And you thought the Brewers were gripping - Red Sox

[NYChez]

Boston is 2-9 in September, just got swept convincingly by Tampa Bay and now leads the Rays by only 3 1/2 games in the wildcard race. What seemed like a foregone conclusion since about mid May is now in doubt. The Rays play at Fenway next weekend.

The Yankees haven't been playing much better. They just snapped a 4-game losing streak today and have uncertainty in their rotation behind CC.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I do feel fortunate that we got out to the big lead that we did, or we'd be in the exact same situation. I'm just glad we have a 6-game lead with 14 games left, all against mediocre to bad teams. The real problem isn't clinching the division, it's clinching home field in the first round. We only have a .5 lead there.

[SoCalBrewfan]

I can't tell you how happy I'd be to see the Rays make it over either of the evil empires. It didn't look like there would be any meaningful games in late September, so in most cases I'm glad to see some races tightening up....the Angels have seemed dead several times but keep staggering back to their feet.

 

I think I'd be willing to forego a race in the NL central though...

[dadofandrew]

The funny thing I see is all the examples people give...if the Brewers go .500, SL can only lose a game, for example. I promise you MIL's worst 14 game stretch is something like 3-11...that's what I worry about. Teams go into slumps all season, but no one recalls if it happens in April or May. Just imagine Axford struggling like Hoffman last April/May, or Braun or Fielder going down with a pulled hammy.

[danzig6767]

With Beckett injured and constantly hurt Bedard now gimpy after taking off his hat wrong, that Boston rotation is straight garbage except for Lester. Lackey is flat out awful. Wakefield is in his second straight year with an ERA over 5 and it's pretty mind boggling that a team with a payroll close to 200 million dollars could have god awful Andrew Miller also starting. Miller with his 5.58 ERA and 1.83 WHIP, which actually is down from the 2.36 WHIP he posted last year, albiet only in 32 innings last season.

 

Amazing that in a pennant chase that those three scrubs are the best Boston can put out there to start games. That's more fitting a Sal Bando late season rotation, not a Red Sox one that prints cash.

[dlk9s]

The funny thing I see is all the examples people give...if the Brewers go .500, SL can only lose a game, for example. I promise you MIL's worst 14 game stretch is something like 3-11...that's what I worry about. Teams go into slumps all season, but no one recalls if it happens in April or May. Just imagine Axford struggling like Hoffman last April/May, or Braun or Fielder going down with a pulled hammy.

Of course they could go something like 2-12 in their final 14, but despite their recent struggles, that's still VERY unlikely. The point of the whole "if they go .500" thing is that with the Brewers remaining schedule and the fact that they are a good team (and especially with their pitching), a .500 record is an extremely reasonable record to expect, at the very least. Thus, given something that shouldn't be all that hard to achieve, it puts into perspective how tough it would be for the Cards to catch the Brewers.

 

Obviously, the team could completely collapse and miss the playoffs. Obviously, the Cards could just go insane and only lose one game or something from here on out. But those scenarios are extremely unlikely; I prefer to stick with scenarios that are within reason.

[jeffy]

You don't have to go to the extremes of one team winning/losing only 1 or 2 games. If the Brewers were to go 4-10, while the Cardinals go 11-5 they end up tied.

 

Of course, the better chance for a Cardinal team that finishes by going 11-5 would be to hope that the Braves go 6-9 or worse.

[dlk9s]

And 4-10 is very unlikely, as well.

 

I mean, obviously the Brewers are in trouble if they finish terribly in their final 14 games. Most teams would be, as well. That's why I'm not considering that possibility when I think about how much trouble the Brewers are/are not in when it comes to making the playoffs.

 

I look at what a reasonable scenario would be and go from there. We have the Rockies, Reds, Cubs, Marlins, and Pirates remaining. They all suck. I'd be shocked if the Brewers finish worse than 6-8. And in that very disappointing case, the Cards would have to go 13-3 to tie. That's not going to happen. And if it does, well, it was completely unexpected and I hope we win the one game playoff.

[Patrick425]

I opened this thread expecting the read some story about the Red Sox complaining about something. I thought maybe "gripping" was misspelled with one extra p and I was also thinking, isn't it the Cardinals that are the big gripers?

 

I'm still trying to get a handle on the use of the word in this context. By gripping, do you mean they are trying to "hold on" to the lead? It's more like they are losing their grip than actually gripping. Not worried though. I'm thinking sometime around the weekend of the 23th - 25th will be the clinching game.

[hawing]

I opened this thread expecting the read some story about the Red Sox complaining about something. I thought maybe "gripping" was misspelled with one extra p and I was also thinking, isn't it the Cardinals that are the big gripers?

...

I'm thinking sometime around the weekend of the 23th - 25th will be the clinching game.

Yeah, not to pile on, but I too wondered whether the lead post was supposed to be "griping" or "gripping." Either could fit.

 

Ultimately, whenever the Brewers clinch is good with me. Maybe not the 27th, as that is the only game in that last homestand to which we don't have tickets. Talk about your first-world problems. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[paul253]

St Louis is really making a move too. They are only 4.5 games back, though it looks like Atlanta's schedule gets a little easier. The last thing we need is a first round series with the red-hot Diamondbacks. Hopefully Atlanta can hold on and the Brewers can hold off the Diamondbacks.

[DuWayne Steurer]

St Louis is really making a move too. They are only 4.5 games back, though it looks like Atlanta's schedule gets a little easier. The last thing we need is a first round series with the red-hot Diamondbacks. Hopefully Atlanta can hold on and the Brewers can hold off the Diamondbacks.

I'm not worried about the D'Backs. They're hot like the Crew was in August, but that just can't last.

[trwi7]

RoCoBrewfan wrote:

---

I'm not worried about the D'Backs. They're hot like the Crew was in August, but that just can't last.

It doesn't have to last. They're only a half game back from us.

[DuWayne Steurer]

RoCoBrewfan wrote:

---

I'm not worried about the D'Backs. They're hot like the Crew was in August, but that just can't last.

It doesn't have to last. They're only a half game back from us.

AZ has a pretty easy schedule. They're getting the 2 seed. I'm still not going to be overly concerned in a 5 game series if one game is in AZ instead of Mil.

[GB12]

RoCoBrewfan wrote:

---

I'm not worried about the D'Backs. They're hot like the Crew was in August, but that just can't last.

It doesn't have to last. They're only a half game back from us.

AZ has a pretty easy schedule. They're getting the 2 seed. I'm still not going to be overly concerned in a 5 game series if one game is in AZ instead of Mil.Unless St. Louis overtakes Atlanta, we'd play the Phillies if Arizona gets #2. Division rivals can't play each other in the first round.

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

Unless St. Louis overtakes Atlanta, we'd play the Phillies if Arizona gets #2. Division rivals can't play each other in the first round.

Had to read that a few times. I'm all over a red hot St. Louis team playing Philly in round 1, with us in a best of 5 with Arizona

[nate82]

I prefer Arizona getting home field advantage and them playing the Brewers since that would mean I get to see the Brewers for two games then. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[dlk9s]

I prefer Arizona getting home field advantage and them playing the Brewers since that would mean I get to see the Brewers for two games then. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Forget that. Let's play Atlanta so I can go to a game or two.

 

EDIT: Wait! How about a compromise! Atlanta in the NLDS and Arizona in the NLCS!

[bucks2281]

I think the Brewers have a better chance of winning the World Series if they play the Phillies in the LDS; they have a better chance of winning a playoff series if they play Atlanta. I don't really care what happens, as long as they play well during the final two weeks.

[Team Canada]

I prefer Arizona getting home field advantage and them playing the Brewers since that would mean I get to see the Brewers for two games then. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Forget that. Let's play Atlanta so I can go to a game or two.

 

EDIT: Wait! How about a compromise! Atlanta in the NLDS and Arizona in the NLCS!

Even better (except for you) - how about we beat AZ and STL beats Philly, setting up an extremely chippy NLCS.

[ninja33]

I prefer Arizona getting home field advantage and them playing the Brewers since that would mean I get to see the Brewers for two games then. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Forget that. Let's play Atlanta so I can go to a game or two.

 

EDIT: Wait! How about a compromise! Atlanta in the NLDS and Arizona in the NLCS!

WINNER!

[jeffy]

how about we beat AZ and STL beats Philly, setting up an extremely chippy NLCS.

 

And then...in game 1, Hart leads off and gets on base. TLR puts revenge ahead of getting the the WS, Carpenter plunks Nyjer followed by a 3 run homer by Braun or Fielder. Brewers go on to win the game 3-2 and the NLCS in 7 games http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

[PrinceEatMeat]

how about we beat AZ and STL beats Philly, setting up an extremely chippy NLCS.

 

And then...in game 1, Hart leads off and gets on base. TLR puts revenge ahead of getting the the WS, Carpenter plunks Nyjer followed by a 3 run homer by Braun or Fielder. Brewers go on to win the game 3-2 and the NLCS in 7 games http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

Man would that be classic. And the funny thing is that I wouldn't put it past TLR. He's that big of a moron sometimes.

[RightFieldCoder]

Except I'd fully expect Braun to strikeout and Fielder to GIDP to get the Drunk out of trouble.

[danzig6767]

I can't remember the last time that i more enjoyed seeing a team and fan base have their hearts broken like happened tonight to the Red Sox.

 

The amazing shifts in emotion they must have felt from seeing Tampa down 7-0 nothing after seven innings, only to see the Rays somehow tie the game with 2 outs/2strikes via a pinch hit homer from a scrub who hadn't homered since April. Then Boston twice is only one strike away from beating Baltimore, but no, the Sox blow it an lose. About five minutes later Longoria goes yard, sealing Boston's fate in baseball history for one of if not the biggest September collapses in history as a Tampa team with a payroll barely more than the combined salaries of the two new toys Theo bought for himself in the offseason put in the final dagger.

 

Wow that was great fun to watch. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif