2017-09-22: Cubs (Lackey) at Brewers (Woodruff) 6:35 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 5-4, 10 innings]

[hawing]

Note the uncommon start time, to accommodate ESPN.

 

CUBS (85-67)

CF Jon Jay (L)

3B Kris Bryant ®

1B Anthony Rizzo (L)

2B Ben Zobrist (S)

C Alex Avila (L)

LF Kyle Schwarber (L)

RF Jason Heyward (L)

SS Javier Baez ®

RHP John Lackey ®

 

BREWERS (81-72)

SS Eric Sogard (L)

2B Neil Walker (L)

LF Ryan Braun ®

3B Travis Shaw (L)

RF Domingo Santana ®

1B Eric Thames (L)

C Stephen Vogt (L)

CF Brett Phillips (L)

RHP Brandon Woodruff ®

[rcc]

This will be a good game to win and hit well to get to Mr. Lackey and make him lose his temper and the game. No Cub fans going home happy again tonight please.

 

Go Brewers!

[3and2Fastball]

All righty lineup, most likely, except Shaw at 3B... CC loves his platoons.... Would really love to see big games out of Braun, Aguillar, Pina....

[KeithStone53151]

Lackey is a RHP, don't you mean all lefty? I'm going with Sogard, Walker, Shaw, Santana, Thames(LF), Aguilar, Vogt, Phillips, P for lineup. braun sits today and plays tomorrow, he looked gassed yesterday.

[newrivervalley]

Tough loss yesterday. Davies did well and but for some bleeders in the 9th, Brewer would have won. Still have problems with strikeouts with runners on 3rd and less than 2 outs. Take the pitches outside the strike zone and put the bat on strikes. Braun usually does it, but the young players have problems. Take a walk!

[3and2Fastball]

Lackey is a RHP, don't you mean all lefty? I'm going with Sogard, Walker, Shaw, Santana, Thames(LF), Aguilar, Vogt, Phillips, P for lineup. braun sits today and plays tomorrow, he looked gassed yesterday.

 

Thanks. Yes, apparently I'm still brain damaged from last night's game!

[tmwiese55]

Braun's so competitive you'd think he'd want everything to be out there. He has ok numbers vs lackey but nothing crazy so that shouldn't factor much in. Something around 300 with 3 HRs. Hopefully he's got all his tests done for the year and popped a gummy last night and is recharged today.

[hawing]

Lackey is a RHP, don't you mean all lefty? I'm going with Sogard, Walker, Shaw, Santana, Thames(LF), Aguilar, Vogt, Phillips, P for lineup. braun sits today and plays tomorrow, he looked gassed yesterday.

 

Thanks. Yes, apparently I'm still brain damaged from last night's game!

Lefty lineup it is.

I'm going to admit to feeling a noticeable degree of dread while typing out "to accommodate ESPN." Prove me wrong, home team.

[3and2Fastball]

Braun's so competitive you'd think he'd want everything to be out there. He has ok numbers vs lackey but nothing crazy so that shouldn't factor much in. Something around 300 with 3 HRs. Hopefully he's got all his tests done for the year and popped a gummy last night and is recharged today.

 

Yeah MLB! Leave Braun alone. I want Robo-Braun back!

[buckybrewer232]

Don't get the infatuation with Sogard and having to bat him leadoff. Is it really necessary to start him over Arcia every game against a RHP?

 

I know he had the big hit last night..

[KeithStone53151]

Don't get the infatuation with Sogard and having to bat him leadoff. Is it really necessary to start him over Arcia every game against a RHP?

 

I know he had the big hit last night..

 

Sogard grinds out at bats really well, takes his walks, and plays solid defense at SS. He doesn't have the flashy ability of Arcia, but he's far more consistent. I don't necessarily agree with Arcia sitting everyday, that's probably Counsel's reasoning though.

[3and2Fastball]

I think it is insane to not have Arcia starting at SS in nearly every game.

 

Sogard has a .402 OBP vs RHP, so I understand wanting to start him. I just don't like giving up the plus defense that Arcia provides.

[patrickgpe]

I don't know the answer to what to do with Arcia. tough to leave sogard and walker out of the lineup for their bat especially against a righty.

[KeithStone53151]

I don't know the answer to what to do with Arcia. tough to leave sogard and walker out of the lineup for their bat especially against a righty.

 

Agreed, or Thames with his September resurgence.

[tmwiese55]

I see both sides of the debate of course, there's logic both ways. That said, I'm assuming the tipping point for CC is that generally speaking the offense has been the problem so he's doing whatever he can to up their chances of scoring more runs. And it's not like Sogard is bad on D, it's not a Villar playing CF type thing. And off the top of my head/eyetest without looking it up it seems Arcia really hasn't hit well since that hot streak he had around early August. So I get it, hope it works and they get a W. Haven't looked up Sogard either, but after the awfulness when he first came off the DL it seems he's been having good ABs, getting walks and making good contact of late. We'll see, would love a nice easy win tonight.

 

Also, anyone who went last night have any feedback on dealing with Cubs fans? I went and it was was majority Cubs around me. Almost all of them just cheered for their team and kept to themselves, just like you'd want. Other than of course you have to have a couple dudes who have to stand up and loudly boo in brewers fans faces whenever Braun is up just to try and start an argument. In their defense, most have probably only been fans for 3 years so they don't realize they had Sosa. Still, not much of an issue. Some good natured chanting back and forth, that's what sports is all about.

[buckybrewer232]

Don't get the infatuation with Sogard and having to bat him leadoff. Is it really necessary to start him over Arcia every game against a RHP?

 

I know he had the big hit last night..

 

Sogard grinds out at bats really well, takes his walks, and plays solid defense at SS. He doesn't have the flashy ability of Arcia, but he's far more consistent. I don't necessarily agree with Arcia sitting everyday, that's probably Counsel's reasoning though.

 

Sogard's line in September: .194/.325/.245

 

Not sure that screams needing to be in the lineup and leading off every game.

[Baldkin]

I went into the series thinking the Brewers needed to take 3 of 4 to have a chance.

They can still do that. Let's go tonight, 'Crew!

[tmwiese55]

Don't get the infatuation with Sogard and having to bat him leadoff. Is it really necessary to start him over Arcia every game against a RHP?

 

I know he had the big hit last night..

 

Sogard grinds out at bats really well, takes his walks, and plays solid defense at SS. He doesn't have the flashy ability of Arcia, but he's far more consistent. I don't necessarily agree with Arcia sitting everyday, that's probably Counsel's reasoning though.

 

Sogard's line in September: .194/.325/.245

 

Not sure that screams needing to be in the lineup and leading off every game.

 

Since Sept 12 when he's been basically playing every day Sogard is 6/21 with 9 walks. 286 BA with a 500 OBP. If I'm adding stuff up right off baseball ref. I think that might have a part of it

 

ETA: just got the time to check Arcia. To my surprise he's 11/31 with 5 BBs since Sept 9. So he has been doing well also. Tough call at this point so I guess he's just playing the L/R splits.

[Bombers]

I was at the game last night - such an electric crowd. I agree it is disappointing with all the Cubs fans but that part just is what it is. It was fun (would have been better with a win) and I just hope the Brewers can pull off a win tonight. Let's go brewers!!

[Bombers]

I don't know the answer to what to do with Arcia. tough to leave sogard and walker out of the lineup for their bat especially against a righty.

I agree and would love Arcia in the lineup. He is a part of the future and is missing out on valuable AB's. But it's a tough spot with 9 games left and CC has to do what he thinks is best. I love Phillips getting starts. He is going to be fun watching all next year.

[markedman5]

Per Mccalvy

 

Manny Pina sprained his left thumb on the tag of Rizzo in the 10th last night and did not take BP today.

[jerichoholicninja]

Arcia has the same crap approach that most of the regular lineup has. Get someone in there who will take pitches and put the ball in play sometimes.

[topper09er]

Arcia has the same crap approach that most of the regular lineup has. Get someone in there who will take pitches and put the ball in play sometimes.

 

yup, although there are about 100 instances from last night where a disciplined team would have won, 1 of those examples was Arcia swinging at the 2nd pitch out of the zone during his AB in the 9th.

[shanedog19]

Looking directly at you Braun and Shaw, time to step up tonight!

[dacbrewers]

Scooter with yet another grand slam...unreal.