Sugarrayray

Every time you get excited about the team you see two at bats like that and just realize….

Such an UNSCIENTIFIC at bay by Willy. It’s like he’s just guessing out there.

What a great scientific approach this at bay by William

I keep thinking I see Counsell with a big ass dip in his mouth during the games lately, even seeing him spit brown stuff once or twice. I never noticed it before this past couple weeks? Does anybody know or care?? Am I crazy?

Chafin is Matt Bush 2.0

From what I’ve seen and read about Avina, I’m a big fan of his as a player and a person.

Couldn’t have said it better.

Such a timely, accurate, unbiased post. Refreshing to read :)

tmweise55 I haven’t watched ESPN since I was a kid. Specifically because of those stupid hot takes. That’s not what these are. There are very few constantly good baseball managers in my opinion. I think Craigary tends to be in the top 5 or so most years. I’m very happy to have him. I’m not backtracking. I suppose I should have explained better. It appears to me lately that Counsell seems less sharp, focused, creative, and energized to be the manager of this team as he has in the past. I think he made several loud mistakes yesterday, and recently, that are indicative of him not being at the top of his game, and seeming to be losing the fire that one needs to be consistently focused over such and extremely long and grueling season. I said that encourages me towards the thinking that he’s inclined to not sign an extension with the Brewers after the season. Could be wrong of course :) I also think that if someone can’t see the lack of his making any changes or adjustments to his way of managing (which is generally good) over some recent seasons, they must have a blind spot. He manages in a way that allows very few of his players to get in a rhythm offensively. He has his “guys” in a way that has become outrageous at times. I still think he’s better than so many managers. Alas, I wish he could adapt more instead of stubbornly pitch Elvis Peguero, and then end up using Hoby Milner anyways when he would be so much safer a choice in the seventh inning. I wistfully long for the days that when an ump (I rarely complain about umps because I know it’s so much harder than most people seem to think it is from personal experience at much lower levels) seems to be actively trying to make your team lose a game, a day when the ump calls a strike three that will probably one of the top worst calls to end a game this season, I long for the day that a Counsell would get of his ass and show a little emotion and fire in front of his guys when they seem to be a bit listless. That is all. You are free to disagree and point out his other many and varied great qualities. Taking a shot at someone for being like Stephen Smith after they have actually watched every game this season and forgot more about sports than that attention seeking charlatan will ever know, is a fragile and low brow way to show disagreement.

Like I said earlier, pointing out negative things during a win is excessively negative. During a loss in which the manager is largely a culprit is more appropriate. I know the easy consensus is to say the Brewers are outperforming their talent, probably because they don’t spend much money. But the reality is, for years almost every single position player has performed to almost the least of their ability offensively. Multiple GMs and hitting coaches have been here during that time. I think the Brewers are a very talented team. If Adames, Yelich, Tellez, even Taylor and several more actually played somewhere close to their talent level, the Brewers would be a downright fantastic team. It’s the coaches job to squeeze every bit of excellence out of his players. Lastly, as I said earlier, the “coasting” references I made were mostly due to the fact that in a game where the home plate ump actually seems like he’s enjoying screwing your team, crickets from Craig. He’s never been a huge, gesticulating argue with the ump kind of guy, and that’s fine. But in times past he would definitely give the ump a piece of his mind, especially on that laughable final call. Coupling that with the fact that he hasn’t re-upped his contract makes me think his mind is elsewhere compared to former years. I hope he’s back next year. Sincerely. But I just don’t understand why everyone else can be criticized but him.

Ahhh. Now I get it. This is a no criticize Craig zone. Thanks for the heads up.

Let’s put it this way. If many brewers fans knew putting Elvis in today was a terrible idea since he really struggles own no rest, why didn’t Craig? If Rowdy is the slowest guy in the league and the sure thing you can not do in that situation is hit in to a double play, why put him in for a fast guy? If Rowdy was having a solid year, it may be worth the risk. It wasn’t. That’s Craig’s job to know. If Craig can’t see putting rookie in the 4th spot of a slumping lineup isn’t a great play, that’s tough. He’s still on balance a top five manager in the league in my eyes. But these are SIMPLE things.

Seriously? I point out frustration with a manager and I might be a CUBS fan!?! Wow. I pointed out his foibles earlier in the chat. Multiple just today. Not providing significant proofs when one has limited time to type means someone might be a fan of a rival team??? Hmmm maybe this wasn’t the right place to post.

Huh. I said he’s an idiot? Hmm, don’t remember doing that. In fact, I do remember saying I’m pleased with him as a coach more often than not and think his greatness is one reason his follies get overlooked. But as today, several of his decisions led directly to a loss. He was found coasting again on the last game of the Phillies series. Course that’s on the players but it’s on him too. By no means am I saying he’s a poor coach, definitely not an idiot! I am stating that although he has many and unique talents as a coach, there are some basic things he has overlooked for years that could be remedied if he wasn’t so stubborn. Every coach has pluses and weaknesses. He has far more pluses. His weaknesses however are very predictable and not learned from or adjusted. I am wishing that those things could be fixed. Wishes are for fools and children. But it’s still fine to state that a much loved and respected home town coach could improve on things that would help the team. His minuses as a manager we’re on stark display today.

I actually was physically saying it aloud then, but it’s foul to just write a bunch of negative stuff on a site when the team is winning a lot. That’s just being negative for the sake of being negative. But yeah, throughout the game I am constantly miffed. More often I’m pleased by him than not, but frequently he does things terribly that oft get overlooked because of how good a manager he is. Kinda like Big Mike McCarthy the first 5 or so years he coached in Green Bay. Now I’m not comparing the two, I think Craigary is infinitely better, but the point still stands about bad decisions being chronically over looked when the team keeps winning just enough.

That is true 15 games above 500 is still nice. And privately I think the Cubs are reaching their zenith just a bit too soon :)

Yep those were all the major inflection points.

True, but those things are not mutually exclusive.

That is exactly the point I’m making. I’m not saying he has to act like Sweet Lou, but quickly packing it in meakly seems like exactly the type of energy the team doesn’t need right now…

You really don’t think they have anyone looking at the same live pitch tracking we do? Ok…I’ve seen hundred of times managers jump out of the dugout when the game ends….? Dude was bad all game with half his calls too.

Every job I’ve ever worked in my life, when someone plans on not coming back at a certain time in the future, they start to coast and mail in their performance. That has to be what Counsell is doing. You don’t have a heartbeat if you just turn around and walk in the dugout after that call. All his bad managing lately plus todays game really convinces me he’s not gonna sign a new contract.

Craig didn’t even leave the dugout

How does Craig not even go get in Buckners face!?!?!?!?!?

Huh. Hmmm. Now, I wonder if Uribe would have pitched the seventh, on place of a Peguero pitching back to back after hurriedly getting warmed up last night, where this game would be…No matter, Craig had his plan.

I agree. Turang’s bat is pathetic. But at least the chance of double play goes down exponentially. A grounder fielders choice that he beats out ties the game, as weak as it is.