2017 Brewers Optimism Thread!

[torts]

IGT are unreal. I stop reading them!

 

Glad to see Wei-Chung back, I hope he stays! Hes only 25!

 

Hope the bats can figure it out, they've been in a slump since the all star break. Totally broke up their momentum! .231/.296/.666 3-slash and 166 strike outs!

[Ennder]

I am very encouraged that we played games with a playoff atmosphere this year and did not wet the bed. That was a hard fought 3 game series that could have easily gone either way in what felt like a must win atmosphere. It might not seem like a big deal but getting that kind of experience will pay off when the team does get into a playoff hunt.

[JohnBriggs12]

I am very encouraged that we played games with a playoff atmosphere this year and did not wet the bed. That was a hard fought 3 game series that could have easily gone either way in what felt like a must win atmosphere. It might not seem like a big deal but getting that kind of experience will pay off when the team does get into a playoff hunt.

 

They were in a playoff hunt, and the offense wet the bed establishing a new record for futility with men in scoring position. They are something like 0 for their last 30 with RISP. But seeing as this is optimism thread, they are due.

[pacopete4]

I am very encouraged that we played games with a playoff atmosphere this year and did not wet the bed. That was a hard fought 3 game series that could have easily gone either way in what felt like a must win atmosphere. It might not seem like a big deal but getting that kind of experience will pay off when the team does get into a playoff hunt.

 

They were in a playoff hunt, and the offense wet the bed.

 

Either be optimistic here or don't post please. We have plenty of other threads for the negativity.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I am very encouraged that we played games with a playoff atmosphere this year and did not wet the bed. That was a hard fought 3 game series that could have easily gone either way in what felt like a must win atmosphere. It might not seem like a big deal but getting that kind of experience will pay off when the team does get into a playoff hunt.

 

They pitched really well in that series. I know people are down on the bullpen, but even the pitch Hughes gave up the homerun to Heyward on was not a bad pitch. Not a pitch you'd expect someone to go down and golf out of the park at least. And that 2 run rally in the game yesterday was a chopper, a 50 foot roller that Contreras nubbed, and what can you do? The pitching in that series was really solid, and Hader showed he can handle big situations.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I am genuinely optimistic about the Brewers future for a bunch of reason:

 

1) Starting pitching looks much better now than it did in Spring Training. The rotation has not only been good, but it's been deep. With Hader, Woodruff, Burnes, Ortiz not that far away (and one of them looking really good in the pen), there's a chance we put together a really solid group without having to dip big into the FA pool.

 

2) Love the outfielders in this org. Phillips is my favorite still, but Brinson has made two very nice, very important defensive plays lately.

 

3) Travis Shaw.

 

4) Orlando Arcia.

 

5) I think the roster and system is in the best shape in the division. That's not a "this is the optimism thread" statement either. That's the truth. Even with all of the advantages of having Chicago money or St. Louis tradition, I'd still feel good about the Brewers chances to win more games than those teams over the next five years.

 

6) The Brewers just capped off their worst month of the year. They went 12-13. Teams are going to go through bad stretches. The hope is just that you finish each month right around .500 and get one where you break out. Make it August.

 

Go Crew.

[Ennder]

1) Starting pitching looks much better now than it did in Spring Training. The rotation has not only been good, but it's been deep. With Hader, Woodruff, Burnes, Ortiz not that far away (and one of them looking really good in the pen), there's a chance we put together a really solid group without having to dip big into the FA pool.

 

I agree with this but I would add that Suter has been fantastic and it looks largely legit based on the peripherals. If he can be a 3.50 ERA guy going forward it adds a lot of depth to the rotation.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Complete agreement on Suter. I am holding out hope for Mike Fiers' career for him. 4.11 FIP, 103 ERA+. That would be a great piece to have for the next few years.

[djoctagone]

i'm optimistic because things are lining up quite conveniently for the brewers for roster management for this season and beyond.

 

fingers crossed for matt garza to return this week. positive indications thus far for an earlier return for chase anderson.

 

convenient timing of optioning and recalling of players who may not even burn their option this year if they keep their optioned stay under 20 days: keon broxton, junior guerra, wei-chung wang, brandon woodruff.

 

players who could make a real impact and be post-season eligible are doing well in the minors: ivan de jesus jr., mauricio dubon, taylor jungmann, freddy peralta, aaron wilkerson and kyle wren.

 

september roster expansion is looming. the brewers will be able to use up to 40 players over seven games against the cubs.

[joepepsi]

My hope for the season was a .500 finish, figuring a little luck could bring them 84 wins. There are 55 games remaining. Essentially, Tuesday marks the beginning of the last 1/3 of the season. Brewers need to go 29-26 to reach 84 wins. That seems doable.

 

Winning the division this year was always as much a function of other teams playing poorly, than the Brewers suddenly becoming a 90+ win team. My hope remains they finish .500 and the season will be a success. Anything above that is terrific. It's been a great season. Barring a total collapse, there should be no regrets.

[tmwiese55]

I know STL, TB, MN, COL are not bad teams, I'd probably call them solid/ok. Of course I know STL historically has our number too. But the next 17 games you don't face any of the top truly good teams and 10 are at home. There's a window here to have a good run and stay right in this thing and hopefully keep us entertained well into September. While hopefully getting far enough ahead of .500 to lock that up. I know a lot rides on the offense getting back going again, but just like we knew the hot streak of offense couldn't go forever. This cold spell and RISP bad luck also can't continue much longer. I'd at least like to keep this going long enough to get the playoff ticket requests in the mail.

[liveforoctober]

Matt Garza (health pending) now looks like a $5 million steal for a #5 starter next year. What a difference a year makes.

[MrTPlush]

So the sky has been falling for weeks and the season is over, but we just gained a game on the Cubs and sit just 1.5 games out. The pitching has been amazing and still is waiting for Chase Anderson, our second best starter this year, to return. This starting rotation is going to be a really big deal if our offense can start scoring. This season still has a chance.

[Boomer5]

The Cubs emptied their minor league system down to the worst system in the game and they only have a 1 1/2 game lead on the Brewers.

[tmwiese55]

Brewers will be in first place by the end of next week.

[young guns]

Brewers will be in first place by the end of next week.

This is the optimism thread. The brewers will be in first place sunday morning!

[MrTPlush]

.5 game back these days....just saying...

 

Rotation is rolling and I think we are starting to get some bullpen stability. This pitching is giving us a chance to win every day we go out. Keep doing that and the offense will turn it around to give us a lot of wins.

[torts]

Boom baby!!! Aww yeah!!!!

[Ennder]

538 has the Brewers at a 26% chance to make the playoffs, I'll take it!

[DuWayne Steurer]

538 has the Brewers at a 26% chance to make the playoffs, I'll take it!

 

I know we keep going back to this, but if you said at the beginning of the year the Brewers would be a half game back on August 5th everyone, absolutely everyone would have been ecstatic. I know it's been ugly lately but they're still right there and if they can get out of this offensive funk, I like their chances.

[trwi7]

I could see Woodruff turning into a low end #2 starter if he improves his command a little bit.

[bjkrautk]

I could see Woodruff turning into a low end #2 starter if he improves his command a little bit.

 

Hard to dislike the kind of poise Woodruff showed pitching out of tough spots in his major league debut (take # 2).

What a difference a week makes. Cubs have dropped 3 straight, and their division lead is down to a half game.

 

...and with the bats pressing, the Brewers have won 3 of their last 4 on the strength of their pitching!

[MrTPlush]

No need to be cautiously optimistic about us contending. This thing is going down to the final week. There are only about 50 games left in the season. No teams is going to pull away with this division and win it by 7+ games. That Cubs hot streak was just deflated with a three game losing streak.

 

May the best win. I think we are in store for a closer finish than some think. Huge bonus is the fact it is a 3 team race for two wild card spots and the division is a 2 team race. We just need a team to falter down the stretch and take advantage of a wild card. That or bully the Cubs for the division.

[TJseven7]

I could see Woodruff turning into a low end #2 starter if he improves his command a little bit.

 

Horribly premature but when he settled in after the 2nd on... that movement power fastball and getting ahead of batters quickly sure did feel eerily similar to the Nelson we've seen all year. Especially when you felt he'd be out after 5... then 6... then closed the book 6.1. That was very horse like. If that's more than a glimpse and more of a reality... Nelson Anderson Woodruff lacks that flashy star power ace but its an incredibly formidable 1-2-3. If Davies Suter can settle into that 3.75 range, which doesn't seem like a reach as of late, add knebel hader in the pen and that's one heck of a staff.

 

This offenses capabilities is closer to the first half than the bottom of the league they've been since the asb. That's a dangerous team.

 

Despite a mess of a pen this year.... and a mess of Guerra/Peralta this teams 5 over 500. Replace that with Woodruff/Suter and a better pen down the stretch. After Sunday Cubs probably felt real good about being up 2.5. They didn't bury this milwaukee team and if the offense snaps back to being even respectable the Cubs are in some trouble.

[Ennder]

The bad news is that after this weekend series the Cubs have 27 of their next 30 games against teams at or under .500. The good news is we still have 7 games head to head against the Cubs and if it stays close I feel all the pressure will be on them. The longer the post season is in doubt for the Cubs the better things look for us imo. The Rockies still have 20 games against playoff caliber teams so plenty of time for them to collapse too.