07/22/07 Giants (Zito) @ Brewers (Vargas) 1:05pm CT

[sgtcluels]

Looks like no Woogie.

 

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San Francisco Giants (41 - 54)

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Barry Zito LHP (7 - 9, 4.67/1.41)

http://www.pabaon.com/sports/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/barry_zito.jpg

Zito ended a six-start winless stretch by defeating the Cubs, 4-2, at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. In seven innings, Zito not only struck out a season-high eight but also walked none, ending a 37-start stretch in which he had issued at least one free pass. During Zito's rocky first season with the Giants, he has tended to avoid challenging hitters, which gets him into trouble. When he commands the inner half of home plate, it doesn't matter how soft he throws -- he succeeds in keeping opponents off-balance.

 

@

 

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Milwaukee Brewers (54 - 43)

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Claudio Vargas RHP (7-2, 4.47/1.50)

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2007/03/21/u5Lsvu9T.jpg

Vargas has won four of his last five decisions and is 5-0 in nine starts at Miller Park -- including a June 20 win over the Giants. With the loss of Ben Sheets to injury, Vargas and the rest of the rotation need to start pitching deeper into games. Vargas has not pitched more than six innings in any of his starts this season and has been limited to five innings in three of his last four starts. That means extra work for a bullpen that could use a break.

 

 

Radio: 620 WTMJ.

TV: FSN (642 DTV, 31 TWC Mke), FSN-HD

[sgtcluels]

LHP! Means Mench.. BOOOOOOOOOOOO

[patrickgpe]

it also means Braun gets to face a lefty

[bretsky07]

...and probably Graffanino in left field again.

[dpapo]

Brewers lineup according to WSSP:

 

2B Weeks

SS Hardy

3B Braun

1B Fielder

RF Mench

CF Hart

C Estrada

LF Graffanino

P Vargas

[brewers19]

Mench also means a .983 OPS since June 1. Or a 1.065 OPS since June 20. Or a 1.371 OPS since the All-Star Break.

 

Or you can have Jenkins and his .677 OPS since June 1. Or a 0.623 OPS since June 20. Or a 0.609 OPS since the All-Star Break.

 

So, in short, I'd actually rather have Mench out there right now.

[patrickgpe]

i'm happy to see estrada in the lineup which means he must be ok after being hit in the arm yesterday

[sgtcluels]

Booo B19... BOOO!

 

My hate for Mench drives him to great things..

[MillerParkSouth]

has Rickie done anything lately to warrant a move back to the lead off spot? Granted, nobody's really done much of anything lately, maybe Yost is just trying to shake things up.

[uwisfan]

I like the move & it was suggested here earlier.. With Weeks & Hart both struggling, makes sense to shake it up a little

[brewers19]

He's 1-1 with 3 walks in the past two days. So it seems that his incompetence at the plate is waning a bit, and batting somewhere other than in front of the pitcher certainly couldn't hurt him either.

[pitchleague]

yep, I agree that Week's "deserves" a trip back to the top of the lineup. He's been more selective at the plate and actually, *gulp*, hit one hard the other day.

 

Not to mention that Corey Hart appears to be pressing since his hit streak ended.

[hawing]

Thanks for stepping up, Sgt. Nice Zito photo, too.

 

AVOID! THE! SWEEP!

[brettac1]

I'm glad to see Weeks in the lineup, but the thing is - if he rakes before Hall comes back (if they face more LHP's, I haven't looked at the matchups for the Cincy series), would he be able to stop his benching before it ever really started? What was the point of Ned even going public with him benching him?

[bucksman4]

Weeks batting leadoff is horrible. Slice it anyway you want, this guy has no eye at the plate. One 0-4 day slides Hart out of his spot? Ridiculous.

[brewers19]

One 0-4 day slides Hart out of his spot?

 

Or the fact that he's got a 0.222 OBP since his hitting streak ended.

[lukevan]

Good to see Weeks back at the top, we haven't been scoring much and need something to change, even if just for a game or two. I still think Rickie will have a big impact coming down the stretch.

 

Vargas, pound that meat and please continue to be our lucky charm.

[B2k1121]

I predict a big game for Weeks today.

[bucksman4]

Or the fact that he's got a 0.222 OBP since his hitting streak ended.

 

I'd like to see what Weeks' OBP has been over the course of the last few months. Won't be a pretty sight.

[LUKE232323]

Still like Hart over Weeks at the top. Granted Hart has been struggling, but man what has Weeks been doing then? Both have looked bad lately but Weeks has been swinging at EVERYTHING and striking out on some absolutely brutal pitches.

[trwi7]

Please don't suck today.

 

And if I may quote Boz Scaggs can we please get one for the road?http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[brewcrew00]

Weeks OBP is .389 in the month of July.

[brewers19]

Okay, bucksman.

 

Since July 7, when Hart hitting streak ended, he's had a 0.222 OBP; since then, Weeks has had a 0.381 OBP.

 

Since June 18, when Weeks came back from his injury, he's had a 0.300 OBP; Hart hasn't exactly been stellar either with a 0.320 OBP.

 

It's not like Hart has been that much better than Weeks; and considering how dismal this offense has looked lately, I can't really blame Ned for going with the hot hand right now.

[Kpanz20]

Here's my 2 cents for today:

 

It sucks for the fans they we come out and sell out MP for the entire weekend series and they lose the first 2. A sweep would be just horrible with so many people out for all these games and a lot of excitement going to get beat like this. They need a W today for the fans that have showed the support this weekend and haven't been rewarded with a win.

 

They beat up Zito pretty good last time... hopefully a big day for the bats on this beautiful day.

[jlau20]

While Ned confuses me with what he says and what he actually does, it doesn't really bother me to see Rickie in the leadoff spot.

 

His average isn't getting any better, at all really, but his OBP, like always is pretty solid. Taking his walks, which is more than Corey can say right now.

 

No harm in shaking it up a bit today, but I'm just confused with Ned's mixed messages about Rickie not playing so much for a while, then moving him to leadoff.

 

But again, had he not said that in the first place I still think Rickie getting another shot at leadoff maybe to get something going isn't a bad idea.