2019-04-24: Brewers (Chacín) at Cardinals (Wainwright) [Brewers lose, 5-2]

[82brewcrew82]

Brew Crew are a pretty big mess right. Can't pitch. Can't hit. Regardless of who they are playing, it's been a pretty ugly, disappointing and frustrating week.

Can't field, can't coach. This team looks like a deer in the headlights right now.

[Warning Track Power]

Ozuna waves at a slider. Grandal sets up outside for a FB and Chacin throws a 90mph FB on the inside corner which ends up in the seats.

 

Just awful.

 

That would be my argument for the people blaming the pitching issues on Chris Hook. It isn't Hook's fault that the pitchers have been so horrible hitting their spots, and that it seems like every time they miss, it is a meatball down the middle.

 

Well, it is a mechanical thing. That is Hook's job to get his pitchers mechanics right. I was quick to give him a Hook the other night as our pitching coach but it has been that bad so far. I mean, all pitchers regressed?

I agree with you on Hook. If it were one or two guys who were simply having off seasons then it would be more acceptable. One month into a season though and having every starter other than Davies look pretty terrible and all relievers looking worse than last year makes you wonder about Hook's ability.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I agree with you on Hook. If it were one or two guys who were simply having off seasons then it would be more acceptable. One month into a season though and having every starter other than Davies look pretty terrible and all relievers looking worse than last year makes you wonder about Hook's ability.

 

Perhaps. Someone is going to have to fall on the sword if this continues.

[82brewcrew82]

Offense hasn't been much better. Should probably fire the hitting coach too.

[adambr2]

I don't know how much Hook is to blame, but the DJ void looks very real right now.

 

People saying there is no problem and this should be a .500 month are watching a different team than me. There are real problems here, and unlike previous years not much talent outside of Hiura that could come up and be of immediate help to the problems.

[BruisedCrew]

There’s no way to put lipstick on this pig. The Brewers pitching staff is one of the worst in MLB and the home run or nothing offense isn’t enough to overcome it.

 

When they said before the season that this was a whole new year they weren’t kidding. Last year’s team did well for 3 months mainly because of a lockdown bullpen, staggered for awhile when the pitching started to crack, and then finished strong when they were able to hide the pitching weakness with the expanded roster.

 

Now the bullpen is a weak imitation of what it was last year, and the plan of throwing out a rotation featuring 3 young, unproven starters is turning out to be a massive fail that is compounded by the weaker bullpen.

 

It is looking like 2019 is going to be a lot like 2012 where the team had to finish strong to reach .500, mainly because of awful pitching. Even if the offense perks up from its recent slump I don’t think it’s going to be near enough to keep pace with the Cardinals and Cubs and their much superior pitching and potent batting orders.

[adambr2]

Offense hasn't been much better. Should probably fire the hitting coach too.

 

I know you're being sarcastic, but they are in the top 5 in the NL in runs scored. Probably not a great comparison here.

[Warning Track Power]

Offense hasn't been much better. Should probably fire the hitting coach too.

I know it is the state of the game currently with 3TO teams, but it really does wear thin. 51 HRs is great through 25 games however a general lack of situational awareness and hitting really stinks.

[82brewcrew82]

Offense hasn't been much better. Should probably fire the hitting coach too.

 

I know you're being sarcastic, but they are in the top 5 in the NL in runs scored. Probably not a great comparison here.

This team needs to be number one and has way too many hitters not hitting. Fire the coach and make them hit better.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

How was Ozuna ever considered a good outfielder? He is horrid out there.

[3and2Fastball]

This team has been really boring to watch lately.

[adambr2]

Aguilar is a 1 year wonder.

[Warning Track Power]

There’s no way to put lipstick on this pig. The Brewers pitching staff is one of the worst in MLB and the home run or nothing offense isn’t enough to overcome it.

 

When they said before the season that this was a whole new year they weren’t kidding. Last year’s team did well for 3 months mainly because of a lockdown bullpen, staggered for awhile when the pitching started to crack, and then finished strong when they were able to hide the pitching weakness with the expanded roster.

 

Now the bullpen is a weak imitation of what it was last year, and the plan of throwing out a rotation featuring 3 young, unproven starters is turning out to be a massive fail that is compounded by the weaker bullpen.

 

It is looking like 2019 is going to be a lot like 2012 where the team had to finish strong to reach .500, mainly because of awful pitching. Even if the offense perks up from its recent slump I don’t think it’s going to be near enough to keep pace with the Cardinals and Cubs and their much superior pitching and potent batting orders.

I was thinking more like 2009 when they threw out Looper, Parra, Suppan and Bush for 112 starts and the lowest ERA and FIP between the four of them was 5.22 and 4.88.

[3and2Fastball]

There’s no way to put lipstick on this pig. The Brewers pitching staff is one of the worst in MLB and the home run or nothing offense isn’t enough to overcome it.

 

When they said before the season that this was a whole new year they weren’t kidding. Last year’s team did well for 3 months mainly because of a lockdown bullpen, staggered for awhile when the pitching started to crack, and then finished strong when they were able to hide the pitching weakness with the expanded roster.

 

Now the bullpen is a weak imitation of what it was last year, and the plan of throwing out a rotation featuring 3 young, unproven starters is turning out to be a massive fail that is compounded by the weaker bullpen.

 

It is looking like 2019 is going to be a lot like 2012 where the team had to finish strong to reach .500, mainly because of awful pitching. Even if the offense perks up from its recent slump I don’t think it’s going to be near enough to keep pace with the Cardinals and Cubs and their much superior pitching and potent batting orders.

I was thinking more like 2009 when they threw out Looper, Parra, Suppan and Bush for 112 starts and the lowest ERA and FIP between the four of them was 5.22 and 4.88.

 

2009. 2012. The similarity being coming off of a playoff year and going into the next season with a highly questionable pitching staff.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

There’s no way to put lipstick on this pig. The Brewers pitching staff is one of the worst in MLB and the home run or nothing offense isn’t enough to overcome it.

 

When they said before the season that this was a whole new year they weren’t kidding. Last year’s team did well for 3 months mainly because of a lockdown bullpen, staggered for awhile when the pitching started to crack, and then finished strong when they were able to hide the pitching weakness with the expanded roster.

 

Now the bullpen is a weak imitation of what it was last year, and the plan of throwing out a rotation featuring 3 young, unproven starters is turning out to be a massive fail that is compounded by the weaker bullpen.

 

It is looking like 2019 is going to be a lot like 2012 where the team had to finish strong to reach .500, mainly because of awful pitching. Even if the offense perks up from its recent slump I don’t think it’s going to be near enough to keep pace with the Cardinals and Cubs and their much superior pitching and potent batting orders.

 

I've made that 2012 comparison a lot around here and sadly I think it's going to be right about where things end up. They'll start scoring a lot eventually. But these guys can't pitch. Most MLB SP, even average guys, can toss 4 innings. If your pen is incredible you can win doing that. Except we can't get through the first 3 innings anymore. And the pen can't protect anything.

 

If you look at the offense on that 2012 team, it's impressive, in a bad way, that it didn't win more. That was one potent offensive team. I don't think this offense will be long ball or nothing all year, but I don't think they can pitch. They gambled big time on the young starters and the worst case scenario is unfolding - all three are wildly unreliable. And it looks much bigger than getting one starter or Kimbrel.

[3and2Fastball]

Keuchel & Kimbrel would help a lot.

 

But instead we get mediocrity and cool bobbleheads.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

There’s no way to put lipstick on this pig. The Brewers pitching staff is one of the worst in MLB and the home run or nothing offense isn’t enough to overcome it.

 

When they said before the season that this was a whole new year they weren’t kidding. Last year’s team did well for 3 months mainly because of a lockdown bullpen, staggered for awhile when the pitching started to crack, and then finished strong when they were able to hide the pitching weakness with the expanded roster.

 

Now the bullpen is a weak imitation of what it was last year, and the plan of throwing out a rotation featuring 3 young, unproven starters is turning out to be a massive fail that is compounded by the weaker bullpen.

 

It is looking like 2019 is going to be a lot like 2012 where the team had to finish strong to reach .500, mainly because of awful pitching. Even if the offense perks up from its recent slump I don’t think it’s going to be near enough to keep pace with the Cardinals and Cubs and their much superior pitching and potent batting orders.

 

I've made that 2012 comparison a lot around here and sadly I think it's going to be right about where things end up. They'll start scoring a lot eventually. But these guys can't pitch. Most MLB SP, even average guys, can toss 4 innings. If your pen is incredible you can win doing that. Except we can't get through the first 3 innings anymore. And the pen can't protect anything.

 

If you look at the offense on that 2012 team, it's impressive, in a bad way, that it didn't win more. That was one potent offensive team. I don't think this offense will be long ball or nothing all year, but I don't think they can pitch. They gambled big time on the young starters and the worst case scenario is unfolding - all three are wildly unreliable. And it looks much bigger than getting one starter or Kimbrel.

 

The big difference I foresee is that I believe that Stearns will be much more aggressive in acquiring different pitching options than Melvin was in 2009 and 2012. Whether those acquisitions will be successful is a different story, but he doesn't strike me as the type to sit on his hands through a long-term weakness.

[82brewcrew82]

Windmill Eddie says they're doing it wrong.

[adambr2]

LePay drinking up there?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think they will end up being realistic about things and ride this out for the most part. If they actually think these guys have futures as good starters then at some point you take your lumps and accept a 78-win season and keep building in a responsible way. It would not seem all that smart to me to make a deal of any consequence for a SP at this point. From what we have seen, this team is a lot further from good than Keuchel or Kimbrel or something like that. If this isn't a good team this year , well that's super depressing and it sucks, but it is still a pretty sustainable group at the moment. But this team doesn't need a SP, they need like three of them, and that doesn't solve your bullpen problem. This group looks terrible.

[bucks2281]

This is very much looking like 2012, where the bullpen was a disaster. I still remember a series in July 2012 where K-Rod and Kameron Loe blew multiple-run leads in the 9th inning in all 3 games. We are certainly trending that way.

[pacopete4]

Aguilar is a 1 1/2 year wonder.

 

Thought I'd help ya out.

[adambr2]

Why is Jeffress continuing to just chew up garbage and low-leverage innings? Are we really sitting on far superior options like Alex Wilson that we can afford to just ease him back in?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

All the innings are garbage when you are losing 100% of the time.

[3and2Fastball]

Why is Jeffress continuing to just chew up garbage and low-leverage innings? Are we really sitting on far superior options like Alex Wilson that we can afford to just ease him back in?

 

Strongly agree. Do we actually have anyone better than Jeffress in the bullpen? Hader maybe. Anyone else?