No MLB team has played fewer home games

[ORLANDOBREWER]

than the Brewers up to this point.

[brewers19]

And...?

[DougJones43]

I hope this isn't meant to be some kind of excuse for their poor play. I'm sure the margin isn't that wide compared to the amount of home games other teams have played. In the end, they will have to play 81 road games regardless, and if they can't find a way to be at least competetive during that half of the schedule, the home games won't even matter. That's prety much how it's been the past handful of years, at least.

[orca1963]

I agree, in order to be a champion you must beat teams on the road and teams above 500. Some seem to think that because we have had a tough schedule and games on the road that the record is forgivable. Nay I say, a thousand times nay. If you want to get to October you have to win against teams above 500 and you have to win on the road.

[ORLANDOBREWER]

There is a long way to go is what I am saying. Every team has its hot and cold streaks every year. 51 games have been played with 111 to go. 61 home and 50 on the road. Win 60% at home and 40% on the road which is close to what they have already done...this would put them around 85 wins. Right around what it is going to take to get in the playoffs ( which we have not done in a while ). Again, a long way to go...get back on the band wagon!

[dlk9s]

In the meantime, we're only 11-9 at home, which is far from tremendous. The bottom line is that we'll have to play better both at home and on the road to make the playoffs.

[HOF4canrake]

I'm by no way excusing their poor play at times, but how can anyone believe playing a bunch of road games can't wear down a team...especially if they are bunched together.

 

A quick look at the Brewers, Cubs and Cardinals...

 

The Brewers will endure 5 road trips of 9 or 10 games...they've already had 3 in the first 51 games...that is a brutal travel schedule.

 

The Cardinals will have 4 road trips of 9 or 10 games...they have yet to have a trip that long...Cards have two in June.

 

The Cubs will have just 2 trips of 9 or 10 games and have yet to endure either one.

 

You cannot simply say they should be able to adjust and they're professionals, so deal with it. They are human, they get tired and worn out. I believe the biggest stretch of games comes after, go figure, another 10 game road trip. Following 3 games in Atlanta, 3 in Minnesota and 4 in Arizona, the Brewers have a 10-game homestand with Pittsburgh (3), Colorado (4) and Cincinnati (3) starting July 4th. If they can use that run to catapult a number of games over .500, they'll be okay. I think, to a certain extent, they are fine right now just a handful of games under .500.

[LUKE232323]

60% home and 40% road gives us 56.6 more wins, or 80.6 wins on the season, not sure where you got 85 wins from. Right now this has the makings of a .500 team given the starting pitching and bullpen issues.

[DougJones43]

but how can anyone believe playing a bunch of road games can't wear down a team... You cannot simply say they should be able to adjust and they're professionals, so deal with it. They are human, they get tired and worn out.

Other teams seem to be able put up respectable road records, this year and every other.

 

It's May, and this Brewers team contains a lot of young guys. If they're already worn out, heaven help them during the dog days of August...

[ORLANDOBREWER]

I did say around 85 wins...sorry I wasn't exact on the percentages....39 - 22 (63.93%) at home and 22 - 28 (44.00%) on the road the rest of the way gets them there.....and with our TRUE ACE down for the 4 months at least an above .500 record would be an accomplishment to me this year. How many games were we over .500 last year??? We were in it until the last week right???

[LUKE232323]

The only accomplishment is playoffs. The season is a failure otherwise, regardless of Yo's injury or not. Winning 85 games really doesn't mean anything to me.

[craigharmann]

When it all comes down to it, you play half your games at home, half on the road. It doesn't matter that the majority so far have been on the road. That's how it breaks down.

[rluzinski]

An average team wins about 54% of their home games and 46% of their road games. The Brewers have played 11 extra road games than home games. If we switch 6 road games to home games, the Brewers would be expected to have won about half an extra game. Even if the Brewers have a higher than average home/road split, they should maybe be 1 game under.

 

I think that the Brewers are going to need 90+ games to make the playoffs. They are going to have to go on some kind of tear at some point to get back into this one.

[ORLANDOBREWER]

That sounds like large market George Steinbrener talking...even they don't win every year and sometimes they cannot even buy their way in at the end....especially without starting pitching. I know we were all waiting a very long time for Milwaukee to have winning season and now waiting for the playoffs finally. There is a long way to go is all I am saying.

[dlk9s]

We need to just keep playing at Wrigley. That should solve our road woes.

[trwi7]

We need to just keep playing at Wrigley. That should solve our road woes.

 

Sheets needs to keep pitching at Wrigley. He has two starts there and we've won both. Gallardo and Suppan won the others and Suppan got shelled in his other outing there. So yeah if we could play home games the rest of the year and then only Sheets pitching at Wrigley it would be good. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[pretendastronaut]

Right now I'm not confident in this team on the road, or at home. I'm not really looking forward to a homestand with the Braves, Astros and Dbacks at this point. As someone else pointed out, we're only 11-9 at home, so its not like we're playing huge at home like we did last season.

[Oldcity]

I hope this isn't meant to be some kind of excuse for their poor play.

I wouldn't say it's solely why they have a losing record, but certainly you'd admit they'd have a better record if the number of home and road games were flipped? Doesn't that make it somewhat of an excuse then, by definition?

[logan82]

rluzinski wrote:

I think that the Brewers are going to need 90+ games to make the playoffs. They are going to have to go on some kind of tear at some point to get back into this one.

If that's the case then I doubt we make the playoffs without some luck. I didn't think we would win more than 86 this year anyway. Of course what do I know.

[DougJones43]

but certainly you'd admit they'd have a better record if the number of home and road games were flipped?

Better, but probably still not good. Russ estimated their record would be 25-26 if the home and road game totals were switched. Personally, I would still be very disappointed with their play.

[InsomniacInkRoss]

home or away, we are pretty crappy right now

 

The White Sox have only played 2 more home games than us, and seem to be in first place

 

The Padres have a winning record during the day, but have only played 14 day games, therefore they just need more day games to turn this around

[Kurt]

It is kind of strange that the marlins have played 10 more home games than we have at this point.

[Oldcity]

The Padres have a winning record during the day, but have only played 14 day games, therefore they just need more day games to turn this around

How can you compare these two things? Playing at home is a clear advantage for any team because of the opportunity to bat last. That's an advantage even before you consider things like the home crowd, familiar stadium, no travel, etc.

 

[HOF4canrake]

Again, it's not the simple amount of road games, but how they're bunched. Okay, the White Sox have basically played the same amount of home games, but they have had only 1 road trip of 9 or 10 games compared to the Brewers' three.

 

I love stats as much as the next guy, but this is why, especially as a coach, I will never fully enter into a numbers world. These guys are still human beings who get tired, worn out, miss their families, etc. So, maybe the long trips have taken its toll. For those who have traveled, you have to understand this, right?

 

And yes, it's very easy to throw out there, "they'd win x amount of games if we flipped 6 road games to home games...it would still be disappointing." But, seriously, it doesn't work like that. Just like when a career .250 hitter is hitting .250 on the season and he is 4 for 4 in a game...impossible, right? And does that mean in his 5th at-bat he'd due to make an out or is he so confident at that point the numbers don't matter.

 

I appreciate the people on here that are experts in regards to statistics and the projections that follow, but let's stop pretending it always works out that way. Remember, we're still dealing with humans.

[Thurston Fluff]

HOF4 does have a point that long road trips do wear on people. Simple things like sleeping in your own bed, going home instead of the airport, eating in familiar spots, playing for a crowd that cheers for you, having the luxury of the home clubhouse vs the usually slightly less luxurious visitors, spending the few hours a day with family and friends vs the same guys you spend the work day with are some things I'd think would have some effect with several long trips over a short period of time.