2021-05-26: Padres (Paddack) at Brewers (Lauer) [Brewers lose, 2-1 in 10 innings -- Lauer pitches a gem and hits a HR; offense fails again]

[yfinn6]

I won't be disappointed if the Brewers just leave Hiura at home when they go on the road next. I don't care if they play with one less player. Just send him home, even.

[SRB]

Blame Counsell. Not trying to move Cain and Yelich over in the 9th with no one out is inexcusable

 

I'm not sure trying to have Pina bunt would have turned out any better.

[brewmann04]

Will any reporter ask CC on his refusal to bunt that cost this team a win.

[rickh150]

Two hesitations by Hiura cost Brewers a run a couple of times in the 10th.... why he didn’t get a big lead off 3rd and go on contact is beyond me. Go even if it is obvious you won’t make it, taking away the DP. Get a clue.

[adambr2]

I haven’t said much negative about Counsell to this point and I typically don’t even think managers make much of a difference, but Counsell is routinely getting out managed this season.

 

His bullpen management flat out sucks. He's completely given up on venturing anywhere outside the box and he seems to have no clue that this is no longer the 2018 Brewers pen.

[Warning Track Power]

Blame Counsell. Not trying to move Cain and Yelich over in the 9th with no one out is inexcusable

 

I'm not sure trying to have Pina bunt would have turned out any better.

I hear you. They cannot score consistently with hits. Have to do it the old fashioned way and generate offense then. Hit and run. Sac bunts. Situational hitting. All concepts totally foreign to Counsell these days.

[wOOgiE22]

That had to be some of the worst base running I have seen in the 10th.

[mtrebs]

I need someone. Anyone. To give me numbers as to why the contact play, infield in with no outs is a good idea

 

There’s a chance for a wild pitch or a fly ball (if they don’t strike out). They aren’t likely going to get a hit so they need to count on those other things.

 

And even when they get hits, the runners can’t go because the potential for being caught (Adames hit in the 10th).

[wallus]

Blame Counsell. Not trying to move Cain and Yelich over in the 9th with no one out is inexcusable

 

I am sure Counsell, Stearns and Arnold are against bunting in that situation and have discussed it. Along with pretty much the rest of MLB.

[pacopete4]

Yelich sucks.

[adambr2]

The loss had zero to do with not bunting in the 9th. You don't bunt in that situation in front of a guy who strikes out like 40% of the time when you need a ball in play, and strike out is exactly what he did.

[Warning Track Power]

Take away the obvious in game issues. Ask yourself this question. Does this team look well managed? In other words, do the fundamentals look sound? To me they are severely lacking.

[mtrebs]

I’m getting sick of Hiura. No reason he didn’t score in the 10th. If he doesn’t turn it around soon I don’t know if his tenure as a Brewers player is going to be coming to an end in the near future.

[wOOgiE22]

If the Brewers even had a middle of the road offense they would be running away with this division. Instead they are losing games 1-0, 2-1.

[JET15]

I haven't seen a Fangraphs box score with a .68 for the pitching and a -1.18 for the hitting. Insane. Leave it to the Crew

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/liveboxscore.aspx?date=2021-05-26&team=Brewers&dh=0&season=2021

[adambr2]

Take away the obvious in game issues. Ask yourself this question. Does this team look well managed? In other words, do the fundamentals look sound? To me they are severely lacking.

 

I agree. Counsell is managing poorly this year.

[SRB]

Re: bunting - what is sad though, is that you could actually make the case that Manny Pina is the best hitter on the team right now (or maybe second behind Narvaez)

[brewmann04]

Big loss falls on CC inability to change his thoughts and try to bunt the guy over then maybe we win and don’t have to worry about Keaton poor base running

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Yeah, I think the Brewers are exactly the kind of team that needs to embrace small ball. You don't need a lot of runs to win. Plus, your hitters are bad. Need to give them the chance to drive in runs with outs.

 

This is the time where it's like go on a big run or really start to look at cashing in. I'm not at all confident in this roster to be good enough...

[JET15]

If the Brewers even had a middle of the road offense they would be running away with this division. Instead they are losing games 1-0, 2-1.

 

Yeah, Baseball Reference has every team in the Central with a negative SRS. It's there for the taking

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/2021-standings.shtml

[brewmann04]

They don’t have to play small ball all game but in that instance should be a no brainer

[Eye Black]

Interesting to see Tim Dillard call Hiura out for his indecision in the 10th. Also sort of an indictment on the coaching if Hiura wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do in that situation.

[Warning Track Power]

One last thought for the night. This team is not fun to root for. We have longed for amazing pitching for years and finally have it. Now they cannot score. Give me the days where the offense had a puncher’s chance of coming back for entertainment purposes over the garbage we are watching currently. Attanasio has to know that most fans would rather watch the Packers drama unfold come July than this garbage continue on a nightly basis.

[brewmann04]

Agrees

[Eye Black]

One last thought for the night. This team is not fun to root for. We have longed for amazing pitching for years and finally have it. Now they cannot score. Give me the days where the offense had a puncher’s chance of coming back for entertainment purposes over the garbage we are watching currently. Attanasio has to know that most fans would rather watch the Packers drama unfold come July than this garbage continue on a nightly basis.

While I certainly don’t disagree, I’m not sure baseball on the whole is a very good product right now. It’s sort of amazing that we’re going to go through this dead ball situation coming off a year of pandemic-ball, and then we’ll get to follow contentious labor negotiations next offseason that will include the players being locked out in December and probably worse come the spring.

 

If you wanted to write a textbook on how to kill a sport I would recommend asking Rob Manfred to pen the foreword.