Game Thread (6/05/2022): Padres (Clevinger) at Brewers (Lauer) - 1:10 PM CDT

[BruisedCrew]

Unlike the Padres, who came into this series after getting swept by the Cardinals, and their offense in a slump, the Phillies have had a Bambis Bombers style response to the Gerardi firing. They scored 26 runs in 3 games while piling on the reeling Angels. And they did it after losing Segura for a couple of months with a broken finger. 
 

With Alexander and Houser slated for Tuesday and Wednesday against a hot hitting team I, wouldn’t bet the ranch on a quick turnaround, even if Adames and Renfroe are back. Harper alone can carry a team  in a way no Brewers hitter can. 
 

 

[edfunderburk]

5 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

Oh good, we're paying Yelich $26 million per year for barrel rate and hard hit.

 

 

Yelich batting 3rd is my # 1 pet peeve with this under-performing team

There is ZERO justification for repeatedly putting him out there 

Yelich has had one good week (three games) & the season is 1/3 over

Move him way down in the order … & release Cain ASAP

Shake things up - simply adding Adames & Renfroe back to the roster / lineup alone will NOT solve all that is wrong with this team 

[brewers888]

1 minute ago, BruisedCrew said:

Unlike the Padres, who came into this series after getting swept by the Cardinals, and their offense in a slump, the Phillies have had a Bambis Bombers style response to the Gerardi firing. They scored 26 runs in 3 games while piling on the reeling Angels. And they did it after losing Segura for a couple of months with a broken finger. 
 

With Alexander and Houser slated for Tuesday and Wednesday against a hot hitting team I, wouldn’t bet the ranch on a quick turnaround, even if Adames and Renfroe are back. Harper alone can carry a team  in a way no Brewers hitter can. 
 

 

This was always going to be a challenging month regardless but with the injuries it could get ugly fast.

[brewers888]

I don't know who Stearns will eventually get to improve the lineup if anyone but I would hope he aims hire than he did last deadline with Escobar.

[edfunderburk]

On a positive note - both Luke Barker & Jason Alexander pitched well after their MLB call up

I’ve seen all of Suter & Kelley I want to see - hopefully they are dropped along with Cain

[nate82]

6 minutes ago, edfunderburk said:

Hader is an employee with a boss - he should pitch as often & as for long as his manager tells him to pitch

CC is ultra-consera give … he won’t ever abuse Hader … but when needed - he should require a 2nd inning of him

Yes and Hader can go and tell them to pound sand.  This is not your typical work environment.  The boss here has no leverage what are they going to do fire him?  Discipline him good luck with that as you will never get a free agent to come to your team if you do that and the union will file a grievance and will win 100%.  

There is definitely an agreement between the team and Hader where he will not pitch multiple innings.  Getting upset over it or even questioning it is just a fools errand.  

[brewers888]

14 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

Oh good, we're paying Yelich $26 million per year for barrel rate and hard hit.

 

 

The stats crowd loses me with regards to Yelich. Does it really matter how hard you hit the ball when its never hit in the air.

[Brewcrew82]

Give me Andrew Benintendi and Josh Bell, and this team would be quite capable of winning a World Series.

[brewers888]

3 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Give me Andrew Benintendi and Josh Bell, and this team would be quite capable of winning a World Series.

So you agree that the offense isn't good enough.

[edfunderburk]

24 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

Hader made it clear a few years ago that he wanted to be used as a classic 9th inning closer and we have gone along with his request. This hurts the team for sure but its what the player wants.

Copied from an earlier post …

Hader is an employee with a boss - he should pitch as often & as for long as his manager tells him to pitch

CC is ultra-conserative … he won’t ever abuse Hader … but when needed - he should require a 2nd inning of him

[Brewcrew82]

3 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

So you agree that the offense isn't good enough.

They’re more than capable of getting to the playoffs. And, as we have seen in recent years, the playoffs are more about who is the hottest as opposed to who is the best. But I would certainly feel more confident with those pieces. Let’s not forget that this is the same team that got out to the best start in franchise history as recent as a week ago, and which won 95 games last year. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

12 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

The stats crowd loses me with regards to Yelich. Does it really matter how hard you hit the ball when its never hit in the air.

+ 1000.

Having said that, the options have been slim lately. Once the roster fleshes out a little bit this week, we'll see what changes are made, if any. LH going for Philly Tuesday, so we may not see Yelich anywhere 1-9.

[brewers888]

3 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

They’re more than capable of getting to the playoffs. And, as we have seen in recent years, the playoffs are more about who is the hottest as opposed to who is the best. But I would certainly feel more confident with those pieces. Let’s not forget that this is the same team that got out to the best start in franchise history as recent as a week ago, and which won 95 games last year. 

I don't think just making the playoffs is the goal anymore. We all know that anything can happen in the playoffs and that getting hot at the right time is huge but I just don't see this offense being capable of hitting the Mets and Dodgers pitching staffs.  

[nate82]

3 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

The stats crowd loses me with regards to Yelich. Does it really matter how hard you hit the ball when its never hit in the air.

It always matters how hard you hit the ball.  Is this even a serious question?

[brewers888]

It would be nice to have one or two hitters that the other teams fear and we just don't have that.

[edfunderburk]

28 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Yes and Hader can go and tell them to pound sand.  This is not your typical work environment.  The boss here has no leverage what are they going to do fire him?  Discipline him good luck with that as you will never get a free agent to come to your team if you do that and the union will file a grievance and will win 100%.  

There is definitely an agreement between the team and Hader where he will not pitch multiple innings.  Getting upset over it or even questioning it is just a fools errand.  

Share an example of a grievance filed by the players union when a manger asked a player to pitch a 2nd inning?

[brewers888]

Just now, nate82 said:

It always matters how hard you hit the ball.  Is this even a serious question?

How many years are we going to hear about how hard Yelich is hitting the ball with nothing to show for it. Its not like any player is going to have a high slugging percentage when the ball is always on the ground.

I appreciate analytics but I don't see how anyone can think Yelich is playing well if they are watching him hit.

[mtsportsfan]

20 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Yes and Hader can go and tell them to pound sand.  This is not your typical work environment.  The boss here has no leverage what are they going to do fire him?  Discipline him good luck with that as you will never get a free agent to come to your team if you do that and the union will file a grievance and will win 100%.  

There is definitely an agreement between the team and Hader where he will not pitch multiple innings.  Getting upset over it or even questioning it is just a fools errand.  

I hope in this agreement somewhere that Hader is going to give a hometown discount when its time to negotiate ! Otherwise why are we in a agreement with him to only pitch 1 inning when sometimes it would beneficial to pitch 2 innings.

[Brewcrew82]

9 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

I don't think just making the playoffs is the goal anymore. We all know that anything can happen in the playoffs and that getting hot at the right time is huge but I just don't see this offense being capable of hitting the Mets and Dodgers pitching staffs.  

Counterpoint: who would’ve thought the Braves had enough last year after they lost acuna? Granted they had freeman, but guys like Rosario, Soler, and Pederson were the ones who really carried them in the postseason. We have those types of guys (tellez, renfroe, etc.). We don’t have to hit that much to win in the playoffs with our pitching. We just can’t afford a complete offensive collapse like last year.

[DuWayne Steurer]

39 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

Oh good, we're paying Yelich $26 million per year for barrel rate and hard hit.

 

 

This data is now actually getting used to the point where it's becoming abused.  

[Nola Beery]

I'm glad I was unable to catch all of this (yet another) disappointing loss.   Crunch all the fancy obscure analytics you want .  But the only sure thing is that the team that scores the most runs will win.  You have to hit when it counts. E.g., Yelich 0-4 with a walk is nothing when it counts,

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 minute ago, nate82 said:

It always matters how hard you hit the ball.  Is this even a serious question?

It's a funny game. It always matters, but sometimes it can be detrimental (DP opposed to swinging bunt hit, lineout carrying to an OF'er as opposed to something on the handle falling in, etc) Am I saying we should go out there & NOT try to hit the ball hard? No. But it isn't part & parcel to success. Not to speak for 888, but I think that's what he meant. 

I've always felt baseball can't be fit comfortably into a math equation like some want it to.

[brewers888]

2 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Counterpoint: who would’ve thought the Braves had enough last year after they lost acuna? Granted they had freeman, but guys like Rosario, Soler, and Pederson were the ones who really carried them in the postseason. We have those types of guys.

You just pointed out that they had Freeman who is far better than anyone we have and we really have no star caliber players. Yes we can get hot at the right time but I just don't see it with this cast of characters.

[Nola Beery]

24 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

The stats crowd loses me with regards to Yelich. Does it really matter how hard you hit the ball when its never hit in the air.

Thank you!   

Of course it "matters" but there's way more to it. 

[nate82]

5 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

How many years are we going to hear about how hard Yelich is hitting the ball with nothing to show for it. Its not like any player is going to have a high slugging percentage when the ball is always on the ground.

I appreciate analytics but I don't see how anyone can think Yelich is playing well if they are watching him hit.

Nice strawman,  I really shouldn't be surprised really.