Are the Brewers as good as their MLB-leading record?

[Playing Catch]

Are the Brewers as good as their MLB-leading record and recent run of dominance?

[Dragonbait]

Their record says they are.. so yes. 😄

[dlk9s]

 

[BrewerFan]

Yeah... clearly!

They're not pressing. They didn't throw Misiorowski because they had the Dodgers. They didn't throw Woodruff because they could, and it would have been on 5 days' rest. 

They're playing conservatively, and they're winning. They're letting Mis get rest, Woodruff get stronger. 

 

There were a lot of people talking about how Chourio started slow last year, Yelich was struggling, Contreras(he's still struggling,) and we'd be getting pitching back. 

I think those people were saying that's why we could make a WC push, or if the Cubs fell off, maybe a push in the division, but this organization is just rolling and the reinforcements came, we've had good health otherwise save for a couple smaller issues. 

We now have the Ms. A team that just beat the Tigers 3 in a row and 2 of 3 vs Houston and we have Woodruff, Misiorowski and Priester going. I'm feeling pretty good about those 3. 

 

As to your Poll, I'm thinking this year is as good a chance as any, but I'm also dreaming about 2026 and 2027. It's gonna click. 

If Tyler Black comes up and hits ~.280/.380/.400, then... it's just our year! Go get antoher dominant BP arm, O'Hearn and win this thing!

[adambr2]

It’s been really exciting. They’ll obviously cool off at some point, but they’re definitely very good.

Based on the remaining schedule, the Cubs probably have the edge for the division, but it could definitely go either way. 

My dreams are of a World Series. My bets, if I were to make any, is that they win a Wild Card and fall in the first round.

It’s not that I don’t think they’re capable of more. I’ve just gone through the heartbreak too many times to get my hopes up until they can prove that they can get over the hump and at least win a playoff series or two.

[igor67]

While it's kind of cherry picking in real and important ways this team is not the same team that played in March, and their run prevention since then has been great. Extrapolating from those other 95 games they would allow only 582 runs in a season

[rickh150]

Everything is seemingly falling their way now; however, they could/should be ADDING to their group at the deadline.  I sure hope to see playoffs this year. 

[SomewhereInTime]

No, they're better

[SF70]

I picked dreaming of next years team.

• A healthy Contreras

• Less innings limits on their starters

• Another years development from their young core

• Potentially everyone back except Woodruff & Hoskins

• A full offseason to fix weaknesses 

• A monstrous farm system with more upper minors positional talent than they’ve had since Turang-Frelick-Mitchell.

 

 

[Turning2]

They are good enough, and things are clicking just right for the time being that it’s challenging to say no to the general poll question.   My gut tells me they are overachieving a little though. Feels like they still need to add a power bat while they can. No ideal way to fit one in though. I do wonder if Vaughn is going to remain consistently productive at the plate, or if Naylor might be a consideration. I think we can scratch Suarez off the list as probably too cost prohibitive. 

[Frisbee Slider]

8 minutes ago, Turning2 said:

My gut tells me they are overachieving a little though

At the same time, nobody has a better record against winning teams in all of baseball

The Dodgers, Phillies, Padres, and Yankees all have losing records against winning teams

 

 

[homer]

I love that they threw their JV squad out there and still won the series finale. You could tell Roberts really wanted that game too.

[homer]

If Chourio and Contreras start hitting like last year, it might be lights out for everyone else.

[Brian]

11 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

If Tyler Black comes up and hits ~.280/.380/.400, then... it's just our year! 

You were going good until I read the statement above.  .280 is an all star # in the MLB. But I would be all for giving him another shot and split time with Andrew Vaughn. 

[dlk9s]

I have a sense that the question you're really asking is whether the unheralded players and rookies will start playing like unheralded players and rookies.

[Playing Catch]

Just now, dlk9s said:

I have a sense that the question you're really asking is whether the unheralded players and rookies will start playing like unheralded players and rookies.

More than anything, I wanted to take advantage of the recent interest in the Brewers to take the pulse of how the hard-core fanbase felt about said unheralded players. For myself, I think the Brewers still need a big bat to truly be competitive throughout the playoff journey. I also think that there are few options that would represent a "big bat."

Therefore, I wonder if it isn't in the best interests of the organization to use the next two trade windows to set themselves up for 2026-2028.

But I also would be excited if they traded for Suarez. I think a move like that would really rally the fanbase and the clubhouse to give the squad the energy needed for a NL Central title.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

There are lots of ways to define good. This team is obviously good. Very good. Just good in ways that are very unsexy and hard to see unless you're watching them pitch-by-pitch and inning-by-inning, and fewer and fewer people consume baseball (or any non-football sport) that way these days.

As far as expectations for the rest of the year:

The Cubs are the NL Central favorites (I've seen anything from -135 to -280). That seems right (though -280 seems absurd and totally like a play to balance out ridiculous amounts of public money). I think just schedule-wise, the Cubs are going to be really hard to beat over 63 games. I'd love to do it and grab a postseason bye, but I also want to be realistic.

That said, there are benefits to being a WC team. Even if we haven't passed the Cubs over the last ten games, we've really widened our lead and solidified a comfortable playoff position. I am not ever going to underrate that. More than anything, I want to win a playoff series this year, whenever that is. The fan base deserves that. And this year's team has the whiff of magic about it, reminding me a lot of the 2019 Nationals in terms of a bad start and a super hot finish. Whatever happens, going to be fun.

To end, a word on Pat Murphy:

I don't think he's a great in-game manager still. He might be below average. But attitude-wise, teaching-wise, getting guys to believe-wise, you really couldn't ask for more. I was wrong about that hire. I thought it was very blah, very boring, and even a little bit of wishful thinking. Shows what I know. As early as May, I was like "this is why Pat Murphy can't hack it long term," but this team is just playing different than everyone else in baseball. It's hard to translate to stats, but you can ABSOLUTELY see it when you watch the games. I swear, when Perkins scored on that Mona hit, Murphy was asking him if he was running hard into home plate. They kind of laughed about it, and maybe I am just projecting something onto an incident I have no clue about it, but I loved it. Murph is so earnestly "old-school," or "rah-rah," or "team game" that it looks like he's coaching a college team. We all know that. We hate it sometimes. But it's working.

Go Crew!!

[Thurston Fluff]

I think their record is closer to their true talent than most of the preseason analytics were. Then again that's been true for several years now.  

[Brian]

Chuck Freimund "Locked on Brewers" said the Brewers are finally getting national attention after sweeping the Dodgers and winning 10 in a row. Said he is getting e mails from all across the USA and even other even country's. 

He also said a big trade may mess up the chemistry of this team like the Josh Hader trade did.  I actually agree with that line of thought. 

[Playing Catch]

6 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

This team is obviously good. Very good. Just good in ways that are very unsexy and hard to see unless you're watching them pitch-by-pitch and inning-by-inning, and fewer and fewer people consume baseball (or any non-football sport) that way these days.

I've been telling every casual sports fan I know that THIS team is fun to watch that way. Perhaps the first Brewers team I've ever stumped for that way --- even when they are pitching!

[Turning2]

Give me an old school coach like Murphy any day, every day, all day. 

[cragi]

18 minutes ago, Brian said:

Chuck Freimund "Locked on Brewers" said the Brewers are finally getting national attention after sweeping the Dodgers and winning 10 in a row. Said he is getting e mails from all across the USA and even other even country's. 

He also said a big trade may mess up the chemistry of this team like the Josh Hader trade did.  I actually agree with that line of thought. 

Certainly chemistry on a team that seems to be playing well above expectations is one concern

The other: brewers are in rare territory for the org this late in the season. Even if they have more talent on a future team, there is no guarantee that will translate vs future injuries and competition (see dodgers).

I just think they will regret keeping an overloaded farm system on an org poised for a deep playoff run, while competitors make their moves. We are seeing the impact a bat like Vaughn has been swinging on this lineup.

[shanedog19]

6 minutes ago, cragi said:

Certainly chemistry on a team that seems to be playing well above expectations is one concern

The other: brewers are in rare territory for the org this late in the season. Even if they have more talent on a future team, there is no guarantee that will translate vs future injuries and competition (see dodgers).

I just think they will regret keeping an overloaded farm system on an org poised for a deep playoff run, while competitors make their moves. We are seeing the impact a bat like Vaughn has been swinging on this lineup.

I agree 100%. They can't rest on their laurels because of recent good play. Most if not all of the other contenders will make moves and improve their rosters, and so should we. The competition will only become more fierce following the trade deadline.

[tmwiese55]

Saw someone mention the division odds. Made me remember about 10 days ago noticing they were 36-1 to win the WS and I told a friend who bets a lot that its not a bad bet at those odds.  Even  winning 6 more in a row since I said that they're still 25-1 and only 10th best odds. So seems the oddsmakers don't believe, though these lines are skewed by big city betters.  Obviously I'm not saying they're going to win it, but a team that looks like a near lock to make the playoffs only having the 10th highest odds seems off.   

[Brian]

2 hours ago, shanedog19 said:

I agree 100%. They can't rest on their laurels because of recent good play. Most if not all of the other contenders will make moves and improve their rosters, and so should we. The competition will only become more fierce following the trade deadline.

I just don't want to make a trade just to make a trade or a lateral move. We better be sure its an upgrade if we make any move at all.