10/01/08 Brewers (Gallardo) at Phillies (Hamels): 2:00 PM CDT

[RoseBowlMtg]

Hart's hit was vs a leftie where he looks better so when he was up vs Lidge a RH Nelson is who I was calling for. A big slugger would have loved that last pitch. Corey looked better than lately but he still missed a 92 mph fastball down the middle. Defense and swinging at balls lost the game but if Ned didn't ph for Hart I can imagine the uproar.

[StearnsFTW]

thoughts for the game:

 

- great pitching all 8 innings given the situation. aside from the error-filled inning, yo did great.

- defensive errors pretty much cost us the game. i'll never know how cameron won those gold gloves.

- this team still can't hit, and that won't change this series. they better hope for a lot of 2-1, 3-2 type games.

- hopefully we win tomorrow so i can sell my game 4 tickets so i don't have to see the phils win the series

--agreed

--if you don't know now, you're right.......you never will

--very much agreed

--nice attitude

[hawing]

Well, game 1 of the 1982 World Series was a dominating victory for the Brewers, yet not enough to save them in the end.

 

The 2008 Brewers are certainly still in this series, and they didn't completely shame themselves today.

It was hard to tell (on the Union's projection TV) how wet the grounds/ball were on the error/miscue plays. Not to make excuses - and we all know too well that Rickie and Bill miscuing is not a rarity - but I wondered right away if that could have made a difference.

[Pedro]

I spent the entire game in a long, dull meeting.

 

Gameday on my iPhone wasn't working.

 

I had a friend text messaging me inning-by-inning and then pitch-by-pitch 9th inning updates.

 

Three times I missed a question asked of me because I was reading the IM and/or trying to get Gameday to work.

 

The Brewers lost.

 

I enjoyed every minute, because it was playoff baseball. I can hardly wait for tomorrow's game.

[rluzinski]

I actually thought Hart looked OK today. He worked the count enough to get Lidge to throw him a hittable pitch. He just missed it. He wasn't swinging at complete junk, as he's been prone to do the last few weeks.

 

Go get em' tomorrow!

[BrewCrewForever]

The Brewers lost.

I enjoyed every minute, because it was playoff baseball. I can hardly wait for tomorrow's game.

 

You know, I kind of felt the same way. I mean of course I want the Brewers to win and go all the way. But when you have not been to the playoffs in this long just being there is a great feeling and I felt more relaxed watching todays game as I will all the playoff games then say the last couple of weeks of the season, which were very stressful. I'm just so used to watching everybody but my team in October that it was so nice to actually watch extra Brewers games this season. Hopefully many more of them.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Great attitude Pedro!!! Brewers playoff baseball...I'm so glad those words are all in the same sentence.

 

This is such a Yostian comment that will probably p.o. most of you but here it goes...sometimes you just have to tip your cap. Hamels was brilliant today. He barely made a mistake all game and he was nailing the black. Unlike many of you, I had no problem with the strike zone today. The guy was on.

 

That being said, our pitching was terrific as well and it made me feel good that these guys can be stopped. Our cautious approach to Howard was great...much like the Brewers, they've got a lineup of free swingers and our pitchers took advantage. Villy was flat out dominant. It was also nice to see Parra have another good outing. Yo was solid if not for...

 

Our D, sigh...Hall and Rickie on the first play, what can you say? These guys have botched so many easy plays its mindboggling. Weeks is just a hack out there. It's really disappointing. Cam's play...uggh, the guy is really a great fielder and has made a number of plays that our last few CF's would not have made...but he's had a few misplayed balls in key situations this year...I just don't get it. Bad timing I guess.

 

Our approach at the plate. I know we were shut down by Hamels, but we've got some guys that are putting together some better ABs. Durham, Braun and even Fielder's K were really good ABs against Lidge. Hardy's walk as well. Corey even had a hit today. Call me crazy, but if we put these kind of ABs against their next two starters...we'll score some runs.

 

CC wins tomorrow (it's a must) and a big one in game 3 before we get Hamels again in Game 4. If we can win CC's starts and steal another at the Keg...we're moving on. Keep the faith!!! It's not over 'til we say it's over!!!

[GormanHarvey]

I would have to agree with SoCal that we had several AB's today that eventhough they may not have produced were pretty good at bats with good approaches. I'm just worried that we as fans may have been easily impressed or satisfied considering how bad most of our AB's have been throughout of september. I also agree that a lot of our struggles had to do with Hamels. Our defense...well, thats another story

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Anyone else feel that Sveum is doing a solid job. Lefties against lefties, righties against righties, a double switch...not exactly rocket science yet somewhat refreshing to see.

[GormanHarvey]

Anyone else feel that Sveum is doing a solid job. Lefties against lefties, righties against righties, a double switch...not exactly rocket science yet somewhat refreshing to see.

Could not agree more. He never looks like it pains him to make the decisions either. He makes them, cut and dry. He has convictions and sticks to them and I really think his calm demeanor and quiet confidence is beginning to permeate this young club

[GormanHarvey]

Thought this might be of interest...

 

 

Weather conditions foiled Cameron

By Tom Haudricourt

Wednesday, Oct 1 2008, 07:51 PM

 

Philadelphia - Mike Cameron never had seen weather conditions like that at Citizens Bank Park.

 

"The wind was doing God knows what out there," said the Brewers centerfielder.

 

With the wind and rain blowing across from leftfield today in the bottom of the third inning of Game 1 of the NLDS, Cameron figured the drive off the bat of Philadelphia's Chase Utley would get knocked down. Accordingly, he worked across the field, toward left, rather than back.

 

"I cut across like it was going to go down but it kept rising," said Cameron. "My first instinct was that it was not going to travel, because of the way the wind was blowing. It just kind of took off."

 

At the last instant, Cameron altered his route, going straight back and attempting a leaping catch. He momentarily had it in the webbing of his glove, half in, half out, but when he tumbled to the turf, the ball came free and Utley had a two-run double that would prove the difference in Philadelphia's 3-1 victory.

 

"It turned out to be a pretty big play in the game," said Cameron.

 

"If it isn't caught, nobody can catch it except Mike Cameron," said Brewers interim manager Dale Sveum. "I never question anything he does in center field. He's as good a centerfielder as I've ever been around in my 27 years in the game.

 

"If it was supposed to be caught, he would have caught it. He came within inches of it and at that time the wind was probably blowing 30 miles an hour. If he doesn't catch it, there's nobody that can catch it."

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

The '27 Yankees would have had a tough time with that changeup today. Other than the 7th they worked the count alright, but that change was devastating, and he threw a lot of them with two strikes. Would have liked to seen Nelson in the 9th, but ah well. Thought Sveum made all the right moves with the pen, and the pinch hitters paid off. He managed a good ballgame, it's too bad a routine throw to first is too tough for Rickie.

 

BTW, I thought I was disappointed today, imagine being a Cubs fan right now. Then take a shower.

[rluzinski]

Most CFers don't even get a glove on that ball, so it's hard for me to get angry at Cam. Hall and especially Weeks' mistake is a lot harder to swallow.

[dlk9s]

I actually thought Hart looked OK today. He worked the count enough to get Lidge to throw him a hittable pitch. He just missed it. He wasn't swinging at complete junk, as he's been prone to do the last few weeks.

 

Go get em' tomorrow!

I completely agree.

 

It frustrates me to see people continue to pile on Hart. He played fine today. First AB was good, but Utley made an excellent play. Second AB was a solid line drive for the first hit of the game for the Brewers. Third was a standard flyout, nothing special good OR bad. Fourth AB was run-of-the-mill K against a great pitcher - he didn't look lost at the plate at all. Sometimes guys just strikeout. The comment by somebody that Hart "should have" hit a homer is ludicrous.

 

And I know everyone has as big crush on Nelson, but he wasn't going to hit for Hart. If the game goes extras, Sveum isn't putting Nelson in RF. Nelson did have a helmet on, though, so it looks like he was going to go in for somebody.

 

3rd inning aside, I don't think Hamels was going to lose today. He was a beast.

[jjfanec]

I agree completely with the last couple comments on Hart. After his first couple at bats I thought he looked a ton better. He was one of the only guys who did not K against Hamels yet people throw him under the bus because he K'ed to end the game. The Hart of the last month would have struck out swinging at a low outside ball in three pitches against Lidge. He would not have worked the count to full in order to get a nice pitch. I dont see people piling on Prince for his at bat against Lidge even though he swung at a terrible pitch that was ball four by 6 inches.

[HOF4canrake]

Prince's AB in the 9th was a huge disappointment. He did a nice job to foul some pitches off and had the advantage at 3-2 versus Lidge as his numbers vs. lefties aren't nearly as good as vs. righties. That pitch, as mentioned, really wasn't close. If he gets on, chances are Lidge would have had to give Hardy a fastball or two to hit because he couldn't locate the slider and Hardy was laying off of it.

 

As far as Hart goes, baseball somehow finds the guys that are struggling...hitting or fielding. While Hart did look a little better, it is almost unfathomable that he couldn't even get a piece of a straight fastball at 93mph belt high, middle of the plate. That's just the way it goes sometimes.

[Brew City Baseball Fan]

Although the loss yesterday stung a little bit I am finding it hard to be too upset. Cole Hamels was just dealin all day and when a pitcher of his caliber throws that type of game all you can do is tip your cap and go at em tomorrow. I know alot of people will say that if Rickie or Cam made catches they should have yesterday we end up winning 1-0. But if they make those catches the game is totally different. Hitters approaches change when your tied 0-0. So no worries Brewer fans lets get it done today and come back to MP for Saturday tied at 1-1.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Brewers have been tipping hats to a lot lesser than Hamels all season so that's not a huge deal, but at some point you have to beat pitchers of that caliber and to do so you need tight defense and that was lacking yesterday.

 

What I don't want to see is any more Brewer hat tipping to guys like Myers and 45 year old junk ballers like Moyer.

[Ennder]

Brewers stink against the change up so it is just not a good matchup for us.

[fondybrewfan]

Brewers stink against the change up so it is just not a good matchup for us.

They also stink against sliders, curveballs, cut fast balls, BP fastballs, anything on the outer half of the plate, anything on the inner half of the plate above the belt of near th knees.

 

So really the only thing we have going for us is straight fastballs middle-in and thigh high.

 

 

I mean really how many on the team can consistently hit an outside pitch? Braun did on his double but they are virtually incapable of hitting an outside pitch the other way (at least right now, normally they aren't this bad)

[RobDeer 45]

Getting a piece of 93 mile an hour fastball is easy if you know it's coming. But if you don't know if it's that or Lidge's nasty slider then good luck. You almost have to guess. Hart played well, stop getting on him.

[MJLiverock]

I was actually impressed with the Brewers patience for most of the game. They took a lot of pitches and put a lot 3-2 counts out there but couldn't get any hits or even really touch the ball when they took a swing.

 

For all the shots people in the media took at the Brewers pitching staff prior to the game I though they did a pretty good job as well. The Phillies didn't exactly light the world on fire with thier offense agains Gallardo and Villy.

 

I am optimistic about today's game.

[joepepsi]

I mean really how many on the team can consistently hit an outside pitch? Braun did on his double but they are virtually incapable of hitting an outside pitch the other way (at least right now, normally they aren't this bad)

So why do they keep swinging at them? And when I say "they", I mean you Corey Hart and Bill Hall.