2012-07-16 Cardinals (Lynn) at Brewers (Fiers), 7:10 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 3-2]

[markedman5]

Ramirez had no play.....runner was going on the pitch and he never would have thrown out Furcal.

[jason21nl]

I honestly don't think A-Ram throws out Furcal on that play even if he fields it cleanly. Ax needs to figure out a way to throw a damn curve ball for a strike.

[The stache]

Michael Fiers fears the Ax man the way hitters feared the Ax man last year.

[danzig6767]

You just can't walk Skippy there. He's the guy you have to make beat you and if he does, he does.

 

Walks by late inning relievers just seem to almost always come back to bite the pitcher. All three of the hits were more bad luck than hit hard, but he simply can't walk the two other guys. Not only that, the hit by Furcal would have been ball four had he taken it.

[scuttlebutts]

Axford needs to stay home with his new family.

[ninja33]

Ramirez had no play.....runner was going on the pitch and he never would have thrown out Furcal.

 

Fair enough. Thanks.

[xisxisxis]

lets just release the entire bullpen (except for thornburg) and go with 10 starters. when the sp gets into trouble bring in the 2nd starter and that's it. Can't be any worse than this ****.

[markedman5]

He has not been able to throw strikes all year

[TURBO]

Let's not kid ourselves. Someone in the front row sneezes, Holliday is a billionth of a second later on that fastball, and it goes straight to Hart. Game over. It's not like Axford got shelled. He literally could not throw a strike. It's fixable.

 

He has had 4 months to "fix" it, and has been unable to do so.

 

I have zero faith in Axford any longer, I'd even consider demoting him until he can figure out how to pitch again. I'd also consider not allowing him to pitch in the 8th or 9th until he works it out. I'm sick of rewarding guys for poor, pathetic, horrible play...

[GormanHarvey]

There's really nobody to blame for this except Axford himself. There aren't any magic replacements coming and he's going to be pitching in important innings no matter what, even if it's not in the 9th. We need him.

 

I'm watching w the sound off (so i havent heard any discussion), but if Ramirez fields that ball cleanly did he have a play? Seemed like he would have to me, but I could very well be wrong.

 

Either way, still plenty of blame for ax. No excuse to walk Schumacher after

 

No way Ramirez gets Furcal on that play.

[Fear The Chorizo]

If Axford doesn't walk two guys that inning, the Brewers win the game. A random walk here and there is one thing, but the guy's been putting people on routinely via the walk, and pitching from behind in the count. If he can't spot his fastball or command his curveball, he's a bartender who throws really hard...pretty much what he was before the Brewers picked him up off the scrap heap.

[TURBO]

lets just release the entire bullpen (except for thornburg) and go with 10 starters. when the sp gets into trouble bring in the 2nd starter and that's it. Can't be any worse than this ****.

 

I like this, it can't be any worse than what we are doing now...

[pacopete4]

1-2-3... just like playoff teams are supposed to do. Sell. Sell em all.

[brewmann04]

Glad DM didn't pay Ax that big extension. I feel terrible for Fiers tonight to see his closer blow a win.

Think it time to bring up Henderson and see what he can do but Ax closer days should be on thin ice.

[Bombers]

BOOOOOOO! The Ax man strikes this team down again.

[TURBO]

disgusting loss...

 

If I were Greinke, I'd be begging to get the heck out of here...

 

Fiers got ripped off again...

[GormanHarvey]

What an absolute joke of a 9th inning. The rest of the game was fantastic. Ax makes me sick. Go away now. SELL, if possible.

[Bombers]

Glad DM didn't pay Ax that big extension. I feel terrible for Fiers tonight to see his closer blow a win.

Think it time to bring up Henderson and see what he can do but Ax closer days should be on thin ice.

No kidding, that would have been horrible

[TheCrew07]

I don't like Axford's curve ball at all even though it's better than it was... I'm not sure what's up him not using his slider, but that's still his second best pitch. He's only thrown it on 7.1% of his pitches so far this season after throwing it 16% in 2010 and 13.3% in 2011.

[The stache]

I would like to direct some words that I can't use on this forum in Axford's direction. You all can guess some of them I'm sure.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

They really have no options for the pen. Ax is lost, there are no adequate replacements although KRod will probably get the shot. One had to hope the AS break would get them healthy or in a groove, but it doesn't seem to have happened. It's just not going to happen this year. Another season officially ended with the Cards and Motte closing it out...what a gut punch.

[rluzinski]

Ax pitched bad but it his outs were bad and the hits were good. I'm sorry but our 3B is a terrible defender and the other two were bloops. Now, if Ax could actually strike anyone out he wouldnt have to rely on luck and defense but it's still annoying.

 

That said, I have no problem replacing him as the closer but does it really matter? Krod will be the closer and Loe the set up man. How exciting!

[adambr2]

Let's not kid ourselves. Someone in the front row sneezes, Holliday is a billionth of a second later on that fastball, and it goes straight to Hart. Game over. It's not like Axford got shelled. He literally could not throw a strike. It's fixable.

 

Axford has 6 blown saves at mid-season and a 5.35 ERA this year. Let's not act like he has been a sneeze or a billionth of a second away from still being an elite closer this year.

[brewmann04]

Can't wait to see AX on Twitter later.

[pacopete4]

Axford probably has been distracted (having twins and separate times of the season) but this is PROFESSIONAL baseball. You don't get to be so weak minded that you don't EVER ADJUST!