20-5 in last 25 games

[Patrick425]

What I was trying to figure out was what is the greatest lead that the Brewers have ever had in a division. From my research, the best I could find was 6.5 games in 1982 (around late Aug/early Sept).

 

 

edit: I guess they had an 8.5 game lead in late June of 2007. I didn't realize it got that high before their big collapse in the second half that year.

[JohnBriggs12]

I just counted it up and the Brewers have won 20 out of their last 25 games. I can't remember a stretch where the Brewers as a team were this locked in and finding ways to win! I just love it!!!!

If you were counting, you'd have noticed they are 17-2 over their last 19 including win streaks of 7, 6, and the current 4.. That goes back to the first home series after the All Star break.

[razzzorsharp]

Well, if they win 20 of their next 40 now they have a great shot of getting in (90%).

[JohnBriggs12]

What I was trying to figure out was what is the greatest lead that the Brewers have ever had in a division. From my research, the best I could find was 6.5 games in 1982 (around late Aug/early Sept).

 

 

edit: I guess they had an 8.5 game lead in late June of 2007. I didn't realize it got that high before their big collapse in the second half that year.

The collapse started before the 2nd half. You should recall they went to Chicago the last weekend of June that year up 7.5 games and had the Cubs ready to go down another game when Ramirez homered in the 9th off of Cordero with 2 out to turn a win into a loss. I remember exactly where I was at that moment and got a sick feeling. That woke the Cubs up. The lead was down to 4.5 by the All Star break it never got any higher.

[pretendastronaut]

Remember our 7 game losing streak to start May, which put us at 13-19? Since that time, the records of the top 5 teams in baseball;

 

ATL: 52-36 .590

NYY: 55-34 .618

MIL: 58-32 .644

PHI: 57-31 .648

BOS: 59-28 .678

[Baldkin]

What I was trying to figure out was what is the greatest lead that the Brewers have ever had in a division. From my research, the best I could find was 6.5 games in 1982 (around late Aug/early Sept).

 

 

edit: I guess they had an 8.5 game lead in late June of 2007. I didn't realize it got that high before their big collapse in the second half that year.

The collapse started before the 2nd half. You should recall they went to Chicago the last weekend of June that year up 7.5 games and had the Cubs ready to go down another game when Ramirez homered in the 9th off of Cordero with 2 out to turn a win into a loss. I remember exactly where I was at that moment and got a sick feeling. That woke the Cubs up. The lead was down to 4.5 by the All Star break it never got any higher.

I was at that game at Wrigley. I've never exited a stadium quicker than I did that day. It was my 3rd Brewers road game I'd attended, and the 3rd time Coco Cordero had blown a save (Chicago and St Louis in Sept 2006).

 

The 2007 Meltdown really started with Cordero blowing a save on the road in Texas.Up 3-0 with 2 outs, he went 0-2 on (I believe) 3 straight hitters, and the Rangers scored 4 runs to win.

 

They might've been up by more games than they were that day, but....

[RobDeer 45]

Yes, this staff has been more than I could even dreamed it would be. I mean I thought they'd be good but this is tremendous. It pains me to think about our starters last year. Man were we terrible.

 

Kudos to DM for bringing in K Rod, he's really made this bullpen a great group. It just set them up to have so much more success.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Kudos to DM for bringing in K Rod, he's really made this bullpen a great group. It just set them up to have so much more success.

K-Rod has seemed to change the entire dynamic of the bullpen, hasn't he?

 

It's funny how one guy gives us the perception that the bullpen is 'that much' better with him in it.

[Mays Hayes]

I was at that game at Wrigley. I've never exited a stadium quicker than I did that day. It was my 3rd Brewers road game I'd attended, and the 3rd time Coco Cordero had blown a save (Chicago and St Louis in Sept 2006).

 

The 2007 Meltdown really started with Cordero blowing a save on the road in Texas.Up 3-0 with 2 outs, he went 0-2 on (I believe) 3 straight hitters, and the Rangers scored 4 runs to win.

 

They might've been up by more games than they were that day, but....

I too was at Wrigley for that game, front row, left field bleachers. If I remember correctly the Brewers jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first inning, Gallardo was throwing, we were having a great time heckling Soriano in left field who had struck out in his first 2 plate appearances on just 6 or 7 pitches. It all went downhill from there, the Brewers never scored again, and lost on that Ramirez walk off 3 run homer... uggh, I thought it was going to be a great day/night in Chicago.... When that ball came off Ramirez' bat I wanted to disappear, you have to exit through a lot of excited and annoying Cub fans when you're sitting in the front row, definately a walk of shame moment!

[SeriesFinale]

I remember everything about that gutshot Brewers loss at Wrigley, probably the worst gutshot outside Game 7 of the '82 WS, even though it was the middle of the year. I knew it was over for the young streaking Brew Crew pretty much then and there, although I was well and truly devastated when they got swept in SF by a bad Giants' team the next month.

 

I have a really hard time seeing a similar meltdown this year--the Cards have a tougher schedule and the Brewers are just better this year, which I don't think I could say in '07 in comparison to that Cubs' team over the haul.

 

While I'm impressed by how hot they are, and I'm loving watching it, I hate to admit that overall I'm not too particularly surprised they're in this specific standing like I was in '07--if anything I expected them to be neck-and-neck with the Reds right now.

[Ayt]

The rotation has been awesome. Wolf has been on an amazing stretch. Who would have guessed that Randy Wolf would have the best ERA among our starters at this time in the season.

Not just the rotation, the bullpen has also been fabulous. Ever since Melvin got K-Rod and Saito being healthy has also been key, the bullpen has been lights out for the most part. The rotation almost every night is going at least six innings and if a starter leaves the game with a lead or the score tied, our bullpen puts up mostly zeros and the end result is a win. Plus, because the rotation has been so effective and almost never melts down early in games, it's allowed the key bullpen arms to avoid being used in garbage situations simply to finish nine innings.

 

Look how often last year starters either had to be yanked before the 5th inning and/or had to be pulled before finishing at least six innings, forcing the bullpen to regularly cover close to four innings or more. This year, we've had guys in the pen like Dillard currently who rarely even get into games and older veterans like Saito and Hawkins can be rested unless for when needed in close game situations. The team doesn't ever have to carry 13 pitchers and continually call arms up from the minors because the pen is gassed.

 

When you think about the overall state of the pitching staff last season and where it is right now, it's been a pretty incredible reversal in just one season. Kudos to Doug for that.

Just think if we had a dominate LOOGY in the pen on top of what we have. Our top 4 relievers are good enough to make up for it (off speed stuff away, good location with the fastball), but having a great lefty would really send us over the top.

 

[jjfanec]

18 of 20 now. 8 in row, then a loss, 5 in a row, then a loss, 5 in a row right now

[fondybrewfan]

I am a little concerned about the lack of offense the last couple 4 games or so. Only 8 runs in 4 games; of course we only gave up 2 runs during that same stretch. I am sure the offense will turn it around again.

[dlk9s]

I'm not concerned. Tough offensive stretches happen. They'll bounce back.

[RobDeer 45]

Brewers Brewers, we're turning up the heat....MIlwaukee Brewers.....

 

Hahaha, love that dang song

[bucks2281]

I remember everything about that gutshot Brewers loss at Wrigley, probably the worst gutshot outside Game 7 of the '82 WS, even though it was the middle of the year. I knew it was over for the young streaking Brew Crew pretty much then and there, although I was well and truly devastated when they got swept in SF by a bad Giants' team the next month.

 

I have a really hard time seeing a similar meltdown this year--the Cards have a tougher schedule and the Brewers are just better this year, which I don't think I could say in '07 in comparison to that Cubs' team over the haul.

 

While I'm impressed by how hot they are, and I'm loving watching it, I hate to admit that overall I'm not too particularly surprised they're in this specific standing like I was in '07--if anything I expected them to be neck-and-neck with the Reds right now.

I think it's really interesting how so many fans vividly remember that loss -- even though after it ended, the Brewers led by 6.5 games and won 13-4 the next afternoon. I still remember where I was -- and how crappy I felt the rest of that day. If anything, it was the first pennant race gut punch loss for Brewers fans in a long, long time.

[tomwopat]

I was at that game at Wrigley. I've never exited a stadium quicker than I did that day. It was my 3rd Brewers road game I'd attended, and the 3rd time Coco Cordero had blown a save (Chicago and St Louis in Sept 2006).

 

The 2007 Meltdown really started with Cordero blowing a save on the road in Texas.Up 3-0 with 2 outs, he went 0-2 on (I believe) 3 straight hitters, and the Rangers scored 4 runs to win.

 

They might've been up by more games than they were that day, but....

I too was at Wrigley for that game, front row, left field bleachers. If I remember correctly the Brewers jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first inning, Gallardo was throwing, we were having a great time heckling Soriano in left field who had struck out in his first 2 plate appearances on just 6 or 7 pitches. It all went downhill from there, the Brewers never scored again, and lost on that Ramirez walk off 3 run homer... uggh, I thought it was going to be a great day/night in Chicago.... When that ball came off Ramirez' bat I wanted to disappear, you have to exit through a lot of excited and annoying Cub fans when you're sitting in the front row, definately a walk of shame moment!

I was also at that game. Paid way too much for bleacher tickets. Had high hopes after that first inning, but then everything went wrong. Work called me. The Brewers fell apart, capped off by the Ramirez walk-off that resulted in a traditional Wrigley Field Bleachers beer shower.

 

I'll never forget that Ramirez home run trot, I think he ran backwards part of the way up the first base line.

[pretendastronaut]

I'm not concerned. Tough offensive stretches happen. They'll bounce back.

 

I was commenting at the game last night, how in years past we didn't have the pitching to pick us up when the offense went through a cold stretch, and this year we've had that, especially in the second half. You won't have all parts of your game working every night, but the last few days they've been doing it with pitching and defense and then being resilient in the clutch. That is the making of a good team, and it really feels like they've matured into a solid unit as the year went on. Hopefully that's not just a winning streak talking.

[SeriesFinale]

I remember everything about that gutshot Brewers loss at Wrigley, probably the worst gutshot outside Game 7 of the '82 WS, even though it was the middle of the year. I knew it was over for the young streaking Brew Crew pretty much then and there, although I was well and truly devastated when they got swept in SF by a bad Giants' team the next month.

I think it's really interesting how so many fans vividly remember that loss -- even though after it ended, the Brewers led by 6.5 games and won 13-4 the next afternoon. I still remember where I was -- and how crappy I felt the rest of that day. If anything, it was the first pennant race gut punch loss for Brewers fans in a long, long time.

Yeah, I was following along at work and I pretty much had to get up from my desk and go walk around a bit after that one--I remember being very thankful at the least that I didn't live in Chicago anymore at least for that day.

 

The following year, I put a hole in my door while watching this game (which is still there; I actually stopped watching for a few days because I felt I was getting too torn up watching them fumble it away). Everything about it seemed like the Ramirez Walkoff Homer II, but thankfully the story had a happier ending in '08.

[dlk9s]

I remember watching the Ramirez homer in my home office. I was standing, not sitting, and I think I even called the shot.

 

And we finished 2 games back that year. Win that game, and we have a tie.

[Glennron]

It's funny looking back on how many heartwrenching losses there were in the '07 and '08 seasons. The Shouse vs. Pat Burrell game (Yost's last or second last game as manager) probably takes the cake for me. A bunch of friends were watching the Packers game against the Lions, and I was obsessively following mlb.com's Gameday. I'm actually glad I was at someone else's apartment because I probably would've broken something.

 

Going back to the topic of hot streaks though, it would be nice if Arizona started losing. They walked it off tonight against Roy Halladay who was pitching awesomely until Overbay doubled in the final two runs.

[tigerbrew]

I hope the Brewers win 100 games this season, that would be really sweet and awesome memory for many years to come.

[berniebrewer4life]

I hope the Brewers win 100 games this season, that would be really sweet and awesome memory for many years to come.

it could happen, but we would need to go 28-10 to end the year. I doubt we stay that hot, despite the easy schedule. High 90s isn't out of the question tho.

[jjfanec]

How good has the pitching been lately?

 

"The Brewers' pitching staff has posted a 2.21 ERA since July 26, with the team going 18-2 over that span. The bullpen has not allowed an inherited runner to score over that stretch."

 

That is insane.

[FVBrewerFan]

Actually 28-10 isn't that crazy with the schedule for the rest of the season. No doubt, the odds are firmly against 100 wins, but it wouldn't take a huge fluke to get there.