MLB playoff thoughts.

[swoopem]

Don Kelly could be the X-factor in the Detroit series now. Also Avilla has to start hitting at some point so if he can find his bat then the tigers are in good shape.

[wadesworld]

Don Kelly could be the X-factor in the Detroit series now. Also Avilla has to start hitting at some point so if he can find his bat then the tigers are in good shape.

I don't know if I'd say "good" shape. When Verlander's on the mound, you pretty much count on it being a Tigers win. 1 game in and Verlander was already on the mound but lost. This is a pretty even series that could go either way, but the Rangers taking game 1 with Verlander pitching for the Tigers definitely tips it in the Rangers' favor I would say. Home field (obviously) gives the Rangers an advantage too. They KILL the ball at home. Not so much on the road.

[MUMac]

No, he wins. Easy to hate, but cannot argue with results. Brewers fans would be lucky to have him.

I am happy with Roenicke and actually prefer him, by a significant margin, over the old LaRussa.

[wadesworld]

I am happy with Roenicke and actually prefer him, by a significant margin, over the old LaRussa.

+1. I think the Brewers players would feel the same way. You can tell they love playing for Ron.

By the way, Braun goes yard, puts his head down and rounds the bases so they have to plunk Prince? In the 1st inning of game 1? What a bunch of pr!cks.

[jmayer1]

+1. I think the Brewers players would feel the same way. You can tell they love playing for Ron.

By the way, Braun goes yard, puts his head down and rounds the bases so they have to plunk Prince? In the 1st inning of game 1? What a bunch of pr!cks.

If you thought that plunk was on purpose, I really don't know what to say, other than to ask how many you've had. If that was sarcasm, it wasn't delivered very well.

[Hards Alumni]

If you thought that plunk was on purpose, I really don't know what to say, other than to ask how many you've had. If that was sarcasm, it wasn't delivered very well.

Sure are a lot of coincidences when the Cards are playing the Brewers.

[wadesworld]

If you thought that plunk was on purpose, I really don't know what to say, other than to ask how many you've had. If that was sarcasm, it wasn't delivered very well.

You're kidding right?  Braun hits a ball 463 feet and the very next pitch, with the Brewers all-star first baseman up, you hit him up and in?  I know Garcia didn't have "it" yesterday, but to miss THAT bad with a fastball?  Wow.  Ok, I guess.  Everyone in their right mind knows that was intentional, including the umpire.  Why else would you warn both benches and both starting pitchers in the 1st inning?

[LON]

No, he wins. Easy to hate, but cannot argue with results. Brewers fans would be lucky to have him.

I completely disagree with this.  As will 80% of Brewers fans.

I'd rather have Ken Macha back.  Or possibly Ned Yost.  Ok, Yost is a bit of hyperbole.

[jmayer1]

You're kidding right?  Braun hits a ball 463 feet and the very next pitch, with the Brewers all-star first baseman up, you hit him up and in?  I know Garcia didn't have "it" yesterday, but to miss THAT bad with a fastball?  Wow.  Ok, I guess.  Everyone in their right mind knows that was intentional, including the umpire.  Why else would you warn both benches and both starting pitchers in the 1st inning?

You think the Cardinals would hit a guy on purpose with with 1 out in the 1st inning of a playoff game when they are down 1 run? That's just nonsense and even LaRussa isn't stupid enough to do something like that. Also, when is getting hit on the bottom of the arm considered up and in or a terrible miss? As for everybody thinking that was intentional, I haven't seen a player (Fielder and all of the Brewers included), former player, commentator, or journalist suggest that it was on purpose. I guess you have a different definition of everyone than most other people. I think the only reason there was a warning issued was due to the past history and the umpire wanting to keep things in check (although I don't think he needed to do that).

[GGGG]

You're kidding right?  Braun hits a ball 463 feet and the very next pitch, with the Brewers all-star first baseman up, you hit him up and in?  I know Garcia didn't have "it" yesterday, but to miss THAT bad with a fastball?  Wow.  Ok, I guess.  Everyone in their right mind knows that was intentional, including the umpire.  Why else would you warn both benches and both starting pitchers in the 1st inning?

It wasn't a fastball.  Weeks was walked on four pitches right afterwards.  Garcia was clearly rattled and had control issues.  Fielder even said it was obviously not intentional.

And jmayer is right...why would they plunk Fielder there?  LaRussa may be an a-hole, but he's not stupid.  There is no reason to hit him there.  For what?  For Nyjer Morgan running at the mouth?  For Braun hitting a home run?  Why would you "retaliate" for that?  If the Cardinals are going to do that, and I don't think they will, it will be when they are up 8-2 late in the game in St. Louis.  Not in the first inning of Game 1.

[NavinRJohnson]

And jmayer is right...why would they plunk Fielder For Braun hitting a home run? 

Yes. You say that like its something that has never been done. Happens all the time.

As someone pointed out, TLR is involved in way more than his fair share of these coincidences. He knows damn well when the benches will be warned, and it is well known that he is a guy that will get his shot in to draw the warning. This is not something new, there has been a clear pattern of this throughout his career.

[Hards Alumni]

Yes. You say that like its something that has never been done. Happens all the time.

As someone pointed out, TLR is involved in way more than his fair share of these coincidences. He knows damn well when the benches will be warned, and it is well known that he is a guy that will get his shot in to draw the warning. This is not something new, there has been a clear pattern of this throughout his career.

Exactly.  And you plunk Fielder because he was probably going to walk anyway.  The last thing the Cards needed there was back to back HRs.  No one is going to say that he was hit intentionally... especially Prince.

[shiloh26]

It wasn't a fastball.  Weeks was walked on four pitches right afterwards.  Garcia was clearly rattled and had control issues.  Fielder even said it was obviously not intentional.

And jmayer is right...why would they plunk Fielder there?  LaRussa may be an a-hole, but he's not stupid.  There is no reason to hit him there.  For what?  For Nyjer Morgan running at the mouth?  For Braun hitting a home run?  Why would you "retaliate" for that?  If the Cardinals are going to do that, and I don't think they will, it will be when they are up 8-2 late in the game in St. Louis.  Not in the first inning of Game 1.

What other pitch does Garcia throw at 90 MPH?  It certainly was a fastball.  I'm not sure if it was or was not intentional, but I find it surprising that so many think it clearly was not.  

[wadesworld]

Exactly.  And you plunk Fielder because he was probably going to walk anyway.  The last thing the Cards needed there was back to back HRs.  No one is going to say that he was hit intentionally... especially Prince.

Agreed with this.  Why hit Prince with 1 out in the bottom of the 1st of a 1 run game?  Well, because after Braun in the Brewers lineup as it is, Fielder's the only one who's going to do any damage.  Rickie was hitting under .100 for the post season, and then you have Yuni Betancourt, Carlos Gomez, Johnathon Lucroy, and the pitcher (in this case, Greinke).  Obviously Yuni had a great game, but I would much rather take my chances putting Prince on 1st base (not like he's going to steal second and score on a single) and letting those guys try to knock him in.  Don't let Prince hit one out and you get out of the inning unharmed.  Which is what happened.

As far as up and in, yes, it was up and in.  He got hit in the shoulder AS he stood up to back away from the pitch.  That means the pitch was above the letters and far enough in that even with attempting to avoid it he couldn't.  Not sure how you'd define "up and in" if that wasn't up and in.  Does it have the be eye level or higher to be up?  Behind him to be in?  Interesting.  I'd say above the letters is up, and far enough in that he couldn't even avoid it when backing away is in.  Maybe that's just me.

If it wasn't a fastball, I guess that's why he got shelled.  Absolutely no break to it.  So his off speed pitches have no movement to it and go 90 mph.

[jmayer1]

Agreed with this.  Why hit Prince with 1 out in the bottom of the 1st of a 1 run game?  Well, because after Braun in the Brewers lineup as it is, Fielder's the only one who's going to do any damage.  Rickie was hitting under .100 for the post season, and then you have Yuni Betancourt, Carlos Gomez, Johnathon Lucroy, and the pitcher (in this case, Greinke).  Obviously Yuni had a great game, but I would much rather take my chances putting Prince on 1st base (not like he's going to steal second and score on a single) and letting those guys try to knock him in.  Don't let Prince hit one out and you get out of the inning unharmed.  Which is what happened.

As far as up and in, yes, it was up and in.  He got hit in the shoulder AS he stood up to back away from the pitch.  That means the pitch was above the letters and far enough in that even with attempting to avoid it he couldn't.  Not sure how you'd define "up and in" if that wasn't up and in.  Does it have the be eye level or higher to be up?  Behind him to be in?  Interesting.  I'd say above the letters is up, and far enough in that he couldn't even avoid it when backing away is in.  Maybe that's just me.

If it wasn't a fastball, I guess that's why he got shelled.  Absolutely no break to it.  So his off speed pitches have no movement to it and go 90 mph.

This is geting into semantics but I would consider up to be shoulders or higher and in would be middle of the back or further. Getting hit just above the elbow is not up and is not very far in in my opinion.

Maybe Fielder would have walked (certainly a possibility with the control problems Garcia was having) but there's no reason to give him a free pass at that juncture of the game, it's simple baseball logic. They still have 2 outs to try and knock him in from 1st and these are still major league players batting behind him facing a guy that doesn't seem to have his best stuff, it makes no sense to put a free baserunner on at that early stage of the game.

Why can't anyone say that he was hit intentionally (besides the Cards for fear of fine/suspension)? If Prince feels he was hit intentionally, why can't he just say, "Yeah, I thought maybe that one was inside to send a messaage" or something like that. Some of fhe Brewers haven't exactly been careful choosing their words coming into the series. Certainly, journalists and commentators can comment on that, they have no horse in the race and love to drum up stories. Yet, I haven't seen any stories along that line, unless I missed some.

It certainly was a fastball. I'm not sure why Sultan thought it wasn't.

[GGGG]

OK, OK...I thought it was a breaking ball...obviously not.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Good lord, Braun was one row from hitting it all the way out of MP with the back windows open.  Yes, LaRussa ordered a close shave...in fact, they threw it inside on Prince again (knees) the next at bat after his HR. Why pluck him in the 1st inning of the first series game after Braun just drove one into Racine County?  Baseball 101. Prince was going to be jumping on the first pitch (see 5th inning HR) and LaRussa wanted to send a series long message.

Risk? A slow running Fielder with a sinker ball pitcher on the mound against a struggling and impatient Weeks.  Playing the DP odds as the kid has a history in the minors and majors with being able to have right handed batters ground out.

And no, Prince is not going to admit in the press that they threw at him intentionally as that is an admission that LaRussa is getting in his head with the mind games.

The most notable skill Garcia possesses in the ability to get groundballs. In nearly 400 cumulative innings in the minor leagues, Garcia's ground ball rate was a fantastic 58.7%. In fact, 60% of the balls hit by right-hander hitters off Garcia in the minors stayed on the ground.

http://bloombergsports.mlblogs.com/2010/04/21/is-jaime-garcia-the-cardinals-new-underground-pitcher/

[MUMac]

It wasn't a fastball.  Weeks was walked on four pitches right afterwards.  Garcia was clearly rattled and had control issues.  Fielder even said it was obviously not intentional.

And jmayer is right...why would they plunk Fielder there?  LaRussa may be an a-hole, but he's not stupid.  There is no reason to hit him there.  For what?  For Nyjer Morgan running at the mouth?  For Braun hitting a home run?  Why would you "retaliate" for that?  If the Cardinals are going to do that, and I don't think they will, it will be when they are up 8-2 late in the game in St. Louis.  Not in the first inning of Game 1.

I agree.  No way would they hit Prince intentionally in that situation.  Garcia was struggling at that point.  The only thing I did not understand is why Bettancourt was not taking until a strike was thrown?

[tower912]

If the Tigers don't hit, eventually the Rangers will.   Texas deserves to be up 2-0

[MUfan12]

Having to either beat Carpenter, or rely on Wolf/Greinke on the road is not a place I want to be.

Marcum effing blows.

[shiloh26]

Having to either beat Carpenter, or rely on Wolf/Greinke on the road is not a place I want to be.

Marcum effing blows.

Totally agree.  At the same time, Gallardo/Carpenter is a fairly close matchup, as is Lohse/Wolf.  We absolutely need to take one of those games. 

[LON]

Having to either beat Carpenter, or rely on Wolf/Greinke on the road is not a place I want to be.

Marcum effing blows.

If he gets another start in this series it will be Jeff Suppan-esque.  He's cooked.

[Benny B]

I still like our chances with Gallardo going up against Carpenter tomorrow night.  Even a loss doesn't sink the team, as I'm not selling on Wolf just yet... he's only given up 9H/2ER/2BB/6K in 16.0 IP over his last two outings in St. Louis.  However, it would be a blatant lie if I said I wasn't the least bit worried --- since his seven-inning 2ER no decision against Philly (a team that crushes LHP) on Sept 10, he's given up 20 ER over his last four outings.  But with Greinke on the mound in Game 5, I think the Brewers will at least going to bring this series back to Milwaukee.

Marcum's going to the pen... probably not to return this post-season.  I'll bet a dollar we see Narveson in Game 6.  Narve-dog has had some success against StL this year --- 2ER/3BB/11K in 16.0 IP over 2 starts and one relief outing.  With exception to his one-inning relief outing on Aug 31, the Cards haven't seen him since June 10... that relative unfamiliarity may be just what the Brewers need to slow their bats down.

I don't see the Brewers getting swept in St.L with both Gallardo and Greinke going in two of the three games there.  I would say with 90% confidence they'll take at least one game there, 60-40 they take 2, and a 33% chance they are sitting at home on Sunday waiting to see who they'll meet between the Rangers and Tigers.

[MUBurrow]

I'm pretty concerned right now. A five game series where you spend the first three on the road seems like such a quick series. Mentally feels much faster than a 2-2-1. I have this overhanging dread that at the end of this week, I will feel like I blinked and then all of a sudden the whole season was over.

[MUBurrow]

top of the first and i have to write it somewhere. Randy Wolf had better get this wide zone.