These Milwaukee Brewers are for real
A Rose by any other name. Boone is not a goner
Good morning, all! I hope your Monday is off to a terrific start!
I’m old enough to remember that when Craig Counsell left the Milwaukee Brewers as manager to become manager of the Chicago Cubs, the experts said that was it for the Brewers. I’m old enough to remember when David Stearns left the Brewers front office to take some time away from the game - before landing the job he most coveted, running the Mets - the experts said it would only be a matter of time before Milwaukee crumbled.
Well here we are a couple of years later and there are 29 clubs who would rather be where the Brewers are: owners of MLB’s best record.
Since June 19, the Brewers have a 34-9 record. They are comfortably in front in the NL Central and manager Pat Murphy has a leg up on becoming only the second manager to win back-to-back Manager of the Year awards. Bobby Cox currently owns that honor.
Down 5-0 on Sunday, the Brewers rallied to beat the stumbling-and-bumbling New York Mets, 7-6, courtesy of a solo, walk-off HR in the ninth by Isaac Collins. It was Milwaukee’s ninth straight victory. Or putting it another way, it’s their ninth consecutive win since the well-liked Murphy pulled a pancake from his uniform pocket. Apparently he likes to stuff his pockets with pizza slices and pancakes. Whatever works, I suppose.
So, are the Brewers for real? Until proven otherwise, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Here are some other thoughts that crossed my mind for Monday, Aug. 11, 2025:
BTW, that is seven straight losses for the Mets and 11-of-12. They have gone from first to 5 1/2 games behind the Phillies.
Yankees fans are dreaming if they think the club will fire manager Aaron Boone in season. It is not going to happen. It’s obvious management loves Boone and most importantly, so do the players. Boone has not lost the clubhouse. However, if the Yankees do not make the playoffs - and remember they have dropped from a once comfortable lead in first place to dangling by a thread in the wild card race - all bets are off. Boone could be out. And for that matter, I would not be surprised if ownership decides to part ways with GM Brian Cashman or kick him upstairs in some advisory roll.
Poor Tommy Fleetwood. He has never won a PGA Tournament. He blows a lead at the Travelers Championship and does the same Sunday in Memphis at the FedEx Cup St. Jude Classic. Rather than run-and-hide after the tournament, like some golfers would do - not mentioning any names here, Rory - he stood and answered every question and did so in an inspiring way. He may not have won a tournament yet, but he is a winner in my book.
Speaking of which, that was quite a sudden death playoff between Justin Rose and J.J. Spaun won by Rose on the third playoff hole. After the first sudden death hole, when both sunk clutch putts, Rose patted Spaun on the back and both shared a good laugh. That’s how it is done rather than two golfers ignoring each other with facial expressions, looking as if both are about to face dental surgery.
Since last week, when WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who makes $3M annually, did everything possible to bury Steve Pagliuca’s offer to buy the Connecticut Sun, I have written on this platform that this entire scenario does not pass the smell test. Well, the Boston Globe is starting to ask the same questions. In his Sunday notes columns, Globe writer Gary Washburn delved into points I brought up last week, among them, what does the WNBA have against Pagliuca’s very legitimate offer. I will repeat what I wrote last week: there is more to what is going on with the potential sale of the Sun than what meets the eye.
As always, thank you for reading and subscribing to the newsletter and have a great Monday,
DAN