I don't know why I was optimistic about this rotation. Nelson and Burnes can't get here soon enough for me.
I was slightly optimistic which shows how much I know. Our only chance is to hang in there until Nelson comes back from injury and Burnes shows he is ready to make his debut.
We aren't hitting much either. Darnell Coles must be some awful hitting coach because all we have done is break the major league record for strikeouts just about every season he has been here.
The bullpen which is clearly the strength of the team is going to be wiped out by June if they have to keep pitching 4 plus innings every night.
Luckily, there are a couple of bullpen arms that would have otherwise made the big league club but didn't because they had options left. These guys will get 10 days of tendinitis every now and again and bring up reinforcements from the farm.
So after I shut the game off last night Knebel looks like he got injured pretty badly. I am not feeling good about this team at all right now.
I am just pretending like the plan was always for 2019 and Cain/Yelich moves were just a year early to avoid the madness of the 2018 Hot Stove. Even though we were optimistic coming in, I dont think any of us saw the construction of this roster as optimal. What just pisses me off is all I hear on Chicago radio is "Ha Ha, look at the stupid Brewers they should have signed Arrieta or Cobb, what are they going to do for pitching?"
I agree with all of this. As much as I wanted to improve the starting pitching I am very happy that they didn't give big money to Arrieta or Cobb. We probably should have traded for Odorizzi since he was so cheap to acquire but he isn't exactly a difference maker anyway. Maybe this season will be about the development of the young pitchers like Hader, Woodruff, and Burnes as well as guys like Freddy Peralta and Luis Ortiz in the minors. Stearns is smart enough to know that a rotation with the likes of Suter and Chacin is not nearly good enough. We just have to hope that Attanasio doesn't lose his mind and force the GM to trade guys like Hiura and Burnes for Archer.
Bill 9:53 You wrote in the off-season about Matt Albers' signs of break-through last year . . . do you think he has what it takes to close while Knebel is out? Jeff Sullivan 9:53 I think the Brewers are blessed to have a few options 9:54 Only Hader could be as dominant as Knebel, but it's a deep bullpen, especially if/when Logan ever returns. Albers could do it, but so could a few others
https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2018/04/07/1910720583/1523066470197/asset_2500K.mp4 Thames HR https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2018/04/07/1910728483/1523066884350/asset_2500K.mp4 Shaws HR
Woodruff was sent down to AAA which infuriates me. He was squeezed by the ump and gave up a bunch of soft hits. Woodruff has the best pure stuff in the rotation and needs to be given a real chance. My guess is that Guerra will take his spot in the rotation next week. This is not the way to run a small market team. If this team is going to make a run they need Woodruff to be a big part of it.
I am guessing they need a bullpen arm for tonight. Several guys went more than an inning last night and are out for tonight I'm sure.
They are going to have to make full use of shipping arms up and down. Guerra can come up and make a start and bring back Woodruff in 10 days or whatever.
Corbin Burnes went 6 innings and gave up 1 run with 6 strikeouts in hs AAA debut. I can't wait till he is in the Brewers rotation.
Yelich is now on the DL. This offense is pretty much terrible without him so hopefully he is back soon.
I read that the Brewers have never been above 20th in runs scored since Coles has been the hitting coach. So the narrative that the starting pitching is the only thing holding the Brewers back is pure nonsense.
I know its still early but this team may very well be terrible. Don't be fooled by the 6-6 record we could easily be 3-9 or so. That lineup last night was flat out embarrassing.
Counsell is doing an absolutely horrendous job. He has to take the blame for the little league defense and his bullpen usage is a joke. Also enough with his love affair with his mini me Sogard. I realize that Arcia isn't hitting so far but he shouldn't be sitting on the bench this often for Sogard who is flat out terrible. This bullpen which should be the strength of this team hasn't gotten the job done and a lot of that is on Counsell. Oliver Drake and the Hoover vacuum who sucks it up every time he pitches should not be on the team. Taylor Williams and Adrian Houser should both be used in high leverage situations. I don't know what to make of Barnes. The guy has a great arm and is usually good in non save situations but when the spotlight is on he implodes. We are still a year or two away from being where we want to be. Looks like last season was pure fools gold and I fell for it.
These injuries are sure as hell hurting us right now. I had no idea how much we would miss Knebel so soon and the lineup without Yelich is just not good at all.