If the first ten days of the baseball season are any indication (which they aren't, but follow me), then it looks like winning the NL Central is going to be anything but easy. Not only are the Cardinals and Cubs playing some good baseball, but the Reds came into Miller Park and showed that they will be a team to contend with as well. Not that I'm high on the Reds, but if they can get solid years out of Patterson, Keppinger, and Encarnacion, then they could easily be in the thick of things through September.After they rolled over the Crew on Wednesday night, the Reds shut them down again Thursday afternoon. An Edwin Encarnacion two home run in the 7th proved to be the difference, as the Reds won 4-1.
With Gallardo about to come back, there has been a lot of discussion about which pitcher will either be released, traded, or most likely sent down to Nashville. Carlos Villanueva is a candidate to be that guy, but he pleaded his case again with another strong performance. Villanueva gave up just 1 run with 4 strikeouts in 6 innings, but gave up three runs in the seventh. It was still a much stronger performance than that of what we've seen out of Dave Bush in the young season.
Offensively, it was another struggle for the Brewers, only managing five hits and the one run, brought in by J.J. Hardy. Jason Kendall continued his hot streak, going 2 for 3 and raising his average to .538.
The Brewers will now head on the road, starting with a 3 game set against the Mets.
Box Score.
TBC's Player of the Game: J.J. Hardy
3 comments:
Bush is the one that needs to go from the Brewers rotation once Yo returns. How long has it been now since we acquired him in the Overbay trade??? Well while those years have passed Bush has never made a case that he's a quality number three type starter of a MLB rotation. Any reason why heading into today Milwaukee's two losses came on Bush's two starts? Meanwhile Villanueva has pitched his heart out in his two starts including what was a truly impressive game for the team's home opener (say what you want about a game in April but that was a pressure packed situation and he exceeded). Ned will learn his breaking point is around the 6 inning mark and avoid future outcomes like today's. Manny Parra also needs to stay, I think tomorrow's start is going to say a lot about his future. But sending him back down to AAA would be like sending Braun down (o.k., maybe not that bad but you get what I mean - this is a MLB capable starter right now, why waste it?).
Good website Bucky, like what you do.
Not to be nitpicky, but Villa gave up that 3 spot in the 7th, not the 3rd. It was a decent performance nevertheless.
I was at Miller Park for the game & was amazed by how fast it went by.
The Brewers were getting some hard hits & deeeeeeep fly balls versus Harang early, but oddly enough the Reds' ace got better as the game went on. The Crew was hitting a lot of balls to SS late in the game.
Also, I continue to be unimpressed with Dave Bush. It'd be great of he went to long relief & the Crew simply dropped McClung. I don't know why everyone is so high on McClung in the first place. He looked terrible in his mop up duty vs. the Reds. Overall I'd just rather have Bush doing long relief. I think this would work out well for everyone in the long run.
Yeah, that was a mistake on my part. I'll change it.
Thanks for the comments. It seems like it's either going to be Bush or McClung that gets the heave ho, if I had to guess, I'd go with McClung. He barely made the roster anyway.
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