Earlier this season I wrote an article critical of Counsell’s use of Josh Hader (after praising him in April). Mid-season, when the Brewers were playing more like a .500 team than a division-winner, I assumed that overusing Hader was the only chance they had. As it turns out, I vastly underestimated just how good the Brewers […]
Tag: Craig Counsell
If you never use Hader, did he really happen?
I think we need to have a discussion of exactly what exactly we are saving Hader and Jeffress for at this point. What the Brewers should be saving them for is “right now.” There are 39 games to go, the Brewers have plenty of off days upcoming, and in 13 days rosters expand, allowing the […]
The Brewers Can’t Afford To Be Dumb
In the first half of the season Craig Counsell acted intelligently, especially about the use of is pitchers. This was important because the back half of the Brewer lineup was simply terrible, and to win games, they had to lock down the opponent. This is basically what happened as the Brewers surged to lead the […]
Aces Don’t Exist: Third Time Charmers
The Brewers are gaining a reputation for becoming a bullpen squad, part of the MLB bullpen revolution, and rightfully so. Over the offseason, the Brewers lost out on all the major free agency starting pitchers, and never consummated a trade for one of the (presumably, oft-rumored) available aces, instead remaining satisfied with marginal moves involving […]
Craig Counsell and Replay Challenges
In 2014, the baseball world entered the realm of replays. Before, one could only review home run balls, but now, teams can review any play on a baseball field that isn’t a ball or strike. In order to review a play, however, a manager needs to challenge a play. The manager only has one challenge, […]
Game 93 Recap: Pirates 5 Brewers 3
Move along, nothing to see here! The Brewers were staked to an early deficit by struggling veteran Matt Garza, but the battling bats made the game rather interesting in the late innings. WHOOPSIES!: The biggest play of the game came within the first four batters of the game, as the resurgent Matthew Joyce smacked a […]
The Flexibility of Craig Counsell
For a manager in baseball, as for any person of authority in any field, rigidity can be deadly. While every worker should try to change with the times and stay ahead of the curve, the decision-maker ultimately bears the most responsibility in these areas, since they set the example for everyone else to follow. In […]
Craig Counsell’s Approach to Stealing Bases
The Brewers, as a team, have their fair share of speedsters. Sure, Carlos Gomez has departed to so-called greener pastures [sobs], but Ryan Braun can still hold his own on the basepaths, as can Jean Segura. Plus, Orlando Arcia and Brett Phillips — who stole 25 and 18 bases, respectively, in 2015 — will arrive at […]
What Will the 2016 Brewers’ Bullpen Look Like?
The recent trade of Francisco Rodriguez means that the 2016 bullpen will look significantly different from the 2015 one. There will obviously be a new closer, but that specific title is less important than the specific leverage roles that each player will fill. Rodriguez was not just the Brewers’ closer; he was also one of […]
Rolling Out the Barrel: Stearns Ushers in New Era
I bet you’ll just never guess what we’re talking about this week, folks. It’s late in the year, the major league team is [insert interesting-sounding synonym for bad here], and we’ve got big news in the front office this week. Let’s dive in: Brew Crew Ball || Hiring of David Stearns cements new direction for […]