Awwww...Goats are so cute - unless they're losing baseball games for the Crew.
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Who deserves the award for biggest goat in tonight's game? They're officially inventing new ways to lose on the road.
A. Johnny Estrada
B. Grant Ball Four
C. Ned Yost (that's for Brad)
D. Other
55 comments:
My vote is "C"......
C. Grant Balfour is basically a stain. I don’t care about his minor league numbers. Yost has used him twice, both in late game situations with the score tied. He couldn’t find the strike zone with a beach ball yesterday, Yost goes out there and still doesn’t pull him. Ball game. Wasn’t there a better option available, especially after Ball Four walked the first 2 guys? Chuck? Coredero? Parra? I don’t know why Yost uses crap guys in big situations. He did that with Aquino earlier in the year as well. Granted, you cant use CoCo and Turnbow every night…I get that. But come one. Yost is dead to me. Oh well, the offense has been the real problem lately.
C, come on Chopp, AP you guys are just a Yost haters, you can argue that he put Ball-Four in the game but then hate Melvin for putting him on the roster. These guys are major leaguers and should be able to do there job. My vote is B - Ball- Four
"These guys are major leaguers and should be able to do there job." Dana Eveland was also a major leaguer...doesn't mean he could do the job.
You are just a Yost lover. Have you ever been critical of any of his moves? Ever?
Balfour, it's almost as if he has a grudge against Cappy winning a game.
I would like to vote for Balfour, but he just plain and simply sucks. I vote for Estrada because he jogged to first on the double play. I know he isn't fast, but he wasn't even trying. You hit that ground ball and you have to bust your ass down the line. There was no excuse for Estrada joogging to first. He probably still would have been out if he had run hard, but at least the catcher wouldn't have had time to double pump and run half way to 3rd to ge a better angle. At least it is good to see Cappy pitch well twice in a row.
No votes for Estrada here? Get Serious...
0-5 with 6 LOB?!? The double play in the 11th (10th?) killed me. He didn't even run to first base. He could have easily beaten that out if he was hustling. Bases would have still been loaded with 1 out.
All we needed was 1 effing run there for CoCo.
I'm not sure how critical we can be in this situation of Yost. When a game goes into 12 innings...pitching strategy somewhat goes out the window. He has to be thinking long term. Its debatable of course, but I think in that situation he has to give the ball to a guy who can go a couple innings if need be and let the game play out (But why didn't they walk Valentin in the 12th to set up the double play? Somebody tell me that?)
The offense was the culprit in this game, not the pitching.
Couldn't walk Valentin bases were loaded on two Ball Four walks and a Ball Four judgement error to try to throw to third on a bunt, which wasn't even close the runner was sliding before he threw the ball. He's a joke. I'd of told him to pack his bags the second he got to the dugout.
-Not so anonymous Jake
My rationale for "C" goes like this, and yes Tony I am a Yost hater.
1) There were about 7 times last night where TGJR. should've made it onto the field. THE ENTIRE REASON that TGJR. made the team out of camp was because of his ability to manufacture runs (Bunt, steal, etc.) in tight games like last night. When Turnbow came in, how about a double switch w/ dbow 7th and TGJR. batting 9th & playing RF? That would've allowed dbow to throw more than one inning. After Mench's single, how about pinch running TGJR. and let him try to steal? Ned preaches, "matchups, matchups, matchups...." right? He does what ever he can to get 9 righties to face a LHP & vice versa, right? Why does Graffy bat vs. a RHP instead of TGJR? Why is TGJR. velcroed to the bench?
2) My overall problem is with the message, or "tone" that Yost sent to the team last night. Yes, agreed the players (ESTRADA!) failed to execute. However, Yost was so vanilla last night it made me want to puke. No bunting, stealing, or hit&runs of any kind last night at the beginning of a big road trip when the team has been terrible on the road and the offense needs a boost. With 8 ganes in 7 days, THE ABSOLUTE LAST thing on the list of what we should do is to get into a game where we just try to use our entire bullpen and hope for a lucky hit. Now how does our pitching situation look for the rest of this trip? I've ripped Ned before for being overly aggressive on the basepaths at times, but that's because he was doing it just for the sake of doing it and not because the situation called for it. Seriously, if we go into the 9th&10th innings last night stealing & bunting for one run like crazy, and we still lose, I'm not angry. Instead, we just sat there and got run over by one of the worst teams in baseball.
3)Yes, Ball-4 shouldn't be on the team & that is on Melvin. However, Ball-4 finding his way into the game for every crucial situation (it seems) is definitely on Yost.
4) ...and I realize this might be unrealistic. BUT....VS. a RHP with bases loaded and your piano carrying, double-play ridden catcher up to bat with 0 out and the other team looking for a DP....just throwing this out there....why not pinch TGJR. (pretty likely to beat out a double play, right?) and then put Miller in to catch. Especially since Estrada was 0-4 already. Just a thought, and I assume that TGJR. had pneumonia last night.
How bout Capuano for giving up one run in 8 innings? Grant Ball Four is the man, I don't know why everyone hates him. It is really hard to throw strikes, especially when someone is trying to bunt. Just ask Rich Ankiel. Also, it is very routine to go after the runner on third in a sac bunt situation.
-Krey
Had to have a few cocktails after that one!
I didn't see any shoutouts to Aaron Harang for throwing a heck of a game last night, and I think I may have finally found the reason that a certain switch hitting catcher with a career .290 AVG can get traded 3 times. Yost is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Bottom line, the Brewers didn't execute when they had opportunities last night, and ultimately Yost will get heat for it. As he should get some credit for winning 4 consecutive one run games. How bout Braun, the young buck, playing like he was the only vet on the squad last night?
-Krey
Parra is starting on saturday, so he is not available after pitching on Sunday.
My vote is A, by the way - that game should have never made it to the 12th or whatever. Hey Johnny - elevate the ball, son!
AP it is out of the question to try and steal on Ross without Weeks, Hart, or Jr. He has a hose. Plus it looked like whoever was throwing had a pretty quick slidestep (didn't have a stopwatch on it, but Ed Sedar did). We did have Weeks out there, but it is kind of hard to steal when Hart swung at the first pitch. In my estimation, the only bunting situations you really had were with Braun (runner on 1st and with Fielder runners on 1 and 2). So I don't know where you bunt last night. It is easy to say that Yost was "Vanilla" last night, but you don't steal or bunt just for the sake of doing it. Hope that clears things up for you.
-Krey
Estrada jogging was the most pathetic thing I have seen in a long time. He should not see the field for at least 3 games to send a message.
Got it....Stealing on Ross is not acceptable. He throws out 44%....Very good....very VERY good....but still less than half. So with that being said, I'm assuming a 56% chance of a successful steal, is somehow worse than a 25-30% chance of getting a hit. Plus, Weeks, Hart & JR. all have success rates over 70%. If it is so "out of the question" to steal on Ross, I better not see the Brewers try it during this series.
I'd rather Ross throws out 10 for 10 attempted steals. Then we could sit here today and say, "wow...we got beat...Ross & Harang are pretty f***ing good." Instead, our "best bullets" are sitting cold in the chamber. Cordero in the pen, Jr. on the bench.
Lastly, Krey, I refuse to believe that Weathers and the rest of the Reds' shitty bullpen have such good moves to 1st base that stealing with your 3 fastest guys is impossible. The only reason Harang stayed in so long is because the Reds' 'pen is a bunch of guys who suck out loud. I gave Yost his due for the string of 1 run games, so he can definitely take some heat here.
He has a good pop time, combined with a pitchers good move to the plate = not easy to steal. I'll get a stopwatch on it tonite OK. But only Eddy Sedar knows his players times to 2nd. My point was more that we didn't have the opportunities to steal, and therefore Yost shouldn't take heat. How are you gonna steal Weeks when Hart swings at the first pitch and grounds into a DP? I never said anything about anyone's moves to 1st. Don't know where you got that from. I did say that my prototypical base stealers would be the only ones that I would attempt. Then again, I don't think that there is going to be another 2-1 game this series, so I don't think we will have to. Again, for the record, what buttons are Ned Yost going to press when there are NO opportunities for him to push buttons. Therefore how can you blame Ned? I take it you would have bunted Braun or Fielder?
-Krey
A slidestep is your move to the plate, in case you are unfamiliar.
It is utilized to cut down the full leg kick in order for the pitcher to get to the plate faster. Maybe you thought a slidestep was a move to first for some reason.
-Krey
Tell Hart not to swing at the first pitch (Take sign)....1 steal opportunity for Weeks. Pinch run Jr. for Mench....2 steal oppurtunities. Is a squeeze absolutely "out of the question" w/ bases loaded & 0 out w/ Estrada up?....1 bunt opportunity. Yes, I realize there were 0 opportunities, but that's why it's called "manufacturing"....you make a run.
Again, Reds' bullpen is horrible. I refuse to believe, Krey listen to me, I REFUSE TO BELIEVE FOR ANY REASON that is impossible to steal/bunt on the Reds! Sidestep, move to first, Cedar's fucking stopwatch, I don't care!
Lastly, anonymous, I think you are making up "sidestep." That's called pitching from "the stretch" Vs. "the wind-up" Side step is not the right term, so that's why I was confused.
If you're a right handed pitcher you will want to develop a slide step to help out your catcher in trying to throw out a runner trying to steal. The slide step will require that you don't lift your leg as high before striding.
Note: Evry time I went to the slide step in Pony League, I think I hit the batter.
Somebody tell this clown what a slidestep is. He obviously never pitched before. Wow! I'm not gonna waste my time arguing with somebody with such lack of knowledge that they don't even know what a slidestep is. Maybe if you watch the game tonite you will figure it out.
-Krey
Thanks Goldy!
-Krey
I read "side" step....not slide step......sorry. Yes....the Reds' lead the league in "slide step" ability. Stealing=impossible...got it. Again, better not do it the rest of the series.....for fear of the Reds' slidestepping I mean. Every reliever for the Reds has a fantasic slide step.....that's cool. Why don't other teams fear our pitchers' slide steps I wonder.....
Regardless, I get it now. Yost rules, Reds' have the greatest defensive catchers & pitchers in the history of time, stealing impossible. Send Gwynn down & get Gross back....we play a ton of games against the Reds in the second half and Gwynn's speed will be rendered useless against the likes of Ross & Weathers because of their footwork. You gotta wonder how the Reds have been so shitty when their pitching is so solid and their catcher is Pudge Rodriguez. Give the Cubs the division....I didn't realize the Reds were so good. Swing for the fences tonight; our only chance of scoring w/ bases loaded and no outs is to hit a home run. I admit, i underestimated the Reds' slidestepping ability. My advice to any runner on base tonight is just to sit Indian style on whatever base they occupy.....it's the safest way....because of the slidestepping they won't be stealing anyway so why even take a lead?
AP, a pop time is the amount of time it takes for the catcher to get the ball to 2nd base after he receives it from the pitcher. Maybe we should start a dictionary of terms and formulas for you so you can make up for your lack of knowledge. Here's one for you. Time to the plate + Pop Time - Runner's time to 2nd. This will tell Ed Sedar if the runner should steal or not. But why know if you are probably going to be out or safe. It is probably better to manage on hunches and your best guess.
-Krey
Got it....again....I get it. Don't steal on the Reds....I get it. Stopwatch....yes....that's nice. The NL's worst bullpen is in actuality the NL's best bullpen. Ross is all-world. Got it. Gwynn, Weeks, & Hart are slow. I get it.
Again, Gross' power will be of more use to us than Gwynn's speed in the 2nd half. Get Gross back up here!
Dude, if you read my first post, I said that Hart, Weeks, and Jr. were the only ones I would consider stealing. And I never said it was impossible, i simply trust the manager's judgement in the situation. So I don't know where you are getting all of this sitting on 1st Indian-style. If anything we should ask Bud Selig if he can make a rule about Ghost Runners occupying bases, so we don't have to worry about running the bases since it is so complicated and hard to understand for the casual fan.
-Krey
I think we should just steal more often with Estrada or Miller on base...and time them with stopwatches.
But the only opportunities I am griping about is with Weeks, Gwynn(bench), and Hart. I don't think I mentioned stealing Mench....did I? There were PLENTY of opportunities....with those 3 guys.....to steal 1 base or drop 1 bunt. Again, I am a casual fan who has been to 30 games this year and the same in many MANY years before that. In my naivete, I thought the Reds were bad. I would guess that if you asked Gwynn, Hart, & Weeks they would also say they couldn't sucessfully steal. It's just too tough....Bunting too....difficult. I thought i hated seeing Menchkins in the same game, turns out I love it because they are both slow guys who will not be subjected to Ross' arm. I'd start Estrada at SS tonight, get some of that useless speed off of the field and start swingin' for the fences!
You could time those two with sundials Brad.
And blame Yost for them getting thrown out
-Krey
After the 1st 5 pitches, when Cedar looked at his stopwatch and it read "0.00" each time, why didn't he just throw it into the dugout, shrug his shoulders, and concentrate on the game?
AP, take a second and go back and read all of my posts, besides learning a few things, you will realize that I never said anything about not stealing Weeks, Gwynn, or Hart. Stop being ridiculous. I am upset that we lost last night too. But stop blaming Yost. It is obviously Skaalen's fault because he is the hitting coach. We'll talk philosophy at the next game over a cold one.
-Krey
Before you blow up about Skaalen. Realize that was a joke. Ha
-Krey
Whatever Krey, we're good.
The only guys I'd even consider stealing are the 3 guys you mentioned and maybe Braun&Hardy. I've never advocated anything but that.
Yost put Ball four in....Yost kept Jr. on the bench....Yost kept Cordero in the 'pen.....Yost didn't steal, squeeze, or hit & run. For that, I blame him. Fat-ass Estrada DID ground into a double play, but to be honest fat-ass catchers will do that from time to time. It takes them like 12 seconds to get to 1st. Ball 4 is useless, but to be honest useless pitchers are indeed useless and shouldn't Cordero have been ready to come in if heaven forbid Ball 4 struggled a wee little bit by like....sucking? Yost could've been napping in the dugout, and the game would've gone the same way. The team took on the personality of their manager last night.....scared to fail.
Bingo! At times, it seems like they are an AL club. Just sit back and wait for the 3 run bomb. If that doesnt happen, screw it.
Electric Slide!
All this Yost bashing is useless - the players didn't execute, bottom line. You can't fail to score with the bases loaded and 0 out in extra innings. That's an absolute momentum killer.
The bigger issue: This week is going to be very difficult now, because they still have 7 games to play and they just played an extra 3 innings last night. Balfour's appearance in the game last night is directly attributable to Sheets' injury - it's a trickle-down effect because if Sheets doesn't get hurt, Gallardo can eat up a couple of those late innings in that game. Maybe this will cause Melvin to make a move to shore up the pen? What would it take to get Marte from the Pirates?
I thought only the Cubs were allowed to trade with the Pirates?
when will some people stop bashing yost for everything? last time i checked he hasn't played in a single game this year. he can't hold there hands out there can he? the players need to perform and its not his fault if they don't. sometimes fans are idiots with all there coach/manager bashing. you guys don't have all the info they do and you never will. chances are you would probably do way worse than they ever would. yost is a decent manager.
Estrada put the ball in play....if that same grounder is hit two feet to the right or left....the run scores. He just happens to be slow; we'll have to disagree on wether a "hustling" Estrada beats that out. Ball 4 executed the same as he has so far....poorly. If Yost expected anything other than that, well, I blame him more than ball 4. They were playing for several runs rather than 1 run, and that's fine. I just have a problem playing for a bunch of runs when your offense is struggling. Believe me, there is more anger from me towards the offense than at Yost. We're 8-11 in July, and we're averaging less than 3.9 runs per game over our last 19 games. That stretch includes SF, Pit, Wash, & now Cincinatti. That's pathetic....Graffanino in LF FOR HIS BAT in place of our 7 million dollar outfielder....more pathetic. The offense needs a boost, and it needs more than just moving Weeks to the top and thinking you are done. I think this is all a trickle down from Hall's injury rather than Sheets'. I never really realized exactly how important Billy was to the entire makeup of the lineup....
Anonymous, Of course Yost would do better than me and you. But thats the nature of being a fan, questioning what the coach/manager does. What, am I not supposed to have an opionion...just sit there and agree with every move they make? Yes, it is up to the players. Usually, the team with the best players win. That said, why are managers/coaches hired and fired? Why not just hire a coach and leave him at the helm for 40 years, and just change the players around him? Is that what you want?
If Yost isn't important then why is he getting 2million a year? Can we release him and use that money for a reliever whose first name isn't grant? Does it really take a genius to bat Fielder 4th, or have Suppan pitch every 5 days? I can count a handfull of games he's won, and a handfull he's lost (in my opinion.) Would LaRusa do better....would Sam Perlozzo do worse? If it's just up to the players to execute than why does any team pay millions for a manager? I'll give Yost credit, that string of 1 run wins was great, but as the boss (like any boss/manager) he should definitely get the heat when things run like shit. Yelling at Estrada for being slow & Balfour for being shitty is like yelling at the sun for shining. If Miller was batting in place of Estrada the Reds might've had time for a triple play....
The Brewers will win 5 out of the next 7 games - that's my prediction for the rest of this roadie.
I'll liken this Harang-atang outing to the Verlander game - it's going to light a fire under these boys at the plate. The Glue's about to get hot too.
who ever said being a fan was abourt questioning and bitching about every decision a manager makes. why can't people just shut up and enjoy the game. sure get pissed if they lose like that, but i'm sure yost didn't intentionally make a bad decision so they would lose.
"Yelling at Estrada for being slow & Balfour for being shitty is like yelling at the sun for shining."
"Can we release him and use that money for a reliever whose first name isn't grant?"
I love the insight AP, you are truly the next Peter Vessey of baseball.
No wonder I get random emails during the day who read this blog stating "We seriously need to find out who this guy is and beat him up. I want to break his nose…really I do."
The onus, as it should be is on the players and very little on Yost. This is not football where coaching is the biggest factor. It baseball where teams with young studs and a 90 year old half dead coach can win World Series ala the Marlins of 01 if players execute.
It is Estrada!!!!!!!!!! Hands down. Not only did he not hustle to first base but he should have been telling that clown on the mound to throw the damn ball to first. Anyone who knows baseball knows you have to get an out in that situation. The 6'6" pile of Kangaroo poop on the mound had enough struggle just to get a strike. when you get a chance to get an out u frikin take it . Estrada is at fault on that play. He should have been screaming in Australian to go to first base. U get an out and u can walk fat valentine and set up a possible double play with another pitcher. It is simple baseball.
Estrada is worthless!!!! He lugs around on the diamond like he does not care. At least miller would put in some effort.Estrada should be benched for that bull **** effort. I would trade an average player like him. I mean come on, he doesn't hustle and he couldn't throw out a runner if he was throwing from the mound to second base. He really does not help this team. I would love to see Mike Barrett in a Brewers uni. At least he has some fire in his ass.
Everyone needs to wake up!!!!!!! This was the worst loss of the season. Piss poor effort from a first place team. This team doesn't deserve the post season with a performance like that against a woeful team like the Reds. Not to mention a series loss at home to the Men's 35 and over league team Giants. I hope someone in that clubhouse dropped some f bombs and threw some chairs. That was the worst effort by a major league team I have seen in a long time and I don't miss a lot of games. It doesn't help that the games was in the hands of a washed up Pitcher who had a few good innings in AAA and career highlight is striking out Dave Nillson in an Australian National Team Scrimmage, a catcher who really does not care and a manager who thinks he is Bobby Cox but in reality he should still be Bobby Cox's towel boy.
well said adam
Obviously it's got to be Grant Fuhr (I mean Ballfuhr). He is obviously still rattled by his first stinger he gave up last week over the restaurant in left field. So his only decent pitch is said to be his breaking stuff? Grant note to self- If you cant locate your fast ball buddy nobody is going to bite on your sliders.
I have to admit I missed the Johnny Jog but from the sounds of it -not good! Remember those stupid adds last year during spring training where Nedly was yelling "we got the gamers, the fighters, Jenksie, Menchie, Weeksie...bla bla" Well Ned maybe if you concentrated more on managing and less on planning your off season Alberta Whitetail trips you wouldnt sound so dam irritated at every press conference trying to justify your every move.
Saying a manager is not important, is not an argument in support of Yost. That sounds to me like, "anyone can do that job". Why do they have a manager of the year award?
If anyone would like to take a shot at me, I will be at McGinns on Bluemound near Miller Park on Thursday evening, like I am nearly every Thursday evening after work. I'll be at the bar undoubtedly wearing Brewer stuff. Come and say hello.
I agree w/ Daniel...worst loss of the season. I never realized there was such a passionate Yost following out there, and I'll offer you this: Have Brad, Goldy, & Matt open up a vote. If y'all vote me off, I won't show up anymore. I would hate to continue speaking ill of Neddy to you.
This is not survivor, there is no voting anybody off the island. AP, you are good here...especially if you keep ripping on Yost!
Don't go anywhere AP, your comments (while arbitrary & asinine) are the driving force behind many time-at-work killing discussions on this blog.
Ron Burgundy: Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vagina.
Veronica Corningstone: No, there's no way that's correct.
Ron Burgundy: I'm sorry, I was trying to impress you. I don't know what it means. I'll be honest, I don't think anyone knows what it means anymore. Scholars maintain that the translation was lost hundreds of years ago.
Veronica Corningstone: Doesn't it mean Saint Diego?
Ron Burgundy: No. No.
Veronica Corningstone: No, that's - that's what it means. Really.
Ron Burgundy: Agree to disagree.
Although drinking at McGinns may be the first thing of merit you have presented to this blog AP, I would have to agree with woz and Brad. Seeing as I am one of the original 6 I have enjoyed wasting my time at work reading your post. Just because I don't write every day doesn’t mean I'm not reading. Say hello to Dobbie and the rest of the crew for me, you can say it from Antni.
Yost has his faults but it is way too easy to judge the morning after. He has helped develop this young team into contenders and I think some people are a bit too harsh on him at times.
Champ Kind: We need you. Hell, I need you. I'm a mess without you. I miss you so damn much. I miss being with you, I miss being near you. I miss your laugh. I miss your scent; I miss your musk. When this all gets sorted out, I think you and me should get an apartment together.
Brian Fantana: Take it easy, Champ. Why don't you sit this next one out, stop talking for a while.
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