2011-07-03 Brewers (Greinke) at Twins (Blackburn) - [Brewers lose, 9-7]

[pretendastronaut]

July 03 - 1:10 P.M.

http://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/logos/brewers.jpghttp://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/logos/twins.jpg

45-39

35-46

Pitching Matchup

http://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/pitchers/brewers/greinke-12.jpghttp://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/pitchers/twins/blackburn-01.jpg

Zack Greinke

7-3, 5.63

Greinke is coming off his shortest start in more than four years, a two-inning, seven-run dud at Yankee Stadium after which manager Ron Roenicke wondered whether Greinke lost focus in a mistake-filled first inning.

Twins vs. Greinke
Greinke Game Log

Nick Blackburn

6-6, 3.64

Blackburn, who entered with a 2.35 ERA over 10 previous starts, allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 13 hits and a walk over just 4 1/3 innings vs. the Dodgers. He'll look to bounce back in the Twins' final Interleague game of the year.

Brewers vs. Blackburn
Blackburn Game Log

Starting Lineups

1. 
   
2. DH Weeks
   
3. CF Morgan
   
4. RF Hart
   
5. 1B Fielder
   
6. 3B Gamel
   
7. SS Betancourt
   
8. LF Kotsay
   
9. C Lucroy
   
10. 2B Counsell

• P Greinke

1. 
   
2. CF Revere
   
3. 2B Casilla
   
4. C Mauer 2
   
5. RF Cuddyer
   
6. DH Thome DH
   
7. 3B Valencia
   
8. SS Tosoni
   
9. 1B Hughes
   
10. SS Nishioka

• P Blackburn

Media Coverage

http://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/media/media-fsn.jpg

Brewerfan Game Chat

MLB GameDay 2010 | ESPN GameCast | 620 WTMJ Affiliates

Fan Sites

battleyourtailoff.com

[crewcrazy]

Yes, that's Mat Gamel at 3B for the first time since 2010.

[chickinbrickin]

Yes, that's Mat Gamel at 3B for the first time since 2010.

 

Nice! I honestly didn't think they would play him there. Maybe there might be a spot for him on this team after interleague.

[Funketown]

Woohoo for MLB.TV Free Game of the Day! Time for Greinke to rebound from getting roughed up a bit.

 

Gamel at 3B is really concerning. Every time Gamel has to make the long toss to Prince will be quite a scare.

[Schlitz001]

Is this a precursor to a permanent change in the positioning/order? Personally, I think the lineup is much better like it was yesterday with Gamel at 1B, Counsell at 3B and Fielder DHing.

[ninja33]

Seems like a pretty big risk just to give Rickie a day off in the field, unless the team is comfortable with giving Gamel a bit of a run at 3B because McGehee has been so bad. Can't use the DH after today, so maybe they want to try and find somewhere for him.

 

Allstar selection show is on TBS right now, just so everyone knows. I'm sure itll be really long and drawn out, but whatever.

[chuckcrim]

The lineup is never better when Counsell is a regular.

[pebadger]

I think Gamel at 3B might be telling us a lot. They want to see if he can (still, sort of) play there. I think it tells us as clearly as anything they know they have an issue at third. I think it tells us they'd prefer to keep Green out of the pressure cooker for now. It looks like they'd like to keep Gamel around and are just looking for a way to justify it in terms of finding a spot where he will do more than just be an occasional contributor off the bench. (If it's the latter, they probably send him down, as they need him to be ready next season).

 

Hope Greinke can mentally handle the defense (such as it is) behind him today. I fear that if he's let down by them again early he could be in real trouble. I don't know if stuff like the headline in the JS about him "failing to meet expectations" botheres him or not, but another bad outing today will mean that the heat will really be on in his next home start vs the Reds.

[ninja33]

Prince gets the start at 1B

edit: i meant in the all star game.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Gamel starting at 3B. I like what I see. McGehee's job is definitely in jeopardy.

[pitchleague]

I don't like Gamel at 3B. He even said in an off-camera interview that he does not like 3B and it makes him nervous and apprehensive both on the field and, as a by-product, at the plate.

 

For one game, fine. For the rest of the year? Man, I hope not.

 

But IF he stays up with the big club, they need to play him somewhere, I guess.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

My guess is they have a ton of competing interests that are putting Gamel at third today...wanting to rest Rickie, Braun's injury, wanting to keep Mat's batt in the lineup while he's up, wanting to give McGehee two straight days off to clear his head...I know we're all trying read a ton into it, but I'm going to call it a one shot deal for today. At least that's what I hope...if they really want a solution at third it should probably a platoon with McG/Counsell/Wilson or calling up Green. Gamel could wind up being Braun in '07 bad at third, without the batt to match. The defense is bad enough, although I get wanting more pop in the lineup especially without Braun.

[theavrock]

Still don't get this move when we have Green in AAA and McGehee with options. If Casey isn't going to play at the major league level why not bring up Green and keep Gamel at 1st so he can take over when Prince leaves?

Also its not like Green is some young buck. Its his sixth season in the minors and he will be 25 in November.

[Polish Falcons]

I think some of you guys are forgetting how bad Mcgehe has been defensively at 3rd base. I have some concerns about putting Gamel there as well, but ultimately feel like this is a positive attempt at making an improvement. And really don't think he could be much worse. Im Not writing off Mcgehe. I hope he has a feel good comeback player of the 2nd half. But right now we need to explore possible changes.

[jwill535]

Gamel has better range then Casey, but his problem is throwing, which is much worse then bad range.

[Funketown]

And really don't think he could be much worse.

If he truly is Ryan Braun bad at third at this point, as some have said, he would be far worse than McGehee.

[umphrey]

Still don't get this move when we have Green in AAA and McGehee with options. If Casey isn't going to play at the major league level why not bring up Green and keep Gamel at 1st so he can take over when Prince leaves?

Also its not like Green is some young buck. Its his sixth season in the minors and he will be 25 in November.

I would really like to move into a platoon situation now at 3B rather than later so Green, Gamel, whoever else plays 3B has a little time to adjust and we have a little time to evaluate him before a heated playoff race starts.

[ELCABALLO45]

Gamel at 3rd? Eek.

 

And I would rather Prince hit 3rd but oh well, let's take this game and steal this series before our last home stand before the All Star Break.

[trwi7]

Weeks seems to be going into one of his slumps where he strikes out half the time.

[wibadgers23]

Weeks seems to be going into one of his slumps where he strikes out half the time.

Yeah, both him and Hart are really struggling right now.

 

 

[umphrey]

Gamel at 3rd? Eek.

 

And I would rather Prince hit 3rd but oh well, let's take this game and steal this series before our last home stand before the All Star Break.

Prince and Braun (and Weeks for that matter) seem to be ultra insistent on batting where they do, so I don't know why you would mess with it unless Braun is going on the DL

[dlk9s]

That inning was a good example of what Grienke can do if he doesn't groove a fastball down the middle. Did so to the first batter, who ripped a hit into center. Did give the next three guys anything easy to hit (actually, he might've gotten away with one pitch that caught too much of the plate) and they went K, swinging bunt, popup.

[endaround]

A left side of the field with Yuni, Gamel and Kotsay is just amazingly awful

[Baldkin]

I don't know, I'd say its about on par with Yuni, McGehee and Braun.

[markedman5]

Gamel just cannot get a break. Another rocket right at somebody