Dumb (strategic weakness) and Dumber (failure to address it)

[rickh150]

I think I've just watched the dumbest Brewers team in the last 30 years of watching Brewers baseball in person and daily (now) on tv. I'll mainly blame the players since they are the ones most responsible. They play. Yet RR and coaches have accountability here too. Let's review some from this season.....(now this mainly Gomez, but not limited to him by no means)

 

Stupid outs on the bases (not stealing bases)...

1. Thrown out rounding second recently in Pittsburgh in the 9th (Gomez actually thought about staying, sadly, went anyway)

2. Dove back into 2nd base when on 2nd base with man on 1st and grounder to SS and no outs-double play (never seen before)

3. Picked off of a base (too often this year when few are stealing threats)

4. Caught stealing 3rd for 3rd out (most I've seen for a season)

5. Outs at 3rd base on grounders to short (most I've seen in a season)

6. Needlessly stealing 3rd base late with TWO OUTS WHEN HIS RUN WAS MEANINGLESS (multiple times-once in St. Louis with Molina catching)

7. .220 hitters swinging 3-0

8. Throws home to cut down scoring runner that do not have a sliver of a chance for out AND then airmailing it with two outs

allowing runner to walk to 2B. (Gomez-King)

9, Hacking at 2-0 pitches when down by 3 or 4 in the 8th or 9th

10. Outs on "Contact play" AND having RR back up Herrera that he was making the right read on weak flare to SS

11. Getting doubled up on routine fly balls

12. Stealing and not knowing where the batted ball is

13. Not remembering the out situation in key situations.

14. Letting "my 8th inning guy" continue after putting 3 on......oh year, no one is up in the pen either (didn't Smith give up like 6 earned one game? How does that happen?)

15. Lack of any hit and runs over the year and years (yeah, yeah, we swing for the fences, not our game crap.... whatever. We have Lucroy, Braun, Scooter making contact to right all the time; good candidates with Gomez on 1B... we can't organize a couple of hit and runs a year to get a few runs from a lousy offense in Sept.? More dumbness to read signs and lack of strategic possibilities..

 

A couple of stories here.

 

On a long car ride, I finished listening to a game that the Brewers lost in June. I then called in to the call-in show and asked Davey about the baserunning strategies/hitting strategies when down late (taking pitches) and he was less politically correct than he is on tv postgame. He stressed the need to make pitchers throw strikes when down a few late and not make dumb outs on the bases (had some Kenny Lofton story too).

 

I also wrote in to beat writer Rosario and asked him to put up a sign in Brewers clubhouse- "No outs at 3rd with 2 outs. No outs at 3rd or home with 0 outs." He wrote back saying that he believes a sign like that is up already in the clubhouse. Really? You would have never known it.

 

Questions...Is it just dumb players? Does RR not be more strategic (hit and run, pull reliever earlier when he doesn't have it that night, safety squeeze like in 2011) because he doesn't think his players can execute? Or is it because he doesn't trust players to read the signs/understand situation? Is he that afraid of the player's reaction? That being said, do the Brewers actually have a "You have to steal on this pitch sign"? I tend to believe not for the lack of double steals. Do they actually have a take sign. I tend to think not for all of our .220 hitters swinging on 3-0 anytime and 2-0 late when behind. Why does Gomez get away with EVERYTHING he does stupidly (no sitdowns-at least publically for stupidity)? What a FRESH and NEW thing it would be to actually have RR say something is unacceptable and sit a player ala Mattingly! What a FRESH and NEW thing to actually talk about playing smart (not just aggressive on the bases and free swingers at bat-tired of it....Play smart first! Certain times call for a take and certain times call for a no steal).

 

Overall, we are handcuffed strategically because of the type of player we have and the lack of trust RR has in them. Our players have zero accountability when it comes to supposedly unacceptable mental errors (actual ERA and AVG/OPS sure- they play less or more accordingly). I don't remember any Brewers player getting benched for a mental error publicly. THat being said, do players get quizzed on baseball situations? Baseball rules? Any flashcards in the clubhouse on baseball smarts?

 

RR needs to be more like Bo Ryan in one, if not more, ways. Why? He would do what's right and best for the team regardless of personal feeling from players. Do you think he wouldn't have sat Gomez this year for the countless dumb things he's done? Decker doesn't block out and he's out for 3 minutes. You perform right mentally or you sit. With him, if you miss a shot or two, you don't necessarily come out. When you make defensive mental errors or UNFORCED turnovers, you might as well start walking to the bench. Mental toughness a Huge reason for his successes and latest trip to Final Four.... Now, he might get fired from his MLB job for different reasons, but he would have the courage to stand up and say "No more" for certain things.

 

Not that strategic weakness was the main problem this season, but it contributed to our weak offense, play in close games, and apparent mental collapse. Needs to be a topic of emphasis next year! Besides losing games late, these situations zap the energy out of a team more than anything.

[dlk9s]

Some of those things, like numbers 12 and 13 are just "stuff happens." At times, guys make boneheaded mistakes.

 

I think a lot of the baserunning things, though, are just dumb players. While I think RR should coach the guys in certain, more strategic aspects of the game, I don't expect him to teach them basic baserunning.

 

One thing I think the players need to do is consciously think about the scenario before each AB and plan out what they are going to do in certain situations. That way, they don't have to make the decisions on the fly. Example, guy on 2nd needs to consciously take note of how many outs there are and think to himself, "Ok, if the ball is hit there, I do this, there, I do that, etc."

 

Obviously, that's oversimplifying things a bit, as the situation can change as soon as the ball is put in play, but you get the gist.

[jerichoholicninja]

I think the fact that after all these baserunning mistakes not a single guy was benched, shows it's a lot more on Ron that some want to believe. Whether it was because he supported the stupidity or only gave the guy a "hey, don't do it again" when he got back in the dugout, a lot of it has to fall on Ron. Especially because it wasn't just one guy. Sure, most of the boneheaded plays were by Gomez but I can remember Lucroy and Ramirez each having a couple "did you really just do that" baserunning gaffes.

[FVBrewerFan]

Obviously, that's oversimplifying things a bit

 

I don't think you're oversimplifying all that much. We were all taught in little league to think things through before every pitch. MLB players should be able to do this 100% of the time, but I'll even let the occassional brain fart slide.

 

I really think these guys alwys have "be aggressive" in the back of their minds, because that's what RR preaches, and he's not shy about it. The players and base coaches know they will never be called on the carpet for it.

[LouisEly]

I think the fact that after all these baserunning mistakes not a single guy was benched, shows it's a lot more on Ron that some want to believe. Whether it was because he supported the stupidity or only gave the guy a "hey, don't do it again" when he got back in the dugout, a lot of it has to fall on Ron. Especially because it wasn't just one guy. Sure, most of the boneheaded plays were by Gomez but I can remember Lucroy and Ramirez each having a couple "did you really just do that" baserunning gaffes.

It's hard to bench players when your bench is playing poorly, or when you have very little bench because of injuries or extra guys in the bullpen.

[The stache]

I don't think you're oversimplifying all that much. We were all taught in little league to think things through before every pitch. MLB players should be able to do this 100% of the time, but I'll even let the occasional brain fart slide.

.

 

Yup, we were taught that, too. I played second base. Before every pitch was thrown, I was thinking to myself "if the ball comes to me, this is what I'm going to do."

[Baldkin]

I think the fact that after all these baserunning mistakes not a single guy was benched, shows it's a lot more on Ron that some want to believe. Whether it was because he supported the stupidity or only gave the guy a "hey, don't do it again" when he got back in the dugout, a lot of it has to fall on Ron. Especially because it wasn't just one guy. Sure, most of the boneheaded plays were by Gomez but I can remember Lucroy and Ramirez each having a couple "did you really just do that" baserunning gaffes.

It's hard to bench players when your bench is playing poorly, or when you have very little bench because of injuries or extra guys in the bullpen.

 

The last time the Brewers manager benched a guy for doing something stupid, Ryan Braun got him fired.

[jerichoholicninja]

I think the fact that after all these baserunning mistakes not a single guy was benched, shows it's a lot more on Ron that some want to believe. Whether it was because he supported the stupidity or only gave the guy a "hey, don't do it again" when he got back in the dugout, a lot of it has to fall on Ron. Especially because it wasn't just one guy. Sure, most of the boneheaded plays were by Gomez but I can remember Lucroy and Ramirez each having a couple "did you really just do that" baserunning gaffes.

It's hard to bench players when your bench is playing poorly, or when you have very little bench because of injuries or extra guys in the bullpen.

 

The last time the Brewers manager benched a guy for doing something stupid, Ryan Braun got him fired.

 

I'm assuming you mean Macha but I don't know what this is in reference to.

[AZBrewCrew]

I think the fact that after all these baserunning mistakes not a single guy was benched, shows it's a lot more on Ron that some want to believe. Whether it was because he supported the stupidity or only gave the guy a "hey, don't do it again" when he got back in the dugout, a lot of it has to fall on Ron. Especially because it wasn't just one guy. Sure, most of the boneheaded plays were by Gomez but I can remember Lucroy and Ramirez each having a couple "did you really just do that" baserunning gaffes.

It's hard to bench players when your bench is playing poorly, or when you have very little bench because of injuries or extra guys in the bullpen.

 

The last time the Brewers manager benched a guy for doing something stupid, Ryan Braun got him fired.

 

I'm assuming you mean Macha but I don't know what this is in reference to.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/21/ryan-braun-says-brewers-were-fighting-the-negativity-under-former-manager-ken-macha/

[jerichoholicninja]

I have no doubt Grandpa Ken wasn't fun to play for. He looked like he slept through most games but who did he bench that got him fired?

[Baldkin]

I have no doubt Grandpa Ken wasn't fun to play for. He looked like he slept through most games but who did he bench that got him fired?

 

http://media.sportsradio1250.com/a/77944686/07-10-13-ken-macha-on-rupena-s-post-game-show.htm

 

4:50 into the interview.

 

While I was there, 3 times I pulled guys from the game. Twice it was Braun. Once it was Lorenzo Cain.....

....[braun] watched a ball he thought was a homer, and it ended up being caught, he was 5 feet from home plate. I called him into my office and told him why I was benching him the next game. He proceeded to go into the locker room and have some loud comments to the rest of the team

[jerichoholicninja]

I have no doubt Grandpa Ken wasn't fun to play for. He looked like he slept through most games but who did he bench that got him fired?

 

http://media.sportsradio1250.com/a/77944686/07-10-13-ken-macha-on-rupena-s-post-game-show.htm

 

4:50 into the interview.

 

While I was there, 3 times I pulled guys from the game. Twice it was Braun. Once it was Lorenzo Cain.....

....[braun] watched a ball he thought was a homer, and it ended up being caught, he was 5 feet from home plate. I called him into my office and told him why I was benching him the next game. He proceeded to go into the locker room and have some loud comments to the rest of the team

 

If true, that's a ridiculous reaction from Braun and an over reaction from Ken. There's a big difference between watching a fly ball get caught and getting thrown out trying to get to third base on a ground ball hit to the short stop...multiple times.

[rickh150]

NO MORE GOMEZ AIRMAILING IT HOME................. MY OH MY

Someone in that clubhouse or the owner himself should make that a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE topic this offseason

 

Happened again twice on Friday........... Doesn't he learn from his countless mistakes? Doesn't someone in that clubhouse HAVE TO step up and call him out at some point?