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]

[Bulldogboy]

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”.

I agree. He's been awesome but makes no sense if this is developmental year.

[wallus]

Gift base hit.

[82brewcrew82]

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.

Or not. A couple of them could be brilliant for a couple of starts. It's going to be up and down.

[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. 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”.

 

You can’t develop and win at the same time? The one game away from the WS thing is a nice line to use but many things lined up for that to occur a year ago.

[mtrebs]

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.

Or not. A couple of them could be brilliant for a couple of starts. It's going to be up and down.

 

Yes, they could be brilliant starts that are then blown by our dumpster fire of a bullpen.

[Bulldogboy]

Last Hernan Perez clutch hit was?

[BruisedCrew]

Yelich continues to look “off” at the plate. As Schroeder just said, he’s a good enough hitter to dump in a hit once in awhile even when he isn’t swinging well, but he’s been taking some bad swings at some bad pitches.

[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.

 

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”.

 

The added offense provided by Grandal and Moose, I believe, is an answer to the inconsistency we are going to see from the young starters. I think they are looking to slug their way to wins this year.

 

Starters develop as starters by starting. This team is going to contend for the next four seasons at least. You gotta let these guys start at some point.

 

I do agree with you on Miley, though. Not resigning him was the most puzzling move of the offseason.

[The stache]

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.

 

By the Cardinals or the Dodgers?

[mtrebs]

 

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”.

 

You can’t develop and win at the same time? The one game away from the WS thing is a nice line to use but many things lined up for that to occur a year ago.

 

It’s hard to win when you are trying to develop 60% of your starters and when you depleted the bullpen at the same time. I understand the Jeffress and Knebel losses are huge, but last year we had all of these guys in the bullpen, and they all were extremely successful there.

 

On a side note, it won’t matter in games like this were we never can capitalize on offensive opportunities.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Serving up a meatball in a rehab start is ok, doing it every night in AAA is...not good. I am fearing the worst with JJ.

[82brewcrew82]

It’s hard to win when you are trying to develop 60% of your starters and when you depleted the bullpen at the same time. I understand the Jeffress and Knebel losses are huge, but last year we had all of these guys in the bullpen, and they all were extremely successful there.

 

On a side note, it won’t matter in games like this were we never can capitalize on offensive opportunities.

Those guys weren't in the pen all year. I think people remember the latter part of the year and the playoffs and think that is how things worked all year. Bottom line is that we have to develop starting pitching and, often, that means growing pains. Yes, Woodruff had a bad inning tonight, but he's been pretty good otherwise. A couple of breaks in that inning and things look much different. He has to learn how to get through that as a starting pitcher. It sucks right now but it has to happen.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

 

It’s hard to win when you are trying to develop 60% of your starters and when you depleted the bullpen at the same time. I understand the Jeffress and Knebel losses are huge, but last year we had all of these guys in the bullpen, and they all were extremely successful there.

 

On a side note, it won’t matter in games like this were we never can capitalize on offensive opportunities.

 

I keep seeing this idea that the bullpen had all these studs and was lights out all year in 2018. That is simply not true. They were in a very similar situation as they are now in April and May last year. Burnes didn't show up till mid season, and Woodruff wasn't inserted in the pen until August. Knebel didn't come back and pitch well until later in the year. Hader and JJ were good all year, but the pen asa whole wasn't nails until August last year.

[pacopete4]

Most forget that Peralta, Woodruff, and Burnes were not in the pen for the full season last year. Just remembering the final stretch.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Ha, I think we made a mind-meld point

[82brewcrew82]

Serving up a meatball in a rehab start is ok, doing it every night in AAA is...not good. I am fearing the worst with JJ.

All I care about it the velocity. He basically had no spring training so giving up some hits and even home runs is not entirely unexpected or worrisome.

[mtrebs]

Yes, the pen wasn’t great all of last year. It was the last few months of the season, when these young guys were in it.

[mtrebs]

We can keep going on this all day, but I’ll stop here. Basically I disagree with choosing the potential growing pains this season. I would have gone for it all this season and left most of the team structure alone.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Yes, the pen wasn’t great all of last year. It was the last few months of the season, when these young guys were in it.

 

So if you throw Burnes and Woodruff back in the pen, who takes their starts?

[Bulldogboy]

It's almost like the offense is depressed by being down again. Good news Hader with two more days off.

[Eye Black]

That low slider called a strike against Thames is inexcusable. Phil must have blinked.

[82brewcrew82]

We can keep going on this all day. Basically I disagree with choosing the potential growing pains this season. I would have gone for it all this season and left most of the team structure alone.

Cool, agree to disagree. I'd rather go the long term route.

[Fear The Chorizo]

 

It’s hard to win when you are trying to develop 60% of your starters and when you depleted the bullpen at the same time. I understand the Jeffress and Knebel losses are huge, but last year we had all of these guys in the bullpen, and they all were extremely successful there.

 

On a side note, it won’t matter in games like this were we never can capitalize on offensive opportunities.

 

I keep seeing this idea that the bullpen had all these studs and was lights out all year in 2018. That is simply not true. They were in a very similar situation as they are now in April and May last year. Burnes didn't show up till mid season, and Woodruff wasn't inserted in the pen until August. Knebel didn't come back and pitch well until later in the year. Hader and JJ were good all year, but the pen asa whole wasn't nails until August last year.

 

At this point last year we figured Knebel's hamstring wasn't attached at all, Albers was routinely used in high leverage situations, Burnes couldn't get anyone out in CO Springs, Peralta was still a complete MLB unknown, and we were all complaining the starters couldn't get through 6IP to spell a pen that was certain to burn out....MLB seasons are loooong.

 

ump is doing hitters zero favors tonight - lots of swings and misses at pitches well out of the zone due in part to quite a few balls being called strikes.

[mtrebs]

Yes, the pen wasn’t great all of last year. It was the last few months of the season, when these young guys were in it.

 

So if you throw Burnes and Woodruff back in the pen, who takes their starts?

 

We are kind of stuck now. I would have kept Miley and maybe moved one of them (likely Woodruff to the starting rotation). I’d push to get Keuchel now.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

We can keep going on this all day. Basically I disagree with choosing the potential growing pains this season. I would have gone for it all this season and left most of the team structure alone.

Cool, agree to disagree. I'd rather go the long term route.

 

I'd rather wait more than 13 games to determine the route they are taking.

 

I mean, geez. It's baseball. They were going to face adversity at some point. Do we really need to start talking about how the sky is falling already?