Game Thread (6/16/2022): Brewers (Ashby) at Mets (Megill) - 6:10 PM CDT

[Brewcrew82]

8 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

You were also the one who scoffed when I said let’s see where this team is after they face good teams throughout most of June yet here we are.

I see a team that has been beset by injuries. They haven't played well, for sure, but if you're already closing the book on the season right now in June, you're crazy. And if you remember correctly, it wasn't the concept of wanting to see them play better teams that I "scoffed" at. 

[brewers888]

Did anyone see that when Suter was struggling Kelley was the one warming up to potentially come in next. Suter wasn’t the reason why we lost but him and Kelley as options in a tie game in the 8th tells you where the injuries have left this pitching staff.

[Eye Black]

4 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

Did anyone see that when Suter was struggling Kelley was the one warming up to potentially come in next. Suter wasn’t the reason why we lost but him and Kelley as options in a tie game in the 8th tells you where the injuries have left this pitching staff.

I think the “injuries have impacted them in very real ways” narrative has more legs than the “they can’t beat good teams” narrative.

[brewers888]

1 minute ago, Eye Black said:

I think the “injuries have impacted them in very real ways” narrative has more legs than the “they can’t beat good teams” narrative.

I believe both are true but no doubt that the injuries to the pitching has really hurt.

[BruisedCrew]

I think it’s clearly a combination of injuries and subpar performance. 
 

If you look around MLB the Brewers injury situation is no worse than a lot of other teams. But other contending teams (like the Mets) have done a better job of dealing with them. 
 

Even when fully healthy I still think, as I did before the season, that the Brewers offense is one of the weakest, if not the weakest, of the playoff contending teams. Blaming the anemic offense of the last 6 weeks on injuries ignores what the hitters have produced even when healthy. The Brewers do not have one regular position player with an OPS over .800, and I don’t think any other playoff contender is in that boat.
 

To make things worse, the pitching has not been as outstanding as needed to prop up that offense. Even when healthy, the starting pitchers have not lived up to hopes and expectations. 
 

I’m not closing the book on the season because the Brewers could still recover and win the weak division or grab one of the wild card spots. But something has to change pretty soon for them to make the playoffs, much less be better than a very long shot to survive 3 or 4 rounds of playoffs.