Cardinals at Brewers; Saturday, September 13 @ 7:15 p.m.: Jacob Misiorowski (4.09 ERA, 3.12 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (4.45 ERA, 3.48 FIP)

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I'm just hoping the recent crapola is just a well-timed cold snap that will conveniently end around September 29. The season is full of highs and lows and hopefully we cooled in time to heat up again. 

[ReverendBrewmeister]

10 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Miz has great stuff. I trust him the least of all our starters, though. He seems like a clear playoff bullpen guy, but do I trust him enough for high leverage? I don't know.

If we can't get Hall, Megill, etc. back, I think Miz has a spot for sure. If we get some guys back, though? It might be best to shut the guy down. I can imagine a few scenarios where he's only a mop-up type option, and, at that point, why push his arm?

Miz hasn’t been good since the All Star Break. Yes, he had a good start at Pittsburgh last Sunday. But the numbers against more quality lineups (CIN, CHC, AZ, PHI) have been just good enough to keep a starting spot, but hardly a playoff rotation spot.

Going into tonight’s game, he has the following stat line:

7 GS, 29.1 IP, 24 H, 17 ER, 2 HR, 13 BB, 44 SO. 
That’s a 5.22 ERA and a 1.261 WHIP.

Remove that 7 IP, 3H, and 1 ER performance against the Pirates, and those numbers get much worse. Tonight doesn’t help either. It looks like Miz may have maxed out where he can be for 2025 against average to above average major league hitters. Perhaps he’s needed to fill out the rotation for a game against the Angels, but the Padres will likely be tough along with a Reds team possibly chasing the playoffs. 

[Nola Beery]

Finally get a game I can watch on TV, and it turns out to be unwatchable.  That's some very bad baseball. 

[adambr2]

We know we’re better than this. And we knew we weren’t some unbeatable version of the ‘27 Yankees when we won 14 straight.

[82brewcrew82]

1 minute ago, Samurai Bucky said:

The Phillies won, so all is not good.

That was sarcasm and I agree with you.  But as you can see with some of the conversation on this board, playing like crap is fine with some as long as long as the other team loses.

[Nola Beery]

Can't pitch hit throw or catch.

[Bulldogboy]

Someone has to get with Chourio and explain even if it's early this ab could turn the table. It feels sometimes like he isn't locked in early in a game. That strikeout gave Gray life. Could have been our last gasp. 

[willie key]

I do think it does effect the team even unconsciously by all this resting people constantly.    It’s like they’ve won everything already and it’s clear the switch is flipped off.     
 

can you flip the switch back on.  Just show me

[HarryDoyle]

The first round bye will do them good. Maybe that will turn them around for the playoffs. The Angels seem like a get right series too.

[82brewcrew82]

Stupid bunting.

 

[Samurai Bucky]

2 minutes ago, 82brewcrew82 said:

That was sarcasm and I agree with you.  But as you can see with some of the conversation on this board, playing like crap is fine with some as long as long as the other team loses.

LOL.  

You know, the only thing that frustrates me is when they play bad baseball.  Miz looked like some type of 8th grade pitcher that had no idea what to do to fix his mechanics.  Many people could see how he was falling off or falling over.  He was not finishing consistently.  I keep telling myself that Chris Hook is going to try and correct things.  He has probably told Miz many times.

I have been to many games this summer and am going this week.  Two of the games saw the Brewers play like little leaguers.  I don't care if Sonny Grey is pitching -- your approach needs to be left center to right center.  The Brewers, for the most part, seem to not have any plan as they go up to the plate.

I would like to the Brewers to actually beat another team not because the Brewers make fewer mistakes (oh... another bush-league decision on the base paths tonight), but I would like them to beat them because they are better.  If they keep playing like this, they will not get a first-round bye, we will hear how their pitching staff is injured, and then they will be swept in the first round.

Really, it looks like they have nothing to play for.  Sure -- they made the playoffs.  Play like you earned the spot, not like you backed your way in.  If a team has lower goals, they will play as such.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

This game really isn't out of the realm of possibility yet. 

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Cardinals pitching and defense opening up the door a little. Need to capitalize. 

[Sixtolezcano]

My coach once told me that you can’t swing a bat with both hands around your neck.

[82brewcrew82]

1 minute ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

This game really isn't out of the realm of possibility yet. 

I'd bet its about the same realm as the Cubs catching the Brewers.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I should probably know better than to wade into this, but we're losing 6-1, so what the heck.

1) I understand keeping half an eye on the Phillies. But is it really worth getting worked up over in any way? The difference between having home field all the way through to the WS and MAYBE having to play on the road slightly more often in the NLCS seems like a pretty big shrug to me.

2) The argument about the division is silly. Not because it's over. Not because it isn't. It's silly because human brains cannot process 1% outcomes with any degree of precision. 1% outcomes happen both all the time (think about, say, COVID hospitalization) and almost never. The odds of being dealt pocket aces are 1 in 221. The Cubs are at about twice that to win. It FEELS more likely than that to some, and others talk about it like it's impossible. It's neither. But until this is truly done and dusted people are going to worry about pocket aces. That's fine as long as they're not folding after every raise.

Right now, the fact is we're not playing very well. As for what that means, the answer is PROBABLY nothing. There could be some signal there, but we'll never see it without hindsight, and it might be pointing to something vanishingly small.

 

[Bulldogboy]

Boo

[adambr2]

2 minutes ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

This game really isn't out of the realm of possibility yet. 

Not going to come close with a single sac fly every time we have a chance at a big inning.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

1 minute ago, adambr2 said:

Not going to come close with a single sac fly every time we have a chance at a big inning.

Feels like our calling card lately. Putting guys on in ideal parts of the order and not scoring. 

[Bulldogboy]

Turang bunting showed to me he wasn't into it. As hot as he was why bunt down 5 against a righty? K was exactly what I expected. 

[adambr2]

3 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I should probably know better than to wade I to this, but we're losing 6-1, so what the heck.

1) I understand keeping half an eye on the Phillies. But is it really worth getting worked up over in any way? The difference between having home field all the way through to the WS and MAYBE having to play on the road slightly more often in the NLCS seems like a pretty big shrug to me.

2) The argument about the division is silly. Not because it's over. Not because it isn't. It's silly because human brains cannot process 1% outcomes with any degree of precision. 1% outcomes happen both all the time (think about, say, COVID hospitalization) and almost never. The odds of being dealt pocket aces are 1 in 221. The Cubs are at about twice that to win. It FEELS more likely than that to some, and others talk about it like it's impossible. It's neither. But until this is truly done and dusted people are going to worry about pocket aces. That's fine as long as they're not folding after every raise.

Right now, the fact is we're not playing very well. As for what that means, the answer is PROBABLY nothing. There could be some signal there, but we'll never see it without hindsight, and it might be pointing to something vanishingly small.

 

I think at this point, the Phillies will pass us. We do have the tiebreaker, so there’s a tiny cushion there, but they’re just playing too well. They’d have to hit a skid in a hurry.

It doesn’t really matter whether we’re the 2 or 1. We’ll get dusted in the NLDS quickly the way we’re playing. Play the way we were playing in July and we can win it all. Play this way and it will be a quick exit.

[adambr2]

Just now, Bulldogboy said:

Turang bunting showed to me he wasn't into it. As hot as he was why bunt down 5 against a righty? K was exactly what I expected. 

Not very hot over the last week.

[82brewcrew82]

3 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I should probably know better than to wade I to this, but we're losing 6-1, so what the heck.

1) I understand keeping half an eye on the Phillies. But is it really worth getting worked up over in any way? The difference between having home field all the way through to the WS and MAYBE having to play on the road slightly more often in the NLCS seems like a pretty big shrug to me.

2) The argument about the division is silly. Not because it's over. Not because it isn't. It's silly because human brains cannot process 1% outcomes with any degree of precision. 1% outcomes happen both all the time (think about, say, COVID hospitalization) and almost never. The odds of being dealt pocket aces are 1 in 221. The Cubs are at about twice that to win. It FEELS more likely than that to some, and others talk about it like it's impossible. It's neither. But until this is truly done and dusted people are going to worry about pocket aces. That's fine as long as they're not folding after every raise.

Right now, the fact is we're not playing very well. As for what that means, the answer is PROBABLY nothing. There could be some signal there, but we'll never see it without hindsight, and it might be pointing to something vanishingly small.

 

I get that this is where we go to settle fears, particularly with a game like baseball.  But as is said on this board quite often, its baseball.  Just because is shouldn't happen doesn't mean it won't.  I doubt the Baby Bears have the time or talent to pull it off, but it ain't over till it's over.

[Sixtolezcano]

And there is our new closer.

[Bulldogboy]

The offense is not good right now. Me and Montesario got the same ab this week. Crazy