NBBrewFan

If you can look past the webbed toe issue (not the players the fans).

I think it's been a rollercoaster ride since the all-star break. We had the great week+ against the Rockies, Twins and Red Sox where they went 7-2. Follow that by a bad week against the Pirates and Reds of 1-6. The optimist were energized after the first week that this team was the playoff contender they hoped would have a decent chance to make it to the World Series while the pessimists looked at the 2nd week as evidence this wasn't a good team. Throw in between these 2 "weeks" a trade deadline that even the most optimistic optimist didn't find a WIN there's been a lot of up and down for everyone. If you look at the total it is an 8-8 team which is consistent with the teams play since the best start of all-time (actually a little better as they are several games under 500 since then). As suggested by others, the team could go on a hot streak like 2019, but we may have seen that hot streak already at the beginning of the year. Is it surprising with 2/3 SP on the IL for a good part of the last few months and a bullpen that was underperforming from the middle relievers that they've been below 500 for so long. I'm sure they will start playing better than 1-6, but it's beginning to look like the current roster and options are more like an 85 win team than the projected 94/95 team at the beginning of the year. The trade deadline has passed so options are limited. Maybe bringing up Turang (like BrewCrew82 suggested in a separate topic) will provide some needed improvement, but given the historical data that those types of promotions take time to be a positive move. It's entirely possible it will help the teams defense/run prevention, but it's not clear that will have more than a 1-2 game impact. Maybe the bullpen will fix their performance issues and we can approach 90 wins. I don't think it's as bad as we look at after a 1-6 run against 2 horrible teams, but I also don't think we were as good as that 7-2 run against a slightly better opposition. Maybe a little bit here and there and a return of most of the SP will be enough to get them over the line. The most Brewer ending of the season would be to miss the playoffs by one game and have the worst draft position of any team that didn't make the playoffs.

I think as fans (even the ones who've had some limited time in higher amateur baseball/sports) we don't appreciate that the exact combination of physical and mental capabilities that are required to perform at the elite level that someone like Yelich did in 2019. There really is less difference between a 5 WAR player and a 2 WAR player than any athlete that maxed out in college and those players. It's my opinion that a slight change in those capabilities can easily change performance from Yelich 2019 to Yelich/Marlins (circa age 21/22 when his ISO was bad like now). The issue isn't that those difference are known and easy to make, but that they involve multiple physical and neurological components that interact. I'm sure Christian doesn't even know what has been impacted because he'd do everything he can to reverse it. These guys are either throwing a ball at high velocity with spin and movement to try and hit a small box or swinging at that ball coming at them and make solid contact with large torque with nanoseconds to make adjustments and swing. Those activities take a lot of neuromuscular control and the ability to repeat an activity with multiple muscles within a very fine variance. I would think the Brewers have invested in software and video systems that can map movements of a pitcher or batter during pitching/swinging that allows them to identify even minor changes to delivery or swing so they can address the big issues, but they may not be able to identify those small changes. There's also an issue of changes across aging. The exact stance/swing he had in 2019 may not work 3 years later when his responses are slightly slower. We know players lose abilities after they peak and age and for some it's a faster decline. There's also the counter where a batter with more experience can adjust to pitchers/pitches. Jace Pederson stunk as a hitter earlier in his career, but with opportunity and adjustments he's increased his abilities AGAINST the age decline. Or did he just figure out his best mechanics for hitting given his body and neurlogical control of musculature? Or both. I think the problem is that there isn't a SINGLE or major component to Yelich dropoff. I believe it's several that coincide and "fixing" each isn't so simple as changing one and going back to pre-injury mechanics may not give the same return because the other changes need to be adjusted. So you may have 1 corrected, but not see that correction and think it wasn't the issue so you may not even continue with that adjustment (since it didn't fix it) and move on to other adjustments. I get frustrated with him and so do others, but in essence if it was easy and they knew everything wouldn't we have teams full of Mike Trouts.

I think Stearns and Attanasio weren't happy with Hader's demands that he be used only in Save situations. IIRC his request came after he lost his first Arby hearing (may be mixing that up). They agreed to his request to avoid a difficult situation with a talented player. I think Attanasio values having representation at the All-star game and any positive PR the Brewers can get. Hader has been out several times because of his wifes pregnancy issues and I think that while the Brewers were supportive, they expected him to represent the team at the ASH. The final straw with Attanasio was when Hader backed out of the ASG. I believe that lead to Attanasio telling Stearns to do a deal now.. Evidence? None, just a guess. There was no reason they had to trade him now. The Players know that and they will talk like any group that works closely together. The events and play since then are consistent with a clubhouse that isn't on the same page as the Front Office/Owner. Now, is there an issue between Attanasio and Stearns? Don't know, but Mark has extended him before at an earlier point so it's a little odd that he is on an expiring contract. Maybe their back and forths over the budget has been a source of problems. I don't think the budget is just a number that is passed to Stearns and he budgets accordingly. When the traded for Yelich there were reports that Stearns had to convince Attanasio that they should also sign Cain. Why would the owner need to sign off it was within the budget. Must have been over the budget and Attanasio needed convincing (think about that 6 WAR that Cain brought would put the 2018 Brewers into the Wild Card round without him facing the Rockies and then if they won that 1 game against the Cubs - Not sure they make it to the NLCS under that scenario). Budget restrictions make Stearns job more difficult than other GMs in larger markets. Stearns knew that when he was hired, but he may be at the point that he doesn't want to continue in a situation where everything has to go right to make it deep into the playoffs. He might want to move to phase 2 of his career which is more responsibility with a bigger budget. I think the trade deadline was a GM that didn't want to make a mistake and overpay. In the end he lost out on multiple options and didn't get the biggest need which was a bat. If he was out the door wouldn't he just give the prospect to get the bat? I think it looks more like an owner questioning his approach/moves and a GM that's sensitive to making a mistake. Who knows.

The point I have tried to make on numerous occasions is that until he starts to significantly regress he should be given every chance to play. The idea that simply because he is LIKELY to regress means the Brewers jerking him around is ok is silly (not what you said, but a common theme here). Nobody takes a hot hitting batter out and sits them because "they can't possible continue to hit that well". Every batter in a hot streak has an unbelievable BABIP so that is useless as a predictor that he is over his head. The K% is more likely to indicate he will regress, but again let him play out his "hot streak" before stating without question that today is the beginning of his regression.

Too bad Hiura's HR the last 2 games didn't count because his BABIP and K% were so high. I wish MLB never changed the rules on scoring....

For about 5 seconds I wanted them to make a play for Kris Bryant this offseason, but then I remembered the Brewers don't have the money. He also is entering his year 30 season so you are likely overpaying for the production you will get. We really need to trade one of the big 3 and hope you hit a home run on the return (HR = 1 all-star caliber bat).

My wife says I say woodward in my sleep. I say I was dreaming of Woodruff throwing a perfect game to win game 7 of the World Series. My wife knows I'm dreaming of Joanne Woodward! Paul Newman you were one lucky bastard!

I wonder if Stearns will ever live that one down at the GM meetings each year.

I think there's a lot of PTSD in brewer fandom from the long time the team was in the wilderness so there's definitely a strong contingent that likes the approach of maintaining a competitive team year to year. My fear is that we just don't have enough pieces to get 2 all-star bats which would really push the teams chances for a World Series higher. After last year's playoff loss to the Braves I thought quite a bit about what is the issue with the Brewers roster makeup and to me it was that they had an above average offense in total, but they lacked very good hitters. We don't have a Braun or a Fielder or a Corey Hart. Sure average hitters can get hot too, but in the playoffs you are facing short rotations with top pitchers and a shortened bullpen. Those are the best of the best. The one stat from last year that stood out to me is that the Brewers lead the league in % of runs scored late in the game. I initially interpreted that as they are battlers, but I think the true issue is that they score runs when the better pitchers are out (the starters usually are better than relievers), the middle relievers worse than the closer. I've called this team a AAAA offense and I still think that's the case - they beat up on poor pitchers, but struggle against the best. Of course that is usually the case, but I think it's more of the Brewers DNA because they don't have those all-star bats. They don't have players than can go toe to toe with the best and win their fair share. To even approach 2 impact bats you are looking at $200M in free agency (pause for laughter to end because the Brewers have no chance at that) or you are dealing Woodward and possibly Peralta which then craters the rotation., A full on tank and rebuild might work, but again that wilderness is cold and scary.

Yeah, I wonder if we were hot after Benitendi and when the Yankees beat our offer they moved on. I also have to think they were also after Bell and the Padres only went with him when it was clear they could include Hosmer. I am a little surprised the Padres paid so much of his salary given their salary situation, but it looks like the Dodgers are still their Daddy.

Well I was hoping they would score 1 run with 2 outs and the bases loaded so we could see CC start having massive facial ticks as he pulled back Hiura to pinch hit McCutcheon.

Is the game over?

Yeah, someone watching can you update the game.

Because you are a Brewers fan you probably haven't experienced scoring runs without a HR. It happens a lot for other teams.

And to get a better draft pick. If you miss the playoffs MISS BIG.

If he was on the Reds he'd have 3 this series.

The trend this game is for the Reds and Brewers not to score in the same inning. While the runner at 2B changes the dynamic, what are the chances we tie or win? 4%?

Don't lump us all into that basket.

game...series... uggghhhh

Nevermind. Forgot we were in extra innings.

High OBP teams or the Brewers will be high in GIDP.

I wonder if the Brewers actually played their best players consistently if they'd actually win more games.

Of course if we had real reporters they would ask CC and Stearns if the last few games indicated they made a mistake sending him down. Of course they would just mumble some crap.

Keston silencing the doubters!