Kenney & Heilprin: Emergency Podcast - Wisconsin Fires HC Paul Chryst
Ben Kenney is live talking through all the angles of Wisconsin firing HC Paul Chryst on Sunday. He discusses the Why, Why Now, Who's Next, What the Program Must Change and more. He also answers a bunch of listener questions
Brewers Week In Review: August 8 -- August 14
The Brewers are back to their over-.500 ways after a week highlighted by late-game heroics, highlight reel defense and a lot of high-leverage baseball.
This seven-day stretch wasn't exceptional by any means, as the team dropped two of three crucial games in St. Louis over the weekend. But a few clutch swings of the bat brought them to a winning stretch -- none bigger than Rowdy Tellez's game-tying long ball during Wednesday's walk-off victory over Tampa Bay.
The team's struggles since the All-Star break have been well-documented -- especially those of the bullpen. This week was a welcome return to normalcy thanks to mostly scoreless innings from the 'pen (more on where it went wrong in a bit), good starting pitching and a few timely hits.
I can't say the corner has been turned back to being a playoff frontrunner until the team overtakes the Cardinals for the top spot in the division. Looking forward to what is to come, the Brewers now get a 10-game stretch with seven against the red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers and three against the lowly Reds. A winning record in the stretch to come would go a long way towards putting the Brewers back in position to win the NL Central, or capture one of the final Wild Card spots.
Here is a Brewers Week In Review that is sure to be more upbeat than the last:
Record: 3-2
Current Standing: 61-52 (2nd in NL Central, 1.5 behind STL)
The Good: Corbin Burnes
There are three guarantees in life: death, taxes and Corbin Burnes quality starts.
The Brewers ace toed the rubber Saturday in St. Louis and needed perfection to outduel what Adam Wainwright was doing for the Cardinals. He delivered a much-needed dominant start, striking out six Cardinals over seven one-run innings. The only blemish on his line was a Nolan Gorman RBI double in the bottom of the seventh, though the Brewers came right back to back Burnes up with a game-tying run off Wainwright and two game-winning runs in the 10th inning.
Burnes now boasts an 8-5 record in 23 starts, a 2.39 ERA, a WHIP of 0.92 and an NL-leading 181 strikeouts. During a pivotal series where the Cardinals came up with clutch hit after clutch hit, his start on Saturday is the one thing keeping the Cardinals' NL Central lead at 1.5 games instead of 3.5.
An honorable mention from the week is Devin Williams, who shut the door in the 9th inning during Saturday's win and also saved the club's extra-innings victory over Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
Another thing worth noting is the team's defensive performance. The week saw Tyrone Taylor take back a Ray home run, a clutch heads-up play from Rowdy Tellez to throw a runner out at third base during extras and the fundamental plays look a bit easier than they have in the past for the club.
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1557479734409367553
The Bad: Taylor Rogers
The Brewers' addition of Rogers from San Diego in the Josh Hader trade was supposed to be a move to create a Hader-less bullpen that could still get the job done. This week the 'pen was better than it was last week, though the big blemish came with Rogers on the mound.
His final line from the week: 2 games, 1.2 innings, 4 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 HR, 21.60 ERA. Saturday's return from a minor knee ailment was fine -- one scoreless inning with a hit and two strikeouts. But Sunday was rough, as Rogers entered a tied game and allowed four Cardinals to cross the plate.
Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson did the initial damage with a go-ahead solo home run to left field. The big lowlight came a few batters later, when the ageless Albert Pujols went deep and broke the game wide open.
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1558915274644111366
Rogers has now allowed runs in two of four appearances as a Brewer and does not appear to be in form solid enough to trust in high-leverage spots.
Stat Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/MikeVassallo13/status/1557466215857229824
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1558939807195303938
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1557786560166301696
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1557496601186385920
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1558636525759483904
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1557471774668890113
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/SWatsonTV/status/1557164614105849857
Next Week: vs. LAD, @ CHC
Brewers Week In Review: August 1 -- August 7
The best way to describe the last week of Milwaukee Brewers baseball, both on and off the field, is disastrous. The club had won 7 of 9 since the All-Star break -- moving its lead in the NL Central up to 3 games. Many were then looking forward to this seven-day stretch as a possible lift-off point for the season, as the trade deadline fell on Tuesday and opportunities for improvement were out there.
Well, the week felt more like an ejection than a lift-off.
On the field, the team went just 1-5 against the NL Central cellar-dwellers Pirates and Reds. They were swept in Pittsburgh as the deadline was coming and going, those losses coming as a result of blowing 3-run, 4-run and 2-run leads respectfully. The Reds then came to Milwaukee and it didn't get much better. The Brewers won the first game 5-1, dropped the second 7-5 after a poor Aaron Ashby start, then fell 4-2 in extra innings on Sunday.
Off the field, the trade deadline happened. The Brewers' additions: RP Taylor Rogers, RP Matt Bush, SP Dinelson Lamet, prospects Robert Gasser & Estuery Ruiz and RP Trevor Rosenthal. The departures: All-Star closer Josh Hader and prospects Tristan Peters, Mark Mathias and Antoine Kelly.
The Hader trade was puzzling, especially given the lack of significant upgrades the team made alongside the Hader move. Rogers and Bush figure to be good pieces to add to the bullpen, though it's hard seeing this current roster as better than what it was before Hader was shipped away. Then, to add to a frightening week, the Brewers DFAed Lamet and never actually added him to the roster.
It's hard to say how much cause and effect there is between the team dropping 5 of 6 and the trade of Hader. But it is safe to say the reactions in the clubhouse weren't spectacular.
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1554559762859278336
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1555310935765557248
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1554592800351690753
In the seven-day stretch, the Brewers' lead in the NL Central has evaporated. They now sit two games back of the Cardinals in the division and two games back of both the Phillies and Padres in the Wild Card.
As I said leading off, it was a disastrous week.
If you actually want to relive it, here is your Brewers Week In Review:
Record: 1-5
Current Standing: 58-50 (2nd in NL Central)
The Good: Keston Hiura is back.
The Brewers recalled Hiura from Triple-A on Wednesday & in three games, the youngster went deep twice and provided a much-needed offensive spark.
https://twitter.com/homers_mlb/status/1556393143746142215
https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/status/1556080729980821507
Unfortunately, the team was unable to capitalize on his offensive production and ended up dropping both contests. Nevertheless, Hiura's presence against right-handed pitchers is valuable and should be present for the rest of the season.
The Bad: Everything (but specifically: the bullpen).
The story of the Brewers' week can be told by looking at how the bullpen performed.
The Josh Hader-less group pitched 20 total innings and allowed 15 runs (11 earned runs) on 24 hits. The poor performance became the deciding factor in all of the losses, including extra-innings losses on Thursday and Sunday. With this week's performance, the group now ranks towards the bottom of Major League Baseball in nearly every statistical category since the All-Star break.
https://twitter.com/TalkinBaseball_/status/1555025488229408769
Without Josh Hader in the back end, more of these struggles could be on the way.
Stat Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1556303178710368257
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1555741853810556929
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1555702527311609858
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1554974728976273408
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1556399477392609284
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1554958410713645056
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1556342935804837889
https://twitter.com/Todd_Rosiak/status/1556056438375698434
Next Week: vs. TB, @ STL
Brewers Week In Review: July 18 -- July 24
A strong second-half debut series has things pointed in the right direction for the Milwaukee Brewers.
The team had entered the break losers of eight of 11 and had played sub-.500 baseball since the beginning of June. With the trade deadline fast approaching and the St. Louis Cardinals closing in on first place, the start of the second half felt like a pivotal stretch for this Brewers ball club. Well, the team came out and took the first three of a four-game set against the Colorado Rockies. It now seems like the club's trajectory has flipped 180 degrees from where it was entering the break.
Some may say the All-Star Break was just what the doctor ordered for the Brewers...or others could point out that all that was necessary was a matchup against Rockies pitching. After this weekend, it's hard to argue with either thought.
What is known: the bats came out of the second-half gates scorching hot, as the Brewers finished the weekend having scored 25 runs against a Colorado pitching staff that ranks among the worst in the MLB. Most importantly, there always seemed to be juice left in the team when the Rockies pulled ahead. The Crew came back with a miraculous 6-5 victory in 13 innings on Friday night and rallied for 3 go-ahead runs in the bottom of the 8th in Sunday's 10-9 win. Such wins were not a reality during the month-and-a-half stretch entering the sport's halfway pole.
The Brewers also have the Cincinnati Reds to thank for a productive weekend in the standings, as the Reds took two of three from the Cardinals -- allowing the Brewers to create a 2.5-game cushion in the standings.
Here is your full Brewers Week(end) In Review:
Record: 3-0
Current Standing: 53-43 (1st in NL Central)
The Good: Hunter Renfroe Is Scalding Hot
I don't know what Renfroe did during the All-Star Break. But whatever it was, it worked. The Brewers outfielder homered in all three games against Colorado and finished the week with a slash line of .500/.571/1.821, 6 hits, 4 runs, 3 HR and 7 RBI.
The best part about his performance was the heroics. First, a game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th in Friday's 6-5 win. Then, a much-needed two-run jack in the third inning of Sunday's high-scoring 10-9 victory.
The week moves Renfroe's season-long slash line to .257/.310/.827, 16 HR and 58 RBI -- that while only having played in 62 of the team's 96 games thus far. A hot Renfroe in the middle of the lineup could lead to great things for this Milwaukee team, especially if another bat is on the way before the trade deadline passes.
https://twitter.com/BallySportWI/status/1551340138244050952
Other 'good' news to note: Freddy Peralta began a rehab assignment and pitched well in his first appearance, Brandon Woodruff appears to be all the way back to full strength and Kolten Wong hit .545 in the weekend series.
The Bad: Not Much
Taking the first three games of a series doesn't usually include much 'bad' to note. So put all of these nominations in the 'honorable mention' category.
-The bullpen allowed 11 runs in 15 2/3 innings of work (though Friday's three runs came with the game already decided).
-Eric Lauer wasn't able to keep the starting pitching momentum going, allowing 4 runs in 4 1/3 innings in Sunday's win
-Christian Yelich went 3/13 with 6 strikeouts
That's it.
MVP:
-Hunter Renfroe (.500/.571/1.821, 6 hits, 4 runs, 3 HR and 7 RBI)
Stat Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/MikeVassallo13/status/1551015402460909568
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1551003626998534145
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1551000497397661696?s=20&t=6IgntTpHASVut1E7b_6aTQ
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/nashvillesounds/status/1551264952303984641
https://twitter.com/JeffHemPBP/status/1551274813334986752
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1551040850192486400
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1551014902185299971
https://twitter.com/BrewersPD/status/1551298432844804096
Next Week: vs. COL (1), vs. MIN (2), @ BOS (3)
Brewers Week In Review: July 11 -- July 17
The Milwaukee Brewers are trending in the wrong direction entering next week's All-Star Break. A 2-4 week to cap off the first half of the season marks the second straight frame with that same record -- and was negatively highlighted by dropping the last three games of the four-game set in San Francisco. It's the fourth straight time the team has limped into the All-Star Break, excluding the 2020 season where there was no midsummer classic. This happening for a year or two could just be an anomaly, though now four straight poor performances during this time of year is turning it into a worrisome trend.
First, Craig Counsell's team lost six in a row during this time in 2018. Then they lost five of their last six in 2019, followed that up by losing six of their last eight in 2021 and now have lost eight of their last 11 contests this time around. A lot is in play here, including injuries and uncharacteristic struggles. But external confidence is waning with the weeks counting down to the trade deadline.
The context from the week needs to be noted. The team isn't just losing, they're blowing games after they're already in hand. Which, all things considered, could be worse.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Curt Hogg outlined each of the team's last six losses and how much of a collapse each performance was.
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1548493969666977796
Loss No. 1 was a Josh Hader loss in the 9th (more on that in a bit), loss No. 2 was last Saturday when Counsell left Brandon Woodruff in the game for a few too many pitches, loss No. 3 came thanks to the bullpen allowing 5 runs in 4 innings, loss No. 4 was the walk-off home run off Hader (again), loss No. 5 was one of the more remarkable collapses I've ever seen (from Hader) and I don't know how to explain loss No. 6 when Jandel Gustave allowed the go-ahead run on a balk.
A necessary note: this tweet was written before today's game, which the Brewers lost 9-5.
Overall, these are not games the team should be expected to lose moving forward unless Josh Hader continues pitching to the 20.25 ERA he has this month. They all appear to be outliers, aside from the fact it's happened six times in the last two weeks.
Luckily we get a few days to stew on the 3-8 record in the 11 games entering the All-Star Break. Before we return to hoping the team turns a corner as soon as it's back in action, here is this week's Brewers Week In Review:
Record: 2-4
Current Standing: 50-43 (1st in NL Central)
The Good: Devin Williams stays untouchable.
Devin Williams has done more than enough during the first half of the season to warrant an All-Star selection. Thankfully, the snub was finally corrected this morning when news broke he would indeed be playing in the game.
https://twitter.com/Todd_Rosiak/status/1548686109873295360
His week was completely dominant, an interesting juxtaposition to his counterpart in the back end of the bullpen. The line: 3 appearances, 3 innings, 1 hit, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts, 1 save.
That's now 26 appearances without allowing an earned run, a streak that has seen him record 24.2 innings and 40 strikeouts, and only allow 8 hits and 8 walks. There were some control concerns when the season began. Those concerns can be written away, as Williams is pitching like he's the best reliever in baseball.
The Bad: Josh Hader's multiple collapses
As mentioned earlier, Josh Hader's production has dropped off a cliff this month.
The line from the week: 3 games, 0-2 record, 1.1 innings, 7 hits, 1 walk, 9 earned runs, 4 home runs allowed, 6.00 WHIP, 60.75 ERA.
The updated line for the month: 5.1 innings, 13 hits, 12 ER, 11 Ks, 3/4 saves, 0-3 record, 20.25 ERA.
It all came to an echoing crescendo on Friday night when Hader entered the game in the 9th with a 5-2 lead. One out and three home runs later, the Giants won 8-5.
https://twitter.com/VanHicklestein/status/1548201252965588994
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1548185236881563649
I don't really know what to say about the stretch as a whole. It seems like hitters are picking up on when the slider is coming, the execution hasn't been clean and the ball is jumping out of the yard.
I guess the hope is this is one of the more severe outliner stretches we've seen from one of the game's best closers.
MVP:
-Corbin Burnes (1-0, 7.1 IP, 4 hits, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 Ks, 0.95 WHIP, 1.23 ERA)
Stat Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1548335526654054401
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/BallySportWI/status/1548754274489860098
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1548312062857596929?s=20&t=4OsSH2qyo56fD-8vGPtrbQ
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1547029421739184128
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1547084087361429507
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1548685810869817345
https://twitter.com/Seth_3773/status/1548520205537529857
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1548493969666977796
https://twitter.com/BallySportWI/status/1548759100317732864
https://twitter.com/THEbadgermaniac/status/1548769346738352128
Next Week: All-Star Break, vs. COL
Brewers Week In Review: July 4 -- July 10
The Brewers seemed poised to charge into the All-Star break with unstoppable momentum. The team had just finished off a 2-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays last Wednesday and looked forward to a 10-game stretch with seven games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and three against the Chicago Cubs. Well, that 10-game stretch is now over and the team went 4-6.
Earlier in the year, the Cincinnati Reds and Pirates were called 'slump busters' by this column. I may have to rethink that label given these recent developments.
The Brewers first finished last week with a split of the four-game series in Pittsburgh. Fine, I thought, with a presumptive good week to come. Well, that didn't happen, instead the opposite. Milwaukee dropped two of three at home to the Cubs to start this week (after a memorable July 4th walk-off victory), had a day off, then proceeded to drop two of three over the weekend against Pittsburgh.
That's a 2-4 week against teams hovering around the .400 win percentage mark. Had it not been for some struggles by St. Louis, the Brewers could've easily seen their division lead evaporate.
So, as we head into the final week before the All-Star break, here is your Brewers Week In Review:
Record: 2-4
Current Standing: 48-39 (1st in NL Central)
The Good: Not much.
Well, Monday was fun I guess? Victor Caratini slammed a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to cap off a late-inning, come-from-behind victory for the Crew. It was the most festive moment of the week and is likely the only positive one.
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1544106912790216706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1544106912790216706%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.madcitysportszone.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D10465action%3Dedit
The Crew did start the Pittsburgh series with a victory on Friday. But even that game wasn't a cakewalk, with Josh Hader allowing a run in the 9th on his way to saving the 4-3 victory.
Some "good" performances from the week to note include Corbin Burnes' start (7 innings, 3 hits, 10 strikeouts, 0 runs) and Keston Hiura heating up at the plate (16 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, .375/.625/1.125). The rest of the team on the mound, at the plate and even in the field delivered some forgettable performances.
The good news is the team still leads the NL Central by 2.5 games over the Cardinals and has a few games to enter the All-Star break with momentum. The bad news is it just went 4-6 against the Pirates and Cubs while St. Louis scuffled.
The Bad: Everything.
It wasn't just one piece of the team not clicking this week. The starting staff and bullpen combined to allow 4.5 runs per game, the defense continues to be a real head-scratcher and the lineup only scratched across 3.66 runs per game against a few not-so-great pitching staffs.
The most notable struggle during the two series was in the field. The team committed four official errors. But that statistic doesn't count several significant misplays in the outfield and other undocumented mistakes.
None were bigger than how the outfield played Seiya Suzuki's go-ahead inside-the-park home run during Monday's victory.
https://twitter.com/VanHicklestein/status/1544093147550162945
There were a few of those, and there was even the time today when Pedro Severino just didn't catch Eric Lauer's pitch.
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1546209523991461888
Surprising is a word I'd use here to describe the team's defensive struggles. But as time goes on, they are getting more and more concerning.
MVP:
-Keston Hiura (16 at-bats, 6 hits, 1 home run, 1 double, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 3 walks, .375/.625/1.125 slash line)
Stat Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/MikeVassallo13/status/1544479902858108928
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1544750791499579394
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1543248219840385025
https://twitter.com/WillSammon/status/1544777139324653570?s=20&t=97JK2CwL83f-sCs_K8M_6g
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1546251694601916416
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1546195157640511491
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1545930683054432256
Next Week: @ MIN, @ SFG
Brewers Week In Review: June 27 -- July 4
The Milwaukee Brewers capped off the July 4th weekend with one of those marquee moments you see throughout a long baseball season. The 5-2 walk-off victory against the Chicago Cubs was by no means a season-altering win, though it was one of those moments that will be highlighted when the end-of-season stories and highlights are put together.
At first, it seemed like luck just wasn't on the Brewers' side, as Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki got a good bounce off the outfield wall and scooted his way around the bases for a go-ahead inside-the-park home run. But, as they have much of this season, the Brewers found a way to claw back.
A Christian Yelich bases-loaded walk with the team down to its last out in the bottom of the 9th inning helped pushed the game into extras, where a stellar 10th inning from Brad Boxberger gave way for Victor Caratini to send the home fans home happy.
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1544106912790216706
While not technically part of last week's slate, it was impossible to put this piece together without pointing out the win.
When last week did come to a close, the Brewers officially reached the statistical midpoint of their 2022 season on pace for 92 wins.
The success isn't a surprise, as they were picked by many to lead the division with the Cardinals as the only real competition. But the "how" has been interesting. Craig Counsell's team has played extended time without top starters Freddy Peralta and Brandon Woodruff (more on him in a bit), the middle of the lineup has battled nagging injuries all year and Christian Yelich is now the team's everyday leadoff hitter.
Nevertheless, a 92-win pace is something to celebrate. It is also something that has the chance to increase with better health hopefully on the way.
Here is this week's edition of Brewers Week In Review:
Record: 4-2
Current Standing: 46-35 (1st in NL Central)
The Good: Brandon Woodruff is back.
Brewers' ace Brandon Woodruff made his long-awaited return to the mound last week. To say it went well would be a gross understatement.
Woodruff first toed the rubber Tuesday in Tampa Bay, where his line of 5 innings, 2 hits, 1 ER and 10 strikeouts made everybody quickly forget about his absence. He then backed it up in a big way on Sunday with a 6-inning, 0-run, 8-strikeout performance against the Pirates.
There was some legitimate concern that Woodruff would need some time to return to his usual dominant self. That hesitation can now be swept aside thanks to his 11-inning, 8-hit, 1-run, 18-strikeout week.
The Bad: The bottom of the rotation.
The Brewers came away with a semi-disappointing 4-game split in Pittsburgh over the weekend. The two games the team lost were started by Adrian Houser and Aaron Ashby, respectively.
Their combined stat line: 6 innings, 10 hits, 7 runs, 4 home runs, 2 walks. Then to add on to it even further, the team placed Houser in the 15-day IL with a right flexor strain following his start.
The great news from the week is that Woodruff is back and dominant (and Freddy Peralta is ramping up his activity). The bad news is the bottom of the rotation had a rough showing.
MVP:
-Brandon Woodruff (2 starts, 2-0, 11 innings, 8 hits, 1 run, 18 strikeouts, 0.82 ERA)
Stat Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/MikeVassallo13/status/1541960589374889984
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1542187745875005441
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1541942214040993793
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1542217170846883845
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1542248500284596224?s=20&t=rk44cXhkui2ofV8TvN67AQ
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1542657870612807681
Next Week: vs. CHC, vs. PIT
Brewers Week In Review: June 20 -- June 26
Somehow, some way, the Milwaukee Brewers finished up another winning week with Chi Chi Gonzalez and Jason Alexander starting three of their seven contests. If I had to guess how many of Alexander and Gonzalez's three starts the team would win against two playoff-contending teams, I would've guessed none. Instead, the team won two of three -- the latest being Sunday's 10-3 triumph over the Blue Jays.
It seemed like the Brewers turned the corner away from their extended struggles with last weekend's sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. That proved to be true as this week progressed, as a split against a very good Cardinals team and taking 2 of 3 this weekend against the powerful Blue Jays gave the club a 4-3 week and has stabilized them back atop the NL Central (alongside St. Louis).
The context of the 4-3 seven-day stretch makes the result a bit more impressive. The team is still playing without star pitchers Brandon Woodruff (good news coming on that front) and Freddy Peralta, second baseman Kolten Wong and others. Manufacturing wins with spot starters on the mound is a sign of a good baseball team. The Brewers have done just that, and now get set to welcome back some reinforcements with the division race heating up.
Here is your Week In Review for the Milwaukee Brewers:
Record: 4-3
Current Standing: 42-33 (1st in NL Central)
The Good: Leadoff Yelich (again).
It isn't often I get proven exactly right as a year progresses. Last year I called for Craig Counsell to move Christian Yelich to leadoff as the playoffs approached, as Yelich was doing next to nothing hitting third, yet was getting on base just enough to be able to help the team from the leadoff spot.
The move ended up coming nearly eight months later, but it has paid off in massive ways. Yelich looks like a different hitter now 18 days after becoming the team's regular leadoff man. This week he hit .320/.469/.869, led the team in hits with 8, scored 5 runs and reached base via walk seven times. His full line since moving to leadoff on June 8: 22/72 (.305), 2 HR, 6 RBI, 13 runs, 11 walks, .397 OBP.
In that time the Brewers have averaged 4.61 runs per game, helping a season total that has hung around the middle of the pack in the MLB.
There were many other good things to note from the week, including Alexander and Gonzalez continuing to hold their own, Corbin Burnes' mastery and a power-packed week from Willy Adames and Tyrone Taylor. My focus here is still on Yelich, as his work from the leadoff spot could be the thing this team needed to start rising up MLB's offensive rankings.
Oh, and some 'good' to note entering this upcoming week: Brandon Woodruff is back and starting on Tuesday.
https://twitter.com/BallySportWI/status/1541172427941617664
Also, the City Connect jerseys are sweet. And they led to two wins over the weekend.
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1541134466151759875
The Bad: Adrian Houser
It has been a rough month of June for Adrian Houser. He's now allowed 18 runs in 27 2/3 innings (5.86 ERA) and is 1-3 in those appearances. His start on Friday against Toronto got bad fast, as a 5-run second inning handed him the loss in the team's 9-4 defeat.
Houser's ERA now sits at 4.50 on the season after a string of really solid starts in April and May. His struggles make Woodruff's return even more important, as the rotation has some big-time holes behind the always-dominant Corbin Burnes.
We'll see how much a changing of the month will help Houser return to his early-season form.
MVP:
-Corbin Burnes (2 starts, 2-0, 14.2 innings, 3 ER, 1.84 ERA, 19 Ks)
Stat Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/MikeVassallo13/status/1540780625816322049
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/TimberRattlers/status/1540146824287338502
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1541127529003614208
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1539785188154146818
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1539786936323301376
https://twitter.com/adammccalvy/status/1539810365042835456?s=21&t=yMVw6rJDLVNkRkxriQP3Cg
https://twitter.com/cyrthogg/status/1539810391932403713?s=21&t=yMVw6rJDLVNkRkxriQP3Cg
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1540842737460813824
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1541147147135078402
https://twitter.com/TimberRattlers/status/1541125711175589889
Next Week: @ TB (2 games), @ PIT
The Brewers are going to Pittsburgh next weekend. Get ready for the full Oneil Cruz experience...who if you haven't heard of yet, just wait until Thursday.
Brewers Week In Review: June 13 -- June 19
The train is back on the tracks for the 2022 Milwaukee Brewers. The team was badly in need of a good week after a 2-9 start to the month of June saw its lead in the NL Central evaporate. That's exactly what manager Craig Counsell and company got, as a weekend sweep of the Reds made up for a 1-2 set in New York against the Mets and allowed them to close the week at 4-2.
There are many storylines to note, none bigger than Counsell finally surpassing Phil Garner for most managerial wins in Brewers history. The team's 10-2 triumph in New York on Wednesday got him that milestone after it took a total of 11 games to win Counsell the final 2 he needed.
Another big story came Saturday morning when the club decided to designate OF Lorenzo Cain for assignment. Cain was a significant piece of the team's run to the NLCS in 2018 and was a clubhouse staple since signing with the club in January of 2018. In a classy move, the Brewers made the tough call on the day Cain reached 10 years of MLB service time, ensuring Cain would receive full pension benefits moving forward.
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1538220336306692103
Now, on to the baseball.
Record: 4-2
Current Standing: 38-30 (T1st in NL Central with St. Louis)
The Good: Leadoff Yelich
There is a lot of "good" to note from the week, including good power performances from Hunter Renfroe (3 HRs, 1.137 OPS) and Willy Adames (2 HRs) and Jason Alexander's first career win.
My biggest storyline is the emergence of a new Christian Yelich. Counsell made the call to move him up to the leadoff spot (a move I've wondered about for some time) a little more than a week ago. Yelich has contributed consistently since that point, as he's reached base safely in 9 of 10 games since the switch, he's scored 8 runs and his year-long slash line has risen to .242/.325/.706.
By no means is he the Yelich of 2018, but the power numbers and consistency just weren't there when he was in the 3 slot. This version of the former MVP should get fans excited, as he's become an on-base machine at the top of the lineup and now consistently sets up Renfroe, Adames, Rowdy Tellez and others with RBI opportunities.
Counsell deserves a tip of the cap for sliding him up to leadoff and give Yelich some credit as well for adapting to a new role. This team will win baseball games thanks to his production at the top of the lineup.
The Bad: Not Much
There really isn't much "bad" to note from the week. Tuesday's loss in New York was just a dud of a performance, kind of a carry-over from the two-week-long struggle the team had. Then Thursday's loss happens during the long season, with an error in the 8th giving the Mets the lead and the tying run being thrown out at the plate in the 9th.
Maybe I'm an optimist. I view the team's sweep of the Reds as a great turning point from the long skid, especially with some key players getting set to return to the field.
Some individual struggles that are worth mentioning: Aaron Ashby (4 ER in 4.1 innings), Luis Urias (4/21, .547 OPS).
MVP:
-Hunter Renfroe (6/21, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, .286/.423/1.137)
Stat Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/MikeVassallo13/status/1538629293437239298
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1537270837803360257
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1537267137450213376
https://twitter.com/BallySportWI/status/1537588083633270784
https://twitter.com/BallySportWI/status/1538609142683901954
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1537285596162494464
https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/1538229317829787650
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1538268507367956480
Next Week: vs. STL, vs. TOR
Brewers Week In Review: June 6 -- June 12
Put nicely, it was a forgettable week on the diamond for the Milwaukee Brewers. The team entered last Monday's game against the Phillies needing just one win to put Craig Counsell into a tie with Phil Garner for most wins as a manager in Brewers history.
Well, it took until Sunday to reach that mark. The team was swept at home by the Phillies and lost the first two games to a horrid Washington Nationals team. It seemed like everything that could go wrong did just that throughout the week, as Josh Hader allowed his first regular-season runs in nearly a year (and blew a save), Corbin Burnes didn't have his best stuff and every other starter not named Jason Alexander got hit hard.
The Brewers are a team that prides itself on great pitching, a great bullpen, good defense and just enough offense to get by. Not one of those facets was working, as the team was outscored 43-18 during the 1-5 week. The losing streak was finally ended at eight with Sunday's 4-1 win at Washington to avoid being swept. The streak sent the team back into second place in the NL Central, though, and now has them in a neck-and-neck battle with the Cardinals.
Here is the review of a poor week of Milwaukee Brewers baseball:
Record: 1-5
Current Standing: 34-28 (2nd in NL Central, 0.5 games back of St. Louis)
The Good: Jason Alexander had another strong showing
The Brewers have gone 1-2 in Jason Alexander's first three career starts. The sub-par record hasn't been a result of any of his shortcomings, though, as the 29-year-old rookie has thrown 16.2 innings thus far and allowed only 4 earned runs.
Two of those starts came this week. Alexander first held a dominant Phillies lineup to only 1 run through 5 innings during Tuesday's 3-2 loss (the Josh Hader blown save game).
He followed that performance up by scattering 7 hits over 4 2/3 innings to help the Brewers get their first win in 9 tries.
Alexander's final line for the week: 2 starts, 0-0 record, 9.2 innings, 14 hits, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts, 1.97 WHIP, 1.86 ERA.
During a week where the Brewers gave up a total of 43 runs in six games, they actually only allowed 4 runs in the two started by Alexander. It sounds crazy to say, but he was the only real stable force in what usually is a dominant rotation. With Brandon Woodruff still on the mend, Alexander will likely get a few more starts as the weeks go by, something he's undoubtedly earned.
Some other good to note: Counsell moved Christian Yelich up to the leadoff spot this week and he hit the hell out of the baseball. He isn't 'back,' but there were some really encouraging signs.
The Bad: Everything else.
I don't know how much needs to be said. The team went 0-5 and was outscored 43-18.
But here are some poor performances to note:
- Hader's blown save on Monday (his first regular-season runs allowed since late July 2021)
- Aaron Ashby allowed 6 runs in 4 2/3 innings, Burnes only went 4 1/3 innings, Eric Lauer was tagged for 8 runs in 5 innings and Adrian Houser allowed 5 runs thru 6 innings
- Willy Adames hit .150 with a .690 OPS, Jace Pederson and Hunter Renfroe both hit .125 with OPS' below .500 and Lorenzo Cain isn't producing like an MLB player
Sunday's win should do a lot towards getting the team back on the right track, but it was probably the worst week the Brewers have had in years. Here's to the start of another week.
MVP:
-Andrew McCutchen (.364/.440/.985, 8 hits, 1 double, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 runs, 3 walks, 2 SB)
-Christian Yelich (.423/.444/.982, 11 hits, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 6 runs, 1 walk, 2 SB)
Stat Of The Week: Josh Hader's scoreless streak finally ends.
https://twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/1534366289719873538
Video(s) Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1536063068245045248
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1536085690781507584
Tweets Of The Week:
https://twitter.com/akschaaf/status/1534331265176027137
https://twitter.com/benzkenney/status/1534366322288738308
https://twitter.com/JRRadcliffe/status/1534725474634670080
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1534961294842990592
https://twitter.com/CyrtHogg/status/1535011060452843530
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1536100631651536897
Next Week: @ NYM, @ CIN
