Observations of the fall

Phoebe has a bit of a cold …

More than anything, we feel for her, and wish there was something we could do to cure her. Obviously, she can’t yet blow her nose, and she’s not yet old enough to take any medicine …

On top of that, we’re pretty sure she’s teething …

And yet, it sort of adds to her adorableness -- to hear her laughing through her scratchy, partly-gone voice. She’s still smiling and kicking like there’s not a worry on her mind …Man, when she gets kicking in her crib, it shakes the whole house.

Here’s a video of her playing this weekend …

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I had a couple assignments this afternoon that had me out and driving along the countryside … The leaves on the trees are already changing colors. I love this time of year, the sense of renewal … But, I’m also wondering where the heck the summer went …

I also heard Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long” four times during my driving … I loved that song the first time I heard it at the beginning of the summer. Then I went through a phase of thinking it was a cheap ripoff -- which, really, it is -- of Warren Zevon’s "Werewolves of London" and Lynyrd Skinner’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” Now I’m back to kind of liking it again …

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… I’m still basking in Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter last night.

With the help of my cohorts Chris and Joe, and Wikipedia, this morning, we pulled up a couple interesting numbers, bits of trivia and childhood memories …

a Zambrano's no-hitter was the first at Miller Park, and the first in Milwaukee since Steve Busby no-hit the Brewers in 1974 ... It also was the first no-hitter to be thrown at a neutral site -- if you want to call it that.

a The only Brewers no-hitter was thrown by Juan Nieves in 1987.

a There have been nine combined no-hitters ...

a 21 rookies have pitched a no-hitter since 1901 ... I remember the Wilson Alvarez no-hitter. In his second Major League start. Unbelieveable.

a I vaguely remember the Pedro Martinez no-hitter lost in extra innings ...

a Nolan Ryan had seven no-hitters. Roger Clemens had none.

a 1991 was an awesome year for no-hitters. And I remember them all -- Alvarez, Denny Martinez's perfect game, the combined no-hitter by the Orioles, Nolan Ryan's final no-hitter (on the same day Rickey Henderson broke the all-time steals record) ...And the best one -- Bret Saberhagen's no-hitter against the White Sox in Kansas City. The next morning my mother and I got so sidetracked by trying to get a Kansas City Star from the box that we locked the keys in the car ...

Then , this afternoon, the Cubs nearly went and did it again. Ted Lily took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a hit, the only hit of the ball game …

Not to take anything away from either pitcher’s performance, but I’ve gotta think, given all the circumstances -- Hurricane Ike, the decision process of where to play, and then winding up at “Wrigley North” with thousands of fans clad in Cubs blue -- that the Astros were rattled out of their game …

John Kruk just said it best on “Baseball Tonight” -- The Astros had no business playing these games, knowing what’s going on in Houston. Ridiculous.

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Then there was the breaking news that swept across Wisconsin this afternoon faster then Eric Gagne can blow a Brewers’ lead: Ned Yost fired.

It was an interesting turn of events, considering this morning Chris also had forwarded this link calling for Ned Yost’s dismissal. Frankly, the quote at the top of the page floored me, and it was the first moment in the last two magnificent seasons that I thought a managerial change might be good for the Brewers …

Even when a lot of fans starting calling for Yost’s firing last fall, I backed him and thought he was one of the best things to happen to the Brewers in 15 years. I really, really liked the guy. I loved his passion. I loved his loyalty and the way he believed in his players. I loved the shots of him and Dale Svuem or Mike Maddux exchanging strategy on the dugout steps …

Then the last two weeks happened. They’ve started the month 3-11. I haven’t understood Yost’s reliance on Eric Gagne. Or why Ray Durham, a proven veteran, hasn’t had more playing time.

At this point in the season, with 12 games left and the Brewers tied for the Wild Card spot, I like this move. They need something to jumpstart them and propel them in to the playoffs. They’ve got nothing to lose …

I imagine Dale Sveum being the kind of guy that could get them there, too … I’ve enjoyed watching him with the Brewers as a coach. I enjoyed watching him as the Brewers’ steady shortstop during the late 1980s … He’s also got the postseason experience, having been with the Red Sox during their run in 2004.

Even better, Svuem’s bringing back Robin Yount to be his bench coach.

Unfortunately, the most enduring memory I have of Sveum, though, is the fateful night that ended his career. Me and the fam sitting in a hotel room, on a vacation somewhere in Wisconsin, and watching the game. A ball was hit to shallow left field. Svuem and third baseman Paul Molitor went out for it, left fielder Darryl Hamilton came in. And bang, all three of them collided. I’ll never forget seeing Sveum being carted off on a stretcher and Gary Sheffield taking his place, essentially launching his career …

Here’s a good read from the New York Times about Sveum I stumbled across tonight … I hadn't realized his injury occurred in just his second full season in the Majors ...