Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Brewers-Snakes

Did anybody else look at the Snakes lineup and think "These guys are 49-44?" Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew, Mark Reynolds, Miguel Montero?? Leadoff hitter batting .238. Anyway, Bush pitched great until the dreaded 7th inning. Nice move by Yost to pull him when he did. Yes, I did just complement Yost. Braun continues to amaze at the plate. In the field, however...that was a different story. Weeks is completely lost.

Tonight's starters:
ARI: Petit (1-1, 3.12)
MIL: Vargas (6-2, 4.52)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was at the game last night and it actually seemed to me that once again Yost was trying to stick with Bushie too long. First, let me say that Bushie pitched a fine game and i do understand the importance of a starter going deep into the game. With that being said, everyone in the seats around me was commenting about Bush in the 7th heading into that inning. From what i could tell the bullpen had been active in the 6th so it wasn't an issue of having somebody warming up, which to Neddy's credit is a little different than usual. But I was under the impression that he had actually been "learning" how to handle these guys. The last couple of starts for Bushie have been great, but I don't think it's a coincidence that Neddy's handling of him recently has also improved; he's been there with a very quick hook for him to protect Bushie from hurting himself in late innings. Yost did the same thing on Sunday w/ Suppan in the late innings, Suppan let the 1st batter get on base and Ned popped out of the dugout before the runner was on 1st.

Basically my point is, after Bushie gives up the solo shot in the 7th and he's at 100 pitches and the bullpen is ready AND HE ALWAYS MELTS DOWN AT THAT POINT, WTF does Ned let him face another batter and then give up a single? I think 80% of section 109 last night was yelling "pull 'em" before that home run found terra firma. You have to actually protect Bushie from hurting himself when he gets past 90 pitches, for the same reason that parents put those plastic inserts into electric outlets when they have young'ins.

Still a great game and Cordero looked like mid-April Cordero, but I was more nervous in that situation than i was when Turnbow walked the 1st batter or at any other point in the game. With a 4-2 lead in the 7th and a relatively lights out set-up guy & closer, I just don't want to have to sweat that game out is what I'm saying....

Anonymous said...

I think Yost has basically explained the problem from last night already. Limited fresh arms in the pen. While I agree with you that Yost doesn't have the quickest hook, fans usually assume his decisions are based on everything being equal. The problem is, we have no idea who's sick or feeling "dead arm", or sore, or whatever. I actually think he (Nedley) does a pretty admirabel job, all things considered. He just never feels like he has to justify his decision to us, so we tend to assume that his decisions are based on the information that everyone else is privy too.
-Braunback Mt

Anonymous said...

Other than bully management I am OK w/ Ned (I guess) also. But we just came off of the allstar break, and we've played 4 games since then, right? Turnbow & Cordero take 2 of the innings most games and Gallardo & Villanueva have eaten the rest of the innings. If after 4 games played and after a 4 game break we are at a point where we are flush with "dead arms" in the 'pen, we need to make a trade now. NOW! I can't believe we have a bunch of guys with bandages on their arms because 4 of those guys have thrown a combined 18 innings in 4 days. Go get Otsuka...or go get Affeldt....or use Parra....or something....ANYTHING! But that is very scary if we are out of options in the bullpen, and the last two starts (Bush&Suppan) have been respectable quality starts. We don't get another break for 2 weeks, and there's a double header in there too. Who pitches the 7th on July 29th, Gross?

Anonymous said...

Also, Brewer releivers have not thrown 280 innings yet this year, and 11 other teams' bullpens have crossed that mark. Even with Gallardo & Villanueva coming out of the pen but basically being starters, we're pretty much smack in the middle of releivers innings pitched. I just kind of want to reject this notion that somehow our bullpen is being taxed at an exhorbitant rate right now. If you're "out of options" in the 6th & 7th than go out and get some more options.

Goldy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Goldy said...

If the Brewers trade for Affeldt, well, that is the point where I give up on our play-off hopes. Might as well hanbd the division over to the Cards.
Affeldt was given 43 chances in KC to be the #2 starter to Grienke's #1. When that didn't work, he was handed the closers role. When that didn't work, he was given the set-up role. He now is having a Spurling type year in Colorado, but I will throw this out there:

Affeldt (a lefty) gave up a double to Jenkins to start the rally on Sunday!

This was a mere two days after I almost won a bet saying Jenkins wouldn't make contact at any point during an at-bat against the lefty starter on Friday night.

So, please don't trade for Affeldt. If they do, might as well go after Runelvys Hernandez as well.

Anonymous said...

Agreed Goldy, don't trade for Affeldt. Any chance Gwynn for Otsuka is back on the table?

Anonymous said...

....and what do we do tonight then when Vargas throws his customary 4-5 innings? Cordero & Turnbow need an off day soon too, right?

Anonymous said...

....and to answer one of Brad's original questions I did actually wonder to myself how the D-Backs crappy lineup (other than Byrnes) was 5 games over last night. I kept thinking, these guys must steal a ton of bases and play great defense, because they're hitting sucks and I know Davis is like their ace. Every guy's stats were like .260, 6 HR's, 35 RBI's.

Anonymous said...

I think Brandon Webb is, like, their ace.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, is somebody hurt? Their cleanup guy is hitting .260. And they play in a tough division!

Anonymous said...

Yes...I know....Webb. Davis+Ace=sarcasm.