Game Thread (4/01/2023): Brewers (Woodruff) vs. Cubs (Steele) - 1:20 PM

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

I'm not making any conclusions on the 2023 offense at this point but they did stink last year and they did have two hitting coaches last year.

Tongue in cheek yes, but it did feel like there's been scapegoating of hitting coaches in Milwaukee for awhile and when they hired two that practice has sort of tailed off.

I think it’s an exaggeration to say last year’s offense stunk. They were certainly frustrating to watch at times but overall, performed middle of the pack in most metrics.

I think people underestimate just how bad offense was in baseball last year. Most teams were aggravating as hell to watch.

[adambr2]

1 minute ago, HarryDoyle said:

I would argue having two hitting coaches is worse. Too many chefs in the kitchen.

Without knowing what their respective roles are within their positions, it seems hard to say. But it definitely hasn't yielded any improvements. 

[nate82]

Yelich needs to be moved to the bottom of the order like 8th or 9th he just suck’s completely.  

[YelichPosse]

Hoping we can just blame it on the weather but woof these have been a bad couple days at the yard. Bad approaches and lots of whiffs.

[adambr2]

1 minute ago, nate82 said:

Yelich needs to be moved to the bottom of the order like 8th or 9th he just suck’s completely.  

He's toast. Not Chris Davis toast by any means, but I've given up hope that he's going to be anything more than a meh player for the rest of his career. We're on Season 4 of the new Christian Yelich. 

[edfunderburk]

I’m already tired of watching the 2023 Brewers offense 

Can we score a run?

What gives?

This is the Cubbies ☹️

[Matthew Trueblood]

I actually think Yelich looks a little better so far, mechanically. He's staying back with his upper half better. If he gets the timing right, I think he can start lifting it a bit better from here. But, we'll see. Frustrating start.

[MrTPlush]

BA…there is no way Woodruff is throwing 100+ his first start.

[edfunderburk]

2 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

He's toast. Not Chris Davis toast by any means, but I've given up hope that he's going to be anything more than a meh player for the rest of his career. We're on Season 4 of the new Christian Yelich. 

I’d like him to be in the rotation this year for days off - max 120 games - & moved down in the order

He is no longer a “bat 3rd in the lineup” player 

[yfinn6]

1 run should be plenty for the Cubs today. 

[MrTPlush]

Ballgame

[HarryDoyle]

Cold weather doesn't explain away the swings and misses out of the zone. We're already seeing the same problems we saw all last season.

[Matthew Trueblood]

Ye of little faith... The Cubs' bullpen is not bulletproof. And Happ didn't hit that that hard, so if they get someone in there whom the Crew can actually lift the ball against, we could see some stuff.

[MrTPlush]

I don’t know why anyone thought the offense was going to be magically better. It’s a collection of the same players, rookies, and some fodder stuff we pulled out of the garbage bin.

Voit, Miller, Anderson. Literally all trash players last year. 
 

The optimism is mostly because it is the start of the year and the rookies haven’t proven to suck like the above players yet.

Maybe this offense becomes something hey Aug/Sept…but I don’t expect pretty results early on. Gotta pray some rookies have big years.

[adambr2]

Cold weather doesn't make you badly chase a pitch like Contreras just did. 

[edfunderburk]

1 minute ago, MrTPlush said:

Ballgame

I fear you may be right 

What a dreadful start to the season

My “hope Springs eternal” excitement is running quite low

I didn’t think it was possible to feel exactly what I felt last year when watching this team 

We need a hero - I hope someone steps up 

Another shutout would be embarrassing 

[trwi7]

This offense is the worst.

 

[adambr2]

I don't know why people think Rowdy is good. 

[edfunderburk]

6 minutes ago, Matthew Trueblood said:

Ye of little faith... The Cubs' bullpen is not bulletproof. And Happ didn't hit that that hard, so if they get someone in there whom the Crew can actually lift the ball against, we could see some stuff.

Another dud inning in the 7th against that mediocre Cubs bullpen 

[wOOgiE22]

Wow these are some pretty pathetic at bats the Brewers are putting up to start the year. 

[MrTPlush]

Just now, adambr2 said:

I don't know why people think Rowdy is good. 

He is fine…just fine. He is very fringe starter. The problem is when the announcer says he is the guy to hope for to make something happen. That’s a lil problematic.

[HarryDoyle]

It's once again a home run or bust offense.

[ELCABALLO45]

Daily reminder baseball should never be played in this weather. But keep doing you, MLB. 

[MrTPlush]

I am shocked the Brewers the last few years haven’t broken every scoreless related record in franchise history. Looks like one still existed.

[MrTPlush]

Just now, ELCABALLO45 said:

Daily reminder baseball should never be played in this weather. But keep doing you, MLB. 

If we canceled every windy day in Chicago, baseball would never get played.