2019-06-06: Marlins (Smith) at Brewers (Peralta) [Brewers win, 5-1 -- Moustakas hits 2 home runs; Yelich hits his MLB leading 23rd HR of the season; Peralta K's 9 over 6.0 IP]

[Eye Black]

 

[pre]Marlins Lineup Brewers Lineup

 

1. Austin Dean ® LF 1. Lorenzo Cain ® CF

2. Garrett Cooper ® 1B 2. Christian Yelich (L) RF

3. Brian Anderson ® 3B 3. Ryan Braun ® LF

4. Starlin Castro ® 2B 4. Hernan Perez ® 2B

5. Harold Ramirez ® RF 5. Mike Moustakas (L) 3B

6. JT Riddle (L) CF 6. Jesus Aguilar ® 1B

7. Jorge Alfaro ® C 7. Orlando Arcia ® SS

8. Miguel Rojas ® SS 8. Manny Pina ® C

9. Caleb Smith ® P 9. Freddy Peralta ® P[/pre]

 

Freddy Peralta: Batter (Marlins) vs Pitching Stats

 

Caleb Smith: Batter (Brewers) vs Pitching Stats

[Eye Black]

LHP Caleb Smith has been one of the best starting pitchers in baseball this season. He has an 11.8 K/9 rate and a WHIP of just 0.967. If there is any weakness it is that he has been somewhat HR prone (10 home runs allowed in 61 IP). The Brewers actually drafted Smith in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft, but they immediately traded his rights away to the Cubs.

 

In my opinion, it’s games like today against a tough lefty that the absence of Keston Hiura’s bat in the lineup feels like real void. Regardless, here’s to hoping the Brewers can salvage the final game out of this disastrous Marlins series.

[Zad Fnark]

Pity the Marlins aren't going straight to St Louis after this.

[stoutdude04]

Pity the Marlins aren't going straight to St Louis after this.

 

Or Chicago, Pitt, or Cincy!

 

They are red hot.

[pacopete4]

Day game with Peralta has me feeling good. Especially if he gets past that first inning. He is a full run better during the day and the WHIP is about 1.000

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Day game with Peralta has me feeling good. Especially if he gets past that first inning. He is a full run better during the day and the WHIP is about 1.000

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that we're going to see "Good Freddy" today. My only concern is if they'll have him on a limited pitch count because he hasn't started in awhile.

[KeithStone53151]

I feel like we're going to see either 7-8 shutout innings, or 2 innings of 6 run ball...with absolutely no in-between. FWIW I'm benching him in my dynasty league, I'm a bit too concerned about it being the latter.

[Pugger]

Day game with Peralta has me feeling good. Especially if he gets past that first inning. He is a full run better during the day and the WHIP is about 1.000

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that we're going to see "Good Freddy" today. My only concern is if they'll have him on a limited pitch count because he hasn't started in awhile.

 

I'm not holding my breath. I have no clue what they see in this kid as a starter. :-\

[True Blue Brew Crew]

Batting Perez 4th when the organization's arguable best right handed bat is wasting away in AAA is not a good look. Don't get me wrong, I hope Hernan goes 4 for 4 today. I just wouldn't ever go into a day banking on him at the cleanup spot.

[stoutdude04]

Day game with Peralta has me feeling good. Especially if he gets past that first inning. He is a full run better during the day and the WHIP is about 1.000

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that we're going to see "Good Freddy" today. My only concern is if they'll have him on a limited pitch count because he hasn't started in awhile.

 

I'm not holding my breath. I have no clue what they see in this kid as a starter. :-\

 

 

11 k/9 90+ ks in 78 ip. 1.13 whip. That's probably what they see.

[Eye Black]

Although he's had reverse splits this season, over his career Peralta has fared much better against right handed hitters. Even if that hasn't exactly been the case this year it is nice to see a lineup full of mostly right handed bats facing him today.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Batting Perez 4th when the organization's arguable best right handed bat is wasting away in AAA is not a good look. Don't get me wrong, I hope Hernan goes 4 for 4 today. I just wouldn't ever go into a day banking on him at the cleanup spot.

 

I'd certainly prefer Hiura in today's lineup as well against a tough lefty, but considering the decision the team made, the roster is what it is for the time being. Considering how it appears on the surface they are not built to face tough lefties, they've actually fared pretty well against them for the most part this year. Getting Aguilar going would certainly help matters. If he was doing anything close to what he was at this time last year, and what he is capable of, he'd be the clean-up man today.

[pacopete4]

Will Aguilar be the first player the Brewers have had a bobble head for that is cut in the same season ?

[KeithStone53151]

I may be in the minority, but I'm getting very close to wanting Cain pulled from the leadoff spot and get more than the occasional day off. I'd like to see him only leading off against LHP, and giving Gamel 1 sometimes 2 starts a week in the outfield against RHP. Arcia, Braun, Gamel, Hiura, Thames, Perez are other leadoff options if they pull Cain from that spot temporarily. I'm also getting close to calling for Arcia to move up in the lineup. He's 7th today, but if he continues hitting for another couple weeks...might be time to consider him for the top of the order. Not only his numbers, but his approach at the plate is so much better. He's seeing a ton of pitches and not chasing the slider away nearly as much.

[stoutdude04]

I feel this is a make or break game for Aguilar. No idea if that is in fact true, but it seems like this could be it. Some really poor at bats, and who knows...

[pacopete4]

Cain doesn't belong in the top half of the lineup right now. But they'll keep him there much like they kept Braun in the 3-hole too long last season.

[Eye Black]

Batting Perez 4th when the organization's arguable best right handed bat is wasting away in AAA is not a good look. Don't get me wrong, I hope Hernan goes 4 for 4 today. I just wouldn't ever go into a day banking on him at the cleanup spot.

Hernan Perez started a game batting in the 4th spot just once last season, it was the 3rd game (of the infamous 5 game sweep) in Pittsburgh before the All Star break. That series was the low point of the season, but things obviously soon turned around from there. Also, thankfully this is only a 3-game series!

[KeithStone53151]

I feel like we're going to see either 7-8 shutout innings, or 2 innings of 6 run ball...with absolutely no in-between. FWIW I'm benching him in my dynasty league, I'm a bit too concerned about it being the latter.

 

I'm going to double down on this in a way, I think we'll know by the end of the first inning which team is going to win this game.

[Brew crew 92]

I’m not gonna lie, but I’ve lost some faith in cc and Stearns decision making abilities over these last couple weeks, and it’s got nothing to do with Craig Kimbrel.

 

Is the reason Hiura is down because of super 2? And if So does that mean we’re not going to extend him?

 

Is cc and or Stearns the only people on earth that thinks we need a 13 man pitching staff that includes Barnes Williams?

 

Why is Peralta starting when we know it’s going to be a short start and heavy bullpen usage, and that’s if it’s a close game?

 

Why is Williams Barnes still on the 40 man?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

[is the reason Hiura is down because of super 2? And if So does that mean we’re not going to extend him? I counter this with a question. If Super 2 was a factor, why would they have added him to the 40-man and brought him up to begin with? Saladino and Spangenberg were already on the 40-man, and didn't have any service time questions. Either could have filled in for Shaw.

 

Is cc and or Stearns the only people on earth that thinks we need a 13 man pitching staff that includes Barnes Williams? No ... many posters have brought that idea up, but it is pretty obvious that Counsell values the extra large bullpen depth. Barnes and Williams are part of that, whether we like it or not.

 

Why is Peralta starting when we know it’s going to be a short start and heavy bullpen usage, and that’s if it’s a close game? Good question ... and I imagine its because he's still viewed as a huge part of the team's future.

 

Why is Williams Barnes still on the 40 man? Because they are part of the depth, and in the front office's eyes, they don't have better options. We as fans may disagree, but they are the ones who make the decisions.

[folly412]

This lineup is UG-...seven runs today, because baseball.

[Brew crew 92]

So you don’t think that some of the decisions that have been made lately have been questionable at best?

 

Kinda sounded like the devils advocate answering those questions.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

So you don’t think that some of the decisions that have been made lately have been questionable at best?

 

Kinda sounded like the devils advocate answering those questions.

 

Not at all. I never said I agreed totally with those moves. I'd love to see Hiura on this team and Jacob Barnes not on it. Just pointing out that every one of those questions can be answered using just a little bit of logic as to how this team operates.

[adambr2]

Agree with a lot of what you say Joey but I think Super 2 was a huge factor if not the biggest factor. To answer your question when they decide to bring him up for the first time isn't as big of a factor as how much time they let him spend on the active roster this hear as they can call him up and send him down as much as they want to get under the estimated cutoff.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Agree with a lot of what you say Joey but I think Super 2 was a huge factor if not the biggest factor. To answer your question when they decide to bring him up for the first time isn't as big of a factor as how much time they let him spend on the active roster this hear as they can call him up and send him down as much as they want to get under the estimated cutoff.

 

I just don't know. They had to know that there would be a lot of fans upset if they called him up, only to send him down in short order once Shaw came back. So then it would seem to me either that Super 2 wasn't an issue, or if it was, the team has some brass balls when it comes to fan reaction. It does make me wonder just how well Hiura's would have had to do for them to say "Screw it, he's staying." Was that ever an option, or was Hiura going back down inevitable regardless of how well he did?

 

My point is Saladino would have been an easy call which the fanbase would have totally understood, while keeping Hiura's Super 2 status a non-factor. They didn't go that route, and it has somewhat opened a can of worms. Whether they care is the question I guess.