7/23 Astros (Oswalt) at Brewers (Rusch)

[Ralph Wiggum]

Agreed.....all Helms has to do is make contact and hit it on the ground and he ties the game......but he whiffs on ball four......he has got to be more protective of the plate than that

[GumbyLives]

Yeah, all Helms had to so was make contact. Easier said than done against a guy throwing 100 MPH. Helms HAS to look fastball. He did, Wagner throws a nasty slider, Helms has to commit early, no chance.

[JaNelson52]

Agreed.....all Helms has to do is make contact and hit it on the ground and he ties the game......but he whiffs on ball four......he has got to be more protective of the plate than that

 

The above statement makes absolutely no sense.

 

All Helms has to do is "make contact"? OK. Does Clark score on a:

 

1) Tapper back to the mound?

2) A little dribbler in front of home plate?

3) A line drive at someone on the infield?

4) A short pop up to the shallow OF?

 

All four of those scenarios come from "making contact"...yet none of them would have allowed Clark to score from third. Even a ground ball doesn't guarantee Clark scoring, as the Astros infield was pulled in after Clark stole third.

 

Likewise, Im sure hitting a Billy Wagner slider is just as easy as pie, correct? I mean, Wagner has become an elite relief pitcher by accident...

[Ralph Wiggum]

No....I'm sure that hitting a Wagner slider is tougher than heck. I guess the blame can be put on VDLS too for allowing a hit to Berkman. Or the whole Brewer offense can be blamed for not garnering more than 2 runs. Just at the time, Helms had a chance to tie the game with either a sharp grounder to the middle of the diamond or a deep fly ball, and he did neither. I'm sure he blames himself. If the Brewers are ever going to turn the corner, they will need to tighten up in those situations.

[mls4]

"Also what in the name of all that is holy does Osik pinch-hit in that situation!!?!!"

 

The other options were Cruz (who was sent in to pinch-run, a good move) and Kieschnick (and everyone knows you never send a LH hitter to hit against a LH pitcher). Actually, Kieschnick is 0-6 against LH this year and Osik is 12-30/.400/.438/.500 (small sample?).

[mothershipconnection]

Speaking of Billy Wagner, did anyone else see him on "The Budweiser Hot Seat" on Sports Center today? Man, I thought no could sound dumber than Rickey Henderson, but this guy makes it look easy. These are paraphrased, but...

Q: What's your favorite Metallica song other than Enter Sandman (what they play when he comes in from the pen)?

A: Smoke on the Water.

Q: Other than finishing off that no-hitter, what's been your biggest thrill as a player?

A: The birth of my child.

There were a few other gems, but I was too astounded by a couple really dumb ones that I didn't remember them.

[pogokat]

the jamey wright to glendon rusch comparison was in jest...but remember, jamey wasnt traded until the aug. 31 trade deadline...giving rusch plenty of time to get it together!

 

ha!

 

maybe its time we tested that "any decent starting pitcher would make a great closer" theory

[igor67]

I doubt Glendon is closer material but he put a nice littel relief streak together... The market on starters is so thin if Rusch has a solid start next time out someone will take him. Neyer lists the Yankees, Red Sox, and Twins in the AL as needing starting pitching. Not sure they would take a chance on Glendon, but George never wastes an opportunity to burn money. In the NL the Cubs, Cardinals, and Giants all have starting pitcher needs with the Cardinals needing more than 1. A fair number of the teams are just looking for an innings eater so I'd say Rusch has a chance to be dealt by the July 31st deadline. I'm not expecting much, but a couple of solid A+ players would be nice, and just getting off the hook for Glendon's buyout is a solid return. It's hard to say in the end because as you see every year there is such a variety in what teams trade for these lower level MLB players.

[clancyphile]

Yeah... I mean, look at what we got for a $5 million infielder with almost no power...

 

A guy who will turn out to be a decent #3 starter (Franklin) and one of the best utility players in the majors (Ginter).

[brewmann04]

Sorry Never mind helms mistake or osik being a pinch hitter. The Bottom line is that he needed t bring in Kolb in the Bottom of the 9th.

 

I usually a big fan of Ned but this is his Fault.

 

 

PS

 

quick question was there any scouts in the stands

watching either rusch or Dejean last night

[deeswan]

Brewmann, considering Berkman doubled off VDLS in the 9th and scored the tying run, then homered off Kolb in the 11th for the winning run, why was Kolb such an obvious choice in the 9th. He's been pretty good so far, but he's only pitched in about 10 games, I don't see why he should be handed the closer's job at this point. I think Yost made the right choice in the 9th, it just didn't work out.

[JaNelson52]

Yeah... I mean, look at what we got for a $5 million infielder with almost no power...

 

A guy who will turn out to be a decent #3 starter (Franklin) and one of the best utility players in the majors (Ginter).

 

While I like Keith and think he can be an adequate player in this league, calling him "one of the best utility players in the majors" is a stretch at best at this time. Two players for sure - Brian Buchanan of SD and Tomas Perez of PHI - would certainly rank higher right now.

 

Likewise, as far fas Franklin goes - he is not having a bad season at all, but the guy is gonna be 30 at the beginning of next season, and I think he has already "turned into" what he is gonna be...an adequate #5 starter at best. His season this year is only about a half of a win better than replacement level.

[Al the Thinking Man]

Likewise, as far fas Franklin goes - he is not having a bad season at all, but the guy is gonna be 30 at the beginning of next season, and I think he has already "turned into" what he is gonna be...an adequate #5 starter at best. His season this year is only about a half of a win better than replacement level.

 

Makes you think just how bad our starters have been, huh? Franklin is proving better than I felt, but just a bit. Most good AAA starters will be mediocre or just a bit below if put out there every 5th day.

[JaNelson52]

I think Yost made the right choice in the 9th, it just didn't work out.

 

It just goes to show that it truly really doesn't matter all that much who the "closer" is...an inning of relief is an inning of relief, whether its in the 7th, 8th, or 9th. I would argue that a good middle relief corps - which has to keep the lead between the sixth and eighth innings of each game - is more important than the guy who has to get the final three outs. I think that's why you are seeing guys who certainly have the ability to close games, like Armando Benitez, Mike Williams, and Curtis Leskanic, to name a few, are being acquired to add middle relief depth.

 

Take last night, for example. Houston trailed, 2-1, after six innings, but two innings of perfect middle relief by Dotel and Lidge kept it at 2-1 to give HOU the chance to tie it in the ninth...and another two innings of perfect relief allowed the Astros to take the lead. Those innings by the Astros bullpen were certainly just as, if not more, important than the final inning by Wagner.

[squarepusher]

[ an inning of relief is an inning of relief, whether its in the 7th, 8th, or 9th. ]

 

While factually that is true, I believe some pitchers have a better time pitching when they have a defined role. Some pitchers are great for intense situational pitching (makes me think of Mike Myers, and the Chad Fox of old), and some pitchers just thrive as closers.

 

I think that if you have the right mix of personalities, a closer by committee can work. But some closers probably feel like being the last word on a game gets them pumped up.

[clancyphile]

He had a rough start, but he's been closer to a #3 starter since May 16th of this year. We've won all but two of his starts since then, and when he's in, I feel confident that I'll be reading about a Brewers win the next day.

 

As for Ginter, I did not say the best utility player in the majors, I said one of the best. Two others ahead of him, but I don't know of any others. EY is the only reason Ginter is not starting at second, and that will probably change in a week or so if a trade happens.

[brewmann04]

Kolb who has been the hot pitcher should have been in

there in the 9th.Closer by Committe is not a good thing for this team.

[deeswan]

FYI, VDLS has better numbers for July than Kolb does. I'm not saying I would argue with Kolb being brought in to pitch the 9th, I just don't have a problem with VDLS being in there either. It certainly isn't as clear-cut as you seem to think it is.

 

VDLS game by game

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com...statType=2

 

Kolb game by game

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com...statType=2

[brewmann04]

you have every right to express your opinion and i have no promblem with that.

 

However MY Opinion is that he shoul have went we the hot pitcher who had pick up two saves in the last few days.

[JaNelson52]

He had a rough start, but he's been closer to a #3 starter since May 16th of this year. We've won all but two of his starts since then, and when he's in, I feel confident that I'll be reading about a Brewers win the next day.

 

Franklin's not pitching horribly, but whether he started poorly or not, he is still just a half of a win above replacement level...any decent AAA pitcher can be putting up the type of numbers Franklin has this season. The starters statistically ranked in the area of Franklin right now are either bottom of the rotation starters, or vets like Brad Radke and Mike Hampton, who are having bad years. With that the case, its hard to perceive Franklin to be pitching that good, especially a #3 starter level good. Ben Sheets is pitching right now at a #3 starter level. Franklin's BB/K ratio is horrible; he walks about 4.5 guys per nine innings, and strikes out 5.8 per nine.

 

Franklin is what he is; a #5 starter or a swingman-type in the bullpen. For him to fill a role on a team like the Brewers isn't a bad option, as he is cheap and durable. However, to perceive him any higher than that is a mistake.

[Frisbee Slider]

[ an inning of relief is an inning of relief, whether its in the 7th, 8th, or 9th. ]

 

Statistically, if one were to look at a box score and see that a run was given up in relief in the 7th inning that run counts the same as a run given up in the 3rd or a run given up in the 9th. The 7th inning, 8th inning and 9th inning are different situations though....even if the score is exactly the same throughout each. Emotions and pressure build as the game progresses further and further. It's human nature.

 

Ex: DeJean struggled in the 9th inning and their been arguments that "doesn't Yost know that a run given up in the 7th inning counts just the same"....well short of never pitching DeJean again what exactly would the plan be for using DJ, or whomever.