he struggled in his start in the second game against the Yankees as
he was knocked out after 1.2 innings. Price has an 0-9 postseason record as a
starter, and the Red Sox are clearly hoping he can get back to the form he had
in the regular season in this game. Price was 16-7 with a 3.58 earned-run
average and a 1.14 WHIP.Gerrit Cole will get the start in Game 2 for the
Astros.Sale and the Red Sox were beaten by the Astros in last year's ALDS, and
the Boston left-hander was hit hard in Game 1 of that series."I try to learn
from every experience and learn from my mistakes," Sale said, per David Adler of
MLB.com. "My first go at it was godawful. It was as bad as it can possibly get.
Going through that made me better for this situation here, and hopefully going
forward."Clayton Kershaw will start for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS, but
the bullpen-dependent Brewers have not announced their plans for Game 1.Jhoulys
Chacin may get the call, as he has been quite effective for manager Craig
Counsell. Kershaw pitched the best postseason game of his career in the NLDS
against the Atlanta Braves, as he gave up just two hits in 8.0 scoreless
innings.Chacin was also impressive against the Colorado Rockies
http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-rod-carew-jersey , allowing just three hits in 5.0 scoreless innings.The Dodgers are minus-165
favorites to defend the National League title they won a year ago and the
Brewers are plus-135 underdogs, according to OddsShark. Those backing the
Dodgers have to risk $165 to win $100, while Brewers supporters must bet $100 to
win $135.The Astros are minus-155 favorites in the ALCS, while the Red Sox are
plus-125 underdogs.The Red Sox are minus-125 favorites to win Game 1, but there
are no odds on the first game of the NLCS because the Brewers have not named
their starter.Scott Grodsky ScottGrodskyChristian Yelich HR swing in slo-mo.
#OurCrewOurOctober ReviewngTheBrew BrewCrewBall BrewerNation
V2GRvPez6CPredictionsBoth of these series have a chance to be exciting,
thrilling and close, and they could go the seven-game limit.The Brewers are
rolling as the NLCS begins after beating the Chicago Cubs in Game 163 to win the
National League Central title and then sweeping the Rockies in the NLDS.The
Brewers have a dominating bullpen that is throwing shutdown innings, and
Christian Yelich has become the favorite to win the National League MVP.The
Dodgers are playing in their third straight NLCS, and they are clearly
accustomed to the big stage. With Kershaw in outstanding form and the big bat of
Manny Machado, they appear quite formidable.However, we believe the hot team
that has surged over the past month will remain hot. Look for the Brewers to win
this series in seven games.The Red Sox and Astros should have an epic duel, and
while Boston has home-field advantage, a devastating lineup featuring Mookie
Betts and J.D. Martinez, and an impressive starting staff, the Astros appear
equal to the task.The trio of Alex Bregman, George Springer and Jose Altuve are
all outstanding clutch hitters, and Verlander and the Houston starters are
outstanding.The Astros may have the advantage in the bullpenbecause the Red Sox
have had some struggles with their set-up men.However, after losing the ALDS to
the Astros last year, first-year manager Alex Cora will continue to make all the
right moves and Boston will survive in seven games.
