2009-04-22 Brewers (Looper) at Phillies (Blanton): 6:05 PM CDT [Brewers win, 3-1]

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

Postgame handshakes for all.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Untuckem!!!

 

Nice comeback Todd!!! Great effort by Looper tonight...Difer and CV too. Good to see.

[BrewerTerp]

!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TSack27]

More dramatic than necessary, but now in position to claim first series win of the year.

[Tailgat0r76]

Woohoo! ESPN MLB Gamecast has the Brewers chances of winning this game at 100%.

That's about the only time I feel confident with this years team these days...

 

Great win tonight, and stellar pitching. 'Deefer continuing to do what he does, and it was nice to see CV throw a nice inning

[razzzorsharp]

So when you don't walk Phillies, they score less runs. Crazy stuff.

[Schlitz001]

Why was Hall brought in as a double switch? Can't we leave Counsell in with a 3 run lead in the bottom of the ninth? I feel like Counsell would have been a little quicker in that potential DP opportunity.

[Gobias Industries]

Why was Hall brought in as a double switch? Can't we leave Counsell in with a 3 run lead in the bottom of the ninth? I feel like Counsell would have been a little quicker in that potential DP opportunity.

Or at least known that there was 1 out, and not 2.

[razzzorsharp]

To be fair Counsell did have two plays that Bill could have done better tonight. One was a groundball by Werth that might have been a double play. The other was a ball that nipped Craig's glove that Bill could have gotten to. I think Bill is a better fielder.

[GormanHarvey]

Totally disagree with you guys about Hall. He has been absolutely phenomenal on defense - nothing short of spectacular. I will say that I don't know why he underhanded that ball, but he has been much better than Counsell.

[AJAY]

Thank you Braden Looper. It was nice to finally win one at Philly for a change.

[Gobias Industries]

I agree with you on Hall's defense this year GormanHarvey, but that underhand toss was just mind blowing. I have never seen a 3B do that. Rickie still turned it, and it should have been an out (I'm pretty sure, no TIVO for me), but with how this team has been struggling we can't be giving away an out.

[RightFieldCoder]

Macha was also hedging his bets so that Hall was due up if the Phils scored 3. Though, if the Phils scored 3, do we want to keep Coffey out there?

[GormanHarvey]

I agree with you on Hall's defense this year GormanHarvey, but that underhand toss was just mind blowing. I have never seen a 3B do that. Rickie still turned it, and it should have been an out (I'm pretty sure, no TIVO for me), but with how this team has been struggling we can't be giving away an out.

All valid points GI. It was pretty shocking. I went back and had to look at it frame by frame and it was still hard to tell but he got him by a hair. I was more referring with people having a problem with him coming in defensively late in the game. As I have alluded to, he has been great with tremendous quickness and range and Counsell is playing on a bum wheel which I saw him limping on today. I liked that he came in. Macha smart. Macha use brain!

[hawing]

I'd like to tip my cap to the bold black font.

 

[Schlitz001]

All valid points GI. It was pretty shocking. I went back and had to look at it frame by frame and it was still hard to tell but he got him by a hair. I was more referring with people having a problem with him coming in defensively late in the game. As I have alluded to, he has been great with tremendous quickness and range and Counsell is playing on a bum wheel which I saw him limping on today. I liked that he came in. Macha smart. Macha use brain!

I agree that Hall is the right choice if Counsell is injured and limping. This I was unaware of, but I don't agree that Hall has been "nothing short of spectacular this season". I haven't watched all of the games, but I can recall a play against the Reds with Parra on the mound that Hall botched and a ground ball in the SF series hit by Rowand that bounced off of Hall's glove and went under the tarp for a double and now this lazy toss to second base. Even if you set those three plays aside, I'm not ready to call Hall a better 3B than Counsell, based on my own eyes or fielding % or UZR.

 

If Counsell was limping, I'm not sure I would call Macha smart for substituting Hall in his place. I think we can agree even Yost would have made that move.

[dlk9s]

I'd have to go back and check the replay, but I'm wondering if Hall underhanded the ball to Weeks because Weeks was late getting to second base, requiring Hall to throw the ball a little softer.

[razzzorsharp]

The underhand throw was weird but everyone preaches, even here, to get the first out, no matter what.

[Teatoe993]

I watched the replay a few times because I was kind of furious at Hall for under-handing that throw as well. But after checking it out, the underhanded throw might have been the right choice. When Hall made the grab, his glove was low as he was running towards 2nd. It looked pretty easy to get the ball out of the glove and just underhand it to 2nd (granted there wasn't much juice on that ball). If Hall did the normal overhand toss, He would have to get the ball out of his glove which was near his knees, pull his arm up around his head and then throw the ball to 2nd. Which by the time it would take to get through that throwing motion, he'd probably be a point blank range at 2nd. It's probably a horse a piece which choice is the correct one. It would have been tough turning that DP regardless. But that's just my opinion.

[Unstable]

One of the fun things about the Phillies is that they tend to make losses interesting, at least.

[GormanHarvey]

I agree that Hall is the right choice if Counsell is injured and limping. This I was unaware of, but I don't agree that Hall has been "nothing short of spectacular this season". I haven't watched all of the games, but I can recall a play against the Reds with Parra on the mound that Hall botched and a ground ball in the SF series hit by Rowand that bounced off of Hall's glove and went under the tarp for a double and now this lazy toss to second base. Even if you set those three plays aside, I'm not ready to call Hall a better 3B than Counsell, based on my own eyes or fielding % or UZR.

 

If Counsell was limping, I'm not sure I would call Macha smart for substituting Hall in his place. I think we can agree even Yost would have made that move.

About the only time Hall has looked shakey was in that SF series. I will agree with you there. But that ball against the Reds was a bounding ball with a ton of top spin which made it a very difficult play. It was do or die. I have watched every game and Hall has been spectacular. Off balance throws, bare handing dribblers, bad hops, snares, you name it. He has yet to commit an error and we are 14 games in at one of the toughest defensive positions in baseball. He has looked so much quicker too. All I can say is if he keeps playing like this you will see what I am talking about sooner or later. At the same time, you can't really go wrong with Counsell as he is about as consistent as they come.

[logan82]

Counsell has been pretty bad on defense this year. 1 bad throw in each of his first 2 games plus various misplayed balls.