Bull

Busch will be fine. Just needs a little rest to get his feet back under him.

Those comments were not to praise the likes of Zeferjahn, this iteration of Palencia, Thornton, or anyone else who typically goes one inning. It was more about better utilizing the guys who are being underutilized like Rea, soon Assad, and even Civale. They are being used in mop up duty or not at all. If we have one of them ready to go three, and if that means you can get better quality from Boyd and Shota going full out for 3 instead of saving their secondary pitches and energy for the third time through the order then 3 good innings of Boyd and three good innings of Rea is better than 6 bad innings from Boyd or Shota. I know that's a lot of "ifs." Thankfully, Boyd looked good. But I think having Rea ready to go 4 in Shota's next start if he gives up three gopher balls in the first is a good idea. And tell Shota that he's on a short leash, to use what he has early. Shota at 93 is a different pitcher than Shota at 91 on the four-seam. Last start, half his Four-Seamers were over 92MPH, topping out at 93.6. Just give me that half early and sit down. I know it's not that simple.

Yup, the best we can hope for is an encouragement to use his best stuff early instead of “saving it” for the third time through the order. If you give up three bombs, buddy, you ain’t getting a third time through the order. Or maybe his haircut will make a difference.

I still think we are missing the boat with Rea and Assad. I don't understand why Rea is in mop-up duty and Assad is in Iowa (I know there's still a day or two before he can come up, but somebody should have realized that and not lost him in this critical stretch) If they can piggyback Rea and Assad on Shota and Boyd, and I never have to read the name Zeferjahn again, I would be happy.

To clarify, I mean for these two series against the Brewers. These should be treated like a playoff series.

It's time to shift from how many innings he *can* pitch to how many he *should* pitch. This should be treated like a playoff series. If he gives up two home runs in the first inning, you yank him. Tell him to give max effort for one time through the order. This isn't about how many innings we can get out of these guys anymore. We had Rea in a blowout last night. we have innings, we need great innings.

I don't understand why the extra spot went to BJ Murray and not Assad. I would love to have Assad available tonight if Boyd just doesn't have it.

If we are looking for a negative today, Busch needs to wake up.

The obvious answer is what I teach little league centerfielders. If it’s to your left or right, you go for the ball and trust your corner outfielder to back you up. if it’s in front of you, there is no back up. You do NOT let that ball past you by laying out. Any clips of his play on balls in the gap? any clips of him on balls like that when he was putting up 7 (DRS I assume) per month earlier in the year?

Theilbar has to be gone soon, right? When Steele comes back?

Amazing start from Gausman. Time to give Zeferjahn mop-up duty, or is Rea back to long man?

lol, sorry. Just finished a 40 page PhD paper minutes before the game started. I'm hopped up on coffee and my radar is hyper-sensitive to making sure arguments and logic are consistent. Also the illegible ESPN "yips" commercial may be causing some sort of psychosis in me.

elite defense underrated moment. PCA can attempt those catches because of Seiya's range. It doesn't show up as an out this time, but it doesn't become a double either. And next time, PCA makes the catch instead of second guessing himself and allowing it to drop in front of him.

3 runs over 5.2 innings is a 5.4 runs per 9. Well ahead of the average 4.47 runs per game. They absolutely did not suck against the starter. This is a crazy narrative for the best and most consistent offense in baseball.

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