Jim French Stepstool

I thought Peguero looked terrific (forget the opponent) maybe 10 days or so ago, then went back to his dark place. Maybe the emergence sticks this time. Haase & Capra both contributed nicely, on both ends. I felt bad for him when they were running wild & Keuchel was allowing ridiculous leads/jumps.

Great series for fans of run differential...... I watched the game today & I still have a hard time believing I saw a pitcher go 4.1 scoreless innings vs the Dodgers while dealing with as many 2-0, 3-0, 3-1 counts as Kuechel did. Pretty incredible. On the surface it looks like his starts are going to be a thrill ride w/no seat belt. But honestly, he had a LOT of pitches that missed by a couple inches, and LA was taking them like they were 2 feet off the plate. A team not as disciplined, or even a "wider" umpire and the 5 walks might've been only a couple. But to be sure, he missed his spots quite a bit too. Would like to see the results if/when he can work from ahead. Weird start to the season from Mitchell. He's certainly showing much better plate discipline. His walk today after starting out 0-2 was impressive. But when he IS getting a pitch to hit, nothing's jumping off his bat at all. Just have to wait & see when he settles into 50-75 ABs, He needed that one to squirt by the 3B, maybe it gets him going. No one can complain about a Sunday lineup. All the stars played-----Ohtani, Freeman, Smith, Haase, Capra........

The manager is Murphy. But I think everyone understands the dynamic on teams btwn a "star" player & the manager. The Contreras & Adames playing every day thingy is an example. Plus, there's nothing to prove Murphy WANTS Yelich DHing every day, or that Yelich burning his glove makes him a better hitter.

That's a REALLY good question. Even with giving up Barrios, I'd find it hard to imagine us going hard for INFers in the early rounds.

What's with all the first-name basis stuff? Your Pat Hughes impersonation?

Actually, in a lot of ways the game tonite was the type of game it needs to be for us to come out on top vs these guys. But two things needed to happen, that didn't. 1) Just a couple/few more successful ABs, in a timely manner. Not even talking about the old "runners on & so-and-so didn't get a hit" lament. Talking about the HRs. We're a team that'll hit some. Both tonite were solos. Something ahead of the Hoskins HR.......maybe Frelick lines one through the 6-hole, maybe he has one of those 10-pitch ABs & walks.....hell, maybe he beats out a bunt. Ahead of the Yelich HR..........Contreras I thought had really nice ABs tonite. He saw what--18, 19, 20 pitches? His worst decision of the night--maybe his only bad one--was the last pitch he saw. On paper, it cost us a run. When we're good we put pressure on pitchers & put runners on. That has value, even when you don't score. It was lacking tonite. 2) Vs this team, we cannot afford to have Peralta take 25 pitches to get his **** together. He never actually did, fully, but he got better. The way he closed out the 4th was gutsy & very impressive. Come out like that right away. Figure it out. Ortiz & Sanchez missing makes a big difference late, when a LHP is out there. Bad day for Monasterio, outside of the bunt, which was a good idea but (of course) it rolled foul. His decision to swing 2-0 w/2 outs in the 9th---I know, it probably makes no difference, but that's just mentally vacant. Couple more good ABs from Hoskins. Fingers crossed.

I would guess that's Yelich not wanting to DH every day more than anything.

AFA rest is concerned the BP was fine yesterday. I don't think losing that game had anything to do with too heavy of a workload. Down the road yes, it could become a problem, but through 90 games I think the BP has been managed pretty well.

Nice vid. Calling the pitch based on the count has been going on for a long, long time. I coached HS fastpitch softball & it happens there too. It's too bad the technology doesn't go far back enough to look at some of the pitches spit on by Ted Williams that were called balls. He had impeccable eyesight & was probably correct most of the time, but I doubt the same courtesy was given all around. "Ted didn't like it, it must've been a ball" was most likely a real thing with umps.

2-3 pitches before the last pitch of the AB would've been a time to maybe try it (inside FB). But like I said it didn't need to come to that. I agree it wasn't a bad pitch at all that he hit. Nor was the one Hudson threw that left the yard. That one still steams me, 12 hours later.

He is, for sure. But.....and I don't b**** much about umpires, but.....he made a wise move going to one of those teams where, in a clutch situation, your opponent has to be absolutely perfect to beat you. Milner had him struck out, and w/o a good frame from Contreras it still could've been called. Maybe SHOULD'VE, given the strike zone before we got to the "Sportscenter highlight" part of the game, where the zone predictably shrinks if you're the "right" hitter. Of course, us chasing bad balls much more than they did makes it more frustrating. Definitely HOF level. Doesn't need the help.

Of all the relievers, yeah it's mostly on him. Looking at the top three in their order, you only need to get one of them out if you can retire the #9 hitter. Instead he treats him like he's Barry Bonds w/1B open in a tie game. Payamps was fine. I thought he should've started the 8th & let Hudson start with L-R-L but it didn't really make a difference. Milner, I commented about him earlier. It just seemed like the script was written against him before he ever took the mound.

Don't know what to think of Civale yet. There was the obvious negative of the HRs, but there were the 8 Ks as well. Of course after being given a 5-run inning giving two right back is unforgivable. Can't grab momentum & then get a shutdown inning, boys. No no no, not in this ballpark. Not allowed. That HR off Hudson was an absolute joke. He'll make pitches in a worse spot than that, get outs & be lauded for it. Keeping that fair AND over the wall was ridiculous. You can see that since rejoining the team Garrett Mitchell is really cognizant of not chasing pitches. That's good given his past but there's a fine line & he's over-crossed it a little. In his first AB Glasnow threw him a breaking ball, 84mph, right down the middle & he fouled it off towards the 3B dugout like it was 101. I don't think I've ever seen that before. A talent, but it looks like it's gonna be a process. Felt bad for Milner. He made pitches more than good enough to get out of the inning, but of course it's Freeman standing up there. In that situation it's like he's John Freaking Wayne in a war movie & the Brewers are standing out there wearing Japanese uniforms. Good pitch, bad pitch, makes no difference. He's hitting the ball, and it's finding a hole. Of course Peguero put him in that spot. He's really the only reliever I had a problem with tonite. That's all I got, except Contreras' last AB was, from the neck up, garbage.

Really quiet hands, not much front leg gobbledygook, just simple & straight to the ball. Likey.

I like the idea of Contreras hitting cleanup & Adames being much too streaky to hit fourth. But when he returns I think Ortiz would be heavily suited to the #2 hole. Thrilled with what Chourio has been doing but at this stage of his career I'd rather leave him in the spot where he seems to be comfy right now & not press it. A little more contact/OBP from Ortiz right now suits the #2 hole as well. What I think will happen, is nothing will change & we'll ride out Willy until he finally starts keeping the hands back & going to RF, which will eventually give him some balls to pull. That's what usually seems to have to happen. Just wish the process didn't take so long with him. Also, my guess is Paredes probably won't be ahead of Payamps or Peguero as long as all three are healthy. I know his numbers are better, but Paredes has had walk issues before coming here, and while he hasn't had an issue lately with that I wonder if a revision is imminent, especially looking at his last one or two outings.

There's somewhat of a similarity between the two teams, in that if you keep the top three in the batting order off the bases your chances of success are considerably better. Some of LAs' middle inning/multi inning guys have taken a hit this week, so there could be some vulnerability there. Of course the trick there is to get to Glasnow which won't be easy.

He could've matched it with "Maurice Chevallier", but it would be extra hard to keep the baseball theme.

You're right. How about "Hates it for (IMO) the right reasons?" I think some coaches don't like it because they're philosophically opposed to the new system, and some because rules were in place that some followed & they ignored, giving them an advantage that's now gone. Unlimited transfers & having to re-recruit your roster every year, yeah. I'm sure that's universally hated.

I'm guessing the days of Black, Hoskins & Bauers all on the roster together are over (Save for September, maybe). I think their plans for Hoskins are for him to continue to get ABs & figure things out, frustrating as he's been.

Appreciate the graphic, as I don't see nearly as much live action from some of these kids as I'd like to. There's just so much that intrigues me with Adams--the fact that he's a big athletic body playing 3B, the obvious power, ability to take a walk & even able to run a little bit. And as others mentioned, plays the game with a little-kid type of joy. Maybe a citation from the footwork police is in order🤔.

I think you're right. But let them be frustrated & complain, and let CC take heat, whether warranted or not. Best of both worlds.

Someone who actually grew up learning to score a game? You're in!!!! Welcome aboard, and thank you so much for your service.

If you'd have told me we would pitch a shutout today after the slowpitch softball game on Tuesday night.......Just an incredible job by Rea. He was a good interview afterwards too, talking about being cognizant of the bottom of the zone but other than that not really trying to change anything or let Coors get into his head. Too bad they didn't add on, but actually Lambert threw well & was a big part of the reason. It sucks when a team is basically down to one guy out there that can give you any kind of length, and he comes in & does so. The other part of the reason was, of course, our boy Willy. And then, the ejection. Imagine if we were down a run late,or tied. We have Monasterio & Capra in the lineup with no ability to hit for either unless you want to go total beer league with your defense. Mr Adames, if you're a leader you can't let that happen. Gave up a couple hard-hit balls, but I liked how the moment wasn't too big for Junis. Sweeper & changeup both on point.

Since we're on the eve of the day when we defied the British, I'll be just a little defiant. Yes, Yelich 3-1, with two outs, look to drive something. But Monasterio pissed me off. After the Bauers RBI single w/2 out, he got to 3-1. Take the dang pitch. If it's ball four, two on for Turang. If it's a strike, then it's 3-2 & Bauers can run on the next offering. And THAT one might be ball four, or you might hit one kinda in the gap, or a bloop down the line, that could score him. Plus, Hudson has walked a ton this year. It really depends.

The IGT is on its' second page & the game hasn't started yet. I figured either Chourio isn't starting, Frelick IS (at 3B), or we STILL haven't recalled Keston Huira.