Why is no one focusing on the biggest concern on the roster right now?  All we ever here from talk radio or fan sites or the print media is that Weeks should not be leading off or Mota is horrible or Prince isnt producing like he should.  Well, if there is a problem on this roster and the biggest area for improvment its not Weeks, Mota or Prince.  Its Jeff Suppan. 

 I dont understand the mixed signals from management.  They claim they are in a full blown "win now" mode.  However, they continue to send Suppan out there when every game is critical.  In his last 27 innings (5 starts) 26 earned runs.  Over the course of the season, 5.04 era, 1.61 whip and a .304 average against.  He turns every hitter into George Brett. 

 Instead of this foolish notion of a home/road #5 starter platoon, why don't we banish suppan to the pen or the DL and let Bush and McClung, who are clearly outperforming Suppan take over.  If Jeff was a toolsy youngster who just needed to find some sort of groove, then perhaps it would be worth it to let him continue to make starts.  But, Suppan is an old, known commodity with not much chance of becoming effective down the stretch.

And then......our fearless leader Ned Yost allows Suppan to allow the game to get completly out of control.  7 runs, and he doesnt yank him?  McClung not scheduled to pitch until the next haleys comet, and Ned decides to let Suppan attempt to get out of that jam?  Come on.  Suppan was clearly not effective and was clearly incapable of getting out of that mess unscathed.  Ned should have not allowed Suppan to make another pitch after he loaded the bases with no one out.  He was gassed.  Houston was teeing off.  Ned blew that game as much as Suppan did.

The short story is......Suppan should not make another start this year unless injury dictates.

Well there are $42M obvious reasons that Suppan will continue to start.

Not to mention, if you look at his career numbers, he is at his best in April & May, has struggled in June/July, and has been very good in the last six weeks of the year (see NLCS MVP award).

This notion that McClung should be starting ahead of him is ridiculous

Brewin:

Well there are $42M obvious reasons that Suppan will continue to start.

Then I dont want to hear anyone say that Mark A, Doug M or Ned Y are in a "win now" mentality.  If they are not willing to admit they made a contractual overreach with Suppan and potentially cost themselves a playoff spot, then they have issues.

I am always wary of small sample sizes, but in this case I think its fair to line Mcclungs numbers up against Suppans for this season.  Mcclung is destroying Suppan

ERA 4.35>5.04

whip 1.40>1.61

opp avg .249>.304

Suppan has benifited from recent Milwaukee offensive outbursts.  If he had put up these numbers in games where the Brewers didnt bail him out with a bunch of crooked numbers, perhaps more people would be calling for his ouster.

The Brewers are 8 and 2 since the All Star game, they are 15 games above .500 and 1 game out of first place in their division. Let Yost worry about the line-ups and everyone else should try to enjoy watching the games. I was down on some things Melvin and Yost were doing before the All Star break but they've proven to me they've earned the right to make those decisions so I've backed off criticizing moves they make.

Enjoy the games and let them worry about who is going to play or pitch in each game.

Why is no one focusing on the biggest concern on the roster right now? 

I think the biggest concern on the roster right now is trying to win this series and survive August with Shouse the only lefty in the pen.   Many people have serious concerns on how Yost handles the pitchers.  Having only one lefty in the pen makes it difficult no matter who is managing.  Yesterday, for example, after Suppan lucked out and got Carlos Lee to fly out on what was not a great pitch Yost could have went to Setter to turn Blum around to a right handed hitter.  Blum has about 1900 less AB's as a righty and his average drops nearly 30 points.  That certainly would have been a better matchup than either Suppan or McClung facing Blum hitting lefty.  But I can understand Yost's reluctance to burn his only lefty in the 5th inning in what was then only a one run game.  (Note: this in no way is an attempt to excuse Yost for leaving Suupan in as long as he did.  Anyone surely would have been better at that point.)  I am not sure what sort of minor league options either Bush or McClung have left but I think the Brewers have to choose between one of them damn soon as a starter and get another lefty up in that pen.  This current platoon not only hurts both of them it also has serious potential damage the overall effectiveness of the bullpen.

Mitch Stetter is basically unhittable vs leftys.  I have no idea why isnt on the mlb roster right now.

Brewin:

Well there are $42M obvious reasons that Suppan will continue to start.

Not to mention, if you look at his career numbers, he is at his best in April & May, has struggled in June/July, and has been very good in the last six weeks of the year (see NLCS MVP award).

This notion that McClung should be starting ahead of him is ridiculous

I agree that Suppan statistically is better the later part of the season.  But I am not sure his contract is the reason he would continue to start, however.  Eric Gagne's huge contract was miffed after stinkin' up the place, leaving the closer role to a lesser paid Salomon Torres.  Suppan is an innings eater, but I don't think he's performed better than McClung lately, and I'm not sure I'm convinced that he's 100% healthy either.  Suppan is known as a high character guy, so if there's anything bothering him injury wise, his delivery, etc...he would get it resolved. 

Later in the season, or if the Brewers get to the post-season and he pitches like he has his last 3 outings, it would be disturbing as a fan to find out he wasn't 100%.

My guess is Suppan STILL has that dead arm. He was decent his first start back from the DL as he started getting the ball down by the second inning in St. Louis.  Yesterday, that rag arm came back and he was upmin the zone all day.  It was predictable that he was going to get lit up by the 5th, and he did.

Mark my words, he will be back on the DL because he does have a dead arm right now, and because you can solve the platoon joke that they are about to embark on between Bush and McClung.  The idea of a platoon in the rotation is more troubling to me than Sup or only one lefty in the bulpen.

Our rotation is fine, the numbers more than support that. Sup is hurt in my opinion, and he should be put on the DL until last call-ups. I anticipate that happening soon.

I think from all the stupidity of yesterday's game and venom showed towards yost,  I think the title of this thread says it all.  With all the "fire Yost now" and "we will never win with Yost", people are forgetting the real problem and that is a starting pitcher who cannot go three innings without giving up 6+ runs unless he is lucky and they hit it right at somebody.   I dont know what you do.  I firmly believe that if this team does not make the playoffs, it will be because of the stubborness and stupidity of running this guy out there every five days. 

The next two years are also a problem.  i really believe his contract will be the central reason why we will lose both of our "aces", or if we sign one of the "aces" we will almost assuredly lose one of our young stars on the MLB team.  The elephant is in the room and right now he is destroying whatever delicate base this team has built up.  To consider him an intergral part of this team, along with the whole Mota/Stetter thing, just because of their contract could be the ultimate reason why Yost might not have a job at the end of the year and why we could be crying in our beers again in September

willie key:

I think from all the stupidity of yesterday's game and venom showed towards yost,  I think the title of this thread says it all.  With all the "fire Yost now" and "we will never win with Yost", people are forgetting the real problem and that is a starting pitcher who cannot go three innings without giving up 6+ runs unless he is lucky and they hit it right at somebody.   I dont know what you do.  I firmly believe that if this team does not make the playoffs, it will be because of the stubborness and stupidity of running this guy out there every five days. 

The next two years are also a problem.  i really believe his contract will be the central reason why we will lose both of our "aces", or if we sign one of the "aces" we will almost assuredly lose one of our young stars on the MLB team.  The elephant is in the room and right now he is destroying whatever delicate base this team has built up.  To consider him an intergral part of this team, along with the whole Mota/Stetter thing, just because of their contract could be the ultimate reason why Yost might not have a job at the end of the year and why we could be crying in our beers again in September

 

First, Suppan has allowed 3 ER or less in 13 of his 20 starts. Admitted, it's not a good percentage, but still. And last Tuesday in St. Louis, he allowed 3 ER in 7 IP, so your first assumption is just flat out wrong.

Secondly, why will his contract prevent us from losing one of the young stars? None of the young nucleus is up for free agency in the next 2 years, by the time they are, Suppan will be off the books. As for the 2 aces, I can't see the Brewers offering $100 million for anyone and that has little to do with Suppan's deal.

I do agree that the only reason he is in the rotation right now is because of his contract.

And that goes against the "going for it" philosophy.

brewguru:

willie key:

I think from all the stupidity of yesterday's game and venom showed towards yost,  I think the title of this thread says it all.  With all the "fire Yost now" and "we will never win with Yost", people are forgetting the real problem and that is a starting pitcher who cannot go three innings without giving up 6+ runs unless he is lucky and they hit it right at somebody.   I dont know what you do.  I firmly believe that if this team does not make the playoffs, it will be because of the stubborness and stupidity of running this guy out there every five days. 

The next two years are also a problem.  i really believe his contract will be the central reason why we will lose both of our "aces", or if we sign one of the "aces" we will almost assuredly lose one of our young stars on the MLB team.  The elephant is in the room and right now he is destroying whatever delicate base this team has built up.  To consider him an intergral part of this team, along with the whole Mota/Stetter thing, just because of their contract could be the ultimate reason why Yost might not have a job at the end of the year and why we could be crying in our beers again in September

 

First, Suppan has allowed 3 ER or less in 13 of his 20 starts. Admitted, it's not a good percentage, but still. And last Tuesday in St. Louis, he allowed 3 ER in 7 IP, so your first assumption is just flat out wrong.

Secondly, why will his contract prevent us from losing one of the young stars? None of the young nucleus is up for free agency in the next 2 years, by the time they are, Suppan will be off the books. As for the 2 aces, I can't see the Brewers offering $100 million for anyone and that has little to do with Suppan's deal.

 

I do agree that the only reason he is in the rotation right now is because of his contract.

And that goes against the "going for it" philosophy.

i'll say it again if he gives up less than five runs its luck.  They hit it hard at somebody.  He doesnt make anyone swing and miss.  He is batting practice, but keep defending him.  He's terrible, terrible, terrible.  He was awful last year and this year.  And BTW how many of those 3 ER or less were done in 7 innings?  People rip Rich Harden because he goes 5 shutout innings.  His contract will cost us a good player.  It's hard to quantify because we are not in negotiations, but believe me his 24 million over two years will cost them a player.