2014-08-20 Blue Jays (Dickey) at Brewers (Nelson), 1:10 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 9-5]

[TooLiveBrew]

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/bluejays.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 20 | 1:10 P.M.[/h1][h2]Blue Jays (64-62) | Brewers (71-55)[/h2][h3]FSWI, MLBN | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://i.imgur.com/JByOzTb.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/dNdMwkb.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][pitcher]R.A. Dickey[/pitcher][h2]9-12, 3.95 ERA, 1.30 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]Dickey allowed a two-run homer in the first inning of his last start but that was all it took to take the loss. He didn't allow another run as he completed his second consecutive quality start but suffered from a lack of run support.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][pitcher]Jimmy Nelson[/pitcher][h2]2-3, 3.86 ERA, 1.26 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Blue Jays | Game Log[/h3][h3]Nelson's recent opponents -- Wainwright, Bailey, deGrom, Lincecum, Kershaw and Greinke -- have produced five Cy Young Awards and five of baseball's last seven no-hitters. Now comes 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner Dickey.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away]

1. SS José Reyes
   
2. LF Melky Cabrera
   
3. RF José Bautista
   
4. 1B Edwin Encarnación
   
5. CF Colby Rasmus
   
6. 3B Danny Valencia
   
7. C Josh Thole
   
8. 2B Munenori Kawasaki
   
9. RHP R.A. Dickey

[/divclass][divclass=home]

1. CF Carlos Gómez
   
2. C Jonathan Lucroy
   
3. RF Ryan Braun
   
4. 3B Aramis Ramírez
   
5. LF Gerardo Parra
   
6. 2B Scooter Gennett
   
7. 1B Mark Reynolds
   
8. SS Jean Segura
   
9. RHP Jimmy Nelson

[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

[TooLiveBrew]

Dickey, Blue Jays look to regroup vs. Brewers

Rough road trip has Toronto slipping out of AL Wild Card race

By Jamie Ross / MLB.com | 8/19/2014 11:52 PM ET

 

The Blue Jays will look to R.A. Dickey to get them back on track on Wednesday as they wrap up their series against the Brewers at Miller Park.

 

The knuckleballer will attempt to salvage a win out of what has been a dismal eight-game road trip, during which the Blue Jays have gone 1-6.

 

Dickey allowed a two-run shot early in his last start, and that was all it took to take the loss. He didn't allow another run and turned in his second consecutive quality start but suffered from a lack of run support.

 

Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy said facing the knuckleball requires a different approach at the plate.

 

"You can't try to swing hard and do too much, because that's what he's banking on," said Lucroy, who's 3-for-6 in his career against Dickey. "The ball is going to move at the last minute all over, so you have to try to see the ball up and try to hit a line drive somewhere. If he's down in the zone, he's going to be tough."

 

Jimmy Nelson will get the ball for the Brewers, who'll be looking to sweep the two-game series. The right-hander is 2-3 in seven starts this season. He was recalled from Triple-A Nashville in early July when Marco Estrada was sent to the bullpen.

 

Prior to his promotion, Nelson was 10-2 with a 1.46 ERA in 16 starts with Nashville, and considered the organization's top prospect by MLB.com.

 

He pitched six innings and gave up two hits and two earned runs in a no-decision against the Dodgers on Friday.

 

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said Nelson has been improving since his call-up.

 

"Jimmy was good. I liked his command," Roenicke said. "His fastball was mostly down in the zone. He threw some really good sliders. So yeah, I thought that was one of his better games."

 

Blue Jays: Encarnacion gets first start back at first base

An Interleague matchup vs. the Brewers meant Edwin Encarnacion got the start at first base Tuesday for the first time since hitting the disabled list with a strained right quadriceps muscle.

 

Encarnacion was activated from the DL on Friday but played his first three games at designated hitter. Toronto wanted to limit the wear and tear on his right leg, but with a pair of games in Milwaukee this week, that's no longer possible.

 

The 31-year-old was at first base and the plan is for that to happen again on Wednesday while Adam Lind becomes a late-inning pinch-hitter off the bench.

 

Brewers: Timelines set for Lohse and Garza

Target dates were in sight on Tuesday for the returns of Brewers starters Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza from injuries. The team hopes to restore Lohse to the rotation next week in San Diego after he missed a start with a sore ankle, and Garza has been put on a path to return from a rib-cage strain sometime during the first week of September.

 

The Brewers have been taking a particularly conservative approach with Lohse, who rolled his ankle on Aug. 2 in St. Louis and made two subsequent starts with compromised mechanics. After he exited an Aug. 13 start at Wrigley Field with renewed pain, the parties agreed it was time to get healthy.

 

The Brewers can get by with their four current starters through Monday's series opener in San Diego, making Tuesday's game at Petco Park a potential stage for Lohse's return.

 

Worth noting

• Jose Bautista has reached base safely in 110 of his 119 starts this season. He has also reached base safely in 26 straight games.

 

• Lucroy currently leads the National League in doubles (42). No primary catcher in Major League history has ever led his league in doubles.

[fondybrewfan]

Would it be too much to ask that Cueto beats the Cards tonight?

 

I am not sure how this is going to go against Dickey tonight. I am thinking either there will be no in between; we either stink like holy hell trying to hit that knuckleball or we beat the tar out of him.

 

I always love afternoon baseball; it makes the work day go by so much faster

[jjgott]

Can't wait to see Gomez screw himself into the ground like a cartoon trying to swing at a first pitch knuckleball

 

EDIT: 1000 posts, woohoo!

[phnxcrew]

The boys had better take the approach lucroy talked about because we know the lucky cardinals won't lose a game they're supposed to. The cardinals could throw a little league team out there and some how they would win.

[SRB]

Predicting a Gomez HR tonight. Dickey's knuckleball is powerless over Gomez's "guess and swing really hard" approach.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Lucroy has 42 total doubles with 35 as a catcher, 6 as a first baseman and one as a DH. The NL record for doubles by a catcher is 42 and the MLB record (Pudge) is 45. Pudge had a total of 47 with 2 as a DH. He should break the 47 as a total, but the 45 as a catcher will be tight.

[FVBrewerFan]

Be prepared to hear 7,000 times today how difficult it is to catch a knuckleball from the Brewers TV crew. I'm working, so I will miss that insight.

 

Also, the knuckleball is the grand-daddy of all breakkaballs.

[folly412]

11-8 against the AL entering today. I'm not opposed to it as much as others, but 20 games is too much for me.

 

Dioner Navarro (0-1, K) only Jays player to have faced Nelson.

 

Tom @Haudricourt · 23m

Gerardo Parra in LF for #Brewers today. He is 4 for 7 with three walks for his career off R.A. Dickey.

 

Other good Brewers matchup history: Gomez (6-10, all singles), Lucroy (3-6, 1 double), Weeks (3-7, 2 HR)

 

Bad Brewers matchup history: Braun (1-10), Reynolds (1-15, 2 BB), Overbay (3-24, 4 BB)

[Fear The Chorizo]

Dickey knuckleball in an afternoon game at Miller Park with some shadows...that could be disastrous!

[phnxcrew]

I'm aware the "don't worry about braun" crowd will have their usual response but why don't we drop him in the order? Gotta do something to take the pressure off him a little

[torts]

dont worry about braun

[sauveb]

What he said.

[pacopete4]

Braun will figure it out. The thumb thing obviously is bigger than we thought, or at least I thought, but he will figure out a way to get his big hits and continue to drive in runs.

[Bombers]

dont worry about braun

These aren't the droids you are looking for

[phnxcrew]

dont worry about braun

 

Well done. When can i start worrying? .260? .250? .240? I do reserve the right to rub it in when others join the "worrying". Anyways, keep WINNING!!

[fondybrewfan]

That was a long 2nd inning there but he managed to get out of it.

[torts]

dont worry about braun

 

Well done. When can i start worrying? .260? .250? .240? I do reserve the right to rub it in when others join the "worrying". Anyways, keep WINNING!!

 

no, you really dont, no one likes people like that

[fondybrewfan]

I would be willing to put $1 Million in monopoly money on the line in betting Braun ends up hitting at least .280, 20 Hr's, and 90 RBi's. While that is not a typical Braun MVP type year; he still earned his salary and is a really good player.

[phnxcrew]

dont worry about braun

 

Well done. When can i start worrying? .260? .250? .240? I do reserve the right to rub it in when others join the "worrying". Anyways, keep WINNING!!

 

no, you really dont, no one likes people like that

 

My mom said she liked me.

[bm1090]

2 out RBI double for Segura? Is my Gameday broken?

[FVBrewerFan]

Segura, all that guy does is rake!

[FVBrewerFan]

2 out RBI double for Segura? Is my Gameday broken?

 

Yea, something weird is happening on Gameday today. Mine said 2B, instead of 6-4.

[TauPentaRei]

dont worry about braun

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/05_04/035ostrich_468x538.jpg

[folly412]

Segura, all that guy does is rake!

 

Had to check the post date to make sure something from 14 months ago didn't get misplaced in today's game thread