7/25/2004 - Brewers (Davis) @ Astros (Munro)

[brewcrewkid14]

Doug Davis tries to become the first Brewer to win 10 games this season. As of now Ben Sheets and Victor Santos each have 9 wins. This is the rubber match in the series, so how about a win!! Here are the Previews:

 

Brewer's Prievew

Astro's Preview

Sports Network Preview

Sports Network Matchup

ESPN Preview

Yahoo Preview

 

LET'S GO CREW!!

[ja002h]

We need a win like worse than Jenks needs to swing at every ball thrown at him or Helms needs to commit an error.

[stkmtimo]

I have a feeling Davis is going to pitch a gem today and become the team's first 10 game winner. Should be a great game!

 

Tim

[batman]

Today's lineups are brought to you by Phil Garner, who decided to give Jeff Bagwell a day off against a left-hander. When you have an aging veteran who is no longer the same player he was just a few years ago, turn to Scrap Iron for no-nonsense, no-holds-barred lineup tweaking.

 

The Good Guys:

Scott Podsednik, CF

Craig Counsell, SS

Geoff Jenkins, LF

Lyle Overbay, 1B

Brady Clark, RF

Wes Helms, 3B

Bill Hall, 2B

Chad Moeller, C

Doug Davis, P

 

(Insert obligatory comment about Nedley's affection for Wes Helms here.)

(Insert obligatory comment about Brady Clark starting against a right-hander here.)

 

The Bad Guys:

Craig Biggio, LF

Adam Everett, SS

Carlos Beltran, CF

Lance Berkman, RF

Jeff Kent, 2B

Mike Lamb, 1B

Morgan Ensberg, 3B

Brad Ausmus, C

Pete Munro, P

 

(Insert obligatory comment about how bad Pete Munro is here. Seriously. He's not good.)

 

EDIT: And for those with an insatiable appetite for batting average, home run, and RBI totals, here's the Sportsticker-by-way-of-USA-Today spiffied-up starting lineups.

 MILWAUKEE HOUSTON AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Scott Podsednik CF .256 10 28 Craig Biggio LF .305 15 38 Craig Counsell SS .253 2 14 Adam Everett SS .269 6 25 Geoff Jenkins LF .249 14 52 Carlos Beltran CF .250 10 20 Lyle Overbay 1B .339 11 65 Lance Berkman RF .297 17 62 Brady Clark RF .271 5 24 Jeff Kent 2B .287 11 55 Wes Helms 3B .260 2 19 Mike Lamb 1B .317 7 30 Bill Hall 2B .254 6 33 Morgan Ensberg 3B .260 5 40 Chad Moeller C .235 4 22 Brad Ausmus C .232 3 20 Doug Davis LHP .000 0 0 Pete Munro RHP .111 0 0 (9-8, 3.76) (1-2, 4.46) 

~Bill

[endaround]

Carlos Beltran is only hitting 250--he sucks. Obviously Podsendik is better since he has a higher average, has hit as many home runs and has more RBIs.

[batman]

Apropos of nothing, Brad Lidge is an unbelievable pitcher. He has struck-out 88 batters in 56 innings and has walked only 19. That's a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.63 and a strikeout-per-9-inning ratio of 14.14. Opposing batters are hitting .170 against him with an OPS of 569.

 

To compare, Eric Gagne has fanned 69 batters and walked 9 in in 45.2 innings, good for a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 7.67 and a strikeout-per-9-innings ratio of 13.60. Opposing batters have hit .156 against him with an OPS of 481.

 

Lidge is 27, Gagne is 28. They both have prevented 16.7 adjusted runs, but Lidge is making just $360,000 this year. Unbelievable.

 

Hopefully he doesn't get to pitch again today, huh?

 

~Bill

[stkmtimo]

Why the hell is Brady Clark starting against a RHP!?!?!?!

 

Tim

[brettac1]

It's amazing to think of how good that pen was with Lidge/Dotel/Wagner. It was basically a five inning game, since Lidge could usually throw two innings. If there is an explanation for why the Astros are a fifth place team, it's simply because they have blown up the best bullpen in baseball.

[batman]

I believe this is a direct quote from Mr. Bill Schroeder, but even if it isn't, it's very close and the second sentence is 100% accurate.

 

"Doug Davis has been too aggressive in the strike zone of late. Maybe try and walk a couple of guys or something."

 

Wow. What goes on in his head? Here's what I'm thinking:

 

Problem: Doug Davis hasn't pitched so well lately.

 

Hmm...Why could that be?

 

Well, he hasn't walked anyone. So that must be it.

 

He's not walking people, so they are hitting him. So instead of allowing them to get hits, he should walk them.

 

Yes! That's it!

 

But that's professional color commentary, right?

 

Maybe Doug has been throwing too many "down-the-middle" strikes in pitcher's counts. But the solution, then, is to not to do that and instead try and throw quality strikes.

 

But "try and walk a couple guys"? Are you kidding me?

 

Exhibit number 1,239,039,821 that he is an idiot.

 

~Bill

[batman]

I'm in a Houston lovefest mood right now, so here's a question to bonder as you watch the game. Who is a comparable player to Carlos Beltran? His combination of speed, power, average, patience, and defense plus the fact that he switch-hits and plays a premiere position makes him a truly exceptional player. Looking at his Baseball Reference page, there are some interesting names, but none of them really jump out at me.

 

Does anyone, contemporary or historical, compare well with Beltran?

 

~Bill

[tomwopat]

soriano

[stkmtimo]

Let me mull that over, Bill. Davis needs to get out of this...quickly.

 

Tim

[packfan79]

Wes almost blew another one god he SUCKS!!!!!

[batman]

Re: Beltran Discussion

 

soriano

 

I thought about him, but he is a poor defender and doesn't have any patience at the plate. He does hit for power and average and steal lots of bases, plus he plays a premiere defensive position, but he still doesn't have the same overall package that Beltran does.

 

~Bill

[ja002h]

Wes Helms is a shattered tv waiting to happen.

[ja002h]

ARod?

[ja002h]

you know, for all the Clark bashing, his BA is shooting up.

[batman]

Some game thoughts:

 

Brady Clark has sure been hitting well lately. Wouldn't it be wonderful if both he and Grieve could both play? I'm looking at you, Mr. Jenkins. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Nice job getting out of the first by Davis.

 

I can't stand watching Pete Munro throw a baseball. I just can't stand it. The way he cups his wrist and yanks his hand behind his back before release is just so irritating. I have no idea why it bothers me, but it does. It's like watching Craig Counsell's godawful batting stance, only worse, 'cause Munro is pitching all the time, not just once every two or three innings.

 

Re: Beltran Discussion

 

I think A-Rod is quite possibly the best current comparable, and that's unbelievable. He doesn't steal bases like he used to, but otherwise he also offers power, patience, average, and great defense at a premiere position.

 

As much as I hate the idea of Beltran getting purchased by the Yankees, I think it will be good for baseball to get him into the national spotlight. He's such a special player, and he's a joy to watch. Among position players, I would probably argue that the "greatest young player in baseball" over the last two decades has proceeded nicely from Bonds to Griffey to A-Rod to Beltran. There are others worthy of a mention, but those four are all similar players that hvae combined power, patience, average, speed, and superb defense.

 

Hopefully we can add Rickie Weeks to that list some day soon. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

~Bill

[tomwopat]

for once i'm glad hall struck out. that last pitch was a GIDP waiting to happen

[tomwopat]

pardon me if this has been answered before, but why does doug davis bat right-handed?

[brettac1]

Well, a sweet added bonus of a Gary Bennett interview. Anyone ever notice the catcher love-fest that is the Brewers announce booth? Every team they play, Sutton says things like "nobody calls a game better than (insert random mediocre catcher here, LaRue, Ausmus)", or "there's not a better guy in the league than (insert random catcher here)", or the best one of them all - "don't look at the stats, because that's not what (insert random catcher here) cares about." Just an observation.

 

EDIT: Boy, can the Bill Hall SS experiment stop now?

[Ennder]

Players relatively comperable to Beltran from a combination of speed/power at least, not sure how great they qualify in other categories but could be a start. Also some of these guys were comperable early in their career but not later as people tend ot lose speed.

 

 

Eric Davis

Joe Morgan

Ricky Henderson - Though I don't recall him being that great of a fielder.

Cesar Cedeno

Ryne Sandberg

Barry Bonds - Though his avg was usually low when he was fast

Arod - might be the best fit

Soriano

Willie Mays - Another good fit though Beltran needs to step it up a notch to match Mays.

[ja002h]

Today's "why not" WC update: All teams tied or losing (and the same yesterday).

Such prime opporunity to gain on people, we darn well better win today.

[ja002h]

Off topic, but is it just me, or does Prior's goatee look horrible?

 

Cubs being nohit thru 6...

[ja002h]

Stink.

 

Double stink.