07/23/07 Brewers (Capuano) @ Reds (Harang) 6:05pm CT

[SeriesFinale]

I came home just in time to see the Brewers lose this one; sounds like I should be glad that's all I saw.

[PeaveyFury]

Balfour didn't lose this game.

 

Yost did.

 

If Estrada runs out a grounder, we won this game 2 innings ago. And Balfour sucked tonight....again.

[Hate those Rodents]

Can you blame Ned for not sticking with Wise vs. Dunn, thus enabling Rickie to pinch hit for Wise and enabling Shouse to pitch the entire 13th?

[dpapo]

The Brewers must really be regretting calling up Balfour right now as he has already lost 2 games in the very short time with them. It's too bad he has no more options and will probably be picked up by another team if he gets cut. However, the Brewers can't afford to wait around for Balfour to find himself.

And can we please no longer bat Estrada in the 5th spot.

[brewcrew00]

I would have taken out Estrada after dogging down the line

 

What happens then if something happens to Damian?

[Bruce Ciskie]

Quote:

---

Yost gets torched by the fans when he goes against the grain, and torched when he goes with it. In this case, I'll say he didn't make a mistake, because he does the closer thing by the book.

---

 

That's because the book wavers in and out of the realm of common sense.

 

You use your closer in the ninth or tenth inning of a tie game when you're at home, but you don't use him in the 12th inning when you're on the road? Huh? Whatever happened to using your best available pitchers before rolling out the garbage?

[Brian the Automator]

[ In pennant races when you are on the road, you place the pitcher in that gives you the best chance to win. After you go through those guys, you cross your fingers and pray. ]

 

You're stating this as if it's fact, or a rule of thumb...

 

I really don't think you pitch differently in July then you do in any pre-September instance.

[DougJones43]

In theory, yes you pull him. But you can't warm somebody up in 20 seconds. You're also not planning on getting someone up to warm up when Balfour goes in

 

Or, you just use Cordero to start that inning, since Balfour is a struggling recent call-up. He should be used for mop-up duty, not extra inning tie games. And you worry about "save situations" later, if they come up. Maybe the Brewers score 2,3, or 4 runs. Then, somebody like Balfour has a much nicer cushion to work with than he does in a tie game.

[brewmann04]

well again another Road loss to a real Crappy team.

this team lacks the Killer Instict to bury an opponet.

[augie46]

If we use Coco, shouldn't we have used him in the before the 12th? Then he still would not have been available in this inning. I don't fault Ned tonight. I will fault him if he starts Johnny Estrada tomorrow or Wednesday. Johnny hasn't been hustling. Plus, he has been terrible defensively. There seems to be a lot more wild pitches when he is behind the plate then when Damian is behind the plate.

 

Grant Balfour is making Greg Aquino look pretty good these days.

[BrewCrewForever]

Dave Nilsson was pretty good.

 

Doah! Forgot about Nelly, he was actually pretty good. Lloyd was okay to. But Balfour and Durro were pretty much AAAA guys.

[brewerjamie15]

I hope that Ball Four dude just walked his way back to the minor leagues. That was disgusting in a few ways mentioned above this post.

 

1. Nedly

2. Estrada (whom I'd have benched immediately for not hustling)

3. Ball Four couldn't throw a good strike if he were a union president.

[Bruce Ciskie]

Quote:

---

What happens then if something happens to Damian?

---

 

You mean there isn't one guy on that roster who couldn't put the gear on in an emergency?

[pretendastronaut]

The only way you justify bringing Cordero in in that situation is if we were in a win or die situation.

 

It was an ugly, frustrating game all the way through. And frankly, we didn't deserve the win. Hopefully this can serve as a catalyst for the team because there's going to be some reamings in the locker room tonight.

[PeaveyFury]

Does that make it right, in your opinion?

 

Nope. But the vast, vast majority of managers including whoever hypothetically some would replace Yost with would still think so.

 

That said, good thing we didn't trade/DFA/bench Capuano 7-10 days ago, right?!

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[DougJones43]

And Balfour sucked tonight....again.

 

Exactly why he shouldn't have been used in such a high leverage situation. That's what your top-notch relievers are for.

[MoneyballMan]

Ok, let's get back to the topic of giving me a "strike" back for holding my tongue for this game!! This one easily qualified for losing it with an expletive or two. Brian, where's a little love for my stellar behavior lately?

 

And note, I'm not arguing with your logic on the Cordero issue tonight!

[brewcrew00]

Maybe the Brewers score 2,3, or 4 runs. Then, somebody like Balfour has a much nicer cushion to work with than he does in a tie game.

 

Again, good in theory, but what makes you think they are going to even score A run? Outside of Braun's rocket, they couldn't score in 12 innings, why would it change in the 13th?

[PeaveyFury]

After the second walk and most certainly after the botched bunt play, you have to pull him.

 

Easier said than done. No one was warming until the 2nd walk.

[Brian the Automator]

[ You use your closer in the ninth or tenth inning of a tie game when you're at home, but you don't use him in the 12th inning when you're on the road? Huh? Whatever happened to using your best available pitchers before rolling out the garbage? ]

 

How many managers do what you suggest? I've _never_ seen it.

[MoneyballMan]

Has the "Balfour DFA'd" thread started yet?

[brewerjamie15]

Heck. At this point, I'd be willing to take Jamey Wright over Grant Balfour.

[BREWCREW5]

what is even more unbelievable was the fact that ballfour couldnt even throw a strike after yost yelled at him. All he had to do was throw a strike so the guy could bunt. Come on. geeeez

[DougJones43]

Can you blame Ned for not sticking with Wise vs. Dunn, thus enabling Rickie to pinch hit for Wise and enabling Shouse to pitch the entire 13th?

 

No. Bringing in Shouse there was smart. We needed to get Dunn out there. No messing around. I wouldn't have wanted Shouse to pitch the entire 13th anyway, as that's not his strong suit. Getting out one tough lefty is his strong suit. That was well played by Ned.

[jlau20]

Quote:

---

A. it sends a terrible message to Balfour/confidence

---

 

WELL, I would hate for that to happen.

 

As for the pitcher's warming up, you take Parra who was just up a inning or two earlier, and hope he can get ready with a three pitches in the 'pen and get it worked out with his 8-10 warmups on the mound.

 

I'd take my chances with that over what Balfour and done in that inning up to that point.

 

I understand this wasn't a MUST win, and for that reason I'm not going to worry about it all day tomorrow, but why Ball-four was even brought in another tie game situation, late, I won't know.