2018 NLCS - Los Angeles Dodgers vs Milwaukee Brewers

He was out by five feet either way.

Re: Gonzalez getting pulled after two innings, I think not having the DH makes these decisions easier. These teams are emptying their bullpens every game and consequently their benches too, of course to gain more favourable matchups but also to avoid letting the pitchers hit (Woodruff's HR and Miley's two hits being the exceptions). It will be interesting to see how this changes in the WS, if Milwaukee gets there.

They're onto game 3, so it doesn't matter, but starting in 2010, Gonazlez has had two poor seasons (including this one, although his three starts with the Brewers were very good), two that were so-so (2014/15), and five that were good-to-excellent, including third- and sixth-place Cy Young finishes. To me, that's a high bar for mediocre.

this year, he's the oldest and most mediocre he's ever been. Counsell felt his bullpen is better.

Sure. I guess my point is, why get him in the first place if that's how you feel, and why start him in the opening game? He didn't look old or mediocre in September, when he threw 25 innings, gave up 14 hits, and posted a 2.13 ERA.

he ate 2 innings

You kind of answered your own question there -- he pitched well down the stretch and helped them win the division. But past success doesn't necessarily translate to future success, and even Gonzalez's mom doesn't think his true talent is that of a pitcher with a 2.13 ERA. The opening game of the series is ideal for this strategy because the bullpen is as fresh as it's gonna be.

Had about a 2.1 ERA to finish the regular season with Milwaukee. Never gave up more than three hits (though a little more trouble with walks).

Matter of fact, he was really freaking good in April and May. 6-2 with a 2.1 ERA.

I kinda like the strategy, since it coaxes LA into filling their lineup with righties only to pull the rug out after 2 innings

tbh I'm not sure how much it matters which levers Counsell pulls right now. seven players on their active rosters have started games and several of them are super fresh - Freddy Peralta and Junior Guerra have not pitched at all this postseason. always thought it was odd to see so many FOX analysts fret about the Brewers burning up their bullpen - they've got several guys that can go 4-5 innings if need be. none of them are particularly great but they've all been serviceable.

Did Peralta have an innings ceiling?

don't think he'd hit one...he's only pitched 78 this year. he definitely got knocked around the more he started but he also racked up tons of K's in the early going so who knows with him. he's only 22.

Had to do the math & I'm showing 141?:

2018
2.0 IP - A Wisc
61.0 IP - AAA Col Spr
78.0 IP - MLB Mil

I think the back of envelope calc Innings Limits is last year +25% which comes out to 150. Seems pretty close imho, esp as he probably hasn't seen action in some time.

I feel terrible for that wall after Bellinger crashed into it.

Well when you put it that way yeah he’s close. I didn’t think he pitched so much in AAA....thought he was brought up earlier

Good game so far....Chacin pitching into the 6th right into the heart of the order. Guessing he’s got a very short leash.

Going back to game 163, Chacin has pitched 16 innings, 7 hits, one earned run.

Fuck yeah Arcia!

Speaking of guys who really stepped it up damn. Kratz and Arcia the dynamic duo

Already matched his regular season total lmao

i know they've gotten this far and bullpenning and everything but the brewers running out gio gonzalez, wade miley and joulys chacin in the first three games doesn't really inspire confidence

― mookieproof, Thursday, October 11, 2018 3:44 PM (four days ago)

dodgers starters' era in the series: 6.28
brewers starters: 0.69

#nice

hahahahahah Yelich you rule

Yelich you suck

Grandal on the other hand just not having a good day

I would be good with not using Hader unless a couple dudes get on

Hmmm ok guess Counsell really wants this one

that is what i'm thinking but right there with you. they could have used him in game 2.

I like it, glad he trusted other pitchers

welp

Jeffress having a rough go again

Is Bellinger the worst playoff batter ever? How would one determine that?

Just one more

Brew crew have been showing that they might actually be the better team

Never a doubt

Another suspensful game... def above average playoffs from what I've seen!

some real craziness with small sample sizes in these playoffs

Jeffress ain't pitching great but the BABIP against him has been like .800

He was the victim of some dink hits in game 2 that's for sure

hard to be too down on him, he did strike out 2 in the 9th. the AB vs. Puig was weird...must've really thought he was gonna chase that inside pitch but he didn't bite

That last 97 mph fastball on the outside corner was the pitch of a reliever who has all the confidence in the world (although Kratz framed it perfectly), I think Jeffress passed a hurdle.

jeffress is so fun to watch, dont know how he doesnt pass out, he's always breathing so hard.

The mental aspect seems to apply to both sides here. when guys like Knebel and Hader are rolling the way they are you can see it in the batters' approach - they're just wildly swinging and trying to fight pitches off, striking out on pitches that are 6 inches out of the zone because they feel they just have to guess. Jeffress on the other hand looks pretty mortal right now, and I wonder if his postseason struggles caused Puig to suddenly show patience with that inside pitch that he often strikes out on.

cody bellinger, career postseason

22 G, 15-for-92, .176/.239/.353, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 7 BB, 34 K

this season he's 1-for-21 with 5 K and has been brutally unlucky -- .063 BABIP

This is far better than I imagined.

he's due, as my dad usta say

feels like either of these teams is going to have trouble beating either the red sox or the astros

i want to know how many players have played 75+ games at both first base and center field in one season, as bellinger did this year

Brad Wilkerson?

brutally unlucky -- .063 BABIP

I would think 16 AB would be a small enough sample size to not really confirm whether he's been unlucky or not.

How about his major league record 28 strikeouts in last year's playoffs?

Counsell’s already got Peralta warming up

It’s 1-0 after 1

To me--sorry to harp on this--that all goes back to game one. These guys, rich as they are, are human beings, not automatons. How can you pitch if you think your manager's just waiting for an excuse to get you out of the game? So you go for a ball you shouldn't have gone for, and then, instead of admitting you're hurt, you make a transparently misguided attempt to keep pitching.

Love you Peralta.