Who do you want to play in the Wild Card round?

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm curious where fans land on which team they want to play in the first round. For now, ignore home field or assume the Brewers will have home field.

I'm leaving out the Reds, Marlins, and Giants because (IMO) those are the easy choices. The three teams currently in a Wild Card spot are much more difficult to sort.

[wibadgers23]

Anybody but the Cubs. I couldn’t handle Am Fam being overtaken by Cubs fans for an entire playoff series. 

[bensheeps]

I've been thinking about this for awhile...

My head says to stay away from Arizona with Gallen and Kelly that would help negate the advantage Burnes & Woodruff would give us.

My head also says to stay away from Schwarber and the clutchness that is Harper.

But I just don't think I could stand the stadium being half-full of Cubs fans. So I voted for Philly.

[KeithStone53151]

5 minutes ago, wibadgers23 said:

Anybody but the Cubs. I couldn’t handle Am Fam being overtaken by Cubs fans for an entire playoff series. 

Losing to the Cubs would be soooooo much more miserable comparatively than joyful for the Brewers to beat them. It's not even close, and isn't worth the risk. I don't really think any of those 3 teams would be specifically more or less difficult than the next. All 3 are similarly good, none of the 3 are nearly as good as the Dodgers or Braves.

[owbc]

We'll be heavily favored against anyone if we get home field advantage and have Burnes-Woodruff-Peralta lined up against the WC3 team. Then we'll pray that the bats show up. 

In the event that doesn't happen, I think we match up better with Philadelphia but agreed about their tendency to be clutch in the postseason and my painful memory of what happened the last time we went to Philly in the postseason. Going to Wrigley is a scenario that would be fun but seems unlikely. 

 

[dlk9s]

Don't care.

[Outlander]

I would lean don't care but also know I would enjoy the games much more if it isn't against the Cubs. Ultimately just want it to line up Burnes/Woodruff/Peralta and a healthy Williams.

[Team Canada]

Cubs
Phillies
Arizona

I get the anti-Cubs argument, but you can't worry about losing, it's who's the best matchup. I strongly don't want Gallen/Kelly. If someone beats the DBacks in, then whoever that team is would be my first choice.

[tmwiese55]

Cubs are likely the weakest team but I'd still cut them out due to the home field being lost and the extra annoyance if they were to lose to them.

IMO Philly is clearly the best team of the 3 so take them out.   So I'm left with AZ.

[patrickgpe]

If Brewer fans didn't sell their tickets to Cubs fans, then it wouldn't be an issue, but they always seem to do that. 

[Brian]

 In the 2023 season the Diamondbacks have an record of 4-2 (66.7%) against the Brewers. 

Something to think about. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, Brian said:

 In the 2023 season the Diamondbacks have an record of 4-2 (66.7%) against the Brewers. 

Something to think about. 

Additionally, I just watched the Diamondbacks tear through the Cubs. I don't want to play them right now.

[Brewin]

22 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Additionally, I just watched the Diamondbacks tear through the Cubs. I don't want to play them right now.

As good as Gallen/Kelly are, I still prefer the D'Backs.  I don't believe there bullpen is very good and their lineup is a step below the Cubs and Phillies IMO

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, Brewin said:

As good as Gallen/Kelly are, I still prefer the D'Backs.  I don't believe there bullpen is very good and their lineup is a step below the Cubs and Phillies IMO

And that's fair. I'm not really sure where I land with those three teams yet. I suspect how they finish will influence me one way or the other.

[bensheeps]

Stay with me...

If the Phillies dropped to the 3rd wildcard, that means they will struggle over the next couple of weeks (to fall below the Cubs and Dbacks) and thus would be ripe for the picking in the wild card round.

(Again, I'm just trying to rationalize why I wouldn't say the Cubs, the team I feel is the poorest of the three.)

[Brock Beauchamp]

4 minutes ago, bensheeps said:

Stay with me...

If the Phillies dropped to the 3rd wildcard, that means they will struggle over the next couple of weeks (to fall below the Cubs and Dbacks) and thus would be ripe for the picking in the wild card round.

(Again, I'm just trying to rationalize why I wouldn't say the Cubs, the team I feel is the poorest of the three.)

For some reason, I'm less scared of the Phillies than many. I know their lineup is fierce but it just feels like if that offense isn't hot, that team is very very beatable.

[wibadgers23]

Looking more and more like we won’t be playing the Cubs or Phillies in round 1. The Cubs could continue to lose and slide down the wildcard standings I suppose but it’s looking like it’ll be Arizona, San Francisco, Miami or Cincinnati. Those 4 teams are all bunched up together and are fighting for that last wildcard spot.

[Brian]

The New MLB Power Rankings came out today.  Maybe this can help people decide.

Brewers # 6

Phillies # 8

Cubs # 11 

Diamondbacks # 13

 

[areacodes]

12 minutes ago, wibadgers23 said:

Looking more and more like we won’t be playing the Cubs or Phillies in round 1. The Cubs could continue to lose and slide down the wildcard standings I suppose but it’s looking like it’ll be Arizona, San Francisco, Miami or Cincinnati. Those 4 teams are all bunched up together and are fighting for that last wildcard spot.

As long as it stays bunched up with multiple teams competing for the last spot, there is a good chance their best starters won’t be available for the early Wild Card round games.

That could makes Arizona a better option if not having to go against both Gallen and Kelly.

[Team Canada]

29 minutes ago, wibadgers23 said:

it’s looking like it’ll be Arizona, San Francisco, Miami or Cincinnati

I'd still say any of the other 3 would be preferred over Arizona, but definitely more of a tossup if we know we would only face one of Gallen and Kelly the first 2 games.