4/15/08 Brewers (Bush) at Cardinals (Looper): 7:15 PM CDT

[BrewCrewBaseball]

I wonder what Dave Bush we will see today?

[fondybrewfan]

Its not the off day anymore

 

Hooray!!

[splitterpfj]

Pitchleague - Hart's hit was changed to a double.

 

Looper started last season pitching very well, much like he's doing right now. I guess he's an early season guy.

[BrewCrewForever]

Today is Jackie Robinson day correct? So Prince will be wearing #42.

[jflick1215]

Hey, I've got an odd request for the IGT tonight. I'm an inveterate IGT reader, both during the game and after, and tonight, just for one night, can we cut out all of the one line posts that say "Rickie sucks." Or "Bush sucks." Or even, to mix it up, "Gabe Gross sucks." I know that these posts are sometimes sarcastic, sometimes meant for the ever-popular "reverse jinks" but they do really get tiresome. I realize that if there's a place out there for those types of posts, the IGT is it, but still…Thanks!

[jhart05]

Com'on Bush. Need a good outing from you.

 

Not that I favor you in the starting rotation over Parra or Villy.

 

But it would be nice to have 6 decent starters over 5, especially given the fact that neither Parra or Villy have pitched over 150 innings ever. (I think anyway, that's just off the top of my head.)

[crewcrazy]

I actually had a nightmare last night that Bush gave up 8 ER in 2 innings. I've hated playing at New Busch ever since it opened, and those feelings were amplified with that double header meltdown last year. I'd be thrilled to get out of St. Louis with 1 win and no injuries at this point.

[BrewCrewForever]

Man I had almost forgot about that double header meltdown. Damn, that was awful.

[crewcrazy]

Didn't we have to shut down BF.net for a day or two after that one, just so everyone could regain their sanity? Or was that at another point last year?

[Yeti73]

I really expect Bush to come out and pitch lights out. There is more motivation now than ever with the potential signing of Weaver. I like Kendall's avg. against Looper...seems to be the same avg. as this year so far.

[TerraceReserved]

What stinks thus far about Bush are his perihpials. His redeeming quality has always been his K:B ratio, which was the best in the leauge in 06. Now, through two starts he has only 8 K's and 8 BB's. It's too bad.

[Menotti80]

Prince and/or Bill Hall homers tonite. Book It!

[Oldcity]

Does anyone else have a sinking feeling that Ned's going to give in to the "hot hand" and start Kapler over Gross? He did the same thing with Mench last year.

[sheetswannabe]

I really can see Bush showing brilliance today, making Ned keep him in the Rotation and send Parra down, then Bush will just destroy our hearts the next 3 starts...

[GormanHarvey]

Does anyone else have a sinking feeling that Ned's going to give in to the "hot hand" and start Kapler over Gross? He did the same thing with Mench last year.

Sinking feeling? You would have a problem with Kapler starting over Gross righ now??

[sheetswannabe]

Kapler shouldnt start...hes batting .000 at night.

[sargennm]

Does anyone else have a sinking feeling that Ned's going to give in to the "hot hand" and start Kapler over Gross? He did the same thing with Mench last year.

Sinking feeling? You would have a problem with Kapler starting over Gross righ now??

This is the classic example of the argument that Ned's damned when he does and damned when doesn't. If he starts Kapler and he puts up an 0-for everyone is going to be on him about not having enough lefty bats in the lineup. If he starts Gross and he goes 0-for, everyone's going to go crazy because he didn't start the hot hand.

 

Personally, I think you go with Kapler because he is swinging such a hot bat, but it's hard to ignore his splits against righties.

[Oldcity]

Playing time should be based on a player's entire career, not 30 plate appearances.

[Trowekamp]

Playing time should be based on a player's entire career, not 30 plate appearances.

Yes.. Kapler has had the better career so he should start under any criteria..

[Oldcity]

Unless you look at the facts. Gross is superior against right handers.

[GormanHarvey]

Playing time should be based on a player's entire career, not 30 plate appearances.

And that dictates that Gross should be playing over Kapler right now? I have never liked how wrapped up Ned gets in the righty/lefty and lefty/righty match ups. I think way too much is made of them. Yes, there are certain exceptions - such as when Jenkins really started to struggle against lefties. I know when I was playing baseball in college (which I know is a loooong way away from MLB) that when I was seeing the ball well it didn't matter if the pitcher was LH,RH, or underhanded, I would hit. And Kapler convinced me that he is hot and going to hit whatever is thrown at him right now when he adjusted to getting pitched outside all the time after hit 2 almost identical down and in pitches for HR's. After that the Mets tried to throw him outside and he went with it and slapped it down the first base line for a double. The guy is just seeing the ball right now and is going to hit and should start for the time being - and thats not even to mention how much better he is defensively in CF than Gross.

[Mike2k33]

I think until June I'm going to refrain from getting into these lineup debates. I mean, Ned can't do anything right on this board. Too many differing opinions here and when Ned doesn't go with someone's opinion he should be fired.

 

Gross or Kapler, I don't care. It's just something so insignificant in terms of the whole season that I can't will myself to care.

[Oldcity]

Kevin Mench, Chris Shelton, Xavier Nady, and hoards of others show every year that a hot start does not make a full season. The Brewers were hurt last year because they gave Mench starts against righties. Nothing in Kapler's career would suggest he'll keep this up for much longer.

 

It's not like I'm saying Gross should be playing full time.

[GormanHarvey]

Kevin Mench, Chris Shelton, Xavier Nady, and hoards of others show every year that a hot start does not make a full season. The Brewers were hurt last year because they gave Mench starts against righties. Nothing in Kapler's career would suggest he'll keep this up for much longer.

 

It's not like I'm saying Gross should be playing full time.

I never said a word about anything making a full season. I just don't think you can argue with how Kapler is seeing the ball right now. Kapler's OPS = 1.410 Gross's OPS = .367

[Trowekamp]

I think until June I'm going to refrain from getting into these lineup debates. I mean, Ned can't do anything right on this board. Too many differing opinions here and when Ned doesn't go with someone's opinion he should be fired.

 

Gross or Kapler, I don't care. It's just something so insignificant in terms of the whole season that I can't will myself to care.

I agree.. Yost is damned either way.. the good news is that Mench is not starting tonight so Kapler or Gross is an improvement. Maybe he starte Hernan or Dillon and let's Hart play center...