Phillies (Suarez) vs Brewers (Civale): 9/16/24, 6:40pm

[Brock Beauchamp]

[treego14]

I think we will be jolly with Civale!

It's time to put some sores on Suarez!

[wibadgers23]

Should be an interesting series as we are facing the Phillies three best starters. The Phillies have been on a roll as of late and the Brewers have historically not fared well against these guys. 

[willie key]

Let’s just clinch the division this week and be done with it

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

2 hours ago, willie key said:

Let’s just clinch the division this week and be done with it

Allow me to modify this and say: Let's clinch the division and savor every second and celebrate like hell. Not being snarky. I know everyone is going to be jazzed when we clinch this thing.

The broader point: When our season comes down to two or three home games in October, that's about all we can ask for given the realities of MLB. The Brewers are an incredible organization in terms of culture, overall approach, player development, and analytical sophistication. There isn't a team in the league that so consistently outperforms expectations and market size, with the possible exception of the Rays. We have genuinely dominated the Central for the better part of the last decade, and, after this season, we'll have 5 division titles in the last 15 years, tied for most in the division with the Cardinals (who only have two since 2015). The lack of playoff success irks some around here, and while I get the frustration, I feel more and more like the playoffs are a bad way to measure a franchise.

I'm going to enjoy every one of these last 13 games win or lose. Then, I'm going to do my best not to make the playoffs such a terrifying experience. Will I get sucked in if we find ourselves deep in the NLDS? Probably. But this has been one of the most enjoyable squads of my Brewers life, and that ain't going to change even if we get routed by the Mets or whoever in a playoff series.

Go Crew!

 

[Pugger]

At least the game will start at a decent hour....

[Brewcrew82]

1 hour ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Allow me to modify this and say: Let's clinch the division and savor every second and celebrate like hell. Not being snarky. I know everyone is going to be jazzed when we clinch this thing.

The broader point: When our season comes down to two or three home games in October, that's about all we can ask for given the realities of MLB. The Brewers are an incredible organization in terms of culture, overall approach, player development, and analytical sophistication. There isn't a team in the league that so consistently outperforms expectations and market size, with the possible exception of the Rays. We have genuinely dominated the Central for the better part of the last decade, and, after this season, we'll have 5 division titles in the last 15 years, tied for most in the division with the Cardinals (who only have two since 2015). The lack of playoff success irks some around here, and while I get the frustration, I feel more and more like the playoffs are a bad way to measure a franchise.

I'm going to enjoy every one of these last 13 games win or lose. Then, I'm going to do my best not to make the playoffs such a terrifying experience. Will I get sucked in if we find ourselves deep in the NLDS? Probably. But this has been one of the most enjoyable squads of my Brewers life, and that ain't going to change even if we get routed by the Mets or whoever in a playoff series.

Go Crew!

 

This. As much as I want to win in October and as hard as I will cheer for them to do so, I'm not going to declare any sort of systematic organizational failure (though, I'm sure others will have no problem rushing to do so) if they fall short again. 

The context that needs to be remembered by every single fan no matter what happens is that this was supposed to be a retooling year in which development took precedence above even competitiveness and we focused on transitioning to the next wave of talent. I mean, for goodness sakes we lost two top ten starting pitchers, arguably the best manager in baseball, and more than half a season of a HOF caliber closer from a team that was beating opponents based on dominant starting pitching and deft bullpen management backed by a shutdown closer. We walked into the season with Wade Miley as our #2 starter and a kid a few days over 20 batting leadoff. Vegas/Fangraphs had us pegged at around 78 wins and 4th in the division at best. 

At this point, we've surpassed pretty much even our wildest expectations, and there's still 2 weeks to play here. We have a better run differential than the Dodgers, Phillies, and Yankees who are outspending us by hundreds of millions. We're double digit games clear of every single one of our division rivals, all of whom, with the exception of the Pirates, spent a ton of $ on the hot stove themselves, and walked into the season with serious designs on taking advantage of our roster exodus and overtaking us for the division. That's not organizational failure. That's a gosh darn organizational miracle. A few games determined largely at random at the end of the season is nowhere close to enough to erase that. 

Yes, the goal is to win the World Series, and we've fallen short of that goal for the past 50+ years and would fall short yet again if we are bounced by the Mets, for example. But consider how many markets our size have won the WS this century. (Hint: just one, the 2015 Royals). And then consider how many markets our size this century have been able to achieve this level of sustained success. (the Rays?)

Fact of the matter is that we are better positioned to make a prolonged run at a World Series title than we've been at any point since the final pitch of the 1982 World Series. 2011 was a one-off opportunity that was lost when Prince departed in FA. Any chance to capitalize on 2018 was curtailed when Yelich fouled a ball off his knee cap and then struggled for a couple years under the weight of back issues. 

Then, fast forward to now, where we have Jackson freaking Chourio locked up for 9 more years. With Jesus Made coming up behind him. The best catcher in baseball under contract for several more seasons. A resurgent Christian Yelich. The best stable of defensive outfielders/infielders in the majors. Meanwhile, the stuff of our pitching staff remains as elite as ever with a healthy Aaron Ashby and guys like Misiorowski and Yoho knocking on the door. Yes, Willy and (likely) Devin will be impactful losses, but does anyone doubt that they will be accounted for just as Corbin, Woody, Hader, etc. were before them? 

This season is likely to end in disappointment as all seasons are. But that means next to nothing in terms of what this team has accomplished this season and is poised to accomplish in future seasons as a World Series title remains as within our reach as it ever has in a system that is stacked so completely against us. 

[treego14]

[markedman5]

 

[willie key]

I agree.    Winning this division is something to celebrate.    

[Jim French Stepstool]

4 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Allow me to modify this and say: Let's clinch the division and savor every second and celebrate like hell. Not being snarky. I know everyone is going to be jazzed when we clinch this thing.

The broader point: When our season comes down to two or three home games in October, that's about all we can ask for given the realities of MLB. The Brewers are an incredible organization in terms of culture, overall approach, player development, and analytical sophistication. There isn't a team in the league that so consistently outperforms expectations and market size, with the possible exception of the Rays. We have genuinely dominated the Central for the better part of the last decade, and, after this season, we'll have 5 division titles in the last 15 years, tied for most in the division with the Cardinals (who only have two since 2015). The lack of playoff success irks some around here, and while I get the frustration, I feel more and more like the playoffs are a bad way to measure a franchise.

I'm going to enjoy every one of these last 13 games win or lose. Then, I'm going to do my best not to make the playoffs such a terrifying experience. Will I get sucked in if we find ourselves deep in the NLDS? Probably. But this has been one of the most enjoyable squads of my Brewers life, and that ain't going to change even if we get routed by the Mets or whoever in a playoff series.

Go Crew!

 

Holy crap, what a terrific post.

[Jim French Stepstool]

I felt we played them pretty well in Philadelphia throughout that series, except we didn't hit the first two games, made much better contact in game three but couldn't buy a break on batted balls, and all week sent people on contact plays that pretty much every other team would've sent but Philly wound up having a play at the plate every time as the batted ball placement/fielders' placement worked against us like, every time..

I hope we come out finding that sweet spot between being confident & yet still relaxed. For whatever reason that seems to sometimes elude them at home.

[willie key]

And to second cool hand lucroy.l thought   This has easily been one of the most enjoyable brewers season to follow.     I’m in record posting that a long time ago.   What ever happens in post season won’t diminish that.   I think giving the middle finger to counsell/cubs will be remembered

 

i think if we get swept in the first playoff series again would kind of suck but we can deal with that then.   This team doesn’t deserve that

[markedman5]

So safe to say we need length out of Civale tonight……..outside of Paredes and Milner not sure who might be available tonight…….Ross?

[markedman5]

That’s the slowest strike 3 call ever…..

[willie key]

7 minutes ago, markedman5 said:

So safe to say we need length out of Civale tonight……..outside of Paredes and Milner not sure who might be available tonight…….Ross?

Williams. 

[RobertCrawley]

5 minutes ago, willie key said:

Williams. 

 Only with two outs.

[markedman5]

Apparently Rae is out there…..

[BruisedCrew]

With Bohm back, this might be the first time in quite awhile that the Phillies have had their full everyday lineup available.  

[RobertCrawley]

Good arm, Sally.

[RobertCrawley]

Some boneheaded Phillies baserunning there.

[markedman5]

Steal those outs ……especially against this team

[BruisedCrew]

Doesn’t look,like the A’s will be helping to lower the magic number tonight. 

Cubs 6-0 in the second. 

[BruisedCrew]

1 minute ago, RobertCrawley said:

Some boneheaded Phillies baserunning there.

Turner yes, but I wouldn’t call Stephenson trying to get to third with one out boneheaded. 

[Brewcrew82]

Lol. Contreras owns Suarez.