The stats from the final regular-season game on 3/07/10, as well as the cumulative season stats, have been uploaded under the "Files" tab.

The following are the team leaders in each statistical category:

Batting Leaders:

AVG*: .395 - Eric Bennett

SLG*: .658 - Eric Bennett

OPS*: 1.236 - Eric Bennett

OBP*: .578 - Eric Bennett

R: 16 - Steve Meyers

2B: 5 - Jim Patterson

3B: 1 - (5 Players)

HR: 2 - Eric Bennett

RBI: 11 - Andrew Stiny

SB: 3 - Steve Meyers

HBP: 4 - Justin Rucks

BB: 8 - Steve Meyers

Total Bases: 25 - Eric Bennett

*(AVG, OPS, OBP and SLG based on min. 35 plate appearances, or 2.5 per game)

Against all odds, your Desert Brewers received some help from a Hogs loss to the Mets and a Brewers Victory over the Dodgers to leap into 4th place and their first playoff birth in at least six years... 

In today's opener the Mets overcame the Hogs 8-6 to give your Brewers control of their own destiny.  After a 30 minute delay the Dodgers had enough players and the Brewers began the game that led them to the playoffs.  The Brewers batted around the first inning and almost batted around the 2nd innning - giving them a lead that would never  be surrendered. 

Special recognition to Dean Holm for his stellar defense at 1B.

Please come out and support the Brewers v. the Mets next Sunday at varsity field at 9:30AM.

The most recent stats have been updated and are now available for download under the "Files" tab.

Despite a 1-4 slide that has pushed the Brewers to the brink of playoff elimination (again), the Crew knows they can only control what they do on the field - and are eager to take on the Blue Jays today at 9:30AM at the Palm Springs High Varsity Complex. 

The mathematics, scenarios, what ifs etc are the talk of the middle of the Coachella Valley Men's Baseball League and the Brewers, who were looking like a lock a few weeks ago, are now a bubble team - counting on outside help in addition to needing wins over the Blue Jays and Camioneros.

When asked about the situation team manager, COO, assistant VP, starting pitcher, left fielder, 3 hitter, fiance to bookkeeper Josh Gruning said, "We need some help".  These insightful comments have kept this reported coming back for more every week.  Ranks right up there with "Psst, please" (Ozzie Guillen).

When asked about the situation Eric Bennett stated, "My personal goal week in and week out is to have more hits than errors.  Considering I'll likely have 2-3 errors it should mean a big day at the plate for me."  Interesting logic.

Taking a look at some of the recent roster moves for the Brewers:

Notable losses:  A. Stiny - traded to the Palm Springs Chill for a slap in the face.  R. Magano - left via free agency in mid season.  Z. Garcia out with douchebaggedness.  D. Becker sent down to DD - New Jersey. 

Notable additions:  T. Gomez back from a cankle injury.  G. Mathenia and B. Hoag have been brought up from AAA San Bernardino.

Come on out to the ballpark - we hope to see you there. 

-Guy with the key to the JV fence gate but doesn't unlock it so we have to walk around or jump over the fence

The recent heavy rains have resulted in a cancellation of this weekend's game against the Mets. All remaining games on the schedule have been pushed back one week.

See you next Sunday, 1/31 at 1:00 pm. Stay dry Brewers fans!

The Brewers continued their march to the playoffs with a 7-6 win against the Diablos. It was a close game at the end, but the team pulled together using contributions from each player on the field to hold on to the victory. Dean Holm's pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 7th proved to be the game-winning RBI as Andrew Stiny closed out the last 3 innings to pick up his second save of the season. Josh Gruning was the winning pitcher, allowing 1 earned run in his 5 innings of work.

Notable offensive contributions: J. Gruning - 3/4, R, RBI; F. Lopez - 2/3, R, 2 RBI; J. Patterson - 2/3, R, RBI

The stats from Sunday's game against the Diablos - as well as the cumulative year-to-date stats - have now been uploaded to the website and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

The final score looked more like a football game than baseball as the Brewers fell to the Pirates in a 21-15 offensive melee that saw the ERAs climb faster than the national debt. It was a frustrating loss for the Brewers, but there were many positive things to focus on; such as the outstanding clutch hitting from many different hitters; the fact that there were very few defensive miscues; and the fact that the Brewers haven't come this close to defeating the Pirates - their longtime arch-nemesis - in several seasons.

The Brew Crew is still in decent shape in the standings as they are currently tied with the Cubs for third place. If they can stay focused in the second half, they stand a good chance of making the playoffs.

Top Performers: Andrew Stiny - 3/6, 3 2B, 4 RBI; Steve Meyers - 3/5, 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI; Zack Garcia - 3/4, 2B, 4 R; Frankie Lopez - reached base in all 6 PA.

The stats from Sunday's game against the Pirates - as well as the cumulative year-to-date stats - have now been uploaded to the website and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

This past Sunday was bittersweet for the Brewers, as their opponent was unable to field a full squad. Another win is certainly good for the playoff run, but it's always disappointing  when the games don't get played out due to a forfeit.

Now at the halfway point of the winter season, the Brewers are looking good in the standings at 5-2. The next month will be tough however, as they will face the Pirates, Reds and Mets over their next 3 games.

It took a while for the Brewers to get some offense going, but they found just enough to earn the win. Down 3-1 in the 8th, they managed to plate two runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Frankie Lopez and Josh Gruning. With the game still tied in the top of the 9th, Jim Patterson led off the inning with a double and later scored on a sac fly by Andrew Stiny. After a walk by Dean Holm, who advanced to second on a passed ball, Matt McCollough added a huge insurance run with a double into the alley.

Josh Gruning went the distance on the mound, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) and striking out 12. He closed out the game by striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth. The defense was solid overall and the Brewers were able to stay in the game until the offense finally kicked in. 

Player of the game: Jim Patterson - 3/5 2 2B, 2 Runs

The stats from Sunday's game - as well as the cumulative year-to-date stats - have now been uploaded to the website and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

The stats from Sunday's game against the Cubs, as well as the cumulative year-to-date stats, have now been updated and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

The Cubs took advantage of shaky defense to beat the Brewers by a score of 6-3 on Sunday. The Brewers just couldn't manage to get a rally going, scoring all three of their runs in the 3rd inning and falling mostly silent after that. Josh Gruning and Eric Bennett each had three hits, along with two more from 1B Justin Rucks. The rest of the lineup was a combined 2 for 22.

Rookie Andrew Stiney pitched 7 strong innings, but took the hard-luck loss after giving up 6 runs - only 2 of them earned.

Player of the game: Eric Bennett: 3-5 2B, HR

The stats from Sunday's game against the Hogs, as well as the cumulative year-to-date stats, have now been updated and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

The Brewers continued their hot start by beating the Hogs 16-9 on Sunday, 11/15. The Brewers jumped out to an early lead, but a number of defensive miscues allowed the Hogs to get back into the game. The hot bats continued to produce however, and the Brewers quickly put the game out of reach with 5 runs in the 6th and 4 more in the 7th. 

Notable Performances: A. Steiney 2-5 2B, HR, 3RBI; J. Rucks 4-6, 3R, 3RBI

The stats from last Sunday's game - as well as the cumulative season stats - have now been updated and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

The Mets reminded everyone why they are the defending champs three seasons running as they rolled over the Brewers 10-0 this past Sunday. With two key players missing, the Brewers were unable to keep up with the powerful Mets lineup. Equally effective was the Mets' starting pitching as the Brewers managed a paltry two hits (a single by Frankie Lopez and a double by Eric Bennett) in 7 innings.

With a record of 2-1, the Brewers are now preparing for their matchup with the Hogs on Sunday, 11/15. Game time is 9:30am, gates will open at 8:30. Be sure to come join us for more baseball in the land of perpetual sunshine.

The team stats for Sunday's game against the Diablo Rojos are now available under the "Files" tab.

The bats were alive for this Sunday's game as your Brewers moved to 2-0 on the season with an 11-9 win over the Diablo Rojos. Catcher Steve Meyers led the way at the top of the order with three hits while scoring twice. Shortstop Eric Bennett was never retired in his 5 plate appearances, finishing the day 2-2 with a triple, 2 walks and a HBP.

The Brewers now look ahead to next week's game versus the defending champion Mets. Come on out next Sunday at 9:30am to support the team!

Due to a schedule change the Brewers will take on the Diablos Rojos this Sunday, November 1st 2009 at 1PM on the Varsity Field.  The Brewers are off to a fantastic 1-0 start and will be looking to exorcise the Diablos and go to 2-0.

The Brewers have a number of new faces on the roster this season - come out and meet them!  Autograph signing time is 45 minutes pre-game and immediately following the game.

Fans are reminded that while cheering and support is welcome - alcohol is not.

See you Sunday.

In a rare turn of events, the Pirates were unable to field a full team for Sunday's opener and the game was declared a forfeit in favor of the Brewers. While the team was disappointed that no game would be played, a 1-0 start to the season is a welcome occasion nonetheless.

After a full-squad workout next Sunday, the team will look ahead to their next opponent, the Diablo Rojos. That game is scheduled to be played at 1:00pm on Sunday, 11/8.

The Opening Day schedule for the CVABL Fall 2009 season has been announced. Your Desert Brewers will be facing the Pirates on 10/25 at 1:00pm PST in the season opener. The complete season schedule will be posted to the website once it has been distributed to the managers later this week.

Season ticket packages are now available and operators are standing by, so be sure to reserve your seats today!

As some of you are aware, the league rules allow each team in the playoffs to select one player from a non-playoff team to bolster their post-season roster. This year, two of your Brewers players have been honored with such a selection.

Eric Bennett will be providing his services for the Mets squad and Frankie Lopez was recruited by the Reds. Congratulations go out to both players for their accomplishments. Best of luck to each as they try and help their respective teams advance toward a championship.

The stats from the final regular-season game on 8/02/09, as well as the cumulative season stats, have been uploaded under the "Files" tab.

The following are the team leaders in each statistical category:

Batting Leaders:

AVG*: .509 - Josh Gruning

SLG*: .800 - Eric Bennett

OPS*: 1.394 - Josh Gruning

OBP*: .621 - Josh Gruning

R: 21 - Steve Meyers

2B: 5 - Eric Bennett

3B: 2 - Josh Gruning

HR: 3 - Eric Bennett

RBI: 18 - Josh Gruning

SB: 7 - Steve Meyers

HBP: 5 - Frankie Lopez

BB: 9 - Steve Meyers

Total Bases: 41 - Josh Gruning

*(AVG, OPS, OBP and SLG based on min. 30 plate appearances, or 2.5 per game)

Baseball the way it is meant to be played - with playoff seeding on the line on the last day of the season - the Brewers came out seeking to overcome their past, a team they haven't beaten in over 3 years, and climb into the playoffs for the first time in the modern era.  Keeping the Pirates bats more or less at bay the Brewers surrendered only 3 runs in the first 3 innings, and managed to threaten each of the first 3 innings, but just couldn't get the clutch hits that they needed.  The Pirates pushed forward and led by 10-2 for several innings.  The nail in the coffin came in the form of a 3-0 green light grand slam that put the Pirates up 14-2.

Despite the loss the Brewers held on to a last ditch mathematical chance of making the playoffs.  The Reds needed to drop their continued game against the Cubs and then lose to the Nationals.  The suspense was short lived as the Reds managed to beat the Cubs in the first game - thereby eliminating the Brewers.

Out of the playoffs,  the Brewers will reflect on a much improved season but lament some of the games that got away.  A team pot luck will be scheduled soon and recruiting is rumored to have begun already for the fall season - with hopes for some new faces, continued fun and some additional wins.  The cool weather of the fall makes it a great time for spectators - come out next season and catch a game or two!

 Brewers tapped-out the Dodgers to improve their season record to 5-6.  This victory keeps the Brewers in the playoff hunt with a meeting with the dreaded Pirates next week to decide the playoff picture.

After the Brewers/Dodgers game, league officials had some work to do.  The Reds/Cubs game, which was played at 10AM on the Varsity field, was called in the 9th inning with the score tied.  Thinking that there were no playoff implications the league went back to the beginning of the year rule and called the game a tie - putting the Brewers behind the 8 ball for the playoffs, as they trail closely behind both the Reds and Cubs.  After review the league officials mandated that the game be finished on 08/02/09.  This game could just decide the playoff hopes for the Brewers.

Come out next week to see the Crew - they may just control their own destiny!

The latest stats have been uploaded to the "Files" section.

Your Desert Brewers never trailed the Reds and held on to win this Sunday 07/12/2009.  Josh Gruning got the win with 8 dominant innings, highlighted by 10 strikeouts.  Justin Sturwoldt shut the door in the ninth for his first save of the year.  The Brewers put up runs in several innings and played better than average defense.  Props to Joey Whitecotten and Steve Myers for their performance in the outfield. 

Leading hitters included David Becker (4/6, 2 R) Josh Gruning (3/4, 2 R, 2 RBI) and Eric Bennett (2/5, 2 2B, 3 RBI).  Also noteworthy was the defensive contributions of Dean Holm, who provided 9 solid innings behind the plate in 112 degree heat.

At 4-6 the Brewers are still alive in the playoff hunt.  Experts would expect the Pirates and Mets to make the playoffs but the Reds, Cubs, Nationals, and Brewers are all competing for spots 3 and 4 of the playoffs.  The Brewers hold the tie-breaker with the Reds, having swept the series, but lost 2 to the Cubs and split with the Nationals.  A bye week next week will allow the Brewers to rest up for the final push against the cellar-dwelling Dodgers and the Pirates.  If the Pirates have their spot wrapped up they may just play their second string, and the Brewers will be looking to make their first appearance at the dance in over 3 years.

The stats from Sunday's game - as well as the cumulative YTD stats - have now been updated and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

The Brewers squandered an outstanding outing from journeyman pitcher Jim Patterson by committing a couple of defensive errors in critical situations. The offense was effective against the Mets' pitching as the Brewers scored early and often, starting with a 2-run home run in the top of the first by third baseman Josh Gruning. Things fell apart in the 5th however, when a 2-out error by Gruning opened the door to a 7-run inning that proved too much for the Brewers to recover from.  

It was another tough loss for the Brew Crew, who have now dropped 4 in a row and are quickly falling out of contention for a playoff spot. The season is not yet over however, as the Brewers can still finish with a .500 record by sweeping their remaining 3 games.

Notable performances:

Josh Gruning: 4-5, 2B, HR, 4RBI, 3R

Steve Meyers: 2-5, 2B, 2R, RBI

The offensive statistics from Sunday's game vs the Nationals have now been uploaded to the website under the "Files" tab. Defensive statistics are not available for this week as the team had only nine players and no one was available to keep track of the scorebook while the Brewers were in the field.

The stats from the game on 6/21 vs the Cubs have been uploaded to the "Files" section.

The ball bounced their way, the calls came their way, but the Brewers were unable to upend the Cubs on Sunday and dropped their second game in a row.  Facing potential a forfeit due to a lack of players, the Brewers were able to scrape together a lineup that ended up playing fairly good defense, but lacked the offense needed for a win.  The Cubs were persistent and managed to keep the Brewers at bay surrendering 3 runs in the first few innings.  Earl Smith of the Cubs threw a complete game and kept the Brewers in check, causing the Brewers to go scoreless over the last 6 innings.

Notable performance by David Becker at the plate, as he went 3 for 4 with a 2-run triple.

Round two the Brewers have begun just where they started Round one of the season, 0-1 with a loss to the Cubs, who will be battling for a playoff spot with the Crew.  The Brewers will need to turn it around and pick up at least 3 wins in the remaining games to stay in the hunt.  To do so the Brewers will need their entire roster to participate, hoping for production from the starters, the bench, and the bullpen.

The stats from Sunday's game - as well as the cumulative YTD stats - have now been updated and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

The Brewers fell to 3-3 after Sunday's brutal loss at the hands of the Pirates. Shorthanded with a number of key players out of action for various reasons, the Brewers defense made a number of costly errors early and the powerful bats of the Pirates' lineup made them pay for it. There was a positive note as the Brewers were able to close the first half of the season with a .500 record, but they'll be hungry to improve on that down the stretch as they vie for a playoff spot.

Leading hitters for 6/14: Max Kirk - 3/4, 2 2B, 2 SB; Josh Gruning - 3/4, RBI; Dean Holm - 2/4

The stats from 6/07 vs. the Dodgers have now been uploaded to the "Files" section.

Following back-to-back weekends off, the Brewers came back with a fury, pounding out 15 runs while surrendering only 1 in a game shortened by the mercy rule.  On a beautiful Sunday, the Brewers and their fans enjoyed an early lead and were able to continue putting pressure on the Dodgers en route to their third victory of the season.  Pitching the fifth inning, Frankie Lopez picked up his first win of the year.  Lopez walked the first two batters but settled in to end the inning without giving up a run.  David Becker pitched two shutout innings in relief to close out the game.

The Brewers bats on Sunday accounted for several multiple base hits, including an inside the park homerun by Josh Gruning.  The offense showed patience at the plate and managed to work several walks and hit by pitches.  Having frequent runners on base helped the offense put up their 15 runs. 

Moving to unfamiliar territory, the Brewers find themselves on the good side of .500 with a 3-2 record. 

Next week the Brewers face a difficult challenge in the Pirates, and will do so without Patterson, Lopez, and the Bennett brothers.  The Brewers confidence remains strong however, thanks in part to the return of Justin Sturwoldt and the emergence of several other key players.

Now batting for your Desert Brewers - weighing in at an imposing 8 pounds and 3 ounces - put your hands together for Mika Meyers. Mika was born today (5/21/09) to Brewers CF and leadoff man Steve Meyers and his lovely wife Michelle. Like any dedicated member of a baseball family, little Mika decided to make her appearance a week early - just in time for the Brewers' two week schedule layoff.

Please join me in congratulating the happy new parents. We wish them both all the best.

JG

The schedule has been updated to reflect recent changes by the league coordinator. Please reference the "Schedule" tab for the latest information. All dates through the rest of the season are current as of 5/21/09.

The stats from today's game - as well as the cumulative YTD stats - have now been updated and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

In any sport, the team that makes the fewest errors often wins.  The Brewers, despite several baserunning mistakes and fielding errors, were able to put pressure on the Reds and force mistakes of their own - and the Brewers capitalized.  Trailing 4-0 going into the 5th inning, the Brewers finally broke the shut out by putting up 5 runs on the board and taking the lead.  The Brewers continued to score runs and began to feel safe with a 10-6 lead.  The Reds never gave up, pushing two more across before Jim Patterson struck out the final batter in the top of the ninth to close it out and earn his first save. 

Leading hitters:  David Becker 4-4, Scott Bennett 3-5, Eric Bennett 2-3

Additional information coming soon.

The Desert Men's Baseball League has had some scheduling issues.  The Brewers schedule should be ironed out soon, and will be posted on the website accordingly.

The stats from today's game - as well as the cumulative YTD stats - have now been updated and are available for download under the "Files" tab.

The Brewers, donning their new team uniforms, looked even better as they vaulted ahead of the defending champions 8-0 through 4 innings.  The Mets, however, had other plans as their bats heated up and they responded with 14 unanswered runs.  The Brewers battled but the offense dried up and didn't manage a threat to the Mets' lead.  Manny Pimentel of the Mets carried the team with a grand slam and 5 innings of work on the mound. 

Kudos to Josh Gruning for another quality start.  Leading hitters and stats will be updated on the website when they become available.

The stats have been updated to reflect last week's game and are now available for viewing under the "Files" tab. Once open, click on the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet to toggle between batting and pitching stats.

Josh Gruning threw 5 dominating innings and the Brewers bats heated up to take the game 17-2 at the Palm Springs JV Field. 

The defense had little to worry about as Gruning retired 12 of the 15 outs with strikeouts in his 5 innings of work.  David Becker threw a solid 6th and Eric Bennett closed in the 7th.  In all the pitching staff struck out 16 of 21 batters.  The game was called on the mercy rule after 7 innings.

The offense started out strong and continued to pour it on throughout the game.  The Brewers scored 2 runs early and racked up several extra base hits including two inside the park homeruns by Eric Bennett.  Bennett, who was thrown out at the plate last week attempting what would have been his first inside the park homerun ever, managed two such feats in consecutive at bats on Sunday.  The bats were hot throughout the order with doubles by Dean Holm, Chuy Cezares, Scott Bennett, Zack Kauffman, and more. 

Snapping out of his early season slump Jim Surabian contributed with his first hit of the season, a scorching linedrive to right. 

Game and season to date stats should be available soon.

The Nationals joined the Brewers, Cubs, Mets, Pirates, Dodgers, Reds, replacing the Camaroneros for the Summer Season of the Desert Men's Baseball League in Palm Springs, CA.  The Nationals, created in a makeshift fashion earlier this week, were welcomed with open arms into the league but suffered a dissappointing loss in their first game to the Brewers. 

Please check the schedule section for more information.

Brewer outfielder and pitcher Justin Sturwold has agreed to return to the team following his collegiate season at North Dakota.  The Brewers wish Justin and his team the best of luck for the remainder of their season. 

Look for Sturwold starting May 17 when the Brewers face the Mets at 10AM at Palm Springs Varsity.

Game one hit the Brewers with their first loss and their first management change.  After the game on Sunday team officials made the move to shuffle the executive staff.  Dean Holm has been promoted to Team President and will retain his title as Operations Manager.  Josh Gruning and Steve Myers will become Co-Managers in charge of lineups, substitutions, game management, and the pitching staff.  Eric Bennett steps down from Manager to Bench Coach.  Sources say that the changes are effective immediately.  When asked about the changes all four members indicated their approval of the moves and their excitement about the remainder of the season. 

After a hard fought battle your Brewers dropped game 1 of their 2009 campaign 11-7 to the Cubs on Sunday.  The game featured the return to baseball of Scott Bennett, Zack Kauffman, and Jim Patterson after extended leaves.  A close game until the 7th the Cubs managed a big inning and the Brewers were unable to come back.  Josh Gruning was hit with the loss despite throwing 6 strong innings.  The offense sputtered at times but managed to put seven runs on the board.

Leading hitters:  J. Gruning 3-5, E. Bennett 2-5, S. Bennett 2-5

The Summer Season is here, and the updated schedule is now available on this site.  Please click the schedule link to find out game times and locations. 

We look forward to seeing you at the park!