2009-07-05 Brewers (Burns) at Chicago (Lilly) : 1:20 PM CT [Brewers lose, 8-2]

[crewcrazy]

Considering most were pegging this team for 84-85 wins at the start of the year and that's what they're on pace for after winning the "halfway point" game yesterday, I guess I just have a hard time considering this team a disappointment. The schedule in the second half looks to be quite a bit easier, so I don't doubt that they'll be in the wildcard race until the final couple weeks, even if they don't make a move.

 

The Cubs do have the most talent in the division, but we knew that going into the year. For them, it's a matter of playing up to that talent level, and they weren't doing that, even with Ramirez in the lineup. The Cardinals have Pujols playing out of his mind and Rasmus starting to come around, but how long can Carpenter stay healthy and Franklin continue his unlikely success as the closer? Each team in this race has some pretty big question marks to deal with, even when they're at full strength.

[brewmann04]

we need 2/3 vs STL and that would be nice with the 3 Pitchers we have going. The Brewers are very lucky to be where we are and the Lack of Pitching Depth has really hurt this team. I agree the Cubs with a full line up are going to be hard to beat.

Hart ,Hardy and Cameron lack of hitting has killed this team and the lack of Quality Pitching beyond Yo and yes Looper has kept this team at mediocre at best.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

This team still has the capacity to get hot. If they can muddle around the top of the division and somehow find a way to get hot in September, they will have a shot. It will take a few pieces falling into place. The starting rotation must get solved and someone besides Braun, Prince and Casey need to hit. I'm not even sure we can count on Casey being this hot the rest of the year. Somebody, anybody, find a bat.

[brewmann04]

There is a reason why Burns is considered a Jouryman and he really is not a MLB Starter.

[pebadger]

To me the offense has failed to meet expectations to a much greater degree than the staff. We knew what the staff was coming in. Parra was really the only guy not performing about as expected, and even thne he wasn't really a train wreck immediately. As such, the staff was at least stable and when Hoffman came on board the roles in the bullpen got set.

[wibadgers23]

Bill Hall is lost, just absolutely lost.

[yount19.u]

Well, that's pretty much my point--if the offense is doing their job and Macha is doing his (why did Burns pitch to Fontenot or Fox in those situations), the mere presence of the spot starters have not necessarily meant "an automatic loss."

So automatic loss wasn't the best description. But with Burns, McClung and Parra's last month, the team was in a hole before the games ever started. The offense helped out a lot, and Burns had a nice start his last time out, but a smart gambler would have bet against the Brewers every time in those games and would have made some nice money. Macha's managing today would not make a difference either. Pitching around Fontenot, Fox and even Lee may have saved a couple runs, but poor pitching would have caught up to him with a different batter anyway. I like Burns and McClung and think they can definitely help this team, but as relievers and not starters.

[logan82]

The schedule in the second half looks to be quite a bit easier

 

I agree on August, but September looks brutal. We play 5 series against the Cubs and Cardinals. Kind of a good schedule for all the teams involved. Lets you play your way into or out of the playoffs at the end of the year. All games have huge significance.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Corey Hart...where have you gone?

[crewcrazy]

The schedule in the second half looks to be quite a bit easier

 

I agree on August, but September looks brutal. We play 5 series against the Cubs and Cardinals. Kind of a good schedule for all the teams involved. Lets you play your way into or out of the playoffs at the end of the year. All games have huge significance.

Yeah, that's part of the reason why I'm trying not to get too upset over the results of this series and the upcoming Cards series...they'll have another chance to make up any games they lose this week. Of course it would've been nice to play a little better in this series, but the only way these series will have a drastic effect on the division race is if teams start sweeping each other. As long as they hang around first place in the division (and the wildcard), I'm going to try to not let my blood boil when Derrek Lee hits another meatball out. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[brewmann04]

I agree Pebader The Hitting has really been dissapointing with the struggles of Hall,Hart,Hardy and Cameron. Two guys can't carry this team and hope Melvin looking at adding a hitter along with a pitcher.

[Mr QL]

Low? Come on ump.

[SeriesFinale]

Well, that's pretty much my point--if the offense is doing their job and Macha is doing his (why did Burns pitch to Fontenot or Fox in those situations), the mere presence of the spot starters have not necessarily meant "an automatic loss."

So automatic loss wasn't the best description. But with Burns, McClung and Parra's last month, the team was in a hole before the games ever started. The offense helped out a lot, and Burns had a nice start his last time out, but a smart gambler would have bet against the Brewers every time in those games and would have made some nice money. Macha's managing today would not make a difference either. Pitching around Fontenot, Fox and even Lee may have saved a couple runs, but poor pitching would have caught up to him with a different batter anyway. I like Burns and McClung and think they can definitely help this team, but as relievers and not starters.

Well, I happen to believe it would have made a massive difference in this game if a) Prince had made an effort for that Fox pop-foul, b) Macha had pitched around Fontenot (I think you had to pitch to Lee in that situation), c) he had pulled Burns before letting him pitch to Fox, and d) this team, which we knew lives and dies by its offense, was hitting.

 

I don't necessarily want to see Burns and McClung out there either, but I also think it's unfair to automatically ascribe today's loss just to Burns. Brewers could've made a run in this game with him there.

 

I guess the whole reason I'm not necessarily freaking out overall is that these guys are spot starters--if they were the long term solution, I'd be a lot more concerned, but I expect the team to start hitting again at some point and to see McClung, Burns, Smith and Narveson back in their normal roles (whatever/wherever they are) at some point in the foreseeable future.

[Mr QL]

I hardly noticed Billy even played today.Suppose that's better than costing us the game as usual.

 

I can't see how Melvin doesn't make a move.

[brewmann04]

every series is very important in division Play. The Brewers seem to have alot or Issues and unless they can get it solved soon we won't be making a postseason this season.

[crewcrazy]

Today's loss makes that crappy walkoff walk call sting even more. They pitched well enough for a split, which is probably more than what most of us expected when the pitching match ups were announced.

 

As someone else said, at least the Brewers should have the guys pitching really well going against the Cardinals, which is good. Should be an interesting series, to say the least. I do hate losing day games, though, especially day games before an off day...too much time to dwell on what went wrong. The Brewers could rectify this by just sweeping the Cardinals and helping us forget this series ever happened. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[hawing]

Left-hander Manny Parra has worked his way back in the mix to make a start for the Brewers before the all-star break.

 

Demoted to Class AAA Nashville to work on his command, Parra turned in a stellar outing Friday night against Round Rock, pitching seven scoreless innings and allowing only two hits and two walks while logging seven strikeouts.

 

After watching right-hander Seth McClung struggle in two starts (0-1, 12.28) since coming out of the bullpen, manager Ken Macha is exploring other alternatives. Parra, who struggled a bit in his previous outing, is 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA in four starts with Nashville

Where is this from?

[SeriesFinale]

I hardly noticed Billy even played today.Suppose that's better than costing us the game as usual.

I definitely noticed, he struck out three times, once with a man in scoring position, and had an error

 

I'm a huge Billy Hall fan, but he was mostly a disaster last year and seems to be getting worse.

 

I agree that the walkoff bad-call the other day seems magnified by today's loss, even if there was no guarantee they win that one anyway.

[TSack27]

Left-hander Manny Parra has worked his way back in the mix to make a start for the Brewers before the all-star break.

 

Demoted to Class AAA Nashville to work on his command, Parra turned in a stellar outing Friday night against Round Rock, pitching seven scoreless innings and allowing only two hits and two walks while logging seven strikeouts.

 

After watching right-hander Seth McClung struggle in two starts (0-1, 12.28) since coming out of the bullpen, manager Ken Macha is exploring other alternatives. Parra, who struggled a bit in his previous outing, is 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA in four starts with Nashville

Where is this from?

JSOnline - http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/49942577.html

[brewmann04]

Thank Tsack forget to post the Link

[trwi7]

Burns gave up two earned runs in 6.2 IP last time out... I think you're over reacting.

No he's not. Look at the lineup he faced.

 

Alex Cora

Fernando Tatis

David Wright

Gary Sheffield

Ryan Church

Nick Evans

Fernando Martinez

Omir Santos

Johan Santana

 

He's not going to be facing lineups that bad very often.

[dlk9s]

For those saying the offense has been disappointing this season, keep in mind the Brewers are 4th in the NL in runs scored, only 6 runs behind the Dodgers (I believe this was going into today). That's pretty solid.

 

And although they only scored 2 today, they still had 11 hits and only 3 fewer base runners than the Cubs. Yeah, it sucks that they couldn't get the big hit to plate more runners, but in my opinion, the fact that they got runners on base is good. Sometimes you just can't get them home.

 

For me, when I watch Burns, he seems to have pretty good stuff. Unfortunately, he was just missing the corners and then grooved a few down the middle that got crushed (Fuku, Lee, Fox). When it completely fell apart for him, he was also unfortunate to make a few good pitches only to have the hitters dump them weakly for hits. He obviously did not pitch well today, but I think he can be a serviceable 5th starter if we need him to be.

[logan82]

The only really troubling thing is that it looks like Macha may start playing our bench players more because the starters are not hitting with runners in scoring position.