TooLiveBrew

Maddux has turned guys like Feldman into good pitchers while a guy like Parra forgets how to pitch. Yet during Maddux's final season, the criticisms were he had 'lost the magic' or whatever. This is just another scapegoating, which is sadly par for the course for being a pitching/hitting coach in MLB.

From Ken Rosenthal: Smoltz refuses move to minors

I apologize for back-to-back posts, but I'm requesting a flyer on that given today's events... I don't really know what thread in which this is best suited, but I'll go with here: Can the Brewers please get creative with a new manager next season? And I'm not talking about simply replacing Macha. I want to see someone perhaps from the minors, with no MLB "track record" (aka: manages just like every other dolt; doesn't 'trust' young players, whatever that is even supposed to mean; etc.). Show us some initiative here, Brewers. Give me someone who understands sample sizes... someone who can recognize good talent, good performance & not just gritty battlers (which I'm almost positive directly translates to 'out makers')... someone who isn't predisposed to playing veterans... someone who understands that the media will ask you annoying questions, and that dealing with that actually is part of your job... someone who understands that being a 'tough guy' & yelling at players doesn't make them play better... someone who's just, well, different from every other vanilla manager. Honestly. Given recent comments from MLB pitchers like Brian Bannister & Max Scherzer, I know there are possible managerial candidates out there that 'get' the newer ways to look at the game, both statistically & strategically. I know there are potential candidates that understand a manager's mission statement should be 'to put [his] players in the best possible situations in which to succeed, and do so as much as possible' -- not 'play veterans because they're my security blanket & they deserve it because they're baseball guys & they play The Game The Right Way'. I know there are potential candidates that understand all they really need to do to be effective is fill out something close to resembling the 'right' lineup on a daily basis, play proper hitting & pitching matchups as often as possible, and argue calls/defend your players. There's no reason to manage to try to keep your job, as Macha has aptly proven with his ineptitude -- and how much job security does Macha ever feel if that's his primary m.o.? Perhaps this is an ill-timed rant. Perhaps my logic & wishes are full of holes that will get crushed by the legion of knowledgeable posters in this community. But for the love of Yount, Molitor, Aaron, Mathews and Spahn, can we see a different approach in Milwaukee? Our owner may meddle a bit much for my tastes, but the one thing that makes me hold out hope is that, ultimately, he's made his way in life by being great with numbers. Please, please, please bring that to the dugout, Mark. And please, keep it in the front office, as well.

I don't remember either, but yeah. Macha is clearly all about the vets. Maybe he can get a job on Joe Torre's coaching staff after this season is over. If Mattingly gets hired for some odd reason (like an org. believing a bench coach has anything to do with team success), there's the perfect fit for Ken! He could stroke Torre's ego by agreeing that batting his (at worst) 2nd-best hitter 7th makes sense, because he's just a young guy! (Kemp)

Some strange differences in reporting of Hardy's reaction No shocker, TH goes with the inflammatory angle. Wow. Just... wow. I'm glad Hardy can keep things in perspective, even with some of his excuse-making. I guess I will enjoy watching Escobar play, but I hate the way his service time is being burned. I need a GenoSeligPrieb post worse than I need those shots of whiskey...

My head is just spinning. I have no idea what to make of this, but I have to agree Melvin's got about another step or two left on the plank. I've enjoyed his time as GM of this team, but after the Gamel fiasco & seemingly really bad hire of Macha, I can't say the Brewers couldn't stand to improve. Trouble is, I'm not very confident in Attanasio's hiring ability. Uuuggghhhh. Just a horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible season. Screwed Gamel's development, fired a pitching coach who took the heat for bad FA signings (Suppan, Looper) & injury (Bush), and now we're apparently going to repeat the mistake made in starting Hardy's service-time clock with Escobar? I wonder what must be going through Bruce Seid's mind at the moment. Guy just gets his big break to be a scouting director, and now... this.

Wow, what a day. Of course this would be the day where I'd be no where around a computer. You and me both, man http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif I am starting to reeeeeally get leery of having Attanasio as our owner.

I think this is an interesting angle. However, Hardy would still have to clear waivers if he hasn't already. If he has, I missed it. But that wouldn't be too odd at this point, I miss ONE freaking day on BF.net and ALL THIS GOES DOWN?!?! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

So THAT was the asking price... I'm glad he didn't make that deal as well. Given the kind of asking price Ricciardi seemed to be floating around, I wouldn't be surprised. However, I don't think Melvin's comment absolutely clarifies that TOR asked for both. He may have meant he wasn't comfortable moving either one, and that the Jays had asked about different deals where Escobar was involved in some, & Gamel others. However, like I said, I guess it wouldn't shock me at all if they'd asked for both. Ricciardi really botched the Halladay situation imho. EDIT: The Onion strikes again... this really let me laugh a bit about a topic (pitching) that hasn't seemed too funny this season -- "Blue Jays GM Confirms There Never Really Was A 'Roy Halladay'" When asked to explain his team's inactivity at the trade deadline, Ricciardi bristled, saying, "Look, we are in fourth place in the toughest division in baseball, and the only way to remain competitive is by cutting salary, trading for prospects, and building for 2011." "Obviously, if Roy Halladay existed, I would have traded him," he added. "I'm not an idiot."

Cameron, among qualified CF in MLB, ranks 8th in OPS. I have no idea where this perception that he's not a 'good enough' hitter comes from. Every baseball player is streaky with the exceptions of elite guys like Pujols & Fielder (& even they will go through cold streaks). As long as the Brewers can retain Cameron on another one-year deal, I sure hope they do so.

I guess after reading through OldSchool's well thought out & well-written response, I have no idea why you'd still try to tell him you know what you're talking about, lamp. It really isn't hard to conceive that the salary isn't quite what you're expecting, given that it's not really a year-round job... and if I had to bet on who knows more about the situation, I really have to go with OldSchool. So you heard a beat writer or two brag about something? So what? Dealing with fans and/or nonfans? Get over it. It is a part of your job. Death threats aren't part of my job. Maybe they're part of yours.

If Melvin retains Kendall, I think I will lose what little faith I have left in Doug. Just hand the job to Angel -- there is no possible way he can be worse than what we've had to suffer through this season. Even paying Kendall $1M would be a waste of money. At least get an all-D no hit catcher, instead of a no-D, no-hit guy who will be in his age-36 season.

Hard to disagree with that... but to be more specific, trailing by 9 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning would have made sense to just about anyone but Ken Macha.

Timely response from Chris Neault of the DL Informer on my Dave Bush query: I think I have the date right -- that Bush got drilled June 4th @ FLA. So "a couple of months to heal" would put an early or mid-August return well within reason. Keeping my fingers crossed, Dave... best of luck.

the exact opposite of what a quality guy accomplishes, to never be noticed. That's what makes it tough as a fan (imo) to keep tabs of the good ones. I know I've never really had a problem with CB Bucknor, but ask me to name another and I respond, 'Uhhhhhhh....' I know there are at least another two or three I've liked (at least in terms of balls & strikes), but it's the goons that stick with your memory.

Not sure about other details, but Telly Hughes reported at the beginning of tonight's broadcast that Dave Bush said he felt "great" after another bullpen session, which I think he threw today (not certain). That's big news, and as long as he still feels good tomorrow, Telly said the Brewers plan on having him throw another BP session. And if they follow what was the plan before Bush had forearm soreness, that would mean scheduling one short (2 IP-ish, per Macha's comments) rehab start, then another slightly longer rehab start, and then a return to the bigs. So we'll have to wait & see with this, but good news as of today.

Oh, agreed esp. on that last point, Invader, but I think if you put yourself in Mat's shoes it isn't hard to see how his confidence might be pretty low at the moment. I don't think he's magically forgotten how to hit, so I think being patient is probably still the best approach. I still think he'll be the opening day 3B in 2010, and I still think he's going to be a very good hitter.

I guess I'd like to see the pitch f/x data from Smoltz's most recent start (the shelling @ NYY). I will eagerly admit that human memory is faulty, and mine is no exception, but I don't remember him touching 90 at all during that start. Maybe he's dealing with an injury, maybe it was one really bad start, who knows.

Bill Hohn has to be my least-favorite MLB ump. He always seems to have a terrible zone behind the plate, paired with a sensitive ego & quick trigger in running guys. He has already made two bad, bad calls at first base tonight (LAD @ SF), and neither one was very challenging. The first play was an infield hit that Freddy Sanchez pretty clearly beat (though at least it was bang-bang), and then he later called a SF runner out (can't remember who, sorry) on a play where 1B Mark Loretta dropped/didn't catch the throw, and pulled his foot off the bag to retrieve the ball. His foot was not on the base when he leaned to pick up the ball, yet the out was called. Needless to say, Bruce Bochy got run when he came out to argue the second call, which was definitely the worst of the two bad calls. Bochy had argued the first call, but managed to not get ejected. 'Who?', you might be asking yourself.... no, you know this guy: http://media.ledger-enquirer.com/smedia/2009/07/30/00/411-20090730-001519-pic-803596072.standalone.prod_affiliate.70.jpg

His fastball sure didn't seem like it was averaging 91 in his last start, but that's about all I can add there. I don't know where to look to find velocity data by start... I can only find the FanGraphs data which doesn't go by start. Interesting quotes from BOS pitching coach Jon Farrell & manager Terry Francona that match up with your take, though, end: However, these quotes were from July 26th... and of course Smoltz was DFA'd shortly thereafter. So I guess if these guys felt so strongly about him, it makes me wonder why he was DFA'd. (Found the quotes at Smoltz's FanGraphs page, which gives no source)

I am glad the Brewers are asking for top of the line pitching for Hardy. I do not think they are going to get it but it sounds like they do not want to sell too low. Agreed, and I also agree that the Crew should get around a #3 type of pitcher for Hardy. There is really no reason I can think of to project Hardy to be this bad at the plate going forward. If I'm a Boston fan looking at Hardy's stats, the first thing I point out is his .256 BABIP, roughly 20 or 30 points below what should be expected from him (imho). The only thing that seems different in his approach at the plate is how often he's made contact with pitches outside the zone -- 56.8%, contrasted with his career 63.8% and the appx. 67% he hovered around in '07 & '08. His LD% is down as well, & I just can't see all these funky things staying the same for the next few seasons and/or rest of his career. EDIT: Used FanGraphs for the data

Hang with 'em, Mat. He's such an important part of this team's future, I still can't believe how badly he was allowed to be handled.

Didn't we see with Kendall, though, that CS rate can have a lot to do with who's trying to steal on a catcher? I am just wondering aloud (& by no means want to spit on Coach's great post -- thanks for sharing), as perhaps a 74% success rate in 2008 has guys that don't normally try to steal running on Angel. I guess I am a stats guy to some extent, but I think more subjective information is needed here. Just as Coach is quick to point out in defense of Salome, I also don't think we can just look at a CS rate from 69 games & assume his defense is necessarily better. I'd think this is something we'd need to have some fair-minded, first-hand reporting to tell. And I would definitely not pretend to be able to form a better opinion from glancing at some stats.

http://www.bodypharma.net/images/chest-injections1.jpg Cowboy Up! What if we learned down the road that Braun and Fielder and Gallardo were users? Or Yount or Molitor? After all those hours we spent cheering them on and expressing concern over their performance. . .to learn later that we were being duped? That would matter to us. I personally don't believe that PED abuse has stopped in MLB. It's an interesting time to be a fan, and an interesting aspect of being a fan. I believe that anyone paying to watch MLB right now (including those that 'only' watch the games on TV, like me) is enabling PED abuse. I guess it's basic supply and demand -- MLB has a product I want to watch badly, so I continue to do so even though I believe that PEDs are still being abused all around the league. In fact, I am fully prepared to learn at some point that one of our 'heroes' is/was abusing PEDs. I only pick him as an example because he's our big HR slugger, but if the Brewers were not 'my team', I would definitely assume Fielder is a user. Maybe that's not fair, but as a fan I have just seen so many top players who got to the top by doping. It seems that if that's what it takes to make yourself an elite hitter, why should we assume anyone isn't doing it? As an aside, I highly recommend the documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster*. It does an exceptional job calling into question all aspects of the steroids/PEDs debate, including leading the viewer to look in the mirror. If anyone hasn't seen it, and finds this topic compelling, do not miss this film.

I respect that disagreement, and keeping the small sample in mind is very relevant. And you know I definitely trust stats to a great extent. I've just been struck by how bad Smoltz has not only fared, but looked as well. I haven't watched him pitch very much this year, but the few instances I have seen him the only comparison that's popped into my head in terms of stuff/command/etc. is Jeff Suppan. I guess sheethead sums up my thoughts pretty well, and includes some knowledge about FIP & xFIP I don't have.