04/17/05 - Cards (Maquis) @ Brewers (Santos), 1:05 PM CT

[badgerfan.tgf]

Quote:

---

If this pitching can continue, they'll win more in the long run.

---

 

With what offense? It sucks when you've given up 3 runs by the fifth inning and you can warm up the bus because there is no way the Brewers will get to 3.

[1992casey]

---

The positive thing is, the Brewers had great pitching for all 3 games (not too great yesterday, but servicable)

---

And actually, Davis had the flu yesterday, too.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Quote:

---

Anyone think we'll score more than 2 runs against Perez tomorrow? Not me.

---

 

Carlos Perez is a bum. They should be able to get to him.

 

That said, if I owned Perez in a fantasy league, you can bet I'd start him tomorrow.

[crichar3]

A positive takeaway from today's game is Victor's performance. After a poor close to last season and little to show this spring, I figured his wad was shot. But he has done well for the most part so far. Today he did very well, considering the caliber of the opposition. A shame they wasted a fine outing by their #4 starter. That one was there for the taking, but when they don't hit and play sloppy D they are going to lose game like this.

 

I don't like those echoes I hear; it sounds like last year, but it can't be...this should be an improved team. Well, it may still work out that way. But right now it is hard to see that.

[1992casey]

Being that it's only April 17th, there's only one thing I'm willing to conclude so far. While I don't recall it happening today, it's that this team is sending runners all too often. Other than that, as cliched as it sounds, sample sizes are small.

 

Look at some of the 'conclusions' we were making last year with the whole first half of the season as a sample size, and look at how we had to change those 'conclusions'.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Quote:

---

With what offense? It sucks when you've given up 3 runs by the fifth inning and you can warm up the bus because there is no way the Brewers will get to 3.

---

 

The offense won't stay dormant forever. Carlos Lee will warm up. He isn't going to suddenly become a .250 hitter who strikes out 175 times just because he changes leagues. Jenkins will go on a hot streak sooner or later, and people on this site will be praying to Jenks bobbleheads at night. Brady Clark has been great. Spivey has been either hit or miss. Overbay has been steady. Branyan/Cirillo was steady until this series. Miller has been great. Hardy has basically sucked, but that was expected.

 

no need to fret yet, guys.

[brewmann04]

so far this is the same results that they can"t beat the big Boys .

 

1-5 so far aganist the Cubs and cards

[1992casey]

---

Carlos Perez

---

Odalis Perez

 

Hey, if I didn't mention it, someone would have! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[squarepusher]

[ js002h.......WHAT MAKES YOU BELIEVE HE IS A MAJOR LEAGUE CLOSER????????????? ]

 

Excessive punctuation drives me insane. We understand that you're asking a question. 13 question marks is completely unnecessary.

 

By your logic, Mariano Rivera shouldn't be a closer. Danny Kolb shouldn't be a closer. Armando Benitez shouldn't be a closer. Trevor Hoffman shouldn't be a closer. Keith Foulke couldn't be a closer. Sounds a little bit short-sighted, doesn't it?

 

If you're here just to fly off the handle and Brewer bash, than this probably isn't the place to be. Yes, the offense is struggling. Yes, we're pretty unhappy about the Brewers getting swept by last year's NL Champions, but really... even the most pessimistic people can tell the difference between small sample size and reality.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Quote:

---

Odalis Perez

 

Hey, if I didn't mention it, someone would have!

---

 

My bad...that's what I meant. I'm getting my Perezes mixed up. Both are junkballing lefties who pitched for the Dodgers, though, so I think its a acceptable mistake.

 

Perez must be like "Johnson" in central America.

 

I think this team can get to Odalis, though. Of couse, he is a junkballing lefty, so it will probably be a 2-1 score. I guess Russell gets a rest tomorrow in favor of Cirillo. Or does Wesly get his first start of the year?

[brettac1]

Thank you, Brian. Who's to say what a "closer" is. It's a myth in my opinion. If Doug Melvin says Mike Adams is the closer, then he is, therefore he is a closer. He's the best pitcher in the bullpen, what should Bottalico get the last three outs instead because he's a "grizzled vet", so he has the "mentality"? It's one game.

[1992casey]

---

My bad...that's what I meant. I'm getting my Perezes mixed up. Both are junkballing lefties who pitched for the Dodgers, though, so I think its a acceptable mistake.

---

I'll let it fly! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

When it comes to the Tigers, I get my Carloses (Peña and Guillen) mixed up.

 

Shoot, I had to edit a post the other day because I interchanged 'Miller' and 'Moeller'. Yeeouch!

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

The thing that concerns me is the approach they are taking at the plate. Lee is not working the count, Jenkins continues to K on the same pitches. For example, how many times today did Lee chase outside? Several times either striking out or popping up. Same with Spivey, he is chasing way too many pitches low and away. If I saw more discipline out of our big guns then I wouldn't worry about it as much.

[squarepusher]

[ Wiggum says BREWERS ALL THE WAY....loser. ]

 

Brewerfan.net Forums have become what they are today because of the maturity and respect of their posters. I guess I missed this in the chaos of today's game thread. I absolutely will not tolerate name calling like this.

 

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

[EdgarDiazRocks]

A positive takeaway from today's game is Victor's performance.

 

Maybe he's a reverse vampire . . . .

 

Hardy could get a hit anytime soon.

 

EDIT:

 

As I look over the series Rolen and Pujols got 10 of the 20 hits we gave up, including 4 HR's and 6 of the 9 RBI

[Ennder]

If you swap edmunds and clark in the field today we win the game. STL won last year with defense as much as hitting and we still aren't a great team in defense.

 

I do agree that the approach at the plate of many of our hitters bothers me. I really don't like pointing fingers but the longer this team's approach is poor at the plate the more I tend to blame the hitting coach. I havent' really seen improvement in the hitting of any of the brewers under Butch. We get new players, they slide the same way as our old players. Maybe its just bad luck so far but if this team does not hit well this year I personally think its time to make a move.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Quote:

---

Brewerfan.net Forums have become what they are today because of the maturity and respect of their posters.

---

 

Thanks Brian. I know there have been times I've stirred the pot, so to speak, but I at least try to add meaningful conversation to the forum.

 

I'm sure that most fans here are very frusterated, but to turn on the team after 10 games in the middle of April is immature. Part of why I love this site is the ability to criticize without the threat or trolls/banning. But it can be taken too far.

 

Anyway....time to pitch a gem tomorrow, Cappy!

[brewmann04]

i have to chnage my predictions to about 70 wins for the crew

[crichar3]

If you swap edmonds and clark in the field today we win the game. STL won last year with defense as much as hitting and we still aren't a great team in defense.

 

 

 

I hate to admit it because I really like Clark (and there is much to like about his offense right now), but he is not helping in center at present, perhaps because of how deep he plays. Yesterday two balls dropped in front of him; today he was a principal in the defensive fiasco that allowed Pujols to score. Last week v. CHI he should have made that play deep in the left-center field gap late in the game (I believe on Sunday).

 

 

I do agree that the approach at the plate of many of our hitters bothers me.

 

 

Me, too. I don't know what it is about the outside pitch that so dazzles the Brewers' hitters. A particularly vexing case is Carlos Lee. It appears opponents have started working him away, often with off-speed stuff. He has yet to adjust, either by laying off of it or going the other way. I expected that, based on the numbers he has posted, he would be the kind of hitter that used the whole field and could hurt the opposition regardless of how they attacked him. Of course, that may still prove to be the case -- it is still very early. However, I am a bit surprised and a little disappointed when I see an 0-12 in a series like he put up this weekend. I figured it would be in games like today and in series like this that Lee would be a difference maker. Hopefully it will still work out that way.

[PeaveyFury]

You know, for all the people that say defense is overrated, it's pretty clear that poor defense has definitely cost us a number of times already this year. The offense obviously isn't carrying its weight right now, but it won't continue to struggle like it has. In the meantime, its painful to watch them compound the problem by giving up outs on the basepaths because of being overaggressive in the wrong spots.

 

The pitching staffs' performance, however, has been nothing short of fantastic thus far, both in the rotation and bullpen.

[RyDogg66]

I hate to admit it because I really like Clark (and there is much to like about his offense right now), but he is not helping in center at present, perhaps because of how deep he plays. Yesterday two balls dropped in front of him; today he was a principal in the defensive fiasco that allowed Pujols to score. Last week v. CHI he should have made that play deep in the left-center field gap late in the game (I believe on Sunday).

 

The one bright spot on the team so far and people seem to be going out of their way to nitpick Brady Clark. The guy isn't and hasn't been advertised as Andruw Jones or Jim Edmonds in CF, he was simply advertised as better defensively than what we had last year, Scott Podsednik, and so far I'd say he has been. That ball against the wall in Chicago was tailing away from him quite a bit and he was running full steam into a brick wall - cut the guy some slack. If the offense 2-8 wasn't absolutely pitiful he'd be the early front runner for team MVP.

[davego]

brewmann04, guess that's why Vegas said 72 on the over-under.....

[batman]

I had to go play outside with my dog after this one... I encourage everyone to go outside, play some catch or go for a walk, and enjoy the great WI weather. Unless you're not from Wisconsin - then go enjoy the [good/bad] [somewhere] weather. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

How aboot Victor Santos, eh? That was one heck of a pitching performance against a pretty impressive lineup. He had all eighteen of his pitches working and he just looked awesome... it's hard not to be excited about a fourth starter with that kind of ceiling. Hopefully the fact that he didn't pitch in Winter Ball this year will help him stay stronger... you can't argue with his stuff, in any case.

 

And how good is Scott Rolen? Wow.

 

We'll survive, as rough as this series was.

 

~Bill

[brewmann04]

defense and the lack of hitting is the big reason why we are

1-5 aganist the top teams in our division

[crichar3]

Quote:

---

The one bright spot on the team so far and people seem to be going out of their way to nitpick Brady Clark. The guy isn't and hasn't been advertised as Andruw Jones or Jim Edmonds in CF, he was simply advertised as better defensively than what we had last year, Scott Podsednik, and so far I'd say he has been. That ball against the wall in Chicago was tailing away from him quite a bit and he was running full steam into a brick wall - cut the guy some slack.

---

 

 

I nearly strained my back bending over so far to note that I like Brady Clark -- a lot, in fact. I am delighted that he is getting his shot. I like the intensity with which he plays. But that doesn't change the fact that his error today was costly and that the depth at which he plays center hurt them yesterday. I don't think it is nitpicking to note those problems in games in which they lose by one and two runs. It is precisely those kinds of little "nitpicking" things that matter in close games.

 

Now one could argue that it wouldn't have been a two run game yesterday without Brady's big hit. That's very true. I am referring not to his offense -- which has been terrific -- but his defense which, while a likely improvement over Po, has not always been a plus factor for a team that desperately needs big defensive plays.