Game 114 Recap: 56-58
by Jeff Sackmann on Aug 9, 2005 11:47 PM CDT
in Milwaukee Brewers News
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PrintOpening thoughts:
- Clark, 0-for-4
- Weeks, 0-for-4, 2 K's
- Overbay, 0-for-4
Ugh. I guess this is what happens when a mediocre offensive team (sorry, that's what we've got, folks) runs up against an unknown pitcher who turns out to be pretty darn good. And all accounts suggest that Reyes could be better still.
Nice to see Hall in the lineup, producing as expected. I don't dispute that JJ Hardy is the shortstop of the future, or that Hall is below average just about anywhere on the diamond, but we've just gotta have that bat in the lineup. Especially when the 1-thru-5 isn't clicking, having Hall in the 6 or 7 slot is the same kind of protection teams like the Cardinals have advanced to the playoffs with. (Granted, seems like half the Cards starting lineup is on the DL, and Scott Seabol is hardly the protection that LaRussa would like to see behind Pujols & Edmonds.)
But, I'm not inclined to say much about this game, aside from kudos to Reyes, a bitter congrats to Cardinals fans for the great pitcher we're going to have to face a few times a year until 2010 or so, and a veiled threat: Prince Fielder is going to take this dude deep. Many times.
To the win probability graph:
Here are the individual Brewers' "contributions":
- Batting
- Clark, -12.0%
- Weeks, -9.1%
- Overbay, -9.7%
- Lee, -2.6%
- Jenkins, -6.2%
- Hall, +9.9%
- Branyan, -3.1%
- Moeller, -9.8%
- Davis, -2.1%
- Helms, +6.1%
- Durrington, +1.9%
- Magruder, +4.7% (the purpose of which, I'm sure, is just to make me feel bad for my comments after yesterday's game)
Pitching: - Davis, -9.9%
- Santana, +3.5%
- Eveland, -14.7%
- Lehr, +0.8%
All in all, not a good night. I'm a little bit glad I was at Yankee Stadium watching the Yanks/ChiSox game instead of following this one...it was bad enough to see the updates on the out-of-town scoreboard.
But you know I can't stay down for too long: with Sheets coming up next and the offense due, I'm ready for a blowout to bring us back within a game of .500 and some momentum headed into the weekend series with the Cincinnati Reds coming to town.
Question for you: after these two losses, are we still in the wild-card hunt? Being at .500 with positive momentum is a VERY different thing than being two below with negative momentum. The Astros have been helping by losing, but not every team ahead of the Crew is going to lose every night until Milwaukee gets their bearings back. What needs to happen to get us back in this race?
Cardinals stats follow the jump...
Cardinals stats:
- Batting
- Eckstein, -4.8%
- Taguchi, +3.0%
- Pujols, +11.8%
- Grudz, +20.2%
- Seabol, -16.1%
- Rodriguez, +4.6%
- Luna, +5.2%
- Mahoney, -15.2% (this dude's a double-play machine!)
- Reyes, -9.3%
- Nunez, +10.9%
- Marquis, +0.5% (this just wasn't nice. I mean, come on.)
Pitching: - Reyes, +15.9%
- Flores, +6.0%
- Tavarez, +5.2%
- Isringhausen, +4.1%
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jeff thanks for the links
thanks for stopping by
by Jeff Sackmann on Aug 10, 2005 12:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Jeez louise
Bill Hall is an average infielder, who makes some really spectacular plays, as well as some really boneheaded plays. Calling him below average is part of this groupthink dream that JJ will turn out OK, but only if he can keep Bill Hall out of the lineup long enough to find his groove. He probably will catch on eventually, but why does Hall have to be the whipping boy?
Maybe we need to start thinking of him as the third baseman. His offense is clearly near the top of the team (for all you Lyle lovers out there, you'll notice that he and Overbay have nearly identical offensive stats--Lyle walks about 20 times more, but Hall has 13 more stolen bases). We're in August now, so it's time to stop dismissing his performance as a fluke. Hall's defense, while middling, is clearly above Branyan, his nice play last night notwithstanding.
Further, the actual below-average defensive players (Weeks and Clark) seem to entirely get a pass thanks to their offense. That's fine, they are key players and their offense is good for the team. Why does Bill Hall have to outperform everyone every night on every play in order to get any respect?
So, I don't understand why everyone wants Bill Hall to fail, but cut it out. He's a decent defensive player, with outstanding offense, and the Brewers will be a better team in the future if he is on it.
by Marty McSuperFly on Aug 10, 2005 7:20 AM CDT reply actions
Third a bad move
There is already a bit of a log jam at third, and the Brewers are considering using Corey Hart, who is currently dismantaling AAA pitching, at third sometime in the future. Branyan, while no Brooks Robinson, can hold his own at third, and can react quicker than Hall, who, despite his overall speed, seems to lack "reactionary" skills at times.
Hall is what he is: a great utility player that can be used rather extensively to give the regulars a day off. I don't doubt that he can hit at the major league level-- he has proven that-- but in every other respect he lacks any real major league ability.
This all said, I like Billy Hall and like him as a Brewer, but only if he is used in accordance with his capacity to play. You are right- he should not be used as a whipping stick, though.
by warinehart on Aug 10, 2005 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions
Hall
I think warinehart is right that Hall's greatest attribute is his flexibility, and he should be able to stay at the MLB level as a utility infielder. But I, myself, can't see him as an everyday SS, or 3B. Maybe, just maybe, as an everyday 2B.
His defense is below average and his offense is sparkling at times (May .314/.352/.581, and June .319/.602/.287) but inconsistent, too (.239/.276/.394 since all-star break).
My feeling is that he is getting exactly the right number of ABs and exactly the right number of games at 3B & SS. Neddy has excelled in his platoon management of the left side of the infield.
Here's what I don't understand
Hall: 83 starts in 87 Games. 166 PO, 204 A, 14 errors in 334 chances. .973 FP
Hardy: 73 starts in 87 Games. 91 PO, 184 A, 8 errors in 283 chances .972 FP
I understand that conventional wisdom is that Hall is a poor fielder, but I don't think that reflects his play on the field.
by Marty McSuperFly on Aug 10, 2005 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Replying to myself
FPCT = (PO+A) / (PO+A+E)
(116 + 204) / (116 + 204 + 14) = .958
So, .958 across all positions, and .973 at his natural SS. As a general utility infielder, that's not a good showing. Based on that, I can understand the conventional wisdom, but I will cling to my belief that he is a compentent defensive shortstop.
by Marty McSuperFly on Aug 10, 2005 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Like that thinking
by warinehart on Aug 10, 2005 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions
Still in but a long shot
by warinehart on Aug 10, 2005 11:27 AM CDT reply actions
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Cincinnati
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Houston
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Milwaukee
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
St. Louis
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
(updated 2.14.2012 at 1:02 PM CST)
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