Notes: Arcia will get fine-tuning
When Brewers rookie shortstop Orlando Arcia hit his first major-league home run Friday night, as usual, he put his all into it.
Arcia often takes big swings, sometimes jumping at pitches and not maintaining balance. Beyond the exuberance of a young player, he has an aggressive nature that sometimes works against him but also makes him an exciting player.
“That’s part of what we’re trying to tone down a little bit,” manager Craig Counsell said Friday night. “He’s got such great hand-eye coordination in general, he has gotten away with a lot of moving parts. Every hitter, as they progress, tries to be quiet (at the plate) yet still generate the same rhythm and bat speed.
“He has always jumped at the baseball. He has had a big move to the ball. That’s what we’re working with him on. Not to eliminate it, but to tone down, make it quieter."
Counsell and his coaches don't want to overload Arcia with too much information or suggest a bunch of changes at this early stage, but most young players need tweaks in their game to grow and make a difference in the majors.
"That’s what we do, try to teach, all with the right goal in mind, to make him a better baseball player," Counsell said.
Close-knit bunch: The Brewers’ bullpen has overcome many challenges and adversity this season, and those who work there say their all-for-one and one-for-all culture has been a factor in that success.
“It’s very similar to the bullpen I pitched in last year in Minnesota,” said veteran right-hander Blaine Boyer. “We had a bunch of guys who were unproven. Some had been around. Everybody had talent but there was no absolute rock star out there.
“Everybody in our bullpen expects to get the job done in whatever situation you’re in, whether you’re closing a game or you’re the long guy. We have confidence in each other to do whatever it takes to get the job done. We all support each other, and that makes a difference.”
Coming out of spring training, the Brewers’ bullpen was thinned by injuries, leading to the acquisitions of Carlos Torres and, a bit later, Jhan Mariñez. Eventually, lefty Will Smith and right-hander Corey Knebel returned from lengthy disabled list stays, further strengthening the group.
The back end was thinned again, however, when closer Jeremy Jeffress and Smith were traded in separate deals on July 31. Again, the relief corps regrouped and continued getting big outs to give the team chances to win.
Entering the Brewers’ game Saturday evening against Pittsburgh at Miller Park, the bullpen had compiled a 3.71 earned run average since the trades of Jeffress and Smith, ranking third in the National League over that period behind the Pirates (2.41) and Cardinals (3.65).
Over the previous six games, the relievers had been particularly effective, compiling a 0.75 ERA (two earned runs in 24 innings) while holding opponents to a .148 batting average. That spell was snapped when Boyer surrendered a three-run double to Gregory Polanco in the sixth inning to snap a 6-6 tie.
Boyer lauded bullpen coach Lee Tunnell for keeping things loose yet organized as well as Counsell for not overworking pitchers despite a rotation that rarely pitches deep in games.
"We rely on each other," Boyer said. "When one of us goes into the game, the rest of us are all fired up, wanting to watch him succeed. We have each other’s backs. I think that helps fuel success."