2011-03-31 Brewers (Gallardo) at Reds (Volquez) [Brewers lose walkoff, 7-6]

[trwi7]

Another positive: Gomez hit a home run and drew a walk.

 

He was 4-5 with a homer on opening day last year too. Didn't turn out so well.

[Baldkin]

McGehee has got to get an out on that groundball.

Sad part is, he did. He completely and totally did. It was a horrible call by the Ump calling him safe.

 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_5_65/ai_n26892723/

 

7.08 (a) (1). It reads, "Any runner is out when he runs more than three

feet away from a direct line between bases to avoid being tagged unless

his action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted

ball"

Phillips was 5 feet from the infield grass when McGehee went to tag him, he then ran on the infield grass to avoid the tag. He should've been out.

[WarhawkJoe]

Yes, Axford was very hittable today (and most of the spring), and I don't have much confidence in him right now. However, combine the ball called a trap that Kotsay caught earlier and the out of the baseline non-call in the 9th, it's tough to win when you have to get 29 outs against only getting 27. Should have won, but at least I'm not totally flabbergasted. Yet.

[Warning Track Power]

cnycerveceros[/b]]I hate that when they went into the 9th up by 3 the only thing I could think was "this could be terrible," and that I was right. I don't want to feel that way, and I don't want to be a pessimist, but the Brewers make it hard.

Not to sound too much like the world is falling after 1 game but I had a Yankee fan friend of mine tell me sorry today as he watch on MLBtv at work. I told him that it's the Brewers and that we are a cursed organization. When I think about it, I really do believe this. The Brewers always seem to make life miserable on the fans. I don't know if it is our penance for having such great success with other state teams since the early 90s, see Badgers and Packers, but it always seems like the Brewers find new ways to rip our hearts out.

 

Sure the Packers have had their share, (4th and 26, 2007 NFC Championship game) and the Badgers as well (1998 Cincinnati loss, 2011 Rose Bowl) but those were amazing teams that still got into the playoffs and had a great regular season. The Brewers really are a special class of heartbreak because all of the heartbreak comes in the regular season (2007 season choke, 2009 second half swoon, even 2008 if not for the Mets) and/or in ways that you don't expect (Axford today, Gagne in Game 1 of the regular season in 2008, CC in Game 2 2008 NLDS).

 

I still love them though. Keep the heads high.

[trwi7]

I would agree with the Kotsay thing if it led to any runs, but it didn't.

[WarhawkJoe]

True, no runs were scored on the Kotsay "trap", but it was extra pitches for Yo that may have resulted in one less inning for him. It definitely affected the game. On a positive note, Saito and Loe (other than the solo shot) looked great. I wish managers weren't so set on having roles in the bullpen. Loe never should have come out of the game - he struck out the side.

[Ennder]

True, no runs were scored on the Kotsay "trap", but it was extra pitches for Yo that may have resulted in one less inning for him. It definitely affected the game. On a positive note, Saito and Loe (other than the solo shot) looked great. I wish managers weren't so set on having roles in the bullpen. Loe never should have come out of the game - he struck out the side.

Loe never should have been in the game in the first place. Bringing him in when Votto and Bruce are both due up to hit is a pretty large mistake and it is one that cost us a run.

[endaround]

Its annoying to point to the first game of the season as one that never should have been lost.

[trwi7]

True, no runs were scored on the Kotsay "trap", but it was extra pitches for Yo that may have resulted in one less inning for him. It definitely affected the game. On a positive note, Saito and Loe (other than the solo shot) looked great. I wish managers weren't so set on having roles in the bullpen. Loe never should have come out of the game - he struck out the side.

 

It was 6 extra pitches and he finished with 101. I doubt it made a difference.

[Gobias Industries]

Just got done watching it on dvr....glad I avoided human contact all day for that!

[pitchleague]

Just got done watching it on dvr....glad I avoided human contact all day for that!

at least you got to watch it. Just got home and my recording was cancelled due to a programming update!!! Directv will be getting a phone call tonight, you can count on that! I waited all day and avoided people like the plague to sit down and watch the game and won't get to. I don't care about the outcome--I wanted to watch some Brewers baseball!

[The Truth]

FSN is repeating the Broadcast of the game tonight at 7pm Central. That may be exclusive to Wisconsin residents, though, not sure if it'd help those of you that are out-of-towners...

[The Truth]

In an effort to be optimistic, really the only person that played poorly was Axford.

Kotsay looked pretty awful at the plate, and looked very slow on the basepaths and in the outfield. To paraphrase Dennis Green: "he is what we thought he is..."

[DHonks]

Kotsay didn't impress at all. His range is not what it once was. He used to be fast and showed good OBP skills. He didn't hit a single ball decently

[Vgmastr]

At least the Cardinals also blew a lead with 2 out in the 9th.

 

Plus Pujols set a new major league record, first player ever to hit into three double plays on Opening Day.

[trwi7]

In an effort to be optimistic, really the only person that played poorly was Axford.

Kotsay looked pretty awful at the plate, and looked very slow on the basepaths and in the outfield. To paraphrase Dennis Green: "he is what we thought he is..."

 

Betancourt looked awful at the plate too.

 

[Schlitz001]

Kotsay looked like he was running through water trying to chase down flyballs and he looked overmatched in all of his plate appearances. With Morgan on the team there isn't a good reason for him to be in the starting lineup. I am not disappointed in Betancourt yet. He's trimmer than I thought and he made a nice play for groundball. Axford had a hiccup, but his stellar '10 season doesn't have me concerned quite yet. Also, Saito looked really good. His slider/cutter really had the Reds swinging at pitches out of the zone.

[The Truth]

Betancourt looked awful at the plate too.

Betancourt's best career season OBP was .310 back in 2006... there's plenty to be concerned with, with him, too

[GormanHarvey]

Vgmastr]At least the Cardinals also blew a lead with 2 out in the 9th.

 

Plus Pujols set a new major league record, first player ever to hit into three double plays on Opening Day.

 

When I read that pujols went 0-5 with 5 LOB and 3 GIDP it was likely the only thing that could come close to cheering me up after today's game.

 

EDIT: Scratch that. My wife is babysitting her sister's 4 yr old son and she just text me that he pooped his pants while they are grocery shopping. Now that made me laugh

[derflotr]

Ugh, off days are so much worse after a loss.

[davego]

Why can't Morgan just play RF? I don't get it. Seems too simple.

 

So if Ax really can't close. What would the options be?

 

I realize panic with .6% of the season gone is silly.

[Funketown]

Ouch. Just got back from golfing to hear about this.

 

Well, let's hope the next 161 games are better.

[pitchleague]

Called Directv and they tried to tell me nothing could done about it. After an hour on the phone and much deliberation (they tried to call it "user error") and gave me a credit on today's value of the Sports Pack (because I recorded it on 669 rather than on an official extra inning channel).

 

Net result? $1.77 credit on my bill. What an insult! I'm glad I still have the corporate phone, address, and email from last fall because they're going to get an earful.

[gypcasino]

McGehee has got to get an out on that groundball.

Sad part is, he did. He completely and totally did. It was a horrible call by the Ump calling him safe.

 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_5_65/ai_n26892723/

 

7.08 (a) (1). It reads, "Any runner is out when he runs more than three

feet away from a direct line between bases to avoid being tagged unless

his action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted

ball"

Phillips was 5 feet from the infield grass when McGehee went to tag him, he then ran on the infield grass to avoid the tag. He should've been out.

Anyone else see Jim McKean's explanation on Baseball Tonight? He basically said the Brewers had no argument. He said "well he has no base line believe it or not...there is no base line...you can run wherever you want as long as there's not being a play made on you."

[The Truth]

davego wrote:

So if Ax really can't close. What would the options be?

Saito 50% of the time, with the other 50% of the time being "closer by commitee"... Saito can't pitch back to back days...

 

Hopefully Axford will get it together