2018-06-22: Cardinals (Flaherty) at Brewers (Guerra) 7:10 PM CDT [Brewers win 2-1, Aguilar’s HRs end No-Hit bid in 7th and Walk-Off Cardinals in 9th]

[adambr2]

Agree with those who cite going to Hader in the 6th as a crucial moment in the game. Was great to see Counsell do that. I don't see him making that move back in April.

[wildcat83]

 

I'll say it for the 8th+ time--No mid-inning relieving of a relief pitcher. Slows down the game and subdues offense. Pick up the action and pick of the offense and make the game more traditional and make a guy get 3 outs.

 

So a guy comes into a 3-3 game, doesn't have it, gives up 4 straight hits, and you have to leave him get shelled till he gets 3 outs????

 

That's not baseball and I'd have zero interest in watching it.

[The stache]

This is fun, embarrassing the Cardinals like this.

 

1,000 times this!!!!!!!!

 

Jesus is a big boy, good God!

 

His stats since coming to Milwaukee last year:

 

198 games played. 476 AB, 77 runs, 27 doubles, 2 triples, 32 home runs, 101 RBI, 45 walks, 149 K. .282 AVG, slash .344/.548/.892.

 

And one Cardinal execution.

 

Brewers had no offense into the seventh inning. None. Down 1-0, the big man breaks up the no no with a bomb into the seats.

The bullpen pitches 4 perfect innings. No hits. No walks. Strikes out 8 of the 12 men they faced.

Outside of a Sogard single, the Brewers don't get any other hits until the ninth when the big man comes through.

 

Again, and again, and again I will ask: how can you not be romantic about baseball??

[wildcat83]

A fine win, indeed.

 

But to be the downer here...the game had 3 runs and 6 hits total and it took 3 hours 19 minutes.

 

What non-baseball fan is going to sit through all of that to get to the drama at the end?

 

I'm numbed by the boredom of baseball in 2018.

 

Almost no hitter, almost bench clearing brawl, bomb to tie it, walk off bomb to win it. Yawwwwwn

 

Anyone who wasn't entertained by that, go watch rollerball or sonething.

 

 

THIS x 100

 

Best, possibly most entertaining game of the year and were having this discussion???

 

I really don't get it.

[pacopete4]

 

From the thousands of posts, and don't hold me to this...

 

Adam= Sogard

Brew= Munoz

 

Adam = Tony LaRussa

Brew = Mike Matheny

 

Calling either one of us Cardinals sounds like fight’n words. I guess at least I was once a Brewer in this scenario.

[valpocrewsader]

Any doubt the Cards toss out a hint about an Aguilar "edge" at some point here? I was going to suggest it as after the HR to break up the no-no, but then add the oppo shot in the ninth.... I could definitely see the Sanctimonious Ones insinuating something.

[PinaMadness]

A fine win, indeed.

 

But to be the downer here...the game had 3 runs and 6 hits total and it took 3 hours 19 minutes.

 

What non-baseball fan is going to sit through all of that to get to the drama at the end?

 

I'm numbed by the boredom of baseball in 2018.

 

Almost no hitter, almost bench clearing brawl, bomb to tie it, walk off bomb to win it. Yawwwwwn

 

Anyone who wasn't entertained by that, go watch rollerball or sonething.

 

 

THIS x 100

 

Best, possibly most entertaining game of the year and were having this discussion???

 

I really don't get it.

Frustrating game, yes. Boring, no.

[adambr2]

 

I'll say it for the 8th+ time--No mid-inning relieving of a relief pitcher. Slows down the game and subdues offense. Pick up the action and pick of the offense and make the game more traditional and make a guy get 3 outs.

 

So a guy comes into a 3-3 game, doesn't have it, gives up 4 straight hits, and you have to leave him get shelled till he gets 3 outs????

 

That's not baseball and I'd have zero interest in watching it.

 

Yeah I would agree. It's also unsafe, there might be nights you'd be throwing a guy 60-70 pitches to get those 3 outs.

 

I get that people hate situational relief pitching but to me it's just a part of the game now and isn't going anywhere.

 

To me, baseball is trying a little too hard to make itself appeal to the next generation. People who love baseball love the game for what it is and all its nuances and will continue to do so regardless of game length.

 

People who don't appreciate baseball and find it boring aren't going to feel any differently after a few tweaks that make games 10 minutes shorter.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Oxy]

 

I'll say it for the 8th+ time--No mid-inning relieving of a relief pitcher. Slows down the game and subdues offense. Pick up the action and pick of the offense and make the game more traditional and make a guy get 3 outs.

 

So a guy comes into a 3-3 game, doesn't have it, gives up 4 straight hits, and you have to leave him get shelled till he gets 3 outs????

 

That's not baseball and I'd have zero interest in watching it.

 

How often does that happen? A utility infielder got 3 outs last night. Did he "Have it?" The benefits far far outweigh the negatives. If you think it would be that bad, put a 25 or 30 pitch limit on a guy, then allow him to be relieved.

 

And your "zero interest" comment is outlandish. After watching the 100th+ pitching change to make LOOGYs relevant, my interest wanes far more than watching a guy get knocked around a couple times a year.

[wildcat83]

Sogard said post game that he asked him if he was alright. Also said he didn't think he understood him, not sure if he meant didn't hear, or language barrier.

[The stache]

Agree with those who cite going to Hader in the 6th as a crucial moment in the game. Was great to see Counsell do that. I don't see him making that move back in April.

 

I was very critical of Counsell last week. I said that I thought the Brewers would never make a serious run in the post season with him as manager. I saw just too many head scratch-worthy decisions. But, I am man enough to admit that sometimes I make rash statements in the heat of the moment. Counsell made a huge decision tonight, and kept the Cardinals from getting more runs on the board.

 

Who knows. Maybe there's a reason why Craig is the team's manager, and I'm sitting at my laptop running my mouth. Managing is just like playing the game. It's a learning process. It's also about trusting the 25 men you have on your team.

 

He's shown improvement each season as our skipper:

 

2015 61-76 .445 winning (age 44)

2016 73-89 .451 winning (age 45)

2017 86-76 .531 winning (age 46)

2018 45-30 .600 winning (age 47)

 

He's been running the team without arguably it's best starting pitcher in Jimmy Nelson, and without his closer for a big chunk of the season (Knebel). Christian Yelich, one of our two offseason acquisitions, has missed 12 games. Ryan Braun has had some terrible luck, and been bothered by his usual nagging injuries. Eric Thames, who had 7 home runs in his first 30 games, slashing .976 when he got injured, missed about a quarter of the season.

 

Yet the Brewers have been atop the division for a while now, and even when the Cubs took over first by mere percentage points, they held tough and fought back.

 

These are the kinds of games we always used to lose. Good teams find a way to fight through adversity, and turn losses into wins. They did that tonight. And I hope Craig Counsell proves me very, very wrong.

[FVBrewerFan]

Adam, after that post about trying to speed up the game you are no longer Sogard. You have been promoted straight to Robin Yount. Dead on 100%.

[Bulldogboy]

We started this season playing Ryan Braun at first base in order to keep his bat in the lineup. Wow

[Oxy]

We started this season playing Ryan Braun at first base in order to keep his bat in the lineup. Wow

 

And I have no doubt that Braun will say and do whatever is necessary in order to keep the Brewers winning. If that means being more of a pinch hitter and allowing Thames and Aguilar to do their thing, I think he'd be okay with being the best, most expensive pinch hitter in the league if it means more Ws for the Brewers.

 

I'll guess that he'll be needed for more than just that role this season though.

[topper09er]

I remember Bill James proposed a rule that you could not remove a relief pitcher unless they gave up a run in an inning, interesting. I think if they just totally eliminated on the mound warm-up pitches and the commercial break it would make a big difference. Obviously this would be unthinkable, almost as foolish as allowing baseball games to be broadcast over the radio which will decrease ticket sales.

[PinaMadness]

Speaking of Braun, for someone who's been "available" for pinch hitting if needed you wouldn't know it. Sogard got the call for an AB before him.

[The stache]

Another great part of tonight. We're now beating the Cards 7-4 in the season series instead of it being 6-5. Big game should the Cardinals go on a run, and get into playoff contention. We play them 19 times in total. 10 wins takes the series, giving us the tie breaker. We only need to win 3 more to take it.

[The stache]

Speaking of Braun, for someone who's been "available" for pinch hitting if needed you wouldn't know it. Sogard got the call for an AB before him.

 

Might have been gamesmanship by Counsell. Braun might have needed another night after his injection.

[PinaMadness]

Speaking of Braun, for someone who's been "available" for pinch hitting if needed you wouldn't know it. Sogard got the call for an AB before him.

 

Might have been gamesmanship by Counsell. Braun might have needed another night after his injection.

Or maybe it's the same old story where Counsell minimizes the severity of a Braun injury only for him to wind up on the DL a couple days later and doesn't come back for a few weeks.

[JimH5]

2-1 games are by exciting by their nature. They just don't have to take 3 hours and 19 minutes.

 

In 1975, the Brewers played 2-1 games on the following dates with the following times of games:

 

May 23/2:08

August 4/2:29

August 16/2:32

August 26/2:34

 

Those games were every bit as compelling and tight as tonight's game, played in 50 or so fewer minutes.

 

Aguilar's moments tonight were fantastic. I just didn't find watching 7 walks and 30 strikeouts to be compelling. Once the no-hitter was done (and he wasn't going to complete the game anyway), then it was just both offenses being dominated.

[pacopete4]

Speaking of Braun, for someone who's been "available" for pinch hitting if needed you wouldn't know it. Sogard got the call for an AB before him.

 

Might have been gamesmanship by Counsell. Braun might have needed another night after his injection.

Or maybe it's the same old story where Counsell minimizes the severity of a Braun injury only for him to wind up on the DL a couple days later and doesn't come back for a few weeks.

 

Braun had his bat in hand, losening up in the bottom of the 5th. Maybe he was a decoy there but it didn’t look like it.

[pacopete4]

2-1 games are by exciting by their nature. They just don't have to take 3 hours and 19 minutes.

 

In 1975, the Brewers played 2-1 games on the following dates with the following times of games:

 

May 23/2:08

August 4/2:29

August 16/2:32

August 26/2:34

 

Those games were every bit as compelling and tight as tonight's game, played in 50 or so fewer minutes.

 

Aguilar's moments tonight were fantastic. I just didn't find watching 7 walks and 30 strikeouts to be compelling. Once the no-hitter was done (and he wasn't going to complete the game anyway), then it was just both offenses being dominated.

 

You’re not alone in this thought. We know the game has changed and it may never change back but it doesn’t make it any less annoying as to how long these games take. Pace of play will be something that will be a battle in the near future. It will be interesting.

[adambr2]

We started this season playing Ryan Braun at first base in order to keep his bat in the lineup. Wow

 

Honestly Braun is in a tough spot right now. He's obviously not going to play over Aguilar at this time and he's really not going to play over Thames against RHP. Santana is a total non-factor and Braun is still kind of on the verge of getting wedged out.

 

Depth is good, I get that, but having your highest paid player on your bench when you're at full strength for the next 2.5 years is probably not the most ideal thing ever.

 

I don't know what the Dodgers OF situation looks like off the top of my head but I wonder if they'd still have any interest. Who do they got, Bellinger, Kemp, Puig?

[adambr2]

Just watched the replay of Aguilar's first HR. At the end of it you can see Flaherty with his glove up to his mouth just screaming expletive after expletive. LOL

[adambr2]

Adam, after that post about trying to speed up the game you are no longer Sogard. You have been promoted straight to Robin Yount. Dead on 100%.

 

Wooo!!