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

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Pulling Cain is crazy talk dude. You don't bench a guy that is going to get MVP votes in Game 5 of the NLCS for Curtis Granderson. Shaw should not be in there with Kershaw. No offense but I am glad you aren't setting the lineup.

 

Yup, this. I suppose you could put Yelich in CF, but that is a sizable step down from Cain defensively too. We take Cain's defense for granted because he makes it look so easy, but he's saved multiple hits this series.

[tmwiese55]

Cain has great vs LH splits, plays great D and has been one of your top 3 players at all times this year. You don't bench him after a couple bad games. It's that simple.

 

Also, due to all his postseason exp he is clutch so you can't. HAHA

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Closer we get to game time I am naturally getting more optimistic. I think Yelich is pissed. He, Cain and Braun are going to bring this home with a lead.

[torts]

I bet you the only change to the line up are Kratz and Shaw instead of Schoop.

 

It would also be reasonable to go Perez at 2b and Shaw at 3b. Finding a way to get Santana in the lineup is more wishful thinking on my end...I would be surprised if it actually happens.

 

they met us half way, you're welcome everyone

[B-Train]

Closer we get to game time I am naturally getting more optimistic. I think Yelich is pissed. He, Cain and Braun are going to bring this home with a lead.

 

Clearly the pissed metric will enhance his clutchness factor.

[Eye Black]

Brewers lineup now updated in the initial thread post.

 

[KeithStone53151]

Closer we get to game time I am naturally getting more optimistic. I think Yelich is pissed. He, Cain and Braun are going to bring this home with a lead.

 

I hope we see good approaches from these guys. Make Kershaw throw pitches...don't swing out of the zone...simple stuff that sounds easy but against Kershaw is far from it. We need one of those classic 2018 Brewers starts where Cain is on either 1st or 2nd, Yelich has a 2-2 or 3-2 count, and the pitcher is about to throw his 13th pitch with nobody out.

[KeithStone53151]

I'll add that I think Braun is going to take a couple big cuts today. He tried having the responsible approach of just hitting singles yesterday and nobody brought him in. I think today he tries to take matters into his own hands with the HR cut. No guarantee his approach is successful, we'll see.

[torts]

whats the weather like? any chance of wind blowing out?

[RollieTime]

My guess is Hader is available today.

 

I doubt it. He has never pitched 3 days in a row.

 

He threw 20 pitches last night and 8 the night before. If there is ever a time to break the mold, it is now.

 

Agreed, he will be available for an inning tonight if they lead late in the game. That 8 pitch outing won’t prevent him from pitching tonight.

[pacopete4]

Some of these arguments, man... whoa.

 

I hope we win by 40 today!

[stoutdude04]

Topper...it is shocking to me that you are against the infield fly rule. I have never heard anyone against it.

[djd1228]

I predict a braun dinger today

[tmwiese55]

I predict a braun dinger today

 

A 2 runner in the 1st sure would be nice.

[jason21nl]

9 pages in already. Nice work...although I think it’s crazy talk to even consider sitting Cain.

 

I’ve never thought about the infield fly rule. I guess my thought would be..you can’t assume a double play, you could reasonably assume that intentionally dropping a ball would result in a double play.

[Greenleaf1]

Same lineup as Game 1 except Kratz instead of Pina, which is fine.

 

Having Shaw/Santana off the bench will be nice if needed later in the game.

[RollieTime]

Even though last night was a tough loss, we did win game 3 and that win guaranteed us being able to come back home for game 6, which was exactly what people were hoping for. Even if we don’t come out on top tonight, the series needs to come back to Milwaukee. I think there were a lot of people that were hoping to just win one out in LA and the Brewers were able to pull one out. Getting two would be icing on the cake, but Milwaukee will see another Brewers game this season regardless of the outcome tonight.

[fondybrewfan]

I feel like I just shouldn't watch the game tonight. I have neglected the kids over the last couple weeks and last night was just to much. I will just check my phone every once in a while and hopefully I won't get to high or to low. Maybe I will turn it on late if the Crew is playing well.

[jason21nl]

I feel like I just shouldn't watch the game tonight. I have neglected the kids over the last couple weeks and last night was just to much. I will just check my phone every once in a while and hopefully I won't get to high or to low. Maybe I will turn it on late if the Crew is playing well.

 

 

I didn't watch after the 3rd inning. I drank a half bottle of Nyquil so I would fall asleep and not look at my phone. I have a superstition that if they're leading late in the game, I will go to sleep. Two reasons. 1. I truly believe if I'm watching they'll blow it. I realize that's ridiculous but it is what it is. 2. If they do blow it, I'll be upset but not nearly as upset as I would have been if I were in the moment.

[tmwiese55]

IDK how you guys do it. This has happened twice in my life, not gonna miss it.

[OnaBadger58]

IDK how you guys do it. This has happened twice in my life, not gonna miss it.

My thoughts exactly. These team is really talented and most players are under team control, but there is no guarantee we will see this again for a long time. Win or lose, you have to take a step back and realize how special this run/team/season really is.

[sveumrules]

Even if we lose today all we have to do is win two games in a row at home to go to the World Series.

 

We won two games in a row at home on 16 different occasions this year.

[topper09er]

 

I said it. First, you can if the runner does not run hard to first with one guy on base. So it does allow a DP on a flyball if you don't hustle. so it allows a DP involving the hitter.

 

Maybe you don't know what the rule is, but it is not in effect with one guy on base, and no it does not allow you to turn a DP if the hitter doesn't hustle. If the hitter stands at the plate he is already out and there is no chance at a DP.

 

The rule prevents you from doubling up other people who were already on base and not the hitter.

 

Right, so why can you do that on a ground ball but not a fly ball?

 

Beyond that, it eliminates the gamesmanship BS that would create a mess on the field anytime of an infield fly with multiple runners where the runners are caught in no man's land. This is all obvious to everyone but you apparently.

 

I don't necessarily think the rule should go away, just that it is dumb because it exists for this reason and in my opinion there is no good answer to my basic question: Why are you allowed to turn a DP on a ground ball but not a fly ball.

 

Also, if you don't want your runners in no man's land then don't hit an infield fly. Back in game 3 Braun hit a ball that sort of left Yelich in no man's land, so should there be some rule to prevent that from happening?

 

You misinterpreted what I said. Because it doesn't exist with only one on you ARE allowed to turn a DP on a fly ball if the hitter doesn't hustle. That seems to be your main point, again you are allowed in that situation or any flyball when a guy doesn't go back. It goes into effect when there is more on so that you can't double off people who are not the hitter who had nothing to do with it. You'd be doubling two runners off, not "double playing" the hitter. The tradeoff is that yes when more on than one you can't, that is what it is.

 

Simplest answer to Why that you're all about here is simply because in a groundball situation there is no ability to play trickery with runners, in this situation there is.

 

I was happy to drop the issue and like would to just drop it now and focus on game 5, but again:

 

"It goes into effect when there is more on so that you can't double off people who are not the hitter who had nothing to do with it. You'd be doubling two runners off, not "double playing" the hitter."

 

Why are you allowed to do this on a ground ball but not a flyball?

 

I am not interested in why at all, I fully understand why the rule exists. I am not saying it is dumb because there are no reasons for it, I am saying the reasons for it seem arbitrary and dumb. My reason: the worst batted ball is an infield fly, it has the highest % of being an out. So, if the batting team hits the worst possible batted ball they are rewarded, but if they hit a rocket ground ball right at an IF, maybe even something that is a hit 50% of the time based on exit velo, they are punished with a DP.

 

But it is so rare I don't really care.

[tmwiese55]

Well the Why has been explained, unless you just want to get rid of that runners can't run on fly balls then this needs to exist. That runners can't just run on fly balls is a core rule of baseball, therefore not arbitrary and dumb. You asked Why, we gave Why and now you say you don't care because the Why is dumb anyway. It is what it is, if you get rid of it kills the flow/integrity of the game by using this trickery/gamesmanship to cheat for outs.

 

1.5 hours from game time though. Let's focus on more important things like clutch, what David ortiz thinks, DWTS, and what kind of speech Coach Cooper would give before a game like this

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm both really looking forward to, and dreading, this game. I have the suspicion that it's going to be another low-scoring pitcher's duel. Our last game like that ended 13 hours ago!