BruisedCrew

If I’m not sure it’s true I think it follows that I’m not sure it’s false. Like I said earlier I tend to give managers the benefit of the doubt that they know a lot more about using their bullpen in one game, one week, and over the course of the season than a bunch of posters on a message board who don’t have to deal with the consequences of any of their opinions or second guesses.

From Counsell’s comments I’m not sure that’s true. The problem was less that Wilson couldn’t have pitched last night, but that they wanted him fresh for today to be available as the first reliever in. Wilson probably would have gone in last night if the game had gone to extra innings Regardless, second guessing a decision from three days earlier is something of a stretch. There was no way to know then that Miley would only go 4 innings on Wednesday and that Milner, Payamps, Peguero, and Williams would all be used on both Wednesday and Thursday (in addition to Wilson on Wednesday) in an effort to pull out close games. As Counsell said, they went all in to win on Wednesday and Thursday. The price they paid was a thin pen on Friday, and even then they were within an out of pulling out that one. Peralta’s short start and Bush’s failures did them in.

Whether you agree with him or not, Counsell had his reasons for not using Wilson, or someone other than Bush, in the ninth inning last night. He said: "We went for it in the Mets series. We used guys heavily. We need to get guys rest. Bryse is going to figure in the game tomorrow. Matt Bush is on the roster. He hasn't pitched in a while and he was fresh. It was his job to get the outs in the ninth and just couldn't get it." It's apparent that Counsell really wants to give Williams, Payamps, Peguero, and Milner today off too if at all possible, and that Wilson will be the first reliever to follow Burnes. Ideally that would be no earlier than the 7th inning if Burnes could do what he is supposed to do. Then, depending on how the game is going, Wislon could finish or force the use of just one other reliever. I tend to give the manager the benefit of the doubt on these things because he has a much greater feel for the pitchers' current status and long term prognosis than fans do. Some times fans seem to think that any pitcher who wasn't used the day before should be fully available and fresh as a daisy. What the Brewers really need on occasion is a game where the offense puts up some early runs and adds on while the starter goes 6 or 7 innings (or, heaven forbid, 8) giving up no more than a run. An occasional coast to a 7-1 win would give the back end of the bullpen a chance to recharge. But the Brewers don't win very many without needing contributions from their top 3 or 4 relievers.

Why not buy it without knowing why they didn’t want to use him? Maybe he has a tired arm or minor injury that they don’t want to disclose. He may not have rebounded well from the 2 innings he threw on Wednesday. Maybe they feel they need him to cover multiple innings sometime this weekend given how heavily used the other relievers have been and how even the supposed aces of the staff have trouble going 6 innings. I don’t absolve Peralta for his failure to get even a quality start, which IMHO is a fairly low bar for someone with his ability.

This is why I made my comment after last night’s game about “good game, good series, but….”. Winning 3 out of 4 was nice, but using the bullpen so heavily to get there was going to be a problem unless Peralta was able to go seven innings, or hold the Pirates to no more than a run. Now I am fearing one of those infamous PNC Park series where the Pirates suddenly become world beaters. The one last year set off the swoon that torpedoed the Brewers season. Bush was a key figure in that one.

You always have to consider the possibility that when they take inventory before the game that a,pitcher in the bullpen says he needs a day off. Not necessarily an injury, but a tired arm.

The last thing you want to see is Gopher Ball Bush on the mound with the tying or winning run at the plate.

You can’t hear the usual “whooping”.

I don’t think they’ve tried to use Payamps 3 days in a row. It’s not just number of pitches thrown in the game but the effort expended in getting ready to pitch. We don’t have any track record to know how well Payamps bounces back on that third day.

Two big 2 out hits.

Error (on a bullet by Yelich) and another HBP and the Brewers have a scoring chance. Really could use some add in runs.

Feels like a game where the Brewers are done scoring for the night and it’s going to take another perfect night from the bullpen to pull it out.

Scoring one run in an extra inning against the Reds isn’t going to get it done. Reds score 3 to win 7-5.

Needed a long start tonight with the bullpen used heavily in NYC, and Peralta doesn’t look like he’s going to deliver it.

Reds down to their last out tie it in the 10th with a 2 run HR.

Another favorable call on the 3-2 pitch to Suwinski.

Peralta gets a call to end the inning. ETA: I guess that’s just where the bottom of the strike zone is going to be tonight.

Good win. Good series. Only negative is that the bullpen will be somewhat stressed going into the Pirates series.

So close to a salami.

Good grief. My picture froze just as Adames was fielding a grounder, and when it came back on it was 2-0.

Saw something this afternoon that you don’t see too often. In the top of the 10th with two outs, Jose Ramirez flat stole home by getting a big jump on a LHP. He was called out, but was clearly safe and the call was reversed onreview. Ramirez’s bold dash was to no avail as the Royals won in the last of the 10th.

I also think you have to consider that Arcia is surrounded by one of the best, and arguably the best, lineups in MLB. Even with an OPS near .800 he is one of the “weaker” inks in the batting order. So, IMHO he’s getting a lot more good pitches to hit when he’s followed by Acuna, Albies, and Olson than if he was dropped into the middle of the Brewers lineup.

Hopefully, but you never know for sure. Sometimes players don’t want to come out and will try to tough it out. Remember Mitchell going back out after his shoulder injury and then realizing he couldn’t throw. Wiemer got hit in his left hand so he could easily run the bases and play in the field even with a finger or hand injury that would make it difficult or impossible to hold a bat properly

I don’t think Wiemer swung. He started to swing, but was holding up. Getting hit in the hand caused him to let go of the bat. I just hope Wiemer is OK. That pitch had season ending broken hand potential.

Yelich is the man.