The Milwaukee Brewers, 81 games in, Grade it out.

Here's the thing. I've said it before on several occasions that I've left this team for dead. I'm not proud of it, but the team had hyper expectations, and after Gallardo went down for the year? I expected them to need a shake up to wake up.

Who would have thought it would have been Eric Gagne falling onto the DL? Anyway. Grades at this point...

Catchers
Jason Kendall: B (His offense that was expectedly shit. But his defense? Remarkable good.)
Mike Rivera: B (He's made a lot of his limited time. Stupid Ned Yost is going to get Kendall's option vested.)

Infielders
Prince Fielder: B- (Off the pace of last season, but he's not playing awful. Or awfully. His vegetarianism was just an excuse to eat more candy.)
Rickie Weeks: D (He's got this weird bit of a skill set. Great eye. Decent power. Marginal defense. And he's hitting .214. I believe he's gonna get hot, but...)
J.J. Hardy: C- (J.J. Hardy is wildly inconsistent. He will get hot. But as he is? He's weaksauced.)
Russell Branyan: A+ (He's been above and beyond the expectation. He's gonna fall off. But he's sparked a revolution in offense while he's up here.)
Billy Hall: D (Outside of his power, he's been negative fun in Milwaukee. I respect him, but his game has imploded.)
Craig Counsell: D- (He's got a decent eye and can play an okay second base. That's it. His game is done.)

Outfielders
Ryan Braun: A- (He's turning into a Jewish Vladimir Guerrero. He has no approach at the plate, but he's rolling out on a good arm and a passable defense.)
Mike Cameron: C (Good defense, power, and speed. No average. The Brewers got an average Mike Cameron year.)
Corey Hart: B+ (He's the Kentucky Ninja of above average offense who is always awesome at this point in the year. Woot.)
Gabe Kapler: B+ (He's a Lefty smashing golem for great justice.)
Joe Dillon: D (His versatility is worth a free nip-up of the letter grade. But this is not like last year.)

Starters
Ben Sheets: A (Altogether now? Contract year.)
Jeff Suppan: C (League average innings eater? Yes.)
Manny Parra: B (His run has been awesome. But there are still concerns as to his true divinity. His starts have been inconsistent.)
Seth McClung: C (4 decent starts, 1 okay start, 2 bad starts. He's around the world.)
Dave Bush: D+ (He's only had three quality starts for the season. Mediocre to bad the rest of the way.)

Relievers
Salomon Torres: A (His best year statistically is at the age of 36. He is why in Doug we trust. Even if they should just release Gagne.)
David Riske: D- (He's never been the most consistent, but this is a bad year. I still think Riske may be hurt.)
Guillermo Mota: C+ (When he's on, he's been decent. When he's not? He's been a gas can of weepy salty tears.)
Brian Shouse: A+ (As a lefty one-out guy goes, he's been pretty solid versus right handers. He needs his own Tyler Perry produced movie. LOL SHOUSE OF PAYNE!)
Carlos Villanueva: C- (Weak as a starter, and has allowed runs in 5 straight appearances. Down year for Villy.)
Mark DiFelice: B+ (You cannot hate on 16 K's to 0 walks. But DiFelice has a dinger issue that he's gonna have to deal with.)
Tim Dillard: D (Random middle reliever, will be more memorable to fans of Florida State's last national championship run.)
Mitch Stetter: B+ (He's come out of nowhere to be a very great, if not occasionally wild lefthanded pitcher.)

Injured
Eric Gagne: F+ (At least he had the sense to get hurt and has the sense to stretch out his time on the DL.)

Everybody else, your Tony Gwynn, Hernan Ibarren, Zack Jackson, Julian Tavarez, Derrick Turnbow, Gabe Gross, Yovani Gallardo's? You get an Incomplete. Okay, Gabe gets a D. He brought in a prospect who seems to be flaming out spectacularly in the Florida State League. And Julian and Derrick get F's. Short time F's, but they were Epic Fails. And Gallardo? Tragically gets an A. His three starts were something awesome.

Grades are arbitrary, and based on personal expectations. So nyah.