Don't Let Them Up: Brewers Can Afford Aggressive Approach to Game 3, with Pennant in Mind

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of © Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Quinn Priester is a very good pitcher, but when he's anything shy of his best self, he's not a very good matchup for the Chicago Cubs. That was the truth underlying Pat Murphy and the team's clever strategy for winning Game 2. They wouldn't couch it that way—the more politic and more effective focal point is the strengths of the players they deployed instead—but that's the truth of the matter. By delaying using Priester within this series, Murphy gained some information. He would have had to do things one way if the series had moved to Wrigley Field knotted at 1-1; he has a different and more appealing set of options with his team ahead 2-0. 

Still, there's no reason Murphy and his staff should be anything but aggressive in pursuit of the closeout win Wednesday evening. Priester doesn't need to be pulled at the very first sign of trouble, and indeed, if the Brewers fall behind or race out to a big lead early, Murphy should give his young starter some leeway. Eating innings remains valuable, even in the playoffs—at least for a team who pushed their arms hard throughout the regular season, and who intends to play another couple of series beyond this one. Priester should shield the bullpen from overexposure to specific Cubs batters, as well as from overuse, if the leverage of the game is relatively low.

On the other hand, if the game is tight or the Brewers hold a lead of just two or three runs into the middle innings, Murphy should push the pedal down. If the series goes beyond Wednesday, it'll almost certainly be Freddy Peralta taking the ball in Game 4. He's a good bet to shut the Cubs down and send the Crew on to the NLCS—but the team's Plan A has to be to get this game and save Peralta for Game 1 of the next round, be it against the Dodgers or the Phillies. Without giving up their posture of confidence and dominance, the Brewers should treat this game with urgency. 

That means making Aaron Ashby available, for what would be a third straight game (but on what is essentially his standard one day of rest). It means going to Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig and Trevor Megill fairly proactively, and in turn, it might mean lifting Priester after just 12 outs or so. There's no cause for panic, and only if the Cubs truly knock him out of the box should Priester be removed in favor of (for instance) Robert Gasser, but this game has the potential to catapult Milwaukee into the NLCS with a tailwind. They should play unreservedly for that outcome, knowing that after a five-day layoff and two days off in the first four of this series, their staff will be fresh enough to come back and finish the thing Thursday if need be.

Ask a Blue Jays fan, this morning, how quickly the tide can seem to turn in a 2-0 Division Series if the trailing team (especially a home team) wins even one game. Toronto is still in control of that series, but not nearly the way they were in the fourth inning Tuesday night. Sometimes, the other team is just too good to be swept away, and maybe the Cubs will get off the mat with such a combination ready that they'll fight their way back to their corner. As the Brewers take the field Wednesday, though, Murphy should have just one thing in mind: landing the knockout blow. If that means playing more aggressively than the situation seems to demand, so be it. There's a pennant and a Commissioner's Trophy to think about, and the best chances to claim those lie in not wasting any more time on the Cubs than is necessary.

View full article

[igor67]

Definitely time to keep the Cobra Kai theme going, strike fast strike hard, no mercy.

[Brian]

I guess the Brewers didn't take your advice today. Priester got clobbered quick.