2018 Standings and Playoff Race Discussion

[Thurston Fluff]

Just read the Brewers have the easiest schedule of all the NL playoff contenders. They also have more home games than and fewer overall games to go.

[FVBrewerFan]

Not a small thing, Brewers hold the tie-breaker over several teams in a WC scenario if they finish the season with the same record. Cardinals, Braves, Rockies, and Dbacks.

[adambr2]

Not a small thing, Brewers hold the tie-breaker over several teams in a WC scenario if they finish the season with the same record. Cardinals, Braves, Rockies, and Dbacks.

 

I guess it's a big thing in that they would host if they end up tied for a WC, but if they tie for the second WC they'd still have to play a tiebreaker game anyway.

[sveumrules]

Ever since they added the second Wild Card I've been dreaming of a crazy season ending tie.

 

Something like Braves, Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers, DBacks & Rockies all ending the season with the exact same number of wins.

 

Would be fun to watch MLB sort that all out.

[jjfanec]

Has there ever been a year like this? If they Cubs have even a small bad stretch there could be 8 teams within a couple games of each other for all 5 spots. Every team has their issues and I would be surprised to see someone really run away with it. Maybe the Cubs get hot but it seems like we have been expecting that for a while but their starting pitching just isnt there. Dodgers have had so many injuries. The two favorites just havent separated and the other favorite - the Nationals - isnt making it. Wide open year.

 

Hopefully the Brewers can take care of business. 6 games against the Cubs and 3 against the Cards are the only teams in the playoff hunt that the Brewers play. I guess you could say the Pirates but I think that ship has sailed.

[homer]

Just read the Brewers have the easiest schedule of all the NL playoff contenders. They also have more home games than and fewer overall games to go.

 

If they are all night games I feel pretty good about their chances.

[Dead Simmons]

Ever since they added the second Wild Card I've been dreaming of a crazy season ending tie.

 

Something like Braves, Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers, DBacks & Rockies all ending the season with the exact same number of wins.

 

Would be fun to watch MLB sort that all out.

It's really going to be an interesting 6 weeks. I have to figure the Dodgers are gonna bully their way past the Rockies soon, and a 5 way tie with some combination is really a possibility.

 

Milwaukee + 0.5

 

Phillies

 

Cardinals

 

Colorado

____________

 

Dodgers - - - 2

 

Pittsburgh -- 6

 

Nationals - - 6.5

 

San Fran --- 7

[bill hAll Star]

Has there ever been a year like this?

 

Last year's AL was pretty close around this time.

 

On August 18, 2017, the Twins and Angels were tied for WC #2, the Royals and Mariners were .5 out, Rangers 1.5, O's 2.0, Rays and Blue Jays 3.0.

 

The divisional teams were not as close, though. Cleveland and Houston had nearly locked it up. Boston had the Yankees nipping at their heels but both were relatively safely above the Wild Card competition.

 

Hopefully the Brewers can take care of business. 6 games against the Cubs and 3 against the Cards are the only teams in the playoff hunt that the Brewers play. I guess you could say the Pirates but I think that ship has sailed.

 

The Nats may have a dumpster fire bullpen (improving soon with Herrera returning) but we are lined up to face Strasburg (missing Scherzer) and they have Eaton, Harper, Rendon, Turner, Soto...that team is arguably just as good as a team that is sitting at 72-60 right now.

[Thurston Fluff]

Has there ever been a year like this? If they Cubs have even a small bad stretch there could be 8 teams within a couple games of each other for all 5 spots. Every team has their issues and I would be surprised to see someone really run away with it. Maybe the Cubs get hot but it seems like we have been expecting that for a while but their starting pitching just isnt there. Dodgers have had so many injuries. The two favorites just havent separated and the other favorite - the Nationals - isnt making it. Wide open year.

 

Hopefully the Brewers can take care of business. 6 games against the Cubs and 3 against the Cards are the only teams in the playoff hunt that the Brewers play. I guess you could say the Pirates but I think that ship has sailed.

 

Excellent play on words.

[tmwiese55]

Yea this could get really crazy and should make for a heck of finish to the season. Just did some quick schedule searching beyond ours. CHC only plays STL one more time and it's the last 3 games. However, they do still play Phi and AZ. AZ also still has 7 vs LA and COL each, and 4 vs ATL. COL also has 3 vs STL and 6 vs LAD. So, I guess I'm just saying with all these games vs each other it's going to take care of itself and it seems to me we have the advantage here with less head to head games.

 

Also, still don't get what Pit was thinking with their go for it trades.

[Warning Track Power]

Yea this could get really crazy and should make for a heck of finish to the season. Just did some quick schedule searching beyond ours. CHC only plays STL one more time and it's the last 3 games. However, they do still play Phi and AZ. AZ also still has 7 vs LA and COL, and 4 vs ATL. COL also has 3 vs STL and 6 vs LAD. So, I guess I'm just saying with all these games vs each other it's going to take care of itself and it seems to me we have the advantage here with less head to head games.

 

Also, still don't get what Pit was thinking with their go for it trades.

And with the players they dealt in going for it. Wow...I wanted Archer bad but nowhere near that cost.

[FVBrewerFan]

I still think the Brewers are very much alive for the Division, forget this WC stuff. Cubs have to play four more games, that's really going to tax their bullpen the rest of the season. Not to mention the physical and mental grind, and frankly 4 more opportunities for an injury. Finally, fate is in the Brewers own hands playing them 6 times.

 

Not predicting we can take the division, but given all this 3 games is really nothing.

[Thurston Fluff]

No doubt we can win the division. Not only do the Cubs have more games left but they can't get near the help from September call ups as the Brewers can. Part of trading all those young players is losing the help expanded rosters can provide.

[MrTPlush]

Another nice thing is we don't have to play the Cubs at the end of the year. The last time we play them is mid-September. Kinda glad one of our last series isn't against them. Instead the Cards and Cubs get to beat each other up at the end of the year. Us? A poor Tigers team to end it.

 

I like our schedule, I think it bodes well for a postseason chase.

[stalton]

This is shaping up to be very similar to the end of the 2008 season

[adambr2]

I still very much tend to doubt that we win the division. Obviously 3 games isn't insurmountable, I just do think that experience here does count for something and the Cubs have been here and done that the last few years. In recent history the Cubs have been a 2nd half team while we've been a 1st half team.

 

Obviously things can happen. I just wouldn't put the odds at any more than 10% or so to win the Central. It's not just us and the Cubs, the Cardinals are right with us too. But a WC I think could still happen.

[KeithStone53151]

Ever since they added the second Wild Card I've been dreaming of a crazy season ending tie.

 

Something like Braves, Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers, DBacks & Rockies all ending the season with the exact same number of wins.

 

Would be fun to watch MLB sort that all out.

It's really going to be an interesting 6 weeks. I have to figure the Dodgers are gonna bully their way past the Rockies soon, and a 5 way tie with some combination is really a possibility.

 

Milwaukee + 0.5

 

Phillies

 

Cardinals

 

Colorado

____________

 

Dodgers - - - 2

 

Pittsburgh -- 6

 

Nationals - - 6.5

 

San Fran --- 7

 

Imagine if the Cubs lose 5 of 7 or something and fall back into the pack...

[Warning Track Power]

It would be exceptionally disappointing to miss the playoffs again after collapsing in 2014 and 2017.

[bm1090]

It would be exceptionally disappointing to miss the playoffs again after collapsing in 2014 and 2017.

 

We finished the 2nd half of the season 1 game over .500

 

We finished August 15-12.

 

We finished September 16-12.

 

We didn't collapse last year. We started the year poorly and had one bad stretch in July. We finished the season 10 games over .500. We were only 11 games over .500 once last year, and it was on July 15th

[Boomer5]

Darvish out for the year.

[BigAlBarampGrill]

I still think the Brewers are very much alive for the Division, forget this WC stuff. Cubs have to play four more games, that's really going to tax their bullpen the rest of the season. Not to mention the physical and mental grind, and frankly 4 more opportunities for an injury. Finally, fate is in the Brewers own hands playing them 6 times.

 

Wow, so basically you are cheering for an injury on an opponent?

[brewerfan82]

I still think the Brewers are very much alive for the Division, forget this WC stuff. Cubs have to play four more games, that's really going to tax their bullpen the rest of the season. Not to mention the physical and mental grind, and frankly 4 more opportunities for an injury. Finally, fate is in the Brewers own hands playing them 6 times.

Wow, so basically you are cheering for an injury on an opponent?

He's evaluating the Brewers' chances of catching the Cubs. Acknowledging a team is more at risk for an injury and rooting for one is a big difference.

[wibadgers23]

Pittsburgh now two games below .500 so looks like they are fading out of the race fast. They can’t hit to save their lives right now. Everybody else that we need to lose is winning tonight.

[Ennder]

Pittsburgh now two games below .500 so looks like they are fading out of the race fast. They can’t hit to save their lives right now. Everybody else that we need to lose is winning tonight.

 

 

It is worth noting that outside of the games against the Cubs and the Cardinals every game we play the rest of the season is against a team that really isn't in the playoff hunt. Next closest team in the Nationals who seem to be giving up.

[Eye Black]

The Phillies just lost an absolute heartbreaker to the Nationals on a two out come from behind effort that ended with a Ryan Zimmerman two-run homer. It is oddly therapeutic to see another team in the Wild Card mix snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.