Who would you start in the WC game?

[long ball]

So I just realized game 162 is on 9/30 and the NL WC game is on 10/4. So unless there is a game 163 the Brewers should be in good shape to pick whichever starter they feel most comfortable with even if it means their preference goes on 3 days rest. Then they will have a fully rested bullpen and can lean heavily on it like they did last night.

[josh]

Chacin and the bullpen

 

Which is also the name of my new band

[BillScottCanRake]

So I just realized game 162 is on 9/30 and the NL WC game is on 10/4. So unless there is a game 163 the Brewers should be in good shape to pick whichever starter they feel most comfortable with even if it means their preference goes on 3 days rest. Then they will have a fully rested bullpen and can lean heavily on it like they did last night.

 

Awesome... that means they can go for the division without blowing up a chance to win the wildcard game if they need to.

[lcbj68c]

Wade Miley at this rate.

[TexasCheesehead]

Let's say Jimmy Nelson comes back in September and gets a rehab start in the minor league post-season, would you be willing to give him the ball in an elimination game after maybe just a start or two in Milwaukee all season?

[Ennder]

Let's say Jimmy Nelson comes back in September and gets a rehab start in the minor league post-season, would you be willing to give him the ball in an elimination game after maybe just a start or two in Milwaukee all season?

 

Nope.

 

We did something similar with Gallardo in the playoffs one year but that was because everyone else was hurt and we had no real choice. It would have to be a situation like that where Anderson and Chacin were both dealing with something for me to consider it.

[Outlander]

Let's say Jimmy Nelson comes back in September and gets a rehab start in the minor league post-season, would you be willing to give him the ball in an elimination game after maybe just a start or two in Milwaukee all season?

Wouldn't really surprise me if they started Nelson as part of a bullpen game and he went two innings and the remainder went to Burnes/Hader/Soria/Jeffress/Knebel. Could then set the rotation for the remaining playoff games. Really think relying on the bullpen gives the Brewers the best chance to win one game plus they can pinch hit the pitcher every time it comes up since the starters don't have to be on the wild card roster.

[TJseven7]

Can we just start our bullpen?

That's what I'm thinking. I'm assuming there will be at least a day off between the last game of the regular season and the playoff game, and then at least a day off between the playoff game and the Divisional series, so why not start Peralta or Burnes and plan on them going only 3-4 innings? Then Hader and the other of Peralta/Burnes for two innings each, leveraging a PH when needed, and that gets you to the 7th/8th inning where Jeffress/Knebel/Soria can take over.

 

In reality it's one of Anderson/Chacin, but if they pitch the last two games of the season then I think you go committee for the playoff game.

 

In all reality, as in, traditionally speaking.

 

WC play in game... see last night.

Freddie (short) hader jeffress burnes soria knebel. Everyone else can wait for game 1.

 

Then in a series roll traditionally. Anderson Chacin Guerra in 1-2-3 should carry enough innings to keep the WC pen game from wearing out the pen.

 

The big question for me is: Can Miley or Davies become the 4th starter and allow Freddie to hit the pen after the WC game?

 

Hader burnes peralta soria jeffress knebel in the pen is pretty filthy. Even if we can rarely trust a starter for more than 4ip.

[djoctagone]

Assuming that guys pitch the same way over the last ~60 games as they pitched over the first ~100, I'd start the game with Hader and have Peralta follow him. Lefties hitting .066/.159/.066/.225 off Hader so the opposing manager would likely be forced to load up with right handers. Peralta comes in whenever Hader meets the pitch limit. So far righties have hit .066/.182/.118/.300 off Peralta.

this, or chacin.

[djoctagone]

do we think that the guy who starts a potential wild card game for the brewers is in the organization right now?

[istanbultaye]

We'll know for sure within 76 hours

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

do we think that the guy who starts a potential wild card game for the brewers is in the organization right now?

 

Unless they manage to pull a rabbit out of a hat that acquire someone nobody is talking about, I think Chacin likely takes the ball. Jordan Zimmermann is intriguing as a "bounce back" guy, but he's about the only potential August trade candidate that doesn't make me say "YUCK!" And that's only if the Tigers agree to pay a bunch of that salary. Derek Holland has put up some nice numbers as well, and I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on him. We could see someone out of left field, too, like Sonny Gray or Zach Wheeler.

[KeithStone53151]

do we think that the guy who starts a potential wild card game for the brewers is in the organization right now?

 

I personally like bill hall's idea of starting Hader or someone similar and having him and other top relievers/SP pitch once through the order. You could take 14-15 position players and 10-11 pitchers into the wildcard game and be fine on pitchers. You'd never need to let a pitcher hit in this scenario. All would then be available for DS if we advanced.

[Warning Track Power]

do we think that the guy who starts a potential wild card game for the brewers is in the organization right now?

 

Unless they manage to pull a rabbit out of a hat that acquire someone nobody is talking about, I think Chacin likely takes the ball. Jordan Zimmermann is intriguing as a "bounce back" guy, but he's about the only potential August trade candidate that doesn't make me say "YUCK!" And that's only if the Tigers agree to pay a bunch of that salary. Derek Holland has put up some nice numbers as well, and I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on him. We could see someone out of left field, too, like Sonny Gray or Zach Wheeler.

I highly doubt these guys made it to the Brewers on waivers. Most teams in the league would put a claim on these guys.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

do we think that the guy who starts a potential wild card game for the brewers is in the organization right now?

 

Unless they manage to pull a rabbit out of a hat that acquire someone nobody is talking about, I think Chacin likely takes the ball. Jordan Zimmermann is intriguing as a "bounce back" guy, but he's about the only potential August trade candidate that doesn't make me say "YUCK!" And that's only if the Tigers agree to pay a bunch of that salary. Derek Holland has put up some nice numbers as well, and I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on him. We could see someone out of left field, too, like Sonny Gray or Zach Wheeler.

I highly doubt these guys made it to the Brewers on waivers. Most teams in the league would put a claim on these guys.

 

You are probably right ... but I would have thought that someone would put in a claim on Daniel Murphy, too, before he got to the Cubs. I know Wheeler and Gray are controlled beyond this year, but weird things do happen at the waiver trade deadline.

[KeithStone53151]

do we think that the guy who starts a potential wild card game for the brewers is in the organization right now?

 

Unless they manage to pull a rabbit out of a hat that acquire someone nobody is talking about, I think Chacin likely takes the ball. Jordan Zimmermann is intriguing as a "bounce back" guy, but he's about the only potential August trade candidate that doesn't make me say "YUCK!" And that's only if the Tigers agree to pay a bunch of that salary. Derek Holland has put up some nice numbers as well, and I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on him. We could see someone out of left field, too, like Sonny Gray or Zach Wheeler.

I highly doubt these guys made it to the Brewers on waivers. Most teams in the league would put a claim on these guys.

 

Probably not Gray, but Wheeler definitely. Many teams would at minimum try to flip him to a contender by august 31 or in the winter.

[bill hAll Star]

 

Unless they manage to pull a rabbit out of a hat that acquire someone nobody is talking about, I think Chacin likely takes the ball. Jordan Zimmermann is intriguing as a "bounce back" guy, but he's about the only potential August trade candidate that doesn't make me say "YUCK!" And that's only if the Tigers agree to pay a bunch of that salary. Derek Holland has put up some nice numbers as well, and I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on him. We could see someone out of left field, too, like Sonny Gray or Zach Wheeler.

I highly doubt these guys made it to the Brewers on waivers. Most teams in the league would put a claim on these guys.

 

You are probably right ... but I would have thought that someone would put in a claim on Daniel Murphy, too, before he got to the Cubs. I know Wheeler and Gray are controlled beyond this year, but weird things do happen at the waiver trade deadline.

 

The difference between Murphy and Wheeler is that Murphy was an older pending free agent with a relatively large contract remaining for the year. The Nats had a lot of motivation to deal him.

 

Everyone will claim Wheeler and it will be very hard to find a deal. He's not owed a ton this year, you have him under control for next year, and the Mets would have him under control for next year...and he's a guy that the Mets would probably offer a qualifying offer to after next year and get a comp pick back at worst. The Mets would be right to ask for some bigger prospects, the other team probably wouldn't offer those prospects, and it would end there.

 

I do think that if Stearns liked Wheeler and he really made it to the Brewers...maybe (very likely not) he'd be willing to give up the package for Wheeler...but I think it would be too rich for our blood at this point.

 

I think the Mets should probably just rebuild, but deGrom/Thor/Wheeler and I guess Matz and if you don't put a dumpster fire behind that on the roster (big ask) and you could honestly be in the playoffs. They'll try it again next year I think.

[MrTPlush]

I can almost bet the will bullpen a Wild Card game exactly how teams treat Game 7 of the World Series. Get 4 innings from our starter(heck even less and use a different starter). Ride Hader/Jeffress for 5 innings combined and have Soria if anyone struggles to pick up the slack.

 

I doubt they start with the bullpen guys, but they could. Hopefully get a lead and feed off of it. Punt Game 1 of the NLDS if you have to, so what. Better to get there first.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Can you get nine innings out of Burnes, Soria, Hader, and Jeffress? That's 2 and a third each. I actually think the mechanics of a bullpen game are pretty fascinating, even if some of it is because Knebel looks pretty bad. Who do you start? Who finishes?

 

I might actually start Burnes and try to get 3. Then Soria. Then Hader. Then Jeffress. As someone mentioned, Freddy Peralta fits the profile of a starter who pitches in relief in the playoffs, but he's got to start an inning, and I don't want him starting the first. So maybe he pitches the fourth or 3rd if you want to pinch hit for Burnes early. In the NL, I think the flexibility of hopefully not having to bat your pitcher is just one more thing that lends itself to bullpenning, but we'll see.

[bill hAll Star]

What I think probably will happen is Chacin starts with an extremely short leash. He may only go 2-3 innings even if he's pitching somewhat well if we're down 1-0 or it's 1-1 or something.

 

What maybe should happen as mentioned is the bullpen game...and I think it should ebb and flow with how the game is going.

 

Assume the Cards for now. I'd probably start Hader. Assume that Carpenter still leads off or at the very least Hader will get to the 4th batter to face him.

 

It can go so many ways. 0-0ish game and Hader is dealing? Maybe you let him bat once and he gets all the way into the 3rd and faces Carpenter again if someone got on.

 

As long as the game stays close, keep moving down the pecking order. Jeffress next probably, Soria after that, Burnes after that...but matchups have to stay in mind. Also you may choose to go with a Jennings/Williams *gulp* matchup inning if you know that you have the pitcher spot in the order coming up soon.

 

If you happen to get up 5-1, now you go to Chacin or someone like that and let him ride for 3, 4, hopefully 5 innings or until you feel like you need to bring someone in.

 

If the game looks like it may go extras, you probably keep your last 2 guys (Guerra and Miley?) in the pen and just live with the consequences of being at a disadvantage in extras...because bullpenning them is probably the reason why you even made it to extras.

[Roderick]

 

I might actually start Burnes and try to get 3. Then Soria. Then Hader. Then Jeffress. As someone mentioned, Freddy Peralta fits the profile of a starter who pitches in relief in the playoffs, but he's got to start an inning, and I don't want him starting the first. So maybe he pitches the fourth or 3rd if you want to pinch hit for Burnes early. In the NL, I think the flexibility of hopefully not having to bat your pitcher is just one more thing that lends itself to bullpenning, but we'll see.

 

Isn't Peralta the definition of who not to put in the bullpen? Isn't his first inning usually his worst as a starter? Are we thinking that he knows he is only going 2 innings he will ramp it up more right off the bat? Seems risky.

[Ennder]

 

Isn't Peralta the definition of who not to put in the bullpen? Isn't his first inning usually his worst as a starter? Are we thinking that he knows he is only going 2 innings he will ramp it up more right off the bat? Seems risky.

 

He only has 1.5 reliable pitches and tends to pitch poorly once runners get on. I'm not sure if that makes for a good RP or not. Its hard to know if the first inning thing is real or not as it is only 13 IP. His 4th inning has probably been worse than his 1st inning, it feels more like noise.

 

I could see using him in a big game and just taking him out as soon as anyone reaches base. He really needs to learn how to pitch out of the stretch.

[istanbultaye]

With Peralta, the issue seems to me like his command just comes and goes without warning, which, to be honest, is somewhat to be expected with a young pitcher. Right now his biggest problem is he's either got it or he doesn't for the most part, so when he loses it, he gives up most of his hits and walks in a big inning, but then can turn around and put up 3 to 4 Os after. Most of our middle relievers are somewhat similar, really, they come in and get the outs, or they come in and get shelled is what it seems like.

[brewmann04]

Chacin Period !

[FVBrewerFan]

Safe-Chacin (on a short leash as anyone would be.)

 

Outside the Box- Hader. Hope you can get 4 clean innings, then depending on the score you react accordingly. With a 4-0 lead you could go to Chacin. If it's 1-1 or something almost treat it like an extra innings game, go to Jeffress for an inning or two, then Soria, etc.

 

High Risk/Reward- Peralta. If he's dealing, gives you the best chance of 6 scoreless. If not, could be behind 3-0 in the 1st in a hurry. Sometimes you need to take risks though. They would never do it, just throwing it out there as an option.