2019-08-03: Brewers (González) at Cubs (Hamels) [Brewers lose, 4-1 -- Offense continues to struggle; Bullpen allows 3 runs over final 2 innings]

[wildcat83]

Should’ve put more lefties in the lineup apparently.

[liveforoctober]

I don’t know why I fully expected to see a flurry of transactions to our MLB club today. Sorry for the negativity at 9am on a game day but it’s getting to be an absolute joke.

 

Nope. An absolute joke is when Dante Bichette is your best player. An absolute joke is when you feel bad sending Ricky Bones to the all star game because your team needs a rep and you know you are taking the honor away from a deserving player. If you have been a Brewers fan for any amount of time ... you will agree that being above .500 and within reach of the playoffs come August is a luxury for our team.

 

Are expectations different for this team and this era of Crew Ball? Yep. Have the injuries and list of under performing players been frustrating given the hype. Yep.

 

An absolute joke? Come on man.

 

You answered it yourself. Whether they go on to the post season is one thing for me but they’re not even trying to rearrange the roster to give them possibly the best shot at it. Jackson, Guerra, Jeffress in the pen still? I mean, what are we waiting for? Already going to be a difficult climb. They traded for arms, use them.

 

Tired of the old folk telling people it’s okay because it’s been a terrible franchise to follow. I mean, what? It makes no sense to live in the past with conversations like this.

 

"Old timer" .. 75% chance you are older than me. I'm disappointed in the production as well man, I'm just amused at your discomfort over it. "It makes no sense to live in the past with conversations like this." Ok! I'll never reference history again to rationalize my blood pressure staying in a healthy place.

 

I'm hoping for positive results as well - I also acknowledge I've never run a baseball team before and assume it is harder than most think it is. If you have reasonable suggestions as to how to fix the production on the field I would love to hear them and "should have traded for a TOR arm" isn't an answer because we weren't on the negotiating calls.

 

Would you DFA Jeffress and bring up Black? Burnes? Wilkerson? Would you grab Supak and give him his orientation papers? Are you wanting more transactions or less? I don't know the numbers but the Brewers seem to be on the high end of player movement...

[Oxy]

I think it's the recycling though utter crap relievers at the end of the roster is what irks me the most. Every one of them is a MLB veteran retread, many given up on from other organizations, instead of actually giving young, talented guys a shot. I'm so sick of watching the Jay Jacksons, Burch Smiths, Harts, Petrickas and a host of other get smacked around

 

Meh. Before this year Devin Williams and Angel Perdomo hadn't pitched above A+ ball, so they definitely needed more seasoning. They'll get their chance, and maybe soon. Miguel Sanchez has been mediocre at AAA this year. Is there somebody else you have in mind? There isn't much else you can do other than keep hoping somebody finds something. It's a much better strategy than signing an overpriced mediocre veteran who likely also sucks so you are either forced to eat the contract or continually put him on the mound. I'd rather cycle through mediocre guys than keep trotting out the SAME mediocre guy(s), especially if you are paying millions for that mediocrity (see Jeffress, J.).

[trwi7]

Every ball hit against Gonzalez has been considered hard contact (95 mph or more) by Statcast. The lowest is 95.7, the highest 106.4.

[Oxy]

 

Would you DFA Jeffress and bring up Black? Burnes? Wilkerson? Would you grab Supak and give him his orientation papers? Are you wanting more transactions or less? I don't know the numbers but the Brewers seem to be on the high end of player movement...

 

Exactly. We've had a short leash in the BP and given dozens of guys a chance to stick. No complaints from me about that. There might be 1-5 clubs in MLB who are actually happy with the depth and strength of their bullpen. You have to just keep looking, and Stearns is obviously doing that by acquiring 4 more arms in the last week+. Sheesh.

[pacopete4]

 

"Old timer" .. 75% chance you are older than me. I'm disappointed in the production as well man, I'm just amused at your discomfort over it. "It makes no sense to live in the past with conversations like this." Ok! I'll never reference history again to rationalize my blood pressure staying in a healthy place.

 

I'm hoping for positive results as well - I also acknowledge I've never run a baseball team before and assume it is harder than most think it is. If you have reasonable suggestions as to how to fix the production on the field I would love to hear them and "should have traded for a TOR arm" isn't an answer because we weren't on the negotiating calls.

 

Would you DFA Jeffress and bring up Black? Burnes? Wilkerson? Would you grab Supak and give him his orientation papers? Are you wanting more transactions or less? I don't know the numbers but the Brewers seem to be on the high end of player movement...

 

My mistake for assuming your age. Came off that way in your response. I’ve been pro just about Stearns has decided to do but it’s simply not working. Shuffling up Wilkerson, again, is ridiculous when you traded for two other arms (using our top prospect and a MLB contributor) that are doing nothing for this team in the minors.

 

I would send Jeffress out the door in a heartbeat. His option for next year should not even be considered. Thanks for helping get us to a post season a year ago but he stunk during the post season and he stinks now. Isn’t reliable enough.

 

If you’re going to call up Grisham, play him. Otherwise continue to let him develop in AAA.

 

I mean there have been injuries this year and it has affected things but there is a long list of just stupid stuff this year. Some of it is getting harder and harder to wrap my mind around and support this guy.

 

Either way, my blood pressure is just fine. Just wish our GM wasn’t doing some of the things he is doing lately. Last year looking more and more like dumb luck than anything else.

[pacopete4]

Boy it’d be great if Yelich woke up out there. Nonchalant the past week.

[Oxy]

Faria and Black were both optioned. They have to stay down for 10 days. One of them probably should have been added to the roster right away for Jay Jackson. But they weren't, so we'll have Wilkerson as the last guy in the pen for awhile.

 

EDIT: Faria was recalled by TB before we acquired him so I'm pretty sure he as to stay down, anyway. Black has barely pitched in MLB this year and isn't really tearing up AAA. Not sure if he is available to be called up or not since he was already in the minors when we traded for him?

[BruisedCrew]

Boy it’d be great if Yelich woke up out there. Nonchalant the past week.

 

If you’re talking about Castellanos double, what was Yelich supposed to do? He hustled over to get to the ball, then slowed so he could turn to get in position to throw to second. He doesn’t have a strong arm so the fact that he wasn’t able to throw him out had nothing to do with being nonchalant.

[BruisedCrew]

Well, the Brewers haven’t messed up any scoring chances today.

[liveforoctober]

 

"Old timer" .. 75% chance you are older than me. I'm disappointed in the production as well man, I'm just amused at your discomfort over it. "It makes no sense to live in the past with conversations like this." Ok! I'll never reference history again to rationalize my blood pressure staying in a healthy place.

 

I'm hoping for positive results as well - I also acknowledge I've never run a baseball team before and assume it is harder than most think it is. If you have reasonable suggestions as to how to fix the production on the field I would love to hear them and "should have traded for a TOR arm" isn't an answer because we weren't on the negotiating calls.

 

Would you DFA Jeffress and bring up Black? Burnes? Wilkerson? Would you grab Supak and give him his orientation papers? Are you wanting more transactions or less? I don't know the numbers but the Brewers seem to be on the high end of player movement...

 

My mistake for assuming your age. Came off that way in your response. I’ve been pro just about Stearns has decided to do but it’s simply not working. Shuffling up Wilkerson, again, is ridiculous when you traded for two other arms (using our top prospect and a MLB contributor) that are doing nothing for this team in the minors.

 

I would send Jeffress out the door in a heartbeat. His option for next year should not even be considered. Thanks for helping get us to a post season a year ago but he stunk during the post season and he stinks now. Isn’t reliable enough.

 

If you’re going to call up Grisham, play him. Otherwise continue to let him develop in AAA.

 

I mean there is a long list of just stupid stuff this year. Some of it is getting harder and harder to wrap my mind around and support this guy.

 

Either way, my blood pressure is just fine. Just wish our GM wasn’t doing some of the things he is doing lately. Last year looking more and more like dumb luck than anything else.

 

So he has acquired 4 guys in the last week to try and help with the pitching staff. Don't know if any of them will work - but I would argue that he agrees with you that the "shuffle" isn't working and that he has attempted to try something else. Why aren't any of the guys other than Lyles here now? I don't know. Will be head scratching if it is any reason beyond medicals or something... I'll give you that.

 

Would you have sat Cain or Braun against the lefty in Hamels so Grisham could start?

 

So far our own answers to fixing the issues are DFA Jeffress for Faria or Pomeranz. This will fix it?

 

I'm not meaning to keep digging at you.. but more so the narrative of "Stearns FIX IT NOW" without having reasonable alternatives to what he has done thus far. If Wilkerson is pitching well in AAA and gets called up and gets shelled, it seems to be Stearns' fault. If Guerra pitches well in April and May and then struggles in June and July .. Stearns held on too long. If he brings up Burch Smith to give him a shot and he gets shelled, now it is Stearns' fault for not just staying with the Guerra's of this world because 'we at least know what we are getting with him'.

 

I wouldn't be as willing to respond to these types of frustrated posts if they were more specific "Guerra needs to go and Supak needs to be given a shot. Shaw needs to go and we need a backup SS back up here, etc"

 

It is just too bad that so many beg for success without knowing or having suggestions on how to get there. Injuries have hurt us. We needed young guys to step up and they haven't.

 

(hurt) Knebel, Wahl, Woodruff, Nelson - (bad) Burnes, Peralta, Jeffress, Guerra, Chacin - ('good') Davies, Anderson, Hader, Claudio. That's the entire pitching staff to start the season! 8 out of the 12 have either been hurt or have under performed reasonable expectation. How are we even close to playoff contention!?!?

 

How much of a stretch is it to say Stearns and Counsell have done a good job navigating the acid rain storm that has been our pitching staff this year?

[pacopete4]

I give you specifics and respond back with a long, long, long post asking for some. Amazing. Yes, possibly adding even just one more reliable bullpen arm helps this team that much. Jeffress isn’t reliable anymore. You made moves for guys, they should have been right here with us getting an opportunity.

 

If reference to Grisham, ya, sit either one of those two if you had to bring him up. If you aren’t willing to do that, send him back down. Not too hard of a concept there. Hell, Yelich has slumped recently, give him a day off.

 

Plenty of posts, including mine, have given many examples of possible fixes. Stearns has been reluctant to do anything other than a shuffle of the Jackson/Wilkerson/Barnes and whatever other turd we have rounding out the 40-man roster. Doing basically nothing isn’t working. Jolt the system a bit.

[treego14]

The Brewers offense looking inept once again ...

[brooks_quichenick]

Mets have claimed Donnie Hart off waivers, Royals claimed Jacob Barnes.

[liveforoctober]

I give you specifics and respond back with a long, long, long post asking for some. Amazing. Yes, possibly adding even just one more reliable bullpen arm helps this team that much. Jeffress isn’t reliable anymore. You made moves for guys, they should have been right here with us getting an opportunity.

 

If reference to Grisham, ya, sit either one of those two if you had to bring him up. If you aren’t willing to do that, send him back down. Not too hard of a concept there. Hell, Yelich has slumped recently, give him a day off.

 

Plenty of posts, including mine, have given many examples of possible fixes. Stearns has been reluctant to do anything other than a shuffle of the Jackson/Wilkerson/Barnes and whatever other turd we have rounding out the 40-man roster. Doing basically nothing isn’t working. Jolt the system a bit.

 

So your requested changes are sit Yelich and release Jeffress. Got it.

[treego14]

Mets have claimed Donnie Hart off waivers, Royals claimed Jacob Barnes.

I like Donnie Hart!

Jacob Barnes ... great arm ... mysterious location of his pitches, though.

[brooks_quichenick]

70 pitches of effective pitching and Craig has to yank Gio for Albers? Hope this works out, I don’t like it.

[treego14]

70 pitches of effective pitching and Craig has to yank Gio for Albers? Hope this works out, I don’t like it.

Effective, yes, but scary with all the hard contact.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Mets have claimed Donnie Hart off waivers, Royals claimed Jacob Barnes.

I like Donnie Hart!

Jacob Barnes ... great arm ... mysterious location of his pitches, though.

 

Might have been the first time all year the Brewers DFA'd a guy and he was actually claimed. And they doubled up!

 

Hart actually wasn't horrible. Mystery why he wasn't given another shot.

[Jopal78]

Can’t believe people are dogging Cain. His defense is just fine, he played through a hand injury as a result his bat suffered in May and June before getting injection. If he went on the DL for 2 months people would be dogging him for being injury prone.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

I give you specifics and respond back with a long, long, long post asking for some. Amazing. Yes, possibly adding even just one more reliable bullpen arm helps this team that much. Jeffress isn’t reliable anymore. You made moves for guys, they should have been right here with us getting an opportunity.

 

If reference to Grisham, ya, sit either one of those two if you had to bring him up. If you aren’t willing to do that, send him back down. Not too hard of a concept there. Hell, Yelich has slumped recently, give him a day off.

 

Plenty of posts, including mine, have given many examples of possible fixes. Stearns has been reluctant to do anything other than a shuffle of the Jackson/Wilkerson/Barnes and whatever other turd we have rounding out the 40-man roster. Doing basically nothing isn’t working. Jolt the system a bit.

 

So your requested changes are sit Yelich and release Jeffress. Got it.

 

You’re really stretching Brews words. Sitting yelich and giving him a day off aren’t the same.

[treego14]

70 pitches of effective pitching and Craig has to yank Gio for Albers? Hope this works out, I don’t like it.

It worked out! CC is in charge!

[brooks_quichenick]

70 pitches of effective pitching and Craig has to yank Gio for Albers? I think that’s a terrific call, Craig is a smart manager and I would never doubt him.

[pacopete4]

I give you specifics and respond back with a long, long, long post asking for some. Amazing. Yes, possibly adding even just one more reliable bullpen arm helps this team that much. Jeffress isn’t reliable anymore. You made moves for guys, they should have been right here with us getting an opportunity.

 

If reference to Grisham, ya, sit either one of those two if you had to bring him up. If you aren’t willing to do that, send him back down. Not too hard of a concept there. Hell, Yelich has slumped recently, give him a day off.

 

Plenty of posts, including mine, have given many examples of possible fixes. Stearns has been reluctant to do anything other than a shuffle of the Jackson/Wilkerson/Barnes and whatever other turd we have rounding out the 40-man roster. Doing basically nothing isn’t working. Jolt the system a bit.

 

So your requested changes are sit Yelich and release Jeffress. Got it.

 

Well, we are done here. No point in a discussion when you pull crap like this. Foolish man. You look foolish.

[adambr2]

 

Perez isn’t coming back up, he’s off the 40 man. I don’t see the point in loosing a guy like Taylor just so Perez can face two lefties.

 

The bullpen arms like Black were probably acquired more for the next 2-3 years.

 

Losing someone like Taylor? Taylor is worthless. He would likely clear waivers and be outrighted.

 

There's at least 5 guys at the bottom of this 40 that are total DFA/waiver fodder.

 

And Black is 29. He is a journeyman project. It's not like he's a 21 year old who just isn't ready. If he can't get a call over Wilkerson, he's most likely never going to amount to much.