2009-05-27 Cardinals (Wellemeyer) at Brewers (Parra): 12:05 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 3-2]

[JoeH33]

Man its frustrating to tie up the game and have Parra immediately put the Cardinals right back on top. Especially when its not Pujols that's doing it, its a bunch of nobodies.

[PrinceEatMeat]

The thing about Hart (and Bill Hall for that matter) is that against righties, it's like watching the same at bat over and over. They throw a first pitch fastball for a strike which the batter probably watches sail right by. The second pitch is a fastball low and away for a swinging strike or a foul ball. After that, they pound sliders curveballs low and away until those two hack at it and strike out.

 

Couldn't agree with you more. Although a high fastball is also an option for the third strike. Frankly, a fastball up the middle usually works. Those two swing and miss more than anyone I've ever seen.

[sargennm]

Man its frustrating to tie up the game and have Parra immediately put the Cardinals right back on top. Especially when its not Pujols that's doing it, its a bunch of nobodies.

I blame macha for that one. No reason to bring the infield in there. Parra would have worked out of it otherwise.

[PrinceEatMeat]

If only Parra didn't let a nobody like LaRue beat him.

[Ennder]

To be fair Hart is swinging at balls in the dirt a lot less this year than last year, he is missing more balls in the strike zone this year which is what his problem is. His contact rate on balls in the strike zone is terrible compared to his previous seasons.

[PrinceEatMeat]

To be fair Hart is swinging at balls in the dirt a lot less this year than last year, he is missing more balls in the strike zone this year which is what his problem is. His contact rate on balls in the strike zone is terrible compared to his previous seasons.

 

What upsets me most is when he's sitting with a 2 strike count and they go right after him with a fastball out over the plate, and he swings and misses it by a foot.

[eanelson4]

Couldn't agree with you more. Although a high fastball is also an option for the third strike. Frankly, a fastball up the middle usually works. Those two swing and miss more than anyone I've ever seen.

Corey pulls away on EVERYTHING when he is in a slump like this. It is so easy to see. When he is hitting well, he isn't pulling off of the ball, but rather hanging in there and driving it to all parts of the field. When he is slumping like he is currently, he pulls off the ball and can't cover the entire plate. On those fastballs and sliders that are away, when he hacks at it the end of his bat doesn't even make it out to the edge of the plate. If he hung in there, he could at least foul off those pitches and wait for a better one to hit.

[PrinceEatMeat]

What I don't understand is how a major league hitter can go from being so good, and locked in at the plate, to being absolutely awful. You'd think that Hart and Hall would be able to make adjustments a lot faster then they do.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Do we let Cat and Gamel hit here?

[eanelson4]

Did Wellemeyer get hurt or something? He seemed to be cruising and then they took him out.

[Ennder]

Do we let Cat and Gamel hit here?

Gamel doesn't really have a split so he can bat against anyone.

[JoeH33]

Did Wellemeyer get hurt or something? He seemed to be cruising and then they took him out.

This was probably his last inning and we had back to back lefties coming up.

[JoeH33]

One of those patented Jason Kendall bloop singles would be quite appreciated right here.

[hawing]

"A young club like Milwaukee, they don't have a true leader. You know the Cardinals have a bunch of leaders and the number one leader is Tony LaRussa and you know that wouldn't fly with Tony." Even more from the Cards announcers about the Crew untucking.

Oh, Jebus. I hate to think what's in that kool-aid they're drinking.

[hawing]

An error? On Pujols? Tim O'Driscoll's a brave man.

 

(sorry, I thought this warranted its own post, even if it's consecutive)

[Ennder]

Wow he got it in the air, I figured he'd just ground out.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I'd welcome an extra start by Rivera each week.

[trwi7]

I'll just never understand not pinch hitting for Kendall in a spot like that. We have Rivera to come in and catch and if he gets hurt we have McGehee who has caught 93 games in the minors, which was his second most played position besides third base, yet they have no problem playing McGehee at 2nd base.

[eanelson4]

I love the whole shirt untucking thing because it makes losers like the Cardinals announcers (who apparently are the foremost authority on baseball etiquite) so angry.

 

I could care less if our team did it or not, but when idiots like them get so wrangled up about it, I instantly love it.

[jeffy]

Yep, the untucking thing was no big deal to me either, just a funny little thing the players did, until I started hearing all the stupid whining from the cardinals about it.

[eanelson4]

Here we go again with Manny...

 

A hit and a walk, now he is probably going to have to bat to Pujols with men on. That sounds like at least one more run for the Cards to me.

[pretendastronaut]

Nobody outside of the Brewers coaching staff understands not pinch hitting for Kendall in those situations.

[rluzinski]

Letting Cat bat against a lefty. Refusing to pinch hit for Kendall. Different manager....

[eanelson4]

PUT HIM ON and bring in someone from the bullpen. Please!

 

Edit: Him being Pujols and it looks like that is what they are going to do.

[sargennm]

Oh boy, and now it looks like they are double switching Kendall. I hope brewerfan has enough bandwidth for the rest of this game.