Here are some thoughts and observations from the margins of my scorebook as the Brewers snap their mini three-game slide and win the opener of the series over the Cardinals 8-2.

Brewers run the bases better than anyone

Running the bases is not always about how fast you run, but how you run. The Brewers lead StatCast’s Baserunning Run Value as an overall team and specifically on taking extra bases. They’ve created 13 more runs than an average team this season with their attempts to take an extra base.

Take the third inning as a perfect example of this metric. First, Caleb Durbin scoring on a sac fly to moderate depth right field. Jordan Walker has a very good arm (94 MPH) and Durbin slightly above average speed (28.4 ft/sec peak).

This would be considered a risky send and taking an extra base. The chaos after the play doesn’t have anything to do with the metric, but it set up our next play with Sal at third.

The “contact play” has a fanbase divided. Depending on the speed of the runner at third, plus when the opponent has the infield in, you predetermine if you’re going to try to score on contact. Frelick is certainly fast enough to make an attempt, and not hesitating is the only way to score on a play like this.

The Brewers are third in baseball at scoring runners from third with less than two outs, a 54% rate. A season ago, that number was 47% or the sixth-WORST in baseball. The Brewers even had the most outs at home as a team last year at 27, but they have sliced that number to only 12 this year.

Jake Bauers is looking healthy again

Friday was an easy day at the office for Jake Bauers with two plate appearances: a walk, run scored, and an RBI double. The latter was roped at 108 MPH to the left-center gap – his 10th “hard hit” ball of the month.

He’s already one shy of his high in batted balls for a month with 11 back in May, but there has been a ton of loud contact all month. Bauers’ average exit velocity in September is 96.4 MPH, which leads the Crew with at least 20 PAs.

I spent a segment on Thursday night during Brewers Weekly projecting the playoff roster, and Bauers is going to be the only true lefty coming off the bench as of now. That’s important because you may recall the first pinch-hit homer in Brewers postseason history a year ago.

Murph’s win tonight rant

Pat Murphy was asked in his pregame media session Friday how to keep the squad focused with just 15 games to go. He even paused for a moment to warn that there would be a lot of “coach speak” coming with this question. But Murph launched himself onto a soap box for two-and-a-half minute answer about how important it is to “win tonight” now more than ever.

You can listen to Dom Cotroneo on Brewers Extra Innings after most Brewers games here on 620 WTMJ and available wherever you get your podcasts, “Brewers All Access”