NL Wild Card Game 1-Diamondbacks (Pfaadt) vs Brewers (Burnes): 10/3/23, 6:08pm

[Brewcrew82]

I'm too excited, so I thought I'd get the discussion started! Feel free to pin mods. 

If this wasn't the most important game of the series before; it is now. Time for Corbin to earn that paycheck and carry this rotation in Woody's absence. Offense was much better in August/September after being bottom of the rung for most of the year. Just get the lead and turn it over to Devin and co. for the close-out. Why not us?!

[Jake McKibbin]

Oh babbyyyyyyy... tension is mounting, Brewers almost cannot lose this game. Yeli bomb to lead off, settle the nerves, cruise to a 15-0 win

 

[Underachiever]

Roll call: I’ll be there!

[Brock Beauchamp]

Brewcrew jumping in and starting a game thread, nice.

[Jimbo]

[BruisedCrew]

The moment of truth.

As the OP said, the first game in a 3 game series is always crucial, and this one always seemed bigger than usual because of Burnes being matched up against someone other than Gallen or Kelly. Woodruff being out makes it even more pivotal. 
 

The question all season has been whether the Brewers offense (even the post deadline version) could produce the runs needed to win games against top teams and their best pitchers. We’ll start to get the answer to that tonight. 
 

All of the Brewers pitchers will have to be sharp because, as we saw during the season, the DBacks will run at every opportunity. They can turn any careless walk into a runner in scoring position. 

[Pugger]

With Woody out we really need Cy Burnes tonight.

[Outlander]

Certainly a ton of pressure on Burnes tonight but the offense really needs to come through and get some runs in perhaps their most favorable pitching matchup they will see in the playoffs. Chance to get to the bullpen as well.

[Brian]

1 hour ago, BruisedCrew said:

The moment of truth.

As the OP said, the first game in a 3 game series is always crucial, and this one always seemed bigger than usual because of Burnes being matched up against someone other than Gallen or Kelly. Woodruff being out makes it even more pivotal. 
 

The question all season has been whether the Brewers offense (even the post deadline version) could produce the runs needed to win games against top teams and their best pitchers. We’ll start to get the answer to that tonight. 
 

All of the Brewers pitchers will have to be sharp because, as we saw during the season, the DBacks will run at every opportunity. They can turn any careless walk into a runner in scoring position. 

1. D-backs stolen bases. 
165 SB (2nd) | 83 SB allowed (3rd)

[treego14]

We ought to beat Pfaadt!
If not, we will say this is one we should have got!
And that's my thought!

[RobertCrawley]

Pfaadt is a rookie with a 5.72 ERA. We need to get some bats on balls early!

[TURBO]

14 minutes ago, RobertCrawley said:

Pfaadt is a rookie with a 5.72 ERA. We need to get some bats on balls early!

He's been a LOT better than that recently...

[damuelle]

 

[Jake McKibbin]

10 minutes ago, TURBO said:

He's been a LOT better than that recently...

He's been better recently, if still below average. Just finished the preview if anyone's keen to check it out, but the key with him is laying off the sweeper. Should match up well in theory with the Brewers patient. If they can wait on a fastball, or the lefties wait on a changeup, damage may ensue

[Jake McKibbin]

1 minute ago, damuelle said:

 

I think no Mitchell may be the right call... at least Wiemer has been able to hit lefties

But why in God's name is Winker there

[Jake McKibbin]

@wiguy94you're usually the guy for this.. was he at least hitting the ball hard in Nashville?

[RobertCrawley]

4 minutes ago, Jake McKibbin said:

He's been better recently, if still below average. Just finished the preview if anyone's keen to check it out, but the key with him is laying off the sweeper. Should match up well in theory with the Brewers patient. If they can wait on a fastball, or the lefties wait on a changeup, damage may ensue

Willy has a hard time laying off that sweeper.

[Jake McKibbin]

2 minutes ago, RobertCrawley said:

Willy has a hard time laying off that sweeper.

Usually yes, but he's actually been quietly one of the best players on the roster of late with the bat. Much improved plate discipline in September

.365 OBP

[wibadgers23]

Why Wiemer over Mitchell? None of the Dbacks starters that we’re facing are lefties. What am I missing? 

[Jimbo]

OK, I'm naive.  Josh Donaldson was added to the 40-man on September 11.  Why is he eligible?

 

[areacodes]

6 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

OK, I'm naive.  Josh Donaldson was added to the 40-man on September 11.  Why is he eligible?

 

Any player in the organization by 8/31 is eligible for the post season roster.

ETA:  “A player . . . can still be added to a team’s roster in the postseason via petition to the commissioner’s office if the player was in the organization on Aug. 31 and is replacing someone who is on the injured list and has served the minimum amount of time required for activation.”

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-roster-rules-eligibility

[folly412]

4 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

OK, I'm naive.  Josh Donaldson was added to the 40-man on September 11.  Why is he eligible?

 

From https://www.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-roster-rules-eligibility:

A player who doesn't meet said criteria for postseason eligibility can still be added to a team's roster in the postseason via petition to the Commissioner's Office if the player was in the organization on Aug. 31 and is replacing someone who is on the injured list and has served the minimum amount of time required for activation. 
 

I read it as 1) He was in the organization on Aug 31, 2) the corresponding move to add him to the 40 was moving Mejia to the IL, 3) cleared with the Commissioner's Office, which is probably just there as a safeguard in case something is totally sketchy.

[Vgmastr]

Miller over Rowdy is a head scratcher

[liveforoctober]

1 minute ago, Vgmastr said:

Miller over Rowdy is a head scratcher

Winker over Rowdy is a brain buster.

[folly412]

Don't mind the roster.  Wondering if they saw something health-wise to think Mitchell wasn't ready to go, given Wiemer didn't get it going in his brief time in AAA.  

Also a little strange to have Winker and Miller not get MLB ABs in September.  I suppose the thought was to give Tellez every chance to make the roster, and that didn't happen.  But then what was Brian Anderson doing on the bench for so long?