Brewers (Gasser) vs Dodgers (Snell): 10/14/26, 7:00pm

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

18 minutes ago, StearnsFTW said:

.484/.957/1.441 (assuming the other 2 hits were singles).

I'd say he needs to DH today.

 

Only 1 single. The other hit was a double. OPS is slightly better at 1.484. Trivial, but he does damage when he puts the ball in play.

Sanchez was Snell's personal catcher for a while with the Padres, so maybe that is part of the advantage. 

Anything can happen in a small sample, but I think you at least want Snell thinking about Sanchez's bat. I think this gets filed under the "do what your opponent doesn't want you to do" file. 

I'm going: Chourio, Turang, Contreras, Vaughn, Sanchez, Mitchell, Pratt, Lara, Ortiz.

This also helps avoid big lefty-friendly pockets for Tanner Scott and the Dodger lefties, who have been better than their righties so far.

 

[titanrick]

Just so I understand, if Sanchez starts at DH and Contreras gets hurt, we can put Sanchez at catcher, but then the pitcher has to hit for Contreras?  But we could still pinch-hit for the pitcher with a bench player?

I never fully understood this.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

10 minutes ago, titanrick said:

Just so I understand, if Sanchez starts at DH and Contreras gets hurt, we can put Sanchez at catcher, but then the pitcher has to hit for Contreras?  But we could still pinch-hit for the pitcher with a bench player?

I never fully understood this.

Yes. If the DH moves to the field, you lose the DH. If Sanchez is the DH, hitting fifth, and must come in for Contreras, hitting third, the pitcher assumes Contreras' spot in the order.

At that point, it's old-school NL baseball. You can PH or double-switch as you see fit. 

Contreras is the kind of catcher I worry about this less with, but it's still a risk if you start them both. The bigger concern is if you remove Sanchez and then can't PR for Bill in a key situation late (or Bill has an injury, and then Vaughn has to catch or something). I think that's pretty unlikely, and up 2-0 is when you go for the knockout. But there are certainly legitimate arguments for keeping Gary as a backup/bench bat. Maybe you also want to deploy him in an early jam situation (say Snell's at 62 pitches in the fourth with the bases loaded, 2 outs, and Sal, Mitchell, or Yelich due up, and you want to get Snell out of the game) and keep ultimate flexibility, not locking him into a starting lineup spot. I don't know.

Bottom line: I just think the balance of the evidence is in favor of starting him.

[Brian]

59 minutes ago, DonBarclay said:

Today is one of those games where it would be great if Yeli could still play a serviceable LF. Put Chourio in RF and Sanchez at DH. Obviously that’s not happening (nor should it), but him having zero defensive ability is hamstringing the flexibility a bit. 

Head-to-Head Statistics Yelich vs. Snell.

Stat	Christian Yelich vs. Blake Snell
Games Played	2
Plate Appearances	6
At-Bats	6
Hits	2
Doubles	0
Triples	0
Home Runs	0
RBIs	0
Walks	0
Strikeouts	2
Batting Average	.333
On-Base Percentage (OBP)	.333
Slugging Percentage (SLG)	.333
On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS)	.667

[Devinep]

10 minutes ago, titanrick said:

Just so I understand, if Sanchez starts at DH and Contreras gets hurt, we can put Sanchez at catcher, but then the pitcher has to hit for Contreras?  But we could still pinch-hit for the pitcher with a bench player?

I never fully understood this.

Yes. That’s part of the danger of starting Sanchez. He is still your backup catcher, so do you pinch hit Yelich for him if a righty pitcher comes in the the 5th inning? 
 

or do you pinch run for him then have no backup catcher? I’m not saying not to,  it that’s the risk

[dlk9s]

3 hours ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

I can't quite let myself get excited yet. That rotation is still what it is and it just doesn't feel all that difficult for them to string off 4 straight wins. At 3-0 I'd start to feel it, but 2-0 just doesn't feel like much especially with 3 on the road.

Yeah, I'm happy, but not excited yet. The pessimist in me can't help but look at Snell, Glasnow, and then possibly Skubal and Yamamoto again and wonder how we can score enough while continuing to keep their bats in check.

But we did it twice so far and had success against them in the regular season, so let's go!

[owbc]

3 hours ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

I can't quite let myself get excited yet. That rotation is still what it is and it just doesn't feel all that difficult for them to string off 4 straight wins. At 3-0 I'd start to feel it, but 2-0 just doesn't feel like much especially with 3 on the road.

I'm in the same boat. The Mariners fan side of me just experienced it last year, up 2-0 and we got smoked in game 3, lost momentum and dropped game 4 also. Then the series was a tossup best-of-3 that they came out on the wrong side of. Obviously this is a different situation and the Brewers have passed every test thrown at them, but winning a game in LA is definitely another test that they have to pass.

Start El Gary today, no brainer. 

[Yaz]

Mr. Gasser better be on a short leash.   And while he is on that leash I hope he pitches his rear off and keeps the Dodgers off the scoreboard.    The Brewers have some very UNFINISHED business with Snell.  The bats are different this year and the Brewers made all of the Dodgers starters look like gods last October.    Oh man, I am so darn anxious for this game tonight.   

[Outlander]

Glad they ended that road playoff losing streak in San Diego and hopefully get a road winning streak going. Lots of pressure on the Dodgers this game so need to capitalize.

[MrTPlush]

Nothing about Pat Murphy tells me that he is going to double start his two catchers. If that was even a possibility of interest, another catcher would be on the roster.

[tmwiese55]

We'll see on it, I don't think its crazy either way so not worthy of bashing.   I'd lean towards starting Sanchez and roll the dice that the one in a  few thousand chance doesn't happen today.   It would be a different thing if you planned to be starting both every day that eventually something could happen, but trying it one game with this kind of statistical reason backing it to me is worth the risk.

[thammondwis]

19 minutes ago, MrTPlush said:

Nothing about Pat Murphy tells me that he is going to double start his two catchers. If that was even a possibility of interest, another catcher would be on the roster.

I don't see Murph doing it, but you never know.

[thammondwis]

42 minutes ago, Yaz said:

Mr. Gasser better be on a short leash.   And while he is on that leash I hope he pitches his rear off and keeps the Dodgers off the scoreboard.    The Brewers have some very UNFINISHED business with Snell.  The bats are different this year and the Brewers made all of the Dodgers starters look like gods last October.    Oh man, I am so darn anxious for this game tonight.   

With 3 straight games coming up, you have to be smart about how you use the pen.  Short leash may mean Harrision or Drohan depending on the score at the time.

[owbc]

I'd be surprised if Gasser is pulled after less than 2x through the order. Things probably went sideways if he gets the hook before that. 

I predict they will hit a pair of home runs off him, but if he keeps traffic off the bases we'll be fine. 

[TURBO]

3 hours ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

Agreed! I would have absolutely no problem watching the Dodgers' visitor's clubhouse get soaked with champagne and Miller Lite. 

fixed.

[Daubs]

48 minutes ago, tmwiese55 said:

I'd lean towards starting Sanchez and roll the dice that the one in a  few thousand chance doesn't happen today.   It would be a different thing if you planned to be starting both every day that eventually something could happen, but trying it one game with this kind of statistical reason backing it to me is worth the risk.

Would it be worth starting Sanchez at 1st and having Vaughn DH so you can mitigate that "one in a few thousand" chance - even if slightly?

[thebruce44]

4 hours ago, SeaBass said:

I want to get this out of the way early.

I was wrong.

Last game I was pushing back against some posters that thought Pratt should have made the play on that hard ground ball that hopped up on him and off his glove.

My initial perception of the play and several game shown replays was that the ball hit the ground super close to Pratt and that his glove was lower than it actually was, similar to a short hop throw to first base that could be like a 50/50 ball. When I saw a replay later that night after the game ended, I saw my perception was incorrect. It absolutely was not as difficult a play as I initially thought it was.

Apologies to @CheezWizHed @TURBO @Jopal78 whom I think I personally replied to on that topic.

Now, let's cheer the Brewers to a win in game 3!

This it the internet. There's not supposed to be acountability.

[owbc]

Just now, thebruce44 said:

This it the internet. There's not supposed to be acountability.

I was on the side of "tough play" until I saw the clip of Murph muttering "it was a f***ing double play" 🤣

[WilsonFanInWakeCoNC]

Tomorrow's game is now 7pm CST

[SeaBass]

32 minutes ago, thebruce44 said:

This it the internet. There's not supposed to be acountability.

LOL That's just not how I live. I own up to my mistakes. Honestly it's just better to admit it and move on with respect for yourself.

[CheezWizHed]

48 minutes ago, owbc said:

I was on the side of "tough play" until I saw the clip of Murph muttering "it was a f***ing double play" 🤣

It certainly wasn't "routine" (i.e. every SS can make the play), but I think the best defensive SSs make it.  I think Cooper can be up in the "best" category, so I hold him to that standard.  The mentality Murph has is to hold all of his guys to the highest standard because you don't win the WS on accident.  Like any good CB, you forget about the times you get burnt, but resolve to not to let it happen again. 

Either way our defense as a whole needs to stop making these uncharacteristic mistakes as they have in the post season. 

 

20 minutes ago, SeaBass said:

LOL That's just not how I live. I own up to my mistakes. Honestly it's just better to admit it and move on with respect for yourself.

I certainly respect and appreciate the humility.  I don't think there is a "right and wrong" to how any of us viewed the play.  We simply discuss, debate, and move on.  That is what makes good forum discussion. 

[titanrick]

1 hour ago, Daubs said:

Would it be worth starting Sanchez at 1st and having Vaughn DH so you can mitigate that "one in a few thousand" chance - even if slightly?

I don't trust El Gary at 1B defensively, and I'd be surprised if Murph does for most of a playoff game.  But that would mitigate the risk of ending up with a pitcher taking an AB.

[RWeeksFan23]

5 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Nobody needs a reminder of the Bucks in 2019. Lose in OT in Game 3, and that about does it. I doubt the Brewers will disappear like that, but it's definitely foot on the gas.

For me, part of that is giving Sanchez and Vaughn BOTH starts today. Sanchez is, no joke, Barry Bonds against Blake Snell, in 30 PAs. I know it's risky, but I don't think you can pass up the chance. I posted about this in the open thread last night, but I'm even more committed to it this morning.

I won't be hopping mad if Murph doesn't do it. But I think it's clearly the right call, if risky and unconventional in terms of starting your only 2 available catchers.

that loss by the bucks in game 3 to the raptors that year, i remember there being a really egregious charge call that went against giannis, and that was before you could challenge. Just changed the whole game and they never recovered.

[Underachiever]

51 minutes ago, WilsonFanInWakeCoNC said:

Tomorrow's game is now 7pm CST

Since this is the accountability thread thanks to @SeaBass, I will say I was completely wrong about that in the other thread.

[owbc]

14 minutes ago, RWeeksFan23 said:

that loss by the bucks in game 3 to the raptors that year, i remember there being a really egregious charge call that went against giannis, and that was before you could challenge. Just changed the whole game and they never recovered.

In the 2021 finals, I remember there was some point in game 5 or 6 where I realized that Giannis wasn't going to be denied. It wasn't even necessarily a single play, just the look on his face. 

One player can't win a baseball series, but I had a similar reaction watching Contreras on Monday.