Simulated 2020 Baseball Season (JosephC)

[JosephC]

https://www.ootpdevelopments.com/

 

July 27 - Brewers 9, Cardinals 3

 

We have a trade-

Brewers get - RHP - Andrew Cashner (in AAA, 75 2/3 innings, 4.28 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 4.76 FIP, 0.8 HR/9, 3.9 BB/9, 8.1 K/9)

Marlins get - LF - Oswel Leones (19 years old, at Arizona Gold, 129 plate appearances, .295/.388/.393/.780, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 5 SB)

Cashner has not thrown an inning in the majors this season. Leones is a pretty decent lottery ticket-type and goes into the Marlin's top prospect list at #50. It looks like he has good speed and a strong arm, and profiles as a plus defender in both left and right. Doesn't look like he'll ever hit for much power, so the contact aspect probably determines if he makes it to the majors or not. Cashner has initially been assigned to the Arizona Blue team. I wouldn't just assume that he will be in a Brewer's uniform a week from now. This has more of the look that Cashner will go to AAA and serve more as an insurance policy. Kind of a strange move after picking up Wade Miley to probably serve in a similar role just a few days ago. I don't like the move, but I'm not going to sit and belly-ache about it after getting Daniel Lynch for free in an earlier deal.

 

The Brewers also signed fifth round pick Cade Cavalli, the signing bonus was 370k.

 

Today's game figured to be a tough one. Alex Reyes for the Cardinals and Josh Lindblom for the Brewers. Reyes entered the game with a 2.41 ERA and put up a 6 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 10 strikeout performance the last time he faced Milwaukee. Lindblom entered the game still with pretty bad season numbers, but had put together four good starts in a row and his arrow has been pointing up. The Cardinals are in first place, but I'm not convinced that they should be considered a favorite for the division. The pitching and defense have been excellent (2nd in starter's ERA, 4th in bullpen ERA, 1st in defensive efficiency and zone rating, all NL ranks), but they have had trouble scoring runs (11th in NL). There are only two players in the regular lineup with OPS's over .800 (Matt Carpenter, Tommy Edman), and they are getting no offense out of the catcher position and Tyler O'Neill hasn't been an offensive force either (.681 OPS).

 

So Reyes stepped on the mound and it was obvious right from the get-go that he had nothing today. The first four men reached and two runs were on the board before Reyes even recorded an out. Keston Hiura doubled to knock in Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich singled to knock in Avisail Garcia. But the big blow was in the second inning when Garcia stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and hit a 379 foot grand slam to left to put the Brewers up 6-0. The game was basically over at that point and the Brewers cruised to an easy victory.

 

Paul Goldschmidt hit a 2-run home run in the sixth inning, it was the only blemish on another good start by Lindblom. Hiura hit a solo home run in the seventh off of Tyler Webb. It was really noteworthy as it was Hiura's first home run since June 7. That's right, not July 7, June 7. Hiura had 3 hits on Friday and 3 more hits in this ballgame, maybe he's finally breaking out of the dreadful slump that he has been in.

 

Lindblom's last five starts = 30 innings, 24 hits, 7 runs (all earned), 4 home runs allowed, 8 walks, 24 strikeouts, 2.10 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3-1 record.

 

The Brewers move ahead of the Reds with today's win. Cardinals in first place, the Pirates are 3 games back, the Brewers are 5 games back and the Reds are 5 1/2 games back.

 

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[JosephC]

https://www.ootpdevelopments.com/

 

July 28 - Brewers 16, Cardinals 5

 

2B-Casey Martin, the Brewer's second round pick, signed a contract with a 1.06 million dollar signing bonus.

 

Pitching matchup for today's game was Dakota Hudson against Brandon Woodruff. Hudson is a Cy Young candidate. He entered the game with an 11-3 record and a 1.97 ERA and this one figured to be a tough one for the Brewer bats.

 

As it turned out, the Brewers had this one wrapped up by the end of the second inning. Not only did Hudson have a bad, bad day, but the entire Cardinals team played like a pee-wee team. Errors, walking in runs, passed balls allowing strikeout victims to reach first base....you name it, the Cardinals did it in this game.

 

Hudson retired the first two hitters he faced. Keston Hiura singled, stole second and then scored on a Christian Yelich single. Luis Urias doubled to score Yelich, and then Justin Smoak singled to score Urias. Eric Sogard reached on an error by Matt Carpenter, but the inning ended when Manny Pina flew out to centerfield.

 

The Brewers had the 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second. Woodruff was the leadoff hitter and drew a walk. Lorenzo Cain came up and struck out swinging. Avisail Garcia flew out and it looked like Hudson might be on-track after the leadoff walk to the pitcher. Hiura came up and drew a walk. Yelich came up and struck out, but a passed ball on Yadier Molina allowed Yelich to reach first base when it should have been the third out of the inning. Urias came up and drew a walk to score the first run of the inning. Smoak singled to score a second run, and was injured on the play (Ryan Braun was the pinch-runner). Eric Sogard came up and cleared off the bases with a triple. Andrew Miller came into the game and struck out Pina to end the inning. Brewers were up 8-0 and the game was effectively over at this point.

 

The Brewers ended up scoring seven unearned runs in this game, needless to say a complete embarrassment for the Cardinals. Hiura with another three hit game, Urias with a three hit game. The offense seems to have done a complete 180 since Yelich came off the disabled list. Also worth noting that Alec Bettinger made his second MLB appearance and threw a scoreless seventh inning.

 

There was no news on the extent of Smoak's injury. He has been given the dreaded "info pending" which could be bad news. He's already been on the DL twice this year.

 

The Pirates move to within 2 games of St. Louis. The Brewers are 4 games back and the Reds are 4 1/2 games back.

 

Another kind of goofy trade today:

Cardinals get - LHP - Christian Friedrich (11 2/3 innings, 4.63 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 5.72 FIP), RHP-Kaleb Roper (24 years old, in A ball, 61 innings, 5.16 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 4.59 FIP)

White Sox get - 1B - Luken Baker (23 years old, in AA, 57 plate appearances, .173/.246/.327/.573, 2 HR, 3 RBI), SS-Carlos Arcia (18 years old, in rookie ball, 97 plate appearances, .241/.351/.301/.652, 0 HR, 7 RBI)

Christian Friedrich had a 25 inning stint in AAA this year and was just awful (ERA over 10, WHIP over 2). The Cardinals have put him on the 26-man roster and he doesn't look like a good add for a first place team. Roper has poor ratings and doesn't appear to be anything more than organizational filler. Baker's AA numbers don't look that great but he had a much better run in A+ (.958 OPS in 191 plate appearances). He enters the White Sox top prospect list at #47 and has good enough power and eye ratings to be interesting. Arcia looks like a marginal lottery-ticket type.

 

But the big MLB news of the day is that Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco no hits the Kansas City Royals. Carrasco faces 31 batters, walks 5 and strikes out 11.

 

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[JosephC]

https://www.ootpdevelopments.com/

 

July 29 - Brewers 5, Cardinals 4

 

Justin Smoak has a ruptured medial collateral ligament and is out for the season, estimated recovery time of 7 months. Smoak has been placed on the 60-day DL and has been removed from the 40-man roster. Ryon Healy has been called up and, quite oddly, been given the starting 1B job over Ryan Braun. Healy had a .309/.368/.579/.947 slash line in AAA with 23 home runs and 80 RBIs.

 

Right handed pitcher Jesus Castillo has also been placed on the 26-man roster. J.P. Feyereisen has been optioned to AAA. Castillo had the best numbers of the AAA pitchers and definitely earned this opportunity. 39 2/3 innings pitched, 1.36 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 3.25 FIP, 0 home runs allowed, 2.5 BB/9, 7.7 K/9.

 

Pitching matchup in today's game was Carlos Martinez versus Corbin Burnes. The Cardinals claimed an early 2-run lead in the first inning when Tommy Edman doubled in Kolten Wong and Edman later scored on a Paul Goldschmidt ground out. The Cardinals pushed it to a 3-run lead in the third inning when Wong doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on an Edman single. The Brewers cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third when Yelich hit a bases loaded double that scored Corbin Burnes and Lorenzo Cain (both had reached base on singles). The Cardinals scored an insurance run in the seventh off of Jesus Castillo. Wong hit a one-out triple and then scored on an Edman sacrifice fly.

 

So the Brewers were down 4-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Yusmeiro Petit was on the hill for St. Louis. Keston Hiura led off the inning with a single. Petit was pulled and Andrew Miller was brought into the ballgame. Christian Yelich flew out to left. Omar Narvaez came up and singled, advancing Hiura to second base. Ryan Braun pinch-hit and struck out. Then the key point in the ballgame occured. Next two batters were lefties Eric Sogard and Brock Holt, but Cardinal's manager Mike Shildt pulled lefty Andrew Miller and inserted righty John Brebbia into the game. Sogard drew a walk to load the bases and then Holt doubled to score all three baserunners and give the Brewers a 5-4 lead.

 

Josh Hader came into the ballgame to start the ninth. He struck out Paul DeJong, struck out Yadier Molina, walked pinch-hitter Rangel Ravelo and then struck out Wong to end the game.

 

The Brewers have now won five straight. Cardinals in first place, the Pirates are 2 games back, the Brewers are 3 games back and the Reds are 3 1/2 games back.

 

There has been two trades made:

 

Cardinals get RHP - Alex Colome (37 innings, 5.35 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 5.25 FIP)

White Sox get 3B - Brendan Donovan (23 years old, in A+, 325 plate appearances, .247/.308/.366/.674, 6 HR, 32 RBI), RHP - Orlando Romero (23 years old, in A, 53 2/3 innings, 4.02 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 4.61 FIP)

Colome makes big money, isn't having a very good season, neither Donovan or Romero are very highly regarded, so this looks like the Cardinals taking a flyer on Colome and not having to give up much because they are taking on the rest of his salary. We'll see if Colome can get it turned around with a change of scenery.

 

Royals get 1B - Jake Burger (24 years old, in A+, 312 plate appearances, .244/.314/.435/.749, 12 HR, 40 RBI)

White Sox get LHP - Foster Griffin (25 years old, in AA, 70 innings, 3.21 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 3.34 FIP)

Burger goes into the Royals top prospect list at #24 and Griffin goes into the White Sox top prospect list at #57. Burger was well thought of in 2017 but suffered a pair of Achilles injuries that cost him 2018 and 2019. His slash line in 2020 is rather ordinary. I want to say Griffin was in the Royals top 10 at one point but subpar seasons in 2018 and 2019 have dropped him down the list. But he's been used mostly in relief and has been pretty good in 2020. I don't think these players are as far apart as the #24 and #57 rankings would lead one to believe. Interesting trade.

 

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