Flub-tastic!
By: Big Rygg
I was at this afternoon's nationally-televised game, and I cannot tell you how disappointed I felt upon leaving the stadium.
Let me set this up for you a bit first...
I can handle losing. As a life-long fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, I've gotten very good at being able to handle losing. What really gets my goat, sometimes, is how we go about losing.
Tonight, we were down 0-3 through 6 and 1/2 innings. While the bats didn't exactly come alive in the bottom of the 6th, we did lay off enough pitches to walk two runs in. It was a great display of plate discipline by the men involved. Then, in the bottom of the 8th, Prince Fielder showed one more time why he's our MVP. His game-tying solo home run was the type of thing that leads us to victory!
Then, with the bases-loaded and only one out (Corey Hart was retired by Russ Springer on a fly ball), Jason Kendall was at the dish and Ned Yost called for a squeeze play on the first pitch. Bill Hall broke from third but Jason Kendall didn't get the bunt down. In fact, Jason Kendall didn't even square to bunt and simply took a called strike one.
He missed the sign and Bill Hall was very out.
Possibly liberating was the fact that Kendall grounded out to short to end the inning, and play that may have gone for a double play anyway, but then again as any official scorer will tell you, you can't assume a double play.
And that, my friends and loyal readers, it what made this afternoon's game so frustrating. Yes, Gagné could have shut them down in the 9th to give us a real chance to win it in the bottom half or even in extra innings, but the bottom line is that we should have been going into the 9th inning with a lead in the first place. If we take only a one-run lead into the inning, do we possibly lose anyway if Gagné gives up two? Maybe, but had we gotten the squeeze down, who's to say what else could've or would've happened in the rest of the 8th?
A missed sign...the possible difference between back-to-back victories and having gained absolutely no ground in the NL Central.
Kendall was rightfully hard on himself in post-game comments to the media, but he deserves mention here specifically as he completely missed the call.
But, tomorrow is another day, and another chance at victory!
And you can bet your *** that Kendall doesn't miss a sign tomorrow.
One more thing...for all of you fans that love to boo your own players, it doesn't help. Groan, moan, shout, throw your hands up, sigh...there are lots of ways to express frustration without raining down a chorus of boos. Gagné was terrible today, no doubt about it, but other than making yourselves feel better, what's the point of booing a guy that's out there with the intent of helping your team win?
I was at this afternoon's nationally-televised game, and I cannot tell you how disappointed I felt upon leaving the stadium.
Let me set this up for you a bit first...
I can handle losing. As a life-long fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, I've gotten very good at being able to handle losing. What really gets my goat, sometimes, is how we go about losing.
Tonight, we were down 0-3 through 6 and 1/2 innings. While the bats didn't exactly come alive in the bottom of the 6th, we did lay off enough pitches to walk two runs in. It was a great display of plate discipline by the men involved. Then, in the bottom of the 8th, Prince Fielder showed one more time why he's our MVP. His game-tying solo home run was the type of thing that leads us to victory!
Then, with the bases-loaded and only one out (Corey Hart was retired by Russ Springer on a fly ball), Jason Kendall was at the dish and Ned Yost called for a squeeze play on the first pitch. Bill Hall broke from third but Jason Kendall didn't get the bunt down. In fact, Jason Kendall didn't even square to bunt and simply took a called strike one.
He missed the sign and Bill Hall was very out.
Possibly liberating was the fact that Kendall grounded out to short to end the inning, and play that may have gone for a double play anyway, but then again as any official scorer will tell you, you can't assume a double play.
And that, my friends and loyal readers, it what made this afternoon's game so frustrating. Yes, Gagné could have shut them down in the 9th to give us a real chance to win it in the bottom half or even in extra innings, but the bottom line is that we should have been going into the 9th inning with a lead in the first place. If we take only a one-run lead into the inning, do we possibly lose anyway if Gagné gives up two? Maybe, but had we gotten the squeeze down, who's to say what else could've or would've happened in the rest of the 8th?
A missed sign...the possible difference between back-to-back victories and having gained absolutely no ground in the NL Central.
Kendall was rightfully hard on himself in post-game comments to the media, but he deserves mention here specifically as he completely missed the call.
But, tomorrow is another day, and another chance at victory!
And you can bet your *** that Kendall doesn't miss a sign tomorrow.
One more thing...for all of you fans that love to boo your own players, it doesn't help. Groan, moan, shout, throw your hands up, sigh...there are lots of ways to express frustration without raining down a chorus of boos. Gagné was terrible today, no doubt about it, but other than making yourselves feel better, what's the point of booing a guy that's out there with the intent of helping your team win?
Rygg,
Yeah, he missed the sign but I don't agree with the call. Anybody else at the plate and I probably understand but to call a squeeze when the bases are loaded (Which means the force at home is in play) with the one player who probably handles the bat better than anybody and has enough speed to potentially beat out a double-play is wrong.
People squeeze (normally) when the manager doesn't have enough confidence in the player to hit the ball to the right side or to get you at least a sacrifice fly in order to manufacture the run.
Who hits the ball to right better than Kendall on this team? Answer, nobody.
I hated the fact that Yost tried to take the bat out of one of his few productive offensive players thus far this season.
I'm writing this on Tuesday so we all know the Brewers have won 2 in a row since and are back to 500 but I still hate the way this team is playing.
Fact is, moving Braun to left and Hall to 3rd was supposed to be an upgrade. Bringing in Cameron for center and Kendall to catch was also suppose to upgrade both offensively and defensively. All the signings for the bullpen arms was also considered an upgrade. Do you really feel this team is any better than last year's club? I don't. Not yet at least...
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Hello,
I enjoy the setup and content of your blog. It certainly was kind of embarassing to have that game on national TV. Why couldn't they have done one of the 3 games we won that series? :)
Feel free to check out and comment on my blog as well. One of your loyal readers, Todd, has checked it out and commented also. Thanks, I'll continue to stop by and will add your blog to my link list. Keep up the good work.
Who's in Right Field? -- My Brewers Blog
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