day games vs. night games

[Eddiehitsthefoulpole]

Ever since the Brewers had that string of tough losses on Sundays two season ago I have noticed that the Brewers play much better at night than during the day. The Brewers are now 10-15 in day games. That is the worst day game record in the NL Central. Most of the problems during the day seem to be offensive. I took the following stats off of CBS Sportsline.

 

Player BA OPS Ks BB

Ryan Braun day .250 .788 25 6

night .365 1.083 38 29

 

Prince Fielder day .235 .836 27 19

night .337 1.118 38 35

 

JJ Hardy day .101 .296 21 7

night .291 .843 29 21

 

Corey Hart day .233 .718 19 7

night .262 .769 48 21

 

Jason Kendall day .147 .415 10 4

night .273 .684 18 22

 

 

I have been wondering why the drop in production for day games. Could it be the shadows? But our pitchers, other than Gallardo, seem to have similar stats day and night. Maybe our young guys are having too much fun, or maybe they just haven't developed a routine for day games yet? Since most day games occur on travel days, we may let the travel preparations distract from our play. It could also just be the small sample, but I find the difference in the K/BB ratio for some of the hitters interesting. In the case of Kendall, maybe the idea of catching day games after night games isn't as good of an idea as what our managers have thought. Hardy's numbers are so bad that I would think of giving him a lot of days off on day games. I am curious as to what the rest of you think.

[trwi7]

I think it's just a convenient excuse. The only player who did worse last year in day games than night games was Fielder (lost 10 points on his OPS), everybody else either performed the same or better during the day than at night.

[fondybrewfan]

Well it certianly doesn't bode well for this weekend, 3 of the 4 are during the day and they are all against good pitchers.

 

They got a little unlucky today but it is pretty natural as fans to get frustrated after we just go shut down by Mike Pelfrey.

 

It also just so happens that many day games are also the last game of a series and it seems like the Crew has trouble "closing out" sweeps. I am not sure if the fact that it is a day game is the issue or if the Crew just relaxes to much knowing they have already won the series.

 

Given the hard hit balls though, I would say we would normally win this game 7 times out of 10. It just so happens that today was a day that those liners were right at someone

[davego]

Good post by Augie.

 

I'm not sure if the sample size is big enough (had to say that), but unless I'm reading it wrong I see a decline in all these players in day V night games.

 

We know from the players they site the shadow issue. Evening fun could factor in (no way to measure that) and could be just that this group of players just 'play better' in the evening. Same routine, et al.

[lcbj68c]

Maybe a non little league lineup on a Sunday would help. Ned Yost always pulled that stunt as well.

[trwi7]

Maybe a non little league lineup on a Sunday would help. Ned Yost always pulled that stunt as well.

 

Our lineups have been pretty consistent all year. No real all bench lineups this year that I can remember.

[lcbj68c]

Just an irrational vent about having to watch Jody Gerut/Kendall/Counsell/ on a day you go for the kill. You steal one from their ace, then put out the namby pamby and give it right back when your ace is on the mound. Just frustrating.

[RightFieldCoder]

Counsell and Kendall are normal day starters against RHP. Gerut was the only real back up in the lineup today.