2008 Vent Thread (part 2)

[naivin]

Rickie Weeks leading off continues to piss me off. Come on Ned, put Rickie at 6 or 7 and bat Corey 1st.

This has seemed like a no-brainer to me for over a year now. Its just another example of Ned being stubborn and wanting his ideas to work, even if they never will.

 

 

Rickie's OBP was 20 points higher than Hart's last year in what I think all would agree was a pretty bad year. Roughly half of Hart's AB's were in the leadoff spot last season where he posted a .341 OBP. If Weeks can manage to get is AVG. to any sort of respectability which he almost undoubtedly will (I think its safe to assume he will not hit .200 all season) , he should easily post a .360-.370+ OBP. There is a reason he is still batting leadoff.

[BrewCrewForever]

There is a reason he is still batting leadoff.

 

I really think it is just Ned's hard headed approach to switch things up. And becaise Rickie is a "run scorer".

[Ennder]

I think it is because Weeks is better suited to the leadoff role than Hart statistically. I scratch my head every time people bring this one up.

[jazzytrav]

I think it is because Weeks is better suited to the leadoff role than Hart statistically. I scratch my head every time people bring this one up.

 

I would be fine with this as an answer from Ned if he would just say it and tell us why. But his way of telling us why is to say that he's a run-scorer and that we don't understand that concept. If we don't understand that concept, perhaps he could explain it a little better. But unfortunately, I don't think he can.

 

I wouldn't be terribly disappointed if Weeks got dropped to #6 or #7 for a little while until he starts hitting better. That's not to say that I think the switch will specifically do him any good, but that at his current clip, he's not the kind of hitter I would want getting the most PAs. I would definitely like him to be the leadoff guy for the future though, and I think he'll eventually get there.

 

So yeah, my vent is that I'm a little tired of hearing from Ned how little we all know about baseball. I think that runs scored can be a useful statistic, but it's not the be-all end-all.

[TooLiveBrew]

Ned Yost is very smart -- he's the mannajur

[ecjimg]

I cant stand the "run on contact" play with runners on first and third and nobody out. (No way does Hart get thrown out on a double play attempt)

AND, I cant stand the 2008 vent threat being on PAGE 2! (so I had to post!)

[creamcityfan]

I can't believe i am not happy about the win last night. I was finally pulled into the get rid of Ned's camp I think the best thing for the Brewers in the long run is to get rid of Ned, Trade Sheets, Cameron, Kendall and Kapler and get a boat load of prospects.

[jazzytrav]

I cant stand the "run on contact" play with runners on first and third and nobody out. (No way does Hart get thrown out on a double play attempt)

Wouldn't logic tell you to wait until he flips it to 2nd before you run? Maybe I'm wrong, but the only result of the contact play seems to be that there is only one guy thrown out instead of two. But then you sacrifice the run, and a very important one.

[adambr2]

Anyone surprised that after the biggest win of the year, they follow it up with a big letdown performance? Critical mistakes in the 8th, and Gagne blows it again in the 9th.

 

Get Gagne out of the closers role and get rid of this entire poor coaching staff. Since all they can seem to do is shrug at the team's ineptitiudes, and have absolutely no answers other than telling them to battle through it, let's let them shrug elsewhere.

[brewmann04]

If Yost does not realize that Gange has lost it and needs to be removed from the closer role then he should be Fired Tomorrow.

Enough of this bull no matter how much he getting paid. New Learn something from the Manager in the other Dugout and remove him NOW

[BrewCrewForever]

Gagne must be removed from closers role. At least for awhile. And Yost must be removed from the manager role because he is a moron.

[Ennder]

Assuming we dont' make the playoffs this year I'd rather see the team just tank completely to get rid of Yost. It would be painful to watch but in the long run I think it would be a big improvement for 2009.

[shelmark]

I expected the vents to be about a squeeze play with the bases loaded...that is just stupid baseball. If you take a look at Gagne's inning it isn't really that bad. Bloop single to center....groundball into center.....intentional walk....good pitch to Ludwick that he bloops to left. Nothing hit really hard, good velocity. I think the fans at Miller that boo every single mistake of our players are drunken losers. And I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they are drunk.

[BucEbadger]

What i dont like about this team right now is every power hitter we have is trying to hit a HR every time up to bat... How many times do these players take outside pitches and ground out to 3rd or SS?? Hall and Hart need to start taking those outside pitches to RF

[pebadger]

Today's boos weren't just about today. After last Sunday, Gagne was virtually guaranteed to be booed today.

 

You can rationalize his outings all you want, but the position he's being paid $10M is probably the most result-oriented position on the team, and he's failing to get results. It may not be fair, but to an extent it is that simple, regardless of the ongoing, slower-motion failures of everyone else around him.

 

The entire situation is a mess. I don't know what needs to be done, but I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Assuming we dont' make the playoffs this year I'd rather see the team just tank completely to get rid of Yost. It would be painful to watch but in the long run I think it would be a big improvement for 2009.

 

I have to admit that I have started feeling this way myself. The last thing this team needs is to hang around the periphery of the playoff race without any real shot at making it giving Melvin another reason to keep Yost. We really might just be better off tanking it the next few weeks and starting over with a new manager. I just dont see any way this team ever makes the playoffs with this dope as manager.

[giffted1]

The Yost hatred has hit a new low when so called fans admit hoping for Brewers losses. Unbelievable.

[PrimeTime955]

I want to swear really bad right now, so this is me not writing 15 cuss words on this board.

 

You know I'm upset.

[AJAY]

I am just really sick and tired of this franchise not making any progress. It took us two whole years to climb from 81 wins to 83 wins. I am sick of streaky hitters who swing for the fences and can't slap the ball the other way when you need a single. I am tired of the lack of fundamentals. I am sick of Gwynn and Dillon sitting on the bench while guys like Hall get to play everyday. I want more quality at-bats and our manager is just way too loyal and patient to guys who won't ever get it done enough.

I am losing faith in Doug Melvin a little too. He doesn't appreciate the value of guys who can make contact and get singles. The Gagne contract is making me sick.

This team still never bunts even if the other pitcher is mowing us down. I don't get it.

I am still angry that Ned cost us the playoffs with his incomptence last season. I will never forget that. He should have been fired mid-season last year.

I just want a real shakeup now.

Enough already.

[WV Brew]

Assuming we dont' make the playoffs this year

 

In the immortal words of Jim Mora, "Playoffs!?, Playoffs!!!!?". This team is headed for the cellar unless changes are made soon.

[DougJones43]

The Yost hatred has hit a new low when so called fans admit hoping for Brewers losses. Unbelievable.

 

"So called" fans? Obviously, these people still have the same ultimate, longterm goal - which is great success for the Brewers. Just because they feel differently than you about how to get there doesn't make them any less of fans.

 

If you'd sacrifice the overall, longterm good of the franchise for a few wins now and yet MORE chances for Yost, I think maybe your fandom is the one that should be called into question.

[DougJones43]

By the way, why the hell was Rickie Weeks up there swinging at the first pitch with the bases load, with the pitcher coming off a 4-pitch walk? That's exactly the kind of stuff you don't see leadoff hitters from other teams doing, because there is intelligence, fundamentals, and a general understanding of how to do things that start with the manager and work their way down to the players.

The Brewers seem like they just go out there and do whatever they feel like, no matter what the situation is.

[MoneyballMan]

Ok, I think we've reached a point where we simply need to decide whether the young players we have are over-valued or if it's the manager. I'm not a big "dump Yost" guy, but it's the only logical move. If Prince, Corey, Rickie, Billy, JJ, Ryan, etc are over-valued, the only variable is the manager. SO, I think DM is going to be forced to switch skippers just to see whether or not we really have the young talent he believes he has or not. If a new manager comes in with the same results, we're in big trouble long-term (regardless of manager). But that's really the only variable that can be swapped out at this point (i.e. you can't quickly trade away a few young players or bench them - these are the guys we've brought to the dance, so the manager is really the only thing to change - fortunately, or unfortunately).

[giffted1]

If you'd sacrifice the overall, longterm good of the franchise for a few wins now and yet MORE chances for Yost, I think maybe your fandom is the one that should be called into question.

Because I hope they win rather that hoping they lose with the questionable assumption that it'll make them better in the long run? Sure.

[DougJones43]

If you'd sacrifice the overall, longterm good of the franchise for a few wins now and yet MORE chances for Yost, I think maybe your fandom is the one that should be called into question.

Because I hope they win rather that hoping they lose with the questionable assumption that it'll make them better in the long run? Sure.

It is a questionable assumption, true. But at this point, it's a risk I'd be more than willing to take. I don't think a loss today is going to cost us a shot at the playoffs, that much is for sure. It's looking more like it could turn the Brewers from something like a 74-win team, to a 73-win team. Those wins mean nothing to me.

 

If we're going to miss the playoffs either way (which is how I feel), I'd definitely give up some garbage wins for a chance at becoming a better organization down the road. Others seem to feel the same, so it really can't be that crazy of an assumption. More than anything, I don't see the downside to it because I don't think anybody (even you) can honestly say they're happy with the direction this team is headed right now.