Brewers (Montas) vs Reds (Cruz): 8/31/24, 6:15pm

[adambr2]

17 minutes ago, DuWayne Steurer said:

 

Why? I mean.... not being sarcastic, but why? His fip the last 5 years is like 2.50. His ERA for his career is *under* 2. Nobody hits him. It's easy for us to say "he should develop another pitch because it's nerve wracking watching him!" The results are what they are.  He isn't suffering the normal volatility good and mediocre relievers go through. He's dominant.  The flip side of this is I don't want the guy fiddling around with new pitches and messing up his delivery, when he's clearly right now one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. 

How many dominant closers have a regular 3rd pitch anyway? Seems like the vast majority are two pitch players. 

I agree, I don't need him horsing around with a mediocre 3rd pitch just to have a 3rd pitch. They're not hitting his other two.  If Devin ever runs into problems it's almost always because of command of his two pitches, not because he's not keeping hitters off balance with the two pitches. 

[markedman5]

4 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

How many dominant closers have a regular 3rd pitch anyway? Seems like the vast majority are two pitch players. 

I agree, I don't need him horsing around with a mediocre 3rd pitch just to have a 3rd pitch. They're not hitting his other two.  If Devin ever runs into problems it's almost always because of command of his two pitches, not because he's not keeping hitters off balance with the two pitches. 

And he tried a cutter and it didn’t work so he scraped it…….🤷‍♂️

[markedman5]

 

[Brian]

47 minutes ago, kevinisaname said:

WOW, what a play. Devin walked the tightrope again, but he got it done with a little help from Jake.

One of those Devin called strike pitches was a ball off the plate by over an inch and would have been ball 4,  we were handed this win by the home plate ump. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

I certainly wouldn't have used Williams tonite. That said, he's in one of those stretches where every AB seems to go anywhere from 6-7 to maybe ten pitches, and I don't think overuse has anything to do with it. He's done this before, just needs to work his way through it. But no, not a day after throwing 25.

My feelings on Bauers: During his good stretches he keeps the K's to a manageable level, draws walks & goes fairly deep into counts, and can pull the ball with some authority. Almost like a poor mans' Russell Branyan. At his worst, no, you don't even want to see him coming to the plate. What I think many have glossed over, is the huge canyon of difference defensively to Hoskins, Sanchez, or Black. I remember in the first six or seven weeks of the season counting 3 or 4 games that we probably don't win if not for his glovework. Now make it 4 or 5. "Run prevention" isn't just a slogan with these guys, it feeds their decision-making & roster construction. Despite all the 'DFA' cries, he was never really going anywhere.

Turang: I've been a defender of the guy in the leadoff spot, I still believe he can be an effective fit there. But part of my patience w/keeping him there through his struggles stems from not liking the other options. Ortiz has cooled back down, Yelich isn't here, and I really don't like the idea of Chourio leading off. Now, Perkins is swinging the bat acceptably & hits from both sides, and Frelick seems to have taken things up a notch. For the remainder of '24, trying either of them up there wouldn't be a bad idea.

Mitchell; Damn, you easily see what the organization sees in the guy; so many tools. Just such an unfinished product. Still under 1000 PAs as a pro. Still many frustrating ABs, but starting to get interesting.

[markedman5]

Reds podcasters watching the 9th and then reacting afterwards……..priceless 

enjoy

 

[wiguy94]

Going into June 1st, Chourio was last on the Brewers with -1.36 WPA. After today's game he's 3rd on the Brewers in WPA with 1.24 only 0.11 WPA behind William for 2nd. RIP Yelich who is far and away 1st with 2.71 WPA.

Here's a fun comparison.

Yelich this year - 372 PA, 152 wRC+, 3.0 fWAR, 2.72 WPA

Chourio since June 1st - 289 PA, 148 wRC+, 3.1 fWAR, 2.70 WPA

Chourio has basically been 2024 Christian Yelich since June 1st.

[Jim French Stepstool]

30 minutes ago, markedman5 said:

Reds podcasters watching the 9th and then reacting afterwards……..priceless 

enjoy

 

"STRETCH ARMSTRONG!!!!" Lol.

If I was a knife-twister, I'd tell Trace Fowler that Tommy Harper was the first ever Brewer all-star in 1970, he pinch ran in the game, Johnny Bench threw him out stealing & the Reds are still paying for it.

That, and I'd love to hear what these guys think of Luke Fickell.

[willie key]

That catch by Perkins.       Just ridiculous

 

also when the big games start I hope Murphy isn’t afraid to take Williams out when he does this again.     I know Williams has gotten out of tight jams before but tonight was the cardinals game all over again but he got lucky with the ump and bauers.     Guys like megill etc can get an out when Williams is losing it

[igor67]

Do we have a total for the year on how many HR saving catches Perkins has?

[Brian]

43 minutes ago, willie key said:

That catch by Perkins.       Just ridiculous

 

also when the big games start I hope Murphy isn’t afraid to take Williams out when he does this again.     I know Williams has gotten out of tight jams before but tonight was the cardinals game all over again but he got lucky with the ump and bauers.     Guys like megill etc can get an out when Williams is losing it

Yes, Devin needs to figure it out before the playoffs start or were in big trouble because just about every game is a nailbiter. 

[folly412]

1 hour ago, igor67 said:

Do we have a total for the year on how many HR saving catches Perkins has?

This thread has five: