The stache

It's time for the Brewers (64-60) to step it up. If they're to have any realistic chance at making the playoffs this year, they need to elevate their game right now. This three week stretch is just brutal. We face the Cardinals (65-57) six times in the next ten days, starting with three games at Busch today, Tuesday and Wednesday, before having an off day Thursday. Then, it's back home for six games-three against the Diamondbacks (62-63), and three against the Cards. Six days, six games. We have off the 29th, and then head to Wrigley for three, and come back home for a quick two games against the Astros (79-46). That's five more games in five days. Then, we close out the season series against the Cubs with a 4 game home stand. After that, the schedule softens considerably. 4 away games against the Marlins (45-78) 3 away games against the Cardinals (65-57) 4 home games against the Padres (58-65) 3 home games against the Pirates (51-72) 3 away games against the Reds (58-65) 3 away games against the Rockies (57-67) I'm trying to be as realistic as possible, here. Can we put together enough wins to secure a wild card spot? 9 games against the Cardinals, 6 of which are at Busch. I'm thinking we go 4-5. 7 games against the Cubs. 3 there, 4 at Miller Park. 1-2, 3-1. Somehow, I think we go 4-3. 3 games against the Diamondbacks at home. We took 3 of 4 in Arizona. I could see a sweep. 3-0. 2 games against the Astros. Houston's a terrible match up. If we get Verlander and Cole, we're in trouble. Even if we "luck out", and get Greinke and Miley, well, we all know how great Greinke is at Miller Park, and Miley was fantastic pitching for the Brewers at home last year. 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA. And that lineup? The Astros already have 212 home runs. I don't want to think about them swinging away at Miller Park. 0-2. 4 games against the Marlins, in Miami. They gave us trouble earlier. We have to go at least 3-1. And we will. 4 home games against the Padres. The Brewers are lucking out in that the Padres have shut their biggest offensive threat, Fernando Tatis Jr, down for the year. We won't sweep them, but I see us taking 3 of 4. 3-1 3 home games against the Pirates, who will have nothing to play for. After getting embarrassed by the Astros, the Brewers will have built some momentum, going 6-2 in their last 8. I'd like to say we take all three games, but we'll go 2-1 because...well, they're the Brewers. Nothing comes easy to them. 3 games against the Reds in Cincy. I won't belabor the pitching staff comparisons. I see us going 1-2 in Cincy. Finally, 3 games at Coors Field, or whatever they're calling it this week. The Rockies can hit. Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story will all blow by 30 home runs. David Dahl should be healthy by then, giving them another bat with power. They'll abuse our rotation and bullpen, but their staff ERA of 5.54 is 15th in the NL, and they give up an obscene number of home runs. 194 to date. I think the Brewers take 2 out of 3. 2-1 If we're 64-60 now, and go 22-16 the rest of the way, that puts us at 86-76. Last year, the National League playoff teams had the following records: Brewers 96-67 Cubs 95-68 Dodgers 92-71 Rockies 91-72 Braves 90-72 The playoff qualifiers in 2017: Dodgers 104-58 Nationals 97-65 Diamondbacks 93-69 Cubs 92-70 Rockies 87-75 The playoff qualifiers in 2016: Cubs 103-58 Nationals 85-67 Dodgers 91-71 Giants 87-75 Mets 87-75 Before looking at this, I felt the Brewers had to get to at least 90 wins to have a reasonable shot at a wild card. That means they need to win 26 more games, at a minimum. 26-12 puts them at 90-72. They can afford to lose 12 games maximum. I'd bet the house the Astros take both games from us. Can this team go 26-10 in those other 36 games? That's a .722 clip. I just don't see it happening. I hope I'm wrong.

The Brewers now have 198 home runs in 123 games, on pace for 261. That's just nuts.

How's this for wild stats: With 39 games left to play, the Brewers already have 198 home runs.

The Brewers tied a team record with 7 home runs tonight.

The one mentioned as having 33 saw the two teams combine for a whopping 58 base knocks. https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE193207100.shtml The official scorer was on IV fluid by the end of the game.

That's the record for most hits by one team. Weird, the search that sent me there showed the result as combined teams. I still can't find it. I'd imagine it has to be 50+.

Must be a 9 inning game, but that still seems low. It does, but it lists one of the games as being in 18 innings, so they seem to be taking that into consideration. It just seems low to me. I'm still looking.

This can't be right. Most combined hits in a MLB game, 33? http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=most_hits_game We have 38 now.

Please, God. Two more outs. I've been a good boy. I'm not asking for much.

Holy ____!!!!! LMAO. Thames. We need to keep scoring. More!

Through 13 innings, the Brewers and Nats have combined for: 35 hits 26 runs 16 walks 30 strikeouts 10 home runs 18 pitchers Yikes.

Our former MVPs are having a night. Love it!

Damn ESPN. What happened? Yeli bomb?

They also have four runs, a walk, two doubles, a homer, and four RBI combined on the night. Oh yeah, there have definitely been some real positives tonight, too.

I've flipped some much deserved boogers in JJ's direction the last few months, but man, two scoreless innings in this game is money. We really needed that. Meat of the order up, let's score some runs!

Grisham and Hiura with a combined 8 strikeouts tonight. But, I'm betting that the growing pains now will pay big dividends in the future.

He does occasionally make moves (or, it seems more often, of late, doesn't make moves) that I question, but what manager doesn't? Counsell, all things considered, is a pretty darned good skipper, and given the inconsistency of this team, and the pitching staff, as a whole, our still being in this race is mind boggling, to me. Yes, this division is pretty mediocre overall, but we're still only a few games back to start the day. Counsell doesn't have a lot of good options in the bullpen. Calling him out, from time to time, is understandable, especially given the frustration we all feel with this season. But repeatedly bashing him, post after post, becomes too much.

Or, you could just stop polluting the IGTs with your constant manager bashing?

You know, your constant bashing of CC is getting beyond old. That's like 5 negative jabs at him tonight, in just the time I've been watching the IGT. Please stop.

You know, it wasn't funny the time you posted it, 13 minutes ago: Or, the first time, just 32 minutes earlier.

Wow. We should start calling you Nostradamus!

We have 12 runs and 16 hits. We've hit 5 home runs, and have walked 5 times. How the are we in a position to lose this game? How is this possible?????

I'm feeling a bit better about the future since Grisham has been called up. I don't know what his ceiling is as a hitter, but it's clear that he's able to hit Major League hitting, and that his power is not merely the product of AAA pitching and parks. Hiura and Grisham give us a pretty good core to build around.

For all the crap that Braun takes about his salary, can we give the man a little credit for his offensive performance this year? Since the calendar turned over to May, Braun's stats (including tonight): 86 games played, 65 starts 273 AB 42 runs 86 hits 20 doubles 2 triples 12 home runs 38 RBI 8/9 stolen bases 19 walks, 61 strike outs .315 AVG slash line of .369 OBP/.535 SLG/.904 OPS His defense is what it is, but that's pretty darned good production from a near 36 year old batter.

Brauny!!