2011-09-01 Cardinals (Dickson) at Brewers (Gallardo) - [Brewers lose, 8-4]

[DuWayne Steurer]

Well, we're not getting shutdown by some rook in his starting debut at least............

[fondybrewfan]

Well the Crew is making things interesting again.

 

Everyone just needs to relax and take a deep breath. The Crew hasn't lost 3 games in a row in almost 2 months. Sometimes good teams go through rough stretches; it happens.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Wow...halfway there with the big boys comin' up. Get Plush on and crush this guy.

[bigredrobbo]

Jeez it's easy to be Chicken Little. If the team loses, you are proved right, if the team wins....the team wins.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Corey's been hitting a lot of bad balls really hard lately.

 

It's amazing how Corey can be on a hot streak, have a few at bats where he looks completely and utterly lost at the plate, and then the very next at bat hit a shoe top slider 380 feet.

[burnzy24]

Everyone just needs to relax and take a deep breath. The Crew hasn't lost 3 games in a row in almost 2 months. Sometimes good teams go through rough stretches; it happens.

Exactly. I am just upset with the way the defense has played this series.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I think people need to realize.......when the Brewers haven't won a division title in almost 30 years, it's natural to expect people to get a little skittish when they start playing poorly, if even for only a few days. It's not like we're conditioned to EXPECT to win here.

 

It'll most likely be just fine, but I'm not surprised that people aren't exactly thrilled about how they've played these last 3 days.

[pretendastronaut]

I don't think anyone expects anyone to be thrilled about how this series has gone, I think some people just expect people to not declare the team dead as a result.

 

Edit: And I'm sure someone will flag that technically nobody said they were 'dead', but you get my point I'm sure.

[bucksman4]

I'm not suggesting we will lose the division when I say we caved under pressure this series. Even if the lead is insurmountable in your mind statistically, there is something to be said for fending off a team who is doing everything they can to catch you. The Cardinals are the motivated team and they're showing it this series.

[burnzy24]

[quote author=bucksman4 wrote:

[/b] The Cardinals are the motivated team and they're showing it this series.

I don't know if the fact that our pitchers have given up 6 home runs including 2 grand slams in the last two days necessarily shows that the Cardinals are more motivated than the Crew.

[umphrey]

The thing is, it's not a bad time for a wake up call. If we slump now, anyone coasting will probably wake up. When they went on that winning streak, it was right after they dropped to 3rd in the standings. I just wish it wasn't against the team I hate more than any. Last year, San Francisco had to play every game. Philly and New York had it locked up early.

[Raw Biz]

I know you always have to make your pitches and what not but the defense has been atrocious this series. I would be more worried about that than pitching.

[bucksman4]

Why does Morgan need to slide for that ball? He's done that numerous times and I've seen him misplay balls he never had to leave his feet for in the first place.

[jeffy]

fondybrewfan]Well the Crew is making things interesting again.

 

Everyone just needs to relax and take a deep breath. The Crew hasn't lost 3 games in a row in almost 2 months. Sometimes good teams go through rough stretches; it happens.

 

Yes, like the 2008 Brewers going 10-16 in Sept. 2008.

 

The worry would be if the Brewers lose that many this Sept, going 9-16, the Cardinals have to go 18-8 to tie. That seems far to possible for comfort.

[Ayt]

Why do we care if we didn't get Furcal? He's only been any good against us, he's been miserable for the Cardinals otherwise. I'll take Furcal being good against us for 6 games, over having him be miserable for us for 50+ games.

Because he was an obvious upgrade over Yuni. For me, it has less to do with how he has performed against us and more to do with how much better he is historically than Yuni. It's just even more painfully obvious when he crushes another HR in the series and Yuni cost us the 1st game in the series with his pitiful bunt.

I mainly just wanted Furcal for the massive defensive upgrade. Even if he hit poorly, he'd still be an upgrade overall because of his range and outstanding arm.

[ECpackers]

rather slump now than in 2 weeks, or 4 weeks.

 

not worried about it...

 

not to be awkward, but think of it like this

 

the packers won the superbowl, the odds that the pack wins the bowl, then the brewers win the WS....astronomical. so i dont worry about anything.

[Hammer]

I mainly just wanted Furcal for the massive defensive upgrade. Even if he hit poorly, he'd still be an upgrade overall because of his range and outstanding arm.

This exactly. Melvin screwed the pooch with his approach to the left side of the infield. Hopefully Braun, Fielder and the pitching staff can bail him out...

[pretendastronaut]

I'm not suggesting we will lose the division when I say we caved under pressure this series. Even if the lead is insurmountable in your mind statistically, there is something to be said for fending off a team who is doing everything they can to catch you. The Cardinals are the motivated team and they're showing it this series.

 

Mathematically the lead is not insurmountable, but it's mostly insurmountable. Now, if we get into a spot where it's actually down to the wire, I'll be frustrated and less excited about the playoffs, but I don't think this series proves any of that.

 

Remember, in June we swept the Cardinals, moved us 0.5 games into the division lead and it meant a TON to the fan base (myself included) here, but it didn't do anything drastic to the division lead for weeks. This series has gone the way the Cardinals really needed it to go, and if I was a Cardinal fan, I'd be stoked, but I just don't see how it says anything bad about the Brewers in the larger scope of the season. What matters is how the Brewers respond to this. If we go into Houston and have a miserable weekend, go into St. Louis and get swept next week, then I'll be with you. Right now, I'm not worried about that though.

[Ayt]

Anyone else worried that Yo might not be a Big Game pitcher? Any evidence to the contrary that isn't coming immediately to mind?

Is there a lot of evidence to show he's a lot worse in these "Big Games" compared to his career stats?

[owbc]

The most important game Yo ever started by far was the Ryan Braun walkoff grand slam game. He was just back from the injury and pitched 4 innings, with 1 run and 7 K.

 

I can't think of another "big" game that he has started. He has been good on Opening Day also, I guess those are big games.

[Warning Track Power]

RoCoBrewfan[/b]]I think people need to realize.......when the Brewers haven't won a division title in almost 30 years, it's natural to expect people to get a little skittish when they start playing poorly, if even for only a few days. It's not like we're conditioned to EXPECT to win here.

 

It'll most likely be just fine, but I'm not surprised that people aren't exactly thrilled about how they've played these last 3 days.

THIS! Yes there might be an overwhelming amount of negative feeligns for a potential sweep at the hands of the Cards, but the memories of the almost crash and burn September 2008 and collapse in 2007 don't exactly inspire confidence. Let's not forget the Brewers almost lost the division in 1982 as well in Baltimore.

 

I think we all have a little right to overreact in this situation. We all put our heart and soul into rooting for this team and we so rarely have been rewarded with playoff teams, that now that we are so close to winning a division for the first time in 30 years, we tend to overreact when things go bad.

 

I don't have one issue with scared fans or doom and gloomers. We're Brewer fans. It should be expected.

 

Let's go Crew!! A comeback win crushes their spirits!!

[bucksman4]

I'm not suggesting we will lose the division when I say we caved under pressure this series. Even if the lead is insurmountable in your mind statistically, there is something to be said for fending off a team who is doing everything they can to catch you. The Cardinals are the motivated team and they're showing it this series.

 

Mathematically the lead is not insurmountable, but it's mostly insurmountable. Now, if we get into a spot where it's actually down to the wire, I'll be frustrated and less excited about the playoffs, but I don't think this series proves any of that.

 

Remember, in June we swept the Cardinals, moved us 0.5 games into the division lead and it meant a TON to the fan base (myself included) here, but it didn't do anything drastic to the division lead for weeks. This series has gone the way the Cardinals really needed it to go, and if I was a Cardinal fan, I'd be stoked, but I just don't see how it says anything bad about the Brewers in the larger scope of the season. What matters is how the Brewers respond to this. If we go into Houston and have a miserable weekend, go into St. Louis and get swept next week, then I'll be with you. Right now, I'm not worried about that though.

I hear what you're saying. I just wanted to step on their throats in this series and put the division to rest. Why give them hope?

[Ayt]

I'm not suggesting we will lose the division when I say we caved under pressure this series. Even if the lead is insurmountable in your mind statistically, there is something to be said for fending off a team who is doing everything they can to catch you. The Cardinals are the motivated team and they're showing it this series.

It is also very possible that "pressure" had nothing to do with it and we simply lost some games to a team that isn't all that much worse than us.

Baseball is a funny sport because people constantly try to read so much into the results over only a couple of games. It is an excellent, continuous example of the "hasty generalization" fallacy. It is similar to poker in that regard.

[owbc]

Early hook today by LaRussa. The Cardinals can absolutely not afford to blow this game at any cost. It would be devastating.

[burnzy24]

Pitching change already? He was at 56 pitches in the 4th. LaRussa is putting alot of faith in his bullpen.