8/15/2003 Brewers (Kinney) @ Pirates (Figueroa)

[squarepusher]

Former Brewers waiver-wire pickup Nelson Figueroa comes off a 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER performance (his first in MLB this year). Nelson compiled a 12-5 record with a 2.97 ERA in AAA Nashville. Kinney comes off a 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER game. Matt has a 6.00 ERA in 1 game against the Buccos this year.

 

Brewerfan.net / Statfox Matchup Info:www.brewerfan.net/matchup.jsp

 

Matt Kinney Brewefan.net Player Profile:

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=380

[batman]

 MILWAUKEE AT PITTSBURGH -- LINEUPS MILWAUKEE PITTSBURGH AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Eric Young 2B .259 15 31 Jason Kendall C .308 4 41 Scott Podsednik CF .295 3 28 Abraham Nunez 2B .239 2 22 Geoff Jenkins LF .278 22 75 Brian Giles CF .305 15 67 Richie Sexson 1B .267 32 87 Matt Stairs RF .303 14 36 John Vander Wal RF .272 14 43 Reggie Sanders LF .273 25 62 Keith Ginter 3B .286 9 29 Randall Simon 1B .272 10 51 Eddie Perez C .280 9 40 Jose Hernandez 3B .230 12 46 Royce Clayton SS .210 11 31 Jack Wilson SS .241 6 41 Matt Kinney RHP .025 0 0 Nelson Figueroa RHP .000 0 0 (7-8, 5.03) (1-0, 3.00)

 

~Bill

[xisxisxis]

Good to see EY and RHC in there again. I mean what would Ned do without Cruz and Hall at the end of the bench in deep freeze. Either Melvin thinks it's ok to play those two day after day after day or he's afraid to give Nedly some friendly advice. Why have a GM if the manager doesn't play the guys he puts on the team. If this keeps up we might as well jettison Yost at the end of the year because he's useless with young guys.

[batman]

And what better way to build confidence than to give a guy a start against Nelson "Death To My Own Team" Figueroa? He's a great guy, very intelligent, but he's not a very good pitcher. And for a guy like Enrique in particular, he doesn't have the stuff to overpower him... I'm sure Enrique saw a lot of similar pitchers at Single-A last season.

 

Opportunity wasted, for sure.

 

~Bill

[RSteadman19]

I hate Royce Clayton!!!!

 

Not personally but I do wish that Billy Hall could play a lot more, there is no reason to play Royce and Young everyday. Even the "bucketheads" mention that Hall and Ginter should get more playing time. When those two finally see something then it is blatantly obvious.

[AJAY]

Richie Sexson is thrown out by a mile at home. The minute that ball hit off the fence, you just knew that Sexson had no chance to score. You could see it all the way.

 

Why is it that those of us at home watching on TV in another city can figure out that Sexson had no chance to score, but the third base coach who was right there live in person could not figure this out.

 

Unbelievable.

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/other/ajay.jpg

[xisxisxis]

Why is it that those of us at home watching on TV in another city can figure out that Sexson had no chance to score, but the third base coach who was right there live in person could not figure this out.

 

 

Battler's don't hold at 3B, they go for home.

 

You know Lopes took a lot of heat for his "aggressive" running on the basepaths, but Yost is the same and Yost's fascination with Vets over prospects with potential makes me wonder that other than the color of their skin, what is the real difference between Lopes and Yost.

[Kaukauna]

The Eric Young Fundamental Baserunning Video, Order Now!

 

Discounted, now just 99 cents with the purchase of a Royce Clayton Clutch-Hitting Batter's Machine.

[xisxisxis]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but defense up the middle is C, 2B, SS, CF?

 

Where we have Perez, EY, Clayton, Sanchez/Podsednik?

 

Wasn't one thing Melvin trying to improve this offseason defense up the middle?

[batman]

What is Yost's deal? He again removes the pitcher with two outs in the inning and the pitcher's spot due up in the next half. Why waste Luis for a single hitter? Why not let Kinney, who had pitched well, and who had only thrown 80-something pitches, finish the inning?

 

Do I sense an incompetence trend?

 

~Bill

[MassBrew]

I can't tell you how ridiculous it is that the print, audio, and TV media haven't called Melvin and Yost on the Royce Clayton fascination.

 

Bill Hall is 23 years old! And even if you want to plug J.J. Hardy in as your starting SS as early as next April, there is no, absolutely no kind at all, of justification for having Hall collect a few pinch-hit appearances and nothing else, when he could be playing at Indy every day.

 

This is Pittsburgh here folks, not a contending team. Oh wait, we can't afford to pay that first-player-in-the-draft bonus next year, can we?

 

Well here's a news flash for you Doug -- there is no way this team escapes earning that #1 pick. It's a near certainty at this point. So take your Royce Clayton and you-know-what with him...

[guy2058]

It seems as Yost has some sort of personal grudge against Kinney, as I remember a quote he gave that criticized him for not being able to put it all together. Granted, Kinney does have the stuff to perform at a higher level than he is currently pitching at, but this is coming from a guy that let Rusch pitch until forever, giving him encouragement each step of the way. Blatant favoritism. He seems to have a very short leash when concerning Kinney.

 

Also, you would think "battlers" would be able to learn how to run the base paths. If nothing else, Yost should be able to teach them that.

[Kaukauna]

Personally, the more I watch, the more I see Young as the greater disaster than Clayton. I mean, both are absurd, but Clayton is at least buried in the eight spot. Young leads off! And he seems to single handedly make outs happen, even after reaching base. Sheesh, Clayton's a pretty automatic out, but at least he doesn't get on and get off.

 

Another dinger for DeJean! Hurray!

 

I hate this team right now. go packers.

[batman]

It seems as Yost has some sort of personal grudge against Kinney, as I remember a quote he gave that criticized him for not being able to put it all together. Granted, Kinney does have the stuff to perform at a higher level than he is currently pitching at, but this is coming from a guy that let Rusch pitch until forever, giving him encouragement each step of the way. Blatant favoritism. He seems to have a very short leash when concerning Kinney.

 

Great point, guy.... I get that same impression. One thing that is easy to forget is Kinney's age... he's only 26 and in his second year in the big leagues. Treating him like a young pitcher makes sense because that's' what he is. I don't think the early leash and the media callouts are exactly good for a young pitcher. Kinney seems to have confidence problems as it is... having your manager embarrass you in the media can't help much with that.

 

Maybe Matt is a "problem" in the clubhouse.... or maybe his work ethic leaves something to be desired. I've never heard that reported, however, so I'm not inclined to believe that to be the case. For whatever reason, Ned just seems not to like him... kinda like how he doesn't like Billy Hall, apparently.

 

~Bill

[MassBrew]

I hate this team right now.

 

So simple yet so profound.

 

Listless, lifeless, hopeless, hapless.

[batman]

You know what the worst part of this loss is/was? We got beat by almost exclusively former-Brewers:

 

- Jose Hernandez: 2-for-4 with a run

- Matt Stairs - 1-for-4 with a three-run homer

- Nelson Figueroa: 5 innings, 2 runs allowed

 

It's not like they got beat today by great players... Giles, Kendall, and Sanders were mostly held in check.

 

Two steps forward, three steps back.

 

~Bill

[xisxisxis]

Two steps forward, three steps back.

 

Maybe it's the pessimist in me, but remind me again what the two steps forward are?

[batman]

Well, they put together a 12-13 record in June. Podsednik, Jenkins, and Sexson were/are having good years. Sheets had started to show the "ace" stuff that we've all been hoping for.

 

There's lots of little things like that. My point, though, is that it seems like nothing good can last (I probably picked the wrong cliche). Podsednik was on fire, now he's playing well below average. Sheets was amazing and now he's getting knocked around. The team was showing some promise and now they're laughingstocks.

 

The same thing even applies to the front office. Sanchez was jettisoned and Leskanic was traded... good sign of things to come? No, as it turned out, as Melvin wasn't able/willing to trade Young, DeJean, Clayton, Vander Wal, etc. Billy Hall was called up... and then planted next to Enrique on the bench. Nance got a chance to pitch in Milwaukee... and made an appearance about once every two weeks.

 

It would be easier for everyone if they'd just make the boneheaded moves right away... spare us the temptation to be optimistic.

 

~Bill

[Al the Thinking Man]

I always liked Figueroa when he was in MIL. He was another guy who was used horribly by the Royster regime. He may be just a 5th starter type, but we've needed one of those all year. He was let go for his "lack of grittyness", if I recall.

 

I was surprised it took him so long to be called up, 12-5 with a 3 ERA in AAA is superb.

[endaround]

Do Yost and Clayton share an agent? Maybe thats whats going on, Yost is getting kickbacks somewhere from Clayton's incentives, so he has to keep giving him at bats.