- Sheets didn't get hurt
- They manufactured all 6 runs, no bombs
- Zero errors
- The bullpen didn't give up a run
- Tony didn't drink.
Well, 4 out of 5 ain't bad.
Two crafties tonight with Parra and Lilly.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Bizzaro Brewers
Of course we all saw the 6-1 victory last night. The planets must have been aligned correctly because the following all happened in the same night:
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34 comments:
Brad - was it the right decision when Yost pulled Sheets when his pitch count was in the 80s?
Has Ned found his 7th inning 2-headed monster? Brian Shouse and Seth McClung (aka Big Red)?
Do we name him McHouse? Or ShClung?
Yes - Ned called me and asked what I would do. He listened to my advice and made the right move. Seriously, it was a good move being Benny's first start back...didn't want him to pull his vagina in his first start.
McHouse is great!
Yost actually did a few things that he hasn't done in the past, an lo & behold we won a game! Let's see:
1) Upon bringing in substitution (Hardy), moves Hardy to 9th in the batting order so the pitcher doesn't come up to bat right away the next inning. Kick ass Ned, you're getting the hang of this National League thing.
2) With a big lead, pulls a bad defender (Braun) out to put JJ & CC on the left side of the infield. Also moved Hart out of CF and into RF, where Hart has looked better defensively in the 8th inning. Oh my God, we didn't give up any extra runs! Good Work Ned.
3) Even with a 5 run lead, he realized it was OK to use Turnbow & Cordero in the roles that you've used them ALL YEAR LONG to actually get a crucial road win. He didn't leave them on the bench because it wasn't a save situation. Neat...a "W"!
So when he doesn't do things like that, they give up 5 run leads, and when he does do the things that a good manager should do, they win crucial games on the road.
....weird....all this time I thought managers weren't important and it was up to the players to execute. It almost seems here that Ned contributed to the win last night, but by the same logic, has contributed to many of the recent losses. Weird.
Lately, Ned has been pulling Braun pretty consistently when they have the lead late in a ballgame. And based on what I've seen, he does move the pitcher's spot in the order around when it makes sense. Plus, the 5 run leads always evaporate way before they get to the 8th inning - I'm not sure what you want him to do, except perhaps put Turnbow in the 6th and Coco in the 7th?
I don't think those criticisms are fair.
Here's an example of a game where he didn't find it prudent to use Turnbow & Cordero b/c they were up by 4 on the road.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=605170
Just off the top of my head, I remember (b/c I was at the stupid game) that Sunday August 6th the Crew lost to Philly after having a big lead in the first inning, and it evaporated in the 9th when a ball snuck under Braun's glove. He definitely didn't sub anyone that game for defense.
I really don't even know how to respond to the statement that "Ned has been pulling Braun pretty consistently when they have the lead late in a ballgame" b/c I haven't seen it that often.
Honestly, I know that Yost gets some pretty good press around these parts, so I won't try to bash him any further.
My new question for "Yosties" is this, "What criteria should I use to critique the manager of my (our) baseball team?" I know managers aren't important, but he makes more per year than Fielder & Braun combined, so there has to be SOME way of quantifying his value to the team or else they wouldn't pay him. Should I use the team's record? Should I use his career post-season record or career road record? Should I go by whether or not I feel the team is improving or getting worse? Should I use public opinion? Should I disregard record and just decide if the (many, many) lineups give the team the best chance to win on a given night (Verlander game, Braun batting 4th)?
Obviously (Jenks), we can't just go by decisions because some people don't agree on good call/bad call situations. (Pulling Suppan early in the 8/6/07 game when he is cruising, bullpen blows lead, and then repeating the same mistake Vs. the Cubs?) So how can I judge him?
I know this is too long, but I don't have sympathy for Yost when he says that he needs his starters to go deeper, and then he keeps pulling Suppan everytime he gets a chance to do that. I don't care when he moves Braun & Fielder to "better utilize Braun's speed", and then never has Braun steal a base. I don't want to hear about the "taxed" bullpen, when as of right now 13 teams in baseball have gotten more innings from their releivers & we were carrying 13 pitchers.
He needs to keep winning games....that's all I'm going to use to criticize him. Right now we are .500, so I am 50/50 on Yost.
Sorry for the long post, I had some down time at work.
off the top of my head, in the two games they won in Arizone, Braun was pulled for defensive purposes in the 7th. So that has happened in their last three wins.
I also blame Ned Yost for Jeremy Jefferies weed, cocain and/or heroin problem.
Jeremy Jeffries has a drug problem? Link and/or post please. Why have HS pitcher been an absolute disaster for the Crew?
http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2007/08/30/brewers-06-top-draft-pick-suspended-for-drug-use.aspx
I blame US Americans and the Iraq, and such.
You can judge Yost's performance according to whatever criteria you want. But I don't have to agree with it. Deal?
Yost haters would have been howling if the Brewers blew the game last night because he took out Sheets after the 6th when he was "cruising" and his pitch count was in the 80s. But since the bullpen held on for a change, and the Brewers actually tacked on some runs and won the game, it looks like the right decision.
Frankly, I'm sick of talking about Yost, so I'm not going to do it any more. I reject it.
Yost moves in one loss last night....
1) Pull a lefty (Parra) and replace him with a worse lefty (Crapuano) when the Cubs lineup is set up specifically to hit lefties? Also, arguably the biggest game of the year, and we go with the guy who hasn't won since Easter?
2) 9th inning, JJ bunt moves runners to 2nd & 3rd, but it allows for an intentional walk of Fielder and pretty much takes the bat out our "MVP's" hands?
3) You've preached "matchups" all year long, and platooned Mench/Jenkins for the RHP/LHP splits. Bases loaded, 2 outs, 3 LH batters on the bench, we let Mench bat? Jenkins?
Quote from another Brewer blog:
"mench vs. RHP -- .255/.310/.421
fielder vs. RHP -- .282/.366/.542
ned is in way over his head. he has no clue what he is doing. he needs to be gone tonight for this team to have a chance.
unbelievable."
Parra got pulled because he injured his thumb on a bunt. With Villanueva no longer on the team (once again, horrible decision), we are forced to go with Cappy because there is no other "long" reliever.
When JJ bunted, Braun was up next, not Fielder. Braun hits a weak grounder to third (pitchers have begun to jam him hard btw)...then they can walk Fielder. I don't know about you guys, but with 1 out and runners on 2nd & 3rd, & we need 2 runs, I'll take a Braun & Fielder at bat any time. I think Yost put his team in a good position to tie up the game at that point.
Kevin Mench is a selfish asshole. How can he not take 1 effing pitch with the bases loaded, his team needing 1 run, & the pitcher walking the previous guy in? TAKE A PITCH. I also would have went with the Glue there.
Any righty pitcher would've faired better than Capuano...any one. Linebrink, Turnbow, McClung....a guy out of the stands who throws righty facing a Cubs team with all RH batters. I know Parra was hurt, but that doesn't meen your #1 option in a huge game should automatically be your worst pitcher.
I would take a Braun/Fielder AB too, but the Cubs chose to pitch to an overly-eager Braun & IBB Fielder....it was a great move on Pinella's part....It essentially means that 1 of those guys are going to get walked, and no bunt would mean BOTH of those guys get an AB in that spot. That's what I am saying, why bunt? It steals an AB from Braun or Fielder? Those would be the guys I want up too, but Ned didn't agree with you....
....and don't the rosters expand in like 36 hours? Why should Yost be concerned with using ANY RHP in that spot since CV & Spurling will probably be here on Saturday?
AP,
I’ve missed getting all fired up at your stupidness (yes I made up a word) , If JJ would have not bunted and a) struck out b) grounded into a double play or c) flied out and we didn’t move the runners over you would waste my time reading your post bitching about how Ned just sits on his hands and waits for the long ball to save the team. Ned did his job of putting the team in a position to win; the players have to have some accountability. Maddax can’t go pitch for Cappy and Ned can’t pick up a bat for the selfish a-hole that is Mench.
AP,
Did you actually ever play/coach organized baseball? Your lack of sports knowledge never ceases to amaze me. I wish I wouldn't have wasted my time reading your "thoughts"
-Krey
Wow two simultaneous posts ripping AP!
-Krey
Got it, Ned is great, Ap sucks. I get it....take the bat out of Prince's hands, and hope that Mench can pull it out Vs. a RHP....good work.
Haven't you ALL hated Mench this year? Now you're defending using him.....wow?!?!?
Is there any room for any criticism of Yost in the loss? Anywhere...?
If the manager really has no impact, and it is up to the players, shouldn't we just sign Yost to a lifetime deal? I mean, who cares? Why do teams fire managers, hire managers, and pay managers if they are so trivial?
...and BTW, I'm not alone on this Yost thing, so it's not just my rampant stupidity, it's pretty much all everyone talks about in Milwaukee. Every blog today is full of it....just check a couple out. You guys aren't from Milwaukee, are you? It's become pretty apparent in the "I love Yost" opinions.....Racine?...Kenosha?....Watertown maybe?
Nobody out runners on 1st and 2nd, down by two runs. What do you do differently than Yost?
AP - You should know better than to question a manager/coach's decision. Because, after all, we are just fans. We should just be robots without brains and support every move the leader decides (kind of sounds like communism, doesn't it?). Just like when Davy Lopes, Jerry Royster, Lindy Infante, Ray Rhodes, and Terry Stotts were managing/coaching. How dare we question their moves! They were all great coaches who just didn't have good players, right? (I'm dripping with sarcasm, if you didn't know.)
By the way, I live close to Watertown...so I'll represent the Jefferson County legion.
Let's beat them damn Pirates!!!
Oh, I forgot Don Morton too. He was the coach, so lets support him and his veer offense! Was that was you Yost lovers did??? I know Goldy did!
I have disliked Mench since his stupid comments at the beginning of Spring Training. However, I actually felt good about him batting yesterday. Sometimes in baseball, you just have to go with a hunch.
My big problem was him swinging at the first pitch. Dempster was all over the place. Even the two pitched Braun swung at were balls. Mench should have had his hands tied behind his back until He saw a strike. That is what I didn't like.
You also mention taking that bat out of Prince's hand. Well, the game may have looked different if he didn't have such a pathetic at-bat in the 7th. An MVP needs to drive in a run with a guy on 3rd and less than 2 outs late in a game like this.
Don Morton was an awful coach with awful players. However, since I was around 9-12 years old during the Morton era, I didn't care as much. I was more concerned with my own sports teams.
Also, Morton's Offense was fundamentally unsound. That was obvious. I rejected it. And Such.
Isn't "conventional" wisdom in that spot, "Play for tie at home, play for win on the road?" Maybe I don't bunt w/ JJ there, b/c playing for 2 isn't playing to win. Yes, JJ could ground into a DP there, but how has our team hitting been recently with men on 3rd and less than 2 outs? ...but that's not the big decision to me.....
...The big decision is batting KM in that spot. All year you've sat him as much as possible VS RHP, right? How does putting the biggest game of the year on him make sense with a bench full of lefties?
I know everyone hates Tom H. from the JS, but here's a quote from his blog:"....But the fact remains that Yost doesn't start Mench against righties but he still allowed him to hit against one with the biggest game of the year in the balance."
Listen, I'm not saying fire Yost. I just think some, or I guess any, criticism from you guys towards Yost would be a bit more realistic than the standard, "Yost is fine....Mench's fault....Estrada's fault....anyone else's fault" response.
....and again, you can all F***ing hate me for all I care, it's words on a computer screen. If you don't like what I type, don't read it. I've said it before, if you don't like me, tell me to go away and I will. If you want to (try to) punch my lights out, I live on the East Side and we can schedule a meeting. I don't exactly agree w/ everything you clowns write either, but I don't go calling anyone names like a bunch of 9 year olds.
I said the team was horrible a while back, Woz ripped me for saying that and said we had 5 solid starters and he was going to laugh all the way to the playoffs....I've still remained pretty civil towards him even though it's clear he doesn't like me and that that particular opinion was way wrong. If you guys just want to keep it between you guys, that's fine. I won't contribute, I just thought this was a site where I could discuss "Wisconsin Sports". Sorry I won't do that anymore.....and criticism doesn't mean I don't love, truly LOVE, the Brewers. It just means that i expect more than 3-6 road trips from this team.
AP, you are welcome here anytime.
....and for the "Why did Mench swing?" argument, here is the Gameday link. The pitch Fx data shows the pitch as a meatball down the middle of the plate, and I think Wrigley is one of the stadiums that have the enhanced pitch tracker or whatever the F*** it is called. He swung at a good pitch, and the ump had already proven he might call balls as strikes, so you should probably swing if it's a good pitch, right?
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/y2007/gd.html?2007_08_30_milmlb_chnmlb_1
....check out the last pitch on Hart's AB in the 7th too.....that's a pretty terrible call. That's not on Yost.....
AP,
For christ sake, nobody hates you. If you're gonna post on a blog, you better be ready to back up what you say and take heat.
I stand by everything I have written, including the 5 solid starters comment. Nobody could have foreseen Ben Sheets missing 8 starts because of some SALLY finger injury and Capuano having just a ridiculous meltdown. I mean really, the Brewers have lost the last 18 GAMES in which Capuano has pitched in...who the hell could have predicted that?
So much stuff went wrong in last night's game, but the Brewers had a shot to tie the game in the 9th. Forget about trying to win, first you have to tie or the freaking game is over. By bunting JJ, Yost gave his 2 of his 3 best (Braun, Fielder, Hart) hitters a shot to tie or even win the game with 1 base hit. Braun & Hart actually batted, and only 1 run came in. That's baseball.
I would have been swinging for the fences if I got to bat against Dempster last night.
2 runs to tie? I'd have tried to drive in 4.
I would just like to remind all you U.S Americans that when you type in your name, add an "s" at the end in honor of Tyler Donovan's family member's spelling of Mike Samuels. And such.
No no, I can take the heat. I just have a different opinion, and if you guys are going to post, you'd better believe someone is going to have different opinions too.
Your line of, "the Brewers have lost the last 18 GAMES in which Capuano has pitched in..."
Yes, fine nobody could've predicted THAT, but he did kind of falter at the end of '06 didn't he? Nobody should've predicted 18 consecutive losses, but you shouldn't think the guy is going to win 20 games either.
...and again I will reiterate the point, if Capuano has been so bad in the last 18 (EIGHTEEN!) games, how the F*** does the biggest game of the year come down to needing him to throw like 5 scoreless innings?!?!? Is it fair for me to at least SUGGEST the notion that perhaps McClung or Linebrink or Turnbow or shit even Cordero should get the ball there before CHRIS CRAPUANO!!! I mean Linebrink's been HORRIBLE, and he's still been better than Crappy, right? And don't we add CV, Spurling, and maybe even Aquino tomorrow? And yes they've ALL been horrendous, but they've ALL been better than Crapuano too.
Sorry Goldy....here.
I am confused. So the fact that Cappy made one bad pitch, lost the game for the Brewers and makes Ned Yost a bad manager. How about the fact that they left 11 runners on base. Or Corey Hart losing the ball in the lights or getting bent over on that 3rd strike call. I will admit when Ned Yost loses a game, but this was not one of them. You guys keep failing to mention Braun's weak AB in the 9th. Putting Jenkins in was an option, but he hasn't exactly been tearing the cover off the ball lately, 3 K's on Wednesday to go along with that hit he got off of his front foot. Although Mench has been having better approaches in the plate lately, last night was not one of them.
-Someone who actually knows something about baseball
-Krey
Krey, to clarify....The bad pitch is Capuano's fault, yes. But his existence in the game is Yost's fault. Mench's AB (which I don't know if a bad AB means swinging at strikes...but OK) is on Mench, yes. But no Lefty VS. Righty (Jenkins, Gross, whoever) is on Yost in that AB.
Did you say that Mench has been having better approaches at the plate recently? I don't think that statement is going to help your baseball "cred" any.
Mench Vs. RHP .211/.246/.301
Jenks Vs RHP.271/.334/.503
Gross Vs RHP .248/.321/.496
Christ even Counsell .228/.331/.307
Woz, what would your pal Ken Tremendous say about a statement that Mench has been doing better in that situation lately? You know, without actually looking at the numbers or anything...just basing it on Krey's "hunch."
You are a baseball guru Krey, but I am distressed that pop time didn't work into the equation somehow.
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