2011-07-17 Brewers (Marcum) at Rockies (Cook) - [Brewers win, 4-3]

[pretendastronaut]

July 17 - 2:10 P.M.

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

50-45

45-49

Pitching Matchup

http://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/pitchers/brewers/marcum-20.jpghttp://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/pitchers/rockies/cook-01.jpg

Shaun Marcum

7-3, 3.39

The Brewers haven't been very good on the road, but Marcum has. He owns a 2.26 ERA in nine starts away from Miller Park and has gone 3-2, quite a feat considering the team has only 16 road wins all year.

Rockies vs. Marcum
Marcum Game Log

Aaron Cook

0-4, 5.82

Cook has had difficulty early in games putting his sinker down in the zone, and batters have hit him hard since his return from a fractured finger on his pitching hand. But in his last home start, he gave up one run in six innings vs. the White Sox.

Brewers vs. Cook
Cook Game Log

Starting Lineups

1. 
   
2. RF Corey Hart
   
3. CF Nyjer Morgan
   
4. LF Mark Kotsay
   
5. 1B Prince Fielder
   
6. 2B Rickie Weeks
   
7. C George Kottaras
   
8. 3B Casey McGehee
   
9. SS Josh Wilson
   
10. RHP Shaun Marcum
    

1. 
   
2. LF Carlos Gonzalez
   
3. CF Dexter Fowler
   
4. 1B Jason Giambi
   
5. SS Troy Tulowitzki
   
6. RF Seth Smith
   
7. 3B Ian Stewart
   
8. C Eliezer Alfonzo
   
9. 2B Jonathan Herrera
   
10. RHP Aaron Cook
    

Media Coverage

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Brewerfan Game Chat

MLB GameDay 2010 | ESPN GameCast | 620 WTMJ Affiliates

Fan Sites

Rockies Insider

[ramssuperbowl99]

Brewers lineup:

RF Corey Hart
CF Nyjer Morgan
LF Mark Kotsay
1B Prince Fielder
2B Rickie Weeks
C George Kottaras
3B Casey McGehee
SS Josh Wilson
P Shaun Marcum

Yep. Mark Kotsay is batting 3rd. 3rd.

[endaround]

3 left handers in a row. That's a patented Yostian move.

[logan82]

Guess I will get it out of the way.

 

Yost Sunday give-up lineup.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Really what better lineup could they put out there today? Braun obviously can't play. If they wanna keep Weeks in the 5 spot, who will hit third? I guess they could do Morgan leadoff, Hart 3rd. But then who hits second? Those were gonna be the top 3 no matter what. Kottaras, McGehee, and Wilson aren't top 3 hitters obviously. At least Kotsay has a good OBP, so I don't mind him up there. I'd still have Morgan leadoff and Hart second normally, and in this situation I'd go Morgan, Kotsay, Hart, but oh well not much different.

[topper09er]

Hey Ill take 2 straight Wilson starts, is Yuni finally done as a full time starter?

[Glennron]

Yep. Mark Kotsay is batting 3rd. 3rd.

I know lineups don't matter for just one game, but wow. Yost was the master of assigning certain positions to spots in the lineup. Whatever CF he'd have spell Cameron he'd automatically put 5th, backup SS put 2nd for Hardy, etc. Just wow.

 

A split with the Rockies given the Brewers road struggles/recent history against Colorado/recent history at Coors would be great.

[adamb100]

Glad to see the wacky line up make a return. Certainly worked yesterday.

[endaround]

Really what better lineup could they put out there today? Braun obviously can't play. If they wanna keep Weeks in the 5 spot, who will hit third? I guess they could do Morgan leadoff, Hart 3rd. But then who hits second? Those were gonna be the top 3 no matter what. Kottaras, McGehee, and Wilson aren't top 3 hitters obviously. At least Kotsay has a good OBP, so I don't mind him up there. I'd still have Morgan leadoff and Hart second normally, and in this situation I'd go Morgan, Kotsay, Hart, but oh well not much different.

1)Gomez should be starting instead of Kotsay

2)Kotsay's OBP is .318 right in line what you would expect it to be and so its not good.

3)Given its not good almost forcing the opponent to have a lefty come into face Morgan and Fielder is just bad. Especially when they have 3 available to do so.

[Invader3K]

Hard to rip Roenicke too much. Braun apparently isn't avaiable today. Lucroy probably needed a day off. Hart in the leadoff spot and Weeks fifth seemed to work. Who else was going to bat third? I know everyone on this board vehemently hates Kotsay, but he has been fine. I don't see what's so offensive about him batting third given lack of alternatives.

 

Personally, I love that Wilson is getting a second start in a row. He's earned it, while Betancourt has earned permanent pine riding status.

[liveforoctober]

Hmm.. interesting. With Braun out I would have defaulted to defense and put Gomez in center and Morgan in left to close the gaps a little for the Rockies. If you insist on Rickie hitting 5th fine ... but with the injury I would have gone back to Weeks, Morgan, Hart, Fielder, etc...

 

With a struggling Cook on the mound this is a big game for the Crew to win and split the series. I hope Kotsay goes 3-4 with a few RBI's to shut me up but this is a big *sigh* for me.

 

Also, Josh Wilson starting twice at short? Finally and thank you.

[logan82]

Hart in the leadoff spot and Weeks fifth seemed to work. Who else was going to bat third?

 

We did something dumb yesterday and is somehow worked out, let's do it again.

 

I know everyone on this board vehemently hates Kotsay, but he has been fine.

 

No he really hasn't. He is a horrible defender and a crappy hitter. Gomez may not hit as well but he is a far superior defender. Given Coors Field field dimensions improving our defense would probably more than make up for the difference in hitting.

 

Miller Park

Coors Field

[pebadger]

Has Cook historically had good numbers against the Brewers? Without looking I think he has.

[Invader3K]

No he really hasn't. He is a horrible defender and a crappy hitter. Gomez may not hit as well but he is a far superior defender. Given Coors Field field dimensions improving our defense would probably more than make up for the difference in hitting.

I suppose that is a point. I never claimed Kotsay was very good defensively. I get your argument that Gomez is much superior on D, but Kotsay is about the only decent option to bat 3rd today with Braun out and how Roenicke has re-structured the lineup.

[liveforoctober]

Has Cook historically had good numbers against the Brewers? Without looking I think he has.

All I could find is that Cook is 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 5 starts at home against Milwaukee... couldn't find any stats in Milwaukee though.

[PrinceEatMeat]

No he really hasn't. He is a horrible defender and a crappy hitter. Gomez may not hit as well but he is a far superior defender. Given Coors Field field dimensions improving our defense would probably more than make up for the difference in hitting.

I suppose that is a point. I never claimed Kotsay was very good defensively. I get your argument that Gomez is much superior on D, but Kotsay is about the only decent option to bat 3rd today with Braun out and how Roenicke has re-structured the lineup.

Agreed. Kotsay's line is .364/.371/.606 this month, so he actually has been ok (lately) no matter what anyone says. I don't really have a problem with him playing today. Gomez is just awful at the plate, and Roenicke we need the offense to keep it going today. I don't like the 3 lefties in a row, but there's really no other option if Roenicke insists on sticking with Hart 1 and Weeks 5.

[logan82]

I suppose that is a point. I never claimed Kotsay was very good defensively. I get your argument that Gomez is much superior on D, but Kotsay is about the only decent option to bat 3rd today with Braun out and how Roenicke has re-structured the lineup.

I am not sure I understand what you are saying here. The whole discussion, as I understand it, is that DPR has constructed this lineup poorly. Weeks shouldn't be as low as he is. We shouldn't stack 3 lefties. I don't think Roenicke should have reconstructed the lineup in the first place. Now because it worked once he for some reason decided to stick with it.

[logan82]

PrinceEatMeat]Agreed. Kotsay's line is .364/.371/.606 this month

One month. Way to random to have any meaning whatsoever other than trivia.

[Invader3K]

Weeks shouldn't be as low as he is. We shouldn't stack 3 lefties.

 

I disagree. I don't like stacking three lefties either, but the five hole has been a problem all year. I actually like Hart in leadoff and Weeks batting fifth, for now.

[endaround]

Gomez is better offensively than Kotsay. Yes Kotsay played well filling in for Braun but there is no reason to expect that to continue. Gomez's wOBA is .303 while Kotsay's is .295. You can't overlook Gomez on the base paths.

[topper09er]

I'd go Morgan, Hart, Fielder, Weeks, Kottaras, Wilson, Kotsay, McGehee with this bunch

[logan82]

I'd go Morgan, Hart, Fielder, Weeks, Kottaras, Wilson, Kotsay, McGehee with this bunch

That would be a much better lineup.

 

the five hole has been a problem all year

It has and Fielder has had one of his best years, if not the best, in his career. I would much much rather have the 5 hole being a question instead of the top 4 spots in the order. "Cut off the nose to spite the face" comes to mind with the lineups yesterday and today.

[Funketown]

Agreed. Kotsay's line is .364/.371/.606 this month

One month. Way to random to have any meaning whatsoever other than trivia.

Not a month, barely more than a week for an everyday player. Carlos Gomez's wOBA is .303, Kotsay's is .295. Neither are good offensively, but Kotsay is one of the worst defending outfielders in the league while Gomez is one of the best.

 

Gomez is also hitting .300/.300/.900/1.200 this month. I guess he's "hot" as well, no?

[PrinceEatMeat]

Agreed. Kotsay's line is .364/.371/.606 this month

One month. Way to random to have any meaning whatsoever other than trivia.

Not a month, barely more than a week for an everyday player. Carlos Gomez's wOBA is .303, Kotsay's is .295. Neither are good offensively, but Kotsay is one of the worst defending outfielders in the league while Gomez is one of the best.

 

Gomez is also hitting .300/.300/.900/1.200 this month. I guess he's "hot" as well, no?

Kotsay has 33 AB's, Gomez has 10 AB's this month. Gomez has 3 hits, 2 of which were on July 1 against Liriano. Kotsay has been hitting well as of late, so I really can't complain about him being in the lineup.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Weeks 5 is just dumb.

 

He's one of your 3 best performers, so you move him down 4 spots in the order, to limit his at bats.

 

Prince doesn't need 'protection'. Protection is almost wholly a myth. It's unsubstantiated, and full of holes. If 'protection' were real, Prince wouldn't have 22 bombs and 73 RBI with McGehee and Betencourt hitting behind him.

 

To mirror what Logan said, Weeks hitting 5th isn't a good thing, it's just that RR did it yesterday, and got lucky.