Jim French Stepstool
-
Posts
5,577 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
22
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Blogs
Events
News
2026 Milwaukee Brewers Top Prospects Ranking
Milwaukee Brewers Videos
2022 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks
Milwaukee Brewers Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits
Guides & Resources
2023 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks
2024 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks
The Milwaukee Brewers Players Project
2025 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Pick Tracker
2026 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Pick Tracker
Store
Downloads
Gallery
Everything posted by Jim French Stepstool
-
AFA tonites' game is concerned: Looking back to when we had the 2-0 lead in the last series. I think our lack of post-season savvy showed a little. From the way Priester came out in game 3, to the sudden dearth of runs after games 1 & 2, there seemed to be a little bit of an exhale after the terrific start to the series & we paid dearly the next two games. Today, my biggest fear is an experienced, battle-tested bunch knowing they've already clinched, at minimum, a split going back home. They can now play w/o whatever tension they may have had in game one & come out loose. Smell blood. I know it's a bunch of cliches' but I really think Peralta needs to guard against early runs & come out hot. Keep them off the scoreboard for the 1st 3-4 innings & I like our chances.
-
Randy Wright. Sorgi.
-
Ahhhhh, Gary Sanchez returns!!!! I think he'd see virtually no FBs from Snell except off the plate, but it's not a bad idea. It would sort of fill the role Hoskins would fill, had me made the roster. Jansen certainly seemed to get his stroke together late in the season. I'm just not sure Yelich is a go in the OF; not basing that on anything other than they could've easily flipped him with Chourio when his hammy was acting up & didn't.
-
Good stuff in here. The struggles of the everyday LHH & a couple of the others are the big issue & aren't going to be alleviated by playing Monasterio; rather what needs to happen is for the collective ABs one thru seven to get more to the norm so this isn't a discussion. And I think they're right in putting a lot of weight on the defensive side of the ball, in this particular spot on the field. The time when you DON'T need to emphasize that is when you're scoring runs. We haven't been. I'd be OK with Monasterio getting a start, but I understand why he hasn't. Hoskins is a great point; I mentioned awhile back how I raised my eyebrows a little when he didn't get more ABs after returning, just to see if there might be a bench fit there.
-
OK, I didn't know the LF ump made a quick determination. In that case some weight falls on the 3B coach to notice that & respond properly. But you're right about Hernandez. Having no runners in front of him it should've been elementary.
-
The part about the runner being able to tag up when the fielder makes contact with the ball, rather than when it's secured------I would be willing to bet there are MLB players who aren't even aware of that, or once knew it & forgot. That's where your 3B coach comes in, but I'm guessing he wasn't even sure the ball hit the glove, then the wall.
-
We haven't heard anything re Yelich & keeping him away from the OF, but when Chourio re-dinged himself & they didn't just DH him & put Yelich in LF I started wondering if there might be a slight twinge, a shoulder or elbow, something. You COULD see Bauers play LF but part of the blueprint for these playoff games is having someone available to hit for Ortiz late, if need be.
-
Hopefully that's tomorrow w/Peralta. If so, a day off combined with Myers being fresh & I think we'll be OK pitching-wise heading west. I imagine a save opp tomorrow would be Megill.
-
Theoretically. But I'm wondering how in the world he knew it was a force, unless an umpire gave it a palms down (if one did I didn't see it). Then to realize to go to 3B..........A ground ball is one thing, but zeroing in on a force play--at home, and third--on a drive that almost left the yard, I dunno, I was really impressed. I used to train/run catchers through drills, and I never prepared anyone for something like that. I guess that's on me🤢.
-
Agreed. If we had won, it would've been like some of the games we won during the incredible hot streak. And if we're talking about reaching & winning a WS, that's what has to happen. So let's let it play out, hope for better ABs the rest of the week, and muse over the fact that according to his comments CC apparently is in LA right now, without his team. Or anything remaining in his season. Long way to go.
-
Actually, if you don't have that mindset, it's next to impossible. And most don't.
-
You can't walk everyone, you have to pick your poison. And I'll bet Ohtani gets passed just a little more often Than Freeman. By everyone.
-
Agreed. I imagine he guessed FB, got it & just sold out. Bad swing decision. I just have a problem with all the "just let it hit you" comments. It's a quirky sort of mindset that very few players have, especially when you're thinking about pitch, location, and have less than a second to process all that crap.
-
That takes a certain mindset, to not react the way most do & jackknife out of the way. Durbin has it. Most don't. I'm sure if he could rewind the AB..........
-
It was one of those games where, even though LA wasn't doing much offensively their ABs were collectively much better than ours. Of course we were facing Snell & they weren't. In retrospect a handful of 8-9 pitch ABs might've gotten Snell out after seven, and that might've been the difference.
-
The way Snell threw tonight, that was my worst fear going in. Vs Philly in his last start it was like he wasn't actually physically pitching, but playing a video game where you can place every pitch exactly where you want it to land. Every time. Same thing tonite. All you can really do is be more woodpecker-ish, foul off pitches, don't ever chase, extend 3-2 counts so you tax him as much as you can. I would guess he had maybe half a dozen 3-2 counts, and we cashed in on none. Can't exaggerate how good he was. Looking at his approach & where on the bat he made contact, Chourio came damn close to filling the gap in his last AB. Arghhhh. Real kudos to Priester. And it looks like Megill might be a weapon from here on out. I don't know if I've ever seen a more headsup play from a catcher, than what Contreras did in the bases-loaded situation. Magnificent. Also, that play was a 3B coaches' nightmare. The bright side is the characteristics of what made us a 97-win team, returned in the bottom of the 9th (other than the Turang chase). Hopefully it carries over.
-
Very true. It's just the combo of that, AND having someone else in RF. It's why I'm hoping Chourios' comments re his health are legit.
-
This. Not a fan of Frelick playing CF because of what it does to your OF defense in two different spots. But if Priester does Priester things, this is the game to try it. I took Chourios 'almost 100%' comment with a grain of salt, but being willing to do this tells me it may actually have some validity to it. On the surface, putting Yelich in front of Contreras might get him balls to hit. But when he isn't picking the ball up he'll chase regardless of who the on-deck hitter is. That's one of the keys to this series IMO---his at bats need to be much better. Good to see Collins get a crack.
-
Making people nervous sort of comes with the package re Ashby. Still, I have to give him credit for his performance in game five. The leadoff single by Busch wasn't hit hard; seeing eye ground ball. The HBP to Hoerner stunk, but then he comes back from down 3-1 to K Turner. A walk there might've really turned things, that was a huge out. Starting out 0-1 is obviously an edge for any pitcher. But for him I think it can be an especially big advantage, especially vs the LHHs.
-
I'm guessing Miz is slated for one of the LA games, meaning he'll either start or (more likely) be used in a similar fashion to Saturdays' game.
-
Speaking primarily of the BB GM (Marc VandeWettering), It's closer to the latter, but much more involved. His description is to 'collaborate' w/Greg Gard on things such as roster management & recruiting, which suggests to me that he focuses on the year-to-year turnover, tries to manage who may or may not appear to be a long-term commitment & how that effects roster structure going forward, and is also the point man regarding revenue allocated to BB (Can we afford this transfer? If we pay A, B, & C "X" number of dollars, how much do we have left for D & E, and will that be enough?) He also is in charge of non-conference scheduling. I doubt that his recruiting involvement goes any further than input as to how a prospective recruit might effect the current/future rosters, and how much can be comfortably allocated to a particular kid. Nothing regarding scouting or actually hitting the recruiting trail. I'm guessing the FB GM has similar duties. But one never knows what Fickell might have written into his deal AFA additional control. I suspect it's a collaborative thing as well, as unlike the NBA or NFL the AD is the 'boss', not the GM.
-
Some of you have watched Adams much more than I, so you can tell me if I'm nuts or not. Is there a little bit of Ian Happ there in his approach & overall offensive game?
-
The last time or two I've seen Snell he seemed to be throwing the ball really well & locating. It'll be tough if that continues. I like the idea of a LH opener, then Priester. As long as if it's Quintana, he's still available to start in LA which should be no problem. IMO this is going to be a real tough series to win. They've won ten of their last eleven going back to the tail end of the regular season, and Muncy & Smith seem to have settled back in. But I do like the mojo of having handled them 6-0, having the home field, yet being able to (in a lot of minds at least) play the underdog card. Be loose & have fun with it.
-
Yeah. the WS has gone 2-3-2 since way back before divisional play. No problem with that.
-
Wisconsin Basketball Off-season Stuff
Jim French Stepstool replied to Jim French Stepstool's topic in Other Sports
Ty Schlagel is a 6'7" forward from Cretin-Durham Hall HS in the Twin Cities area. You could say he's following in the footsteps of a talented hoopster from the school in the early 70s, some kid named Molitor who later decided to emphasize a different sport. Schlagel is generally regarded as one of the top 2 or 3 HS juniors in Minnesota, and is being pursued by the B10 schools in that immediate footprint--UW, U of M, Iowa, Nebraska. What might give the Badgers a leg up is Brad Davison. It seems the two have worked out together & Schlagel is intrigued by Davison now being a member of the UW staff.
