Daily Archives: September 19, 2007

Just fire him already. I’m exhausted.

Posted on September 19, 2007 by | 1 Comment

Posted by Steve

When everyone on a message board knows you are making the wrong move, you probably don’t deserve to keep your job as a major league manager. You can check out the brewerfan.net in-game thread if you want proof that everyone knew it was completely the wrong move to bring in Derrick Turnbow in the middle of the eighth inning.

Turnbow pitched yesterday. He’s terrible when he doesn’t start an inning. He’s terrible when pitching on consecutive days. You have FRANCISCO CORDERO available. Why is this so difficult?

It’s just the same story. I know you aren’t going to fire him this season. Just please do it afterwards.

Edit:

Okay, plenty more to add since I originally made this post. Let’s run down all dumbfounding moves by Ned.

  • Taking Braun out of the game for defense with a one-run lead.
  • Walking Berkman with Shouse rather than making Berkman face Shouse right handed (Berkman is better as a lefty hitter).
  • Sending out Derrick Turnbow in the middle of the eight to face Carlos Lee instead of using Francisco Cordero.
  • Sending out Chris Spurling in the ninth instead of using Francisco Cordero.
  • Using Mitch Stetter at any point in that game.  Especially ahead of Francisco Cordero.
  • Sending out Matt Wise in the tenth instead of using Francisco Cordero.
  • Not intentionally walking Hunter Pence with first and third and one out in the bottom of the tenth.
  • Losing a ten-inning game against the horrible Houston Astros without using your ace relief pitcher, Francisco Cordero.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Ned Yost... Sha-wuuhhh??

It’s a good thing I’m not older…

Posted on September 19, 2007 by | Leave a comment

Posted by Steve

…Because if I was I would have serious concerns about my health. The past few years I always figured the Brewers would be getting good around this time, but I never really considered how I would feel during a pennant race. Monday night after David Weathers blew the save and allowed three runs without recording an out, I was in a terrible mood for the rest of the night. At the time, the Brewers’ playoff odds went from a coin flip to about 30% because of that loss, and I was pretty bummed.

Then came last night’s games, and I’ve been bouncing around ever since. We’re back to even with 12 games to go. Of course, that does mean I’m probably in for another 12 days of agony.

On to the cornucopia…

  • Pitching a starter on three days’ rest just isn’t a very good idea. Zambrano was well off his game tonight pitching on three days’ rest. The Cubs are doing it again today with Ted Lilly, so let’s hope it has the same negative impact. Sheets also pitched on three days’ rest as well; I was okay with that one though because Ben only threw about 50 pitches in his last start.
  • I almost think I would be less frustrated if Ben Sheets ever had one recurring injury. Herniated disc, torn lat, pulled groin, blister, torn finger tissue, strained hamstring… He’s running out of body parts to injure. The only thing that’s ever repeated is the vestibular neuritis (I’m pretty sure I just put the wheels in motion for Ben’s third bout of v.b. to strike any day now). It sounds like last night’s hamstring issue was just a cramp and he’ll be able to make his next start, so obviously that’s a good thing. Like I said though, it just gets frustrating.
  • I’m not sure if I’m annoyed or humored that some Cubs players and fans are complaining about the Astros not “trying.” They are referring to scheduled starts by Roy Oswalt and Woody Williams being made instead by two rookie pitchers. Of course Oswalt’s wife is having a child, so there’s nothing the Cubs could even say. But Woody Williams? Woody Williams has been rocked this season. I actually remember being disappointed when I heard he wouldn’t be starting. Furthermore, any team out of the race should be giving starts to young players to see what they have. There is no reason the Astros should be giving starts to 63-year-old Woody Williams over a top-ten organizational prospect on September 18th.
  • I’m not usually a huge Michael Hunt fan, but I really did enjoy his last column on how the Cubs somehow managed to become the nation’s darling underdogs.
  • Prince Fielder. He is really, really good. And over the last month he has been even better. His September line: .396/.475/.811/1.287. Yes, that’s an eight-eleven slugging percentage. He’s 23 years old, he’s set the franchise record for home runs and he’s going to be the MVP. Amazing.
  • We’re now in season 3 in our League of Dorks. My rebuilding of the Royals is getting close to paying off at the major league level. Because I’m close, I got a little carried away in free agency. I have a sweet starting rotation, though, featuring Cole Hamels, Felix Hernandez, Joba Chamberlain and Jonathan Sanchez with Rick Porcello waiting in the wings (this is the 2009 version of these players, remember).
  • I can’t imagine one person who cared to read that last bullet point. But that’s too bad. This is my post, so I’m allowed to have you make the effort to skip over the last two sentences after realizing what it was about.
  • I’m still very ticked about that lucky Cubs win last night. The Brewers have been playing extremely well and it seems like they should have a better fate than a percentage-points lead.
  • The Crew is right on schedule with my irrational-game-choosing post. They can jump ahead of schedule with a sweep tomorrow. This sure would be a great time for the team’s first road sweep since July of 2004, especially going into that scary four-gamer in Atlanta.
  • I’m very interested to watch Dave Bush tonight. After two awful starts he could reeeaally use a bounce-back start.
  • B!B!KTUTH!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Cornucopia of thoughts, Milwaukee Brewers 2007