Game of the Week: September 24: STL @ MIL

[Commissioner Erick]

St. Louis Cardinals (85-64) @ Milwaukee Brewers (104-45)


STL: Josh Hagey (0-2, 5.14)
MIL: David Meeks (20-7, 3.66)


Cardinals 3 Key Stats

35: Innings for Josh Hagey: The lefty has spent half of the year in Memphis where he was a strong 2.27 ERA in 35.2 innings. With the big club, he has a similar innings load of 35, but his ERA more than doubles to 5.14. Home runs have been the problem as he’s allowed eight this year, versus eight all of last year in 89 innings. That’s a tough number against a Brewers team that’s tied for first in long balls. Hagey will have to find a way to keep the ball in the park to give the Redbirds a chance.

.233: Ozzie Albies’ batting average: Albies has been a colossal disappointment for St. Louis. Last year was the first time in nine years he hit under .281, and it was a respectable .265 that came with a good amount of walks with an even strikeout-to-walk ratio, and preceded a concussion that knocked out half his season. He hasn’t recovered from the concussion at all. His strikeout rate of 17.9 is the highest of his career and double the numbers he had in his prime. His .051 isolated slugging percentage is the lowest of his career. His .283 slugging percentage is brutal as he has just one homer and no triples. A free agent next year, Albies likely won’t return to the Cardinals.

$30.7: St. Louis’ millions of dollars in Merchandise Revenue: Tim Lentz has built a team good on the field and in the executives’ spreadhseets. The team is tops in baseball in merchandise revenue, a positive byproduct of the free agent deals they made, even if many of the players haven’t worked out on the field. Ozzie Albies and Nomar Mazara jerseys are seen all over Cardinal’s Nest, and St. Louis is awash in Cardinals hats. It would be a disappointment if the team misses the playoffs because their veterans disappointed, but the budget should be healthy for another go next year.


Brewers 3 Key Stats

.290: Zack Prajzner’s September batting average: Remember Prajzner’s feint MVP candidacy? The Milwaukee Shortstop had an outstanding start to the year, but stopped hitting in July and August with .191 and .203 averages. His defense remained strong and his zone rating is currently in the double digits. His bat has picked up this final month as well with a solid .290 average with a couple of homers and steals. Prajzner is on pace for a 5 WAR season, adding more depth to a stacked team.

1.58: Josh Young’s ERA: Milwaukee’s veteran reliever has had the best year of his career to date. His 51.1 innings is the most of his career, his five Saves ties a career high, and his seven wins is tops in his career. All this has led to a 1.1 WAR, most of his career. He once produced a 1.67 ERA back in 2026 and has exceeded that this year, staking his claim as one of the best relievers in the league.

0: Home games Milwaukee has allowed double digit runs: If Milwaukee can put 10 on the board, the clubs is almost guaranteed a win. The Brewers have not allowed double digit runs at home all season, and have allowed 10 or more runs in a game just once this year, an early April tilt in Wrigley Field. It’s a remarkable display of pitching consistency where the team simply will not allow things to get out of hand. St. Louis actually is one of the few teams to come close to cracking the double figure mark, putting a nine-spot on the board in a win on May 16. Milwaukee will look to continue their streak today.


Questions for the GMs:


For Tim Lentz, who starts at Second Base today and why?

A few of your arms got hurt last week, and the rest are exhausted. How ill you manage your staff today and the rest of the year?

How pivotal is taking todays game with the trio if Hawkeye, The Heater From St. Peters, and Scruffy Andexler on the docket the next three days?

For Luke Grimmelbein, Noah Campbell’s IL time is up. Will we see him in the lineup today?

How has the Nick Rollins Second Base experiment fared for you this year?

What have you thought about Grant Stein’s rookie season and subsequently, Matt Aceto’s future with the team?


TRIVIA: In the only game the Brewers gave up double-digit runs this year, who took the loss for Milwaukee?

[brewersgm]

Jan 13, 2023 13:19:06 GMT -5 Commissioner Erick said:

Questions for the GMs:

For Luke Grimmelbein, Noah Campbell’s IL time is up. Will we see him in the lineup today?

How has the Nick Rollins Second Base experiment fared for you this year?

What have you thought about Grant Stein’s rookie season and subsequently, Matt Aceto’s future with the team?

1. Noah will rehab for a bit with the Sky Sox with our roster crunch.

2. Fairly well I'd say. Nick has held his own at 2B with a slightly negative ZR. Not bad for his first extensive time at the position.

3. Grant has exceeded all expectations. I would never have guessed he'd be 2nd among our position players in WAR. It's looking like Aceto will be on a new team next year with the emergence of Stein.

[Commissioner Erick]

Cardinals 5 - Brewers 3

WP: R. Whitt (2-0)
LP: M. Arnold (20-4)
SV: F. Perez (3)


Calvin Mitchell impressed in the 5-3 St. Louis win over Milwaukee. Mitchell, who finished 4th in the NL in doubles with 41 in 2024, went 2-4 with a home run. He drove in 2 runs and scored once. St. Louis pitcher Rich Whitt got the win. He's now 2-0. Mike Arnold was tagged with the loss. The win puts St. Louis at 86-64 this season.

St. Louis used the bat of Nomar Mazara to capture the win. The right fielder jacked a 3-run home run in the top of the first inning to put the Cardinals ahead, 3-0. It was his lone hit in 4 at-bats, but it was a dandy.

"We played hard and won," said Mitchell. "Sometimes, baseball really is that easy.'


Questions for the GMs:


For Tim Lentz, you went with Freicer Perez for the multi-inning save opportunity after he was just called up from the minors. Why trust him with such a big moment?

Josh Hagey gave up some baserunners but only one run in 3 innings. Will he be in you rotation the final week?

The bottom of your lineup went 0-15 with a walk and nine strikeouts. Aside from Eric Walker getting back in the lineup, will we see any more changes there?

For Luke Grimmelbein, while you did pinch hit Danny Tammarro for Nate Sprague and Luis Rivera for Mike Becker, would you liked to have seen more pinch hitting late?

You had a six man rotation. Why did you change it to five for this week?

Is there anything from the game you took away while thinking ahead to your playoff roster?


TRIVIA: Who has the most wins in Milwaukee Brewers history?

[brewersgm]

Jan 14, 2023 10:32:18 GMT -5 Commissioner Erick said:

For Luke Grimmelbein, while you did pinch hit Danny Tammarro for Nate Sprague and Luis Rivera for Mike Becker, would you liked to have seen more pinch hitting late?

You had a six man rotation. Why did you change it to five for this week?

Is there anything from the game you took away while thinking ahead to your playoff roster?


TRIVIA: Who has the most wins in Milwaukee Brewers history?

1. With how many righties the Cards used after Hagey I would have liked to see those guys enter the game earlier. It was too little too late I thought.

2. We wanted to line up the top of our rotation with the Cardinals. We're trying to knock them out of playoff contention. Today that did not go well.

3. I have a pretty good idea of who we are going to carry. We can't pitch like that if we expect to make any noise in the playoffs though. I expect Hawkeye will have a better go his next time out.

[stlgm]

For Tim Lentz, who starts at Second Base today and why?

-Diaz returns from waivers to get the start. He'll get the start against RHP for the rest of the season. Why? Because somehow he's the best option in the organization.

A few of your arms got hurt last week, and the rest are exhausted. How ill you manage your staff today and the rest of the year?

We'll continue rotating through pitchers fast and furiously every game. We're still piecing together one of the league's best staffs with this strategy despite the injuries. There will be additional movement between AAA and the big leagues with the AAA season coming to an end.

How pivotal is taking todays game with the trio if Hawkeye, The Heater From St. Peters, and Scruffy Andexler on the docket the next three days?

Every game is pivotal with the Wild Card race so tight. We have to make a statement against the Bully Brewers, not only to make the postseason, but to gain some confidence if we happen to match up with them in the Divisional Round. No fear here.

[stlgm]

For Tim Lentz, you went with Freicer Perez for the multi-inning save opportunity after he was just called up from the minors. Why trust him with such a big moment?

-Our bench coach Travis Vetters made this decision to help Perez's confidence in himself and his role with the organization after being waived the week prior. It's not the decision I would have made, but it worked out.

Josh Hagey gave up some baserunners but only one run in 3 innings. Will he be in you rotation the final week?

-Hagey has earned a role with the big league team in the final week of the season. Whether that's in the rotation or out of the pen...the Brewers and the rest of the league will have to wait until Tuesday to find out.

The bottom of your lineup went 0-15 with a walk and nine strikeouts. Aside from Eric Walker getting back in the lineup, will we see any more changes there?

-No changes anticipated. Replacing Mills has been impossible, as expected. Diaz and McConnell will continue to platoon in his place for the final week. Albies has really struggled offensively, but his glove has been impeccable and still makes him an asset, even if overpaid. And as you mentioned, Gholston was just in to give Walker a day off.

[Commissioner Erick]

TRIVIA 2: Luke correctly guessed Mike Arnold.