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As I predicted back on July 18 (Brewers, Cubs, and Cards), the Brewers face what may be the biggest series of the season starting tonight in Philadelphia. Neither team is what you'd call hot. The Brewers are 3-7 in September, the Phillies 4-5.
The matchups:
The good news is that Moyer and Hamels are lefties and the Brewers kill lefties, but those guys are two of the better left-handed starters in the NL. Geoff Jenkins returns from the DL just in time for his old team.
No CC? He tees off the next series at Chicago (Chi Cubs) next Tuesday.
If the Cubs make it home: Hurricane Ike puts cloud over Cubs-Astros series
The Scenario
The Brewers are 4.5 games behind the Cubs and 4 games ahead of the Houston Astros (huh?) and Phillies and 4.5 ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Brewers, Phils, and Astros have 16 games remaining, while the Cubs and Cards have 17 games left.
If the Cubs win 9 and lose 8, then the Brewers would need to go 13-3 to tie them for the NL Central title.
If the Brewers win 8 and lose 8, then the Phils and Astros would have to go 12-4 and the Cards 13-4 to catch up.
Brewers have a tough schedule with 10 games against the Phils and Cubs, but that is also a schedule that allows them to knock out the Phils and catch the Cubs. The Astros have an easy schedule with 3 games against the Cubs, 3 against Florida and the other 10 versus the Braves and Pirates. And they are hot. On August 1, the Astros were 6 games under .500 and 13 games out of first (9 behind the Brewers). Since then the Astros are 28-10. Scary good.
After playing the Brewers, the Phillies cruise with 6 against the Braves and 3 against the Nationals. The Cards have 8 against winning teams and 9 against losers. The Cubs schedule is brutal - make that B-R-U-T-A-L - with 6 against the Brewers, 4 against the Red Birds, 3 against the Astros, and 4 against the NY Mets. Moreover, the Cubs play their last seven on the road.
Bottom line:
With even a mediocre stretch run, the Brewers are quite likely to make the playoffs, but....play ball!
With even a mediocre stretch run, the Brewers are quite likely to make the playoffs, but....play ball!
you sure that they will make it?
ReplyDeletesigh.
Henny Depressed Penny
Ugly. I thought they would make it if they played mediocre baseball. They are not even doing that, but at least are still one game up - pending the tonight's game.
ReplyDeletewhy fire him at this point?
ReplyDeleteIMHO, they think they are not getting in -and the is desperation.
This is going to mean a total collopase.
Desperation? Yes.
ReplyDeleteThey're already in total collapse. It might help and I don't think they had a chance of bouncing back with Yost.