2019-04-08: Brewers (Chacín) at Angels (Cahill) [Brewers lose, 5-2 -- Middle of the order struggles as Braun, Shaw, Aguilar combine to go 0-for-12 with 8 strikeouts]

[Eye Black]

[pre]Brewers Lineup Angels Lineup

1. Lorenzo Cain ® CF 1. Kole Calhoun (L) RF

2. Christian Yelich (L) RF 2. Mike Trout ® CF

3. Ryan Braun ® LF 3. Justin Bour (L) 1B

4. Travis Shaw (L) 3B 4. Andrelton Simmons ® SS

5. Jesús Aguilar ® 1B 5. Albert Pujols ® DH

6. Mike Moustakas (L) 2B 6. Brian Goodwin (L) LF

7. Yasmani Grandal (S) C 7. Jonathan Lucroy ® C

8. Eric Thames (L) DH 8. Tommy La Stella (L) 2B

9. Orlando Arcia ® SS 9. David Fletcher ® 3B[/pre]

 

 

Jhoulys Chacín: Batter (Angels) vs Pitching Stats

 

Trevor Cahill: Batter (Brewers) vs Pitching Stats

[Eye Black]

A couple of thoughts on this series...

 

- Obviously this is the first series in which the Brewers will utilize a DH. They are scheduled to face three of the Angels right-handed starters and the Angels have ZERO southpaws in their bullpen. I am curious to see if they use this as an opportunity to try and get another lefty power bat in the lineup with Thames, or if they utilize the DH for Moustakas in order to get better defense at 2B with Hernán Pérez. The answer is probably a little of both. We will likely also see Thames get a start at 1B this series.

 

- Mike Trout is off to a blistering start for the Angels, as in his best start ever after 40 some plate appearances into a season (leads baseball with 1.2 fWAR). He has also hit home runs in each of his last four games. The rest of the Angels lineup on the otherhand has been mediocre at best (closer to dreadful). Hopefully the Brewers avoid allowing Trout to beat them and force the rest of the lineup to try to produce.

[FVBrewerFan]

A couple of thoughts on this series...

 

- Obviously this is the first series in which the Brewers will utilize a DH. They are scheduled to face three of the Angels right-handed starters. I am curious to see if they use this as an opportunity to try and get another lefty power bat in the lineup with Thames, or if they utilize the DH for Moustakas in order to get better defense at 2B with Hernán Pérez. The answer is probably a little of both. We will likely also see Thames get a start at 1B this series.

 

- Mike Trout is off to a blistering start for the Angels, as in his best start ever after 40 some plate appearances into a season (leads baseball with 1.2 fWAR). He has also hit home runs in each of his last four games. The rest of the Angels lineup on the otherhand has been mediocre at best (closer to dreadful). Hopefully the Brewers avoid allowing Trout to beat them and force the rest of the lineup to try to produce.

 

I wouldn't call Gamel a power LH bat, but we'll see plenty of him in this series, with Brain DH for a game or two. Moose needs the playing time at 2B, so they'll keep him there. I don't see them bringing up an addl bat, as they won't need a PH.

[topper09er]

Only 6 career games but Trout's batting average against the Brewers is his highest for any opponent, .522. He has 2 HRs, 2 triples and a double in those 6 games too. Hopefully we can see a Trout prime vs Hader prime matchup this week

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Is there a team in baseball doing less with more than LAA?

[Zad Fnark]

How's the Angels' pitching?

[tmwiese55]

How's the Angels' pitching?

 

Not good. Made a couple low risk signings like Cahill tonight and MAtt Harvey. Buy low 1 year deals try to hit lightning in a bottle. Both seemed like good moves to me in their position, so maybe it could end up better than expected. That Pujols contract just killing them.

 

For DH I'd guess they spread it around a bit. Braun one day, Thames, and one of Shaw/Moose the other. I suppose it also wouldn't surprise me if they used it a way to get Yelich a day off too

[xisxisxis]

How's the Angels' pitching?

The type that the rest of baseball regularly takes to the wood-shed and likely will look like a group of Cy Young candidates to the Brewers...

[owbc]

I hope we can beat the Los Angeles Mike Trout and 24 other guys.

[Oxy]

It's difficult for me to envision a scenario where Trout should be honestly pitched to during this series. Maybe if we are up by 4+ runs and the bases are empty.. Otherwise, I think I'll take my chances against Bour, Pujols and Simmons.

[young guns]

Hate weeknight west coast games.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Hated them before kids now I love them.

[liveforoctober]

A couple of thoughts on this series...

 

- Obviously this is the first series in which the Brewers will utilize a DH. They are scheduled to face three of the Angels right-handed starters and the Angels have ZERO southpaws in their bullpen. I am curious to see if they use this as an opportunity to try and get another lefty power bat in the lineup with Thames, or if they utilize the DH for Moustakas in order to get better defense at 2B with Hernán Pérez. The answer is probably a little of both. We will likely also see Thames get a start at 1B this series.

 

- Mike Trout is off to a blistering start for the Angels, as in his best start ever after 40 some plate appearances into a season (leads baseball with 1.2 fWAR). He has also hit home runs in each of his last four games. The rest of the Angels lineup on the otherhand has been mediocre at best (closer to dreadful). Hopefully the Brewers avoid allowing Trout to beat them and force the rest of the lineup to try to produce.

 

I'm guessing the answer is yes to everything you said. I think Gamel starts once with Braun as the DH, Thames starts twice with Aguilar/Gamel as the DH and Perez gets a 2B start with Moustakas getting a DH spin once.

 

Counsell has never been a manager to run a straight strategy (in this regard) so I'm sure everyone will take their turn to keep everyone fresh/usable.

 

Also, we know how Thames is in terms of streakiness... he has two straight years of early season mashing. If these last two home runs are indication of one of those streaks ... get him his at bats.

[owbc]

Hate weeknight west coast games.

 

It's nice for west coast Brewers fans like myself to have a rare game at a normal time

Especially with the Mariners being in central time right now so I don't have my usual late evening baseball to watch.

[brwrsfan]

I like the late night starts in that it allows me to do all my normal stuff (take kids to soccer, scouts, etc.) without missing anything. I will however hate when we get a 4 hour game that I'll wind up staying up until 1-2 am to watch (stupid FOMO!!)

[Roderick]

How's the Angels' pitching?

 

Not good. Made a couple low risk signings like Cahill tonight and MAtt Harvey. Buy low 1 year deals try to hit lightning in a bottle. Both seemed like good moves to me in their position, so maybe it could end up better than expected. That Pujols contract just killing them.

 

For DH I'd guess they spread it around a bit. Braun one day, Thames, and one of Shaw/Moose the other. I suppose it also wouldn't surprise me if they used it a way to get Yelich a day off too

 

Maybe DH Grandal on Wednesday, and his knees get two days off.

[MadScientist]

It's difficult for me to envision a scenario where Trout should be honestly pitched to during this series. Maybe if we are up by 4+ runs and the bases are empty.. Otherwise, I think I'll take my chances against Bour, Pujols and Simmons.

Or the opposite, bases loaded and up by 1.

 

Seriously Trout is hot enough right now that an IBB every time is a safer option (only 1000 ops instead of 1500).

[tmwiese55]

I agree that you might as well just throw all low and away sliders, if he doesn't swing so be it.

[Oxy]

It's difficult for me to envision a scenario where Trout should be honestly pitched to during this series. Maybe if we are up by 4+ runs and the bases are empty.. Otherwise, I think I'll take my chances against Bour, Pujols and Simmons.

Or the opposite, bases loaded and up by 1.

 

Seriously Trout is hot enough right now that an IBB every time is a safer option (only 1000 ops instead of 1500).

 

If it's in the 3rd inning, I still might walk him. Late game you let Hader pitch to him.

[FVBrewerFan]

It's difficult for me to envision a scenario where Trout should be honestly pitched to during this series. Maybe if we are up by 4+ runs and the bases are empty.. Otherwise, I think I'll take my chances against Bour, Pujols and Simmons.

Or the opposite, bases loaded and up by 1.

 

Seriously Trout is hot enough right now that an IBB every time is a safer option (only 1000 ops instead of 1500).

 

If it's in the 3rd inning, I still might walk him. Late game you let Hader pitch to him.

 

Well, we won't have to worry about that match-up until Wed. I still wouldn't have Hader pitch to him, expect as a fan I would I guess. You always want to see the best vs the best.

[MrTPlush]

I would pretty much walk Trout in almost any situation. He is followed by Bour, Simmons, and then 50 year old Pujols. That is pathetic, that entire line up is a train wreck.

 

Other than situations where you wouldn’t walk anyone...I’d walk Trout every time. I would probably walk him with 0 outs and him being the winning or tying run.

[Pugger]

Hate weeknight west coast games.

 

Me too. These darn games won't start for us until after 10 pm EDT.

[FVBrewerFan]

Hate weeknight west coast games.

 

Me too. These darn games won't start for us until after 10 pm EDT.

 

Yea, but everyone tired and cranky = IGT gold

[AKCheesehead]

I would pretty much walk Trout in almost any situation. He is followed by Bour, Simmons, and then 50 year old Pujols. That is pathetic, that entire line up is a train wreck.

 

Other than situations where you wouldn’t walk anyone...I’d walk Trout every time. I would probably walk him with 0 outs and him being the winning or tying run.

 

That's kind of the way I feel about facing Goldy too. I could almost see walking him with the bases loaded.

[wallus]

Thames is a pretty good 8th hitter.