How would you pitch Game 1?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Am I missing something on Lauer as I've seen his name a fair amount on here? After being bad and sent down, since being brought back he's only pitched once and also did poorly in that game. Yet we're considering him for this game.

 

Lauer's past success vs Dodgers is why it's coming up.

 

I think that's underselling it a little. The guy has been nails in what is a pretty solid sample size against the Dodgers. Granted this is a different situation in many ways, but there is logic to the idea.

[tmwiese55]

IDK, color me skeptical that the current Lauer is all of a sudden the same as he was a year or two back just because of the jersey on the other team. Seems like a stretch or grasping at straws to me. Then factor in a 2-3 guys are going to be new players on the dodgers. Just not sure how any of us could trust him right now. Could probably make just a strong argument he shouldn't be on the series roster (I haven't seen it yet, apologies if it's out and I haven't)

 

If they roll these dice though hopefully he steals a few good innings.

[timpep]

To me, the idea of starting Lauer or even pitching him unless absolutely desperate, is insane. The guy has been terrrrible this year. I really don't care if he had 7 good games against the dodgers in 18' and 19', he's one of the worst pitchers on a staff that sucks after the top 5 guys. I'm very pleased that they'll be going with Suter to start game 1. Hopefully Lauer mops up once they get a 10 run lead, otherwise I hope he stays in his seat.

[markedman5]

Can’t see any chance that CC starts Lauer.......career success doesn’t mean much to me when the guy has been as bad as he’s been this season.

 

There are no great options........I’m going with Suter for 3 or 4 and then decide how to.proceed from there based on the score.

 

If we can some how get a lead after 5 I’d definitely consider Williams in the 6 and 7th and Hader 8 and 9.

 

Might as well go down swinging with your best guys.

[shanedog19]

For those who are advocating for Suter starting tomorrow, do you hope he pitches 4-5 innings or 2 innings? His pitch count will certainly dictate his availability for a game 3. If Suter is coasting through the first few innings, I could definitely see Counsell continue to send him out for more.

[tmwiese55]

I hope for 4-5 if he's doing well. We just don't have tons of good options until Williams/Hader so if he's cruising let him go. If does poorly yea you only get 2 but you're probably as good as done at that point anyway so can save the better relievers for game 2.

[Eye Black]

Regarding Lauer, here are a few thoughts...

 

1) Baseball is a match-ups game. The Dodgers hitters are incredible, and have very few weaknesses. It's nearly a roster full of All-Star hitters. Among the few things they aren't incredible at are hitting against pitchers who can throw with their left-hand and sliders. Eric Lauer has the ability to do both of those things. In the past Lauer has successfully induced some uncharacteristic swing and miss out of the Dodgers' batters.

 

2) Eric Lauer pitched 11.0 innings over 4 outings this year. The batted ball results haven't been good for three of those outings. Actually, they've been terrible. It's been a combination of things he can control (location, lack of command, sequencing) and things he can't control (some bad luck as evidenced by an unsustainable high BABIP).

 

3) As noted, he had one not-so-terrible outing. If you go back and watch his outing against the Cubs (2.2 IP, 6 SO) it will give you reason for hope. His command on the outer half of the zone looked good, and the Cubs hitters were having trouble picking up his cutter. Not one of the 10 hitters he faced that day put his cutter in play.

 

In normal circumstances I would agree that Lauer has no business pitching in the postseason this year, but there is enough reason to at least consider it given the alternatives. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I would be surprised if a pitcher like Lindblom has any success whatsoever against the Dodgers hitters. I would put a bet on him giving up more runs than innings pitched against them.

 

If I had to guess, I think the most likely usage for Lauer (if he makes the 28-man Wild Card roster) will be to come into a game where the Brewers are already down 3+ runs and eat a couple of innings.

[TURBO]

So everyone here seems to be ok with Suter going through the line-up more than once?

 

Ugh!

 

If we can get 3 innings out of him giving up no runs, or one, that should be the limit. Count your blessings and throw in the next sacrificial lamb of the day.

 

I'm hoping to get 3 from Suter, 3 from Freddy, 2 from Williams, and one from Hader. Can Freddy even do 3 innings? Not confident at all on that part of my equation to be honest.

 

One inning from Hader doesn't stop him from pitching Thursday, and 2 from Williams shouldn't stop him from pitching in game 3. Hell, at this point, if we really needed him in game 2, he should be available for a batter or 3...

 

As good as Suter has been in the way we use him, it isn't the time to start expecting him to be Corbin Burnes. If we can get 3 good innings from him, that is a win, move on to the next guy.

 

I don't want to see Lauer again this year unless we are down by 10 or up by 10...

 

I'm also scared to death that Hader will come in to a game for a save situation and promptly blow up on national tv. We need the league to think he is 2018 Josh Hader so when the offers come in this off season, we can cash in.

That right there is scarey. What if Woody goes 4 innings and gives up 4 runs on 95 pitches? Basically, if we find a way to win game one, and Woody isn't on his game, it feels like we are screwed if Peralta and Suter have been used up.

 

I hate the idea of a bullpen game in the first game due to the fact it leaves us so much weaker the rest of the series. Burnes getting hurt really was about the worst thing that could have happened.

[tmwiese55]

Makes sense. but if he has 3 shutout with no trouble you'd just yank right away? why not see if you can get 4 but have a real quick hook if he has a walk or two hits runners on quickly.

 

In my posts i did kind of rule out Freddy due to pitching a bunch the other, and that might have been premature, he's an ok option and might be able to get 2 which would help on your point of pulling Suter quicker.

[TURBO]

Makes sense. but if he has 3 shutout with no trouble you'd just yank right away? why not see if you can get 4 but have a real quick hook if he has a walk or two hits runners on quickly.

 

 

I'm not against that notion, but I don't trust CC to make that move in a timely manner. This year especially, it seems the game often moved quicker than CC's reactions. I can see Suter cruising along for 3 innings, no runs given up, but no one in the bullpen, then BAMO! He blows up with back to back homers, CC then has to decide what to do, then he gives up a double and a single, 3 runs scored in the first 4 batters of the inning, then CC decided to get someone up in the bullpen, meanwhile Suter continues to struggle, and by the time the change is made, it's 4-0 and GAME OVER!

 

That is my fear with leaving him in longer than 3 innings. If I trusted CC with a quick hook, your plan sounds better.

[pacopete4]

I’d be fine giving Suter more if he makes it through clean. Pitchers give up runs. If you could get through 4+ innings only giving up 1-2 runs, I’d consider that a win. It’s up to the offense to come alive or none of this matters anyways.

[Oxy]

I’d be fine giving Suter more if he makes it through clean. Pitchers give up runs. If you could get through 4+ innings only giving up 1-2 runs, I’d consider that a win. It’s up to the offense to come alive or none of this matters anyways.

 

In the regular season this is all true. I think in this situation with Woodruff going in game 2 and plenty of quality options in the pen (Topa and Yardley have barely been mentioned here), you basically try to shut them out. Give whoever starts 1 time thru the order and then pull them if they aren't super sharp. If they look good let them go hitter by hitter after that until there is a baserunner.

 

This might change a little bit if the Brewers somehow get out to a quick 5-0 lead, but that seems highly unlikely.

[markedman5]

Suter it is

 

[RollieTime]

I certainly don’t think it’s a given that we see Peralta in any meaningful innings after his last appearance. If we are down in one of the games he might cover some innings. But they might be hesitant to throw him in there for 3 innings after Suter if we are tied or have a small lead.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

My big question is how Topa and/or Rasmussen will be deployed. I think ideally, you'd want Suter for at least three. I think Hader/Williams try to cover 3 innings too, if there's a lead. The middle part will be Yardley at some point, and then who knows.

[folly412]

In the "winning" plan, the piggyback for innings 4-5 is the weak spot. Peralta probably has the best track record. Houser could be good going off his history out of the pen - but do you buy 2018-19 out of the pen, or 2020 as a pitcher? I think Claudio or Yardley in the 6th depending on the spot in the order, Williams 7th-8th, Hader 9th.

[Lathund]

I certainly don’t think it’s a given that we see Peralta in any meaningful innings after his last appearance. If we are down in one of the games he might cover some innings. But they might be hesitant to throw him in there for 3 innings after Suter if we are tied or have a small lead.

 

I'm pretty certain they don't make that determination based off just one appearance, unless there was something physically wrong with him. He had a great season up until that point, and they'll trust their overall appraisal of him. And considering they extended him, I'm pretty sure they like him. It was also his first game in a week, and comeing just a few days after what I can only assume to be a very emotional, happy but also stressful and tiring, few days after becoming a father.

 

If they plan to go with a "piggyback" approach after Suter and not a straight bullpen game of mostly 1-inning guys, Peralta seems like the most logical choice to me. Bad outing last time out or not.