MLB teams that recently experienced 5-game losing streaks:
— Howie Magner (@howiemag) July 14, 2018
2018 Brewers
2017 Astros
2016 Cubs
2014 Giants
2012 Giants
2011 Cardinals
The last 5 clubs on that list won the World Series.
Not saying the Brewers are winning the World Series. Just saying, you know, baseball.
EKB
i get the point you’re trying to make about the prospects you listed. However, unlike other sports, draft round doesn’t really matter since basically nobody goes from draft to bigs in the same year. So many players drafted are still in there teens, including top draft picks each year.
It’s really all about where someone was ranked prior to being called up that tells if a player was a bust. Gamel may have only been a 4th rounder, but after the 2008 season, he was ranked by MLB as a Top 25 prospect. He would be considered a bust, but largely due to multiple injuries, IMO.
Anyway, I think sometimes too much value is put on “prospects”. Even most of the best minor league prospects are just average MLBers.
I think fans can take the success too seriously as well. The reality is this team probably has overachieved up to this point. Cain and Yelich have been as good as advertised, but no one expected Aguilar and the bullpen and Chacin and Guerra to play this well. Suter could probably be in that group as well as could Saladino.
The injuries have certainly impacted guys like Davies and Thames and Braun and Shaw. More so with Davies and Shaw and their performance. A number of other players have regressed - Arcia, Pina, Anderson, Sogard, Santana, Perez, while others like Kratz, Nottingham, Orf, Wilkinson just aren’t very good.
If you take that overall position that maybe they are more like a .500 team and their 1st half record was a bit deceiving then they probably should stay put and not make a deal. But their record is what it is. Coming into Pittsburgh they have been leading the division basically the whole season. Given their question marks of what to expect from some players I think they need to make a move or two. Obviously getting a player under team control is preferred but it doesn’t have to be given the talent and impact of who you may acquire.
Put it another way- had Milwaukee added Machado a week or two ago how many more games could they have won? The bottom half of the lineup is a mess and he makes everyone around him better. More importantly, a move like that builds confidence in the dugout that management believes in this team and they are willing to go out and do whatever it takes to win. That would take some pressure off guys like Shaw and Aguilar and Braun who probably feel like they have to carry this team.
Prospects are prospects. In baseball we get so enamored with the “what if” potential it overwhelms logical thinking. The potential talent and player rankings don’t always translate to actual performance at MLB level whereas you know what you have in a DeGrom or Machado.
I think most folks see this team and it’s history and say “hey, we have a winner- go all in right now.” Many seasons have been promising and then faultered. It’s a perfectly reasonable reaction, IMO.
They have rarely had, if ever (maybe late 70s, early 80s with the Molitor/Yount core) a program that stood on its own. Winning in baseball is hard to figure. The Yankees and a Red Sox have thrown hundreds of millions at it and STILL didn’t get it every time. So I agree that when a guy like Machado and DeGrom are out there you go get them (especially with DeGrom, who would be around a few years before he gets big $$$).
The lineup is barely playoff worthy. The staff isn’t WS worthy. The opportunity has presented itself to win now- go take it. The cupboard isn’t bare, and I believe in this scouting department considering how fast they filled the pipeline in this rebuild. They have everything they need to be aggressive.
2B Jonathan Villar (right thumb) has been placed on the 10-day disabled list. OF Brett Phillips has been recalled from Triple-A @skysox. RHP Aaron Wilkerson returns to Triple-A. pic.twitter.com/3w5duPJtBO
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 15, 2018
This may be a bit hyperbolic but today is a big game. A ordinary mid July pre all star game at that. A win today could be like a team scoring a field goal before half time after losing all the momentum built up in the first quarte, thus restoring some confidence. A loss today after a similar situation last year could bring back thoughts of. last years fall.
Even in a 162 game season some games are bigger than others.
8 runs
I agree with Haudricourt- only untouchables are Peralta and Hiura. Anyone else is available...
Hiura looks like a special talent and the dude can flat out rake. It doesn’t hurt he also plays the infield and that’s where Milwaukee needs help. I wouldn’t deal him for anyone. Caveat - he would be untouchable until a team literally gave us an offer we couldn’t refuse.
The rear of the prospects including Peralta are fair game.
E-K-B, the voice of reason
Tschmack, the voice of panic.
if they don’t find a way to improve this roster they’ll be no reason to panic as they will find themselves out of the division race very soon. They need a reset and a trade or two would be the jolt they need to get back on track and hopefully seize control of the central.
Man 2 errors
1 leading to a 2 run bomb
Lets go someone needs to wake them up or at least start getting some hits with guys on base
At least Saladino can hit this week.
I’d trade Huira for Realmuto so Kratz can focus on having a beer with me instead of being lost at the plate
Finally. Nice work Phil
Knebel looking shaky. Just threw Moroff and fastball down the middle that he missed or it's walk off Pirates.
Bases loaded nobody out does Counsell do the right thing and pull his struggling former closer?
No way do I trade top prospects with the edge coming off of some key bullpen members.
Unbelievable
Punch me in the face and then kick me in the nuts
that’s how you cap off a 5 game sweep?
JFC
Unreal just ****ing unreal
The All Star break couldn’t come at a better time
These guys couldn’t beat a single A squad right now so maybe the time off will do them some good
Couldn't do any harm