2018-04-18: Reds (Mahle) at Brewers (Davies) 12:40 PM CDT [Brewers win, 2-0]

[Eye Black]

 

Today’s game is broadcast on MLB Network for those who are out-of-market, and on Fox Sports Wisconsin for locals.

 

[pre]Reds Lineup Brewers Lineup

 

1. Jesse Winker (L) RF 1. Eric Thames (L) 1B

2. Jose Peraza ® SS 2. Christian Yelich (L) CF

3. Joey Votto (L) 1B 3. Domingo Santana ® RF

4. Adam Duvall ® LF 4. Travis Shaw (L) 3B

5. Scooter Gennett (L) 2B 5. Hernan Perez ® LF

6. Tucker Barnhart (S) C 6. Jonathan Villar (S) 2B

7. Alex Blandino ® 3B 7. Orlando Arcia ® SS

8. Tyler Mahle ® P 8. Jett Bandy ® C

9. Billy Hamilton (S) CF 9. Zach Davies ® P[/pre]

[liveforoctober]

This Brewers team is hurt and scuffling at the plate... but this looks like a team that just needs to hang on until Nelson/Knebel are back. Stick around .500 until July 1 and then turn the engines on.

 

Win your series at home and try to split on the road. It will be (hopefully) great to see our opening day outfield today. Get this one fellas!

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Thames

Yelich

Santana

Shaw

Perez

Villar

Arcia

Bandy

Davies

 

Seems odd to throw Yelich into CF right off the bat, but I suppose Cain does need a breather. Surprising Braun isn't in the lineup, though.

[kfizz]

Yelich off the DL. Cain, Thames and Braun all healthy.

 

Then we get a lineup with Perez and Villar in the 5 and 6 holes.

 

Why? In a crowded Brewers outfield with no one on the DL, I can't understand Perez ever getting ABs in the outfield unless there is an in-game injury. And if someone is hurt, there are two guys in AAA tearing the cover off the ball. How does the one sub-replacement outfield option continue to get ABs? This offense is struggling enough as it is.

[tmwiese55]

I hate to be a daily lineup whiner guy, but I just can't believe with 4 legit good OFs that we should every be playing Perez in the OF unless someone is hurt. No need to be resting two at a time, stagger them so three are always playing.

[superfly]

"Matchups" i'm sure. Or just punting the game since Davies has been so terrible to start the year.

[Guest]

My biggest problem with the roster before the season was knowing Perez would get plenty of starts in the outfield.

[brewerfan82]

Or keeping players active and not rotting on the bench for too long...

[istanbultaye]

Didn't Braun get pinch ran for after his double yesterday? I didn't see if there was anything to that, but maybe his back is still a little sore?

[MillerParkSouth]

I am so ready for the Hernan Perez era to be over.

[jonescm128]

I hate to be a daily lineup whiner guy, but I just can't believe with 4 legit good OFs that we should every be playing Perez in the OF unless someone is hurt. No need to be resting two at a time, stagger them so three are always playing.

 

To be honest, Perez should never be allowed to play outfield. The whole Aguilar situation is tough because we have two guys limited to 1B only so we need a Perez that can play any infield position. I would much rather see Phillips or even Broxton take that 5th outfield spot but I don't think that will happen unless we see Aguilar shipped somewhere, and the way he is swinging the bat we can't get rid of him.

[JosephC]

Yeah, I don't get the sitting of Braun at all. I'm expecting a big rebound from Santana soon and if that happens then Braun could be looking at 2 or 3 starts per week. Thames has a poor OBP against righties (.277), but is still hitting at a .928 OPS clip against them. Aguilar survived the early season roster turnover and is OPS'ing 1.282 against lefties (granted in a very small sample size). To me it looks like the 1B door is closing on Braun. He should be getting all the at-bats he can be getting right now. Maybe he has an injury that they are not talking about?

 

Just very frustrating to see Perez getting all these starts in left field. IMO one of the great benefits of making the Yelich/Cain deals is that the Brewers had those two plus Braun/Santana/Broxton/Phillips which really should have completely eliminated outfield starts from players like Perez and Thames. Very disappointing.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Counsell having Perez on the team is like giving a tablet to a 5-year-old on a roadtrip. Everyone knows that he shouldn't be on it as much as he is, but if it makes him happy and he isn't complaining about being hungry or having to pee 5 times every hour, you live with it.

[kfizz]

I'd be OK if we could just subtract one from Sogard/Villar/Perez. Dubon is already sitting in Colorado Springs. So we have four options if we need an infielder that can't hit. Three seems plenty.

[MillerParkSouth]

Perez:Counsell::Kotsay:Roenicke

[pacopete4]

I don't know who I am more upset with... Braun or Counsell. They are both dead to me at the moment.

[homer]

If Braun is going to sit it might as well be a day game after a night game against a righty.

[JosephC]

And Perez hitting fifth in the lineup no less. I totally agree that it's so early in the season that batting lines should be pretty much ignored. But in this case Perez's season .152/.200/.333/.533 slash line is backed up by a career .254/.281/.387/.668 slash line. No wonder they can't score any runs!

 

I actually like Perez as a member of the team. OK-enough bat for a middle infielder and his versatile glove is good for emergency or as a replacement to give other players a rest in blowout games. I think he is more deserving of a roster spot than Sogard. But he shouldn't be getting starts in a corner outfield spot and he shouldn't be hitting fifth in the lineup.

 

Now watch him go out and hit two home runs today.

[pacopete4]

Perez being on the team shouldn't be the problem. He is a fine bench bat that can come in the game and provide you quality defense in a lot of areas. Forcing him into the lineup (and batting him in the top half) is the problem. I'm sure Braun needed the day, and maybe Cain got dinged up last night but at least shove him down in the lineup.

 

Oh... and why is Bandy starting? Nottingham is 23, not 33.

[FVBrewerFan]

Oh... and why is Bandy starting? Nottingham is 23, not 33.

 

Boilerplate Manager's Guide:

 

Rule 2 (h) MUST not play a catcher in a day game following a night game. No exceptions. This is not a guideline or even a rule, it is THE LAW.

 

I will echo complaints about Perez in the OF. I am not a line-up hound, but there is no way Perez should ever start in the OF if 3/4 Yelich, Cain, Santana and Braun are healthy. At least Sogard isn't starting too.

[kfizz]

My eye is untrained, so I'm interested in more educated opinions, but Bandy seems to have recently given the team some decent at bats. I might actually bat him ahead of Perez since he has more thump when he connects. Is that crazy?

[3and2Fastball]

Braun had to run hard to get a Double last night. He might need 2+ days off after that at bat!

[dlk9s]

Two hours before the game and the IGT is on page two. Are we losing already?

[TURBO]

Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Ryan Braun's calf is acting up again.

 

That explains his absence from the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds. It's a day-to-day situation for now. Hernan Perez is starting in left field and batting fifth versus Cincinnati right-hander Tyler Mahle.

 

Source: Adam McCalvy on TwitterApr 18 - 12:09 PM

[markedman5]

Braun's calf is bothering him again.....not a scheduled day off