2014-09-18 Brewers (Lohse) at Cardinals (Miller), 7:15 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 3-2 (13 innings)]

[superfly]

Can we please be done with the "Jimmy Nelson is a great prospect" talk now? I've seen nothing from the kid to this point that suggests he will be a solid rotation starter, let alone bullpen. Things can definitely change, but if we really were offered David Price for Nelson + other stuff DM should be fired. The only reason you don't trade Nelson is if he has elite upside.

[torts]

Fiers > Nelson in 2015 rotation

[trwi7]

Nelson gave up two ground ball hits and another got on base because Ramirez had a double play ball go right under his glove.

[TURBO]

I am done with Gomez. If we can trade him because other teams don't yet know of his stupidity, I say trade him...

 

Night after night of complete and total ignorance as to how to play this game has ruined any confidence I had in him. If we can get a great deal because the league still views him as a talent, I want him gone. He is quickly becoming my least favorite player (offensively) on this team.

 

BLECH!

 

What a mess this team has become, it saddens me. It is such hard damn work to be a fan of this team, there is no longer enjoyment, just pain.

 

[Invader3K]

Frustrating loss, but you can't pin it all on Mark Reynolds (and yes, it was a totally stupid play on his part). This lineup has been running on total fumes lately. You can't put up 1-2 runs a night and expect to win. Guys aren't producing in key situations, we're leaving runners on base constantly, and it just looks like the team is ready to be done. Very sad and frustrating.

[LouisEly]

Frustrating loss, but you can't pin it all on Mark Reynolds (and yes, it was a totally stupid play on his part). This lineup has been running on total fumes lately. You can't put up 1-2 runs a night and expect to win. Guys aren't producing in key situations, we're leaving runners on base constantly, and it just looks like the team is ready to be done. Very sad and frustrating.

[sarcasm]Technically they aren't being left on base, they are getting doubled off.[/sarcasm]

[Baldkin]

Had Reynolds known the number of outs in that inning we wouldn't have had to play 13 freaking innings tonight.

 

They would've had to play 14?

[chadomac]

Nelson needs to refine one more pitch and then he'll be okay... but by the 2nd and 3rd time seeing him in a game, players are picking up on what he throws and hitting it- hard.

 

Horrible game. That was probably the season, but I'll hold out hope until after this huge Pirates series.

[coolcool]

Not even a sweep is good enough now.

 

Fitting that they lose it this way. Mental mistakes, lack of hitting and relying on Jimmy Nelson pretty much sums up three key themes of the second half.

Well said.

 

I'm not one to blame individuals, but I've had these 2 prevailing thoughts for a while and tonight swirls 'em both together quite grandly:

 

1. Mark Reynolds should just clean out his locker now.

2. I think Johnny Narron needs to go. I just don't see any of our hitters really improving under him. A team slump is one thing, and the Brewers hitters certainly have their flaws, but the offense has been lousy for much of the 2nd half and only seems to be getting worse. A team slump is one thing, but since early July, why are many of our hitters' ABs getting progressively worse as the year moves on, and where are the adjustments? Why have veterans like Reynolds & Weeks gotten worse and worse as the season's worn on (okay, they just aren't MLB hitters anymore)? Clutch hitting is terrible. Where are the focus, in-AB adjustments like shortened-up swings w/ 2 strikes, subtle adjustments in approach overall? Why can't most of our hitters -- Gomez most glaringly -- get a bunt down? . . . Etc..... Gennett & Davis are exactly what they were in the minors. Braun, Lucroy, Ramirez, & Gomez were pretty much already were what they are before Narron's arrival. Who's gotten better? Short list if any names at all. Who's gotten worse? Long list... The issues go beyond Narron, surely (Braun's thumb only begins the list... and no, I don't think replacing Roenicke is a needed solution), but the deterioration of quite a capable offense is, to me, the most glaring issue and, on that count, IMO a change is needed.

 

I think this is a great point. Disagree on Scooter, whom has hit for significantly more power and has been statistically better in the majors than in the minors.

 

Having so many dropoffs from last year is concerning. The only jump up is Lucroy having a great year and ARam being slightly better. Segura going from .752 ops to .596? Davis from .949 to .746? Even Schafer managed to regress. Surprisingly we a statically better than last year - were in the top half in runs per game, and last year we were in the bottom half. The entire league has had a dropoff. But it feels significantly worse because the second half has been extremely brutal.

 

I don't think firing Roenicke will do anything, but if they do, I hope we don't replace him with the opposite Gibson-type manager, because I don't think that's the answer either.

 

Can we please be done with the "Jimmy Nelson is a great prospect" talk now? I've seen nothing from the kid to this point that suggests he will be a solid rotation starter, let alone bullpen. Things can definitely change, but if we really were offered David Price for Nelson + other stuff DM should be fired. The only reason you don't trade Nelson is if he has elite upside.

 

Funny that fans would have absolutely LOST it had they traded Nelson away for Price and a couple months later Melvin should get fired for not making a deal. In June everyone was ready to take Roenicke's head off for not starting Nelson instead of Estrada, and now he's turned into a guy that is disappointing when he comes in as a long reliever.

[TURBO]

Bottom line to me is this.

 

Why pull Lohse with 88 pitches? That is when the crap hit the fan. Why tinker with a guy throwing a shutout for 7 innings that has only thrown 88 pitches, has one out, and a guy on 1B with a 2 run lead?

 

Just another very questionable managerial decision made by our manager...

[coolcool]

Bottom line to me is this.

 

Why pull Lohse with 88 pitches? That is when the crap hit the fan. Why tinker with a guy throwing a shutout for 7 innings that has only thrown 88 pitches, has one out, and a guy on 1B with a 2 run lead?

 

Just another very questionable managerial decision made by our manager...

 

Broxton came on and got a ground ball to end the inning on the next pitch. He's been our best reliever, so its not like he brought in Kintzler. I wouldnt have had a problem either way, but I probably would lean to keeping him in one more batter. Easier in hindsight... Result was even good this time. Reminds me of that 49er Packer game last year when McCarthy accepted a penalty on what would have been 4th and short. The Packers stopped Kaepernick, but Matthews had a late hit out of bounds and some fans blamed McCarthy for the decision, despite it actually working out sans a boneheaded play.

 

In this case, if Reynolds throws to 2nd, it could have easily been thought of a good move since Broxton got a ground ball out an RRR didn't adhere to his "100 pitch rule" that everyone quips about.

[torts]

Bottom line to me is this.

 

Why pull Lohse with 88 pitches? That is when the crap hit the fan. Why tinker with a guy throwing a shutout for 7 innings that has only thrown 88 pitches, has one out, and a guy on 1B with a 2 run lead?

 

im with you on this. who cares if Broxton got the ground out that reynolds didnt turn two on... there was no reason at all to think Loshe couldnt have ended that inning unscathed. its not like he was at 100+ pitches and looked gassed... that was one of the most confusing decisions I think ive seen.

[superfly]

Not even a sweep is good enough now.

 

Fitting that they lose it this way. Mental mistakes, lack of hitting and relying on Jimmy Nelson pretty much sums up three key themes of the second half.

Well said.

 

I'm not one to blame individuals, but I've had these 2 prevailing thoughts for a while and tonight swirls 'em both together quite grandly:

 

1. Mark Reynolds should just clean out his locker now.

2. I think Johnny Narron needs to go. I just don't see any of our hitters really improving under him. A team slump is one thing, and the Brewers hitters certainly have their flaws, but the offense has been lousy for much of the 2nd half and only seems to be getting worse. A team slump is one thing, but since early July, why are many of our hitters' ABs getting progressively worse as the year moves on, and where are the adjustments? Why have veterans like Reynolds & Weeks gotten worse and worse as the season's worn on (okay, they just aren't MLB hitters anymore)? Clutch hitting is terrible. Where are the focus, in-AB adjustments like shortened-up swings w/ 2 strikes, subtle adjustments in approach overall? Why can't most of our hitters -- Gomez most glaringly -- get a bunt down? . . . Etc..... Gennett & Davis are exactly what they were in the minors. Braun, Lucroy, Ramirez, & Gomez were pretty much already were what they are before Narron's arrival. Who's gotten better? Short list if any names at all. Who's gotten worse? Long list... The issues go beyond Narron, surely (Braun's thumb only begins the list... and no, I don't think replacing Roenicke is a needed solution), but the deterioration of quite a capable offense is, to me, the most glaring issue and, on that count, IMO a change is needed.

 

I think this is a great point. Disagree on Scooter, whom has hit for significantly more power and has been statistically better in the majors than in the minors.

 

Having so many dropoffs from last year is concerning. The only jump up is Lucroy having a great year and ARam being slightly better. Segura going from .752 ops to .596? Davis from .949 to .746? Even Schafer managed to regress. Surprisingly we a statically better than last year - were in the top half in runs per game, and last year we were in the bottom half. The entire league has had a dropoff. But it feels significantly worse because the second half has been extremely brutal.

 

I don't think firing Roenicke will do anything, but if they do, I hope we don't replace him with the opposite Gibson-type manager, because I don't think that's the answer either.

 

Can we please be done with the "Jimmy Nelson is a great prospect" talk now? I've seen nothing from the kid to this point that suggests he will be a solid rotation starter, let alone bullpen. Things can definitely change, but if we really were offered David Price for Nelson + other stuff DM should be fired. The only reason you don't trade Nelson is if he has elite upside.

 

Funny that fans would have absolutely LOST it had they traded Nelson away for Price and a couple months later Melvin should get fired for not making a deal. In June everyone was ready to take Roenicke's head off for not starting Nelson instead of Estrada, and now he's turned into a guy that is disappointing when he comes in as a long reliever.

 

Don't count me in on that conversation about being mad if we traded for Price. I was all for it, was pretty disappointing to not see us get him.

[vegasbrewcrew1993]

Can we please be done with the "Jimmy Nelson is a great prospect" talk now? I've seen nothing from the kid to this point that suggests he will be a solid rotation starter, let alone bullpen. Things can definitely change, but if we really were offered David Price for Nelson + other stuff DM should be fired. The only reason you don't trade Nelson is if he has elite upside.

kid's a scrub. guy is 25 and he's just cracking the majors. no exceptional stuff. can't even get it done as a reliever. would have much preferred getting price or lester.

[jerichoholicninja]

Price would have been nice but he wouldn't have helped the offense be any better than that batter cutout that Charlie Scheen throws at in Major League.

[jvrocksaz]

kid's a scrub. guy is 25 and he's just cracking the majors. no exceptional stuff. can't even get it done as a reliever. would have much preferred getting price or lester.

 

Yeah because posting a 4.08 ERA in his first 75 IP in the Majors suggests this...

 

Maybe the Brewers should have given up on Peralta and Fiers following their early struggles also??