2019-04-10: Brewers (Woodruff) at Angels (Peña) [Brewers lose, 4-2 -- Giving up 4 runs in 3rd inning proves the difference; Shaw day-to-day after HBP on hand]

[mtrebs]

It really sucks because with the team being one game away from the WS we didn’t need to do much, just add some missing pieces. But we ripped our bullpen apart, trying out three young guys. Them being in the bullpen lessened their mistakes/shortcomings as the only pitched an inning or two. Now that they are starters, they are getting hit harder as they need to stay in longer. Then, we don’t have anyone in the bullpen that can pick them up. Should have left them in the bullpen and kept Miley.

[treego14]

This team needs a solid vet starter. I love the young guys too but this year is not going to end well with the ip and down nature of young pitchers. It doesn't make sense to have a veteran win now lineup and pitching that can't get through 5 innings. Not to mention a thin bullpen. I don't get what's the plan. Try to win 10-8 every night? Something has to be done. This division is there to be won but you need reinforcements.

 

Bingo!

 

I miss Wade Miley.

 

I missed him the day we let him go.

[Eye Black]

Seems like they could have gotten the home to first double play there.

 

Runners on 1st and 3rd, so home wasn't a force play.

Yeah, good call.

[pacopete4]

Most fans are going to value winning over basically anything else. The time was now to allow our young pitchers the opportunity to pitch. I said this in another thread, making decisions based off a few outings is not wise.

 

And those that want to stuff those guys back in the pen, there is no guarantee that they perform like they did a season ago there either. We can’t be a franchise to be afraid of letting young, talented pitchers have opportunities.

[xisxisxis]

Doesn't this Pena guy know that if you're a young "rookie" pitcher your supposed to throw the ball right down the middle of the plate at least once per PA... Funny, the Brewers pitchers picked that up right away and are perfect at it...

[82brewcrew82]

This team needs a solid vet starter. I love the young guys too but this year is not going to end well with the ip and down nature of young pitchers. It doesn't make sense to have a veteran win now lineup and pitching that can't get through 5 innings. Not to mention a thin bullpen. I don't get what's the plan. Try to win 10-8 every night? Something has to be done. This division is there to be won but you need reinforcements.

Well, I don't think the plan was for Knebel and Jeffress to both get hurt and leave the bullpen thin. It was a risk to go with all three young starters and bullpenning like they did last year was probably going to be how they mitigated the risk. Didn't work out.

[Eye Black]

Moose has now had two singles that one hopped off the wall in this series.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

This team has a solid vet starter in Davies, who has been just that for several years and is off to a really nice start. Chacin will settle in. What they need is better play out of these three. It's that simple. It does not matter if they trade for Clayton Kershaw, these three have to start playing better. There are still too many problems offensively too. There's going to be regression, but your 1B cannot hit .100. You can't have zero walks from the 3 hole. Some of these things will be non-issues in a month. I am more concerned about the lack of actual talent in the pen than the rest of it. You hope Nelson and JJ are lifts, but I'm starting to feel like JJ is the bigger long shot there.

 

Look around the NL tonight, as of now 8-4 is a tie for the best record. The Phillies lost 14-0. Stuff happens, but a lot of April is noise. I'm not sure what to think yet.

[82brewcrew82]

Most fans are going to value winning over basically anything else. The time was now to allow our young pitchers the opportunity to pitch. I said this in another thread, making decisions based off a few outings is not wise.

 

And those that want to stuff those guys back in the pen, there is no guarantee that they perform like they did a season ago there either. We can’t be a franchise to be afraid of letting young, talented pitchers have opportunities.

This is exactly right. We have to be able to develop starting pitching and that is going to mean taking the lumps that go along with that development. Unfortunately we have to do that in triplicate this year. Throwing them back in the pen is the wrong move.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Most fans are going to value winning over basically anything else. The time was now to allow our young pitchers the opportunity to pitch. I said this in another thread, making decisions based off a few outings is not wise.

 

And those that want to stuff those guys back in the pen, there is. I guarantee that they perform like they did a season ago there either. We can’t be a franchise to be afraid of letting young, talented pitchers have opportunities.

 

Yep ... regardless of all the "bullpenning" noise, the point remains that you put your top arms in the starting rotation. These guys are great talents, and are going to provide much more positives than negatives this year. It's important to remember that, while the team made some short-term moves to go after a World Series this year, the core is going to be around for at least 3-4 more years. The growing pains with the young starters now will likely pay off down the road.

[xisxisxis]

4 more walks and were tied... there's hope still...

[Eye Black]

I’m here for the Orlando Arcia grand slam.

[pacopete4]

I’m here for the Orlando Arcia grand slam.

 

Sounds like a perfect T-shirt idea.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Arcia is like the 6th least annoying guy to watch bat right now

[Eye Black]

Disappointing to leave that inning with no runs. Seems like they’ve had more than their share of missed opportunities this series.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

If I were an opposing pitcher facing the Brewers, I'd throw low, outside sliders all day. Easy recipe for success.

[brooks_quichenick]

I normally hate off days, but tomorrow may be nice. This series has been painful to watch

[Fear The Chorizo]

This team has a solid vet starter in Davies, who has been just that for several years and is off to a really nice start. Chacin will settle in. What they need is better play out of these three. It's that simple. It does not matter if they trade for Clayton Kershaw, these three have to start playing better. There are still too many problems offensively too. There's going to be regression, but your 1B cannot hit .100. You can't have zero walks from the 3 hole. Some of these things will be non-issues in a month. I am more concerned about the lack of actual talent in the pen than the rest of it. You hope Nelson and JJ are lifts, but I'm starting to feel like JJ is the bigger long shot there.

 

Look around the NL tonight, as of now 8-4 is a tie for the best record. The Phillies lost 14-0. Stuff happens, but a lot of April is noise. I'm not sure what to think yet.

 

The return of Nelson will inevitably send of of those 3 back to the bullpen. I agree that it's too early to draw any conclusions on what they need to do with their pitching staff until we've got a better idea on what Nelson/Jeffress are going to be able to provide to the staff and how the guys currently in roles they'll be taking will be used.

 

btw, listening to the Angels' booth is just painful

[Bulldogboy]

The question is what happens if Nelson comes back and is Nelson again. Does this push one of the young guys back to the pen? I have zero faith in Jeffress being able to bounce back. I am not sure who's pitching is more in disarray us or the Cubs. Cards have potential to run away and hide just based on pitching alone.

[DHonks]

I have zero faith in Jeffress being able to bounce back..

 

bounce back from what? shoulder fatigue? I have total faith that he'll perform somewhere between last year and career norms, meaning he'll be huge for us.

[82brewcrew82]

The question is what happens if Nelson comes back and is Nelson again. Does this push one of the young guys back to the pen? I have zero faith in Jeffress being able to bounce back. I am not sure who's pitching is more in disarray us or the Cubs. Cards have potential to run away and hide just based on pitching alone.

If Nelson comes back strong that helps obviously. My guess is one of the young guys goes to AAA and basically rests and then takes innings when the other two start to hit their limit.

[BruisedCrew]

The thought of this pitching staff playing 13 games in 13 days against the Dodgers and Cardinals is really scary. Could be looking at over 100 runs in those games.

[mtrebs]

Most fans are going to value winning over basically anything else. The time was now to allow our young pitchers the opportunity to pitch. I said this in another thread, making decisions based off a few outings is not wise.

 

And those that want to stuff those guys back in the pen, there is. I guarantee that they perform like they did a season ago there either. We can’t be a franchise to be afraid of letting young, talented pitchers have opportunities.

 

Yep ... regardless of all the "bullpenning" noise, the point remains that you put your top arms in the starting rotation. These guys are great talents, and are going to provide much more positives than negatives this year. It's important to remember that, while the team made some short-term moves to go after a World Series this year, the core is going to be around for at least 3-4 more years. The growing pains with the young starters now will likely pay off down the road.

 

I’d rather have gone for the WS than rip apart the strengths of the team that was one win away from the WS last year. Why can’t they develop in the bullpen?

 

Also, if the plan was to develop these guys, we should have kept Pina and Kratz as our catchers. No reason to bring Grandal in for one year if this isn’t “the year”.

[Bulldogboy]

The thought of this pitching staff playing 13 games in 13 days against the Dodgers and Cardinals is really scary. Could be looking at over 100 runs in those games.

Totally agree. Dodgers lineup against this staff could be curtains.

[Eye Black]

Taylor Ward looks like a catcher trying to play 3B.