In terms of run production, the Brewers offense surged in the second half of the season. While the trade acquisition of Jonathan Schoop did not boost the offense as expected, GM David Stearns hit on Mike Moustakas and Curtis Granderson, which induced benefits at second base with Travis Shaw (who posted a .223 average / […]
Tag: Travis Shaw
Murky Up the Middle: Weighing Middle Infield Options
After coming within one win of the World Series, expectations in Milwaukee will no doubt be high for the 2019 Brewers. But the franchise enters the offseason in a peculiar place: they “arrived” slightly ahead of schedule, and will now defend their NL Central championship with a roster that, on paper, still looks a piece […]
MVPs II: The Race without WAR
Over the weekend, the MVP race took a decided turn in favor of Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich, as the left-handed batting phenom not only excelled in Pittsburgh, but his right-handed batting counterpart, Lorenzo Cain, nursed a brief injury for the bulk of the series. So it goes, as most of the MVP race discussion devolves […]
Grading the System 3
The splash happened: For two-and-a-half years, Brewers fans and analysts wondered aloud what it might take for GM David Stearns to trade an impact prospect at the trade deadline. The debate softened somewhat during the 2017-2018 offseason, as Stearns certainly proved himself capable of parting with (several) impact prospects. This transaction was always explained away, […]
Playoff Payoff
Our beleaguered Brewers, owners of a six game losing streak entering the break, have flipped the script thus far in the unofficial second half. Milwaukee has a 5-3 record (34 Runs Scored / 37 Runs Allowed), and GM David Stearns appears ready to will this club deeper into serious playoff contention after trading for Kansas […]
Weekend Recap: Shaw and Kratz
For the second straight week, the Brewers split a two game series and a four game series to go 3-3 during the week. While the team still leads the division, the week’s results are disappointing because both the Royals and Reds have played poorly this season. The two weekend losses were spurred by silent bats […]
21: The Trap
In a much-publicized scheduling crunch, the Brewers are headed on a trek in which 21 games will be played in the 20 days leading to the All Star Break. Any baseball fan will look at their favorite team’s schedule for such an occasion and grimace. That the stretch’s extra contest comes at the cost of […]
Series Preview: Brewers at Cubs
Just in time to test an eight game winning streak, our beloved Milwaukee Nine head south to take on the Lakeview Baseball Club, the new Evil Empire, the undisputed dynasty of the National League Central who will win the division without question. (We have the spreadsheets to prove it, why are we even playing the […]
Weekend Recap: Guerra and Shaw
Milwaukee came into the weekend only 3.5 games behind the division leading Cubs, needing at least three wins to have a realistic shot at the division title. Instead, they dropped three of four, including two gut wrenching extra innings losses. The team’s playoff hopes are still alive thanks to the Rockies floundering this weekend against […]
Do the Brewers Need a Star?
Starting with the position that the Brewers’ rebuild is over, let’s also posit that contending for a playoff spot, as Milwaukee is currently, isn’t the end game for the franchise. Consistently competing, year in and year out is the goal; not for a one-game or even five-game playoff series every year, but because making the […]