2018-10-17 (NLCS Game #5): Brewers (Miley) at Dodgers (Kershaw) 4:05 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 5-2]

[homer]

This team has seemed pretty stressed out for these three in LA. I hope they go back to Milwaukee, have fun on the flight, and are loose on Friday. I think Miley pitches well, and the offense snaps out of their trance.

 

I think that's good advice for this board too. Take a day off, get drunk, come back ready for Friday.

[Oxy]

Miley, if he starts on Friday, will be the first pitcher since 1930 to start back to back games in a post season series.

 

Tradition and history!

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

This team has seemed pretty stressed out for these three in LA. I hope they go back to Milwaukee, have fun on the flight, and are loose on Friday. I think Miley pitches well, and the offense snaps out of their trance.

 

I think that's good advice for this board too. Take a day off, get drunk, come back ready for Friday.

 

Thirsty Thursday applies to so many situations!

[chickinbrickin]

No clutch hitting will kill this team every time. CC has to change up his lineup somehow.

 

What about batting Arcia 2nd? I mean, why not? He's been out hottest hitter in this series. At this point, what could it hurt?

 

I was thinking the same thing about Arcia. Play Braun at 1st, start Santana, Jesus can ride the pine, and they will be ready to role.

[clancyphile]

What this series shows is if Hirua looks ready in spring training defense and all he needs to be on the squad. He profiles to be the exact kind of hitter this team needs. Cain Hirua and Yelich hitting 3 is where we need to be from spring on.

 

His skillset certainly profiles as the exact type of hitter they need at the top of the order. A table setter who is going to hit over .300, steal bases, work counts and minimize strikeouts. His results in the Arizona Fall League are certainly encouraging. I doubt he'll begin the year in Milwaukee (that's a really big jump, and he is still very young and doesn't have a lot of experience). I hope he is over the elbow injury concern as well.

 

They will need to determine soon what his ETA is, because if they feel he isn't going to be ready, they need to acquire a 2B who profiles as a table setter. They just have too many Schoop types already in the lineup for that to work.

 

My thinking?

 

Deal Aguilar - see if someone buys high on him. Aguilar could be a centerpiece for a TOR starter.

 

Go with Moose at third, Shaw/Braun at first. See where Hirua is, keep Schoop to go with Perez in the infield.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Aguilar was a strong candidate to be traded when he was on his high. If he kept it up, I think that's a very typical example of someone you sell high on. I think that opportunity is gone. He will end up being a journeyman 1B stopgap type guy. But I doubt you get much for him after his second half.

[Boomer5]

This team has seemed pretty stressed out for these three in LA. I hope they go back to Milwaukee, have fun on the flight, and are loose on Friday. I think Miley pitches well, and the offense snaps out of their trance.

 

I think that's good advice for this board too. Take a day off, get drunk, come back ready for Friday.

 

Best post of the evening. Where do I sign up?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Aguilar was a strong candidate to be traded when he was on his high. If he kept it up, I think that's a very typical example of someone you sell high on. I think that opportunity is gone. He will end up being a journeyman 1B stopgap type guy. But I doubt you get much for him after his second half.

 

As a contender, the Brewers were in no position to trade Aguilar this season. Contending teams just don't do that. Had they not been a contender, though, I'm sure Jesus would have been on the trade block, and he likely would have fetched a decent haul of prospects at the deadline, even though he had already fallen off by the end of July.

 

I do agree with the idea of Braun seeing more time at 1st, though. That opens up LF, which is Yelich's best spot, and gives them the chance to either play Santana in RF, or acquire someone to make starts out there. It is possible that Corey Ray isn't far away from being the "RF of the future" as well. He should start at AAA next year, and if he continues to improve, he very well may see MLB time.

[shanedog19]

A stunning turn of events after being up 2-1 and riding high.

[rickh150]

A stunning turn of events after being up 2-1 and riding high.

 

Throw in that both losses occurred today, within 18 hours of each other. If we won both, we'd be WS bound.

[MrTPlush]

Miley, if he starts on Friday, will be the first pitcher since 1930 to start back to back games in a post season series.

 

Reminds me of a game I attended back in 2012. Greinke slammed a ball down in frustration taking too long to get to first and Ump took it as he thought the call was BS so he tossed him in the first inning. Roenicke starts him the next day for his second start in a row. The rarity comes into play because it was the AS break after that game so he got the nod to pitch a THIRD game in a row technically. First time since 1917 it happened.

 

Ryan Braun homered twice into the visitors bullpen and Cody Ransom hit an heroic grand slam to break a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the 8th inning.

[adambr2]

Never really felt like today was going to be a good one for us, even up 1-0. You cannot ask the pitching to continue to be perfect every single day to have a chance. If we don't figure out how to get the bats going now, we're done. Still time, but it's the last chance. Game 4 is going to be the one that really haunts the offense in the offseason if they can't still pull this out.

[TJH123]

Aguilar was a strong candidate to be traded when he was on his high. If he kept it up, I think that's a very typical example of someone you sell high on. I think that opportunity is gone. He will end up being a journeyman 1B stopgap type guy. But I doubt you get much for him after his second half.

 

As a contender, the Brewers were in no position to trade Aguilar this season. Contending teams just don't do that. Had they not been a contender, though, I'm sure Jesus would have been on the trade block, and he likely would have fetched a decent haul of prospects at the deadline, even though he had already fallen off by the end of July.

 

I do agree with the idea of Braun seeing more time at 1st, though. That opens up LF, which is Yelich's best spot, and gives them the chance to either play Santana in RF, or acquire someone to make starts out there. It is possible that Corey Ray isn't far away from being the "RF of the future" as well. He should start at AAA next year, and if he continues to improve, he very well may see MLB time.

 

Corey Ray hit .238 and .239 in his last 2 seasons and has nearly reached 200 Ks in both seasons, he should be nowhere near the MLB lineup. It might be perceived as crazy but I truly think Hiura would be helping this team more right now that Perez and Schoop are at 2nd base.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Aguilar was a strong candidate to be traded when he was on his high. If he kept it up, I think that's a very typical example of someone you sell high on. I think that opportunity is gone. He will end up being a journeyman 1B stopgap type guy. But I doubt you get much for him after his second half.

 

As a contender, the Brewers were in no position to trade Aguilar this season. Contending teams just don't do that. Had they not been a contender, though, I'm sure Jesus would have been on the trade block, and he likely would have fetched a decent haul of prospects at the deadline, even though he had already fallen off by the end of July.

 

I do agree with the idea of Braun seeing more time at 1st, though. That opens up LF, which is Yelich's best spot, and gives them the chance to either play Santana in RF, or acquire someone to make starts out there. It is possible that Corey Ray isn't far away from being the "RF of the future" as well. He should start at AAA next year, and if he continues to improve, he very well may see MLB time.

 

Corey Ray hit .238 and .239 in his last 2 seasons and has nearly reached 200 Ks in both seasons, he should be nowhere near the MLB lineup. It might be perceived as crazy but I truly think Hiura would be helping this team more right now that Perez and Schoop are at 2nd base.

 

Ray puts up a .801 OPS in Biloxi, but he's nowhere near an MLB lineup. But Hiura puts up a .755 OPS, and he should be with the MLB club? HUH?

[TJH123]

You would really rather have another high home run, high strikeout low average player in this lineup? No thanks. Based on OPS I guess you would also say you’d rather have Khris Davis over Jose Altuve or Joey Votto

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

You would really rather have another high home run, high strikeout low average player in this lineup? No thanks. Based on OPS I guess you would also say you’d rather have Khris Davis over Jose Altuve or Joey Votto

 

I don't want either in the lineup right now. My original post said that Ray will be in AAA next year, and it is POSSIBLE that he sees MLB time next year. Both are great prospects that may see MLB time next year.

 

Plus the talk was about moving Braun to 1B, which puts Yelich at LF, and opens time in RF. Is Hiura gonna play there?

[Pugger]

I'm a big fan of Counsell. Attanasio/Stearns could give him a lifetime contract in the organization and it wouldn't bother me one bit. But I'll never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever figure out why the guy would bat Hernan Perez fifth in any game, much less a big game like the one today. What part of Perez's career .256/.285/.388/.673 slash line is so hard to figure out?

 

I really have no clue what CC sees in Perez. smh

[Pugger]

Never really felt like today was going to be a good one for us, even up 1-0. You cannot ask the pitching to continue to be perfect every single day to have a chance. If we don't figure out how to get the bats going now, we're done. Still time, but it's the last chance. Game 4 is going to be the one that really haunts the offense in the offseason if they can't still pull this out.

 

It truly is heartbreaking that so many of our guys' bats have gone cold at the worst possible time. The pitching has been good enough but you can't win if you can't hit. Just ask the Rockies. Perhaps having a day off will help. It can't hurt...

[Bulldogboy]

I love what Counsell has done with this team overall but last night pitching to the most dangerous of the three options with the game on the line is going to be one of those brewers lore decisions that at this point spells doom. I often wonder how a mistake that big can be allowed to happen when you have a bench coach and a pitching coach right next to you to say hey Craig a base hit wins this game. They have no bench players left!! They have no relievers left!! We got em boss!! I can't get past the fact that game might still be going. If we win last night we win today in my opinion. I just don't understand the fact that wasn't an automatic.

[adambr2]

I love what Counsell has done with this team overall but last night pitching to the most dangerous of the three options with the game on the line is going to be one of those brewers lore decisions that at this point spells doom. I often wonder how a mistake that big can be allowed to happen when you have a bench coach and a pitching coach right next to you to say hey Craig a base hit wins this game. They have no bench players left!! They have no relievers left!! We got em boss!! I can't get past the fact that game might still be going. If we win last night we win today in my opinion. I just don't understand the fact that wasn't an automatic.

 

It's on par with Kotsay in CF. It's more forgiveable though, because it was made in the heat of the moment. Kotsay required actual aforethought.

[Bulldogboy]

I love what Counsell has done with this team overall but last night pitching to the most dangerous of the three options with the game on the line is going to be one of those brewers lore decisions that at this point spells doom. I often wonder how a mistake that big can be allowed to happen when you have a bench coach and a pitching coach right next to you to say hey Craig a base hit wins this game. They have no bench players left!! They have no relievers left!! We got em boss!! I can't get past the fact that game might still be going. If we win last night we win today in my opinion. I just don't understand the fact that wasn't an automatic.

 

It's on par with Kotsay in CF. It's more forgiveable though, because it was made in the heat of the moment. Kotsay required actual aforethought.

I agree 100 percent. Sucks for Guerra who pitched his butt off. Help the guy out when he has been great for you. Don't let him lose it cause he caught too much plate with that one.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I love what Counsell has done with this team overall but last night pitching to the most dangerous of the three options with the game on the line is going to be one of those brewers lore decisions that at this point spells doom. I often wonder how a mistake that big can be allowed to happen when you have a bench coach and a pitching coach right next to you to say hey Craig a base hit wins this game. They have no bench players left!! They have no relievers left!! We got em boss!! I can't get past the fact that game might still be going. If we win last night we win today in my opinion. I just don't understand the fact that wasn't an automatic.

 

It's on par with Kotsay in CF. It's more forgiveable though, because it was made in the heat of the moment. Kotsay required actual aforethought.

I agree 100 percent. Sucks for Guerra who pitched his butt off. Help the guy out when he has been great for you. Don't let him lose it cause he caught too much plate with that one.

 

It was probably likely that the Dodgers were going to win that one regardless, as the Brewers offense just looked completely dead by that time. But I'd take a 97% loss certainty over a 100% loss certainty every time. That decision took the bats out of their hands in a possible 14th. Pretty inexcusable in an NLCS game.

[Chicago Here]

was there an answer from Counsel on that? Smoltz figured with first base open and facing Grandall would have great chances to end the inning. My only guess is that Counsell rolled the dice because he didnt want to burn another pitcher as he knew Miley was only going 1 batter. Dunno.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

was there an answer from Counsel on that? Smoltz figured with first base open and facing Grandall would have great chances to end the inning. My only guess is that Counsell rolled the dice because he didnt want to burn another pitcher as he knew Miley was only going 1 batter. Dunno.

 

I believe Counsell said the plan was to not give Bellinger anything to hit, in the hope he might chase. Then they would have walked Grandal to get to the pitcher. But Junior caught too much of the plate, and Bellinger smoked it. In hindsight, that's the whole point of an intentional walk.

[adambr2]

was there an answer from Counsel on that? Smoltz figured with first base open and facing Grandall would have great chances to end the inning. My only guess is that Counsell rolled the dice because he didnt want to burn another pitcher as he knew Miley was only going 1 batter. Dunno.

 

I believe Counsell said the plan was to not give Bellinger anything to hit, in the hope he might chase. Then they would have walked Grandal to get to the pitcher. But Junior caught too much of the plate, and Bellinger smoked it. In hindsight, that's the whole point of an intentional walk.

 

Again, I'm a Counsell fan. I think any rational fan is. But that's an incredibly bad plan when you're up to a 50 pitch outing for a guy who hasn't been stretched out to pitch that long since August and was already missing his spots.

 

It wasn't a big surprise that he mlssed his spot to Bellinger. It was an awful matchup for Junior, regardless. If Cedeno cannot be used for that situation he is useless to have.