Post by Commissioner Erick on May 22, 2019 7:03:05 GMT -5
Milwaukee Brewers (26-45) @ Oakland Athletics (43-26)
MIL: Luis Ortiz (0-6, 5.95)
OAK: Jose Berrios (4-5, 4.89)
The Oakland Athletics made a number of major acquisitions over the offseason in an attempt to retain their status as a playoff team. The Milwaukee Brewers made a number of shrewd moves over the offseason to help give the team the lift it needed to make the postseason.
After all the moves, the A's and Brewers are right where they were last year.
The Athletics continue their attempt to win the AL West, while the Brewers continue struggling through a lost year, with the two teams clashing in the Game of the Week.
Credit for Oakland's success goes to Sam East, who has navigated a tight budget, yet has still made a number of moves to bring talent on to his team. His latest transaction may be his most controversial.
Ryon Healy was having a terrific season with the bat, hitting 17 home runs, driving in 42, and slugging the hell out of the board. However, instead of resting on Healy's hot start, East was concerned with Healy regressing to career averages and his middling defense. Rather than waiting for that to happen while hoping it wouldn't, East acquired slugger Miguel Sano. A volatile hitter who has managed extreme power with extreme swing-and-miss in his career. Sano has hit over 40 home runs twice, but has also lead the league in strikeouts twice. Last year he hit just .216 with a league-leading 230 strikeouts, while this year he had 11 home runs in just over 200 plate appearances for the Twins.
Sano is a big risk, but the power reward could be a huge for a team starved of power. It's a bold acquisition to acquire Sano and bench Healy, but one has to appreciate the upside of the move.
Milwaukee, made several safe, but smart moves over the offseason to shore up their rotation and defense. It didn't work.
The Brewers have a subpar defense, the worst bullpen in the league, and an awful starting staff. The Brewers have attempted to go to the short four-man staff they tested last year, but it hasn't worked as the team has the third-worst starters ERA in the NL. It's hard to test if the poor pitching has come on a lack of talent or a fatigued staff.
Luis Ortiz will take to the hill and he's been the worst of the Brewers' starters. After a nice start that lead to an All-Star nod last season, he faded in the second half, a stretch that has continued this year. He leads the majors in home runs allowed with 19 and he's struck out only 55 batters in 84.2 innings. He's had only two of his 16 starts go at least 6 innings and allow two or fewer runs. He's been one of the worst starters in the league.
Every member of the team's six-man bullpen—that's right, the team carries 10 pitchers—has an ERA of 4.63 or higher. Exclude Edwin Diaz from the mix, and the number becomes 5.66 or higher. The pen has two rookies and one pitcher in his second year of service time. Kevin Gadea and Arodys Vizcaino have been the veterans, but while Vizcaino has had some success in the past, Gadea's 5.96 ERA this year is right in line with his 5.94 mark last year.
The Brewers don't have an established group of veteran arms, yet their putting a ton of pressure on the staff by going to a four-man rotation with a six-man pen. It's difficult to see how the strategy pays off.
The two teams have faced off for two games this year. Each game resulted in an Oakland comeback victory. In the first game, a 7-7 game turned into a 13-7 Oakland win when Milwaukee's pen surrendered seven runs in 4 innings. The following game, a 3-1 lead for Milwaukee became a 6-3 loss when their pen gave up five runs in 4 innings. Milwaukee will need to help their bullpen next year, or they'll face another year of disappointment.
Questions for the GM's:
For Vic Black, you went with a shortened staff last year and the results were terrible. Why go back to the well this time?
A.J. Reed played about half the year last year. This year you've stuck with him all season. What's caused you to have more faith in him?
You had three first round picks this year, plus a pair of second rounders. How do you think you made out in the draft?
For Sam East, you made sure to acquire Miguel Sano, referencing how Ryon Healy's start may not be sustainable. Any thoughts on Healy getting run at first base some with how Matt Olson has struggled?
Aristedes Aquino had a nice season last year, but has been relegated to being a designated hitter against lefties thus far. What would it take for him to get more playing time?
You traded out of the first two rounds of the draft in the blockbuster trade with the Twins, and a smaller deal with the Pirates for Clay Holmes. How would you say those trades have worked now that you know who has been drafted.
MIL: Luis Ortiz (0-6, 5.95)
OAK: Jose Berrios (4-5, 4.89)
The Oakland Athletics made a number of major acquisitions over the offseason in an attempt to retain their status as a playoff team. The Milwaukee Brewers made a number of shrewd moves over the offseason to help give the team the lift it needed to make the postseason.
After all the moves, the A's and Brewers are right where they were last year.
The Athletics continue their attempt to win the AL West, while the Brewers continue struggling through a lost year, with the two teams clashing in the Game of the Week.
Credit for Oakland's success goes to Sam East, who has navigated a tight budget, yet has still made a number of moves to bring talent on to his team. His latest transaction may be his most controversial.
Ryon Healy was having a terrific season with the bat, hitting 17 home runs, driving in 42, and slugging the hell out of the board. However, instead of resting on Healy's hot start, East was concerned with Healy regressing to career averages and his middling defense. Rather than waiting for that to happen while hoping it wouldn't, East acquired slugger Miguel Sano. A volatile hitter who has managed extreme power with extreme swing-and-miss in his career. Sano has hit over 40 home runs twice, but has also lead the league in strikeouts twice. Last year he hit just .216 with a league-leading 230 strikeouts, while this year he had 11 home runs in just over 200 plate appearances for the Twins.
Sano is a big risk, but the power reward could be a huge for a team starved of power. It's a bold acquisition to acquire Sano and bench Healy, but one has to appreciate the upside of the move.
Milwaukee, made several safe, but smart moves over the offseason to shore up their rotation and defense. It didn't work.
The Brewers have a subpar defense, the worst bullpen in the league, and an awful starting staff. The Brewers have attempted to go to the short four-man staff they tested last year, but it hasn't worked as the team has the third-worst starters ERA in the NL. It's hard to test if the poor pitching has come on a lack of talent or a fatigued staff.
Luis Ortiz will take to the hill and he's been the worst of the Brewers' starters. After a nice start that lead to an All-Star nod last season, he faded in the second half, a stretch that has continued this year. He leads the majors in home runs allowed with 19 and he's struck out only 55 batters in 84.2 innings. He's had only two of his 16 starts go at least 6 innings and allow two or fewer runs. He's been one of the worst starters in the league.
Every member of the team's six-man bullpen—that's right, the team carries 10 pitchers—has an ERA of 4.63 or higher. Exclude Edwin Diaz from the mix, and the number becomes 5.66 or higher. The pen has two rookies and one pitcher in his second year of service time. Kevin Gadea and Arodys Vizcaino have been the veterans, but while Vizcaino has had some success in the past, Gadea's 5.96 ERA this year is right in line with his 5.94 mark last year.
The Brewers don't have an established group of veteran arms, yet their putting a ton of pressure on the staff by going to a four-man rotation with a six-man pen. It's difficult to see how the strategy pays off.
The two teams have faced off for two games this year. Each game resulted in an Oakland comeback victory. In the first game, a 7-7 game turned into a 13-7 Oakland win when Milwaukee's pen surrendered seven runs in 4 innings. The following game, a 3-1 lead for Milwaukee became a 6-3 loss when their pen gave up five runs in 4 innings. Milwaukee will need to help their bullpen next year, or they'll face another year of disappointment.
Questions for the GM's:
For Vic Black, you went with a shortened staff last year and the results were terrible. Why go back to the well this time?
A.J. Reed played about half the year last year. This year you've stuck with him all season. What's caused you to have more faith in him?
You had three first round picks this year, plus a pair of second rounders. How do you think you made out in the draft?
For Sam East, you made sure to acquire Miguel Sano, referencing how Ryon Healy's start may not be sustainable. Any thoughts on Healy getting run at first base some with how Matt Olson has struggled?
Aristedes Aquino had a nice season last year, but has been relegated to being a designated hitter against lefties thus far. What would it take for him to get more playing time?
You traded out of the first two rounds of the draft in the blockbuster trade with the Twins, and a smaller deal with the Pirates for Clay Holmes. How would you say those trades have worked now that you know who has been drafted.
