Game Thread (6/21/2022): Cardinals (Flaherty) at Brewers (Gonzalez) - 7:10 PM CDT

[Eye Black]

[Caswell]

This may sound strange, but Chi Chi doesn't look that horribly bad. He certainly doesn't look good, but there are some things that aren't horrible. He has played just over a third of his career innings in Colorado after all...

[magnoliacrew]

1 hour ago, Caswell said:

This may sound strange, but Chi Chi doesn't look that horribly bad. He certainly doesn't look good, but there are some things that aren't horrible. He has played just over a third of his career innings in Colorado after all...

I choose to believe this is true. I see a five step process to Chi Chi working out tonight.

1) Brewers pitching lab

2) ???

3) ???

4) ???

5) BREWERS WIN!!!

[Zad Fnark]

Wonder if the pitching coaches / pitching lab went to work on him.

[Pugger]

We need Woody back soon,

[Brewcrew82]

Can't say I have much confidence about this game. However, the Cardinals are worse against righties than they are against lefties. If Chi Chi can go around 4 innings and give up three or less runs, I'll be a happy camper. 

[Brewcrew82]

1 minute ago, Pugger said:

We need Woody back soon,

Next week. 

[folly412]

In Hook We Trust.

Also, what a blessing it has been that Alexander has been effective.

[HarryDoyle]

Let's hope we can get even four innings out of him tonight. This may be a glorified bullpen game.

[patrickgpe]

I vaguely remembered him pitching well against the brewers last season and looked it up.

6-27 5 IP, 3H, 1ER, 4K's. 

[Brewcrew82]

6 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

I vaguely remembered him pitching well against the brewers last season and looked it up.

6-27 5 IP, 3H, 1ER, 4K's. 

He also pitched 7 innings of 2 run ball against the Cardinals last year at Coors in the middle of summer, fwiw...

[DuWayne Steurer]

3 hours ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Can't say I have much confidence about this game. However, the Cardinals are worse against righties than they are against lefties. If Chi Chi can go around 4 innings and give up three or less runs, I'll be a happy camper. 

this is where I'm at. get a few innings and turn it over to the pen

[Brewcrew82]

No Goldschmidt in the lineup tonight....

[Jim French Stepstool]

Last night felt like a big win. But it could really be a "found money" feel if we find a way to take this one after starting someone who was just let go by another team. I agree you get a "not that bad" feel from Gonzalez, and Flaherty is in his initial stages of 2022, so here's hoping....

[Caswell]

6 hours ago, magnoliacrew said:

I choose to believe this is true. I see a five step process to Chi Chi working out tonight.

1) Brewers pitching lab

2) ???

3) ???

4) ???

5) BREWERS WIN!!!

I doubt he has seen the lab much considering he's been here only a week, but when I went through some stats while preparing my article predicting his start after Ashby went on the IR, I saw some stuff that could play well. I am really just hoping he avoids what he calls his sinker as much as possible.  It moves more like a 2-seamer and is hit well across the board and has been his worst pitch for the most part throughout his career. Getting through that first inning will be imperative for his success tonight though. 5 of his 6 runs this year have been scored in the first. Obviously, small sample size for this year, but in 2021 and 2020, his ERA has been highest in the first inning, with 27% of runs in 2021 and 50% of runs in 2020 scored in that frame. 

 

 

[nate82]

FYI game is free on MLB.TV today if you are outside the Brewers and Cardinals market that is.  

[LouisEly]

If Chi Chi isn't getting those called for strikes it is going to be a short night for him.  And a long night for us.

[jason21nl]

Well this is going about as expected 

[phnxcrew]

Chi chi is who they thought he was.  

[magnoliacrew]

Four line drives in the 1st. Not looking good for Chi Chi.

[Brewcrew82]

Not sure what Stearns was expecting by signing a guy with a career 5.69 ERA...

[folly412]

So, back to Small next? Or give Boushley a look?

[LouisEly]

At least the strike zone is going both ways.

[Brewcrew82]

1 minute ago, folly412 said:

So, back to Small next? Or give Boushley a look?

What's Brett Anderson up to? When he was healthy, he was actually fine...

[LouisEly]

3 minutes ago, magnoliacrew said:

Four line drives in the 1st. Not looking good for Chi Chi.

He wasn't getting the low strikes called so he was trying to throw them higher.  That's what happens when low strikes don't get called.