Game Thread (7/23/2022): Rockies (Ureña) at Brewers (Woodruff) - 6:10 PM CDT

[Eye Black]

[Eye Black]

Ureña’s July stint with the Rockies has gone a bit better than his April with the Brewers. He’s started three games for the Rockies and has gone 6 or more innings in each appearance. Overall he has 18.2 IP and just 3 earned runs (1.45 ERA) over those three starts. Back in April he threw just a total of 7.2 IP over 4 relief appearances with the Brewers. 

[willie key]

The brewers are a 3-1 favorite tonight?

 

hmmmmmm.      I don’t think that’s a wise use of money

lets see if we can take advantage of what was a sort of miracle win last night 

[LouisEly]

I wonder what the record is for the fewest pitches to cover two innings.  Suter's 12 last night probably isn't the record (Red Barrett threw a 58-pitch complete game, so he averaged 6.44 pitches/inning), but I'd bet that it is the fewest this century.

[Brewcrew82]

3 hours ago, willie key said:

The brewers are a 3-1 favorite tonight?

 

hmmmmmm.      I don’t think that’s a wise use of money

lets see if we can take advantage of what was a sort of miracle win last night 

I think it makes perfect sense. 

Urena vs. Woodruff is pretty self-explanatory, for one thing. Urena has been decent in his short stint with the Rockies this year, but this is still the same guy that we DFA'd because we didn't find him worthy of taking up a roster spot at the very back-end of the bullpen. 

Also, the Brewers are just better than the Rockies...

[willie key]

Btw.    Props to suter last night.    No way in heck did I think he would give up no runs in two innings last night

 

if he could get back a little of what he’s been like the last year or two would be very helpful

[Brock Beauchamp]

Well, hopefully there will be less theatrics tonight and the Brewers can walk to an easy win.

[yourout]

43 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Well, hopefully there will be less theatrics tonight and the Brewers can walk to an easy win.

Easy wins are pretty rare for the crew.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, yourout said:

Easy wins are pretty rare for the crew.

Fair enough, but the Rockies are pretty bad. They're bound to lay an egg at least once this series.

[NBBrewFan]

Nice to see a W when I woke up (missed the last 4 innings).  While there's still plenty of time, games like last night they really need to win most of the time.  With the current state of the rotation, when your ace is going and he leaves the game with a lead you need to win that game.  Tonight is another one with Woodruff pitching.  Hopefully the offense has woken up from the long all-star break.

[Brewcrew82]

Interesting, nothing about Hiura yet...

[Brewcrew82]

Looks like we'll miss Devers for our series next weekend in Boston. Just placed on the 10 day IL...

[BruisedCrew]

25 minutes ago, yourout said:

Easy wins are pretty rare for the crew.

If an easy win is one that doesn't involve going to any of the top relievers to finish out the game to earn a save, or to preserve ties, those are very rare for the Brewers.

I made the point in a game thread last week that the Brewers have fewer wins (by a significant amount) that didn't require a save than any of the other NL playoff contenders. The main reason for this is that the Brewers offense doesn't produce enough runs often enough to allow games to be finished out without a save.

The Brewers model of hoping to squeeze out enough runs in the first 6 innings to create a small lead and then counting on the bullpen to hold that lead cannot be sustained for a whole season. To win 90-95 games a team has to win some games by building up a 4 or 5 run lead (or larger) and taking that lead to the end of the game without going to the back end of the bullpen. The Brewers have not been able to do that often enough.

Just look at the scores after 6 innings in the 15 games the Brewers have played since the 19 run outburst in Pittsburgh (their most recent easy win):

2-7,  2-0, 0-1, 2-8, 1-0, 3-2, 3-0, 4-5, 6-2, 1-1, 2-2, 5-2, 0-1, 1-9, 3-3 

In those 15 games, the Brewers have scored just 55 runs (3.67 per game) while going 6-9 against teams and pitchers that generally aren't the best in the league. But only 35 of those runs have come in the first 6 innings of games, and only once have they had a lead of over 3 runs going into the final innings. A lot of the runs coming after the 6th inning have come in extra innings (with the aid of a free runner) or as consolation runs in the games in which they were way behind.

That kind of offense forces the starters to be near perfect to keep the team in the game and a near perfect effort from the bullpen to pull out wins.

 

 

 

 

[mtsportsfan]

46 minutes ago, BruisedCrew said:

That kind of offense forces the starters to be near perfect to keep the team in the game and a near perfect effort from the bullpen to pull out wins.

For sure , I touched on this thought awhile back and caught a small backlash . the pressure is on for the starter, he knows that if he gives up some runs that could very well mean a loss or a no decision with this all or nothing offence. It just can't help that  the pitcher knowing he almost has to be perfect !

 

 

 

 

[CdrbrgMark]

Horrible throw by Urias to 1B. Is that normal for him?

[markedman5]

Lots of pitches and behind early again

[BruisedCrew]

Woodruff matching Burnes’ rough start from last night. 

[yourout]

Robots

[Pugger]

Woodruff is often shakey in the 1st.

[stoutdude04]

5 minutes ago, CdrbrgMark said:

Horrible throw by Urias to 1B. Is that normal for him?

On the infield single? That's how its taught. You try to throw it so it skids when it's that deep.

[markedman5]

3 hours ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Interesting, nothing about Hiura yet...

Hiura is playing for Nashville tonight 

[Brewcrew82]

3 minutes ago, BruisedCrew said:

Woodruff matching Burnes’ rough start from last night. 

I wouldn't call Burnes' start last night "rough". It was substandard from him for sure, but that's a good start for a lot of MLB pitchers. 

[yourout]

Plate ump has already missed at least 4 strikes.

[stoutdude04]

10 minutes ago, yourout said:

Robots

Yep - this ump has been bad already and it's been 1 inning. 

[Brewcrew82]

Woody making Louisville Slugger a lot of money right now....