Brewers at Reds: Sunday, August 17 @ 12:40 p.m.: Jose Quintana (3.44 ERA, 4.73 FIP) vs. Andrew Abbott (2.41 ERA, 3.66 FIP)

[adambr2]

This upcoming series is kind of Chicago’s last stand to make this a division race. They need a sweep, or at least 4 out of 5. Anything less will not swing things much in their favor.

[BrewerFan]

2 minutes ago, BruisedCrew said:

I really don't think the bunt has been a significant part of the Brewers offense.

But, regardless, for the reasons I gave I think that was not the right situation for a flat out sacrifice.

Bunting for a hit in the middle of a game is a completely different situation. Even Turang’s bunt before Monasterio’s HR last night was not a give up an out sacrifice.

 

Turang's was definitely a sac bunt. He just got it down the line and beat it out. 

Today, it was just a bad bunt. And I did agree that without the pen, I'd probably not have bunted it there, but I think there's quite a bit that people are...not recalling. Durbin has put down quite a few Bunts, Chourio, Yelich both have done likewise. Vaughn just had a sac bunt with men on 1st and 3rd that was clearly all his decision. 

 

I would say the bunt has been about as big and important for the Brewers as just about any team in Baseball.

Obviously, the hotter you are and when you're 2nd in OPS over the last 30 days and you just had a road trip in which you're the first team in MLB History to score 80 runs and allow 30 or less(whatever it was) you're probably bunting less... but I feel like I'm watching another team.

 

I'm also not sure why people are so down on Anderson as compared to Myers. He's been just objectively better in everything you need there this year. Much better GB%, much better K rate, tougher on lefties and we're talking about how bad Murph's BP management is. 

How we shouldn't have traded Cortes and this is all a byproduct of that and forcing Misirowski into a start....

There is definitely some teeth gnashing going on. 

I agree with @Brian... we're getting a little spoiled. 

[wiguy94]

10 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

As per the presser, Murphy was going to Anderson in the 9th to get a ground ball. I'd have stayed with Myers, but none of this stuff is done on a coin flip. I questioned it at the time as Myers looked great, now I know the reason why he did it. But not a sharp day for Anderson. The four pitch walk ahead of Friedel kinda proved that.

Abbott is awfully good.

I mean that logic really just makes no sense and actually makes me more annoyed by the decision. The tying run was on 1st base with 1 out. Who cares about a ground ball or fly ball.

[Bulldogboy]

1 minute ago, wiguy94 said:

I mean that logic really just makes no sense and actually makes me more annoyed by the decision. The tying run was on 1st base with 1 out. Who cares about a ground ball or fly ball.

Agree 1000 percent. It's the kind of comment that Murphy throws out there because there is no follow up.

[Yaz19]

1 hour ago, Yaz19 said:

This is just a really long dream.

That I was just RUDELY awakened from.   HARUMPH!

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 minute ago, RobertCrawley said:

I would say that bunt has often been effective for us. Certainly, every Brewers batter works on it. It's not easy, and it is risky.

Yeah, it seems to be an emphasis. And that, in addition to the team speed & baserunning contributes to the 'luck' factor, as in "They've been really lucky w/all the oppositions' errors". Really, to me it's just another form of pressure. Knowing Ohtani is at the plate & can create an instant 480-ft highlight is pressure. So is planting an additional seed of thought in a defense.

Depending on your skillset, I don't know if it's that much tougher than squaring up a pitch & finding a hole. So much of it is situational.

[Hynter]

Hi not sure about pinch hitting for Ortiz been swinging bat well recently and last 2 games the defense suffered with him out of game

[liveforoctober]

I'm just getting home and was only able to catch bits and pieces of the game but heard the final two innings... not willing to go back through the whole thread so I'm sure some of this has been repeated... but two big things about this one/moving forward ->

If we take 3 of 5 from Chicago the division if effectively over. Moves today should have reflected that thought process to bring a full healthy club to Chicago and they did.

As odd as it sounds, the winning streak and breaking the record and George Webb and all of that almost seemed like it was becoming a distraction, in the extent of the coverage it was getting. I don't want to lose ever, but I almost feel a relief that we can be done with it now and just worry about baseball again. 

Is it weird I'm glad they lost so we can just go focus on winning the division this week?

[BruisedCrew]

9 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

When you include the seed planted in the heads of a defense & opposing pitcher in addition to the actual times they do it, I think it's been very significant.

I disagree, but it’s hard to say whether pitchers are th spooked by the threat of a bunt.

But again, so much of it is situational. So, however useful bunting might be in some situations  I don’t think this was one of those situations. 

[adambr2]

All in all, though disappointing, this is not a game that we would remember in a month if it weren't the loss that snapped the streak.

The vast majority of pen arms got much needed rest today. Need some good starter outings this week.

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 minutes ago, Hynter said:

Hi not sure about pinch hitting for Ortiz been swinging bat well recently and last 2 games the defense suffered with him out of game

Welcome to Brewer Fanatic!

[Jim French Stepstool]

5 minutes ago, BruisedCrew said:

I disagree, but it’s hard to say whether pitchers are th spooked by the threat of a bunt.

But again, so much of it is situational. So, however useful bunting might be in some situations  I don’t think this was one of those situations. 

Fair enough. I think it can be very disruptive, maybe moreso to an INF than a pitcher.

The bunt by Perkins was certainly a decision that can be debated. Playing for one run definitely looks a lot tastier if you had Uribe or Megill in the arsenal, which they didn't.

[BruisedCrew]

BTW, I’m not going to go through the whole thread, but was there any report on Frelick? The fact that he wasn’t even used as a pinch hitter when several opportunities presented themselves makes me wonder if he is headed for one of those 3 day absences or the IL. 

[BrewerFan]

10 minutes ago, RobertCrawley said:

Questioning a manager's bullpen decisions is the easiest thing to do because the critic is never wrong. He lives in a universe of his own speculations, not fact. But belief, dear friends, is not evidence.

And now the Cubs are winning.

EXACTLY. Even in hindsight, it's hard for me to really argue Myers is better to have out there to get through that inning just based on their performances this year. 

I think a better argument would be.... you need to cover 18 innings tomorrow, you've got Misiorowski throwing a game, no DL Hall. Even with Patrick and now likely Yoho(who I don't trust) just leaving Myers in case it went even longer and save Anderson would have been a better argument than "Myers is better." 

I mean, Anderson had thrown to a sub 3.00 ERA, 9.5 Ks per 9 and... been pretty solid... for what's basically the last guy in the pen. 

 

 

16 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

As per the presser, Murphy was going to Anderson in the 9th to get a ground ball. I'd have stayed with Myers, but none of this stuff is done on a coin flip. I questioned it at the time as Myers looked great, now I know the reason why he did it. But not a sharp day for Anderson. The four pitch walk ahead of Friedel kinda proved that.

Abbott is awfully good.

It was not a good day for him. I thought the 4 pitch walk was more of an unintentional-intentional walk, but...I may be wrong. 

 

To the last point though, this division could be really tough in the future. 

The Pirates have a lot of really good pitching. Maybe the best young(24 and under) pitching in the game. Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones, Skenes. This HS kid they just drafted could move quick.

The Reds have a young group that could be nasty with Burns, Lowder, Petty. 

I don't actually know much about the Cards and the Cubs..., I think they'll make another trade for someone. Especially if they pony up for Tucker in the off-season. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 minute ago, BruisedCrew said:

BTW, I’m not going to go through the whole thread, but was there any report on Frelick? The fact that he wasn’t even used as a pinch hitter when several opportunities presented themselves makes me wonder if he is headed for one of those 3 day absences or the IL. 

Murphy said postgame he just didn't want to use him & told him before the game. So apparently no issues

[BruisedCrew]

5 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

All in all, though disappointing, this is not a game that we would remember in a month if it weren't the loss that snapped the streak.

The vast majority of pen arms got much needed rest today. Need some good starter outings this week.

I can honestly say that I really dont care about the winning streak ending.

I will forget about this game tomorrow, especially if the Brewers can win one. 
I am fixated on the Cubs series because it really does seem like the Cubs last shot. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

3 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

EXACTLY. Even in hindsight, it's hard for me to really argue Myers is better to have out there to get through that inning just based on their performances this year. 

I think a better argument would be.... you need to cover 18 innings tomorrow, you've got Misiorowski throwing a game, no DL Hall. Even with Patrick and now likely Yoho(who I don't trust) just leaving Myers in case it went even longer and save Anderson would have been a better argument than "Myers is better." 

I mean, Anderson had thrown to a sub 3.00 ERA, 9.5 Ks per 9 and... been pretty solid... for what's basically the last guy in the pen. 

 

 

It was not a good day for him. I thought the 4 pitch walk was more of an unintentional-intentional walk, but...I may be wrong. 

 

 

In the either-or, I'd rather not have Freidel vs a RHP so assumed he was just missing. But it sure seemed like a 'pitch around' AB so who knows?

[DuWayne Steurer]

1 hour ago, BruisedCrew said:

I can honestly say that I really dont care about the winning streak ending.

I will forget about this game tomorrow, especially if the Brewers can win one. 
I am fixated on the Cubs series because it really does seem like the Cubs last shot. 

Yeah this is where I'm at. If it was a 3 game series, I'd be pretty much "meh". But a five game series (as hard as that is to sweep) does give the Cubs a slight glimmer of hope to get back in the race if we were to stumble and lose 4-5 or even the whole shebang. I don't expect it... the Cubs offense has been mediocre for a while now, all I'm saying is a five game series is the one thing they have in their pocket that could get them back in it. 

[willie key]

Now that the streak is over.   There really is only one thing that matters.    Getting a bye to the divisional round.   At this point anything other than that would be a failure.   First or second seed.    I don’t care

[Bulldogboy]

18 minutes ago, willie key said:

Now that the streak is over.   There really is only one thing that matters.    Getting a bye to the divisional round.   At this point anything other than that would be a failure.   First or second seed.    I don’t care

Agreed but getting the one is huge and should be the focus. 8 games up no excuse not to.

[BarremlensTSSC]

3 hours ago, liveforoctober said:

 

If we take 3 of 5 from Chicago the division if effectively over. Moves today should have reflected that thought process to bring a full healthy club to Chicago and they did.

 

I honestly think the Cubs probably need to win 4 games to have a realistic shot at the division.  Even 2 wins gets the Brewers to 80 wins with 34 to play.  .500 ball after that gets them to 97 wins.  The Cubs would have to go 27-15 the rest of the way to get to 97.  It's still mathematically possible for the Cubs to win the division if they split the series 2-3/3-2 but it's not likely.

I liked how Murphy managed the game today with an eye on the next 4 days (and really the next two weeks).

[LouisEly]

3 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

I mean that logic really just makes no sense and actually makes me more annoyed by the decision. The tying run was on 1st base with 1 out. Who cares about a ground ball or fly ball.

It's the Great American Bandbox.  I think they said the wind was flying out a little.  Anderson's HR rate this year is 0.9 and Myers is 1.3.

Personally, I would have stayed with Myers but I'm not upset about the decision.

[wiguy94]

12 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

It's the Great American Bandbox.  I think they said the wind was flying out a little.  Anderson's HR rate this year is 0.9 and Myers is 1.3.

Personally, I would have stayed with Myers but I'm not upset about the decision.

With that logic why even start the inning with Myers?

[LouisEly]

11 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

With that logic why even start the inning with Myers?

Myers this season:

Pitch count 1-25: .632 OPS-A

Pitch count 26-50: .900 OPS-A

Myers was at 24 pitches.

[wiguy94]

56 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

Myers this season:

Pitch count 1-25: .632 OPS-A

Pitch count 26-50: .900 OPS-A

Myers was at 24 pitches.

Yeah all those numbers say is that Tobias struggled as a SP this year which is hugely irrelevant to him pitching out of the bullpen today. If we want to agenda post with small sample sizes. Tobias as a RP had a .286 OPS against coming into today.