Jim French Stepstool

Jared Koenig gets six outs, on sixteen pitches. And faces five hitters. Just when you think you've seen it all....... X-Ray neg on Contreras is wonderful news. Despite only four runs in two games, I have no problem with the ABs the last two nights. Well, almost none. Horrible piece of work by Chourio after the leadoff double. When his game sense/feel catches up with the talent, look out. Vaughn quietly putting up really good trips to the plate again. Actually has for awhile now. I once heard from someone who said that it isn't easy to work up a sweat in Arizona because it's a 'dry heat'. I'm pretty sure it's the same guy who concocted the analytics that say Joey Ortiz isn't an elite defender. RBI hit aside, if he doesn't make that diving stop, they most likely lose. Patrick looks to me like he may be a BP piece in the postseason. As a one-time through the order guy, it seems like his stuff works really well.

When I think of Chryst & his career here I often think of Bob Schnelker, who was an OC for Green Bay & a few other teams. He had a great rep as an OC (as did Chryst), but never was a HC although I would assume he had opportunities. Some guys need to 'stay in their lanes', but it isn't easy to turn down a HC opportunity at your alma mater. Chryst was, if not a hot commodity, at least a warm one when he was an assistant. Obviously in the current state of the college game he isn't a fit as a head guy.

Regarding todays' game---if you are having trouble scoring points (which is obvious) you need to at least play the 'clean' football Fickell sometimes mentions that seldom happens. Take away the blocked punt & terrible INT early, and you're quite possibly looking at a 7-3 or 10-3 game going into the 4th quarter. No excuses here, just pointing out how you can't absorb mistakes when offense is so hard to come by. Muck it up, keep it close, hope the FR QB makes a critical error or two & you're in business. But......... The inability to run is killing them. Today MD had their pick--either shoot a LB or two & make O'Neil run for his life, or cover & rush four, which usually meant we had maybe an extra second to throw, if that. And usually no one could get open cuz they're covering with seven. Simmons actually looked OK on the last drive, but while he showed a little mobility you pretty much have to have O'Neil out there since his sprint draw up the middle represents at least half of your run game (Plus Simmons wasn't being pressured outside of one or two plays). On paper, you could make the argument 2-10 is a possibility. In reality, the O-line needs to get better/healthier & the defense has to somehow avoid getting worn down or else yeah, you could go winless from here on out. I feel for Ryan Cory. Unlike other OL, even casual fans can see when a center screws up. Tough spot for a RS freshman (he's struggled so much I actually assumed he was a true FR before looking it up). Having to go with your 3rd string guy there can spell big trouble. You hold out hope the staff can make the OL better week-to-week, but then you realize this is the same braintrust that decided going into week one that Davis Heinzen could play LT, and then juggled around almost the entire line since then. I dunno.

What'll be interesting to me tonight is Misiorowski as he continues down the developmental path. He dominated STL the first time he saw him, then the 2nd time they hit him hard. Now it's sort of the "I know that you know that I know that you know......" start. Need to have the discipline & woodpecker mentality vs Gray.

Too early to say, but if the Reds are out of it by next weekend they may pull the plug on SP's who might otherwise work.

Yahtzee. That said, They DO end with Miami & Minny. It might be time for some old cracker barrel philosophy that some of our announcers like to use when WE play also-rans late in the year, like "They have nothing to lose, they're playing guys who have something to prove, they're loose, etc, etc, etc."

Definitely should go 11 pitchers-15 position players as was alluded to. You don't NEED 3 1B, but you don't really NEED a 3rd catcher, 6th OF, etc. After being used to the 4-man bench all season, you choose a player or two based on specifics. That's why I think Hoskins is on the roster, and also why they recently signed Luis Urias. He may not be added, but they wouldn't have picked him up if they didn't at least want to see how he would look at Nashville & possibly be an option. Lockridge (and Seigler, for that matter) would have the edge over Urias as a PR option. I believe they were looking at Urias as someone who might come off the bench & get a knock ala Hoskins. He came out hot w/the Sounds but has cooled a little, while Lockridge is hitting well over .300 & had a 4-hit game Thursday. I'd guess he has the edge. AFA the pitchers are concerned, it's so tough now with Megill & Quintana being up in the air. I'll say this: Gasser looks to be on a heater right now & I think he edges out Zastryzny. I'll also guess Anderson makes it over one of either Patrick or Myers.

Guess I need to give them their props, then. Damn, and here I thought the Chuck E Cheese comment was so clever.🤢

That's like getting a review on fine dining ambiance from Chuck E Cheese.😛

True, and I agree it's rather unlikely. I only mention it because he looked terrific in his last outing up here, his earlier innings with Milwaukee were quite awhile ago, and he's been exceptional for Nashville. The foot placement/breaking ball adjustments he's made have been a big plus. The lack of a track record would hurt his chances. But I think he's re-established himself as a future BP possibility.

If we have zero luck regarding the health issues w/the IL guys I wonder if there's a pathway for Yoho?

During a 162-game season, I think Fedde would be a terrific guy to have in the back of the BP, mopping up or entering if a starter has to leave in the 3rd inning. And he seems like one of these low heartrate, strike-throwing vets that Murphy really appreciates. But yeah, if we get anywhere close to full strength there doesn't seem to be a postseason spot for him.

Do you really feel we have a lack of LHP in the BP? Ashby, Koenig, then we'll have at least one of Gasser, Zastryzny, Hall, Quintana (the last two health permitting of course). Quintana would almost certainly work out of the pen if available. People like Philly & the Mets would require we have many options from the left side, but I think we're covered.

Just an FYI.....the final series vs Cincy is in Milwaukee

OMG my wife is sort of a 'wine snob'. I hope she never witnesses such a thing. And yes, we both have Italian roots.

I might be wrong, but I suspect there are people on here who DON'T understand the shrinking margin, or don't get the significance of it. Anyway, it's a nice time for LA to (apparently) get their ship righted.

A lot of the stuff in this post reflects my feelings. Without going into details of the changes, I just refer to it as the "NFL-ification" of the college game. I gave my tickets up many years ago for unrelated stuff but if I still had them, well, I wouldn't for long. I still think the college game will survive & probably thrive, as long as there are alumni & people who like to gamble. But the style over substance you mentioned, yeah, you can feel it. I too followed the two-deep closely, watched who might stand out on special teams or climb the ladder during bowl prep, get an occasional look in a 3rd down package, etc. A far cry from 25, 30 or 40 players changing teams every year. Still a fan from my living room, but no desire to financially support something like that.

I think the mods on this board need to take the money earned from the Caretaker Fund & ads, and stash it in an account used to pay for anxiety counseling.

That's actually spot-on. It illustrates how maddening this game can be. Watched a little of Texas-Mets today & the Rangers are still playing really solid baseball.

Not good news, but if any starter develops an owie he would be my choice. Not to disparage the work he's done, but it's unlikely he starts in the postseason & even as a BP arm you have three LHP working out of the pen now, plus Gasser throwing well in Nashville. Worst case you're looking to cover maybe two starts.

Quintana gave up a couple ambush hits in the 2nd, then started to nibble around the plate a little & immediately STL went into patient mode, as if they knew he was suddenly going to start nibbling. Really perfect timing, and it cost him. Outside of the Payamps adventure after 2 outs/w no one on the guys who followed Quintana looked very good. Rotten luck on the K by Monasterio after the foul off the knob. That was key. As was the K by Durbin w/two on. Just a nice changeup, low but over the plate.

Definitely ugly for the first 6 innings or so. But AFA the comeback is concerned, I think a lot of teams that come back from 5-6 run deficits have walks, errors & stuff like that mixed in. Giving up too many walks was one of my bugaboos during the recent stretch where the team was a couple under .500. It's no coincidence guys like Collins & Durbin are often mixed in to these comebacks. Great plate discipline from both. I think with Collins in particular it's gotten him good pitches to hit. Do those of us who got the sarcasm get a prize?😁

Fall all over themselves? No. Just comparing him to Monasterio re overall value. I think in large part, their defensive mindset is built around guys like him & Perkins. Come important games you'll most likely see them both out there w/a late lead. AFA building a team around him? No, of course not. I'll mention again though, he's hitting around .265 since 6/1. I know that's only one number in a plethora of analytics but it probably would surprise a lot of people to learn that. I know it surprised me.

That was due mostly to the L/R thing (which IIRC you put no importance on) & trying to find an alternative to Durbin when he needed a day. I remember going on record here as saying Seigler was getting too big a piece of the pie there. He didn't produce despite what was a fairly good approach at the plate. Monasterio can play 3rd but is looked at as more of a 2B-SS option. Ortiz being a guy you might want to hit for & (to a lesser extent) Turang being a LHH has a lot to do with that.

Certainly entitled to your opinion. It's kinda related to the recent Jansen-Haase debate. You'd be hard-pressed to find a GM who would value Haase over Jansen. Pretty sure it's the same thing here. And that takes nothing away from Monasterio.