Team goals for rest of 2012

[Dragonbait]

1. Getting back to .500 or better.

 

I really think the can do it. Playing very well lately. No reason they can't.

 

Anybody have anything else?

[torts]

OPTIMISM IS WELL AND AAALLLLLIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[djoctagone]

--trade k-rod before 31 august for a low-level prospect for minor salary relief and an opening on the 40-man roster.

 

--once a number of arms have been called up in september, have relievers start games, so they're exposed to the top (and best) of the batting order. have the scheduled starter relieve in the second or third inning. great way to exhibit some young arms.

 

--break the cubs' single-season strikeout record. this team can do it, especially with the way they're projecting using pitchers in september.

 

--find ways to get jeff bianchi and jean segura equal playing time. the brewers need to evaluate both of these guys.

[Baldkin]

--break the cubs' single-season strikeout record. this team can do it, especially with the way they're projecting using pitchers in september.

 

I was looking at this...

They have 35 games left, and need 301 K's to set the record. That's exactly 8.6 K/9 the rest of the season (Assuming all 9IP games), as a team they've averaged 8.7 for the season. It's gonna be close -- what will hurt them the most is their horrible road record and that cutting down the number of IP the Brewers get the rest of the season.

[monty57]

My goal for this season is to get things straightened out for next season. Get innings to starting pitchers who need them. Limit innings to starting pitchers who are at their limit. Allow relievers from the minors to showcase their arms in all situations. Let some young position players like Schafer, Green and Bianchi get some starts.

 

I expect the Brewers to closely watch the SP innings. I doubt they'll let young relievers or young position players get much work, as it would mean shelving K-Rod, Loe, Parra and Veras (whichever we don't plan on having around next year), and giving Ramirez, Weeks and Gomez days off with prospects playing, and I don't see Roenicke doing anything like that.

[brwrsfan]

--break the cubs' single-season strikeout record. this team can do it, especially with the way they're projecting using pitchers in september.

 

I was looking at this...

They have 35 games left, and need 301 K's to set the record. That's exactly 8.6 K/9 the rest of the season (Assuming all 9IP games), as a team they've averaged 8.7 for the season. It's gonna be close -- what will hurt them the most is their horrible road record and that cutting down the number of IP the Brewers get the rest of the season.

 

This can be offset if they have an extra innings game or two, or a really high K performance game like yesterday. I think they're probably going to break it.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think the major goal needs to be re-establishing confidence in the relievers that are likely to return next season and evaluating whether the guys who are arby eligible are worth bringing back. The other major goal is evaluation of the young/less experienced starters and their placement on the depth chart heading into spring.

 

Offensively, the key position is shortstop and evaluating Segura's readiness to be starter out of the gate next year. If not, they need to get a long enough look at Bianchi and whether he can be the fall back guy.

 

That evaluation process should only be taking place in games against major league opponents and neither the Cubs nor the Astros qualify at this juncture.

[craigharmann]

Goal #1.....just win, baby

 

Goal #2.....to get goal #1 accomplished, have all starters go 9 innings

 

Goal #3.....if goal #2 is unsuccessful, don't use Loe or K-rod or anyone who sucks.

[zzzmanwitz]

100% Evaluation of talent. While I am not against winning at this point, each win only hurts the team from here on out so there is no reason to play for wins.

[Outlander]

I don't think winning only hurts the team. If guys like Jeff Bianchi end up winning games for them that can also be used to evaluate if he should be on the team next year.

[zzzmanwitz]

I'm not saying try to lose, if they win, that's great. My point is that you don't always need to put in your best lineup or pull pitchers for relievers. Put guys in situations that you are trying to evaluate how they perform. This is the time to start figuring out next year's team. Each win hurts the team by worsening our draft position.

[Roderick]

100% Evaluation of talent. While I am not against winning at this point, each win only hurts the team from here on out so there is no reason to play for wins.

Well it seems our final record will put us in a draft pick slot from 6 to 15. The draft gurus know how much difference that means, but I guess I would rather the Brewers battle to .500 than to totally roll over.

[TooLiveBrew]

Note that zzzman isn't talking about tanking, just that player development & evaluation are the top priorities.

[zzzmanwitz]

Thanks TLB. All I'm saying is that making it to .500 means absolutely nothing. We aren't going to make the playoffs at .500 and that's really all that matters. If you ain't 1st, you're last! (Er.... If you ain't 5th or better in a league you are last...) I want us to play all of our younger guys and I want them to play their best and win as many games as possible because that means they should have a chance of performing well next year and it gives DM an idea of the holes that are still needed to be filled.

[monty57]

Note that zzzman isn't talking about tanking, just that player development & evaluation are the top priorities.

 

I agree. Players like Weeks, Hart and Ramirez are still going to start most days, but I have no problem if they get days off now and then to let Green and Bianchi get some starts. Same with the OF - Schafer can spell the starters here and there to see how he does with semi-regular playing time. I'd really have no problem with him playing almost every day between CF & RF, as he is key in determining what we do at CF next year.

 

Melvin could use this time to see if he wants to offer arby to Loe, Veras and Parra. If he's already decided not to offer arby to any of them, they should either be dumped or sat on the bench so we can see what some prospects can do.

 

Starting pitching will pretty much be dictated by who needs more innings and who needs their innings limited.

[JohnBriggs12]

Finishing off a disappointing year with a good run can pay dividends. The 91 team closed out the year 40-19 in their last 59 games. It didn't save Trebelhorn's job but they did win 92 the next year with a young pitching staff. Getting to or even a little over .500 will help them regain their identity as a team to be reckoned with a bit. You still mix in the young guys here and there, which actually helps keep the veteran starter fresh.

[MadScientist]

Sweep the Cards in a completely demoralizing way, so they fall apart and miss the playoffs.

 

Other than that, player development and get themselves set up for a good 2013.

[craigharmann]

Sweep the Cards in a completely demoralizing way, so they fall apart and miss the playoffs.

 

Other than that, player development and get themselves set up for a good 2013.

 

Along with that, John Jay and Carlos Beltran run into each other in a catastrophic pregame incident, Molina comes down with ink poisoning and 5 of their pitchers come down with Pabst's revenge. For the rest of the season.

[logan82]

1. Getting back to .500 or better.

 

I really think the can do it. Playing very well lately. No reason they can't.

 

Anybody have anything else?

I don't even want to be .500 this year. We are not making the playoffs so the higher draft position we get the better. So for me I want to see how the young players do and ruin the Cardinals season.

[adambr2]

I'm going to take this a step further, and this may be crazy talk but I'm going to throw it out as a hypothetical anyway.

 

We are currently 8.5 games behind the Cardinals. We have 3 games against them left, so best case scenario we could make it 5.5. We would need at least 2 of 3 against the Cardinals, preferably a sweep. Of course, we still have to beat out the Dodgers (or Giants) and Pirates. We still have 6 games left against the Pirates though, so we can pretty much control our outcome against them. The Dodgers and Giants are still battling it out for the division, though, so I'm going to count on the loser of the Giants/Dodgers winning 85 games (lets face it, we'd need some luck in this scenario, too).

 

So to match that, we would have to finish 23-10. Unlikely, but not out of this world impossible. Things would have to start going right -- law of averages catches up to the bullpen, and Fiers, Gallardo, and Marcum all pitch like aces, with the lineup still scoring runs.

 

Looking at the schedule, is there a possible road to 23? Let's look at it in chunks...next 4 include one more against the Cubs and a 3 game home series against the Pirates. Need 3 of 4.

 

4 in Miami, need 3 of 4. Next is the tough one -- need 2 of 3 in St. Louis. Then a 6 game home series against the Braves and Mets. Tough, but it's at home -- need to go 4-2.

 

Next is the brutal 10 game road trip against the Pirates, Nationals, and Reds. A 6-4 stretch, if, again, we're playing well, isn't unrealistic. Finally we finish up with a 6 game homestand against the Astros and Padres -- need to take advantage of this and finish 5-1.

 

This would put us at 85-77. We can pretty much control our outcome against Pittsburgh ourselves. Besides that, we would need 2 of these 4 to falter enough to only win 85 -- either the Braves (unlikely), or Cardinals (unlikely, but not impossible), and one of the Giants or Dodgers (possible).

 

Hey, I know it's probably a pipe dream, but I bet the Cardinals fans were by no means thinking playoffs in late August last year. Besides, it's nice to at least hold out hope while it still exists. I do realize that all of this is really, really, unlikely.

[DHonks]

I'd like to see us finish at 84-78. That would be 22-11, and would make us feel better into the offseason

[pacopete4]

MIL: (62-67) 26-7 (88-74)

ATL: (74-57) 14-17 (88-74)

STL: (71-59) 17-15 (88-74)

Pit: (70-60) 18-14 (88-74)

LAD: (70-61) 18-13 (88-74)

ARI: (64-67) 24-7 (88-74)

NYM: (61-69) 27-5 (88-74)

[JohnBriggs12]

MIL: (62-67) 26-7 (88-74)

ATL: (74-57) 14-17 (88-74)

STL: (71-59) 17-15 (88-74)

Pit: (70-60) 18-14 (88-74)

LAD: (70-61) 18-13 (88-74)

ARI: (64-67) 24-7 (88-74)

NYM: (61-69) 27-5 (88-74)

 

Why not have Brewers just go 27-6 the rest of the way?

 

Unfortunately petition to play all remaining games vs. Cubs and Astros has been turned down.

[dlk9s]

MIL: (62-67) 26-7 (88-74)

ATL: (74-57) 14-17 (88-74)

STL: (71-59) 17-15 (88-74)

Pit: (70-60) 18-14 (88-74)

LAD: (70-61) 18-13 (88-74)

ARI: (64-67) 24-7 (88-74)

NYM: (61-69) 27-5 (88-74)

 

Why not have Brewers just go 27-6 the rest of the way?

 

Because a seven-way tie would be awesome.

[pacopete4]

MIL: (62-67) 26-7 (88-74)

ATL: (74-57) 14-17 (88-74)

STL: (71-59) 17-15 (88-74)

Pit: (70-60) 18-14 (88-74)

LAD: (70-61) 18-13 (88-74)

ARI: (64-67) 24-7 (88-74)

NYM: (61-69) 27-5 (88-74)

 

Why not have Brewers just go 27-6 the rest of the way?

 

Because a seven-way tie would be awesome.

 

Haha yeah, that and it wasn't a prediction or anything. It was just a graph showing at 88 wins what it would take for us to be in. Nothing more.