Cool Hand Lucroy

Fair enough. Like I said, I think the Brewers are in a better place, both in terms of talent and leadership. I thought the Twins looked a lot looser and ready than the Brewers did in big moments, but that's a subjective judgment. Brewers also got unlucky in important ways. On the other hand, they were also playing in a pretty friendly run environment (AmFAm w/ a closed roof) and couldn't get a big hit. One home run in two games doesn't cut it, so I'm with you. We need to balance out the roster in ways that help boost the offense. The other thing I'll add is this. Winning by run prevention is not a very fun way to win. It makes for a lot of stressful games, a lot of low-scoring games, a lot of really frustrating offensive half-innings and terrifying defensive ones. I'd like to see this team go down 4-0 on occasion and not feel like the game is over, even it means falling behind a little more often.

Not disagreeing. But you don't have literally no-chance. The Brewers were favorites in this game. Even down 5-2 in the 8th, the Frelick AB was a moment where you have to take a shot. You've got Weimer or Miller there to use. It's not that tough. When all options are bad, just seize the platoon advantage and hope. It's not the reason they lost. But I think CC was real shy about taking out Frelick and Turang this series, both in key spots, facing lefties. There's always hindsight involved there, but both times he let the kids bat. Both times it didn't work. It's all pretty minor in the scheme of things. I'm here for it if CC wants to come back. The prospects are going to make this team fun either way. But I'm ready for the next era because change is good, and after nearly a decade with one manager, it's maybe time to try something a little different.

I don't disagree with this overall. Believe me. I'd rather have our FO. But that team has an attitude and feel to it that matches the moment. I'd like the Brewers to find their way to that feeling. I think they will, but it has to start this offseason and be done without sacrificing long-term value.

If you need optimism, check out the ETAs on our MLB.com Top 30 prospect list.

We are mind-melding. The Twins did that this year. They looked so loose and ready these last two days. Everyone focused and locked it and yet still having fun. Brewers could use a Carlos Gomez on this roster. Somebody so gutsy he's probably a little bit foolish, but he sure as heck is confident. Credit to Tyrone Taylor. He played like that guy and has been for a while.

Dude, exactly! We are going to be INTERESTING in 2024. We're going to be FUN. Young, fast, frustrating, and with a new manager too. I have half a mind to say the org should hire Alyssa Nakken to manage and just like become the most fascinating follow in the history of pro sports.

It sure seems like the trend is to hire youngish, analytically minded former players, guys who started their careers in the pre-Moneyball era and ended when every FO was employing multiple Ivy league data analysts and game theory gurus. This is the David Ross, Rocco Baldelli kind of hire. You could argue CC was the first one of that batch! I still think that's the mold the Crew is going to draw from. I'd like to see an innovative hire. Someone a little off-the-map. Someone who's young but maybe not necessarily a former player. I don't know. There aren't a lot of names out there that make me say "Yeah, that's the right person."

I'm interested in the AL much more. Orioles are a fun story. Would love to see them in the WS.

I don't blame anyone either, and I like CC. Always have. He was bad this series, though. Not the reason they lost, and he didn't have a lot of good options offensively. But you've got to at least push a few more buttons when your team struggles so much to score.

That's a tough one. We took all the bad Twins karma on our shoulders, I guess. Here's to breaking our current 5-game playoff losing streak next year.

The fact that Caratini doesn't get one AB bothers me a bit too. That guy's a pro and he's been clutch, and in a two-game series, who cares that he's your only other catcher?

This is hilarious, or would be if it weren't so painful. Why is Donaldson not being PR for?

Agreed. Am I wrong in thinking that, other than pitching Counsell made three moves on the offensive side: 1) PHing Winker twice and 2) PRing Weimer when they brought in a lefty to pitch to Sal. When you type it out like that....yikes.

When there are no good options, I default to a platoon advantage, but that's just me. Especially one without any real defensive downside. I'm at peace with the outcome of this series because the DBacks sure look like the better baseball team. I also think this team may well need the big changes we all expect just because sometimes you need a change. Sometimes, things get stale. I am the weirdo who talks about how much I enjoyed watching the 2016 and 2017 Brewers, teams that didn't make the playoffs, but that had something compelling and were moving in an exciting direction. I'd love for the 2024 Brewers to be better version of that.

I did not like letting Sal hit either.

Unless something very dramatic and very unlikely happens, this era of Brewers baseball is about to end. I think it's been a good one, but it (probably rightfully) be remembered as one of tremendous regular season success and near-total postseason failure. Some of that is bad luck. We all know the playoffs are essentially a random exercise, but we also know that each of the Brewers playoff teams over the last 6 years entered drastically weaker than their opponents in at least one area. In 2018, it was starting pitching. We had great relievers and a decent offense, and we got a good matchup in the Rockies, who really struggled to hit, especially away from Coors. Since then, it's been the offense. We scored 3 runs in 2019, and it wasn't enough. Got shut out twice in 2021. Looks like we'll score 5 in two games this year. Most postseason teams, they have a plan B. They can win a low-scoring game with the right starter going. They can also scratch a few extra runs across and win 5-3. Even the 2018 Brewers could weather a bad SP performance or one bad BP inning because they had a reasonably balanced offense. With these teams, no plan B. They just cannot win a game where they give up 4 runs. And that sinks your whole ship. Now, the next era of this team does feature some really promising hitters (and some good arms), and I think there's a lot of balance headed our way if we a) make the right managerial hire and b) get the right return for Burnes (it won't be a haul, but it just has to include 2 young, controllable pieces who can basically be role players--2-win guys for a few years). Whatever happens, the future of this team looks both bright and different. It's time for that, even though I've loved this era of Brewers baseball, and I think CC has been the best manager in my lifetime. Was definitely the right hire, and I'd take him back in a heartbeat if he wanted to continue.

Freddy got a little rattled after the HR. Plus, the DBacks have some guys who are MLB hitters for real. There's such little margin for error when you just can't score. Teams have won playoff games with 2-3 runs, but it's really hard and really stressful, and to count on doing it for a whole series is going to make your life very very difficult.

More bad BABIP luck. You have to be kidding me with that. That's gotta find somebody's glove, right?

Is Pham yapping at Adames? ***?

He's out.

The DBacks are getting a TON of BABIP luck, but they're also just putting in good PAs. No panic. That ball Pham hit could not have been place in a better spot.

Can we have any worse BABIP luck?

Big question starting to become how long you stick with Freddy. Not much margin for error, but I can sure make an argument he's your best option for the next 4-6 outs.

Well, there's a nice pace to this game anyway. Sure be nice if our offense could put up a 30-minute half-inning.

Does that mean you caught it? That would be pretty awesome.