9/01/03 - Reds (Etherton) @ Brewers (Franklin)

[squarepusher]

1:05 PM, CST

TV: FSN

Radio: WTMJ 620

 

The Brewers try to win their third straight today and put some distance between themselves and last place as they take on the Cincinnati Reds.

 

Wayne Franklin has had four decent starts in a row that have lowered his ERA from 5.49 to 5.16. He won his 10th game in his last outing vs. Cinci, and hopes to have a winning record after today's game.

 

Seth Etherton got roughed up a bit in his last start vs. the Brewers, going 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER. He has a 6.06 ERA after three starts.

 

Brewerfan.net / Statfox matchup info:

www.brewerfan.net/matchup.jsp

 

Wayne Franklin Player Profile:

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPlayerProfile.do?playerId=600

 

Yahoo! Sports Preview:

sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=230901108

 

CNNSi.com Game Preview:

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/previews/2003/09/01/4276_preview.html

 

FoxSports.com Game Preview:

www.foxsports.com/named/FS/MLB/preview?gameId=230901108

 

MLB.com Game Preview:

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mil/news/mil_news.jsp?ymd=20030831&content_id=506297&vkey=news_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil

[squarepusher]

SportsTicker Game Preview:

 

Cincinnati (59-77) at Milwaukee (60-76) 2:05 pm EDT

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MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers seek their eighth

straight home victory Monday afternoon as they host the

Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game series.

 

Milwaukee has not lost at Miller Park since August 9 and had

dropped 10 of its previous 13 home games.

 

The Brewers have won 12 of their last 13 games after Sunday's

2-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. Lefthander Doug Davis allowed

five hits in 8 1/3 outstanding innings. Rookie Scott Podsednik

had three hits and also stole his 34th base.

 

The Reds have lost seven of their last eight games and are in

last place in the National League Central Division. They managed

just four hits In Sunday's 5-0 loss to St. Louis.

 

Wayne Franklin (10-10, 5.16 ERA) makes his sixth start of the

season against the Reds. He is 3-2 with a 5.20 ERA vs. the Reds

this season and has allowed 16 earned runs in 27 2/3 innings.

 

Franklin won for the third time in four starts Wednesday at

Cincinnati, where he allowed two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3

innings.

 

Seth Etherton (1-2, 6.06) will make his fourth appearance for

the Reds and opposes Franklin for the second straight start. He

took the loss Wednesday, allowing four runs and six hits in 5

1/3 innings.

 

Since joining the Reds, Etherton has surrendered 11 earned runs

and 17 hits in 16 1/3 innings.

[clancyphile]

Looks like another win...

[squarepusher]

Today's starting lineups:

 

 CINCINNATI MILWAUKEE AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Ryan Freel CF .274 2 5 Scott Podsednik CF .316 6 44 Juan Castro SS .257 9 31 Keith Ginter 2B .267 10 32 Sean Casey 1B .289 12 67 Brady Clark LF .304 3 33 Russell Branyan 3B .213 6 15 Richie Sexson 1B .266 36 101 Stephen Smitherman LF .250 1 4 John Vander Wal RF .260 14 44 Tim Hummel 2B .267 0 2 Wes Helms 3B .250 19 58 Jason Larue C .226 15 45 Keith Osik C .240 2 18 Wily Mo Pena RF .156 0 4 Royce Clayton SS .221 11 36 Seth Etherton RHP .333 0 0 Wayne Franklin LHP .148 0 2 (1-2, 6.06) (10-10, 5.16) 

[RyDogg66]

Ginter, slumping a bit, just missed a dinger to dead center in the 1st. Then Tim Hummel, that's Tim Hummel, takes Wayne out of the yard.

[shelmark]

I'm not one of the typical Sutton bashers, but as a former pitcher he should know better than making the following types of statements.."Wayne Franklin will tell you that his #1 goal is to keep the team in the game". Now, if Mr. Sutton has actually talked to Wayne about this then I can forgive and forget. But, if he has not talked to him then he shouldn't say it. If, like so many announcers, he is just throwing out a typical statement with regard to all pitchers, he is a complete idiot. How exactly does a pitcher keep his team in the game. Does he play the count depending on the score? If we are behind does he bear down a little harder? If we are ahead does he let up a little to pace himself. Hogwash. A pitcher's goal is to get outs and limit the other team to as few runs as possible. It does NO GOOD to go into a game with a goal of "keeping my team in the game". C'mon Sutton show a little depth and understanding as a former player and stop with the cliches.

[endaround]

I thought it was nice of Yost to let Clayton to hit to keep his spirits up.

[DHonks]

i was there and I have to say it was a fun atmosphere for only 19,500 folks. When Kieschnick came up, the whole place went nuts. Still, it killed us late in the game when we had to use him for Osik leaving only Cruz and Conti on the bench to PH. I know Conti delivered, but we need to get another OF up here to pinch hit.

[Frisbee Slider]

Grounding into double plays...just took all the momentum away time after time....

[xisxisxis]

Grounding into double plays...just took all the momentum away time after time....

 

I guess a strikeout is better sometimes.

 

 

It's nice to see a game like today (well not that nice from the result), but it's nice to see why we play these games. While looking at the AAA Reds and the Brewers, some fans might think the Brewers are a slam dunk winner, but you still have to PLAY THE GAMES. I still can't wait until the Brewers have a lot more talent on the team, but at least we're seeing some positives this year after the disaster of 2002.

[clancyphile]

xisxisxis

 

So, we lose the opener, but we took the rest of the games.

 

This year's club is better than last year's club. Next year's club will be better than this year's, if only due to the fact we won't have to pay Rusch and Hammonds $11 million.

[bjkrautk]

Shelmark-

 

Sutton has talked to Franklin about his goal being keeping the team in the game; I wasn't watching the telecast today (more on that in a bit) but I remember other occasions where Sutton has relayed conversations with Wayne Franklin and how Franklin's top concern as a pitcher is whether the team wins or loses while he's on the mound. Not how many runs he gives up, but whether the team wins or loses.

 

I was also at the game today; I sat in the RF bleachers 2 rows behind the Cinci Bullpen...Richie's fly ball at the end was caught right in front of me. (I'd tell you all to watch for me during the highlights...but none of you probably have a clue what I look like). It was nice to see them come back from a 4-run deficit, and they had a couple of chances to win the game....I just wish they'd have been able to cash at least one of them in.

 

Regardless, not a bad way to spend the holiday.

[endaround]

Clancy, please explain how not paying Rusch and Hammonds is going to change anything? Hammonds hardly played this year so teh Brewers were't hurt by that. And given there is an incentive to cut payroll to get revenue sharing, do you really expect teh Brewers to spend the money on players?

[clancyphile]

endaround

 

Take the $11 million spent on Hammonds and Rusch, and use that for:

 

1. A solid catcher to replace Perez and Osik for three or four years.

2. Upgrade the situation in right field.

3. Find a solid #2 starter behind Sheets in case Doug Davis is a flash in the pan or Luis Martines needs time in AAA.

 

Did I forget the money we're saving by getting out from under the Leskanic, DeJean, Clayton, and EY contracts?

[endaround]

But that $11 million isn't going to spent on anything. The payroll is just going to be cut by that much.

[DHonks]

we all know the Pirates were looking to unload KEndall. I've always liked him, and was wondering what his contractual status was (I think long term), and also what it would take to get him. I figure they'd probably ask for a package including Kinney/Franklin, Podsednik, Helms, or a prospect. I could even see them wanting Ginter or Hall.

[rluzinski]

That $11 mil woll simply go *POOF*, and will be gone. What team have you been watching; The Brewers simply don't sign good free agents. They will sign a couple more crappy/hurt/aging vets like EY, Clayton, Osik, Perez, Mlicki, Ritchie, Stairs, Bako, Blanko, Figeroa, Burba.... wow, I could go on forever....

 

Also, why will Yost pinch hit for Osik, but not Clayton? Come on now, Clayton's OBP is below .300, despite batting before the pitcher! Osik has simply had a better year offensively, and that isn't saying much.

 

As I've said before, I think sexual favors from Clayton to Yost is the reason!

[mls4]

"we all know the Pirates were looking to unload KEndall. I've always liked him, and was wondering what his contractual status was (I think long term), and also what it would take to get him."

 

He's much too expensive. It was discussed in a thread in Trade Rumors.