5/11/2004 - Brewers (Sheets) vs. Expos (L. Hernandez)

[950opsLHcatcher]

In their neverending quest to finish a series with a record over .500, the Brewers take on the dead-ball era Expos in a three game set at Miller Park.

 

The first game is today at 7:05, and the Brewers will need a walkup crowd of around 9,000 to break 10,000 in actual attendence for this one, so get out of their and boo those guys from north of the border, and tell 'em what for about their crappy stadium (San Juan or Montreal).

 

In the words of Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, tell 'em the Brewers will send them "to bejesus and back."

 

It's nice to feel pretty confident going into a game, and especially a series, that your team has a good chance to win the game or the series. It's been awhile since the Brewers have faced an opponent that was obviously worse than the Brewers were. The Expos' pitching staff is very respectable, but their horrendous offense is one of the worst MLB has seen in years, and has nullified their pitching successes. The Expos are dead last in virtually every important statistical catagory in baseball, including team runs, OBP, SLG, OPS, and are next-to-last in team home runs and walks. The Brewers, who are ninth in baseball in runs scored, have more than twice as many runs scored (164) as the Expos (76). To put that in a per-game average, the Brewers are scoring 5.3 RPG, and the Expos are scoring a pathetic 2.4 RPG. Wow.

 

And what about that pitching? As good as they've been (4th in baseball in ERA, 3rd in runs allowed), there is no way that the pitching could compensate for the offense's anemic output. The Expos's pitching staff has given up a 747 OPS, which is 13th best in baseball and my speak to some over-achievement in the runs-allowed department. By contrast, the Expos' offense is at an OPS of 603. You don't win games when your pitching staff is allowing an OPS 140+ points higher than your offense is achieving. But again, it's not the pitching staff's fault.

 

Junior Spivey is scheduled to make a return to second base in this evening's game, so we should see Keith Ginter again sometime in August.

 

Brewerfan/StatFox Matchup Info:

www.brewerfan.net/matchup.jsp?teamId=1

 

MLB.com Preview:

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com...&fext=.jsp

 

ESPN.com Preview:

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com...&fext=.jsp

 

Sportsline.com Preview:

www.sportsline.com/mlb/ga...11_MON@MIL

 

FoxSports.com Preview:

www.foxsports.com/content...Id=2392230

[whizkid]

Ned on the radio this morning said Junior's hammy was still a little tight and they'll wait a couple more days to be safe.

[RyDogg66]

Will there be a Bill Hall sighting tonight? Or will Ned send him to play with Montreal, since if he were starting over there he'd be seen about as often as he is now.

[Justin Einerson]

Man, I really hope SOMEONE goes to the games this week, I'll try go to Thursday... I just don't like letting down the players. Yost was obviously disappointed at the lack therof during the Reds series at Miller. There was a point before the first pitch on that Tuesday where they showed him and he pointed to the crowd, said something to Mike Maddux and put the bill of his cap over his eyes.

[Jopal78]

It will be interesting to see if the Brewers can get anything done against Livan Hernandez. Much like Wade Miller, Livan Hernandez usually dominates the Brewers. Should be one of the better pitching duels this season, with the bullpens deciding this one.

[batman]

Livan Hernandez is a freak. He's one of the most abused pitchers in recent memory, and he's not in very good shape, and yet he continues to pitch a ton of innings and pitch them very well. He's 2-2 with a 2.94 ERA in 7 outings this year, 6 of which were quality starts. He's 6-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 13 career games against Milwaukee, and 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in his only start at Miller Park. His last start was a complete game win against Colorado in which he allowed only 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 7.

 

Dude is a veritable beast.

 

~Bill

[Kraft4a3]

Man, I really hope SOMEONE goes to the games this week,

 

We will once again add to the attendance total this week. Wife and I will go Wed. and Fri. I am losing track of how many this is games 12 & 13 I think. And if I could get 14 wings for $3 at the stadium I would go tonight, but I will be watching the game from Leff's.

 

Where and when are the line-ups for the games posted? I always like to know who is going to be starting before I go. I was thinking of going tonight until someone mentioned Spivey is out a little longer. That means Great Waste Wes Filling will be starting 2nite http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/sick.gif

[JohnBriggs12]

What's amazing is that MLB finds enough cash around for Expos to pay a Livan Hernandez the market rate. Had the Brewers had a little higher payroll budget, he was the guy I would have pursued in a deal this winter.

 

Having watched a little of the Cardinal/Expo series that just ended, I am a little worried. They are scoring a little more and their pitching is very decent.

 

Lets hope Sheets can dominate tonight and win a close one for a change.

[badgerfan.tgf]

Given the state of the Expos organization, is there any chance the Brewers could persue a trade with them for pitching?

 

I'm sure every team in baseball would like to steal from Montreal, so I doubt it would happen, but given our deep farm system I would love to get Zach Day.

[batman]

Today's lineups are sponsored by Bid'ness As Usual.

 MONTREAL MILWAUKEE AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Endy Chavez CF .246 1 6 Scott Podsednik CF .293 3 11 Jamey Carroll 3B .286 0 2 Craig Counsell SS .209 1 6 Jose Vidro 2B .268 4 13 Keith Ginter 2B .257 6 13 Brad Wilkerson 1B .233 4 10 Geoff Jenkins LF .264 3 20 Orlando Cabrera SS .260 3 8 Lyle Overbay 1B .356 5 31 Terrmel Sledge LF .254 2 6 Wes Helms 3B .229 1 5 Juan Rivera RF .269 1 6 Ben Grieve RF .279 3 9 Brian Schneider C .226 2 3 Chad Moeller C .239 2 9 Livan Hernandez RHP .063 0 0 Ben Sheets RHP .000 0 0 (2-2, 2.94) (3-2, 3.43)

Still no Junior.

 

Edit: Replaced lineups with fancy USA Today version.

 

~Bill

[homer]

Terrmel Sledge has one of the best names in baseball....right behind Stubby Clapp.

[JaNelson52]

Still no Junior.

 

PH duty only until the Atlanta series.

[paulgee]

Yup, Termell Sledgehammer smoked one to dead center.

[RyDogg66]

I like Keith Ginter, but he does strike out a lot.

[MachMeister5]

I can't remember him having two hits in a row before this (this season)...

[homer]

Ginter has now K'd 14 times in his last 37 AB's.

 

 

He's now 7 for his last 37 (those AB's have all been since May 1 - I believe that's the day Spivey went out of the game)

[scoop53714]

ginter is taking way to many inside pitches.

 

This may be splitting hairs but......after Pods singles with 2 outs shouldnt Ned and Councell conspire to give Scotty a shot to swipe a bag???? CC swings away at the first pitch and bleeds one into lf for a single but having Pods at 2b might have scored a run.

[bull2477]

Has anyone else heard anything about Hardy? I just read that he is out for the season, torn shoulder I think. CBS Sportsline had the article. But my pc froze up and I didn't get to read it all. Anyone else have any news?

[Frank Mallon]

Big Ben is cruising. Hope we can get some offense going. About Hardy, theres a post in the minor league forum about him being gone six months.

[DuWayne Steurer]

He's having surgery, he's out for the year almost certainly, from what I have read.

[bull2477]

Thanks guys

[DHonks]

I like Keith Ginter, but he does strike out a lot.

 

RyDogg66, last year I figured maybe he'd grow out of that a bit, since he has such a nice compact swing.

But kind of amazing is that he is striking out more than Helms.

AB/BB/K

Helms 98 5 22

Ginter 76 12 22

 

Of course, Ginter is also driving the ball much better, and hitting some homers. But boy, it's rough when Ginter and Helms are both slumping.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Funny enough, a few nights ago Sutton's exact words about Ginter were, and I quote.........."he's so VERY hard to strike out"

 

Does he have a single clue?

[homer]

I've read scouting reports on Ginter that say his open stance makes him vulnerable to K's and that pitchers may be able to figure him out the more they see him. That's why I've always held my tongue in the pro Ginter debates. I'm still not sold that he's an everyday player. His batting average went way down when he got regular playing time last year, although his OBP didn't really suffer because he walks enough. I don't think he's bad by any means, but I sometimes wonder if he's more productive off the bench. Granted, if Helms keeps sucking then I'd prefer we stick Ginter at 3rd to take his hacks, but he's far from the ultimate answer at the position.

[Frank Mallon]

not a very smart play by Kieth there. 3 runs may be very hard to get against Livan.