2019-08-04: Brewers (Houser) at Cubs (Darvish) [Brewers lose, 7-2 -- Only runs come via solo HRs from Yelich and Grisham]

[Eye Black]

 

 

Adrian Houser: Batter (Cubs) vs Pitching Stats

 

Yu Darvish: Batter (Brewers) vs Pitching Stats

[PinaMadness]

[Eye Black]

Today would be a good day to load the lineup with lefty bats. Below are Yu Darvish’s splits this season. He has been much tougher on RHB and Lorenzo Cain is just 2-for-14 (both singles) lifetime against Darvish, so probably an opportunity to give Trent Grisham and Ben Gamel the start.

 

 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Darvish is the exact type of pitcher this team is built to slap around. If they can't get the bats going today, it might be all she wrote.

[adambr2]

If Grisham isn't in the lineup today....

[Greenleaf1]

I'll guess:

 

1. Cain CF

2. Yelich RF

3. Moustakas SS

4. Grandal C

5. Thames 1B

6. Shaw 3B

7. Hiura 2B

8. Houser P

9. Grisham LF

[Oxy]

Gamel

Yelich

Grandal

Moustakas

Thames

Shaw

Grisham

Arcia

[Eye Black]

Seven of the eight position players in the starting lineup today will be swinging lefty against Yu Darvish (including the first six hitters).

 

Pleasantly surprised Trent Grisham is getting a chance to bat leadoff.

 

Interesting that they have moved Christian Yelich back to #3 in the lineup. It’s the first time he has started a game in anything but the #2 spot all season. He started just 9 games last season in the #3 spot, but it was his primary spot in the order while with the Marlins.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Seven of the eight position players in the starting lineup today will be swinging lefty against Yu Darvish (including the first six hitters).

 

Pleasantly surprised Trent Grisham is getting a chance to bat leadoff.

 

Interesting that they have moved Christian Yelich back to #3 in the lineup. It’s the first time he has started a game in anything but the #2 spot all season. He started just 9 games last season in the #3 spot, but it was his primary spot in the order while with the Marlins.

 

Zero excuses today. This is exactly what this team was built for.

[pacopete4]

I’m sure I’ll get either “he needs days off” or “we need LH hitters today” but Braun should’ve been in this lineup. Getting swept is just not good right now and you need your best hitters out there and he’s been that in Chicago and on this road trip. A team struggling to score sure makes a lot of questionable moves like leading off a guy that doesn’t deserve to yet.

[folly412]

Balls in leading off Grisham, getting Hiura a needed day off, piling on the lefties. Inject this lineup into my veins.

[rickh150]

Balls in leading off Grisham, getting Hiura a needed day off, piling on the lefties. Inject this lineup into my veins.

 

No Braun or Hiura?

If this is a playoff game, is this the lineup? Cuz this is kinda like a playoff game.

[rickh150]

I'd go with

Grish CF

Yelich RF

Hiura 2B

Grandal C

Braun LF

Thames 1B

Moose 3B

Arcia SS

[pacopete4]

Grisham doesn’t belong in the top half until he proves he can hit here. I’m not even sure Hiura does with a 31% strikeout percentage.

[adambr2]

Grisham doesn’t belong in the top half until he proves he can hit here. I’m not even sure Hiura does with a 31% strikeout percentage.

 

Same old same old hasn't been working. Seems like as good of time as any to try something new. If he falls on his face, so be it. It's not like we've been getting any production out of the leadoff spot with the status quo.

[rcc]

Darvish the overpaid signing needs to be hittable today. Left handed line up with Grisham making a start. Shaw in there today. I hope both of them have big games.

[Eye Black]

Posted this in the Baseball America farm system rankings thread, but thought it would be appropriate here as well with Trent Grisham placed at the top of today’s lineup...

 

I went back and looked at the Baseball America top 30 from this past off-season (as it appeared in the Prospect Handbook).

 

Three players that ranked ahead of Trent Grisham have been since traded (#6 Mauricio Dubon, #20 Marcos Diplan, and #26 Cody Ponce).

 

Grisham ranked #27 on the Brewers top 30 list with he following passage (book released February of 2019):

 

Grisham, who used to go by the last name Clark, was considered one of the best prep hitters in the country when the Brewers drafted him in the first round in 2015, but he’s never lived up to that as a pro. He put together a second straight uninspiring season in 2018, this time at Double-A Biloxi after the Brewers tried to challenge him.

 

Grisham is still trying to find a consistent stroke at the plate. He has a good eye, drawing enough walks each season to produce a respectable OBP (.356 in 2018) but has shown little power while compiling low low batting averages every season. Grisham often is too passive at the plate, taking good pitches and falling behind in the count, leading to too many strikeouts for a hitter of his supposed caliber. When he does choose to swing, he hits enough line drives to make you wonder if power eventually will come, but he also takes an alarming number of noncompetitive swings where he pulls of the ball. Grisham continues to play all three outfield positions, with his average speed and below-average arm fitting best in left field.

 

Grisham is still young enough to hope he will turn it around, but it’s time for a big season that befits a first-round pick.

It’s been just over six months since the Prospect Handbook was released and Trent Grisham is starting in LF and batting leadoff at Wrigley Field.

[rcc]

I like the pregame show TBS had. No Fox flash commentary is missed by me.

[adambr2]

Great piece of hitting. Attaway kid.

[Eye Black]

First career hit for Grisham! One batter in and we have a good start.

[folly412]

Grisham batting 1.000 as MLB lead off hitter.

[HarveysWBs]

Atta boy, rook!

[adambr2]

So of course we do that.

[PinaMadness]

What a waste of money Grandal has been.

[HarveysWBs]

Yelich in the two-hole would have been twice as nice...