2nd half optimism!!

[TooLiveBrew]

The Brewers are right at NL league-avg. OPS+ & ERA+ (BB-reference, source) as a team for the first half. The Cards have the best OPS+ in the NL & the Reds have the best ERA+, and both are about avg. or slightly below-avg. for the other component.

 

I agree that the Pirates will probably fade in the second half due to lack of their overall MLB talent.

 

And I know this is the optimism thread, but I just don't see how a team that's been the definition of mediocre will suddenly flip the switch & win at the .650 clip required to finish at 90 wins (CIN's appx. first half pace). .650 (50-27) is almost literally taking two of every three games, and that's the minimum imo it'll take for the Brewers to have a solid shot at the postseason in any form. Yes, Lucroy will be back... yes, the bullpen probably won't continue to be disastrous... yes, Weeks might have a big second half... but I don't see enough help returning to improve the team by a large enough margin.

 

Their record against the Central so far (16-17) doesn't do anything to dispel the label of mediocrity. I believe this Brewers team has a shot at making the postseason... but it's a small shot, and shouldn't outweigh the opportunity to bring in some young talent via trade(s). They have zero business not selling Greinke, at the very least.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I think there's a very realistic shot they can go 6-3. Best case scenario is probably going 7-2 or better, because that will probably eliminate some of the indecision on buying or selling, or at least make them wait it out longer. Worst case is probably 4-5 or 5-4 as someone said before, because then that indecision will be there. Probably 3-6 or worse will seal it up for selling.

[torts]

take your lack of optimism out of here! brewers have the ability to win at a .700 clip!

[Team Hoyt]

Now that's optimism!!

 

Realistically 5 games back of 500 and many games against the Central down the stretch, now is our chance to make a move. Unfortunately with the trade deadline looming we may be sellers

[torts]

POSITIVE THINKING PEOPLE, POSITIVE THINKING. IT WILL BREED POSITIVE RESULTS. LETS GO BREWERS! WIN 'EM ALL! BURN 'EM DOWN!

[fondybrewfan]

There are certain parts of the team that are trending in the right direction. The offense has generally been good with Weeks improving substantially in June. The starting pitching has held up pretty well due to the strong performances from Grienke, Gallardo, and Fiers. The huge concern still remains the bullpen. If Krod, Veras, and Axford turn it around then this team can definitely go on a run. I just hope it isn't too little to late.

 

6-3 in the next 9 is mandatory otherwise it won't matter if the BP ever figures it out because we won't have the pieces in the other areas since they are probably traded

[brewmann04]

I would think the Crew need to go no worse than 7-2 in the next 9 games to make their move.

[Oxy]

I'll say we get swept by the Pirates, trade Greinke, KRod and Morgan, then go on to sweep the Reds and the Cardinals which would leave us in the very weird position of being a buyer after we already sold. We pick up a little help at the deadline and go on to sneak into the playoffs and proceed to make a miracle run to the World Series behind Gallardo, Fiers, and Thornburg. We win today AND build for tomorrow. Now that's what I call optimism. .

[FVBrewerFan]

I don't think going for it means they can't still be sellers at the same time. Greinke is a different story. But they can go for the playoffs and still try to trade the likes of Izturis, Kottaras, Wolf, Morgan, Loe, KRod, etc. I think they should try to get anything they can for any of those guys regardless of how far they're back two weeks from now.

[rluzinski]

I'm all for optimism. That doesn't need to include trying to justify your optimism with faulty logic, however. I'm happy to close my eyes to the odds and simply be optimistic that the Brewers sweep the Pirates this weekend.

[FVBrewerFan]

I'm all for optimism. That doesn't need to include trying to justify your optimism with faulty logic, however. I'm happy to close my eyes to the odds and simply be optimistic that the Brewers sweep the Pirates this weekend.

 

What is the faulty logic you're referring to?

[torts]

I'm all for optimism. That doesn't need to include trying to justify your optimism with faulty logic, however. I'm happy to close my eyes to the odds and simply be optimistic that the Brewers sweep the Pirates this weekend.

 

i am optimistic the brewers will win .750 of the rest of the games

[RockCoCougars]

I'd say that Vegas will give the Brewers roughly a 20% chance to sweep the Pirates (If you started with $100 and let it ride, you'd probably be around 500 bucks if the Brewers did sweep.... roughly a 4:1 payout, but you also have to factor in the 'juice'. The Brewers are going to be huge favorites tomorrow (as they always are in Greinke home starts), they will probably be decent favorites with Gallardo and small favorites in the other game.

[MadScientist]

Since this is the kool-aid thread, I'll take a swig and come up with this:

 

1) Weeks will go on an absolute carry-the-team-on-his-back tear the next few weeks.

2) The Brewers will go 8-1 over the next 9 and close to 4 games out.

3) DM will manage to trade Wolf and Kotaras for a decent pen arm rental and a mid level prospect.

4) Lucroy will be back with a vengeance.

5) August this year will look a whole lot like August last year.

6) Pittsburgh will realize they are Pittsburgh and fall off a cliff.

7) Cincinnati's pitching will start to wither in the heat.

8) St. Louis will realize they don't have Tony managing them and start to fade.

 

All this paves the way for the Brewers to repeat as division champs.

[Raw Biz]

I'm all for optimism. That doesn't need to include trying to justify your optimism with faulty logic, however. I'm happy to close my eyes to the odds and simply be optimistic that the Brewers sweep the Pirates this weekend.

 

i am optimistic the brewers will win .750 of the rest of the games

 

They would have to go 58-19. Even ridiculously talented teams don't go on runs like that. There's optimistic and there's just plain crazy. Even a .650 winning percentage is pushing it but .750 is just nuts.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Since this is the kool-aid thread, I'll take a swig and come up with this:

 

1) Weeks will go on an absolute carry-the-team-on-his-back tear the next few weeks.

2) The Brewers will go 8-1 over the next 9 and close to 4 games out.

3) DM will manage to trade Wolf and Kotaras for a decent pen arm rental and a mid level prospect.

4) Lucroy will be back with a vengeance.

5) August this year will look a whole lot like August last year.

6) Pittsburgh will realize they are Pittsburgh and fall off a cliff.

7) Cincinnati's pitching will start to wither in the heat.

8) St. Louis will realize they don't have Tony managing them and start to fade.

 

All this paves the way for the Brewers to repeat as division champs.

 

I like it, but no way #3 happens. DM isn't gonna trade Wolf unless we are selling, even though he really wouldn't be a huge loss. He certainly won't trade a bench bat like Kottaras either if we are in contention.

[dlk9s]

People not understanding what "optimism" means ITT.

[RockCoCougars]

I think that 48-29 gets them the Wild Card and quite possibly the division. This is three games below the clip they played the last 77 games at last year, so it's quite possible but not likely. A fast start is warranted for sure.

[TURBO]

"He certainly won't trade a bench bat like Kottaras either if we are in contention"

 

If he is the best bench bat we have, there will be no playoffs this year folks...

 

What has GK done for us lately?

 

It seems like ions ago that he was on a ripfest, was that even this season? Since then, he has not been very good.

 

I'd trade him for nothing if given the chance, and throw in Wolf right along with him.

[nate82]

 

I'd trade him for nothing if given the chance, and throw in Wolf right along with him.

 

Good thing you are not the GM because we would then be moving more towards the 90's era Brewers teams if you were. Yuck.

[dlk9s]

I got an idea. Let's turn the fun optimism thread into yet another complaining thread!

[TURBO]

 

I'd trade him for nothing if given the chance, and throw in Wolf right along with him.

 

Good thing you are not the GM because we would then be moving more towards the 90's era Brewers teams if you were. Yuck.

 

How so?

[ninja33]

because youre talking about trading two guys for nothing?

[torts]

I got an idea. Let's turn the fun optimism thread into yet another complaining thread!

 

I KNOW, BUNCH OF NEGATIVE NANCYS HERE.

[torts]

because youre talking about trading two guys for nothing?

 

you dont need anything when you make the trade happen and it leads to the brewers winning the world series! MAKE IT HAPPEN DM. MAKE. IT. HAPPEN.