Cubs vs Brewers schedule

[Patrick425]

If this was already mentioned at some point, I apologize. However, I was looking at the schedule today and it looks like the Brewers play the Cubs 7 games at home and 9 at Wrigley this year. I thought to myself, it must alternate every other year. So, I looked at last years schedule. Unless I missed something (and that could very well be) they played 6 games at Miller last year and 9 at Wrigley!?! In 2006, it was 7 and 7. So, assuming I counted the games correctly, what's the logic in this? I can understand with most games being 3 games that it's hard to always split the series evenly, but don't you think they would try to alternate back and forth from year to year??

[CportBadger]

The schedule is tough enough to come up with as it is. I'm sure they try to keep things as balanced as they can, but when you have to schedule 162 games for 30 teams and take into account travel concerns, a discrepancy of one series here or there over the course of a few years is probably the least of their MLB's concerns.

[naivin]

Well, the way things have gone thus far, this could be a good thing.

[berniebrewer4life]

Anybody know our record at Wrigley the last few years? I have a feeling it's pretty decent.

[trwi7]

2003-Now we are 21-21 at Wrigley.

[PlayerHader]

The schedule is tough enough to come up with as it is. I'm sure they try to keep things as balanced as they can, but when you have to schedule 162 games for 30 teams and take into account travel concerns, a discrepancy of one series here or there over the course of a few years is probably the least of their MLB's concerns.

This point would have its merit if the teams weren't an hour and a half bus ride from eachother. It's not like the Cubs would have to fly across the country in a middle of a homestand to get to Milwaukee and play the Brewers.

[Getpaddled]

I'm drunk enough to attempt to come up with a schedule for 162 games/ 30 teams and make the least distance traveled as possible....... If I came up with something better then good, think anyone would important take in my schedule for future years?

[Patrick425]

The schedule is tough enough to come up with as it is. I'm sure they try to keep things as balanced as they can, but when you have to schedule 162 games for 30 teams and take into account travel concerns, a discrepancy of one series here or there over the course of a few years is probably the least of their MLB's concerns.

I completely understand that. I'm not sure how the whole process works or if it's computerized at all. However, if one year the Brewers are playing 9 games at Wrigley and 6 games at Miller Park, wouldn't it make sense that the schedule tilts the other way the next year? How hard is that, especially, as other pointed out, when the teams are 90 minutes from each other? Given that this is against a division rival (not to mention the fact that the Cubs coming to Miller is a big revenue generator for the Brewers), I would think this kind of give and take from year to year would be an important factor in determine the schedule. If I'm the Brewers I would be complaining loudly about this situation.

 

13 games at Miller and 18 at Wrigley over the course of two consecutive years?? That's ridiculous.

[kramnoj]

I'm drunk enough to attempt to come up with a schedule for 162 games/ 30 teams and make the least distance traveled as possible....... If I came up with something better then good, think anyone would important take in my schedule for future years?

 

If you're serious, it would be in your interest to do it. A couple of years ago a Pittsburgh consulting firm was awarded the contract and was paid several hundred thousand dollars to do it. I think they lost the contract to somebody else, but it is certainly a lucrative business,

[CportBadger]

I completely understand that. I'm not sure how the whole process works or if it's computerized at all. However, if one year the Brewers are playing 9 games at Wrigley and 6 games at Miller Park, wouldn't it make sense that the schedule tilts the other way the next year? How hard is that, especially, as other pointed out, when the teams are 90 minutes from each other? Given that this is against a division rival (not to mention the fact that the Cubs coming to Miller is a big revenue generator for the Brewers), I would think this kind of give and take from year to year would be an important factor in determine the schedule. If I'm the Brewers I would be complaining loudly about this situation.

 

13 games at Miller and 18 at Wrigley over the course of two consecutive years?? That's ridiculous.

I understand what you are saying, but it has to work out with the rest of the schedule that you end up with 81 home and 81 on the road. I have no idea how the pattern has been with the rest of the division and NL opponents, but my guess is that when you try to work out how to schedule all these games that it would be extremely difficult to make sure if the Brewers hosted the Cubs twice one year, that they automatically host three series the following season.

 

For instance, say the initial schedule they are able to spit out has two series in Miller Park, but they want to make it three to even it out. Then, they have to take away a Brewers home series vs. someone else, and it would set up a chain reaction. I think it is a very difficult process to come up with, but my guess is if you looked at it over an 8-10 year span, things would randomly work itself out.

 

[Tbadder]

One thing that I would do to simplify the schedule would be to make the majority of series 5 games long. This would cut down on travel and expense, and would give each team a chance to trot out all 5 starters. I don't know if it's plausible, but there's some intuitive sense to it.

[Patrick425]

For instance, say the initial schedule they are able to spit out has two series in Miller Park, but they want to make it three to even it out. Then, they have to take away a Brewers home series vs. someone else, and it would set up a chain reaction. I think it is a very difficult process to come up with, but my guess is if you looked at it over an 8-10 year span, things would randomly work itself out.

 

 

I would think it would make sense to start with the division schedule of each team and look at how it was set up the previous year. If the Brewers played 3 home series against Houston and 2 away the previous year, then this year set it up so there is 2 home series and 3 away. Then do that with all the other teams in the division. THEN, fill out the rest of the schedule. That way there would be no need to "take away" a home series or set off some sort of "chain reaction"

 

Yes, maybe things even out over the course of 10 years, but that seems like a long time to "even things out". At this period in time the Cubs and Brewers are arguably the two best teams in the Central and I think it's important that the home/away schedule not be so lopsided in a stretch of 2 or 3 years. By the time it get's "evened out", the two teams might be miles apart as far as talent goes and the home/away schedule will have less significance.

[cubfan1126]

I've often wondered about the schedule myself.

Two years in a row we had 3 series at Houston and 2 series with the Astros at home.
The last two years it's reversed. So to echo a previously raised question why not alternate?

More of an issue to me is the interleague schedule. A few years ago (2005?) we had The Yankees and Red Sox on our schedule and the Astros had neither. This year it's the other way around and Astro fans were complaining on their board. How about 2004, when the NLC played the ALW and each NLC team played an 2 extra series within the division because of the imbalance (remember this is before your team got good and we were coming off a division title). Our 2 extra series were with the Astros and Cards while each of them played us and one of the non-contenders.

How is your "natural rivalry" with Minnesota? or Houston-Texas or St Louis-Kansas City? Do you think of them have even close to the same intensity as ours with the White Sox? And speaking of Kansas City, we haven't even played them since 2001. On the other hand we have had only 1 series against Boston.

In the long run it all does even out.