NL Wild Card Game 2 - Diamondbacks (Gallen) vs Brewers (Peralta): 10/4/23, 6:08pm

[Ro Mueller]

To me, Blake Perkins fell into CC’s doghouse on July 25, after which there was an almost extreme reluctance to let him bat. Even Perkins’ walk-off winner August 5 only came after he entered as a pinch runner and there was nobody left on the bench to hit.

Perkins was handed a reprieve from September 19-23, but that was the last gasp from CC for whatever reason.

I find this quite similar to past aversions to allow Villar to ever play SS (destroying his trade value), allow Hiura to hit against RHP in 2022 or allow Abraham Toro to play 2B or 3B (even when Brian Anderson was hurt and Brice Turang was useless at the plate; we called up Jahmai Jones to do nothing instead).

I never imagined Counsell actually walking away for a break or another job, but now I think it’s going to happen. Someone else can offer him a deeper bench that he’ll enjoy working with.

[Ro Mueller]

This is worse than Brewers’ 2022 (for which I blame the front office for not adding a bat) and Bucks-Heat 2023 (just weren’t up to it), though not as bad as Packers-49ers 2022 (give a bleep about special teams play; hey offense, do something - way to waste the best defense we’ve had in years).

I’d have zero second thoughts if the likes of Tellez, Wiemer, Winker, Monasterio, Anderson, Miller and Jahmai Jones didn’t bat in the 2023 postseason, as they were all struggling (or just not doing enough) coming in. I also don’t mind Hiura (some minor injury) and Black (service time manipulation) not getting a chance.

But I’ll always wonder what Caratini, Perkins, Mitchell and Toro would have done.

- Would Burnes have thrown better with his personal catcher behind the plate (w/Taylor in CF, Canha in RF, Frelick on the bench instead of hitting 5th)?

- Would Caratini have contributed anything as a hitter in Game 1 or batting instead of Monasterio in the 9th inning of Game 2?

- Perkins has consistently hit LHP slightly better than RHP - would he have come through instead of Frelick in the 8th inning of Game 2?

- Mitchell can impact in many ways - disruptive force on bases, CF defense, ability to run out a ground ball for a single or flare for a double, even just excitement which fuels the crowd. Was he the missing link?

- Toro ends the season with a 41-game on-base streak. He just knows how to come through in the second half of 2023, unlike some other guy who got paid $8m this year. Sure, his fielding is mediocre, but the effort is 100%. Switch-hit bat who can do more than Miller, Monasterio, Turang, Winker…

Am I an idiot for imagining that guys like Caratini, Perkins, Mitchell and/or Toro would have made a difference? Alas…something to ponder for as long as God lets me.

[willie key]

I never thought cc would leave to another team but it looks like we are going hard core rookies next year and I’m guessing he doesn’t want to deal with that.   
 

I have a feeling next year we will be terrible unless the brewers keep their whole pitching staff

 

god this is so depressing.   How is this season over already.   I will log off for awhile 

[Jopal78]

13 minutes ago, willie key said:

I never thought cc would leave to another team but it looks like we are going hard core rookies next year and I’m guessing he doesn’t want to deal with that.   
 

I have a feeling next year we will be terrible unless the brewers keep their whole pitching staff

 

god this is so depressing.   How is this season over already.   I will log off for awhile 

Isn’t that the way it works? Once they’ve taken a player group as far as they can most GMs and managers do not  stick around for the inevitable rebuild. 
 

In fact it’s  probably for the best to get a new manager to preside over a group of players who will likely be significantly different than the squad we’ve gotten to know 2018-2023.

[BrewerFan]

8 hours ago, Sixtolezcano said:

The fantasy is thinking a $140 million payroll is enough to actually have a realistic shot of really competing for a World Series title.

I'll let the Rays know. 

[titletownking]

Just now, BrewerFan said:

I'll let the Rays know. 

How many series have they won since their World Series appearance? Pitching and defense only works if you have some hitting too. Neither team has hitting. 

[Sixtolezcano]

Just now, BrewerFan said:

I'll let the Rays know. 

Yeah, Kevin Cash and Counsell have a tee time this morning at Bedminster……hahaha.

[BrewerFan]

2 minutes ago, titletownking said:

How many series have they won since their World Series appearance? Pitching and defense only works if you have some hitting too. Neither team has hitting. 

Since they went to the WS and then had a couple of 100 win seasons?

LOL...alright. 

[BrewerFan]

1 minute ago, Sixtolezcano said:

Yeah, Kevin Cash and Counsell have a tee time this morning at Bedminster……hahaha.

Pick a different team then kid. If you are really under this delusion that the Brewers will be able to spend with the Mets...I don't know what to tell you.

 

STILL haven't heard who the FA signing was that they should have made, but...I don't expect I will. 

[Sixtolezcano]

5 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

Pick a different team then kid. If you are really under this delusion that the Brewers will be able to spend with the Mets...I don't know what to tell you.

 

STILL haven't heard who the FA signing was that they should have made, but...I don't expect I will. 

Maybe not the Mets, but the Brave or Phillies. Prices always go up, gotta keep up with the competition or you will die, me boy.

[titletownking]

8 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

Pick a different team then kid. If you are really under this delusion that the Brewers will be able to spend with the Mets...I don't know what to tell you.

 

STILL haven't heard who the FA signing was that they should have made, but...I don't expect I will. 

You being condescending and calling people kid is rather ironic. 

[titletownking]

10 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

Since they went to the WS and then had a couple of 100 win seasons?

LOL...alright. 

And what have they done in the playoffs? 3 straight exits in the first round. pitching and defense gets you to the dance but doesn’t crown you. Hitting rules. Braves, dodgers, Astros, all had great lineups WITH pitching.  

[Sixtolezcano]

2 minutes ago, titletownking said:

And what have they done in the playoffs? 3 straight exits in the first round. pitching and defense gets you to the dance but doesn’t crown you. Hitting rules. Braves, dodgers, Astros, all had great lineups WITH pitching.  

That’s the thing with the MLB, always has been. Money rules. That is why the Yankees have won so many World Series. Teams like the Brewers, Mariners, and Cleveland will rarely win championships. Baseball needs to find a way to be more equitable to be taken more seriously.

[LouisEly]

10 hours ago, rondoman said:

None of those guys have proven a thing yet. AAA talent doesnt mean MLB talent.

And almost every MLB talent started their career in the minors.

For the very few who didn't, it usually hasn't worked out well (See Garrett Crochet)

[LouisEly]

6 hours ago, damuelle said:

This is worse than Brewers’ 2022 (for which I blame the front office for not adding a bat)

It's also the reason you don't go all-in and gut your prospect cache trying to add a piece or two, because all it takes is an off-day from one or two of your star players (Burnes, Williams game 1) or a late season injury (Woodruff) or some bad batted ball luck (Taylor game 1, Frelick game 2) and you're out of the playoffs.

The Dodgers have won the NL West 10 of the last 11 years.  They've won 100 games or the winning % equivalent of 100 games (2020) every year for the last seven years.  They have one World Series title and three World Series appearances to show for it.  It takes luck in the post-season, not that one player that you didn't acquire.

[Ro Mueller]

9 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

It's also the reason you don't go all-in and gut your prospect cache trying to add a piece or two, because all it takes is an off-day from one or two of your star players (Burnes, Williams game 1) or a late season injury (Woodruff) or some bad batted ball luck (Taylor game 1, Frelick game 2) and you're out of the playoffs.

The Dodgers have won the NL West 10 of the last 11 years.  They've won 100 games or the winning % equivalent of 100 games (2020) every year for the last seven years.  They have one World Series title and three World Series appearances to show for it.  It takes luck in the post-season, not that one player that you didn't acquire.

Thanks. Yeah, all I wanted to see in 2022 was the acquisition of a someone sensible to hopefully shake the team out of its doldrums (e.g. Whit Merrifield), or a promotion Sal Frelick (.943 OPS at AAA Nashville) to do the same, or even a promotion of a AAAA type (Abraham Almonte, Mark Mathias) to perhaps serve as an inspirational reward for performance. Any of them may have given that team a desperately-needed spark.

Back in 2014, I aimed much higher in my wish: Justin Morneau. We were something like 40 games ahead of the Rockies in the standings and he had one year left on his contract. He ended up delivering an .883 OPS over his final 46 games, so I felt justified in my dashed wish.

Getting Santana, Canha and Donaldson in 2023 was absolutely incredible by comparison, pushing us to somewhat comfortably make the playoffs and even rest our pitching staff...

[TURBO]

19 hours ago, Oxy said:

Yeah.  When a section is full and you aren't sitting on the aisle, don't move until between innings.  If you are returning from the restroom or concessions wait at the top in the concourse until the inning ends.

They really need to put this message on the big screen, and Ushers need to enforce holding people at the top until the inning ends.

This is what they do in Pittsburgh!  Loved it!

[bobahunter]

This will be a really interesting offseason. Fan excitement seems to be waning with the style of baseball they have played over the last few years (non-exciting, minimal bats, good pitching and defense). The fans at the stadium weren't hanging on every pitch like fans often do for playoff games. Even the broadcasters in this playoff series seemed hard pressed to come up with exciting talking points for the Brewers other than Counsell leaving. It often seemed like they were annoyed they even had to stop talking about the D-Backs. But I guess I get it, the D-Backs actually have some exciting young hitters and the Brewer's hitters are kind of meh. Some of our better hitters weren't on the team the whole year and probably won't be next year. Just hard to root for such a non-stable group of hitters. The Brewers really need to look long and hard how they approach this next phase. They need to be careful to not to continue this years-long offensive doom loop that they have constructed and at least give the fans hope that you're focused on fixing it. If they go status quo and just add to the periphery like they have in recent years, it's likely you see a drop in attendance. 

With all that, I do hope these last two playoff exits have given them enough of a push to want to do something different and exciting. Go Brewers!!

 

[TURBO]

17 hours ago, jason21nl said:

You’re right.  That’s why he isn’t one and wasn’t looked at being one on the team.  He was a number three starter 

Freddy won't have a choice next year.  He will have to be our ace, no getting around it.  Burnes gone via trade, and who knows if Woodruff is ever the same.  I read someplace that if he goes the surgery route, that is a 9-18 month recovery.

Our rotation next year could be pretty grim, especially if we don't improve our offense immensely.

[ecjimg]

11 hours ago, SomewhereInTime said:

There are many more fans that have it worse in recent years.  Seattle, San Diego, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Miami, Mets, White Sox, just to name a few.

Not concerned about recent years.  Talking about chances of a World Series win in the next 20 years.  All of them have better odds to do it.....and in some cases- again.

[Pugger]

16 hours ago, rickh150 said:

Look at that big inning for Arizona…. Bloop hit, broken bat grounders, seeing eye singles. It was the difference tonight.

Yup, sometimes you hit 'em where they aren't and other times you hit 'em right at defenders.

[RWeeksFan23]

On 10/4/2023 at 8:54 AM, MrTPlush said:

If I was a betting man, I would say there is a pretty strong chance, in most scenarios tonight, he won't pitch more than 4 innings regardless of how he does. 

hope you're not a betting man.

[MrTPlush]

53 minutes ago, RWeeksFan23 said:

hope you're not a betting man.

Glad to know I live rent-free in your head. 

[RWeeksFan23]

On 10/4/2023 at 8:02 PM, MrTPlush said:

Overrated just like Stearns anyway.

Neither of them are overrated lol.

Counsell is one of the best managers in the game.

[RWeeksFan23]

On 10/4/2023 at 8:55 PM, duewizard said:

Salvatore Frelick has a 589 OPS vs lefties this season. Sure Craig, lets let him hit. Why not put in Monasterio who has a 780 OPS vs lefties

BUT SURE LETS LET THE GUY WHO COULDNT GET AN AB VS LEFTIES IN THE REGULAR SEASON HIT

Am I missing something with this Salvatore thing?

I thought it was just RobertCrawley always oddly referring to him as that, but now I've seen multiple posters referencing him to that name.