2019-06-18: Brewers (Woodruff) at Padres (Allen) [Brewers lose, 4-1]

[Fear The Chorizo]

Probably my biggest frustration right now stems from the fact that we knew we had a gauntlet of LHP coming up on this trip. We knew we had a weapon that could be useful against said gauntlet, we chose not to use him. And here we are, struggling to score runs against that stretch of LHP.

This is the toughest pill to swallow, IMO. It’s impossible to know if any of these game results would have been different, but at least you would have been giving yourself the best possible chance to score runs throughout these six games on the west coast, five of which were against left handed starting pitchers.

 

Getting tougher and tougher to justify that the move wasn't motivated by save a few million dollars a few years down the road. And as a fan, that sucks.

 

What's worst about it is they could have easily optioned Shaw and waited until a later part of the season that made more sense to ship Hiura back to AAA to play the Super 2 game...perhaps at a time when Shaw was leaving no doubt he belonged back in the MLB lineup offensively. Now that they're struggling during a seemingly easier part of their schedule against pitching a good righthanded bat would most certainly improve their chances, it makes the decision to option Hiura a few weeks ago look really bad even if he isn't going to solve the pitching issues on this team.

[Bulldogboy]

No one could have predicted how bad Aguillar and Cain would be. It just baffles me what has happened there. Imagine if we had Pina catching every day and no Grandal.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Imagine trading Fernando Tatis Jr. for the crap years of James Shields.

So I guess in the grand scheme of things it could be worse than stinking up a few games on the west coast.

 

Yet Rick Hahn continues to draw a big paycheck. Granted Tatis wasn't a huge heralded prospect, but that deal didn't even make sense when it happened.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Braun swings right through a 93 mph fastball he should destroy. He's still swinging that dang log too. I think it may be time for him to swallow that pride a bit and switch to a lighter stick.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Imagine trading Fernando Tatis Jr. for the crap years of James Shields.

So I guess in the grand scheme of things it could be worse than stinking up a few games on the west coast.

 

Yet Rick Hahn continues to draw a big paycheck. Granted Tatis wasn't a huge heralded prospect, but that deal didn't even make sense even when it happened.

 

I don't think Tatis had even played a game for a White Sox full season affiliate by that point - case study in not trading high ceiling talent early

[yourout]

Yelich now up to a 13 game hitting streak I think and at least 2 of the last 4 came on the last AB of the game.

[stoutdude04]

CB Bucknor with several “I don’t want to be here” called strikes this inning. The strikeout to Renfroe and the first pitch to Kinsler were hilariously awful calls.

 

True. Hes been pretty bad most of the night. No surprise though.

[adambr2]

To add to that discussion and be blunt, I absolutely believe Stearns went overboard on the lefty bats.

 

The bench construction is just awkward right now. You've got 3 righties, which doesn't sound bad except you're using 2 of them in the lineup against any LHP as a platoon, leaving you nothing but a backup catcher to use against the starter or any other LHP the manager throws at you the entire game.

[Bulldogboy]

I keep hearing how Shaw looks so much better after he came back but dude is still hitting 173. I am afraid this season is a waste for him. I wonder if there is more to this story.

[treego14]

Is Shaw:

 

(a) hapless

(b) helpless

© hopeless

(d) all of the above

 

????

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

To add to that discussion and be blunt, I absolutely believe Stearns went overboard on the lefty bats.

 

The bench construction is just awkward right now. You've got 3 righties, which doesn't sound bad except you're using 2 of them in the lineup against any LHP as a platoon, leaving you nothing but a backup catcher to use against the starter or any other LHP the manager throws at you the entire game.

 

Yep, exactly. I mean, I love what Gamel brings to the team, except that that lefty bat is redundant.

 

Ugh Shaw ... I stood by you, and preached justification for you continuing to get your opportunities. That patience is wearing very, very thin now. I wouldn't imagine that a 29-year-old power hitting corner infielder could just lose it ... but maybe. They only thing he's improved since his IL stint is his patience. Otherwise he still can't catch up to anything in the zone.

[treego14]

Yelich now up to a 13 game hitting streak I think and at least 2 of the last 4 came on the last AB of the game.

15, actually.

[Bulldogboy]

To add to that discussion and be blunt, I absolutely believe Stearns went overboard on the lefty bats.

 

The bench construction is just awkward right now. You've got 3 righties, which doesn't sound bad except you're using 2 of them in the lineup against any LHP as a platoon, leaving you nothing but a backup catcher to use against the starter or any other LHP the manager throws at you the entire game.

 

Yep, exactly. I mean, I love what Gamel brings to the team, except that that lefty bat is redundant.

 

Ugh Shaw ... I stood by you, and preached justification for you continuing to get your opportunities. That patience is wearing very, very thin now. I wouldn't imagine that a 29-year-old power hitting corner infielder could just lose it ... but maybe. They only thing he's improved since his IL stint is his patience. Otherwise he still can't catch up to anything in the zone.

See Chis Davis.

[Bulldogboy]

To add to that discussion and be blunt, I absolutely believe Stearns went overboard on the lefty bats.

 

The bench construction is just awkward right now. You've got 3 righties, which doesn't sound bad except you're using 2 of them in the lineup against any LHP as a platoon, leaving you nothing but a backup catcher to use against the starter or any other LHP the manager throws at you the entire game.

So true. This is facts and you can't believe an entire baseball ops department cant see the issue.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Shaw's improved patience could actually just be facing poorer pitching during this stretch of games that don't just attack him. I frankly don't see anything different in him compared to the first couple months of the season. He just seems painfully in between timingwise, and there's way too much swing and miss in his approach against seemingly hittable fastballs.

[Pugger]

White Sox 3

Cubs 1

 

(top of the 9th -- White Sox still batting after tallying two runs against Pedro Strop in the 9th)

 

The Cubs also losing was the only good thing about last night for sure. I had another commitment last night for most of the game so I guess I didn't miss much...

[Pugger]

Welp...I guess that's one way to get Hiura back up if Moose misses time - probably the worst possible way though

 

And Moose seemed to be one of the few guys who were hitting the ball lately...

[Pugger]

The fact that Braun is hitting third in this lineup despite the fact he no longer is scary enough for the other side to switch out a righty is shameful. That said no one else outside of Grandal deserves the job. Saledino with 5 more hits tonight. Bring him to the show.

 

Braun at this point in his career has no business hitting 3rd. I'd switch Yelich and Braun at the very least.

[Pugger]

Holy crap you guys ... I get that the team is playing crappy right now, but that's baseball. The sky isn't falling.

The sky isn't falling but it's raining real hard.

 

[Pugger]

The thing that is maddening is the Giants series the pitching was the issue. Now the bats are gone. Good teams have something to hang their hats on. Not sure aside from hitting home runs this team does well. Tough.

 

Well, I suppose if the team is going to go thru a tough stretch I'd rather it be now instead of September...

[Pugger]

This is Arcia's 4th year. It's possible a light turns on for him at some point. It's more likely that we're just in "this is who he is" territory with him.

 

I suspect he is who he is: a dynamic defensive shortstop who is below average and streaky as hell at the plate.

[Pugger]

Imagine trading Fernando Tatis Jr. for the crap years of James Shields.

 

How about straight up Tatis for Arcia?

[Pugger]

CB Bucknor with several “I don’t want to be here” called strikes this inning. The strikeout to Renfroe and the first pitch to Kinsler were hilariously awful calls.

 

He is the worst. I pray we don't see him and this officiating crew for a while now...