Your prediction: will the Brewers win the division

[Tbadder]

The "playoff worthy" comment is interesting, and part of the problem. I think the Crew really is playoff ready, with very few holes actually. So there isn't too many ways to improve significantly. With Sheets hurt, with Cappy crappy, with Suppan inconsistent, etc. it's really up to the individual to make a difference. And they do have the players to make a difference, how many will step up?

For instance. I've noted a real change in Prince. He's been struggling lately, but his at bats have become longer and longer as he searches for an answer. Sometimes he settles for the dink hit, but he keeps on "gaming" it. I've been impressed and he's shown real leadership on the field. And then there's the whole playing in pain thing (maybe I should be giving Estrada more props). I wish more players were taking his example.

[BrewCrewForever]

Im still going to say yes. Maybe Im just being to optimistic, but I believe in this team. I think now that they have been caught they will look at this and someone will put there foot down and let everyone know its now or never. Gotta start winning series and winning on the road.

[TheCrew07]

I've posted many times that I think this season is just the start of the ride. This team is young, they don't win on the road, and the starting pitching has been very up and down.

 

They could win the division, but I highly doubt it, the Cubs and Brewers are two teams that are going completely different ways.

[thunderbat30]

I honestly don't know. My anger at how they have been playing lately is saying heck no, but the talent they have, how well they play at home and how the team played earlier in the season tells me yes. They have had too many second half collapes the past few years to happen again.

 

I was at the game Tuesday and many fans near us were bashing the Brewers (hitters and pitchers) and Ned Yost. The team expelled so much energy to win that game. They had so many chances to win the game and didn't take advantage. A playoff team is going to win that game earlier. The Mets had chances too but they were on the road so I believe that is different. Ryan Braun has been our best player for two months and he really showed his youth in the at-bat when he struck out late in the game chasing pitches out of the zone. Young players try to do more than they are capable of.

 

I hope the team gets hot and the young players learn to win because they will get us to the playoffs. It's definitely a tease to all of us when they play well but our best players everyday players are under 25. Long prediction and thoughts, but just what I think as of now. August will tell Brewer fans a lot.

[BrewCrewForever]

If they dont win it this year, I think they team comes back next year more ready and really wanting to win what they tasted and let go.

[zzzmanwitz]

I'm not throwing in the towel as much as I am looking at reality. The Brewers started off 24-10. Since then they are 34-40. So what team are they really? That team that played ridiculously well for 5 weeks or the team that has been below average in a below average division for 3 months? I'd guess the Brewers will play about .500 baseball the rest of the way out and the Cubs will win the division by 3-4 games.

 

I think we need to give this up. Sure, we started out great, 24-10. Then, we went 10-20. Then we went 13-3. Then, we went 11-17. So, does this mean in another couple of weeks when we hit another hot streak we are all gonna be happy again?

[naivin]

And they do have the players to make a difference, how many will step up?

 

Interesting question...Do they have the players? Yes, i think they do. How many will step up? Tougher to answer. Its going to take a strong effort by a lot of guys to get it done. I am slightly concerned about Braun after the past couple nights (perhaps premature, but it looks to me like he could be on the verge of a bit of a slump). Obviously everyone needs to contribute, but there are 5 guys in particular that I think need to be difference makers over the next couple months - Fielder, Hall, and Hardy, along with Suppan and Cordero. We need to score more consistently, Suppan needs to give the team a chance, and Cordero absolutely cannot blow any more saves (If we could turn around just 2 of his 5, the Brewers would still be 2.5 games up on the Cubs. Yes I know you can't do that, unless the Cubs get the same opportunity, but the point is we cannot snatch any more losses from the jaws of victory.)

[valpocrewsader]

No. Cubs by 4 to 6 games.

[Menotti80]

I also say no.

 

I can only see 1 of 2 ways we take the division:

 

1. the brewers get hot in the next week and open up a 3+ game lead before the cubs series later this month. with our road record and the importance of that series, theres no way the cubs dont win 2 or all 3 of those games. we need to be leading after that series, which means we have to get hot right now

 

2. big z, ramirez, lee, lily, or hill ends up on the DL

 

the cubs need a crushing loss one of these games. one of those 4 runs surrendered in the 9th games. or some team to just light up zambrano. maybe the cubs will come back to earth then...

[bklynbrewcrew]

I wish I could say yes but I think the season is completely finished. The team has played horribly for awhile now and I do not see things getting better. I think they will finish 78-84 which will be 10 games worse than the scrubs. I hope and pray that I am wrong but I think this season will be termed a huge failure once its over.

[RyDogg66]

brooklyn you honestly think the team will go 20-34 the rest of the way home? Im not optimistic about a playoff bid either, but I think they are likely to still finish 4-6 games above .500.

[hauser42]

Lot of time left in this race. Cubs have played over 700 ball for over a month now, they will hit a cold streak. Teams rarely play ball at that high of a rate for more than a month or two. Brewers should settle back in to winning and stay right with the Cubs, I see this race being close.

[BrewCrewForever]

brooklyn you honestly think the team will go 20-34 the rest of the way home? Im not optimistic about a playoff bid either, but I think they are likely to still finish 4-6 games above .500.

Like I have said I still think they can win this thing, but if they dont. I agree with RyDogg, no way they dont at least finish over .500. If they do finish below .500 then Yost should be canned. And Im a Yost supporter all they way, but that would be just horriable.

 

[bklynbrewcrew]

RyDogg, I guess its just my frustrations coming out. I doubt they will go 20-34 but I wouldnt be completely shocked if they did. They have just been so bad over the last month losing series at Pittsburgh, Cincinatti and Washington that I sometimes think this team just isnt any good. If this season continues at the same pace as the last month has been the season will be considered a failure in my eyes. Being in first place for three months and blowing it to the Cubs of all teams is very depressing. Hopefully the team shows something soon because if they dont I could really see the season cascading into a miserable joke.

[Ennder]

Even with us playing poorly we are 10-15 over that ugly stretch. We would have to play worse than we have to end up 20-34.

[MillerPark]

Actually, I'm waiting until the end of the weekend (Aug 5th) to even have any kind of prediction. I truly believe the picture will be somewhat more clear by then...if that makes sensehttp://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif. Right now, I really don't know what to say about their playoff chances.

[zzzmanwitz]

There is no way that 4 more games would change my prediction on how the Brewers will fare this season. But if that works for you... go for it. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[dlk9s]

I just can't see the Brewers winning the division or making the playoffs.

 

1) they're too young, and learning to win at the MLB level is a process

2) Cubs have more talent and are more consistent

3) distractions: injuries, demotions, babies, you name it

 

I think next year the Crew will be much better even after losing important pieces in free agency and the overhauls I suppose are coming in St. Louis and possibly Houston.

I pretty much agree with all of this.

I hate to admit it, but I do think the Cubs are the better team. They don't have a SP that anyone looks at and says, "Nice, he's pitching against us today," whereas we have Suppan and Vargas (I think Capuano has begun his climb out of the toilet). They have three of the best hitters in the league and the younger guys, while maybe playing a little over their heads, seem to fit into their roles quite nicely. And now their bullpen pretty strong, too.

That all said, they aren't THAT much better than the Brewers, so it won't take much to do one game better than them from here on out.

 

[Rorschach88]

No. We're bad enough on the road that we'd have to play falwlessly at home, which we aren't doing anymore. You can't win 1 of every 3 on the road and expect to win your division.

[bucks2281]

I believe that the seven game homestand at the end of the season just may propel the Brewers to a division title. However, I do believe the Cubs are the stronger team this year and will take the Central. I dread September 26 or 27 or so, the day I'll watch the Cubs celebrate their divsion championship while I wallow in disgust.

[dfourni]

I think the cubs take the division by atleast 5 games as we struggle to even finish at .500 which will lead to the firing of Yost.

[Jaylyn]

Cubs win the division, however the Brew finish with their first winning record since (if memory serves me correctly)1992. Playoffs? Maybe, way to early to tell. I would consider a winning season a complete success. The core of this team is young, and will only get better. Issues for sure, but this team is on an upward curve. As I type, I see the cubs have lost and will now face the Mets this weekend. So, all hope is not lost.

[rluzinski]

The Brewers started off 24-10. Since then they are 34-40. So what team are they really? That team that played ridiculously well for 5 weeks or the team that has been below average in a below average division for 3 months?

I'm not a big fan of looking at the season like that, as you can use selective end points to come to many different conclusions. For instance, it's just as valid to say that, since starting 34-30, the Brewers have gone, 24-21 over the last month and a half.

 

The more objective approach, IMO, is to judge the Brewers on their entire year, where they've been good but nothing special. Will "good" be good enough to win the Central? With Sheets still out, I'd have to give the edge to the Cubs but I don't see anyone running away with it.

[billyhallfan]

i think the division belongs to Chicago, it seems that everything they do works. I know they won't play .700 baseball the rest of the season, but I still think that they take the division. I really thought that Lilly and Marquis would be horrible this year, and they have pitched as good as anyone this year.

[Phenomenal Smith]

Yes.