2017-08-18: Brewers (Garza) at Rockies (Marquez) 7:40 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 8-4]

[DuWayne Steurer]

Brewers

1B Eric Thames (L)

2B Neil Walker (S)

LF Ryan Braun ®

3B Travis Shaw (L)

RF Domingo Santana ®

C Manny Pina ®

CF Keon Broxton ®

SS Orlando Arcia ®

RHP Matt Garza ®

 

Rockies

CF Charlie Blackmon (L)

2B DJ LeMahieu ®

3B Nolan Arenado ®

LF Gerardo Parra (L)

1B Mark Reynolds ®

RF Carlos Gonzalez (L)

C Jonathan Lucroy ®

SS Trevor Story ®

RHP German Marquez ®

[pacopete4]

Come on Toronto. Start swinging it!

[liveforoctober]

Obviously this is a ballooned statement ... but probable season defining stretch here to end August. 9 game west swing against good overall competition and then home vs. the Redbirds and Nationals while the Cubs play a bunch of very winnable series the rest of the month. If we can through the rest of the month and be within 3 games of them I think it is a pretty big win.

 

Starts tonight!

[adambr2]

Yeah it's just really hard for me to see us catching the Cubs. No matter how small the lead is, their remaining schedule is just such gravy. More than likely we'll need either a really hot month against good competition, or we'll need to basically go 6-1 or 7-0 against the Cubs in our remaining games. Tough asks...

 

That said, if we somehow swept the Rockies, all of the sudden we're looking at only 1.5 GB in the WC, which changes that race entirely. Even 2 out of 3 would put us only 3.5 back of them, and they have 13 games left against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.

 

So while this entire road trip is obviously crucial, this is the most crucial series for that reason.

[3and2Fastball]

Interesting to see Arenado in the lineup, thought maybe he'd be out after taking a ground ball to his already bruised up hand last night.

 

Funny seeing Reynolds, Parra, Lucroy in the Rockies lineup.... Alumni vs Varsity game

[adambr2]

IMO this is probably our best possible lineup with the guys we got.

[Boomer5]

Yeah it's just really hard for me to see us catching the Cubs. No matter how small the lead is, their remaining schedule is just such gravy. More than likely we'll need either a really hot month against good competition, or we'll need to basically go 6-1 or 7-0 against the Cubs in our remaining games. Tough asks...

 

That said, if we somehow swept the Rockies, all of the sudden we're looking at only 1.5 GB in the WC, which changes that race entirely. Even 2 out of 3 would put us only 3.5 back of them, and they have 13 games left against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.

 

So while this entire road trip is obviously crucial, this is the most crucial series for that reason.

 

I'm as negative as anyone about our roster but this doesn't look like the Cubs year. They have done everything they could and still they are only up by two in the loss column. Lester just went on the DL and they emptied their minors already.

 

If the Brewers can get modestly hot, maybe get a veteran CF when Broxton gets cold and they just might win this.

[adambr2]

Yeah it's just really hard for me to see us catching the Cubs. No matter how small the lead is, their remaining schedule is just such gravy. More than likely we'll need either a really hot month against good competition, or we'll need to basically go 6-1 or 7-0 against the Cubs in our remaining games. Tough asks...

 

That said, if we somehow swept the Rockies, all of the sudden we're looking at only 1.5 GB in the WC, which changes that race entirely. Even 2 out of 3 would put us only 3.5 back of them, and they have 13 games left against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.

 

So while this entire road trip is obviously crucial, this is the most crucial series for that reason.

 

I'm as negative as anyone about our roster but this doesn't look like the Cubs year. They have done everything they could and still they are only up by two in the loss column. Lester just went on the DL and they emptied their minors already.

 

If the Brewers can get modestly hot, maybe get a veteran CF when Broxton gets cold and they just might win this.

 

 

Here's the teams they have left:

 

Toronto: 59-63 (2)

Cincy: 51-71 (5)

Philly: 43-76 (3)

Pittsburgh: 58-63 (7)

Atlanta: 54-65 (4)

Milwaukee 63-59 (7)

St. Louis 62-59 (7)

NY Mets 53-66 (3)

Tampa Bay 60-63 (2)

 

That is insanely easy. I hope I'm wrong for sure, but it'll take quite a collapse not to come out of that stretch smelling like roses.

[MoreTrife]

Yeah when I finally checked Cub's remaining schedule I was super bummed. Just a ridiculously easy schedule for them remaining. Super irritated. Maybe we can get in the wild card race.

[MrTPlush]

Good thing divisions aren't won on paper! Or else the Cubs would already have 100 wins and we would be pushing 90 wins. Let's the games play out who saw this a week ago? 2 months? Start of season?

[Boomer5]

Good thing divisions aren't won on paper! Or else the Cubs would already have 100 wins and we would be pushing 90 wins. Let's the games play out who saw this a week ago? 2 months? Start of season?

 

If the games were played on paper we would be 20 games out by now.

 

The Brewers are hanging around just over 500 but so are the Cubs. Neither was considered likely in April.

 

I agree the Cubs schedule is easy but they just aren't a good baseball team. Many reasons why but it's not 2016 so they are what they are, good but not the dynasty we all thought.

[burnzy24]

At the game. This place is well below 50% full and there are a ton of Brewers fans here.

[MrTPlush]

Everything points to a poor start by Matt Garza...not a good start to his night.

[markedman5]

Garza getting hit hard early........

[MoreTrife]

I'll be so damn happy to never see Garza again. Hate him the same way I hate Henson on the bucks.

[yfinn6]

Thankfully Arrenado hit the ball right at Shaw.

[pacopete4]

Santana's ball did not look like a homer. This could be a wild one.

[MoreTrife]

Domingo never stays cold long. I like him despite D.

[MoreTrife]

How the heck is Reynolds batting 280 when he's barely sniffed the Mendoza line for years!?

[DuWayne Steurer]

How the heck is Reynolds batting 280 when he's barely sniffed the Mendoza line for years!?

 

Colorado inflates batting averages much more than it does power numbers these days

[stoutdude04]

How the heck is Reynolds batting 280 when he's barely sniffed the Mendoza line for years!?

 

Colorado inflates batting averages much more than it does power numbers these days

 

I read something that said he completely overhauled his swing so it stays in the zone longer.

[pacopete4]

Braun stung again. Man he's hitting it hard. Gotta keep scoring just about every inning.

[markedman5]

Garza giving up rocket after rocket

[jerichoholicninja]

Yes, umps. It's pretty funny when you can't even do the simplest part of your job.

[adambr2]

Garza isn't going to look like such a fantastic bargain for $5M next year anymore when he finishes the season with an ERA near 5.