04/21/2004 - Arizona (Johnson) @ Milwaukee (Davis)

[squarepusher]

Two guys who basically through the opposite stuff take the mound tonight as the Brewers try to claw their way back to .500.

 

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Brewerfan.net / Statfox matchup info:

www.brewerfan.net/matchup.jsp

 

MLB.com game preview:

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mil/news/mil_news.jsp?ymd=20040420&content_id=725327&vkey=news_mil&fext=.jsp

 

ESPN game preview:

sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview?gameId=240421108

 

Fox Sports game preview:

www.foxsports.com/content/view?contentId=2338444

 

Fox Sports gametrax:

www.foxsports.com/named/FS/MLB/gameTrax?gameId=240421117

 

Yahoo game preview:

sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=240421108

[batman]

The Crew's hitters have been pretty not-good against Randy Johnson in their careers.

 

 H/AB AVG OBA SLG OPS -------------------------------------------------- Gary Bennett 2/10 .200 .200 .200 .400 Keith Ginter 1/7 .143 .143 .143 .286 Wes Helms 0/9 .000 .000 .000 .000 Scott Podsednik 0/4 .000 .000 .000 .000 Billy Hall 0/1 .000 .000 .000 .000

 

The three exceptions are:

 

 H/AB AVG OBA SLG OPS -------------------------------------------------- Brady Clark 3/3 1.000 1.000 1.333 2.333 Geoff Jenkins 4/6 .667 .667 .833 1.500 Ben Grieve 1/3 .333 .500 .333 .833

 

I thought Brady Clark only roughed up the Reds and Pirates? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

It'll be the first time the new Brewerbacks (I really hate that moniker, by the way) face Johnson, obviously.

 

On the other side, Doug Davis has been masterful against the D-backs hitters. The eleven players on their roster with experience against him have combined to go 8 for 43, good for a .195 batting average and a .623 OPS.

 

If Davis pitches well, it should be a good game. Johnson isn't the same pitcher he was five years ago and the Brewers should be able to increase his pitch counts enough to send him to the showers rather early. He's thrown 114 pitches in 6 innings, 111 pitches in 7 innings, and 116 pitches in 9 innings in his three starts thus far. Hopefully the Brewers can duplicate that first number so they can get three innings to hammer the Dbacks relief corps.

 

Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled game thread,

~Bill

[DHonks]

It's kind of unfortunate that we hurt Alomar, because in the early going it meant that they had Alomar, Finley, and Hillenbrand all scuffling. Kata and/or Tracy will jump in and provide some instant offense and energy for them, and that's not what I want to see when we are facing Randy and Webby.

Once again, while I like what we got in the Sexson trade, it sure would have been nice if the Dbacks had accepted our offer last May that included Webb.

[clancyphile]

DHonks

 

Too bad the Crew couldn't have talked them into a Webb-Counsell-Overbay-Moeller-Capuano-de la Rosa package...

[deeswan]

With the D-Backs at 4-9 does anyone think Bob Brenly is looking over his shoulder to see if Donald Trump is looking for him?

[SlideBernieSlide]

Big Unit. My guess is Ned will try and implement some more righties into the line-up. May go with something like this...

 

CF Pods

SS Hall

2B Spivey

LF Jenkins

3B Ginter

1B Helms

RF Clark

C Moeller

P Davis

 

Just a guess.

[thebruce44]

Once again, while I like what we got in the Sexson trade, it sure would have been nice if the Dbacks had accepted our offer last May that included Webb.

 

With the extra pitching from that deal, we could have then made that Franklin for Pujols plus PTBNL trade.

[Cyanogen5]

Unless that PTBNL is a top 5 prospect, say Adam Wainwright, we wouldn't be getting nearly enough in that dealhttp://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/roll.gif

[scoop53714]

Slide,

 

I think you nailed that lineup. Furthermore, I am really starting to wonder if Helms should be starting. I have been defending him for a long time but Ginter is a better player. Keith needs to start over Wes.

[batman]

I think you nailed that lineup. Furthermore, I am really starting to wonder if Helms should be starting. I have been defending him for a long time but Ginter is a better player. Keith needs to start over Wes.

 

I think we should alert the proper authorities... somebody has hacked into scoop's computer!!!

 

Just kidding... I'm glad you're finally coming around. There's room for everyone on the Keith Ginter bandwagon http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

 

~Bill

[Getpaddled]

"Ginter is a better player. Keith needs to start over Wes. "

 

I totally agree, but we know that won't happen, If this was little league, Yost would have adopted him already. Dads like to play there sons! Wes I could see being a good back up and solid pinch hitter later in the brewers future

[endaround]

Wes should be traded this offseason. If not, well I'm sure hypocracy encourages young players to their best just as hypocracy in your office brings that can do attitude to your job.

[DHonks]

With the D-Backs at 4-9 does anyone think Bob Brenly is looking over his shoulder to see if Donald Trump is looking for him?

 

deeswan, you're not the first to make that claim (although the Trump part is from you). When Melvin went to Seattle, many insiders with the club immediately speculated that the Dbacks would suffer last year. Apparently Melvin's organization and preparedness was what helped make Brenly appear a great up-and-coming manager. That's why this year they made Yount the bench coach. Apparently Robin's preparedness and general knowledge is very highly regarded throughout the game, and they felt that having him as a right-hand man would help Brenly. Think of it as how Democrats praised Bush's decision to take Cheney as a running mate (although now parts of the left are attacking Cheney, as they should be in an election year...it's easy to forget how they applauded the VP nomination for Cheney).

At the same time, it comes down to their hitters not hitting and their pitchers not pitching. They are a more than capable team though.

[brettac1]

I don't personally remember applauding the selection of Cheney to "round out the ticket", it just added another Oil Man to the posse, and Condi Rice was later added to really get things oiled up. Cheney is a nut. A useless ChickenHawk, like the rest of the administration - Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Bush, Rove, Ashcroft. Cheney and Rove run the country, and he also made a tidy sum of $174, 000 last year from Halliburton. Oh well, they will lose in Nov. anyway. I now have to get back to watching my beloved Fox News.

[PeaveyFury]

Yet another game thread headed hopelessly off topic...

[brettac1]

I' m ready to get back to the game, I just felt that needed a response. The Crew obviously needs to get Unit's pitch count up in the first 2-3 innings. Jenkins has had success against him and he will probably need to tonight. Also, which Davis wil we see? Houston at Miller or Milwaukee at Enron? Very winable game.

[SoCalBrewfan]

He said 'Enron.'

[batman]

Keith Ginter has 23 at-bats in the Brewer's first 15 games. That puts him on pace to get 248 at-bats this season. That's not real close to the 400-500 mark that Nedly established before the season, is it?

 

Either Spivey's going to get traded or Ginter's going to have a hard time breaking thru the 300 AB barrier.

 

Discuss.

 

~Bill

[brettac1]

I know, since we were talking about GWB, I figured it'd be nice to drop the name of a campaign contributor of his that use to own the rights to the Astros' stadium.

[berniebrewer4life]

i am not a big fan of GWB, but aren't we 2-0 with him throwing out the opening pitch? maybe we should move him to the bullpen, and drop kinney all together.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[brettac1]

Good point, he comes submarine from the far-right side of the rubber. He maybe a good specialist.

[pogokat]

Keith Ginter has 23 at-bats in the Brewer's first 15 games. That puts him on pace to get 248 at-bats this season. That's not real close to the 400-500 mark that Nedly established before the season, is it?

 

I think ned still owes Cruz about 85 ab's from last year...I expect Ginter will continue to get yosted until Helms gets crudaled

[tyguy20204]

Do you guys think Ben Grieve is giving maximum effort for the Brewers? I'm not too fond of making judgements about effort, because I assume everyone gives 100%, but his play seems pretty lackadaisical. It looks as though he's just coasting.

[xisxisxis]

Discuss.

 

Pogo put it perfectly. I'll just say.........

[Diskono]

Do you guys think Ben Grieve is giving maximum effort for the Brewers? I'm not too fond of making judgements about effort, because I assume everyone gives 100%, but his play seems pretty lackadaisical. It looks as though he's just coasting.

 

I think he's just REALLY slow.