8/31/03 - Brewers (Davis) @ Cubs (Cruz)

[squarepusher]

3:05 PM, CST

TV: WISN-12

Radio: WTMJ 620

 

Your Milwaukee Brewers try to take the series from the Chicago Cubs in today's rubber match. As of yesterday, the Brewers are once again tied for 5th place in the NL Central, and 4 games out of 4th place.

 

Brewerfan.net / Statfox matchup info:

www.brewerfan.net/matchup.jsp

 

Doug Davis Player Profile:

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

 

Yahoo! Sports Game Preview:

sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=230831116

 

Milwaukeebrewers.com Game Preview:

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mil/news/mil_news.jsp?ymd=20030830&content_id=504392&vkey=news_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil

 

FoxSports.com Game Preview:

www.foxsports.com/named/FS/MLB/preview?gameId=230831116

 

CNNSi.com Game Preview:

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/previews/2003/08/31/3473_preview.html

 

CBSSportsline.com Game Preview:

www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecenter/preview/MLB_20030831_MIL@CHC

[squarepusher]

SportsTicker Game Preview:

 

Milwaukee (59-76) at Chicago Cubs (69-65) 2:20 pm EDT

----------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers look to continue

their recent success at Wrigley Field Sunday afternoon as they

conclude a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs.

 

The Brewers won four of seven meetings at Wrigley last season

and have won five of the eight games here this season.

 

Milwaukee had a 10-game winning streak snapped with a 4-2 loss

in Friday's series opener, but got back on track with a 9-5

victory on Saturday.

 

Richie Sexson knocked in four runs and hit a two-run home run in

the first inning off Shawn Estes. Rookie Scott Podsednik added

a two-run single and also stole home as Milwaukee won for the

11th time in 12 games.

 

The Cubs lost for the eighth time in 13 games as Estes lasted

just two innings. Former Brewer Troy O'Leary hit a three-run

home run and Kenny Lofton had four hits, but Chicago stranded 10

runners and fell 1 1/2 games behind Houston and St. Louis in

the National League Central Division.

 

Doug Davis (1-0, 1.31 ERA) makes his fourth start for the

Brewers. Since joining Milwaukee, he has allowed five runs and

17 hits in 20 2/3 innings.

 

Davis picked up his first win for the Brewers by pitching a

four-hitter at Cincinnati on Tuesday. He gave up just an

unearned run in the first inning and pitched his third career

complete game.

 

The lefthander, who also has pitched for Texas and Toronto this

season, is facing the Cubs for the second time this season. With

Toronto, he allowed four runs and six hits over six innings and

took a 4-2 loss on June 14.

 

Juan Cruz (1-4, 5.6http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/glasses.gif makes his third start and 21st appearance

of the season for the Cubs. He is starting for the first time

since August 1 vs. Arizona when he allowed just one run and five

hits in six innings of a 4-3, 14-inning loss.

 

Cruz is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in five lifetime appearances against

Milwaukee.

[Frisbee Slider]

...Good to see the bats working early, Pods w/2 hits and a SB already, but some squandered opportunities in the 2nd and 3rd innings...

 

In an unrelated story...man does Juan Cruz's ball move...if he can ever develop consistent command...a 95+ mph fastball w/that kind of movement...

[burniebrewer]

Too many men LOB through 3 innings. Let's hope they don't come back to haunt.

[950opsLHcatcher]

Doug Glanville leading off? Oh my.

[xisxisxis]

Doug Glanville leading off? Oh my.

 

Add to that Tony Womack PH for the second game in a row for the pitcher. Dusty Baker is the biggest moron in baseball. With a rotation of Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Clement, and anyone it's unimaginable that they can't win at least 60% of their games. Maybe the Dusty mystique will finally evaporate.

[950opsLHcatcher]

Anyone else worried that Davis has given up a lot of fly ball outs the past 3 innings? I'd watch him closely, not that there is anything in our bullpen that would make me sure about getting 6-9 outs and still maintain the lead.

[nikip43]

I love the Crew being in the NLC and the midwest because even though I dont live near Wisconin anymore I get Cubs games on WGN, Stros and Cards games on FoxSports Midwest

 

it works out

 

another comment, Podsednik

 

the announcers said if he was in a bigger market or if the Brewers were in contention that Pods would be getting a lot more attention

 

leads all rookies in hits and steals from what I know

 

I was also wonderhing how he got to be the rookie steal leader for 03 so I checked out the splits

 

April 45 AB 1 steal

May 79 AB 7 steals

June 102 AB 8 steals

July 117 AB 6 steals

August 103 AB 12 steals

 

it seems as if Yost has given him more of a green light on the basepaths this month and hes taken advantage. I know the Crew campaigned Jenkins for the All Star game. Maybe (and I dont blame them for doing it) they are trying to pad Pods stats to give him a legit shot

 

rookie of the year isn't a career making title, but that would warrent his name both regionally and nationally which helps with revenue and marketing

 

the Cubs announcers just said Pods has the best shot in the NL at ROY, the way he handles left handers, the way he gets on base, the way he steals base (I like the way he gives it his all day in and day out)

[950opsLHcatcher]

Weird thing about Podzilla's SB is that the most he ever had in one year in the minors prior to this was 35. The minor leagues are noted for numerous players with bloated SB totals because managers try harder to utilize player's skills. I'd say it is an extremely rare occurance that a player would trump his SB high in minor league ball in the majors, especially for a player like Podzilla, who had a whole lot of minor league time to work with. Not that SB numbers matter a whole lot, but it is still odd. That's one up for Davey Nelson.

[rotoherb]

What is Ned doing not pinch hitting for Doug Davis in the ninth with a runner on third? Davis is clearly getting tired on the mound. C'mon Ned, get with the program here.

[950opsLHcatcher]

Not pinch-hitting for Davis, with a runner on third and 1 out? Blah.

 

C'mon, Ned, another run is more important than saving a bullpen that will have a number of additions in the next few days.

[clancyphile]

Doug has been cruising. Give him the chance to close this out.

 

On the other hand, I think it is not safe to say that we have ourselves a #2 starter,

[Frisbee Slider]

2 on...1 out...Have you guys noticed that Kolb has thrown a little more off-speed pitches lately?

[950opsLHcatcher]

Clancy,

 

Would you rather have a better chance at a run and a better chance at a win or a CG?

 

What's even better is that Ned pulled Doug anyway after Martinez singled and Sosa was due up. C'mon, Ned! Geez...

[950opsLHcatcher]

K 'em up, Danny. Please?

 

EDIT: There's one. DANNY!!!!!

 

EDIT 2: Strikes. Striiiiiiiiiiikes. Throw strikes. You can get them out.

 

EDIT 3: I denounce my denouncing of the Conti trade.

[Frisbee Slider]

"He makes the play! He makes the play!" -Sutton

 

yay Jason Conti http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif

[burniebrewer]

Does Conti get 1/2 of that save?

[clancyphile]

Believe!!!

 

You GOTTA believe!!!

[hawing]

Wouldn't this have been a sweet 12th-consecutive win?...but I'll take it as is. Whew.

[endaround]

I know this a partisan site and all, but there is not fair way to say Scot Podsednik deserves the ROY over Brandon Webb. Webb should win the award going away.

[xisxisxis]

Dontrelle Willis?

 

 

Wouldn't this have been a sweet 12th-consecutive win?

 

I believe this would have been lucky 13 if we hadn't lost on friday.

[endaround]

Dontrelle Willis has pretty much collapsed.

 

Edit: Some background:

 

Lee Sinnis' RCAA and RSAA stats which are fairly comparable across pitchers and players:

 

Scot Podsednik RCAA 10

 

Dontrelle Willis RSAA 8

 

Brandon Webb RSAA 41 (#2 in NL behind Hernandez)

[squarepusher]

 MILWAUKEE (2) VS CHICAGO CUBS (0) - FINAL MILWAUKEE ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Podsednik cf 4 1 3 0 1 1 0 .316 K Ginter 2b 3 1 1 1 0 1 4 .267 B Clark lf 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 .304 R Sexson 1b 4 0 1 1 0 0 2 .266 J Vander Wal rf 2 0 0 0 1 2 1 .260 a-M Smith ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .318 J Conti rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 W Helms 3b 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 .250 E Perez c 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 .266 R Clayton ss 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .221 D Davis p 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 .083 D Kolb p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 33 2 9 2 2 11 19 a-fouled out to shortstop for J Vander Wal in the 8th. BATTING: 2B - S Podsednik (22, J Cruz); B Clark (17, J Cruz); W Helms (20, J Cruz); R Sexson (23, J Cruz); E Perez (12, M Guthrie). S - B Clark. SF - K Ginter. RBI - K Ginter (32), R Sexson (101). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - E Perez 1, J Vander Wal 1, D Davis 1, B Clark 1, K Ginter 1. Team LOB - 9. BASERUNNING: SB - S Podsednik (34, 2nd base off J Cruz/D Miller). FIELDING: E - J Conti (1, bobble). DP: 4 (E Perez-R Sexson-K Ginter, W Helms-K Ginter-R Sexson 2, R Clayton-K Ginter-R Sexson). CHICAGO CUBS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg D Glanville cf 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 .182 R Martinez 2b 4 0 3 0 0 0 1 .291 S Sosa rf 3 0 1 0 1 1 2 .296 M Alou lf 4 0 1 0 0 2 4 .282 A Ramirez 3b 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 .272 E Karros 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 .294 A Gonzalez ss 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 .226 D Miller c 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .237 J Cruz p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 A Alfonseca p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 a-T Womack ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226 M Remlinger p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 b-R Simon ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .275 M Guthrie p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 30 0 6 0 3 6 14 a-flied out to right for A Alfonseca in the 6th; b-struck out swinging for M Remlinger in the 8th. BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - E Karros 2. GIDP - A Ramirez, D Miller, M Alou. Team LOB - 6. BASERUNNING: CS - R Martinez (1, 2nd base by D Davis/E Perez). FIELDING: Outfield assists - D Glanville (K Ginter at 1st base). DP: 1 (D Glanville-E Karros). ---------------------------------------------------- MILWAUKEE - 100 001 000 -- 2 CHICAGO CUBS - 000 000 000 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- MILWAUKEE ip h r er bb so hr era D Davis (W, 2-0) 8 1/3 5 0 0 2 5 0 0.93 D Kolb (S, 14) 2/3 1 0 0 1 1 0 1.97 CHICAGO CUBS ip h r er bb so hr era J Cruz (L, 1-5) 5 1/3 6 2 2 1 6 0 5.40 A Alfonseca 2/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 5.37 M Remlinger 2 2 0 0 0 3 0 4.13 M Guthrie 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2.06 WP - J Cruz, D Davis. HBP - K Ginter (by J Cruz). Pitches-strikes: D Davis 118-72; D Kolb 15-8; J Cruz 90-54; A Alfonseca 12-9; M Remlinger 29-20; M Guthrie 14-7. Ground balls-fly balls: D Davis 11-9; D Kolb 0-1; J Cruz 4-5; A Alfonseca 0-0; M Remlinger 0-3; M Guthrie 2-1. Batters faced: D Davis 29; D Kolb 4; J Cruz 23; A Alfonseca 2; M Remlinger 8; M Guthrie 5. UMPIRES: HP--Brian Onora. 1B--Phil Cuzzi. 2B--Larry Poncino. 3B--Jerry Crawford. T--2:47. Att--38,946. Weather: 68 degrees, drizzle. Wind: 13 mph, right to left. 

[xisxisxis]

Dontrelle Willis has pretty much collapsed.

 

While his peripheral numbers aren't as good as Webb's, he has 3 more wins, 1 more CG and Shutout and more press. I think the next few weeks will determine the winner, but I don't think you can rule Willis out at this point. I think Webb has had a nice year, but both pitchers need to finish strong. I think if one of them does finish strong, Scotty would have to have a great August, if both limp to the finish line, Podzilla has a chance.

[endaround]

I do think Podsednik has a chance to win it, I just don't think he should and I don't think the vote should even be close.