Season’s Over [Therapy Thread]

[Eye Black]

“It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall all alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.”

 

- A. Bartlett Giamatti

[Eye Black]

For all of those who followed the team this year through the ups and the downs and participated in posting on these electronic pages, it was a [mostly] fun ride. In the end it’s hard to argue there aren’t deficiencies to be shored up this off-season, but there were also plenty of great moments and encouraging signs for the future. Please feel free to use this thread to post your thoughts on the season and the ride it was, or what lies ahead. Or basically anything, really, that you want to share.

[MrTPlush]

Honestly just a very forgettable season. It just never quite felt magical. Once the excitement of closing out the divisional came we started imploding and looked embarrassing. While I was never that worried of the Cardinals catching us, it was embarrassing it ever became a topic of conversation to be needed. It felt like the divisional race was kind of weak behind us anyway and once we limped to the title it was somewhat “meh”. While we celebrated punching walls, the concern over our recent performance became larger. Then of course that dismal offense continued when the calendar flipped into October. Any loss in the NLDS would have felt disappointing to me, but to have pathetic managerial decisions and brutally pathetic offense do us in made it all the worse. Not only did we lose into the NLDS, but it really was not that enjoyable to watch for 90% of it.

 

What a bummer to watch championship pitching totally wasted. Time for Stearns to get a real offense that can get us to a World Series. This wasn’t it. I’m not dreaming of an NLDS appearance. I want to see a World Series now.

 

I could just punch a wall right now.

[jonescm128]

As good as our pitching was we all knew the offense was the weakest part of the team. Having truly terrible years from guys you expected to anchor the offense (Yelich and Hiura) really set this team back. However, we were able to acquire a star in Adames and saw Urias grow into a solid player so we can build on those.

[Simba2020]

As good as our pitching was we all knew the offense was the weakest part of the team. Having truly terrible years from guys you expected to anchor the offense (Yelich and Hiura) really set this team back. However, we were able to acquire a star in Adames and saw Urias grow into a solid player so we can build on those.

I kind of get what you were saying, but I wasn't expecting Yelich and especially not Hiura, to carry the team this year. Hoping sure, but that's all.

[jerichoholicninja]

Honestly just a very forgettable season. It just never quite felt magical. Once the excitement of closing out the divisional came we started imploding and looked embarrassing. While I was never that worried of the Cardinals catching us, it was embarrassing it ever became a topic of conversation to be needed. It felt like the divisional race was kind of weak behind us anyway and once we limped to the title it was somewhat “meh”. While we celebrated punching walls, the concern over our recent performance became larger. Then of course that dismal offense continued when the calendar flipped into October. Any loss in the NLDS would have felt disappointing to me, but to have pathetic managerial decisions and brutally pathetic offense do us in made it all the worse. Not only did we lose into the NLDS, but it really was not that enjoyable to watch for 90% of it.

 

What a bummer to watch championship pitching totally wasted. Time for Stearns to get a real offense that can get us to a World Series. This wasn’t it. I’m not dreaming of an NLDS appearance. I want to see a World Series now.

 

I could just punch a wall right now.

 

Other than putting any blame on Counsell I agree with this. The team started like crap, went crazy hot in the middle of the season, and finished just as crappy as they started. And you can tie that directly to the offense. The pitching was solid throughout the year but the wins only came when the offense did something. The only time this team felt special was that couple weeks when they were just rolling through everyone and putting up runs in bunches. Outside of that it was the same great pitching/crap offense of the last 4 or 5 years. I'd hope Stearns addresses that somehow but history has shown he probably won't.

 

I watched the first 2 innings of game 1 and that was it. Mainly because I've grown tired of 3TO baseball and find it boring and uninteresting but also because I just didn't care about the DS. We've been there done that enough. I doubt I would have started watching until they had a chance to clinch the CS.

[reillymcshane]

The season was actually really fun - bad ending aside.

 

I think that we got exposed for a lack of pitching depth (specifically relief pitching), and - obviously - our offense.

 

A mediocre offense - especially if it goes into a funk - is really a disaster waiting to happen. And that's pretty much what happened over the last couple of weeks of the season - and the playoffs.

 

We have a lot of really good pieces - but without 2019-20 Yelich - there's just no stud bat out there - and that hurts.

 

Oh well. Gonna go hug my Giannis poster.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Honestly just a very forgettable season. It just never quite felt magical.

 

This is exactly how I feel about the season. And tbh, why I don't feel as sad as 2018. Maybe it's because I'd never seen a Brewers team constructed this way, but I never felt this team could do it, because of the offense.

 

It could also just be that there was no epic race at the end and we got to just cruise. But magical is exactly the right word. I never had that magical feeling about this club. I talked myself into it, for sure, but something always felt off about buying into them.

[roadcrew3]

I hope that in the coming seasons, we'll look back on this year more fondly as the coming out party for the big three pitchers. It's hard to go back to pre-season expectations, but coming into the year nobody expected those three to perform as strongly as they did.

 

Woodruff had established himself as our ace but Burnes and Peralta were nothing more than high potential arms who hadn't established that consistency yet. Until this season when they did. That is the biggest takeaway from me and hoping that results in the coming years will have us looking back at this season as the year it started.

 

Unfortunately, being a Brewers fan often times is filled with a lot of hoping for future outcomes that as we all know, don't frequently occur.

[JimH5]

For me, this was the season when Stearns earned all the praises that so many on this board had been giving him for years. I'm a tough sell, I guess.

 

The pitching staff was the best in club history. They found a gem in Adames. Eric Lauer and Freddy Peralta advanced their performance more than I ever expected. Tellez was a nice find. Urias showed promise. Aaron Ashby, too. Tyrone Taylor was exciting. They were quick to move on from Orlando Arcia.

 

There were warts, for sure. Yelich and Hiura and JBJ.

 

But I'm excited about 2022, and they should be a playoff team again.

[LouisEly]

It's ironic that the positions that they spent the most money on (OF, 2B) were the positions that killed them in the series.

[thebruce44]

I'm good because even when this team hit its stride in the middle of the year, I never thought they had the experience and maturity to make a deep playoff run. I'm not talking about mental makeup or veterans- rather the innings jump from our young pitchers was something that really scared me. I think it scared Cousell too and I look forward to the next two seasons when I think he will be more comfortable turning our starting pitchers lose in the playoffs.

[Joseph Zarr]

I'm excited for what's in store. This team had flaws and they overcame them for the majority of the season with an incredible run of inspired play and winning baseball. We obviously have Starting pitching depth - and, holy hell, what depth it is. The wheels just fell off at the absolute worst time. We lost a lot of mojo when Taylor, Adames, Escobar, Avi, Rowdy, and Freddy got injured. Up until that point, we had been rollllllllling as a fine-tuned series-winning machine. Jace got cold after an improbably productive season at the plate. We lost Hiura the moment the season began when we realized he couldn't hit anything. The bullpen, which was a source of strength and shutdown innings for several months, became shaky as could be at the most inopportune time. Losing Suter and Williams reallly reallly hurt us. The Braves are a very good and solid team top to bottom - I have no qualms about losing the Series. Sure, questionable results occurred and it is quite easy to second guess some moves but they fought hard in their elimination game after scoring a mere 2 runs in their first 3.

 

Considering where this ball club was pre-Adames? I'll take this season. The result. To the bank. I think better days are ahead. I wish they advanced, but I am not surprised they had an early exit...given our offensive short-comings and our sudden bullpen weakness I just saw us as one of the weaker teams in the post-season. But, man, I tried to maintain positivity and belief through it all. It was challenging. I wish things had gone differently.

[rickh150]

I expected them to win this series because of Burnes and Woodruff and Hader. I expected each to pitch every game and really only Peralta to start another game this series. Pitching these 10th and 11th best pitchers on our team in key innings was just not even in my thought process.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

The new CBA is a big factor for me going into next year. I really think the Brewers are the Rays of the NL...with way better fan support. Stearns and co will adjust to whatever new rules get put in play, and probably faster than anyone else.

 

These last five years have been the best stretch in my Brewers life. 2 division titles. 4 playoff appearances. Meaningful baseball and fun young players.

 

These last two, though, I will admit have been less aesthetically pleasing to me just based on the team's offensive approach. It's a league-wide thing, but it seems to hit the Crew hard. I hope that can be corrected to some extent this off-season. I think a Hader trade to a big market team (Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Astros, even White Sox as an under the radar option) is likely. I think the strategy is to pitch guys who mostly go multiple innings. Have 7 starters and 5 long men in the pen. We've got the arms to do it.

 

Beyond that, I know where I'll be this winter. Right here. Waiting for April, talking the occasional hoops and Packers. Big thanks to the mods and all of you. This is my favorite place on the internet, and there's no one, save maybe my dad, I'd rather talk baseball with. Eye Black, your game threads are the log lines of my summer. Big thanks to you especially.

[thebruce44]

I expected them to win this series because of Burnes and Woodruff and Hader. I expected each to pitch every game and really only Peralta to start another game this series. Pitching these 10th and 11th best pitchers on our team in key innings was just not even in my thought process.

 

You may have had unrealistic expectations.

[timpep]

I expected them to win this series because of Burnes and Woodruff and Hader. I expected each to pitch every game and really only Peralta to start another game this series. Pitching these 10th and 11th best pitchers on our team in key innings was just not even in my thought process.

 

You may have had unrealistic expectations.

 

I heard all season long about how we were a team built for the playoffs because of how we could basically pitch Woody and Burnes 4 out of the 5 games. I also expected Hader to be one of our most used bullpen pieces. I think I was also unrealistic, but somehow not unreasonable in my expectations.

[sixtolezcano16]

At least we have football and the Packers.

[treego14]

I expected them to win this series because of Burnes and Woodruff and Hader. I expected each to pitch every game and really only Peralta to start another game this series. Pitching these 10th and 11th best pitchers on our team in key innings was just not even in my thought process.

Bingo!

[Bulldogboy]

I had Braves in 4 and I am sorry I was right. The month of September alarmed me and I was not a flip the switch guy. It sucks and I think this division is not going to be easy to win with the Cards around. The roster is poorly constructed imo. Big moves are needed but I am sure we will not see them. It's disappointing for sure. I was hopeful that the Bucks win would push the Brewers to go all in. Daniel Norris wasn't it. We shall see.

[valpocrewsader]

If we burn our wings flying too close to the sun

If the moment of glory is over before it's begun

 

If the dream is won

Though everything is lost

We will pay the price

But we will not count the cost

 

When the dust has cleared, and victory denied

A summit too lofty, river a little too wide

 

If we keep our pride

Though paradise is lost

We will pay the price

But we will not count the cost

 

And if the music stops, there's only the sound of the rain

All the hope and glory, all the sacrifice in vain

 

But if love remains

Though everything is lost

We will pay the price

But we will not count the cost

[SomewhereInTime]

I expected them to win this series because of Burnes and Woodruff and Hader. I expected each to pitch every game and really only Peralta to start another game this series. Pitching these 10th and 11th best pitchers on our team in key innings was just not even in my thought process.

 

The only way I thought they'd bring Burnes back on short rest is if they were down 2-1. They were and this was clearly a game where 6+ innings were needed from the starter. Counsell made the wrong call. It was not a good series for him as he was outmanaged considerably.

[AdvantageSchneider]

I expected them to win this series because of Burnes and Woodruff and Hader. I expected each to pitch every game and really only Peralta to start another game this series. Pitching these 10th and 11th best pitchers on our team in key innings was just not even in my thought process.

 

The only way I thought they'd bring Burnes back on short rest is if they were down 2-1. They were and this was clearly a game where 6+ innings were needed from the starter. Counsell made the wrong call. It was not a good series for him as he was outmanaged considerably.

 

Adam McCalvy tweeted that in the wild card era 1995 to present starters on short rest in the postseason are 30-45 with a 4.58 era averaging 5.1 innings. That doesn't include Morton's number today which would make those numbers even worse.

 

Given those numbers I have a hard time taking anyone seriously that thinks CC screwed up by not pitching Burnes on short rest.

 

I'm sure CC would have rather had Suter and Williams pitch some of the innings in this series that he gave to other arms, but those guys weren't available despite the organization doing everything possible to have the team healthy for the post season. Other than his first game disaster start and his last game hiccup against the Dodgers Ashby looked pretty darned impressive. Unless we were going to sweep the Braves in 3 games those guys were going to have to get some outs at some point.

 

At the end of the day we lost because the bats went cold for two games and our best pitcher and arguably the best reliever in the game got beat by their best hitter. It happens.

 

The bucks won a championship because Durant's toe was on the line. Sometimes you need a little luck to win a title. They obviously didn't have it this year.

[rickh150]

Burnes not being able to go on three days rest puzzles me greatly. He is not hurt in any way. He told CC he was able to go Game 4 on the outset. The only reason was that he felt about 85% ready and that he didn’t recover properly. He has been rested better than any pitcher on any staff. More than anything, he said that if he went on 4 days rest all year instead of 5 or 6, he would have been more easily ready to go Game 4! He’s young on top of everything!

 

 

https://www.mlb.com/brewers/news/corbin-burnes-nlds-game-4-status

[rickh150]

If we burn our wings flying too close to the sun

If the moment of glory is over before it's begun

 

If the dream is won

Though everything is lost

We will pay the price

But we will not count the cost

 

When the dust has cleared, and victory denied

A summit too lofty, river a little too wide

 

If we keep our pride

Though paradise is lost

We will pay the price

But we will not count the cost

 

And if the music stops, there's only the sound of the rain

All the hope and glory, all the sacrifice in vain

 

But if love remains

Though everything is lost

We will pay the price

But we will not count the cost

 

Did Hayden Fox from Minnesota State write this?