Wisconsin Sports on the go with Trag
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Wisconsin Sports on the go with Trag
Green Bay Packers Predictions, Wisconsin Badgers Challenges, Big Ten Power Rankings, Brewers' Bullpen Trouble – All About Wisconsin Sports
Is the 9-5 grind leaving you exhausted? Tune in as we celebrate the electrifying return of the NFL, kickstarting with the Ravens vs. Chiefs showdown. You won't want to miss our exclusive insights on the Packers vs. Eagles game in Brazil, a clash not just of titans but also of continents. Shifting our focus to college football, we dissect Fox Sports' latest Big Ten power rankings, shining a light on Ohio State's crushing victory over Akron and Penn State's commendable win against West Virginia. We also analyze USC's triumph against LSU and Oregon's narrow escape against Idaho. Plus, gear up for Michigan's high-stakes face-off with Texas, with College GameDay adding to the excitement in Ann Arbor.
Facing a rough start? So are the Wisconsin Badgers under new coaches Phil Longo and Luke Fickle. In our in-depth discussion, we scrutinize the teething problems of transitioning to the "dairy raid" offense, emphasizing the critical need for better pass protection for quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. The first game against Western Michigan revealed some cracks, but we discuss the necessary adjustments and hold onto cautious optimism as the team aims to challenge Big Ten heavyweights.
On the baseball front, we dive into the Brewers' bullpen woes, focusing on Hobie Milner's struggles and potential roster tweaks. We advocate for more opportunities for Eric Haas, whose stats rival those of Gary Sanchez. Finally, don’t miss our Green Bay Packers season stat predictions, where we forecast big numbers for Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs. We wrap up with a heartfelt "River Reflections and Goodbyes" segment, blending personal stories of struggle and hope, making this episode not just about sports, but about the human spirit.
Thank you. How are we doing everybody? And welcome in to Wisconsin. Sports. Time to go with Trage. I'm your host, trage.
Speaker 1:It is Thursday, september 5th. I am excited. Football is back. Right, the NFL is back. Today, ravens Chiefs going to be squaring off here Our first NFL game of the season. Who's excited? I mean I'm excited. Does anybody else? I mean I imagine most people are excited. Right, we get to see this game and then tomorrow night we have the Packers and Eagles squaring off there. That is going to be coming. We saw the Packers If you stay close on social media and everything like that, they took off. They flew down there. Can't wait for that game On Peacock.
Speaker 1:I have seen a lot of people coming out now saying you can watch it on NBC and everything like that. So hopefully everybody's able to watch the game in some way, shape or form. If you didn't make the trip down to uh Sao Paulo, there down in uh Brazil, to watch the game, I don't know who would have as many crazy things that I've heard coming out of there, where I mean they're basically telling the teams like hey, go down there, play, play football, come back, don't do anything else in between. Like that is just nuts. That is just nuts to me, but lots of good stuff, lots of good stuff there. Lots to get into today. I want to get into the Badgers a little bit more today. No-transcript that See what I think this Packers team is going to shake out to be some you know, statistic leaders who I think is going to lead in certain categories, stuff like that for the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1:So right away I want to look at the Big Ten. I want to look at the Big Ten in a whole. To start today on the show here talking college football. I want to start college football here. The Big Ten power rankings. So Fox Sports came out with their Big Ten power rankings following last week's games or last weekend's games there and I wouldn't say a huge surprise and most of this list I actually agree with. So number one on the list, ohio State, one and all. They beat Akron 52-6, did everything they had to do right. We saw Junkins and Henderson both go have good games out of the backfield before I'm there. And then also we saw their defense step up there, gabe Powers and Ransom having pretty good days for Ohio State. Ohio State looked good against Akron. Now, yes, it's Akron. It's not a great team but they look solid. So you give them the number one spot on that list there in the power rankings. Number two Penn State.
Speaker 1:After a game where this was in Morganstown against West Virginia, I really, you know, in my prediction I predicted West Virginia to win that game. I really did. I didn't know what to expect out of Drew Adler. I thought it might be a tough first game for him, especially on the road playing at West Virginia. And I mean they completely shut down. West Virginia's rushing attack held them to just 85 yards on 37 carries Wasn't great by any means for the Mountaineers there. And then I mean offensively they were solid, right, drew Adler did what he had to do and Penn State rolled. So Penn State looked solid in that game 34-12. They got the win.
Speaker 1:I agree with that number two spot there. In the three spot, usc I mean LSU is a good team, don't get me wrong. Lsu is a good team. And in that game I thought Lincoln Riley, finally, he was in a game where I thought he out-coached Brian Kelly. I thought he did everything and they outplayed. I mean you look at Miller. Boss had a great game there at quarterback for USC. He's following in some big footsteps right, I mean to most people Cale Bullion's big footsteps there at USC and he's following in those big footsteps there and he looked good in his first game out there. Lsu is going to be definitely a top team in the, the SEC, and to see what USC was able to do I mean 27-20, not a blowout win it was a good game. Right, that was a good game there and I mean Miller Moss led USC down the field, put him ahead late in this one. Usc looked good. I mean better than I thought they were. You know, usc to me looked like I was hoping Wisconsin would look. I've heard a lot of people say that USC looked good. I mean, all in all, this team came out. They were big, they were tough, they were fast, they got after LSU. I mean at times looked like they were the outright better team at moments in that game. So I mean USC looked good.
Speaker 1:Oregon at the four spot. A lot of people saying, well, why is Oregon so low on this list? That is a talented team. You're right, that's a talented team. But Idaho had them on the ropes for most of that game and a 24-14 finish in that one, like we talked about with wisconsin. They got the win. That's what matters. They got the win. Yeah, they did. They got the win. They weren't impressive in that win. So you know they're gonna have this game coming up this week here, hopefully a little bit of a uh, prove it game for oregon, but all in all I mean it was just. It was one of those games for oregon where they got the win, but it just wasn't impressive on the way there. Which is what I mean we talked about with Wisconsin was they got the win, it just wasn't impressive on their route there. That's the same as Michigan against Fresno State. There Fresno State played tough against Michigan and exploited some things in Michigan. Now Michigan will have to take on number four, texas. That'll be a big game in Ann Arbor College. Game day will be there, a big atmosphere for that one. If they can hang close or even beat Texas, that changes a lot of minds. As of right now I'm picking Texas to win that game. But that should be a very good game there between those two.
Speaker 1:Iowa comes in in that sixth spot If they found an offense. The Big Ten better be careful. Cade McNamara McNamara I always mess his name up. He had 21 for 31, 251 yards and three touchdowns. They had nearly 500 yards of total offense and converted seven of 15 times on third down. I know it was against Illinois State. I know it was Not a great team. If they can find a way to make this sustainable some kind of offensive threat Iowa's going to be a dangerous team. So watch out for them. They have them in the sixth spot right now. Nebraska in the seventh. They beat UTEP 40-7. Finally looked like some good things happening there. Maryland beat UConn 50-7. Uconn is nowhere near good in football like they are in basketball, so we do see Maryland get the win there.
Speaker 1:In the eighth spot, wisconsin comes in in the ninth spot. We know what happened beat Western Michigan there. But it was not impressive and you hear a lot of people, a lot of critics out there talking about Wisconsin and what's wrong. Is Luke Fickle really the guy? Everything like that. So we're going to get into a little bit of those questions and topics today here.
Speaker 1:But Wisconsin in the nine. And then we see Rutgers in the 10, washington at 11 right now. They did beat Weber State. Rutgers beat Howard. And then we see Illinois. They got the home win over Eastern Illinois. Indiana got the win over FIU. Purdue got the win over Indiana State. Purdue got the win over indiana state. Northwestern got the win over miami. Michigan state got the win over florida atlantic 16 to 10. Not an impressive wish. The way that michigan state has fallen off over the years is just crazy. It's just crazy to me. You know, seeing where they once were, to what they are now, that that is just nuts. So Michigan State comes in in the 16th spot. And then Minnesota comes in, the only team in the Big Ten to lose. Last week they lose to North Carolina on a field goal late, 19-17 in that one. And then UCLA comes in in the 18th spot. They did get the win over Hawaii, 16-13 on the road. So traveled down to Hawaii and won that one. Great for them. I guess. They're 16 to 13. Not an impressive win, I guess, and that's what has them down in that 18 spot right now.
Speaker 1:So there are your big 10 power rankings according to Fox right now and the uh. What Fox has to say. I mean I agree with that list, uh, for I mean I don't really see a problem in anything that they put on there. I would have that top four. I completely agree with Michigan in the five, iowa in the six and then from down there I mean, I saw Wisconsin as in the 9, 10, range, 11 maybe. So that's where I have them sitting right now. So I agree with that power ranking there. I saw a lot of people you know, I saw it on social media and a lot of people talking about the power rankings around, like Wisconsin groups and everything like that. So I just wanted to look at that power rank and kind of shoot it out there. See what I had to think about it and I'm going to say right now I agree with the power rankings and where they have everybody ranked in those categories. So I want to get to the Badgers now, talking about a little bit of what we talked about yesterday there on the show there, kind of dial it back, kind of get into it a little bit more today here and give my explanation on some of the things I had to say yesterday about Wisconsin.
Speaker 1:So one of my biggest issues I had it with Wisconsin last season there and I still have it with Wisconsin because of what I saw in the first game Wisconsin last season there and I still have it with Wisconsin because of what I saw in the first game, when Phil Longo and Luke Fickle came to town, the big thing with Wisconsin football was it was going to be this air raid offense. Right, that was the. We ended up calling it the dairy raid and it was like, okay, we got this air raid offense, now that's going to incorporate more. You know, a pass heavy. We're going to try to get the ball down the field, look for some deep shots and try to exploit holes in this defense. It's a lot of shotgun, right, we're running a lot of shotgun plays, some out of the pistol, but a lot of shotgun plays, generally three to four wide receivers out there and we're going to see what happens. Right, my biggest issue with that. So you look at wisconsin especially. You know last season and now into this season against western michigan, the pass protection for wisconsin.
Speaker 1:I was not impressed by the offensive line for the badgers. I thought honestly they lost the trenches in that game. I did not see a passing play where I was like w Wisconsin won that on the offensive line. There's a lot of issue there in pass protecting. Now, are they big and slow? It's something that you don't categorize when you looked let's just look past Wisconsin when everybody used to think Wisconsin, they were like running backs, offensive linemen, that's where they come from. Running backs, offensive linemen, that's what Wisconsin's going for.
Speaker 1:We get this new head head coach, everything like that. We get this new air rate offense and it's like, okay, now we go away from the offensive line, now we don't need this. You know big, hefty offensive line that can pass block for you. Can you know, open up holes for the running backs, can give quarterbacks time to try and make a throw? None of that is there right now and, like I said, it's only one game that we saw. So you don't want to get into this moment where we're constantly overreacting to one game.
Speaker 1:But when you look at that game as a whole and I had to rewatch it again because I was thinking about that I was thinking about pass protection and I was, like you know, looking at this air rate offense what does it need to succeed? What does an air rate offense need to succeed? Well, you look at the playbook. Some of it's going to be quick, methodical passes, making things happen quickly, right, but a lot of it is it seems like you're always sneaking a guy quickly, right, but a lot of it is you're always, it seems like you're always sneaking a guy behind, right, whether it's Bryson Green or it's Will Pauling or it's, you know, somebody else out on the outside there, like Williams, you're trying to sneak guys deep, you know, and trying to make the big play.
Speaker 1:The Badgers aren't making the big play. They haven't had that big play threat, right. So that leads to the Badgers doing a lot of things over the middle. They want to do a lot of things over the middle and it's a lot of mid-level stuff when all you can do is throw the mid-level ball. You know, what makes Ohio State, what makes Oregon, what makes Alabama, all these teams, so dangerous is they have a lot of playmakers right, but outside of that, they have the ability that if you're going, if you try to defend them one way right, you're trying to take away the flats. Right, we were running this we're trying to take away the flats. Right now we're trying to take away the middle of the field. Well, we have guys that have burner speed and if you tried to go man to man with us right now, we're going to take you deep, and we know we can win one-on-one balls with these guys. So for me, for Wisconsin to succeed. Number one it starts in the trenches. For me, I got to see this Wisconsin offensive line give Tyler Van Dyke time in the pocket. Right, they got to give him time, and I'm going to talk a little bit more about Tyler Van Dyke here in a second. But I got to see the offensive line give him time Because everybody likes to say, well, the Badgers don't have money, they don't have all these playmakers, you know, there's no talent in the room, everything like that.
Speaker 1:I believe the Badgers have talent at the wide receiver position Will Pauling, bryson Green, cj Williams I think there's talent in that wide receiver room and Vinny Anthony right, there is talent in that room, but the Badgers can't use that talent. They're almost predictable. Right, when the Badgers can't, you know. Right, when the Badgers can't, you know. You look at last season. It was like they tried to get away from the run, but they couldn't get away from the run because they constantly had to get back to it because this offense, this air raid offense, wasn't there.
Speaker 1:I don't think it's an air raid offense. I think they call it an air raid offense. I don't know what it is. I don't know what they're trying to make it. The scheme looks like an air raid offense, but I don't know what it is. I don't know what they're trying to make it. The scheme looks like an air raid offense but it's like bits and pieces pulled out of an air raid offense. It's like bits and pieces of we're trying to do like an advanced Paul Crist playbook, right, where we're adding more pass. We're trying to get more pass.
Speaker 1:The RPOs, whatever it is right. The RPOs, whatever it is right. I thought Tyler Van Dyke looked good in RPO situations. But how often are we going to be able to get in those situations before we become predictable? Right, you got to be able to exploit defenses in different ways.
Speaker 1:The Badgers almost become predictable. You saw, I saw a article on the special teams for the Badgers. They had that fake field goal that they almost housed Western Michigan did and if you actually somebody had a lot of time on their hands because they actually went back and they looked at the scheme and they looked at you know a lot of the kicks that the Badgers had and you know their defense heading up for that kick and the defense was always the same. They always ran the same scheme on those plays. So when you get predictable, bad things happen because you got out-schemed.
Speaker 1:I heard an interview with Luke Fickle and he said they came with a good game plan and they were able to adjust and they did this and they did that. Okay. So if we're getting out-schemed by Western Michigan this and they did that, okay. So if we're getting out-schemed by Western Michigan, does that not worry you about Alabama USC with Lincoln Riley? I mean, you're not playing Ohio State, but Oregon or even Penn State or Iowa. If you got out-schemed by Western Michigan, does it not concern you moving forward, that you are not going into games with a good game plan, right? So then, especially on the offensive side? So then, is it a Luke Fickle problem or is it a Phil Longo problem?
Speaker 1:I was excited when they first brought in Phil Longo, because I was excited for this new style, up-tempoed offense. I was excited for it. Right, we were so used to the. We're going to ground and pound until you get sick of it and then you're going to load the box on us. I got so sick of seeing that that I was excited for this new style of offense and instead I've got an advanced version of it, but it at times doesn't seem as even productive as what we were seeing before.
Speaker 1:So is that Fickle's problem then, or is it Phil Longo? Well, I think it starts with Longo, right? I think Longo is, if it's, you know, play calling, if it's scheming up before you even get to the game, if it's game film, whatever it is, I think Longo's got to be better. But then, at the end of the day, it's on Luke Fickle to get on to Longo to say hey, man, I mean, how are we going to compete with the likes of the rest of this Big Ten conference? Because it got better, right? I mean, you're talking about you added in Oregon, you added in Washington, you're adding good teams, it's going to get better. How are you going to compete in that kind of Big Ten with what you're doing right now?
Speaker 1:You know, the plan when Luke Fickle came to town was the Badgers were going to be this competitive football team, right, and they were going to be at top of the Big Ten. They were going to compete for titles, they were going to get advanced. They were going to get past what Paul Crist was in Madison. They were going to get over the edge. Paul Crist was almost a guaranteed seven to eight wins a season. That's where he was, he was almost guaranteed. Now it's like okay, so if he was there and now we're getting like seven wins a season, did we get better by hiring on this big name coach? I don't know. I like Jim Leonard. I don't know if Jim Leonard was going to be the right guy. Right, jim Leonard was not this travel around the country and go recruit all these guys. So I'm not going to sit here and say that Jim Leonard would have been the better option.
Speaker 1:I'm not saying that Luke Fickle is a bad option. What I'm saying right now is what I'm seeing in Madison right now, from last year to this season, is a lot of the same. And is it? You know you don't want to get too early on it because, like I said, it's early in the season yet. Well, it's just worrisome. I guess you could say it's worrisome because it seems like a lot of the same in Madison right now and it doesn't seem like anything's changing, that it's getting better. Right, and you're not throwing in the towel. I'm not throwing in a towel on this season.
Speaker 1:I truthfully believe that this Badger team has the potential to do some good. I really do. I really do. I just got to see it, man, I got to see it. I got to see this Badger team in the South Dakota game come out fire and look like a completely I mean just this air. I got to see this offense just look like it is meant to be in the Big Ten, that it can compete at a high level, because right now I don't know if it can compete against some of the top teams. I think it can compete against bad teams. I really do. I just don. I think it can compete against bad teams. I really do. I just don't think it can compete against those top teams. So that's something I'm keeping an eye on. There is this offense, because, like I said, I mean what offense is it? I think that's something that we need clarification on, because right now I don't know what. If it's air raid, if it's just a shotgun scheme, I don't know what you'd call it, I don't know what you'd call it, but they definitely need to figure that out in those sorts.
Speaker 1:I started talking about him a little bit but I didn't get full into it because I wanted to talk about him here. I went on this little tangent yesterday about Tyler Van Dyke and I would say with Tyler Van Dyke my biggest thing with him in that last game. It wasn't that he was just downright terrible because, like I mentioned, I mean I thought he was good in, I thought he was good in RPOs. I thought at times he made good decisions. But there was those other times and I don't know if it was the jitters of the first game or what it was with Tyler Van Dyke but what I saw out of him was a lot of. I mean, he's a veteran, right, he's a been-there-done-that guy. He's been in college football for five years now.
Speaker 1:What I saw with him was a lot of times either he'd hold onto the ball too long and, like I said, this is a lot to do before, like I was saying, with the offensive line but it was a lot of times where he was holding onto the football too long, he wasn't making a quick read, right, and at other times I thought he was bailing too early. I thought he wasn't letting a play develop, he was bailing out of there. Now that could be new team, new atmosphere, first game, it's going to lead to those kinds of things. But I just thought at times there it was either I'm holding on to the football too long or I'm bailing out too early and I'm dumping it off to a running back. There has to be the happy medium in there where you're letting the play develop. That's also going to lead to the deep ball threat. That's also going to lead to receivers being able to actually run their routes that they're assigned and making things happen out there. I think the offensive line will get a little weathered. They'll get some weather to them, they'll get into it this season here and I think they'll settle down. They'll start to get together, understanding each other's tendencies, everything like that, and the offensive line will be fine. I'm not saying that the offensive line is going to be a complete wash for the season.
Speaker 1:That first game that would be the thing that worried me. It could have been jitters, it could have been this, it could have been that. But I just thought at times he held onto the football too long. At other times it was the bailout he was getting out of the pocket too soon. That's what I got the feeling with, where I compared him to Tanner Mordecai from last season, because Tanner Mordecai was that same way. I thought he bailed on plays too soon and tried to use his legs instead of trying to use his playmakers Right.
Speaker 1:And you look at a lot of these other teams, you look at a lot of the guys who have been there, done that, quarterbacks who will stand in there until the last possible second and make a throw right, make the read, make the throw when it's open there, not forcing balls. There was a couple times against Western Michigan where I thought he was honestly going to get intercepted. That was in the red zone. He got lucky a couple times there. You know those kinds of things will happen. I'm not going to say they're not going to happen. What I'm saying is that Tyler Van Dyke being the veteran presence that he's supposed to be inside of that locker room, inside of that huddle, I have to see him show that to me on the field there, where he's not afraid to stand in there, maybe feel the heat down his back, step up, make a throw, let the playmakers do their thing, let plays develop. That's the big thing that I want to see out of Tyler Van Dyke. You have to see that before Alabama, otherwise that game is going to be a complete just crap show in Madison.
Speaker 1:If the offense cannot figure it out here this weekend and then leading up into next week, that's a bad game. To be trying to figure anything out is against Alabama. You got to be going into Alabama feeling it. You got to go into that game against Alabama knowing what you have and what you want to be looking for. And if you're still trying to figure it out after South Dakota, if you're still reeling after South Dakota, that leads to troubles there because you got Alabama, you got USC back to back there. Those are two tough opponents that you don't want to face while you're struggling. So hopefully the Badgers on offense figure it out this weekend here and everything is right with the world on that side of it there. So that's about all I had for Badger Talk.
Speaker 1:I just wanted to get in some clarification from what I was talking about yesterday. I had a little bit of an overreaction on a Tuesday or Wednesday. I had a little bit of an overreaction on Wednesday. Had to just dial it back today and just try to talk it out and see what everybody else is thinking out there, because everybody else has their feelings on certain things and that's where I'm at right now on this Badger team and this Badger offense. So I want to get into the Brewers. A lot of talk. Puegro came in and he blew that game against the Cardinals there in extra innings.
Speaker 1:As I'm watching the end of this game here for the Brewers against the Cardinals, also in extra innings on this Wednesday night, I am going to be honest with you. Obi Miller's another guy for me that I don't need to see, right, I don't need to see him. I don't know why we're throwing him in in this situation. I don't need to see him. I don't know why we're throwing him in in this situation. Whatever, it's one of those things People want to be so ticked off about Poguero because, yes, I get it, poguero, when he has inherited runners, it's not Gouda, it's not Gouda.
Speaker 1:He's not a guy who gets you out of those spots right now. I mean inherited runner. He's got a three ERA, but with inherited runners, I believe the stat was like 16 of 25 have scored against them. Not a great stat, not a great stat whatsoever, right? But Holby Billner is going to be on that same leash for me right now, because, man oh man, if it's not the same stat inherited runners, it's just his own runners that are scoring at this point. He has been struggling this season for the Brewers. He has been struggling mightily.
Speaker 1:When Brian Hudson comes back. I tell you what right now, because another thing I want to talk about was how DL Hall and Aaron Ashby have both looked solid since coming back up for the Brewers. That is the guy I'm sending down. I am not sending down Hall, I'm not sending down Ashby, I am sending down Hobie Milner and that's it. That's it. I'm going to be honest with you right now. You want best bullpen scenario. Those two staying up are my best bullpen scenario. They give me two lightning arms out of the bullpen, velocity strikeout stuff, everything like that. Those are my guys. I'm not sticking with Milner there. So there's my tangent for the day. I had to get fired up about something, right? I just watched Milner give up that run. Hopefully the Brewers can come back here. We're talking about a win here shortly, but I mean, oh no.
Speaker 1:So Paguero, taking a lot of heat from his blunder there, gave up a couple of runs there late in the game. Cardinals end up winning that game there. Late in the game, cardinals end up winning that game. And I will agree, puguero is not good when he inherits runners, right? I think Puguero is a solid arm. He's a solid arm. He was a fresh arm at the time. He's a solid arm.
Speaker 1:Now, if Paredes is ready to go, if Paredes is ready to go down there in the minors, I would not be opposed to bringing back Paredes and sending Poguero back down. If he has an option, I would not be opposed to that. And then when Bryce Wilson comes back, well then you have to figure something else out, because I'm guessing you're going to want a roster spot for Bryce Wilson. But if it comes to playoffs, I'd send, I would Savali would be in and I would bring him in because my postseason pitching if DL Hall keeps pitching like he is, I want a lefty in my rotation. I'm putting DL Hall in my rotation and I'm rolling out with Ray, tobias, myers, freddie and DL Hall. That's just where I would shake it. I don't know what it is, what that feeling is for me, but that's the way I would shake it right now.
Speaker 1:But Paguero, he's struggled with inherited runners. I am completely in agreeance with that. What I'm saying right now is that he's got his ups and downs with him, just like we had with Pai Amps, we've had with a couple of different pitchers out there. I don't think Paguero is going to hold on to a roster spot. Once Bryce Wilson's healthy and also Brian Hudson comes back, I think Paguero will be the short leash guy who will be sent down. I think Paredes should get a shot to come back at some point here. If he doesn't, I am going to be severely upset with that whole ordeal because he was phenomenal in his first little stretch here with the Brewers before he got hurt, so hopefully we see him come back at some point here.
Speaker 1:Another guy I wanted to talk about was eric haas, and I mean he had the big home run last night there. Uh, to tie it late in this one ended up. You know we'll see how it ends up here. Eric haas has been nothing but fantastic for the Brewers this season. I mean he's sitting there. He's got a 298 average 11 RBIs, 14 hits and 47 at-bats, four home runs. Haas has been solid. He's been solid for this Brewers team. I honestly I think he should get more playing time. I really do. I think he should get more playing time.
Speaker 1:I look at some of the other guys that they're putting rolling out there at times like a Bowers. I'm not even going to get into Bowers because I understand why they have Bowers. I do Backup first baseman lefty, I get it with them. But I'll be honest with you, if push game to shove, if I was in a playoff series and I wanted Hoskins to be the DH or the first baseman for that game and I needed a DH, eric Haas would be a fine DH for me. I'll be honest, eric Haas would be a fine DH. You want a DH Sanchez, okay. But if you really look at the two sample sizes between Sanchez and Haas I mean Haas, like I was just I mean he's only got 47 at-bats, sanchez has got 204. But you look at the RBIs, haas has 11 in 47 at-bats. And then you look at 34 RBIs and 204 at-bats for Gary Sanchez.
Speaker 1:Haas has done a lot with a little. Sanchez has done decent with a lot. How do you shake that out? I would not be opposed to Eric Haas getting more play time. I wouldn't, as I see him strike out. He does me dirty. He does me dirty. I'm sorry, I'm talking good about this guy and he strikes out for me in the tent. I feel bad now. He must have heard me talking. But even if, even if he has been solid for this Brewers team, he has and it would be a shame for him to waste a stretch like he's having.
Speaker 1:He was hot in the spring for the Brewers. He was good in the minors for the Brewers. They brought him up. He's been solid in pitch hit rolls and everything like that. Give this guy some playing time down the stretch. I just want to see what he does. I want to see what he does.
Speaker 1:If you get a bat like that hot going into the postseason. I mean, come on, come on, let it roll, let it roll with it. Talk about a story. That'd be awesome. Now, with our luck, we'll probably designate him for a Simon at some point. That's the way we like to do those kind of things. I mean, there's just that line 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
Speaker 1:If you want to talk about an Achilles heel or an issue with the Brewers, runners in scoring position and especially, bases loaded, those two things are a constant issue for this Brewers team. If you were going into a postseason series and you had to say what is the biggest problem with the Brewers, that's, your biggest problem Is their ability to drive in runs, their ability to put the ball in play and make things happen. We're watching it right now in this Cardinals game. Late in this one, jackson Turio. Hopefully he can step up once again and be that guy for the Brewers.
Speaker 1:But we constantly see this Brewers team struggling to find a way to put the ball in play and make things happen. Now I know it's harder. It's harder said, you know it's tough. I mean it is tough To just we can say you know it should be easy to go and do it, but sometimes it's tough. I mean, major league pitching is tough to hit.
Speaker 1:But this Brewers team needs to find a way. They need to find a way to put guys on and to find a way to drive them in. They, I mean, great at getting guys on base, putting guys in scoring position, but then what? Then? What happens after that? If it's not two guys on for Willie Adamas because we know Willie Adamas is going to drive him in right, especially with two guys on it's strikeout fly out, shallow fly out usually, because they don't end up with a sack fly. It's a struggle to find a way to score runs with runners in scoring position. So I don't know it's going to be the Achilles heel for this team. I guarantee it. If it get into a post-season game, that's going to be the one thing that might come to bite them at the end of it is the struggle to drive in runs when they're there, and that is, I mean, been a problem all season and it just continues to be a problem. Hopefully They've been a problem all season and it just continues to be a problem. Hopefully they start to figure out that problem here sooner rather than later there. So that's about all I got for the Brewers.
Speaker 1:Hopefully we're wrapping up the show here with the Brewers Wayne. We got Hoskins up with two outs and two on. That is a terrible call. This umpire who is behind the plate tonight for this Brewer game? Because everything that I've seen tonight this guy has been just hot garbage Umpires this season. I don't know if they just want robotic umpires, if that's what they're praying for, but like they have been downright bad. Jeremy Riggs is behind home plate. He has been bad. I mean outside good three inches, not liking it, not liking those calls there. Hopefully I'm talking about a brewers win here in a minute, because otherwise it's dang redbirds, those dang redbirds there. So let's get to the backers. Let's get to the backers.
Speaker 1:I want to get to my season stat predictions. Some of the things that I could see shaking out here for this team uh, coming up this season, because we got the game coming up friday, tomorrow. I want to get into the preview show. I don't want to be talking about predictions, so I want to get into the predictions right now here. So my first prediction Jordan Love will throw for over. I'm going to give him 4,500 yards. I think he's going to be around that 4,500-yard mark and I think he's going to throw for 34 touchdowns. Book it, take it to the bank, book it and take it to the bank. Those are my predictions for Jordan Love on the season. There I don't think I have to go into rushing yards because I don't think he's going to light the world on fire with his legs coming up this season. But I'm going to look at passing yards and touchdowns there. I think he's going to go for over 4,500, and I think he's going to have 34 touchdowns, if not over. I think he's going to be just at 4,500 there.
Speaker 1:For Green Bay, josh Jacobs. Josh Jacobs is going to go for over a thousand yards. Boom, boom. I don't know what it is. I just got that feeling. I got that feeling. Now it's going to be tough. That is going to be tough.
Speaker 1:If any of my stat predictions that I'm going to give you right now, the hardest one, I think, is going to be Josh Jacobs going for 1,000 yards, simply because I think the workload is going to be dispersed between him and Lloyd and Emmanuel Wilson. But I think, just the way Josh Jacobs is going to start the year, I think they're going to stick with him. I think they're going to stick with him and I really feel Josh Jacobs is going to have, if not 1,000 yards, I think he's going to be just on the cusp of a thousand yards. There, my receiving room, my receiving room, I have Romeo Dobbs leading the Packers in, I'm gonna just venture to say, most statistical categories. I think he's going to lead in yards. I think he's going to lead in receptions there. I think he's probably going to honestly lead in touchdowns. I think he's going to be that red zone guy for the Green Bay Packers. I think he's going to be trailed by Wicks. It's going to be close.
Speaker 1:I honestly think you know a lot of opposing fans and everything like that like to poke fun at the Packers because you know our big thing is we don't have a number one wide receiver, we don't, and I really do think between Dobbs, wicks, watson and Reed, I think this four wide receiver core, the stats are going to be darn close, just like it was last season. I mean, look last season's stats. There you had Jaden Reed with 793, dobbs with 674, wicks with 581, and then Watson injury riddled nine games. He had 422 yards in nine games. That tells you how explosive he was in those games. So I'm looking at those four guys and saying those four guys right, there will have big seasons. I think they're going to all be close in statistics and I think for me I think they're going to be all around that I think Dobbs is honestly going to be probably close to the 800 range there and then I think we're going to be close to 900. Then I think we're going to, you know, maybe close to 900. Then I think we're going to see Wicks close behind. I think we'll see Watson in that room and I think we'll see Reed in that room too. So if it's not in that 800, I think it's going to be the 800 range and I think it's going to slowly drop off from there. But I think all those guys will be very close there. I think that we're going to see Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave combined for over 800 yards receiving. Book it, book it on that one, book it on that one. I think those guys will be downright impressive this season here. I think those guys are going to go for a combined 800 yards receiving there. I think it's going to be downright impressive. I don't know if my receiver stats are going to hold up. That's why I have my tight ends getting over in that 800 range for receiving, because I don't know if all four of my receivers are going to be in the same grouping there. I think it might end up a little bit like it did last season there, with Reed led them in receiving. I think we could see Dobbs way up top there with like 800 yards, and then I think we could see Wicks you know in this. You know high 600, 700 range and then I think we'll see Watson in there and then I think we'll see Reed to follow it up there. I think Reed will take a little bit of a step back. I think Dobbs will jump ahead of him there in that category.
Speaker 1:In the kicking room I want to look in the kicking room now because this is the guy. I think he's going to have a good year. I think I think Musgrave is going to have a big season. I'll be honest with you, I think he's going to have a big season. Or Narveson Sorry, my mistake there, my mistake there I think Narveson is going to have a big year for the Packers. The new kicker coming to town I'm going to put a bold prediction. A bold prediction. I think he's going to be 91%, 91%. I think he'll sit in that range this season. Looking at last year's statistics some of the top guys I was just going to pull them up here, top kickers from last season uh, in field goal percentage, let's see. I mean Bucker was 94%. We saw Folk go 96%. We saw Fairbairn go 96%. I think we're going to see. Yeah, I mean I'm going to give Musgrave I keep calling him Musgrave I'm going to give Narveson, I'm going to give him the nod at 91%. I feel like he's going to be that 91% range.
Speaker 1:On the season there, I think Rashawn, gary is going to go for 12 sacks. 12 sacks, book it, take it to the bank, give me that cheddar. I think we're going to see Gary have a massive year for the Packers. I think he had that injury a couple years ago. He's slowly working his way back. I think this season here Rashawn Gary just goes on a burner, I think he does. I think he ends up with 12 sacks on the year. It might be bold, I don't know. He had nine last season there. I think he's going to have 12 in this one.
Speaker 1:Quay Walker leads the team in tackles while also recording six sacks. That'll be a big step forward from last season there. Last season he had two and a half sacks and he had 118 tackles. He led team tackles last year. So not a huge step in that category, but I think in this new half-league defense I think Quay Walker is going to be able to blitz a little bit more, get into the backfield. I can't wait to see if he can get to that category there, to the six, five, six sacks in that range there. I think he definitely could take that step forward.
Speaker 1:Kenny Clark and Devontae Wyatt combine for 13 and a half sacks. I'll give him 14 and a half. I'll give him 14 and a half. Last season there Devontae Wyatt had. Let's just see here I believe he had 5.5 sacks. I think Devontae Wyatt had 5.5 sacks and Kenny Clark had 7.5. So together those guys had 13 there, if my math is right I believe it is. I think they're going to end up in that 14.5. I could even see them in that 15.5 range. I to even see him in that 15 and a half range. I think Kenny Clark and Devontae White are due for some huge seasons coming up this year.
Speaker 1:I'm going to look next at Lucas Van Ness. I think Lucas Van Ness is going to have a breakout season for the Packers. Last season he recorded, I believe. If I'm not mistaken, he had four sacks on the season last year I had his name and then I lost him there. There he is Four sacks on the year. Last year he had 32 total tackles and I mean that was all good and dandy. There I'm going to give him a breakout year. I think he's going to double in sacks. I think it's going to be a huge year for Lucas Van Nester. So give him eight sacks, give him I'm going to go with probably about 50 to 60 tackles on the season. There he's going to be a machine. He's going to be a machine in there for the Packers.
Speaker 1:And my last bold prediction Keyshawn Nixon is going to once again lead the league in return yards and he's also going to have two house calls. I think he's going to have two house calls. If he has more great, I think he's going to have two house calls on the season. Yeah, I think two house calls isn't crazy. I think it's I mean reasonable. I think two house calls isn't crazy. I think it's I mean reasonable. I think it's a reasonable ask out of them there.
Speaker 1:So that's where I stand right now in my stat predictions. I think it's going to be a big year I really do. And I think it's going to be a big year for the wide receivers, for the Green Bay Packers. I think those guys are going to go off. I really could see multiple guys in that room recording over 600 yards. I really could. I could see multiple guys getting over 600 yards. I think Jordan Love's going to have a massive year.
Speaker 1:I am excited. I am excited. Maybe I'm far-fetched on my stats. That's what I'm here for. I've got to be far-fetched every once in a while. Right, you gotta be, you gotta be, I'm hoping, I'm hoping. I'm not, I'm hoping all my stats come true, because that'd be awesome. So I mean with that, that's about all I got for today.
Speaker 1:We went through brewers, badgers, packers. We got lots more to get into tomorrow here on the show as we get into our weekend preview. We got got Packer preview, we got Badger preview, we got Brewer talk to get to. So much to get to and hopefully, hopefully, we're talking about a lot of wins coming out of that preview. Right, we're talking a lot of wins. We preview it, we get to the games. Lots of wins after that. And then we're coming back Happy talking about it on Monday. Right, that's all we can ask for it. That's all we can ask for there.
Speaker 1:So, with that, like I always say, if you can like subscribe, give us a follow. Go on any of the social media platforms facebook, instagram, twitter, wherever it is search wisconsin sports on the go with trades, you can find us there. Give us a follow there, give us a shout out. Let your friends know about the show. That'd be awesome. Let them know where you found us, wherever podcast platform, youtube, spotify, wherever. Let them know about the show. Make sure they're listening, because I mean, we got all learned together, right, we got all learned together. I'm not teaching anybody anything. I'm learning with you guys as we go along. So, with that, that's about all we got for today this has been wisconsin sports on the go with trage. Thank you guys for listening.
Speaker 1:I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your Thursday, but until we talk to you guys again tomorrow, deuces, yeah, oh, my Lord, watch me sway. Darkness falls and we all pray, hoping for the light of day Down to the river. I have held the devil's hand, felt the weight of my own sin, buried by the heart of man Down to the river, down to the river, down to the river. Oh, bury me, carry me, oh, far beneath, oh, fire and water me. Going down deep, saying oh, bury me, carry me, oh, oh, fire beneath, oh, oh, fire and water me Watching me clean Kerosene Creek.