04/17/2004 - Milwaukee (Kinney) @ Houston (Duckworth)

[DuWayne Steurer]

I'm not going to look at game logs, but we've already had a handful of games where our starters haven't gotten out of the 4th-5th innings. If that doesn't improve, our bullpen is going to be burnt by August, regardless if we have 7 guys out there or not.

 

Brewcrew1114, my comment was not about the way the pen has been pitching, but more the AMOUNT they've been pitching. I agree, by and large, aside from a few ugly performances by Hernandez, and an early outing by Ford, the bullpen has been ok.

[brewcrew1114]

We have played three of the best teams in the National League. I am not satisfied but feel somewhat fortunate as to where we are.

[H0FFY]

Isn't it great they can only put ONE loss against your LOSES column for a game.

 

I could not even handle listening to the radio on this one. Although, I listened to one game with Bob and Jim where the Crew was behind 10 - 1 after 5. So Bob and Jim just talked about fishing for the next hour. And suddenly Bob said, 'oh, by the way, the game just finished, the final was 11 - 2'.

 

Only Bob could do that.

[MassBrew]

Unfortunately, we can once again utter the words:

 

"Your Milwaukee Brewers -- the only 6th place team in baseball"

 

This evening has been a most painful experience...

[DuWayne Steurer]

Just as we think Viz is doing ok, he needs 38 pitches to get 2 outs (while giving up 4 runs)

 

Talk about taking one on the chin.

 

Burba continues to pitch well out of the pen.

 

(Hey, gotta take SOMETHING positive from this game.)

[shelmark]

I agree Kinney needs to be removed from rotation but no way you give up on his arm. He throws a 92 mph sinker and has a good slider and curve when they are located well. Kinney's problem continues to be location, both in and out of the strike zone. His mechanics look good so it is a bit of a mystery why he has such a problem with his location. I hope the guy who claims we should trade Kinney is only kidding. What do you hope to get for him? I still like his arm, so I am willing to be cooked on here by defending him. I also like Billy Hall, but I think he presses too much when he doesn't get consistent playing time. He has a quick bat and if he played regularly he would be able to time the breaking stuff better. Fielding is an issue, but again would improve with time. I was particularily miffed by his soft underhand toss to Ginter on an attempted DP ball...he was clearly too far away for that. Helms....he should be benched in favor of Ginter. NO WAY Ginter doesn't play every day on this team. I love his approach. Helms looks like he is swatting at flies at the plate, and he is a stiff at third. Is it me or does Ben Grieve seem to be almost invisible on this team? Corey Hart anyone by June?

[DuWayne Steurer]

If Brady continues to swing a hot bat, Grieves days on the lineup card are numbered. If Brady plays well enough, no reason to bring up Hart before September and start his service time.

[rluzinski]

Helms will never be benched. He's Yost's homosexual lover.

[batman]

That was 2002-esque. I mean, seriously... everybody's entitled to a bad game now and then, but this was pathetic. Podsednik sure is swinging the bat well, though... I just hope he doesn't get homer-happy and start yanking first pitches into right all the time. And Billy Hall looks like the "old" Billy Hall again, unfortunately. He needs playing time desperately, but the way he played today was certainly not something he should add to his resume.

 

And Ginter is, of course, the man. Couldn't leave that out, could I? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

~Bill

[burniebrewer]

Sorry I've forgotten and I'm sure we've discussed this many times before, but does Kinney have any minor league options left?

[bjkrautk]

Sorry I've forgotten and I'm sure we've discussed this many times before, but does Kinney have any minor league options left?

 

If he did, Minnesota wouldn't have traded him to Milwaukee, IIRC.

[squarepusher]

Brewerfan.net forty man roster (includes options):

www.brewerfan.net/ViewFortyManRoster.do?teamId=1

[burniebrewer]

Thanks Brian. I forgot about that link.

 

Moving on, none of the Durrington supporters have chimed in on his 1/3 of an inning pitched tonight. (At least it showed he pitched on Yahoo GameChannel.) Maybe we can get him one of those position-an-inning games.

[DHonks]

He throws a 92 mph sinker and has a good slider and curve when they are located well. Kinney's problem continues to be location, both in and out of the strike zone

 

You summed it all up there. terrible command. terrible mentality. Great stuff.

[clancyphile]

DHonks

 

You summed it all up there. terrible command. terrible mentality. Great stuff.

 

That's been what I thought about Kinney for a while. He does fine with nobody on, but once runners get on, things will usually snowball into a big inning.

 

On the other hand, while Wayne Franklin never had any of the "stuff" and his command could be described as "questionable" at times, he had the mentality in spades, and that mentality often got him out of trouble he got himself into.

[DHonks]

I fully agreed always Clancy.

[brettac1]

Burba, Burba, Burba. Put him in the rotation. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Kinney is John Snyder's brother from another mother. As a side note, Jim Powell read my e-mail (Brett from Eland, WI) about Burba being put into the rotation - he said its a possibilty but since they won't need a 5th SP for awhile they probably won't put him there. Maybe a spot start once in a while. How can you waste the guy with mop-up stints when his ERA is under 1.00 and he has a winning record as a starter over his career?

[RyDogg66]

Franklin, Kinney, they both stink, and neither one should be in a MLB starting rotation. It is time to show the other one the door Melvin!!

 

As for Burba, keep him in the pen. He has had success there, no need to change things up. If we do not need a 5th starter for awhile, who gets skipped. Obie or Kinney?

[brettac1]

It has to be Kinney considering the fact that Obie threw the SO the other day in SF. It it just me or is Kinney's season this year eerily similar to Rusch's 2003 campaign? When will he be sent down to Indy to "work things out"?

[DuWayne Steurer]

I'm going to start a new poll.

 

The question will be.

 

What % of the game threads when Matt Kinney starts will Clancy pimp Wayne Franklin in?

 

How long will the argument rage on?

[Kraft4a3]

Just as it was last year with Rusch, I will not go to a game with Kinney as the starting pitcher (and I go to all the home games possible). It is too painful to watch. Hopefully, it won't come to this with Kinney geting stuck in the pen.

[mothershipconnection]

How long will the argument rage on?

It's just gotten ridiculous. It's like arguing over who's hotter: Estelle Getty or Bea Arthur? No one ever said Kinney was any good, merely that he sucked less than Franklin, it's not exactly as if Kinney was ever showered with praise.

[Diskono]

I've always thought Kinney could be a decent reliever, but that's about it.

 

Actually, Kinney can flat-out rake, lets just stick him in RF. He's got the arm for it.

 

Nice seeing the 2 bombs from Pods, but is anyone else a little bothered that he's hitting a LOT of flyballs? He's flying out to the track it seems at least once a game, and he doesn't have the kind of power that would justify swinging for the fences all the time.

 

S-Pod is the new Willie Mays Hayes

[brettac1]

Estelle Getty or Bea Arthur?

 

The answer is Betty White!