Isn't this supposed to be fun?

[LUKE232323]

It's only a fun ride if we make the postseason, end of story, period. The excuses and rationalizations of the Brewers organization or the fans just won't fly this year.

 

This team is playing with it's head up it's butt right now, don't know what is fun about that.

[jlau20]

I'm going to have to agree more with SoCal than Luke on this one.

 

We are set to be a competitive team for a few years to come. We've been getting better, and last year went 75-87, nothing spectacular but baby steps.

 

Say the Crew does continue to play this bad on the road, and doesn't make the playoffs, is it the end of their chances in the near future to make it or go to the World Series? No way.

 

I thought the general consensus going into this year was that if they did well and made the playoffs it would be more of a bonus than anything else. Personally, since '05 I've been thinking '08 would be the year we would really come out as winners.

 

Then when we started 25-11, I thought this would just be me getting proved wrong again and the Crew being able to do it a year earlier than I thought, and now we're somewhat "leveling out" I guess.

 

I don't know, I guess my thought was always that 2008 would be "the year" and that anything sooner would be gravy, so while I'd love to see the team get back to it's winning ways this year, it wouldn't turn me off to the Brewers if they don't make the playoffs.

[LUKE232323]

Look, I know that the future looks bright regardless of this year, but that doesn't diminish the fact that if we do miss the playoffs we absolutely folded in the 2nd half yet again. No one will be able to convince me otherwise if we do not make the postseason.

 

24-10. If we don't make the playoffs that means we were basically 130 games of .500 or less baseball.

[SoCalBrewfan]

It's only a fun ride if we make the postseason, end of story, period.

 

That may be the way you feel about it, but there are clearly a lot of others who feel differently. Surely you don't presume to speak for all Brewer fans?

[Mike Felder]

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Exactly. How can you have a soaring high without a crushing low? It's like, how can you have a happy song without sad songs? To fully appreciate each emotion you have to experience both.

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Haven't we experienced crushing lows for the better part of three decades now? I think people are so upset now because it seems like the good times of three months are slipping away and being replaced with the same crushing feeling of the last 24 years. Like Sisyphus...we're finally getting that boulder to the top of the hill and now it seems like it's just ready to roll right back down over the top of us.

[LUKE232323]

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That may be the way you feel about it, but there are clearly a lot of others who feel differently. Surely you don't presume to speak for all Brewer fans

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?

 

So you consider this a fun and successful season if we don't make the playoffs? How can any Brewer fan say that with a straight face?

 

The time for rationalizations of youth and other excuses is over. If this team does not make the postseason (which will require a below average 130 game span), it is not a successful season.

 

When does "next year" become now? Ever?

[jlau20]

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So you consider this a fun and successful season if we don't make the playoffs? How can any Brewer fan say that with a straight face?

 

The time for rationalizations of youth and other excuses is over. If this team does not make the postseason (which will require a below average 130 game span), it is not a successful season.

 

When does "next year" become now? Ever?

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I know that was directed towards SoCal a bit, but...

 

I would consider this a fun and successful season if we end up with a winning record and are in the division or wild card chase for the better part of September.

 

If we were an NBA team and started 24-10, then yes, I would expect playoffs, which is beside the point because more than 1/2 of all the teams in the NBA make it. It is possible that the 24-10 start was the bigger oddity than the 33-38 record since.

 

As for when does "next year" become now, I would say next year to be honest. Fielder, Weeks (yikes), Hardy and Hart will have another full season under their belts, Braun will have 2/3 of a full season and Yo should, and Parra could crack our rotation after some spot starting and relief appearances this year, and they won't be as "limited" in the innings they are going to be given to pitch next year.

 

Not throwing in the towel for this year or anything by any means, but taking all things into consideration in my opinion "next year" really can be the year.

[crewcrazy]

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So you consider this a fun and successful season if we don't make the playoffs? How can any Brewer fan say that with a straight face?

 

The time for rationalizations of youth and other excuses is over. If this team does not make the postseason (which will require a below average 130 game span), it is not a successful season.

 

When does "next year" become now? Ever?

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Well, I think it's important to remember that this is a team that won 75 games last year -- just getting to 90 wins should be cause for at least a *little* celebration. You don't have to feel that way if you wish, but there are some that like to find positives even if they miss the playoffs this year.

 

As for the question of whether or not this is fun, the constant checking of the boxscores during losses like today isn't fun, but I have to say I've been paying a lot more attention to Brewer games now that every game potentially means something -- when they were up by 8.5 games, it wasn't nearly as fun, since each win produced more of a "meh...that's cool" feeling than a "WOOO!! TAKE THAT CUBS!" feeling. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

I get the feeling that those feelings will only intensify if the Cubs get to within a half game of the Brewers, and each game could cause a change in the division lead every day. It wouldn't be good for the nerves, but it'd definitely be entertaining.

[LUKE232323]

Look, I'm a Brewer fan til death, but the only way I will consider this a successful season while also missing the playoffs is if we win 88+ games and still somehow miss out. 88 wins is .500 baseball for 128 games.

 

There's no excuses that fit. We're a young team but we also have veterans. Our entire rotation is veterans minus Yo who is filling in for sheets. Counsell, Suppan, Miller have been there before. I just don't see any excuse that will fit other than "yes, the Brewers folded in the 2nd half yet again".

 

The season is by no means over, but I will be 100% against the rationalizations that fans will make that this is a good season if we do miss the playoffs. There is simply no way to spin it in my opinion.

[LUKE232323]

Umm, 90 wins would be great, of course. You do realize we have to play 9 games over .500 the remaining games to get there correct?

 

90 wins is a dream at this point.

[SeriesFinale]

Wow, watching the Brewers cough up a sizable division lead has been so much gosh-durned fun!

 

That said, if they actually make it fun in August and September (ie, winning more games than they've lost and keeping--or taking back--the division lead), I'll enjoy it. But I've never liked watching the Brewers lose and I certainly don't now.

 

What are you basing this on? And better yet, would you say this if Cordero converts his last 2 saves? I'm sure you wouldn't.

 

I think you've answered your own question here.

[Ennder]

If the Brewers win 82 games its a successful season. If they win in the 85+ range and don't make the playoffs its a really good season. If they make the playoffs its a great season.

[bklynbrewcrew]

When you start the season 24-10, 82 wins is not a successful season. Anything less than the playoffs at this point when we have been in first place all season loss is a failure.

[LUKE232323]

I fail to see how 82 wins is a successful season. They would have easily eclipsed that last year without injuries, and while we do have a young team, I think most would agree we are past the development stage. Winning one more game than 2005 would be successful? Especially after a 24-10 start? Someone please enlighten me.

[LUKE232323]

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When you start the season 24-10, 82 wins is not a successful season. Anything less than the playoffs at this point when we have been in first place all season loss is a failure.

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Exactly. The fact that many fans are already bringing out rationalizations for success really bothers me. Lets call a spade a spade here. 9 game division lead + no playoffs = disappointing season. The main thing I will continue to say is that if we do miss the playoffs we played 128 games of mediocre baseball. I don't see how anyone is happy with that.

[1992casey]

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I get the feeling that those feelings will only intensify if the Cubs get to within a half game of the Brewers, and each game could cause a change in the division lead every day. It wouldn't be good for the nerves, but it'd definitely be entertaining.

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I think you've just defined "important games" crewcrazy. A runaway would be fun and relatively easy on the nerves, but it wouldn't be nearly as interesting. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

 

Note: "How can any Brewer fan say that with a straight face?" is tipping the condescension scale toward attacking the messenger rather than addressing the message. "The fact that many fans are already bringing out rationalizations for success really bothers me." wouldn't seem to do that.

[naivin]

I am constantly reminding myself that my goal for this team at the beginning of the year was to watch meaningful games in September. It looks as if that could still happen (although after the last few days...). A 24-10 start definitely raised the stakes and did make it more fun, but it also set the stage for the current level of frustration. Fact remains (even though the Brewers are managing to let the Cards back in the race), that both the Brewers and Cubs are a couple good weeks away from having a very nice lead in the division if everything goes their way for a 10-14 day period. It could remain close all the way, but I have a feeling that one of those teams is going to find themselves needing to make up 4 or 5 games a couple weeks from now.

[Ennder]

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When you start the season 24-10, 82 wins is not a successful season. Anything less than the playoffs at this point when we have been in first place all season loss is a failure.

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The 24-10 start has absolutely no meaning, it just means we played our best baseball early while a team like the Cubs played thier best in July. There is absolutely no difference between the two.

 

Of course 82 wins is successful, the team hasn't won that many in a long long time. I didn't expect this team to win the divison to start the year and nothing has ever changed that, if we end up in the playoffs we played over my expectations and I'll be thrilled. What I wanted was for us to be in the playoff hunt deep into the season and to get that big game experience to build towards next year. I still think we'll be in the running in the final weeks so we are doing about what i expected.

[Tbadder]

This is any thing but fun or interesting or fulfilling or whatever. A pennant race is when two or three teams are playing well, fighting everyday, etc. Not when one team just starts to implode with ridiculous loses to ridiculous teams. When one team takes hold of it's destiny and another simply gives it up. This is torture; this is Wrigleyville!

[Ayt]

How is this not fun? How many times in the last 25 years have the Brewers been relevant?

 

There is another two months of baseball left and we will likely be neck and neck with the Cubs the rest of the way. That is drama on a daily basis and it is what most fans of playoff teams have had to "deal" with every year for multiple seasons.

 

We've actually been fortunate in many ways, considering we had the second largest divisional lead in the majors behind the Red Sox for I don't even know how long. Look at some of the other divisions where the leader has flipped multiple times.

 

As far as I'm concerned, this is baseball. There is nothing like the daily tension of a playoff race throughout the summer and into the fall. I'm glad the Cubs stepped it up because that makes it much more fun.

[UeckerAddict]

The 24-10 start has absolutely no meaning, it just means we played our best baseball early while a team like the Cubs played thier best in July. There is absolutely no difference between the two.

 

Tell an old Red Sox fan that, and be sure to mention the name Thurman Munson at he end of it. Or an old Cubs fan and be sure to mention Ron Santo and the black cat at the end.

[Ennder]

Detroit has lost 5 of its last 6 including a double header to the White Sox where they blew a 7-0 lead. Its not just the Brewers that go through mini stretches like this. Its just how baseball goes sometimes. The Brewers should be walking out of this road stretch over .500, Cordero blew 2 saves, it really stinks i agree but the team as a whole isn't playing as poorly as people seem to think they are.

[rluzinski]

Tell an old Red Sox fan that, and be sure to mention the name Thurman Munson at he end of it. Or an old Cubs fan and be sure to mention Ron Santo and the black cat at the end.

 

To fans it matters, obviously. When assessing team talent, provided the personnel hasn't changed (injuries), it really doesn't matter.

[LUKE232323]

Ennder, usually I would agree with your "mini-stretch" argument. The problem is that this is not a mini-stretch. We've played awful on the road all season and are 4 games under .500 in our last 70 games (43% of the season). If it continues we are a mediocre to below average team for 79% (128 games) of the season, and a great team for 21% of the season.

 

I don't think the argument that this is a "bad stretch" is accurate.

[Ennder]

spiff.rit.edu/richmond/ba...reaks.html

 

Teams who end the season with a .550 winning percentage generally go through a streak of between 60 and 140 games where they play .500 ball. This is just normal what the Brewers are doing. You can't say we are a bad team that went on a hot streak because it ignores the hot streak.