2021-04-05: Brewers (Anderson) at Cubs (Williams) [Brewers lose, 5-3 -- Offense limited to 4 hits while striking out 12 times]

[Eye Black]

 

 

Brett Anderson: Batter (Cubs) vs Pitching Stats

 

Trevor Williams: Batter (Brewers) vs Pitching Stats

 

 

Statcast Game Preview for Cubs-Brewers

 

Statcast Game Feed for Cubs-Brewers

[Eye Black]

Trevor Williams has been tough on the Brewers in the past, Yelich, Cain, and Shaw are a combined 2-for-32 with no extra base hits and 14 strikeouts against him. On the flip side, Hiura is 4-for-7 with 3 home runs and 1 double against Williams. Other current Brewers with moderate past success against Williams include Kolten Wong (7-for-18, 1 HR) and Orlando Arcia (5-for-16, 2 2B, 1 HR).

 

The Cubs hitters have a much smaller samples size facing Brett Anderson (54 plate appearances), but have combined for a 1.064 OPS against the southpaw.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Williams was one of a few moves the Cubs made this offseason that I with the Brewers would have made. I've always liked Williams as a pitcher, and I think he was another in a long line of talented starters that were simply wasted playing for that organization. I hope the Brewers' bats prove me wrong tonight.

[Octobercrew]

Wouldn't mind seeing Billy Mckinney possibly get a start at first base today. I am not sure counsel will do that though since Keston has pretty good career numbers off of Williams

[RollieTime]

This is a game where Hiura needs to and should break out of his funk facing a guy he has hit very well in the past. He needs to gain a little confidence and this is a great opportunity for him to do just that.

[Hopper]

Wouldn't mind seeing Billy Mckinney possibly get a start at first base today. I am not sure counsel will do that though since Keston has pretty good career numbers off of Williams

 

It would be just like CC to bench him today vs a pitcher he has hit off in the past.

He needs something to wake him up.

Hopefully Williams is just the guy to do it!

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Wouldn't mind seeing Billy Mckinney possibly get a start at first base today. I am not sure counsel will do that though since Keston has pretty good career numbers off of Williams

 

I'd love to see Mckinney get a start too and just load up lefties. Go:

 

Wong

Shaw

Yelich

Hiura

Bradley

Narvaez

Urias

McKinney

P

 

Something like that....

[brewcrewdue80]

Thinking Counsell and co set pitching order for Anderson to face Cubs vs Houser facing them. Then we will have Woodruff and Burnes. Houser likely is set up to be skipped sooner than later and Anderson jumps to #3. Freddy 4 and Houser down to 5. At least a setup of pitching orders to favor Milw vs division teams.

Excited on Anderson, think better defense on field with his pitching will produce great starts. And Im sure he's more confident on the mound.

[Eye Black]

Lineups have been added to initial post.

 

Brewers with a perfect L-R-L-R-L-R-L-R-L lineup tonight. Includes Arcia and Bradley Jr over Shaw and Cain. Maybe they did put some stock into past performances versus Williams?

 

LHHs Joc Pederson and Jason Heyward not in the lineup for the Cubs tonight.

[Lathund]

Unless Shaw is hurt I see absolutely no reason to start Arcia at third against a righty. 16 plate appearances really shouldn't change that. Arcia looked terrible in ST and so far this season, showing no signs of the improvements we saw in 2020. Now, if he goes on to homer in his first at bat, I'll take the credit, thanks.

[BruisedCrew]

Williams has pretty significantly outperformed his overall career numbers against the Brewers.

 

Maybe tonight will be the night the Brewers score a run or two and jump out to a lead in the early innings.

 

High on my wish list for tonight is seeing Yelich hit a line drive double into left center field.

[umphrey]

Seeing Arcia at 3B is really frustrating especially with our ice cold offense and his bad ABs to start the season. If it were up to me he would never start at 3B.

[BadgerBert1]

Brewers are due for a bunch of HR's.

[TURBO]

Arcia starting and Shaw on the bench?

 

UGH.

[MoreTrife]

Someone in the Twins game thread mentioned Yelich cheating and looking to dispel that. Any idea where that came from other than drop in performance?

[BruisedCrew]

Ugh, Yelich.

 

Maybe he should be swinging at more first pitch fastballs instead of starting down 0-1 and 0-2 all the time.

[trwi7]

Someone in the Twins game thread mentioned Yelich cheating and looking to dispel that. Any idea where that came from other than drop in performance?

 

Darvish suggested it a couple years ago.

[jason21nl]

Cubs fans picking up where they left off. Cheering for routine fly balls.

[BruisedCrew]

I’m all in favor of a pitcher working quickly and inducing balls in play for easy outs.

[timpep]

Someone in the Twins game thread mentioned Yelich cheating and looking to dispel that. Any idea where that came from other than drop in performance?

 

From what I recall it was before last season? Yu Darvish was asked a direct question about stepping off once when facing Yelich, he said Yelich looked to the outfield and he thought it was weird so he stepped off a second.

 

After that Yelich over defended himself which I guess led some to think he was overcompensating for potential cheating.

[AKCheesehead]

Cubs fans picking up where they left off. Cheering for routine fly balls.

 

Perhaps they got programmed to do that from hearing Harry Caray vomit the words "there's a drive" for every can of corn hit by a cub.

[yfinn6]

Is it really necessary to show these two women have a conversation over game play?

[xisxisxis]

Is it too much to just have an inning where no Brewer strikes out? I GUESS SO...

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Good inning from Anderson.

 

I guess, lots of balls in play so far? Boy if Yelich and Hiura don't hit, it's going to be VERY hard to win. So early, of course, but the offense looked alright against Maeda (lack of a big hit notwithstanding) and really bad against everyone else.

[trwi7]

There's that defense that Arcia is in there for apparently.