2011-09-26 Pirates (Morton) at Brewers (Marcum) - [Brewers lose, 9-8, still 1 up on D-Backs]

[1992casey]

September 26 - 7:10 P.M.

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

71-88

94-65

Pitching Matchup

http://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/pitchers/pirates/morton-01.jpghttp://www.ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com/brewfan/2011/pitchers/brewers/marcum-28.jpg

Charlie Morton

10-10, 3.67

Morton is on track to finish strong and with no workload limit. He threw 106 pitches his last time out and snapped a six-game winless streak. Morton has already thrown more innings than ever before at the Major League level.

Brewers vs. Morton
Morton Game Log

Shaun Marcum

13-7, 3.31

Bouncing back from poor starts in his previous two outings, Marcum tossed eight solid innings in Chicago, allowing just one run on five hits in the Brewers' 5-1 victory. He'll be looking for his career-high 14th win of the season against the Pirates.

Pirates vs. Marcum
Marcum Game Log

Starting Lineups

1. LF Alex Presley
   
2. 2B Neil Walker
   
3. CF Andrew McCutchen
   
4. 1B Derrek Lee
   
5. RF Garrett Jones
   
6. C Jason Jaramillo
   
7. 3B Pedro Alvarez
   
8. SS Chase d'Arnaud
   
9. P Charlie Morton

1. RF Corey Hart
   
2. CF Nyjer Morgan
   
3. LF Mark Kotsay
   
4. 1B Prince Fielder
   
5. 2B Rickie Weeks
   
6. 3B Jerry Hairston Jr.
   
7. SS Yuniesky Betancourt
   
8. C Jonathan Lucroy
   
9. P Shaun Marcum

Media Coverage

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

Brewerfan Game Chat

MLB GameDay | ESPN GameCast | 620 WTMJ Affiliates

Fan Sites

The Unofficial Pittsburgh Pirates Message Board | The Pirates Tavern

[brwrsfan]

Morton....shudder. He dominated us once this year (though we did win). This one scares me a lot. Maybe he's wearing down and we can get to him.

[hawing]

This is my fourth consecutive attended game (which is probably a hawing record), so I'm hoping Shaun and co. make the sleep deprivation worth our while. 1-0 for Monday, Brewers.

[ninja33]

Hart 9, Morgan 8, Kotsay 7, Fielder 3, Weeks 4, Hairston 5, Betancourt 6, Lucroy 2, Marcum 1

[brwrsfan]

Not sure about Braun not playing.

 

1. He is like 6-11 lifetime against Morton

2. We need to win

3. He can have off Wednesday if it's meaningless and would have Thursday and Friday to rest for sure, plus another off day on Monday. Making it worse is that RR won't move anyone, so we get Kotsay in the three spot.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

I have no idea why Braun isn't playing. He got half the game off yesterday and it's a must win.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I don't mind trying to get Braun a day off, but not in this situation. We need him tonight.

[topper09er]

Braun is 27 years old, he does not need an off day ever. If Prince can start in 160 straight games this year Braun can play tonight, plus we are about to have 2 off days this week!

[chadomac]

This board complains about the lineup no matter what it is every single game.

[jason21nl]

This board complains about the lineup no matter what it is every single game.

and someone complains about the people complaining every single game, no matter what.

 

What could be the leagues MVP is sitting during a VERY important game and his replacement automatically bats 3rd because its too much to move guys around. If this isn't something to complain about, I don't know what is.

[jjgott]

This board complains about the lineup no matter what it is every single game.

This. I know we are all worried about losing the #2 spot but if Braun wants a day off so be it. It's just funny instead of commenting about how McGehee is out of the lineup again, the consensus is that Braun's absence is going to doom us against a pretty bad Pirates team.

[jason21nl]

you really think the Braun asked for a day off? I highly doubt it

[jjgott]

you really think the Braun asked for a day off? I highly doubt it

So what if he didn't. According to JSOnline, RRR said he wanted to give some guys a night off going into the playoffs. If tonight is the game for Braun then the team will deal. Plus, nothing prevents RRR from using Braun later in the game if it gets close. The Pirates do not scare me one bit. I know on any given night a team can lose, but I will take the Brewers lineup tonight with Braun available on the bench over that Pirates lineup every day.

[bjkrautk]

It's a Pirates - Brewers game at Miller Park....I fully expect one or two bad breaks to go Milwaukee's way, and the Pirates to fall apart as a result (since the Brewers are a mental hurdle for them).

 

 

Couldn't help but scoreboard watch and see a familiar name pitching for LA against the D-Backs tonight. Go get 'em Dana Eveland!

[dlk9s]

The plan is to have Braun come in for a PH walk-off homer, clinching the MVP.

[topper09er]

According to JSOnline, RRR said he wanted to give some guys a night off going into the playoffs.

So now we are not allowed to question the managers plan? You are saying since the manager formulated this plan it is automatically the best idea?

 

He will have a night off this Thursday and Friday, why does he need Monday too?

[giffted1]

This board complains about the lineup no matter what it is every single game.

People on this board will complain if it takes us 5 games to win the World Series instead of 4.

[FoxyFoxes]

Been watching in silence and enjoying it but I must ask myself if this is a Brewer philosophy that once you determine your leftfielder hits 3rd does it have to stay this way? It seems like Yost/Macha were the same way in being stubborn like that 90% of the time.

Go get em Brewers. Pretty confident they can close this out.

[chadomac]

Yep, I feel like this is a really miserable fanbase for having such a good team this year... but in our defense I bet most sports fans are like this - not just Brewer fans.

I remember seeing the Sep 16th in-game thread and lineup and thinking "oh cool, Green is starting", and then seeing people complain about Kotsay batting 2nd and starting. Turns out that worked out pretty well for the Brewers that day. Will it always? No, but it wouldn't hurt to try and embrace the positive a little more once in awhile. McGehee isn't starting today. That's cool. We've won games without Braun before, I'm sure we can do it again.

[jason21nl]

Yup, you're right. I should just be content with what we have done already instead of wanting one of the best players in the league in the lineup to close this thing out.

 

I'm sure we can win games without Braun too. I'd rather him play and increase our chances of winning. Kotsay could go 4-4 today, and that still doesn't make it right for him to bat 3rd

 

I'm miserable alright. Although you have no clue how I really feel.

[topper09er]

Obviously we can win, but the fact is the vast majority of baseball results come from the players, the manager cant control too much...except things like this. RRR is taking the 5% of the outcome that he controls and making it a negative for the Brewers. That is bad. The only plus side is we can now use Braun in a high leverage situation, but Id rather see him get 4 ABs.

[owbc]

I guess I do not see the purpose of a night off for Braun, isn't that what Thursday and Friday are for? And he will get even more time off if he doesn't have to fly to Arizona or Philly.

 

Still, if the game is close tonight, I imagine Braun will be in by the 6th or 7th inning. But the Brewers will probably render it all null by winning easily

[logan82]

Hairston should be at SS for Yuni not at 3B. There are 2 things you need to do with Yuni to get any benefit out of him. Don't let him hit against RHP and don't let him play defense.

[topper09er]

There are 2 things you need to do with Yuni to get any benefit out of him. Don't let him hit against RHP and don't let him play defense.

And only pay him the league minimum.

[brewtank34]

My only wish in this series (other than to clinch home field of course) is that Rickie Weeks gets a HR. We need him to get his power stroke back and get it back soon! We all know when Weeks gets on a HR binge, he can carry a team. This is the perfect time for him to find his power.

 

Dear Rickie,

Please see the ball better over these next three days and go yard!

 

Sincerely,

#5 spot in the line-up