04/10/05 - Brewers (Santos) @ Cubs (Maddux), 1:20 PM CT

[aracko]

That said Square, I would rather take my chances with 2 runners in scoring position and one out with a right handed bat coming up in an extra innings tie game 95 times out of 100.

 

Sure, if its the 7th inning, you let Jenks hit, but not in that situation.

 

 

EDIT - For the record, in no way am I suggesting the Brewers Bench Jenkins, but in situations like this, VERSUS A LEFTY, in the 12th inning, he should have been pinch hit for.

[PeaveyFury]

EDIT - For the record, in no way am I suggesting the Brewers Bench Jenkins, but in situations like this, VERSUS A LEFTY, in the 12th inning, he should have been pinch hit for.

 

So who plays the outfield then? Billy Hall? Yipe. Probably not the best idea...

[aracko]

you play to win Peavey. Yeah you will have to put Hall in the OF for a half inning. 13th inning you have the bottom of the order coming up anyways. I honestly think that was the time to take a calculated gamble.

[RyDogg66]

hence the problem with carrying 4 OF and 8 IF. Once Magruder is spent you are stuck with what you've got out there.

[squarepusher]

[ So who plays the outfield then? Billy Hall? Yipe. Probably not the best idea... ]

 

Branyan could have probably slid over to RF without a problem.

[rluzinski]

That one leaves a mark but let's not lose sight of the big picture; 3-2 road series and it's time for opening day at Miller Park. If I would have told you guys the Crew would start 3-2 I think most would have been happy with that.

[endaround]

Bill--

 

I see Magruder fine from the right side. I still can't believe no one has convinced him to give up switch hitting yet. No way should he have a 250 point OPS and a 100 point BA swing.

[scrapiron]

Yeah, it pretty much blows that the Brewers lost, but they were one out and nobody on away from losing the opening game too. Sure, the Brewers let one get away today, but the Cubs let one get away Friday. The way I see it, we're even.

 

While only 5 games into the season, the Brewers were living on borrowed time with Phelps to begin with IMO. The bill came due today. Other than Phelps, I was pretty gosh darned impressed with the pen in general. Especially Wise and of course JDLR. If they can limit Turnbow to bring him in in the right situations, I think there bullpen will be just fine.

 

After yesterday, if they would have tanked it offensively I would be more upset and more doom and gloom. Scoring five runs isn't bad and they had a pretty solid offensive showing on the whole. Bummer they lost but they are better than Pittsburgh, hopefully they'll take two out of three from the Bucs.

[DHonks]

Branyan can play OF. But the reality of the situation is that we need Jenkins. Hart isn't ready. Nelson isn't ready. Cruz isn't ready. And I still think Magruder's defense is only good when compared with Roger Cedeno and Scott Podsednik. I just don't feel comfortable at all with Magruder in the field, especially late in games.

[brewmann04]

del la rosa is now the top lefty in the Pen.

what a terrible felling after today game

[clancyphile]

Turnbow's only got enough gas for one inning.

 

The way I see it, the pen's in good shape.

 

Closer: Adams

8th inning: de la Rosa

7th inning: Turnbow

MR: Wise

MR: Bottalico

LOOGY: Phelps

LR: Obermueller

 

Pretty much, it's about figuring out where each of these guys are. If the Crew can get a better option than Phelps at LOOGY (Matt Ford? Andy Pratt? Sam Narron?), they should pursue it.

 

Turnbow may also need to be moved if the Crew can get a better MR. Bottalico could move to the 7th, then. But if the Crew keeps limitations in mind - this pen will be okay. It's still very early, and Phelps did well in prior appearances.

[rwa12]

Don't know if this has been addressed yet, and don't feel like sifting through 20 pages, but this thought occured to me while watching the game...did anyone let Lyle know that there were people stealing? Both Clark and Spivey were shot with Lyle batting, and he didn't so much as wave at a pitch...I believe that in both cases they were fastballs down the middle, do something to break up Barret's rhythm...once again loved JDLR today, he really deserved another win with that performance

[RyDogg66]

Everyone here has permission to continue over reacting until first pitch tomorrow. Anyone else just feel like if we can play another game you'd feel a lot better?

[H0FFY]

In the HISTORY of baseball can anyone find a worst conversion of offense into runs as follows:

 

Team collects 16 hits, and 3 walks and two error AND in the hits are three home runs

 

and... team scores 5 runs.

 

You have to admit. In the HISTORY of baseball, I find it hard to believe that there can be even 5 more occurances of such ANTI-CLUTCH.

 

By the way, I agree with poster who said how we stole the first game from the Cubs. So, I kind of feel stole one and gave one away.

 

But, amazingly, the good teams somehow manage to steal more than they give away. I am always interested to see how the Brewers will face up over a month or two. I am sick and tired of being 'happy go lucky, good guy LOSERS'. I am sick and tired of being ANTI CLUTCH.

 

I did see a SABR-type analysis of how good teams manage to win more of the 'close games'. And the SABR dudes could not explain it. In fact they were dumbfounded. But, of course, if you forget that baseball players are human - or you exclude that from your analysis - you will be dumbfounded a lot.

 

I am really sad after today's loss. But, like many said here, I almost am not distraught. We come to expect exactly this from our organisation.

 

IT MUST MUST MUST change.

 

By the way (again) I get a feeling that this Hardy is NOT ANTI CLUTCH. So, I am so hopeful the young guys we bring up are indeed capable of producing their expected numbers in all situations. I feel so bad for Mr Jenks. He is amazingly a wreck. To have your brain completely change your game for the worse, because you won a home run derby is amazing. He must not be the most gifted intelligent man. But I sure want him to do good and go back to what he WAS. HE SHOULD BE BETTER AT 28-29-30-31 THAN 24-25. C'mon Geoff. C'mon.

[ja002h]

Turnbow's only got enough gas for one inning.

 

Turnbow didn't do a whole lot besides allow some wimpy choppers and a fly ball. I don't blame him. The problem is that Phelps didn't get the job done, and we can't get more than 1-2 hits in an innings.

 

Putrid.

[Loopee]

Tough Loss, just got back from the north side. Didn't manage to pull off the Miller Park South sign, maybe next time. My thoughts from the game.

 

 

Rough day for Jenkins, needs to work on situational hitting.

 

Clark could have made that catch. Situational hitting too.

 

I'm a big Phelps guy, but why in the name of all things baseball does he have 4 app in 5 games, each (before today) lasting an inning? Guy did not throw today like he normally does. We have 12 men in the bullpen for a reason, we shouldn't wear out one guy because he's looked okay so far.

 

Still unknown whether Phelps will really produce or not, but I don't put that much stock in today. The guy has inexplicably been overused so far, and it showed.

 

This is what happens when you wear out your pen.

[shelmark]

Loopee,

 

The situational hitting that Jenks needs help with is when the pitcher has the ball and he has a bat. I really don't get too excited about the lack of hitting with RISP, but I do get excited about getting caught stealing with the pitchers struggling. I'm tired of giving up outs with our top hitters coming up. Overbay had 53 doubles last year and the guys on base could score on half of them...but we steal. I wish Yost would step aside and let the players play. Also, last year Yost preached about how overrated having a LH reliever was, and this year he puts Phelps in, because, presumably, they had two LH batters coming up. Make up your mind Yost and then put in the guy that can get outs. Where the hell was Ob in the 6th today?

[badgerfan.tgf]

Quote:

---

I agree with poster who said how we stole the first game from the Cubs. So, I kind of feel stole one and gave one away.

---

 

If we have any intentions of finishing above .500 we are going to need to steal a heck of a lot more games from our opponents than we give away.

 

As we all know, the Brewers have very little, if any margin for error. That's a luxury that teams like the Cubs, Cards, Astros, etc have since they can buy many more better players. Heck, one more blown save for the Cubs and they'll go out and trade for a top shelf closer. The Brewers have to sit tight and make due with what they have.

 

That's why this loss was so tough to take. We MUST win games like today. Sure we got a little lucky on Friday, but in the grand scheme of things, we're going to need a lot of luck with the current roster to finish over .500.