04/16/2004 - Milwaukee (Davis) @ Houston (Oswalt)

[scoop53714]

I dont think Podsednik is anywhere close to average defensively. If he is average who are the 14-15 CF who are worse? He is in the bottom 5-10 defensively in MLB.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Time of game......one hour and 58 minutes.

 

At least it was over quickly.

 

 

When was the last time a big league game ended in less than 2 hours?

[rluzinski]

This is easy for me to say, but it seemed like the Brewers were taking TOO many pitches today. Oswalt was throwing almost all strikes anyway, so go to hacking. Of course, when his stuff was as good as it was, I have a feeling the Crew had no idea what he was throwing. That slow curve of his was unhittable.

[tyguy20204]

I agree with you Scoop. Oddly, he seems worse this year than he was last year, although small sample size could have much to do with it.

[bork]

A complete game shutout with only 94 pitches? WOW! Only 1 batter over the min. Talk about a dominating performance. Seems like he was up 0-2 on every batter.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I'm with you guys. From the games I've seen, and from what it sounds like on the radio, Pods is simply not playing well in the field. It's not like we have any better options of course, but it's kinda bothersome that he's regressing defensively.

 

He certainly wasn't gold glove material last year, but he was what I'd call average, but this year he looks lost out there at times.

[brettac1]

Oswalt was unhittable, oh well at least Doug pitched a nice, gritty game. Bennett also continued to impress - he's really a hell of a pickup so far. I definitely say tomorrow looks like a good night to give Grieve a night off, as well as play Helms at first and Ginter at third. We'll hope Kinney can throw a quality game.

[scoop53714]

Yost might consider starting Clark in CF and converting Podsednik to Right.

 

Luzinski, as far as taking to many pitches tonight. I agree. There is no point in attempting to work a count vs a pitcher who is that hot. If the first pitch is anywhere close, hack away. Once they were down to 2 strikes I was reaching for the damn remote.

 

Big game tomorow. I dont think they want to play for the split vs clemens on Sunday.

[brettac1]

I don't think that Podsednik has the arm to play RF, but of course neither do Clark or Grieve. I think they might as well stick with him out there. If he takes his fielding as seriously as he does his hitting and baserunning, he'll improve and at least be adequate.

[lend d money]

The angle that Pods took to the ball in deep center in the 8th was flat. It kind of reminded me how young kids try to catch a ball. Rather than running on an angle TOWARD the ball, he was running parallel WITH the ball. Unquestionably, it should have been caught. Since I never heard of Scott Posednik until last year, does anyone know if this has been a long-term rap and perhaps what kept him from the bigs since he doesn't have power to offset his mistakes?

[rluzinski]

If Greive is still stinking it up come July, might it be time to put Pods in LF, Clark in CF, and Jenkins in RF? That's about as good as it could get defensively for the Crew.

[brettac1]

I still wonder why they haven't moved Jenkins there yet. There was talk that they were trying it during spring training. It may be getting close to the time for Grieve to do something significant, or to sit. At least you don't have to worry about steroids with him, that ball he hit off Oswalt was the hardest I've seen him hit one and it didn't even make the track.

[clancyphile]

Fine - give me a better optuion to be the Brewers' leadoff hitter than Podsednik.

 

Otherwise, we need to deal with his defense as it is.

[brettac1]

I don't think anyone said anything about taking Po out of the line-up.

[batman]

Grieve's signing would become silly if he was benched or released this early into the season. He is no-doubt a Butch Wynegar reclamation project... if we want to see results, we have to give that relationship some considerable time and wait it out. That was a strategic decision on the Nugget Miner's part - he felt that regular playing time, a no-pressure environment, and Butch Wynegar's tutelage would likely result in a return to form by Grieve. You've got to give him at least a few hundred at-bats before you can legitimately decide that the experiment has failed.

 

We knew what we were getting into going in, so complaining about it already seems odd to me. I realize some people weren't (and aren't) in favor of the acquisition, but that's a different issue entirely. We've made our bed, and now we have to sleep in it. The only way I see Grieve losing playing time is if we acquire another outfielder in trade or via waivers.... absent that, I think we'll see Grieve get 3/4ths of the starts until at least June.

 

$.02,

~Bill

[DuWayne Steurer]

I understand your point Bill, but doesn't it get more complicated if Brady Clark continues to outshine Grieve in every way imaginable?

 

I myself said I didn't want to see Clark get any more than 200 at bats this year, but if he's the best option we have, then so be it.

[rluzinski]

Although being warned of it, I was still unaware how BAD of an OF Grieve is. He's a liability to say the least. Even if he becomes a .250 20 HR type guy, I still don't think he has any future in the NL.