MLB 2018 Season

[MUDPT]

Let the second guessing begin...

[wadesworld]

Only thing to second guess is not bunting Pina to 3rd.

[MUfan12]

Is this what purgatory feels like

Hell, actually.

[buckchuckler]

Only thing to second guess is not bunting Pina to 3rd.

Smoltz was first guessing it.  Great finish, but kind of a brutal game. 

You could also second guess pitching to Bellinger with how brutal Grandal has been.

[CreightonWarrior]

Dodgers top 3 pitchers coming up. Cain and Yelich better wake up otherwise this series is toast. Can only ride the bottom of the line up for so long.

[MUfan12]

Unless the guys remember how to hit in the next 14.5 hours, they're done. Just a killer loss.

[Its DJOver]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.  Before everybody starts freaking out (too late), lets look at the facts.

1.  Brewers have already regained home field advantage.  At least mentally, that's huge.

2. The only relievers that should be out tomorrow are Freddy, Corbin, and Junior.  That means we can still throw Hader, Knebel, Jeffress, Woodruff, and Xavier.  Coming off a 13 inning game, that's not bad.

3. Miley has been STELLAR so far this postseason.  I have more confidence in him than I did in Gio today (now yesterday).

4.  This line-up, that people are now freaking out about, has already given Kershaw the worst start of his postseason career (which wasn't great to begin with).

This does not mean that the series is #donedeal for the Brewers, but we are in a fine position after 4 games.

[GB Warrior]

Let the second guessing begin...

No second guessing. Gut punch and the sickening feeling that they might be heading back to Milwaukee down.

Interesting to think about what might have been if the umps had the courage to make the right call and eject Machado.

[MUfan12]

Interesting to think about what might have been if the umps had the courage to make the right call and eject Machado.

Or if you walk Bellinger with a base open, with Grandal and the pitcher's spot to follow...

[GGGG]

Unless the guys remember how to hit in the next 14.5 hours, they're done. Just a killer loss.

I'm not sure I would classify it as such.  Game 2 was worse.  The Dodgers aren't hitting either because both teams are using their pitching so well.  The Dodgers left more on base than the Brewers did and really could have broken the game open early but didn't manage to do that.

This is what playoff baseball can look like - especially with evenly matched teams.

[Benny B]

I'm not sure I would classify it as such.  Game 2 was worse.  The Dodgers aren't hitting either because both teams are using their pitching so well.  The Dodgers left more on base than the Brewers did and really could have broken the game open early but didn't manage to do that.

This is what playoff baseball can look like - especially with evenly matched teams.

This.

I thought last year's MLB Postseason set the high-water mark for what playoff baseball should look like -- close games, lead changes, plenty of strategy, overall excitement (even for the unaligned fan), etc. -- but 2018 is shaping up to be a pillar in its own right as both CS's are on course for two Game 7's this weekend.

Sure, the Brewers could have (dare I say, should have) closed out the Dodgers by now, but I have to admit, this is fun.  I'm not keen on going back to Milwaukee needing to win back-to-back games, but good lord baby Krishna, I would love to see the Brewers win in 7 games on Saturday.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Gotta try to give Kershaw another one of his patented October meltdowns today. Dodgers had to use every arm in their pen, and while most of them will be available they might not be throwing their best stuff. That last inning was a shame. I really felt like if they got through the middle of the Dodger's lineup it would seal the win for them. Came one out too short.

[jesmu84]

Do the Brewers throw at Machado?

[Chili]

Do the Brewers throw at Machado?

Not until next year.



Other news - Gio out - Davies in. Gio done for year with High Ankle Sprain.

[Its DJOver]

Not until next year.



Other news - Gio out - Davies in. Gio done for year with High Ankle Sprain.

Brewers don't play the Yankee's next year, so it would have to be this series.  That being said, absolutely no, do not throw at him, Dodgers line-up is good enough without giving free bases.  I don't want to essentially reward a player for being dirty.  If you really want to get him back, sit em down.

[MU82]

It's always tough to lose a game that goes so long. The team that wins feels like a "team of destiny" and the one that loses feels like breaks might not be going their way -- or maybe I should say a team's fans might feel that way.

The Brewers aren't hitting much ... but neither are the Dodgers. Welcome to October baseball. I think the Crew is in excellent position. If they beat Kershaw today, they will win the series in 6 IMHO. Even if they lose today, they still are very much in it.

I absolutely hate sacrifice bunts, but even I probably would have bunted over Pina. Having said that, I think CC has done well in his first postseason. He needs to get a bigger cap, though; he has a big red line across his forehead, and he kept trying to solve the problem by moving the cap further back on his head. I know the Brewers have some pricey players, but they can afford a new cap for their skipper!

[Dr. Blackheart]

It's always tough to lose a game that goes so long. The team that wins feels like a "team of destiny" and the one that loses feels like breaks might not be going their way -- or maybe I should say a team's fans might feel that way.

The Brewers aren't hitting much ... but neither are the Dodgers. Welcome to October baseball. I think the Crew is in excellent position. If they beat Kershaw today, they will win the series in 6 IMHO. Even if they lose today, they still are very much in it.

I absolutely hate sacrifice bunts, but even I probably would have bunted over Pina. Having said that, I think CC has done well in his first postseason. He needs to get a bigger cap, though; he has a big red line across his forehead, and he kept trying to solve the problem by moving the cap further back on his head. I know the Brewers have some pricey players, but they can afford a new cap for their skipper!

For a while there, I thought you were referring to salary cap.  He could use a new one of those too.

[buckchuckler]

I'm not sure I would classify it as such.  Game 2 was worse.  The Dodgers aren't hitting either because both teams are using their pitching so well.  The Dodgers left more on base than the Brewers did and really could have broken the game open early but didn't manage to do that.

This is what playoff baseball can look like - especially with evenly matched teams.

Part of it has certainly been good pitching, though I think there were some hitters with really terrible approaches last night that led to some really bad ABs.  Regardless of outcome, the guys that I would say had a good plan they executed in their ABs were Justin Turner and Ryan Braun.  Most of the other guys (especially on the Dodgers) seemed like they were trying to hit a HR every single time. 

[Benny B]

I absolutely hate sacrifice bunts, but even I probably would have bunted over Pina. Having said that, I think CC has done well in his first postseason.

Counsell is already on the record that he despises sac bunting (bunting for a hit or squeeze is ok)... I don't know how much of that has to do with the fact that the Brewers seem to struggle in the bunting opportunities they've had this year (in over 300 games, Arcia only has 3 sac bunts), but with the way Arcia had been hitting in the Postseason, and given LA's late-inning prowess in the first three games, I think Counsell going for a crooked number in the 7th was the right move.

[MUBurrow]

Counsell is already on the record that he despises sac bunting (bunting for a hit or squeeze is ok)... I don't know how much of that has to do with the fact that the Brewers seem to struggle in the bunting opportunities they've had this year (in over 300 games, Arcia only has 3 sac bunts), but with the way Arcia had been hitting in the Postseason, and given LA's late-inning prowess in the first three games, I think Counsell going for a crooked number in the 7th was the right move.

And even the math is more complicated than Smoltz and A-Rod made it out to be on FS1 last night.  Sure, a man on third with one out has a higher % chance to score than a man on second with no outs. But the calculation doesn't stop there. You still need to consider that the runner is your catcher, so there's probably a narrower universe of balls in play that score him from third. Then once you calculate the 3rd/1 out - 2nd/0 outs spread, you need to determine its big enough to cover the risk that something goes wrong. And when the runner on 2nd is your catcher and the batter is a guy you've sent up and down from the minors, has 3 sac bunts in his MLB career, and isn't the picture of discipline behind the plate, there's still a lot that can go wrong.

[CTWarrior]

Part of it has certainly been good pitching, though I think there were some hitters with really terrible approaches last night that led to some really bad ABs.  Regardless of outcome, the guys that I would say had a good plan they executed in their ABs were Justin Turner and Ryan Braun.  Most of the other guys (especially on the Dodgers) seemed like they were trying to hit a HR every single time.

That is noticeable in MLB. 

In the AL the difference between the Yankees approach and the Astros approach is very noticeable when you watch them back to back for several days.  The Yankees are still swinging from the heels on 0-2 pitches while the Astros hitters are just getting warmed up.  They shorten the swing, foul pitches off, work the count, don't chase outside the zone (with a few exceptions) and take the ball the other way.  Much tougher to face a lineup like that. 

[Jockey]

Brewers don't play the Yankee's next year, so it would have to be this series.  That being said, absolutely no, do not throw at him, Dodgers line-up is good enough without giving free bases.  I don't want to essentially reward a player for being dirty.  If you really want to get him back, sit em down.

I'll be shocked if Manny goes to the Yankees.

I think Philly is the big fave with LA next.

[MU82]

Counsell is already on the record that he despises sac bunting (bunting for a hit or squeeze is ok)... I don't know how much of that has to do with the fact that the Brewers seem to struggle in the bunting opportunities they've had this year (in over 300 games, Arcia only has 3 sac bunts), but with the way Arcia had been hitting in the Postseason, and given LA's late-inning prowess in the first three games, I think Counsell going for a crooked number in the 7th was the right move.

I simply hate giving up the out, just about always. And that's doubly so with a guy who had been hitting well. But I'd have been at least tempted to bunt there.

See ... I'm already softening my stance on this. I guess I don't really blame CC for letting Arcia hit. Would have been nice if Arcia had taken the ball the other way.

Go Brewers!

[Its DJOver]

I'll be shocked if Manny goes to the Yankees.

I think Philly is the big fave with LA next.

I could see Philly, but I'm not sure where he would fit in LA with Seager coming back.  Manny has said that wherever he goes he wants to play SS, not 3rd.  I just think that NY will pull a 2008 CC and just outbid and overpay for him.

[Jockey]

Great move by Counsell to start Miley for one batter. That means the Dodgers used their right-handed hitting lineup only to have to face a right-handed pitcher after one batter.

We'll see how it works out.