I’m going to the game tomorrow and I have to be honest. At present, it feels like I am going to attend a funeral, the immediate future feels very bleak.
That said, once I get near the stadium and experience the playoff atmosphere, it could end up being fun if the Brewers put up a better fight than they did today.
I do find it a bit ironic that Counsell and Burnes - two guys that will probably not be here next season - picked a really bad time to show up with horrible performances.
Certainly not the way to start a short series.
Get after it in game 2.
@fightphoe93 posted:I’m going to the game tomorrow and I have to be honest. At present, it feels like I am going to attend a funeral, the immediate future feels very bleak.
That said, once I get near the stadium and experience the playoff atmosphere, it could end up being fun if the Brewers put up a better fight than they did today.
I can remember listening or watching for close to 50 years. I'm less worried about whether Counsell, Burnes, Woodruff, or Adames will be back next year than I am about the most important part of the Brewers franchise.
The big question for me is whether Bob Uecker will be back. And, no I'm not joking at all. He's what has made Brewers games fun for my entire life.
The future does look pretty bleak right now. Burnes and Adames will probably get moved for some prospects and we'll do a reset to try to be a wild card contender in 2-3 years. Woodruff will probably go to arbitration to prove he's healthy before moving on. The Yelich contract is going to hamper them for the rest of the decade.
Maybe Jackson Chourio turns out to be the star people are projecting. They need someone like that to make their offense exciting and worth watching.
I’m more optimistic than you.
@MichiganPacker posted:I can remember listening or watching for close to 50 years. I'm less worried about whether Counsell, Burnes, Woodruff, or Adames will be back next year than I am about the most important part of the Brewers franchise.
It sounds like quite a few on this board go back to the beginning with this franchise.
As far as replacing the above mentioned, it can be done. As good as Burnes is the Brewers went 18-15 in games he started and he's ARod in the playoffs. The Brewers have little choice and have to trade him in the offseason.
Adames is the heart of the team but the last two season he was not good offensively, even though he hit with power. He could be lot better if he ever gets out of the "pull" mode. The price of SS went way up last offseason so Adames is a trade candidate, maybe at the end of the 2024 season.
Woodruff was the guy the Brewers should keep but the injuries raise the red flag. Long term contracts are such a risk with pitchers anyway. The injury really hurt the Brewers and their options. All they can do is hope Woodie pitches well enough in the first half to have the value of a short term rental. They'll never get what he's worth.
I just think it's time to move on and restock the system with prospects. But they must do better than they did with the Hader trade. Gasser was the only one that had a future with the Brewers and he's probably a back of the rotation starter. Ruiz never fit in with Mitchell, Churio, Weimer, and Frelick already in the organization. We would be hearing a lot of complaining about that trade if the Brewers hadn't been gifted a franchise catcher.
BTW, the only reason Contreras is a Brewer instead of an Athletic is because the As thought they were stacked at the position. They drafted a C in the 4th round in 2019, in the 1st round in 2020, and got a C the Braves drafted in the 1st round in 2019 in the Olson trade. The stars were really aligned for the Brewers to land Contreras.
Any update as to Winker's status? Did he really hurt his back last night or was it more that he knew he had absolutely no chance in that at bat after the first two pitches and pulled the old "my back hurts" card out before the inevitable third pitch of his strikeout appearance at the plate?
I think the D-Backs could have told him that they were going to throw 3 fastballs at the top of the strike zone before the at-bat and he still would have had no chance.
It will be interesting to see if there any lineup changes tonight. I'd prefer to start Monasterio at third and have Donaldson available as a pinch hitter for late innings. Donaldson is one of the few guys they have that you can pinch hit in late innings and have some chance of hitting a long ball. He's been terrible for a few years now in terms of hitting for average, but if you hang a breaking ball against him he's as big threat to hit it out as anyone.
Their other bench options (Winker, Weimer, Perkins, Miller, and Monasterio) are more likely to hit a sharp single to center on a mistake.
I guess having Donaldson get 4 cracks at hitting a home run are the consideration. But it leaves them with no one off the bench that gives you a realistic chance of pinch hitting with runners on when you really need a long ball.
@PackerRick posted:BTW, the only reason Contreras is a Brewer instead of an Athletic is because the As thought they were stacked at the position. They drafted a C in the 4th round in 2019, in the 1st round in 2020, and got a C the Braves drafted in the 1st round in 2019 in the Olson trade. The stars were really aligned for the Brewers to land Contreras.
I think the A's really overvalued Ruiz with the new base running rules in place. He stole a base almost 50% of the time he got on (67 SBs in 147 hits/walks/HBPs).
Ruiz would have fit right in with Turang/Miller/Frelick/Monasterio in terms of playing good defense, being good baserunners, and hitting like a AAA player. Ruiz's OPS was 654.
Without Contreras in the lineup this year, I'm not sure how the Brewers score any runs (especially before adding Canha and Santana at the trade deadline).
I think Ruiz is also regarded as a poor defensive player. Speed is all he really brings to the table.
Contreras just got better and better as the season progressed. He's the player the Brewers need to build around and portray as the face of the franchise.
Unfortunately, Canha and Santana will be elsewhere next season because of age and money. They both had major impacts. The Brewers need to get an up and coming first baseman. I doubt Tellez is back in 2024. I think Black plays 3B and 1B.
@PackerRick posted:I think Ruiz is also regarded as a poor defensive player. Speed is all he really brings to the table.
Contreras just got better and better as the season progressed. He's the player the Brewers need to build around and portray as the face of the franchise.
Unfortunately, Canha and Santana will be elsewhere next season because of age and money. They both had major impacts. The Brewers need to get an up and coming first baseman. I doubt Tellez is back in 2024. I think Black plays 3B and 1B.
Didn't know about Ruiz's defensive issues.
If you bring up Chourio to start in 2024, I think you have to figure out what to do with Yelich. Chourio has played CF or 2B in the minors. Maybe you go with Mitchell, Frelick, and Chourio (and Taylor) in the outfield and move Yelich to 1B? Playing first would be easier on Yelich's back and he has a terrible arm.
Unless Adames is really that important in the clubhouse, you have to trade him for something this offseason. Your infield would be Monasterio, Turang, Yelich, and someone you get from a Burnes or Adames trade to play shortstop? Then you go out and get some type of power hitter to DH.
Next year is next year…..Win today!
The Brewers really need to field a team with power hitting corner infielders. That is the real upgrade this offense needs. If Adames is moved, Monosterio looks like a guy that could be part of a rotation in the middle of the infield. Turang need to be a platoon player at this point in his career anyway. Momosterio would be a nice compliment for that.
I've floated the idea of Yelich at 1B before so I agree with that move. I just wonder how receptive to a position change that drastic he would be. Wiemer also fits into that OF equation if he retools his hitting approach, making the move of Yelich even more sensical.
I threw up a little in my mouth last night when I saw Winker pinch hitting. 
Saw him vs the CR Kernels earlier this year when he was on rehab with the Rattlers. Normally it would be cool to see a Brewer playing in CR. This time... not so much...
Burnes is probably the best starter this team has had since Ben Sheets. If you don’t think he makes an impact or won’t be missed next year I think you or we will be sadly mistaken.
The good news is they still have solid enough pitching (for next year anyway) to be competitive, but other than Contreras their hitters are garbage. I’m not totally enamored with some of their younger guys like Mitchell or Turang either. Taylor? Not exactly sure. Frelick and Chaurio could be really good but we don’t know yet.
And Adames and Yelich? Nobody knows from those two. Tellez? Probably not.
Building a good chunk of your roster using the what if or don’t know model gets you some of what we saw last night.
The Brewers have won two games in a row before, it's not over,
Craig Counsell presser, Don't worry about tomorrow, just win tonight.
No roster changes.
@PackerRick posted:I think Ruiz is also regarded as a poor defensive player. Speed is all he really brings to the table.
Contreras just got better and better as the season progressed. He's the player the Brewers need to build around and portray as the face of the franchise.
Unfortunately, Canha and Santana will be elsewhere next season because of age and money. They both had major impacts. The Brewers need to get an up and coming first baseman. I doubt Tellez is back in 2024. I think Black plays 3B and 1B.
Contreras is a straight out bad mother fucker. If the Brewers had a team full of Contreras's they'd be champs. He plays with more heart and passion that I've seen in a long time...and he backs it up.
These guys pounded out 12 hits, 4 walks and HBP. They can do it again, I don't care how good Gallen is.
Counsell has really committed to Donaldson. Monosterio is the forgotten man.
When you have trouble scoring runs, the long ball is needed. I love what Monasterio does and I think he will be a long time Brewer. He is a Jim gantner type of guy, will play anywhere on the infield, get on base and pop one once in a while.
Winker not batting cleanup?? Questionable move by CC
They pounded out hits until it was bases loaded no outs in high pressure situation and shit the bed.
Cheers
@Tschmack posted:They pounded out hits until it was bases loaded no outs in high pressure situation and shit the bed.
Cheers
That's what having guys in your lineup that are almost sure outs (Turang) will do.
Freddie painting the corners so far.
20 pitch innings are not good.
Great at-bat by Santana. Maybe Adames can learn something?
Gallen a little bit wild early
What’s tighter…Amy’s sweater…or her face?
bases loaded with Brewers
Every Brewer run seems to require at least 3 things to happen.
Gallen clearly didn't listen to the scouting report to not throw a first-pitch strike to Adames.
3 Stooges
I love crooked number innings!
Brewers are doing exactly what arz did to Corbin Burnes last night. Just running up the pitch count to get the ace out of the game early.
2-0 Crew 1st inning
32 pitch innings are not good innings.
That's why I think Monosterio should get a start sometime. Donaldson really is running on empty.
@Blair Kiel posted:3 Stooges
The twins are in the house
8 pitch innings are good.
@Blair Kiel posted:20 pitch innings are not good.
How do you like 8 pitch innings?
Every extra pitch Turang makes Gallen throw is a bonus.
