Jim French Stepstool
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Everything posted by Jim French Stepstool
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For those looking for a Turang alternative in the leadoff spot, Black wouldn't be a bad choice. But Murphy seems intent (tonite anyway) on breaking up the three RHH, and if Contreras is hitting 3rd there really isn't a LHH that looks 'right' in the cleanup spot. Rae keeping the bases as clean as he can is my big concern. The top 5 spots of that order are just so difficult. They were careful to Smith last night w/the two walks, and you can get away with that. But you walk Ohtani, can't keep him from running, and even w/two out it costs you a run. Stone mixes it up, and throws the changeup a lot--about 1 out of every four pitches. Please, more of a 'see ball, hit ball' strategy tonite, particularly with two strikes, and less guessing.
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You're probably right. I mean, if you're working from ahead you don't WANT to throw the thing for a strike that often. He also mentioned the in-zone contact rate of 49%, which tells me when he gets too much of the plate w/the changeup, half the time they're unable to put the ball in play. So yeah, probably a semantics thing. I haven't seen enough of Yoho to know if he does this, but looking at how the ball moves it kinda reminds me of old knuckleball pitchers, where you just aim for the dish & let the pitch do its' thing. The movement is THAT good.
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For Yoho to get the insane movement he gets on the changeup, yet throw it for strikes 71% of the time, that's incredible.
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2024 Minor League Transaction Thread
Jim French Stepstool replied to Jim Goulart's topic in Brewers Minor League Talk
Boy, there's an 'out of sight, out of mind' name. Good to see him get a chance to at least get his feet wet in '24. -
September 1st call up predictions
Jim French Stepstool replied to patrickgpe's topic in Milwaukee Brewers Talk
I think they're really hoping Yelich feels ready to resume around the time the rosters can be expanded. That would be convenient, but anyones' guess as to whether the timeline matches up. If they felt Hicklin could help, the time to go with him was now, to replace Perkins. I don't feel strongly about the guy one way or the other, but adding him to the 40-man & then calling up Black to replace Perk was very odd. Really, it's impossible to predict this now. With the IL situation, three catchers, juggling to keep the BP fresh, a number of the candidates might be here before 9-1. Is Amed Rosario still out there or has he been claimed? -
The bolded above. If he does any backsliding, which HAS happened, I think it would be wise to hold off until '25. A few more outings like his last couple & I'd roll the dice. Yoho is ready. They can monitor & schedule his workload in Nashville so I get what they're doing, but I think it's gotten to the point where it's just a question of when in 2024 we see him.
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Misc. Minor League Alumni News & Notes
Jim French Stepstool replied to Jim Goulart's topic in Brewers Minor League Talk
Blalock did well. Took a 4-1 lead into the 6th but with 2 outs just couldn't close out the inning, leaving with a 4-3 lead that the BP gave up. He walked no one, which you figure he pretty much has to do to be successful. You'd have to assume he'll get more shots. -
Guessing with two strikes, which I've always hated & never understood.
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Yoho is the 'safer' bet right now & appears about as ready as you could be. Miz most recently had an outing for N'ville that not only screams "ready" but "ready to dominate", but we've seen flashes before. If he's taken the next step where the command becomes a more-often-than-not thing over the next couple weeks, then make the decisions you've avoided most of the season in the name of depth, and add both.
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The Phils didn't swing the bats great against us, but when we played them I firmly believe they can't pitch or defend any better than they did those three days. Some of the plays they made, and the at 'em balls the 3rd game, were ridiculous.
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.......and even if he did have reverse splits, it's not possible to look at Mitchells' recent ABs vs Sale and think he was going to have success vs someone as experienced as Kershaw. I'd give Turang slightly better odds but if you're playing him he should not have been leading off.
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Agree re the roster construction. They got away w/the 3 catchers, in part, due to having a switch-hitter you can employ in the OF, or as a PH if not in the lineup. He's gone for now, and Black is a curious replacement, even if he CAN play the OF. Haase has played some OF but I'm sure they don't want to put him out there, and I don't really blame them. They've had three catchers for a while now, gotten some production from all three, and wanted to keep doing that dance to avoid losing one. I think it's time to stop dancing.
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Yeah, as I said above they're really hamstrung vs a LHP, both in the lineup & bench options. The reverse splits thing is negated by the fact that Mitchell, vs an experienced lefty w/command, has no chance. I'd give Turang a better chance vs a Kershaw, but not much. It was a night to go with the goofy order he's been going with vs lefties, hopefully get some production, then punt the bottom 3-4 spots and maybe they're lucky enough to see a righty.
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I've been a backer of Turang in the leadoff spot, and wouldn't be surprised if he's proficient in that role moving forward in his career. Obviously that isn't happening now, and just as obviously he shouldn't be up there against a LH starter. Tonight Murphy didn't go with his strange batting order vs lefties that he'd been employing, and I think it was to keep from bunching LHH at the bottom 3-4 spots. He wanted to split the L & R somewhat, which I probably wouldn't have done. Mitchell hitting 3rd was every bit as bad as Turang leading off tonight. I really think Murphy was trying to avoid having to go to the bench by splitting. It didn't work.
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Anyone that didn't have flashbacks to Adam Wainwright watching our ABs tonite is very forgetful. A classic case of swinging at balls, taking strikes, constantly being one step behind in the at-bat mentally, and guessing w/two strikes, which might be worst of all. If I could compare these two teams tonite based on one at-bat for each team, I'd look at Betts' RBI to make it 5-2. He KNEW what Hudson was going to do, adjusted the approach accordingly, yet (admittedly) was quick enough to spoil off something inside & stay alive if need be. Frustrating, but a great plan. Contrast that with Adames following a leadoff double by not only rolling over a grounder to the left side, but doing so on the first pitch. Just mentally vacant. I have no idea what we're going to do in the late innings if tied or trailing in the next week or two when there's a LHP out there.
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I get that Mitchell pretty much HAS to play tonite, but they've just about guaranteed he'll face Kershaw twice. If he's hitting 9th, maybe he only sees him once. I've now set myself up for Mitchell to double off him twice, so there's THAT to look forward to.😁
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No, I meant Collins. I meant in a perfect world, if they found a 40-man spot for him. I might even take him over Hicklen everything being equal. Hopefully it's academic & we'll have someone miss a few days & NOT have to be IL'ed, for a change.
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Yeah, and when you factor in the defensive emphasis they usually lean towards, too. You might even be able to make a case for Collins over Black.
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Reminds me of what I used to do to my nephews' kids when they were little. "Could you go down to the basement & get me a coke?" Then when they're heading down the stairs, "and whatever you do, DON'T BE SCARED." FWIW, my wife once worked the desk at the Pfister & believes the ghost stuff.
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That's an AWFUL lot of confidence in Mitchell, hitting him 3rd vs Kershaw after the ABs he put up vs Sale.
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Hudson reinstated, Hall optioned
Jim French Stepstool replied to Matt's topic in Milwaukee Brewers Talk
The consternation about Hall being optioned will ramp up if/when Montas struggles. Even if he doesn't, Hall looks like at the very least a better, LH-version of the role Junis filled. But as @tmwiese55 pointed out, this isn't a week to get caught short in the pen. -
"Ladies & gentlemen, step right up and see the major league bench made up entirely of catchers & first basemen!!!" (well, almost)
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I've never been real big on mismatches 'on paper' regarding baseball. It's more a case of who's playing better at the time, or who's better that day. Not that it isn't a big challenge. LA seems to be playing pretty well & Betts is coming back. Vs Pittsburgh they kinda seemed to be in their annoying mode of "Oh, we need a key hit/baserunner here? OK, we have a limitless supply saved up, we'll just pull one out of our arse whenever we need it". A key to tonite may be if we take a few off the plate early but Kershaw gets the Greg Maddux strike zone. Even if it goes both ways, Peralta isn't nearly as equipped to take advantage of that.
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Agree 100%. I could see moving away from allowing the rosters to expand all the way to 40, but I hate 28. Thirty or thirty-one would be much better. If Hall continues to get starts this could boil down to whether Ross can acclimate to warming up & entering in the middle of a game. He looks vulnerable to me right now.
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I know he's hit 3rd quite a bit lately, but I think they're best off hitting Mitchell 8 or 9 when he plays. The plate discipline has improved greatly but there's just way too much swing-and-miss there.
