TooLiveBrew

Yes, I'm a broken record, but this PA is an example of why I was frustrated that the Brewers didn't add a LH hitting 1B at the deadline. In any event, go Lyle!

Need to get 1 at a minimum here. Thankfully Luc outran that double play chance.

Nice swing by Wong. Go-go almost got it, though!

I felt like they were passive because they weren't able (yet) to improve on a .644 OPSing Overbay -- it shouldn't be hard to do, but I guess I'm just not giving enough merit to how weak the market is at 1B. Melvin did say that he expected them to be active in the next month, though it may be difficult with so many teams having the ability to claim a player before us. But I really don't even know who to hope for. Jones could be a nice addition and may have made one had the Marlins not won 9 of 10 games recently. Perhaps in 2-3 weeks they'll fall back out and he'll be put through waivers. But even he has a -.3 WAR. I definitely think Melvin's work is not done in searching for a LH hitting first baseman. But I was really hoping it'd happen on the non-waiver deadline day. On Jones, I'm not sure how much he is or isn't being platooned (he's got about 2/3 of the PAs v LHP that his teammate McGehee does, as a reference point), but his OPS against LHP is .483 right now. So far in '14, he has a .783 OPS v RHP (career .820), & his road OPS is 60 points higher than his home OPS. I think he'd solidly be ~.800 OPS or better against RHPs the rest of the season with Miller Park as a home venue. WAR aside (I don't remember him being a butcher, defensively), he's probably my #1 hope at this point, primarily because he shouldn't cost one of the club's best prospects.

I felt like they were passive because they weren't able (yet) to improve on a .644 OPSing Overbay -- it shouldn't be hard to do, but I guess I'm just not giving enough merit to how weak the market is at 1B.

Brewers, Cards shuffle rotations for crucial series Marquee matchup on tap for Saturday, with Lohse facing Masterson By Caitlin Swieca / MLB.com | 8/2/2014 2:20 AM ET The Brewers and Cardinals both shuffled their rotations for this weekend's National League Central showdown, and the changes have created marquee matchups for the final two games of the series, starting with Kyle Lohse against Justin Masterson on Saturday. Jimmy Nelson had been scheduled to start for Milwaukee on Saturday but was scratched on Friday with a blister, moving Lohse into the spot. The former Cardinal has been a model of consistency for the Brewers this season, sporting an 11-5 record and 3.07 ERA. He's allowed four earned runs over his last three starts, a span of 19 2/3 innings. The Cardinals, meanwhile, will get their first look at right-hander Masterson, one of their newest acquisitions. He had been on the disabled list for three weeks with an inflamed right knee and will look to make a good impression on his new team right away. "Butterflies are always there," Masterson said of his emotions. "I think until I'm dead and gone, no matter what I'm doing in front of people, butterflies will be there. I think that always reminds you that you're alive, that you're having fun and that's right where you need to be." Masterson, who had a 4-6 record and 5.51 ERA in Cleveland, said that the stint on the DL gave him a chance to work on his mechanics and get some rest. "It was great for a combination of both -- to be able to get the mind right, get physically right and just work hard," he said. "When you go on the DL, you think it's a little bit of a breather, but you're working harder than you usually do. It's been nice." Meanwhile, the Brewers' offense will bear down to face two experienced pitchers, with John Lackey following Masterson on Sunday. "And they're good ones, too," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "Masterson, when he's on with his sinker, he's really tough, especially to right-handers. And Lackey, just the experience in big games, and he can come out when he's got his command and really spot his fastball. And he's huge, so it's not this nice angle to it. And he's got a really good breaking ball. So he's been a big-game pitcher, and certainly has the experience when you're talking about going into the postseason." The good news for Milwaukee? The hot-and-cold offense has been hot the last two games, scoring three earned runs off David Price on Wednesday and seven off Adam Wainwright on Friday. The win on Friday gave the Brewers a three-game cushion in the division, guaranteeing that they will still be in first place at the end of this three-game set. Brewers: Crew happy with moves at non-waiver Trade Deadline Though many thought the Brewers might go after right-handed relief pitching before Thursday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, they made only one move, reeling in Gerardo Parra from the D-backs. Parra brings another great glove, and he can spell any of the three outfielders. Though some fans were hoping the team would do more, Roenicke is happy with the team's moves. "Well, it's got to make sense, and I've said that all along," Roenicke said. "You don't do things just because you think you should do them. You do them because they make sense. For St. Louis, I think those two guys were great pickups for them." Cardinals: Bourjos seeing more time in center field With Jon Jay injuring his wrist on a check swing in San Diego, Peter Bourjos has been getting more playing time in center field, starting there for three straight games. Bourjos is 2-for-8 over those three games, and he smacked a ground-rule double in Friday's series opener. He is also a defensive upgrade over Jay, and he showed his defensive prowess with a few nice plays on Friday. Worth noting • Ryan Braun and Zach Duke were named the Brewers' player and pitcher of the month for July, respectively. • The Brewers have 51 quality starts this season, trailing only the Braves in the National League. • St. Louis' Matt Holliday has been hot since the All-Star break, with four home runs and 10 RBIs. He's batting .263 in that span.

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 2 | 6:15 P.M.[/h1][h2]Brewers (61-49) | Cardinals (57-51)[/h2][h3]FSWI, MLBN | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/cardinals.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/pitchers/brewers/lohse-15.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/p9uVk4P.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][h2]11-5, 3.07 ERA, 1.10 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Cardinals | Game Log[/h3][h3]Lohse has had some battles against his former team, evidenced by a 3-5 record and 4.04 ERA against the Cardinals in 10 starts. They've batted .302 against him, tied for fourth highest of any opponent.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][h2]4-6, 5.51 ERA, 1.65 WHIP (AL #s)[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]The Cardinals acquired Masterson from the Indians in a July 30 trade and will throw him right into the rotation as they once again need a fifth starter. Masterson just wrapped up a two-start rehab assignment after dealing with right knee discomfort.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away] CF Carlos Gómez LF Gerardo Parra RF Ryan Braun 3B Aramis Ramírez C Jonathan Lucroy 1B Lyle Overbay 2B Scooter Gennett SS Jean Segura RHP Kyle Lohse[/divclass][divclass=home] 3B Matt Carpenter 2B Kolten Wong LF Matt Holliday 1B Matt Adams SS Jhonny Peralta RF Oscar Taveras CF Peter Bourjos C Tony Cruz RHP Justin Masterson[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

So Herrera at 2B must mean more injury woes for Scooter. Not good.

From the Brewers' twitter account:

Interesting tweet from Joe Strauss, the Cardinals beat writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Brewers, Cards set for NL Central showdown Peralta, Wainwright to square off in opener of weekend series By Daniel Popper / MLB.com | 7/31/2014 7:40 PM ET Though the Cardinals secured a 6-2 win on Thursday against the Padres, the Brewers enter this weekend's pivotal series against St. Louis with a two-game lead in the National League Central. But even with a third team, the Pirates, threatening Milwaukee for first place, manager Ron Roenicke doesn't view the upcoming set against the Cardinals as any more crucial in terms of playoff implications. "It is important now, because we need to get back on that right track," said Roenicke, whose Brewers are 7-6 since the All-Star break. "If we don't, in a month and a half, it may not matter. That's why they are all important." Though there's been some flux in the Cardinals' rotation, as the team acquired Justin Masterson and John Lackey before the non-waiver Trade Deadline, they'll send a familiar face to the mound Friday as Adam Wainwright will open the series. The righty, who is 13-5 with a 1.92 ERA on the season, won in his only start against Milwaukee this year, a seven-inning, two-run effort on July 12. In his last start against the Cubs, Wainwright allowed five hits over seven scoreless innings in a win. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny showed his faith in his ace by letting Wainwright bat in the seventh inning with two outs and the bases loaded. "It's all about pitching at that point," Matheny said. "We were having a hard time getting something going offensively, and we could roll the dice. ... We've got one of the best pitchers in the league on the mound. And to me, especially where his pitch count was, I want him going back out there to throw." Friday's matchup continues a stretch of tough pitching opponents for the Brewers. Rays right-hander Alex Cobb surrendered just one run on three hits over eight innings on Tuesday night before the Brewers took on David Price in Wednesday's finale. "I think it's a mixture. I think it's night to night," Roenicke said, giving due credit to some recent ace-like pitching. "Some of the other pitchers we've faced, we should have hit better, there's no question. So I think it's both. But night to night, it just depends on who's out there." The Brewers will send Wily Peralta to the mound to face Wainwright. The right-hander is 12-6 with a 3.56 ERA this season, and in three starts since surrendering nine earned runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Phillies on July 8, Peralta sports a 1.37 ERA. Brewers: Crew picks up left-handed bat with Parra acquisition Gerardo Parra did not immediately know where he fit into his new team's outfield mix, but he knew one thing about the Milwaukee Brewers. "They play hard, and they play happy," Parra said in a telephone conversation minutes after a trade sent him from Arizona to Milwaukee. "I love that." The Brewers like Parra's defense at all three outfield positions and his left-handed bat, so they parted with a pair of Minor League prospects to pry him from the D-backs on Thursday, about two hours before the Deadline. Parra was scheduled to travel to St. Louis on Friday in time for the Brewers' series opener at Busch Stadium. Assuming he arrives in time, the Brewers will option outfielder Logan Schafer to Triple-A Nashville to create roster room. Cardinals: Departures of Craig, Kelly hit team hard Before the Cardinals began to digest the addition of a second starting pitcher in as many days, they had to first swallow some difficult goodbyes. In acquiring veteran right-hander John Lackey from the Red Sox on Thursday, the Cardinals parted with Allen Craig and Joe Kelly, two players drafted and developed by the organization and both quite popular among their now-former teammates. It left those in the clubhouse who were preparing for a day game against the Padres subdued and shocked. "It's a tough morning for us, no question," Matheny said. "We ask these guys from Day 1 to buy into the fact that we're in this thing together and we're going to be together more than we are probably with the majority of our family, to buy into the fact that we are all here for each other, to buy into the culture and everything that this organization stands for. To see guys who have bought into that and then you're seeing them pack up their stuff to go, yeah, there is a business here, but we're asking for more than just business. That makes it difficult." Matheny and general manager John Mozeliak met with both Craig and Kelly once the trade was official, though by then both players had already learned of the deal while watching the clubhouse television. Neither was prepared for the possibility of leaving, and it was evident in their immediate reactions. Both Kelly and Craig have endured their share of adversity this season. Kelly recently returned to the rotation after missing nearly three months recovering from a hamstring strain. He earned a starting job out of Spring Training after playing a critical role in helping stabilize the Cardinals' rotation the second half of last season. Worth Noting • Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez got the day off from the field on Wednesday when he started as the designated hitter vs. the Rays. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 1 | 7:15 P.M.[/h1][h2]Brewers (60-49) | Cardinals (57-50)[/h2][h3]FSWI | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/cardinals.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/pitchers/brewers/peralta-13.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/FeWznbt.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][h2]12-6, 3.56 ERA, 1.27 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Cardinals | Game Log[/h3][h3]Since allowing nine Phillies runs on July 8, Peralta has been solid, holding opponents to a .174 average and posting a 1.37 ERA over his last three starts. The streak started with seven good innings against St. Louis.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][h2]13-5, 1.92 ERA, 0.96 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]Wainwright won his third 1-0 decision of the season on Sunday to become the National League's first 13-game winner. He has held an opponent scoreless in 10 of his 21 starts and pitched at least seven innings in 17 of them.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away] CF Carlos Gomez C Jonathan Lucroy RF Ryan Braun 3B Aramis Ramirez LF Khris Davis 1B Lyle Overbay SS Jean Segura 2B Elian Herrera RHP Wily Peralta[/divclass][divclass=home] 3B Matt Carpenter 2B Kolten Wong LF Matt Holliday 1B Matt Adams SS Jhonny Peralta C A.J. Pierzynski RF Oscar Taveras CF Peter Bourjos RHP Adam Wainwright[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

Looks like it was Dan Haren

Nice to see Lopez return to form yesterday. He'd been on a three-game stretch of suck in an otherwise excellent season.

Great find, EyeBlack!

Dating all the way back to early last season. Once Hart was down for the year. Using ONLY at bats played by players who were playing AT 1st base (not 1st basemen being used as PH'ers, or playing other positions in the field), since the start of the 2013 season, the Brewers 1st basemen have put up an aggregate slash line of .214/.275/.375/.650 That's not bad. That's horrendous. And for a frame of reference, the aggregate line posted by all who've played 1B in the NL this season is roughly .780

Like if one slipped to a .650-ish OPS?

And if you watch Parra defend, you know that stat is backed up on the field. He's an elite defender in the OF, and (as others have noted) has a huge arm to boot. Good add here. I don't hate the price tag. I guess that about sums up my thoughts. Carry on.

There is going to be at least one huge, potentially season-defining moment down the stretch where Overbay is going to have to be the one at the plate. I just hate how passive this club was about 1B dating back to all the way in the offseason.

Pretty inexcusable for me to see this club not add a bat at 1B. Parra's a solid add, but I'm far from happy.

None of these guys is really a viable option, save possibly Clark in a platoon role (he posted a .785 OPS in Japan last season), & imo he's only viable in the sense that apparently Lyle Overbay is 'viable' at a sub-.700 OPS. We've already gotten a look at what Halton can & can't do in the bigs. Orr is 35 years old with a career MLB .617 OPS. Hermida is slugging .418 in the PCL & can't play CF. Jason Rogers is a so-so hitter (similar MiLB #s to Halton) that the Brewers are trying to square peg/round hole into 3B. Segura's defense is good enough that whatever marginal offensive upgrade Gomez might provide wouldn't be worth it. The reality is that the Brewers have needed an upgrade at 1B from day one of this season, & nothing has been done about it. If they can find a better 4th OF (who can back up CF), that'd be nice, but 1B is where a move absoutely, positively needs to be made if this club is serious about contending.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one whose brain went in this direction here

Splitting hairs but Nelson will be league minimum for 2 full seasons at ths point prior to arbitration. are you assuming he'll qualify as a Super Two?

Not for league-min. salary for 3 full seasons there aren't... which was trwi7's point.

1. I think he can be better than a 3. 2. Can he be easily replaced by someone else making the league minimum for 3 years? At this point he's a 5. There are hundreds of guys in baseball that are making league minimum for several years. Nelson has the potential to be a #3, but he hasn't reached it yet. For me that's not good enough. If the Brewers have a chance to pick up an elite and proven SP than do it. This is the important part of the year. The team's rivals are on the verge of improving big time. Brew Crew can't get left behind... Hundreds of SPs in MLB that will give you a 4-ish ERA or better at league mininum? Not even close.