Game Thread (8/14/2022): Brewers (Ashby) at Cardinals (Mikolas) - 1:15 PM CDT

[Jopal78]

Well, there’s now a huge red flag on David Stearns resume. Was in first place most of the year, trades his all-star closer for ostensibly prospects and likely misses the post season as a result, burning a year more of service time of two fantastic starting pitchers in n the process. 

[bulldogboy0733]

Just now, Sixtolezcano said:

That’s all we need is a GM to clear out our prospects for more 36 yo ball players.

I wouldn't make him GM. Just being a Milwaukee guy and a loyal soldier I would make him a President of something but stay clear of day to day.

[LouisEly]

The Cardinals have such a lack of confidence in their bullpen that they're going to Helsley with a four run lead.

[BruisedCrew]

I hope for his sake that Rogers has a thick skin. Brewers fans are not inclined to be booers, but Rogers might be in for the Schoop treatment. 

[folly412]

They're not getting rid of Counsell.

Though I'd be less shocked than most if he came to the conclusion that he wasn't up for it any longer.

[trwi7]

I like how our genius manager let Rogers face Pujols to completely put the game out of reach.  He hasn't been able to hit right handed pitching in nearly 10 years and Counsell is like, yeah, let's let Rogers face him.

[Sixtolezcano]

And Yelich pounds another one into the ground. Great exit velo.

[jason21nl]

This roster isn’t built for a long playoff run and definitely not a World Series run.   As much as I’d love to see them in the World Series I don’t expect them to ever get there.  So I don’t blame Counsell for that.  I do blame him for falling asleep in that Pujols AB.  

[yourout]

Just now, BruisedCrew said:

I hope for his sake that Rogers has a thick skin. Brewers fans are not inclined to be booers, but Rogers might be in for the Schoop treatment. 

I think he can help if he is used correctly. This one is as much on CC as anyone.

He needs to take over Suters roll.

[BruisedCrew]

Just now, LouisEly said:

The Cardinals have such a lack of confidence in their bullpen that they're going to Helsley with a four run lead.

He was warmed up and ready to go and they have an off day tomorrow. Might as well use him. 

[HarveysWBs]

There’s a scene in Moneyball where Beane wants to trade Carlos Peña, and the assistant GM says it’s the right move, but it’s still the kind of move that gets you fired.  They pulled the trigger anyway and it worked out for Beane.

Trading Hader with a year and a half of control left at the deadline while in first place might have been the right move for this club.  Nobody on the outside knows all the details, like what Hader’s attitude to the team was, and what his internal scouting was showing, and what ownership wanted, and on and on.  But this is a move that can get you fired.

I’m not ready to say Stearns should be fired. I think he has more than earned a mulligan on a bad year (same for CC, by the way).  But I’ve also long since given up the illusion that hirings and firings happen entirely or even mostly on the merits.  Perception (often wrongly) counts for so much, especially in public positions like this.  And the perception is now becoming horrendous.

[bulldogboy0733]

3 minutes ago, rickh150 said:

Chourio is 4-4 with a HR today.

Bring him up. Davis is not better than him right now.

[Pugger]

10 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

He had a bad one week stretch after dominating the first three months of the season and being the best reliever in baseball for three years. You don't bail on someone like that because of a hiccup.

It appeared Stearns bailed.  If you are trying to win in October you don't trade away Hader unless winning a WS isn't the ultimate goal.  I get the feeling management is satisfied with being the team competitive just enough to put butts in the seats.

[LouisEly]

3 minutes ago, Jopal78 said:

Well, there’s now a huge red flag on David Stearns resume. Was in first place most of the year, trades his all-star closer for ostensibly prospects and likely misses the post season as a result, burning a year more of service time of two fantastic starting pitchers in n the process. 

I don't believe that they were ahead in the 9th/late in any of their games that they've lost, so Hader likely would not have been in.  Maybe the walk-off in PIT,  but they never pitch him in the 8th.

[Sixtolezcano]

Tell me there is still hope for this one.

[yourout]

1 minute ago, bulldogboy0733 said:

Bring him up. Davis is not better than him right now.

+1...time for Davis to go back down and get some work.

[BruisedCrew]

Just now, yourout said:

I think he can help if he is used correctly. This one is as much on CC as anyone.

He needs to take over Suters roll.

He has been a closer before. He is not just a LOOGY. 
 

Letting him pitch to Goldschmidt, Arenado, and Pujols did not make sense though after he’s already served up a gopher ball. 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

1 minute ago, bulldogboy0733 said:

Bring him up. Davis is not better than him right now.

He's certainly exciting. But he's also 18.

[bulldogboy0733]

Just now, HarveysWBs said:

There’s a scene in Moneyball where Beane wants to trade Carlos Peña, and the assistant GM says it’s the right move, but it’s still the kind of move that gets you fired.  They pulled the trigger anyway and it worked out for Beane.

Trading Hader with a year and a half of control left at the deadline while in first place might have been the right move for this club.  Nobody on the outside knows all the details, like what Hader’s attitude to the team was, and what his internal scouting was showing, and what ownership wanted, and on and on.  But this is a move that can get you fired.

I’m not ready to say Stearns should be fired. I think he has more than earned a mulligan on a bad year (same for CC, by the way).  But I’ve also long since given up the illusion that hirings and firings happen entirely or even mostly on the merits.  Perception (often wrongly) counts for so much, especially in public positions like this.  And the perception is now becoming horrendous.

I don't think it's really about trading Hader although I definitely would not have done it but who they got. Not filling any of the biggest needs you had while you are trying to win is the sin. Cutting one of the player you got to keep a guy you then cut two days later is some fireable offense type stuff.

[willie key]

This team was bad with hader or without him.    I will let other people argue if we got what he was worth in a trade though

 

amd can people please please please never ever reference playoff odds again.     Those things are so wrong.   

[yourout]

1 minute ago, BruisedCrew said:

He has been a closer before. He is not just a LOOGY. 
 

Letting him pitch to Goldschmidt, Arenado, and Pujols did not make sense though after he’s already served up a gopher ball. 

Just because he has been a closer should not dictate his roll right now.

[homer]

well at least Chourio is 4 for 4.

[bulldogboy0733]

2 minutes ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

He's certainly exciting. But he's also 18.

How about Frelick?? Let the best players play I say.

[willie key]

Adames did go 1-4 today though.     Instead of his usual 0 fer

[HarveysWBs]

6 minutes ago, bulldogboy0733 said:

Bring him up. Davis is not better than him right now.

I watched him K four straight ABs in an A-ball game last week.  I’m as excited about him as any prospect I’ve ever seen in the Brewers system.  But he ain’t walking through that door this year.