Game Thread (4/20/2022): Pirates (Keller) at Brewers (Woodruff) - 12:40 PM CDT

[phnxcrew]

If hiura were to get hot, I sure hope mccutchen “needing to stay fresh” wouldn’t get in the way.  But I have a strange suspicion it would. 

[Eye Black]

Bringing Devin into the game with two runners on base... interesting. 

[Brewcrew82]

4 minutes ago, Julio Muchacho said:

I LOVE IT! Keston, show us what. is. up! 

In Appleton, Sal Frelick just launched an opposite field bomb and is 5-5 on the day. We have ourselves a lead-off weapon, gents. This kid is electric.

I will be interested to see who seizes the CF position in the post-Cain era between him and Mitchell. Though, Taylor may yet have something to say about that. 

[Simba2020]

I've been as down on Hiura as anybody but I was very pleased he really changed his leg kick in the offseason. I even made the comment to a friend in the spring that I was even a bit more optimistic long-term about him than I was Yelich. Not that he'd necessarily be better but might be closer to replicating 2019 than would Christian, not that either really could. Then came 8 Ks in 16 ABs and nothing seemed to change. It would have been interesting if he got every day at bats for a month coming out of spring if anything would have been different.

[GreatNWwi]

2 minutes ago, Eye Black said:

Bringing Devin into the game with two runners on base... interesting. 

A classic CC move.  Especially early in the season with a struggling player.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

2 minutes ago, Eye Black said:

Bringing Devin into the game with two runners on base... interesting. 

Against a left-handed hitter to boot. Defies a little traditional baseball logic.

[SomewhereInTime]

Just now, Eye Black said:

I think the lineup bashing would be better received if either (1) it wasn't included in nearly every thread you participate in, or (2) it occasionally didn't come across as the sky is falling and everything is hopeless. 

Of course there is another option (3): Funny Memes...

That is the correct response.

And remember, pitching and defense wins.  There's a reason why we're in a very successful stretch of five seasons of Brewers baseball.  Teams like 2012 or 2001 hit the ball but lost a bunch of games because there was no pitching.

[Joseph Zarr]

1 minute ago, Brewcrew82 said:

I will be interested to see who seizes the CF position in the post-Cain era between him and Mitchell. Though, Taylor may yet have something to say about that. 

At this point in time, I have to say I like Frelick for that spot by a decent margin. The addendum here is obviously: it's way too early to tell. But, I watch the majority of these minor league contests. Mitchell doesn't have the intensity I see in Frelick and I would politely argue Sal is the better athlete anyway. I am not as high on Mitchell as most but that can change if Mitchell can stay healthy and start putting together the total package. He has the skills, but, in my view, there is something amiss.

[treego14]

The top 3 hitters in our lineup need to be moved to the bottom the lineup.

The last 3 hitters in our lineup need to be moved to the middle of the lineup.

The middle 3 hitters in our lineup need to be moved to the top of the lineup.

Everything will be solved.

We will win 12 in a row ... George Webb will be giving away burgers -- get 'em while they're hot! 

[Brewcrew82]

Time to get gott ready...

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Just now, Brewcrew82 said:

Time to get gott ready...

One of the few times when Counsell may have gotten a little too cute for his own good.

[Joseph Zarr]

OMG. Timber Rattlers just won it on a wild pitch. They were down 9-2 and just won on a wild pitch walk off 10-9. It ruined Sal Frelick's chance to make history and go 6-6 - the first Rattler who would have ever done it. Whewwww what a game in truly terrible conditions. Yeah baby!

[stoutdude04]

9 minutes ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

Against a left-handed hitter to boot. Defies a little traditional baseball logic.

Isn't Reynolds a switch hitter?

[Eye Black]

It seems like hitters are picking up Devin's changeup better then in the past. At least in the early going he's induced less chasing out of the zone then normal. 

[Brewcrew82]

3 minutes ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

One of the few times when Counsell may have gotten a little too cute for his own good.

Also kind of frustrating how Hader isn't available in a situation like this. Even if he can't go the next inning, having him available to put out the fire here against a lefty would be invaluable. 

[Harold Hutchison]

?

That's putting it mildly.

How many options does Devin have left?

[stoutdude04]

4 minutes ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

One of the few times when Counsell may have gotten a little too cute for his own good.

I don't think so - it was either: Suter against Reynolds righty, or Williams against Reynolds lefty, then they would have brought Williams in to face Hayes regardless.  So, bring him in 1 batter earlier.

[treego14]

2 minutes ago, clancyphile said:

5 minutes ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

One of the few times when Counsell may have gotten a little too cute for his own good.

Chickens are not cute!  ?

[Harold Hutchison]

1 minute ago, Eye Black said:

It seems like hitters are picking up Devin's changeup better than in the past. At least in the early going he's induced less chasing out of the zone then normal. 

Devin got the K to end the inning, but it may be time to get him a third pitch.

[Brewcrew82]

2 minutes ago, clancyphile said:

?

That's putting it mildly.

How many options does Devin have left?

Still wayyyy too early for this. But it might be time to let him figure it out in lower leverage situations. If I remember correctly, this is what happened last year, and he was nothing short of sensational from June to his untimely wall incident. 

[treego14]

7 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Time to get gott ready...

It's time Gott Get ready.

[Underachiever]

Following online is frustrating at times. That last at-bat seemed to take longer than some innings have taken today.

Suter's line is interesting. 4 batters faced: 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 K...NINE pitches?

[Joseph Zarr]

Devin Williams start to 2021:

DATE	OPP	RESULT	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	GB	FB	P	TBF	GSC	DEC	REL	ERA
Thu 4/29	vsLAD	W 2-1	1.0	2	0	0	0	1	0	2	2	17	5	0.0	-	HLD(5)	4.66
Tue 4/27	vsMIA	W 5-4	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1	0	19	4	0.0	-	HLD(4)	5.19
Sun 4/25	@CHC	W 6-0	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	12	3	0.0	-	HLD(3)	5.87
Sat 4/24	@CHC	W 4-3	1.0	1	1	1	1	0	2	1	1	12	4	0.0	-	HLD(2)	6.75
Wed 4/21	@SD	W 4-2	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	1	15	4	0.0	-	HLD(1)	6.35
Sun 4/18	vsPIT	L 6-5 F/10	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	1	18	4	0.0	-	-	7.71
Fri 4/16	vsPIT	L 6-1	1.0	1	2	2	1	1	2	1	2	20	6	0.0	-	-	9.82
Mon 4/12	vsCHC	W 6-3	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	1	14	4	0.0	-	-	6.75
Wed 4/7	@CHC	W 4-2 F/10	1.0	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	1	24	5	0.0	-	BLSV(1)	10.80
Mon 4/5	@CHC	L 5-3	0.2	1	1	1	0	1	1	0	2	22	5	0.0	-	-	13.50

[homer]

Williams just has to get to the point where he's able to throw his change for strikes when he needs to. He's almost there now.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, homer said:

Williams just has to get to the point where he's able to throw his change for strikes when he needs to. He's almost there now.

Agreed. With Devin, he has shown he has periods of scuffling as he finds his stuff. Let's see where we are by, say, June.