2009-04-12 Cubs (Dempster) at Brewers (Suppan): 7:05 PM CDT [Brewers Lose 8-5]

[thablingster]

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[Oldcity]

Hey, it would be swell if the Brewers didn't get blown out on national tv tonight. Hopefully the offense takes the same approach as the first two games of the series and can make this a slugfest, because I'm not exactly expecting Suppan to shut down the Cubs. I'm also looking forward to hearing how little Joe Morgan knows about the Brewers.

[Invader3K]

I'll be there tonight. Section 215.

 

As far as the Brewers, I hope Suppan can redeem himself, if only a little bit. Also, I love the small ball stuff the Brewers have been doing lately, but 2 or 3 homers in one game wouldn't make me sad right now. We really need to send the Cubs fans back to Chicago disappointed.

[bensheeps]

Interested what Macha does to the lineup after his comments about a shakeup tonight with Dempster's past success versus the Brewers.

 

Manny Parra is 2 for 2 against Dempster in his career with a double and a triple. Manny batting 2nd and playing center?

 

**PA** AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS

Manny Parra 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 2.500 3.500

[hawing]

It's the hawing home opener - section 217.

 

For what it's worth, the Brewers are 1-0 lifetime vs. the Cubs when we sit in 217. I'm not expecting another "first in a lifetime" experience like that other game, but Brewers, if you could just avoid completely catering to the cub fans in attendance tonight, that'd be great.

[dlk9s]

IT'S EASTER SUNDAY!

 

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[MillerParkSouth]

let's not embarass ourselves out there tonight (Suppan). I'm 1-0 on the season, let's make it 2-0.

[adamb100]

Looks the text on the pitching matchup picture is wrong as it says Carlos Zambrano Pitching but the Dempster picture is there.

[yount19.u]

Would it be too much to ask the Brewers for a comfortable win against the Cubs today? I would just like to have them jump out early and hold a nice lead with good pitching for once at Miller Park against the Cubs. I know they've done it against them in the past, but I just can't remember that far back. It seems like they are either getting blown out at home against the Cubs, or they are involved in nail biters. C'mon Crew, how about one for the Easter Bunny!

[wOOgiE22]

Sorry about that! The text is now fixed to show that Dempster is pitching.

[adamb100]

The game is on national tv tonight so please win.

[SeriesFinale]

Not to be a stickler, but Suppan is also 0-1

[Ennder]

Would it be too much to ask the Brewers for a comfortable win against the Cubs today? I would just like to have them jump out early and hold a nice lead with good pitching for once at Miller Park against the Cubs

 

I decided to check this out using the criteria of getting out to a 3+ run lead in the first 5 innings and keeping a 3+ run lead the rest of the game.

 

The last time that happened was August 9th, 2006. We got out to an early 6-0 lead and they scored 3 runs on an Aramis Ramirez HR in the 6th and we won 6-3.

 

Dave Bush went 8 strong with a save by Cordero, Brady Clark hit a 2 run homer off of Zambrano and David Bell and Geoff Jenkins each added 2 RBI off Zambrano.

[hawing]

I think I was at that game. I remember Zambrano losing it after the Clark HR.

[rluzinski]

"Interested what Macha does to the lineup after his comments about a shakeup tonight with Dempster's past success versus the Brewers."

 

I have a hard time believing that Macha has an engineering degree. Other than kendall (who's had great success against Dempster, no other Brewer has more than 18 AB against him). Maybe the University of Pittsburg didn't offer statistics 101 for their engineers? Maybe he fell asleep when they explained sample variance? Different manager, same ignorance.

 

Here's the lineup I'm expecting from Macha:

 

Kendall C

Duffy RF

Mike Rivera LF

Prince Fielder 1B

Rickie Weeks 2B

Craig Counsell SS

Manny Parra 3B

Mike Cameron CF

Suppan P

[sgtcluels]

Well, here to hoping we have good Soup. We'll be there again...

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

dlk - Those pictures bring back some great memories!!! Go Crew!!!

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Different manager, same ignorance.

A good number of Brewer fans seem to think that firing Ned Yost would solve most of the team weaknesses, but I agree, Macha is making a lot of the same blunders that Yost did. Starting Suppan game 1 was his biggest blunder so far because now Suppan has to pitch in the Cubs series when he could easily be pitching against the less talented Reds tomorrow. I also thought he left Bush in way too long last night. It was obvious that Bush had lost his command after the 5th inning when he was getting hit very hard and/or walking guys, but he got lucky with some long and hard hit outs hit right to the defense.

 

I understand that Bush's pitch count was pretty low, but those were runs we could have prevented with a fresh pitcher out of the pen. The upside to the game, I guess, is that the bullpen wasn't used that much, but if you look at the other dugout, Pinella has pretty much emptied out his pen this series because he realizes the importance of the the games vs the Brewers in the standings.

[dlk9s]

Lineups, per TH:

 

Brewers

2B Rickie Weeks

3B Craig Counsell

LF Ryan Braun

1B Prince Fielder

SS J.J. Hardy

RF Corey Hart

CF Chris Duffy

RHP Jeff Suppan

 

Cubs

LF Alfonso Soriano

CF Kosuke Fukudome

1B Derrek Lee

RF Milton Bradley

3B Aramis Ramirez

2B Joe Fontenot

SS Ryan Theriot

C Koyie Hill

RHP Ryan Dempster

[TheCrew]

A good number of Brewer fans seem to think that firing Ned Yost would solve most of the team weaknesses, but I agree, Macha is making a lot of the same blunders that Yost did. Starting Suppan game 1 was his biggest blunder so far because now Suppan has to pitch in the Cubs series when he could easily be pitching against the less talented Reds tomorrow. I also thought he left Bush in way too long last night. It was obvious that Bush had lost his command after the 5th inning when he was getting hit very hard and/or walking guys, but he got lucky with some long and hard hit outs hit right to the defense.

 

I understand that Bush's pitch count was pretty low, but those were runs we could have prevented with a fresh pitcher out of the pen. The upside to the game, I guess, is that the bullpen wasn't used that much, but if you look at the other dugout, Pinella has pretty much emptied out his pen this series because he realizes the importance of the the games vs the Brewers in the standings.

I think we need to give macha a little time with the team before we start calling him yost - as for Bush last night, if Soriano is called out at first on that DP (which he should have been - it was nearly a half a step) Then Bush only has 2 ER's over 6 & 1/3 rather than 3 ER's........ I've got no complaints with that one. The issue wasn't Bush last night, the bullpen giving up 2 HR's and 3 runs in the last 2 innings was.

 

I know everyone likes to hate on Soup, I'm not a fan myself - but it makes sense to give the vet the start on opening day. The cubs hit him hard last year, but he did have a lot of success against them in years prior and he's always pitched better at Miller than on the road. If we can get a few runs on Dempster - and based on last year, that is a big if - I like our chances tonight.

[Yeti73]

Not exactly a fear inducing lineup and I'm preparing myself for the worst, but I still believe Dumpster had a freak year last year and if we have patience at the plate tonight (insert CC + Duffy), we could get a bit lucky.

 

Its Easter, we're on national TV and I don't have to work so I'm pretty darn happy and I'll enjoy it until Soup struggles.

 

I hate to see Soriano get hot, because when he is locked in, he's filthy. Hopefully he'll wait to really turn it on til next week.

[adamb100]

Are you kidding me? Really?

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Jeff Suppan is a good pitcher.

[RU Rah Rah]

I guess Soup didn't hear the warning from the ESPN booth about Soriano.

[bucks2281]

Really, Suppan? Albatross.