2019 Standings and Playoff Races Discussion

[KeithStone53151]

Don't sleep on the diamondbacks, by the way. They won 8 of their last 10 including 3 of 4 vs the Dodgers. They also have possibly an easier schedule than us down the stretch. 6 vs SD, 3 vs Cin, 3 vs Mia...then 2 tough ones with the Mets and Cards.

 

How is their schedule easier than ours?

We both play cincy

We both play Miami but we get one more game - advantage brewers

We both play the cards

We both play the Padres but they get two more games. We essentially swap those extra two Padres games for the Rockies - advantage brewers

They play 4 vs the Mets and we get the Pirates instead - huge advantage brewers

 

I said possibly easier. Those extra games vs the Padres without Tatis could make it easier. Regardless, it's definitely a pretty easy schedule...they are in a position to win a lot of games. Fortunately, they lost the first 2 against the Mets and gave us a bit of cushion.

[KeithStone53151]

Did anyone else stay up late last night to watch the Cubs lose in extras on a walk off walk on 4 pitches? In a game where Bryant was virtually unstoppable...their pitching staff is utter garbage behind their rotation. And their rotation full of old dudes on the verge of hip replacements is finally starting to show their age and get hit around a bit. Can they please extend Joe Maddon? I love watching him overuse their bullpen and run all their relievers out of gas by mid-August.

[stalton]

At worst we will be playing meaningful baseball until the 19th at the earliest if we lose out. Even if we dont make it, its been a helluva year.

[sveumrules]

Could wake up tomorrow tied for WC2.

[Jopal78]

Cardinals second loss to Rockies and Brewers now have a realistic shot at division title since Cubs and Cards have six more games together

[DuWayne Steurer]

i'd say that the Brewers still have an outside shot at the division. Since the Cubs and Cards play each other as many times as they do, one of those two teams will have to win those games. I like our chances at WC2, or even heck, WC1, but for the Cards to fall back to us, that likley means the Cubs have won a bunch of games and are then controlling the division. I'm ok with whatever gets the Brewers into postseason play at this point.

[Fear The Chorizo]

i'd say that the Brewers still have an outside shot at the division. Since the Cubs and Cards play each other as many times as they do, one of those two teams will have to win those games. I like our chances at WC2, or even heck, WC1, but for the Cards to fall back to us, that likley means the Cubs have won a bunch of games and are then controlling the division. I'm ok with whatever gets the Brewers into postseason play at this point.

 

Brewers only 4 back of the Cards for the division as it stands tonight with a series against them coming up this weekend - the Cards could actually fall almost all the way back to the Brewers before any of their games against the Cubs even happen...with the way the Cubs are playing i don't see them controlling anything.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Watching Cubs-Pads - the Cubs are playing awful, and it's amazing what pitchers/players are in their lineup at this stage of the season considering what their payroll is.

 

Also took a look at some stats for a few players of note, and it made me smile. Had the Cubs not gotten so trade happy a few seasons ago hunting for pitching they couldn't develop or acquire for reasonable cost, their lineup would be crazy and their payroll would be much, much lower.

 

Jorge Soler has 43 HR, meanwhile Wade Davis is pitching for the Rockies to the tune of 7.01 ERA and the Cubs have an albatross contract in Heyward in right. Soler was dealt largely because he was seemingly blocked by Heyward and his deal along with the Cubs needing to find room for Schwarber to play everyday after their 2016 WS win. In hindsight, the Cubs should have explored trading Schwarber instead of Soler when his value was astronomically high and before regular MLB playing time exposed him as a good/not great hitter who can't play a lick defensively.

 

Eloy Jimenez has quietly put up a pretty impressive rookie season, hitting 26HR thus far in just over 400 MLB at bats while missing some time due to injury and struggling at times - the Cubs have Schwarber in left, but nobody would prefer Schwarber over Jimenez moving forward. Maybe it was worth it to trade Jimenez and Cease to have Quintana make 75 starts against the Brewers the past few seasons, but IMO that was far too steep a price to pay.

 

Gleyber Torres sits at 36 HR - trading him for Chapman won them a World Series, so I can get behind accepting that as being worth it. Still, it was a steep price to pay for 3 months of a stud reliever.

 

While some of us fret about losing the services of prospects the Brewers have recently dealt, I sleep much better knowing Cubs' brass managed to do a much better job at shipping high end, cost-controlled talent out of Chicago.

[DuWayne Steurer]

For all that, Soler is a 2.5 WAR player this year, a -1.5 dWAR, so despite the massive power surge, he's still worth less than half a win more than Hayward.

 

Soler is right where he belongs, in the AL, where he can (and should) DH the majority of the time.

[Fear The Chorizo]

For all that, Soler is a 2.5 WAR player this year, a -1.5 dWAR, so despite the massive power surge, he's still worth less than half a win more than Hayward.

 

Soler is right where he belongs, in the AL, where he can (and should) DH the majority of the time.

 

Soler makes ~$4M per year, Heyward makes ~$22M annually....through 2023!

 

As a Brewers fan, I'd argue Heyward is right where he belongs, too!

[sveumrules]

Still awake, so I don't think I'm dreaming & it appears as though the Brewers are currently tied for WC2.

 

Not too shabby for a team that was eulogized seven weeks ago.

[Sal Bando]

I'd rather the Brewers win than lose, and I'd rather the Brewers make the playoffs than not.

 

But if this team makes a wild card entry it will be like an NBA team being the 8th seed in the playoffs. Yay! We made the playoffs! Whoa, we just got trucked by a 1 seed.

 

There is no joy here because this is not a good team (which they were last year).

 

-25 run differential as of this writing.

[owbc]

The Brewers erased a 5-game deficit in 6 days.

 

This isn’t the NBA. The 6, 7, and 8 seeds miss the playoffs. 4 and 5 play the WC game.

[KeithStone53151]

The Brewers erased a 5-game deficit in 6 days.

 

This isn’t the NBA. The 6, 7, and 8 seeds miss the playoffs. 4 and 5 play the WC game.

 

+1. I'm not going to look it up, but didn't the cardinals recently win a world series as a wildcard team with something like 86 or 87 regular season wins? Basketball is seemingly the only sport where the best team almost always tends to win a 7 game series. In baseball, any team can get hot for a month and make a run.

[SomewhereInTime]

I'd rather the Brewers win than lose, and I'd rather the Brewers make the playoffs than not.

 

But if this team makes a wild card entry it will be like an NBA team being the 8th seed in the playoffs. Yay! We made the playoffs! Whoa, we just got trucked by a 1 seed.

 

There is no joy here because this is not a good team (which they were last year).

 

-25 run differential as of this writing.

 

No it absolutely would not be like that and is in no way comparable to the NBA, are you new to baseball?

[SomewhereInTime]

The Brewers erased a 5-game deficit in 6 days.

 

This isn’t the NBA. The 6, 7, and 8 seeds miss the playoffs. 4 and 5 play the WC game.

 

+1. I'm not going to look it up, but didn't the cardinals recently win a world series as a wildcard team with something like 86 or 87 regular season wins? Basketball is seemingly the only sport where the best team almost always tends to win a 7 game series. In baseball, any team can get hot for a month and make a run.

 

Back in '06 the Cardinals backed into a division title with like 84 wins, and they won the world series. You don't even have to get hot before October.

[sobomp3]

I'd rather the Brewers win than lose, and I'd rather the Brewers make the playoffs than not.

 

But if this team makes a wild card entry it will be like an NBA team being the 8th seed in the playoffs. Yay! We made the playoffs! Whoa, we just got trucked by a 1 seed.

 

There is no joy here because this is not a good team (which they were last year).

 

-25 run differential as of this writing.

This is quite possibly the worst analogy I’ve seen here. 50+ percent of NBA teams make the playoffs each year. If the brewers make the playoffs two consecutive years it would be absolutely huge for the franchise. From the occasional pretenders to legit contenders.

 

Just a horrible take, and a horrible comparison. Ugh.

[Sal Bando]

I'd rather the Brewers win than lose, and I'd rather the Brewers make the playoffs than not.

 

But if this team makes a wild card entry it will be like an NBA team being the 8th seed in the playoffs. Yay! We made the playoffs! Whoa, we just got trucked by a 1 seed.

 

There is no joy here because this is not a good team (which they were last year).

 

-25 run differential as of this writing.

This is quite possibly the worst analogy I’ve seen here. 50+ percent of NBA teams make the playoffs each year. If the brewers make the playoffs two consecutive years it would be absolutely huge for the franchise. From the occasional pretenders to legit contenders.

 

Just a horrible take, and a horrible comparison. Ugh.

 

 

Nope. This is an unusual year. Normally good teams make the wild card. Not this year. It will be a crap fest. The NBA #8 seed analogy is appropriate this year.

 

I'll take bets from anyone who wants to put the Brewers in the NLCS.

[A Swing and A Drive]

Yeah but we have Brent Suter!

[zurch1818]

As meaningless as it is, I wonder what the Brewers median run differential is. It seems as if there are a lot of games this year where they lost by 10 whee they kind of stopped trying. I know there are some games that went the other way where they won by 10.

 

I'm not saying they are really as good as the Dodgers...but that run differential may not be a greatest way to measure this team's quality.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'd rather the Brewers win than lose, and I'd rather the Brewers make the playoffs than not.

 

But if this team makes a wild card entry it will be like an NBA team being the 8th seed in the playoffs. Yay! We made the playoffs! Whoa, we just got trucked by a 1 seed.

 

There is no joy here because this is not a good team (which they were last year).

 

-25 run differential as of this writing.

This is quite possibly the worst analogy I’ve seen here. 50+ percent of NBA teams make the playoffs each year. If the brewers make the playoffs two consecutive years it would be absolutely huge for the franchise. From the occasional pretenders to legit contenders.

 

Just a horrible take, and a horrible comparison. Ugh.

 

 

Nope. This is an unusual year. Normally good teams make the wild card. Not this year. It will be a crap fest. The NBA #8 seed analogy is appropriate this year.

 

I'll take bets from anyone who wants to put the Brewers in the NLCS.

 

Wow. I'm beginning to think you really are Sal Bando, and are jaded by your time as the team's GM.

[MrTPlush]

4 back on Cardinals

3.5 back on Nationals

2nd WC tie currently

 

Things could get real interest if we win 3/4 through this weekend and the Cards go 1/4. We also still have a sneaky chance at the 1st WC too.

[Brew crew 92]

I'd rather the Brewers win than lose, and I'd rather the Brewers make the playoffs than not.

 

But if this team makes a wild card entry it will be like an NBA team being the 8th seed in the playoffs. Yay! We made the playoffs! Whoa, we just got trucked by a 1 seed.

 

There is no joy here because this is not a good team (which they were last year).

 

-25 run differential as of this writing.

This is quite possibly the worst analogy I’ve seen here. 50+ percent of NBA teams make the playoffs each year. If the brewers make the playoffs two consecutive years it would be absolutely huge for the franchise. From the occasional pretenders to legit contenders.

 

Just a horrible take, and a horrible comparison. Ugh.

 

 

Nope. This is an unusual year. Normally good teams make the wild card. Not this year. It will be a crap fest. The NBA #8 seed analogy is appropriate this year.

 

I'll take bets from anyone who wants to put the Brewers in the NLCS.

 

Troll alert!

No real brewer fan would take your user name, imo. But of course I could be wrong. Interesting take though. Ha.

[NYChez]

Over the past 2 seasons its’:

 

Brewers 173-135

Cubs 172-136

 

This Cubs’ team felt like they wouldn’t lose their grip on the division for several years. They beat the Brewers out for high-profile free agents. It’s amazing to me that the Brewers have been able to do what they’ve done.

[Jopal78]

Over the past 2 seasons its’:

 

Brewers 173-135

Cubs 172-136

 

This Cubs’ team felt like they wouldn’t lose their grip on the division for several years. They beat the Brewers out for high-profile free agents. It’s amazing to me that the Brewers have been able to do what they’ve done.

 

The Cubs being where they are at is why the noose is tightened around Maddon’s neck. Baez, Bryant and Contreras being banged up all year has really made an impact, and the 35 year old starting pitchers Lester and Hamels are running out of gas. Hamels era is over 7 this last month, Lester’s Is close to 5