Expectations For The Phillies Series

[Crew2323]

The Brewers definitely face a challenge with Hamels, Halladay, Lee, and Worley pitching this series. Word is that Chase Utley is not on the team flight though because of concussion concerns after being hit in the head with a pitch. Could be a big loss for them this series. And if we've seen anything with Justin Morneau and Denard Span, something like that could keep him out a while, if not the whole year. So what are your expectations for this series?

[pitchleague]

I want at least a split and that's what I expect. I've been saying for a couple of months now that I've been looking forward to this series as a truth test of where we are with 3 weeks to go before the real thing.

 

It won't be any tougher than facing Lee, Halladay, Worley, and Hamels (in the real order, not this fake order that I came up) but I think we're up to the challenge. And if not, maybe it'll be like the Packers losing to Atlanta in the regular season and making up for it in the post-season. (okay that comment only is written because I'm fired up after having finished that "America's Game" show on NFL network tonight.)

[Oldcity]

Like all the series lately--just win one game and all will be fine.

[Invader3K]

I really hope they split, but if they just win one I'll be reasonably satisfied.

[RockCoCougars]

I'll take a split... and a sweep one way or the other in St. Louis.

[brewerguy71]

I would expect one win for the Brewers in this series. They really arent much of a match for the Phillies this season, no one is. It will be nice to think of it as a playoff preview, but the Phillies are in a whole different class of team. In the past two months of the season, 37% of the Brewers oppoents are really bad (Astros, Cubs, Marlins, Padres), they havent played any playoff teams at all, and their record against teams that are .500 or better during that span is 5-7. At the same time the Phillies have 10%, 7-4 against playoff teams, and 9-4 against teams above .500.

[yoshii8]

I expect the Brewers to win 3 out of 4, or at least split. I will be disappointed w/ anything else.

[carniesandrubes]

The way the offense has been missing in action lately, I'm expecting 1 win, and that win will likely come because of one big inning while they struggle the rest of the game.

[joepepsi]

My expectation for the Phillies series is only that no one in Wisconsin except for me will be watching the game tonight.

[Dragonbait]

Aww joe,,, thats not true....

 

I'll have the game on the other Tv in the other room to run to during commercials of the Packer game.

[Bernman23]

Aside from the bare minimum that's necessary to win the division, the Brewers better show something against the level opponents they're going to face in the playoffs and stop the D-Backs from catching them to have realistic expectations of doing anything in October. Given what they sacrificed for this season, another 2008 result wouldn't be satisfactory.

[fondybrewfan]

Aside from the bare minimum that's necessary to win the division, the Brewers better show something against the level opponents they're going to face in the playoffs and stop the D-Backs from catching them to have realistic expectations of doing anything in October. Given what they sacrificed for this season, another 2008 result wouldn't be satisfactory.

I get what you are saying here; I am just not sure that the Brewers sacrificed all that much. They are still going to be really good next year.

 

Sure I will be dissappointed if the Crew loses in the NLDS but I don't know that I would consider the team a dissappointment. If they atleast make the NLCS I will be estatic and if they make the World Series I might just have a heart attack. I am not sure what would happen to me if they won the WS.

 

As for the Phillies Series I think a split is certainly attainable. They played well at PHI earlier in the year so they have to have some confidence that they can play with them. We don't get to pitch Grienke against them at home though; that is mildly dissappointing. But with all those lefties maybe pitching Wolf and Narveson won't be awful.

 

[Mike Felder]

Gotta have at least a split. I'm not so worried about the Cardinals anymore. I know it could still happen that they catch us, but it's pretty astronomical. I'm more concerned with losing the 2 seed to the Diamondbacks (I believe we're only 2.5 games up on them). They're playing good ball lately, and to me, it would be a big disappointment to have to go to Philly rather than host Atlanta.

[Bernman23]

Aside from the bare minimum that's necessary to win the division, the Brewers better show something against the level opponents they're going to face in the playoffs and stop the D-Backs from catching them to have realistic expectations of doing anything in October. Given what they sacrificed for this season, another 2008 result wouldn't be satisfactory.

I get what you are saying here; I am just not sure that the Brewers sacrificed all that much. They are still going to be really good next year.

I think they will be a playoff contender next year also, but probably have a better shot at making a run this season, and long-term they sacrificed a beast such as Lawrie, plus it's still early in regards to the Royals' trade.

 

If

they atleast make the NLCS I will be estatic and if they make the World

Series I might just have a heart attack. I am not sure what would

happen to me if they won the WS.

Well in that case......I hope you die. Go Brewers!

[KCBrewerfan34]

With AZ right on our tail we really need to stay focused 2-2 would be good, 3 out 4 would be great and certainly would plant a small seed in the Phillies minds.

[Mr QL]

at least a split

[TooLiveBrew]

Yeah, the Brewers can't afford to lose three of these four with Philly. It's all well & good that the division is locked up, but home field in one postseason series is incredibly important.

 

Combined remaining opponents' W%-

 

AZ: .477

MIL: .491

 

Arizona's schedule doesn't include anything close to 4 games against the best team in the NL. The only edge I see that the Brewers have is three days off remaining, to Arizona's two. We are all now huge Padres, Giants, & Dodgers fans.

[brewmann04]

they go 1-3 and watch ARZiona overtake us for the second best record.

[DougJones43]

I don't really see the Brewers winning more than 1 game in this series. I'd be pleasantly surprised with a split.

[pebadger]

It would be great to have a home field advantage in the NLDS, but I'm more concerned about them just playing well. If they play the Phillies in the NLDS then they have to beat the Phillies in the NLDS. The conventional wisdom is that a 7 game series is to the advantage of the better team anyway, so why not take your best shot in a 5-game series and get it over with.

 

In a way this is almost like worrying "how far" your team goes in the NCAA basketball tournament. There really isn't much difference in losing your second game or losing your third game; we just put a tidy name on making it to the Sweet 16, even if you get there in large part because a team from the Sun Belt (or wherever) did most of the heavy lifting for you. The goal is to win a championship, not crow (or complain) about the road you take to get there.

 

My expectation is that the Brewers play well, but not get overly excited about using this series as some sort of predictive measuring stick. These four games in September don't mean a whole lot with respect to the games they may play against the same opponent in October.

 

My hope is that the Brewer come away from this homestand with at least 3 well-played wins. That virtually puts away the division title. To put a negative spin on it, winning 3 before going back on the road means that the Brewers can flat out lose every series from now until the season's end (so long as they don't get swept) and the Cards would still have to go 15-4 just to force a 1-game playoff.

 

Other than that I hope that TG continues to get some meaningful innings and ABs. I want the pen to have to face some pressure innings again. I want to see the team not looking overwhelmed or overanxious or looking like they are trying to prove something. The Phils almost certainly won't be any of those things. Just play good baseball and let the chips fall where they may. If they lose, make it be because Philly was the better team this weekend and not because the Brewers kicked the ball around and lost their cool and/or their confidence.

[hawing]

My expectation for the Phillies series is only that no one in Wisconsin except for me will be watching the game tonight.

You can adjust this expectation. I have a haircut appointment at 7:00 tonight but as soon as we're back in the car we'll have the radio on, and as soon as we get home we'll have FSW and Brewerfan going.

[bucks2281]

I'll be watching both, two TV's, side-by-side.

 

I think we'll win 2/4, but only because we're at home. We lose a squeaker tonight, beat Halladay and Lee, but get rocked on Sunday against Vance Worley. All is well -- just remember: our final three games are at home against the Pirates.

[adambr2]

I realize the schedule, and I even see the standings showing us having a 99.5% chance of making the playoffs.

 

Yet I see the standings showing the lead whittled down to 7, and I can't help but ask myself, could we really blow this?

[MNBrew]

After the insanely good run, a little run of sub-par was bound to occur. The Cardinals sweep was countered by the Astros sweep. But the 3 games since against the Cardinals & 2 so far against Phillies -- mostly all against Cy Young-caliber starters -- have certainly raised a bit of concern.

 

What we do know, though, is this: Our hitters, though outside of Braun & Prince & probably Nyjer not as consistent as we'd like, aren't as bad as they've been the past 11 games (outside of the Astros series) AND our starters are generally better than they've pitched in the same stretch, too. We've been playing from behind almost constantly, not getting big innings or multiple clutch hits, and YB & Casey are showing more of their first-half form than post-ASB. The reality's probably somewhere in the middle, which should be enough to take care of business between now & season's end.

 

Taking NOTHING for granted, at least the mini-slump started w/ a 10-game lead rather than a 2-game lead. After the Philly series, the schedule at least holds some more reasons for optimism. That said, I'd still feel much better about our play & our chances if we could turn around and rather soundly take the last 2 games of this series.

[TooLiveBrew]

After the insanely good run, a little run of sub-par was bound to occur.

 

The good run came against the weakest part of the schedule, & the struggles have come against the harder portions. I haven't crunched the S.O.S. numbers, but the early part of the Brewers' schedule this season was tough, & this last month or so is pretty tough as well.

 

 

Carpenter -> Hamels -> Halladay isn't a 1-2-3 punch you run into all that often.