Low Point of the Season

[brewmann04]

i agree both staff at least stats are equal but the Phillies have the Better Lineup and hit on a more constant Basis,

[TheCrew07]

While they are similar, the Phillies are still better by any measure... SP ERA, SP FIP, Team ERA... and are significantly better when we take out Bush and add in a replacement level pitcher. Their offense is also 52 runs better in 3 less games.

 

If we're talking the post season, objectively I like their offense vs our pitching more than I like our offense vs their pitching. That's not a match-up I'd be excited about. I don't see this team outscoring people 9-7 on it's way to a championship.

[joepepsi]

The Brewers only have 4 players who contribute anything of significant on offense: Prince, Braun, Cameron, and McGehee. The rest of the offense is terrible. (OK, Hart isn't terrible, just below average for a corner OF'er.)

 

The rotation has certainly faltered without Parra and Bush, but the offense is seldom carrying its weight.

[Invader3K]

I would definitely say Counsell has been a solid contributor on offense this season thus far, but I get your point.

[joepepsi]

You're right, Counsell has been very good this season. He'll be back next year, is my guess.

[RightFieldCoder]

Halladay won't opt out after a season. If he comes to Milwaukee he knows that he has young, front line talent in Braun and Fielder for at least a year. If he in fact doesn't want to come via a trade, he simply won't. He has a no trade clause. It would make NO sense for him to come into Milwaukee and then opt out. He knows what he's getting in to if he comes. He's gone after a year and a half regardless.

Maybe he wants out of Toronto, or the contract all together? Accepting the trade to Milwaukee would allow him to nullify the trade this off season. He gets out of Toronto (and away from the AL East) and into a new contract a year earlier (and younger). I could see why he would waive his NTC but still void out the contract. (I don't see Milwaukee doing the trade, just commenting about Halladay's view of a rumored trade)

 

However, the bench is weak and meek compared to last years' bench.

I think McGehee and Counsell have done great. The problem was Hall becoming the greatest 3B in the league and Rickie getting hurt, so we think of those two as starters and not late inning hitters. So our 2nd string bench isn't as good as last year's bench. And who could have said that Kapler (in a pre-2008 mindset) was better than Nelson (in a pre-2009 mindset)?

[RU Rah Rah]

Wow, a year ago on July 25, the Brewers were 59-44 and three games ahead of everyone in the Wild Card race.

[Ennder]

To be honest at this point I hope we don't make any big deals. I don't see Gallardo not struggling in the 2nd half given how many innings he pitched last year and how much we've pushed him this year. In general I'd say the team underproduced on the season and it is getting late enough that I don't want to mortgage any of 2010/2011 just for 2009.

 

Hope we get hot and the Cards and Cubs get cold.

[Godspeed]

Good lord, if this not-yet-over thrashing from the worst team in the league (not to overlook giving up grand slams to the same player in back to back innings) isn't the low point of the season, wake me up next April...

[SeriesFinale]

Ummm, what happened to the VENT THREAD????!!!!!! After tonight there is a real and sufficient need for it.

You haven't been here since May and you come back to vent?

 

Anyway, yeah, getting hammered by the Nationals to fall under .500 is the new low point of the season.

[Jay Zahn]

Good lord, if this not-yet-over thrashing from the worst team in the league (not to overlook giving up grand slams to the same player in back to back innings) isn't the low point of the season, wake me up next April...

With pitching this bad, and nothing on the horizon, realistically how much hope is there for next year?

[Tailgat0r76]

Good lord, if this not-yet-over thrashing from the worst team in the league (not to overlook giving up grand slams to the same player in back to back innings) isn't the low point of the season, wake me up next April...

With pitching this bad, and nothing on the horizon, realistically how much hope is there for next year?

You hope we can sell off players like Looper, Hoffman, Counsell, Kendall, Lopez?, and Cameron and hope it helps to add pieces for next year.

[lcbj68c]

With pitching this bad, and nothing on the horizon, realistically how much hope is there for next year?

Not much. I doubt the rotation gets upgraded in the off-season, just a fill-in for Looper with Looper type aspirations. Back to Back losing seasons looks pretty likely at this point. Don't put me in the camp that isn't sold on what the "2011 wave of pitching" prospects hold. Atleast we aren't the Pirates. Meh!

[DougJones43]

Good lord, if this not-yet-over thrashing from the worst team in the league (not to overlook giving up grand slams to the same player in back to back innings) isn't the low point of the season, wake me up next April...

With pitching this bad, and nothing on the horizon, realistically how much hope is there for next year?

 

Yeah. The team's complete lack of ability to develop any pitching prospects outside of Gallardo is haunting them, and will most likely continue to do so for at least another year.

[TabbertBB]

Hey, where are all the happy faces that we had last week when the Brewers were going to sweep these clowns out of town? 6 and 1 homestand and add a player or 2 plus Holliday and we are WS bound.

 

It sure does suck when reality hits that these guys are really not that good.

 

Plus, it sure does bite when you have a player that went and shot of his mouth in a wrong situation. Bad, bad for the team chemistry.

[MNBrew]

They weren't that good, but they also sure aren't this bad. It sure is a heinously ugly stretch, though. At some point it will end and they'll play better. Hopefully the season won't be lost by the time that happens.

 

Jeff Suppan, however, truly is this bad. He is an abomination and a complete embarrassment. Sheesh!

 

The scariest thing about Suppan, however, is that there may be no one on the team or in the system who can pitch any better right now -- not the way it's been going, anyway, although I'd sure take my chances with Dillard, with whom the results may be the same but at least the cost is only a fraction.

 

The notion of trading Hoffman, however, is totally for the birds. This team is not without plenty of positives. Few of those positives reside on the pitching staff. Why trade the best pitcher on the staff who also fills one of the toughest spots?

 

I've spoken out on the excess I believe Cameron's contract to be. However, I'd gladly keep Cameron with little complaint if the Crew weren't afflicted by Hall's & especially Suppan's disastrous contracts.

[ClubLevel]

I'm selfishly loving this as it likely means no ticket price increases for next year and less clueless bandwagon "fans" at MP next season.

[ryanbraun75]

I believe that we just hit the low point of the season. i've never seen such horrible pitching in my entire life. Honestly i'm sooo sick and tired of seeing Suppan, looper, kendall, hall and so many other of these "veterans" go out their every fifth day or every day and just play like total ass.. I think its finally hit me that this team isn't going to win this year its just impossible to come up with enough pitching to get them a championship. i wouldn't be opposed to selling at this point in the season.

Why not bring up Escobar and Gamel and maybe give some of these pitchers like Dillard and Villa and Cody maybe Butler some spot starts or something just to see what we have. Cuz at this point im not only concerned about this year but next year. I wanna see what we have in some of these guys and i wana see some people step up so we can push some of these old ass veterans outta town so we can win. I'm so sick of these guys and you guys can't tell me you aren't either and would like to see another youth movement if you will

[DuWayne Steurer]

I'm selfishly loving this as it likely means no ticket price increases for next year and less clueless bandwagon "fans" at MP next season.

Yes, we can all hardly wait for the return to 14,000 fans in the stands on weeknight games. And 15 straight losing seasons again.

 

Those clueless "Bandwagon fans" spend the money that put this team in the position to be able to be a mid-market team at least a few years at a time. I welcome them and all the "cluelesness" that they bring to each and every game.

[Buckhunts]

I'm selfishly loving this as it likely means no ticket price increases for next year and less clueless bandwagon "fans" at MP next season.

 

Spoken like a true bandwagon fan. Seriously, this has to one of the worst posts I have ever read. I really hope this isn't how a lot of Brewers fans feel or this fanbase will never grow beyond the small market status. Please tell me this is not how others feel.

[bobskube]

I'm selfishly loving this as it likely means no ticket price increases for next year and less clueless bandwagon "fans" at MP next season.

Those "bandwagon" fans and ticket increases are necessary to pay players and expand payroll. If you want to have cheaper prices and less bandwagon fans, catch a game in Appleton and watch the Timber Rattlers with Peralta and Lawrie.

 

I really disagree with this because I want the best team on the field and it is more likely to happen with increased payroll. I'm trying to be as nice as possible as I bite through my lip with your comment ClubLevel.

[hawing]

I agree with Buckhunts. I hope the post on which he commented is a knee-jerk reaction to Monday's disappointing result. If it's not, I feel sorry for the author of that post.

[sgtcluels]

Meh I get what he's saying. The better the team does, the lower the collective baseball IQ. Some of my best memories of Brewer games where when they were horrible. But I'd rather put up with people trying to figure out what the R on the scoreboard means then watch 100 loss baseball again.

[TooLiveBrew]

With pitching this bad, and nothing on the horizon, realistically how much hope is there for next year?

 

Actually quite a bit. Gamel will be the fulltime 3B (imho), one of Escobar/Hardy will be gone in a deal to bring in cost-controlled young(ish) SP, Weeks will be back, Bush will be back, Angel Salome could very well be the regular catcher (ridding the offense of its main black hole), Gallardo/Prince/Braun/rest of the youthful core will have one more year of experience, Cameron may well be back at good value. And of course the Cubs & Cards will be another year older.

 

The fact that people are completely ignoring things that are out of Melvin's control this season (like injuries to Weeks/Bush, & injuries to almost literally every SP target the Brewers conceivably had on the trade market) is appalling to me. I guess Melvin's just the lightning rod this year since Yost is gone. Thank goodness Mark Attanasio has his head on straight & seems to have full faith in Melvin.

[nohopspanther]

They weren't that good, but they also sure aren't this bad. It sure is a heinously ugly stretch, though. At some point it will end and they'll play better. Hopefully the season won't be lost by the time that happens.

I don't buy that the team isn't this bad given they are 19-30 since June 1st. The pitching has landed in the ocean of reality and the team is going down with them.