2019 MLB Playoffs Preview and Discussion

[MrTPlush]

Yah not sure what is going on here. I wasn't even claiming to say they were going to lose or that I was prepping with zero expectations for Tuesday. Now everyone is acting like I was claiming to be "the smartest in the room". For the record I was arguably one of if not the most optimistic person here when Yelich went down. Pointing out he was only one person and we already had a better record without him anyway. On paper it sucked, but small samples it can look like he wasn't even a help.

 

I don't think it is wrong to say it would take an absolute miracle for this team to make a run and/or make a World Series appearance....sorry that is just a fact. They are injured and their roster isn't really that good as is, at least not compared to other teams still playing. It will be a team that is largely disadvantaged for at least the one game playoff and the NLDS. I think the NLCS would be a little more of a crapshoot because I don't think Braves/Cards are that great. World Series would likely be a bad match up with another elite team (like the Dodgers).

 

I thought they could go on a run without Yelich and they could do the same in the postseason...though they will actually have to play good teams now. So they might want to play a little better than they did the last three games. Pretty sure I can still be honest and say they are at a massive disadvantage while still cheering for them though.

 

If the Brewers win Tuesday, and proceed to go on a run, it is far from a miracle. It's just baseball.

And saying that it would take a miracle and calling that a fact is somewhat contradictory, and comes off as a little combative in my opinion. You are more than entitled to your opinion on why you feel this team has the odds stacked against it in the playoffs, but I certainly understand why people read what you said and found it to be defeatist. .

 

 

Shoot, at that point I thought it became a baseball-football hybrid.

[MrTPlush]

Anderson and Davies would be extra innings insurance, and Shaw - although terrible offensively this year - can play 2 positions well if needed for a double switch, unlike Austin - who also isn't a good hitter. Since we'll most likely be seeing all right-handed pitching (Scherzer and Strasburg + maybe Hudson, Doolittle being the only real lefty unless they throw Corbin on short rest), can't hurt to have another lefty bat.

 

I've read that Corbin is available out of the bullpen if needed.

 

I would imagine if it got to extras or something. Can't have all your guys be throwing a bunch of innings when the NLDS starts after a single off day. Unless he were to pitch a single inning.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Anderson and Davies would be extra innings insurance, and Shaw - although terrible offensively this year - can play 2 positions well if needed for a double switch, unlike Austin - who also isn't a good hitter. Since we'll most likely be seeing all right-handed pitching (Scherzer and Strasburg + maybe Hudson, Doolittle being the only real lefty unless they throw Corbin on short rest), can't hurt to have another lefty bat.

 

I've read that Corbin is available out of the bullpen if needed. That's part of why I think Austin over Shaw. We'll have Spang/Gamel available off the bench already. I think I'd rather have Austin PH in the 8th inning against Corbin/Doolittle over Perez. There really isn't a wrong answer though. I'll add, I think the Brewers will be in a fantastic place if either Doolittle or Hudson pitches tomorrow(that or losing by 8 runs and completely toast). Washington has to be thinking Scherzer for at least 5 with Corbin/Stras finishing if the game is close. Even if Corbin is just a decoy, they could easily do 6 and 3 or 5 and 4 with their 2 horses. Both are better options than Hudson/Doolittle.

 

Corbin just threw 94 pitches Saturday, and got shelled in 4 1/3 innings of work against the Indians. I doubt very much they are going to drag him out to face the Brewers on 3 days rest. Of course. who really knows?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I would call a prolonged run a miracle. Winning a series may qualify as a small one. This is by far the worst team in the playoffs and there's a reason most places have them at 1% right now.

[brooks_quichenick]

Anderson and Davies would be extra innings insurance, and Shaw - although terrible offensively this year - can play 2 positions well if needed for a double switch, unlike Austin - who also isn't a good hitter. Since we'll most likely be seeing all right-handed pitching (Scherzer and Strasburg + maybe Hudson, Doolittle being the only real lefty unless they throw Corbin on short rest), can't hurt to have another lefty bat.

 

I've read that Corbin is available out of the bullpen if needed. That's part of why I think Austin over Shaw. We'll have Spang/Gamel available off the bench already. I think I'd rather have Austin PH in the 8th inning against Corbin/Doolittle over Perez. There really isn't a wrong answer though. I'll add, I think the Brewers will be in a fantastic place if either Doolittle or Hudson pitches tomorrow(that or losing by 8 runs and completely toast). Washington has to be thinking Scherzer for at least 5 with Corbin/Stras finishing if the game is close. Even if Corbin is just a decoy, they could easily do 6 and 3 or 5 and 4 with their 2 horses. Both are better options than Hudson/Doolittle.

 

I was thinking Shaw instead of Austin mainly for the defense, but also because Gamel can be used against righties or lefties and I'd rather have him facing Doolittle or Corbin than Austin, unless we're specifically in need of a home run.

 

Gamel's numbers vs. lefties this season are even more impressive than I thought (only 79 PA, but still):

 

.354/.456/.446

3 2B

1 HR

8 RBI

12 BB/22 K

[KeithStone53151]

I would call a prolonged run a miracle. Winning a series may qualify as a small one. This is by far the worst team in the playoffs and there's a reason most places have them at 1% right now.

 

The Brewers were 20-7 in September, with 135 runs scored against 89 runs allowed. Houston was virtually tied with us for the best Sept record at 19-6...and their schedule strength was pretty similar to ours, arguably easier in fact. The Brewers certainly aren't playing like the worst team in the playoffs.

[RollieTime]

But Woodruff is also good enough that he's capable of a 7IP shutout and a HR.

 

Nope, not on Tuesday. There is no chance, 0% that he is allowed to pitch 7 innings, not to mention, he doesn't have the stamina built up even if they wanted him to go 7.

 

If we get a solid 3 innings we will be doing great!

[sarcasm]I would say 6 3 pitch inning might get him there.[/sarcasm]

 

Does anyone besides the diehardiest of diehard twins fans think they will win 1 game vs the yankees.

 

I think they have a good shot. That offense is explosive. I wouldn’t sleep on the Twins making a run this postseason. Twins get the edge with their starting staff, Yankees get the edge in the bullpen. The offenses are pretty similar.

 

The dream scenario would be the Brewers and Twins facing off in the World Series. It would be cool to have those two small market squads face off with the World Series on the line. That would be one electric border battle!

[yourout]

Black better have a 1 batter leash. No more.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

It's those pesky other five months where Houston was better than the Brewers. I mean what is more likely? The Brewers not getting past any one of these 90+ win teams or the Brewers 18-2 stretch is an accurate depiction of how good they are?

 

There is really nothing controversial, contrarian or even negative about thinking the Brewers probably won't be playing by October 10th, if this weekend.

[KeithStone53151]

Black better have a 1 batter leash. No more.

 

Black really shouldn't pitch at all unless it goes to extras. Black is probably only ahead of our emergency long relief guy(Nelson/Anderson) and maybe Freddy. He's behind Woodruff/Lyles/Suter/Pomeranz/Hader/Jackson/Guerra. Probably equivalent to Claudio but would only pitch to RH hitters.

[tmwiese55]

I have a friend who's a Twins fan. Been a running joke for years on getting eliminated by NYY. Then of course Houston takes the 1 spot this year setting it up yet again. Talking to him though, after he made jokes about how local media is adamant the team will not be intimidated by NY this time he then pretty much nails it that if you had to pick Houston on NY of course you'd rather play NY with how loaded Houston's pitching is. Still, it's just funny how they always end up with the Yanks.

[topper09er]

The Twins have an overall active 13 game playoff losing streak, and an active playoff losing streak of 10 games to the Yankees alone! Their last playoff win was game 1 of the 2004 ALDS.

[MrTPlush]

The Twins have an overall active 13 game playoff losing streak, and an active playoff losing streak of 10 games to the Yankees alone! Their last playoff win was game 1 of the 2004 ALDS.

 

For all the crap we get for being so bad the Nationals have been to the postseason 4/7 years before 2019. All of those years they won 95+ and won their division. They have not won the NLDS once...ONCE. 3/4 were Game 5 losses.

 

They have won 7 postseason games since 2012 (when their success started). We won 6 games last year alone. If we backed it up a year we have won 11. Mind you they had a similar run of pathetic baseball much like us (1982 to 2012).

[tmwiese55]

It's really crazy the Nats and LAD haven't won it all with amount of top top level starting pitching over the last 8ish years. At least LA has had multiple deep runs though. Still, it's crazy you can build teams that well with that huge advantage for multiple years and not win it all. Maybe it's one of their years but Houston is just ridiculous right now.

[owbc]

I have a friend who's a Twins fan. Been a running joke for years on getting eliminated by NYY. Then of course Houston takes the 1 spot this year setting it up yet again. Talking to him though, after he made jokes about how local media is adamant the team will not be intimidated by NY this time he then pretty much nails it that if you had to pick Houston on NY of course you'd rather play NY with how loaded Houston's pitching is. Still, it's just funny how they always end up with the Yanks.

 

The Twins have basically designed a team meant to beat NYY at Yankee Stadium. If they are ever going to do it this is the year.

[RollieTime]

 

Braun is good to go tomorrow! Great news on Braun. Cain will be a game time decision, but Scott Braun asked Cain how he was feeling when he was walking off the field and Cain responded with “good enough”. Looks like Cain will be a go as well!

[MrTPlush]

It's really crazy the Nats and LAD haven't won it all with amount of top top level starting pitching over the last 8ish years. At least LA has had multiple deep runs though. Still, it's crazy you can build teams that well with that huge advantage for multiple years and not win it all. Maybe it's one of their years but Houston is just ridiculous right now.

 

I think a lot of it comes down to the ace on those pitching staffs. If they pitch like aces, almost impossible to beat as those guys pitch 2 games in each series. They can hand you two losses by themselves essentially. On the flip side when they pitch bad, that is crippling.

 

You look at why the Dodgers haven’t won, Kershaw. He has been a 6.50+ ERA 0-2 pitcher in three huge postseason series in his career and overall really just not that great. He is the main guy and the team often sinks with him.

[bucks2281]

If the Brewers win Tuesday, Game 1 will be at 8:37 pm Thursday and Game 2 will be 8:47 pm Friday.

 

[KeithStone53151]

I've been reading through both the Brewers beat writers and Nationals beat writers just now. There seems to be a wildly different feel in each clubhouse. The Brewers generally seem more loose and to be having more fun. Nationals generally seem a lot more tense, seem to be feeling a lot more pressure, all the talk is around Scherzer. I admittedly didn't spend a ton of time on it, I think I like the atmosphere in the Brewers clubhouse moreso than the Nats if that is true.

[KeithStone53151]

Suzuki is catching, means Grisham and Hiura shoudl be looking to run. Maybe Cain if he's feeling up to it. Also maybe Braun/Thames if he looks particularly slow tomorrow.

[MDCrew]

Going to be at the game tomorrow with a few friends. I am really looking forward to this game I feel if they can get a few runs early it will be huge for them as I believe the Nats bullpen is definitely a weak spot. It will also take the crowd out of the game. I’m predicting Brewers win 4-3.

[Underachiever]

If the Brewers win Tuesday, Game 1 will be at 8:37 pm Thursday and Game 2 will be 8:47 pm Friday.

 

Those are Eastern times, right?

Edit: As I see it, Thursday is 7:37 Central and Friday is 8:47.

[long ball]

To me, the most interesting thing will be if Lyles is coming in to pitch after Woodruff. I wouldn't expect Woodruff to go more than 3 innings.

 

In a 1 game, 9 inning elimination game I only want Woodruff, Lyles, Pomeranz, Hader, and Suter. I'd feel ok about Peralta and Guerra in certain situations as well.

 

Probably need either Davies or Anderson on the roster just to protect yourself in case of a long extra inning game. I'd lean Davies even though he'd be on short rest if they need him.

[adambr2]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2019/09/30/nationals-turn-their-ace-starters-tuesdays-wild-card-game/3816469002/

 

This is kind of what I was afraid of. Unlikely we see anyone besides Scherzer, Strasburg or Corbin tomorrow if the game is close.

[MrTPlush]

I feel a bit better using guys in roles they are used to vs. tossing starters out there mid game. The later is much more unpredictable and guys have struggled in such a role in the past.