Are the Brewers going to run away with the Central

[jersey cubs fan]

I always hear about Zambrano's emotions causing him to get out of hand, the problem is, you never really see it. A guy who lets his emotions get the best of him doesn't bounce back from a 4 run 1st to allow no more runs the rest of the way.

 

Z's always been wild, he'll probably always be wild. But he's got a longer, better track record than Sheets and has managed to stay healthy throughout that time while Sheets has been bothered by nagging problems.

 

The Brewers announcers are probably the worst at repeating this topic. They talk like Zambrano regularly throws no-hitters through 6 and then walks a guy in the 7th before allowing 5 runs.

 

Zambrano shows emotion for sure. However, I've never seen his problems arise from that emotion. His problem is usually location, and that can happen anytime. He just doesn't act how they want him to act.

[Ender]

He had one game last year where he totally tilted against the Brewers, probably why they bring it up. He was cruising and got pinched a couple times and then totally blew up. He was pacing all over the mound and yelling etc. I'm guessing they always think of that when talking about him.

[JenksFan5]

In one word.

 

Yes.

[Shilzzz]

In one word.

 

Yes.

 

comprehensive!

[TruffleShuffle]

unless the cardinals really turn it around, yes.

[Soul]

Sure looks like they'll run away with it.

 

It also looks like we won't be the 2nd place team for long (if we even still are).

 

We'll probably finish with 75 wins or so, a $115 million junk team. Maybe there'll be hope when we get sold.

 

After all, it's been the new Brewer ownership that really seems to have made the difference.

[Soriano12]

Sure looks like they'll run away with it.

 

It also looks like we won't be the 2nd place team for long (if we even still are).

 

We'll probably finish with 75 wins or so, a $115 million junk team. Maybe there'll be hope when we get sold.

 

After all, it's been the new Brewer ownership that really seems to have made the difference.

 

Is that what the payroll is now...good god that is pathetic.

[Yeti]

ok, so i've been holding off on posting in this thread...

 

but now i'm prepaired to answer the question...

 

yes

[C.C.]

No team in the Central is even close to playing consistent. They would have to seriously stumble not to win it. Why can't we ever have a laugher of a season. Even in 2003 it cam down to the wire.

[UMFan83]

Sure looks like they'll run away with it.

 

It also looks like we won't be the 2nd place team for long (if we even still are).

 

We'll probably finish with 75 wins or so, a $115 million junk team. Maybe there'll be hope when we get sold.

 

After all, it's been the new Brewer ownership that really seems to have made the difference.

 

I predicted 78. I'm sorry but I didn't think the team looked that great on paper before the season, and it doesn't look that great now either. The roster looks like a bunch of random pieces put together.

[FergieJ31]

Sure looks like they'll run away with it.

 

It also looks like we won't be the 2nd place team for long (if we even still are).

 

We'll probably finish with 75 wins or so, a $115 million junk team. Maybe there'll be hope when we get sold.

 

After all, it's been the new Brewer ownership that really seems to have made the difference.

 

I predicted 78. I'm sorry but I didn't think the team looked that great on paper before the season, and it doesn't look that great now either. The roster looks like a bunch of random pieces put together.

 

I predicted 81 - I liked the symmetry and I honestly believed (still do) the Cubs are a very average team this year. I don't think the final standings will look much different from the current standings:

 

Wheat   25   11   -
Chaff   16   18   8.0
Chaff   16   19   8.5
Chaff   15   20   9.5
Chaff   14   19   9.5
Chaff   15   21   10.0

[Soul]

No team in the Central is even close to playing consistent. They would have to seriously stumble not to win it. Why can't we ever have a laugher of a season. Even in 2003 it cam down to the wire.

 

I might kill for a laugher divisional crown. Alas, it appears we are not supposed to have anything easy in our baseball lives.

[Balsa]

Sure looks like they'll run away with it.

 

It also looks like we won't be the 2nd place team for long (if we even still are).

 

We'll probably finish with 75 wins or so, a $115 million junk team. Maybe there'll be hope when we get sold.

 

After all, it's been the new Brewer ownership that really seems to have made the difference.

 

Is that what the payroll is now...good god that is pathetic.

This year the payroll is about $100 million.

[Omar]

Sure looks like they'll run away with it.

 

It also looks like we won't be the 2nd place team for long (if we even still are).

 

We'll probably finish with 75 wins or so, a $115 million junk team. Maybe there'll be hope when we get sold.

 

After all, it's been the new Brewer ownership that really seems to have made the difference.

 

Is that what the payroll is now...good god that is pathetic.

This year the payroll is about $100 million.

 

The Payroll topic in Transaction says $113.58 mil... That includes Wood, Prior, and Rusch, though.

[SouthSideRyan]

If it helps, we'll probably run away with 2nd place.

[Omar]

If it helps, we'll probably run away with 2nd place.

 

It's really depressing. We're already 8 games back, and it really does look out of reach, now. I'm sure most of us have started seeing a Wild Card possibility, because it doesnt look too good in the central..

[RegulusBlue]

This year couldnt' really get any worse.

[Soul]

If it helps, we'll probably run away with 2nd place.

 

It's really depressing. We're already 8 games back, and it really does look out of reach, now. I'm sure most of us have started seeing a Wild Card possibility, because it doesnt look too good in the central..

 

There's a long way to go yet, but it sure does look like the wild card will be the 2nd place team from the East -- i.e. Mets/Braves, whoever loses that race.

 

Lots can happen though.

[cubscausestress]

If it helps, we'll probably run away with 2nd place.

 

It's really depressing. We're already 8 games back, and it really does look out of reach, now. I'm sure most of us have started seeing a Wild Card possibility, because it doesnt look too good in the central..

 

There's a long way to go yet, but it sure does look like the wild card will be the 2nd place team from the East -- i.e. Mets/Braves, whoever loses that race.

 

Lots can happen though.

 

128 games to go. there's no way 8 games can be made up in the standings.

[third eye]

Not trying to be unrealistic, but the 8 game lead by the brewers at this point in the season reminds me of the Cubs in 2001 breaking out to a 6.5 game lead over the whole division in 2001. Remember they lost it by 5 games by the end. Yes, it does look insurmountable, but honestly, coupling an 8-2 stretch by the Cubs with a 2-8 stretch by the Brewers puts them right back in it. And I would be willing to bet alot of money that both of those stretches will happen for both teams during the season. I just think the Brewers, while talented, still arent a mid-90s win team yet. Its possible they could be the Tigers of this year, but I'm still not convinced that they will run away with the division. Before I get railed on for using anectodotal evidence over hard stats on this board, let me clarify that I dont expect the Cubs to be 8 games better than the brewers the rest of the way. I just wouldnt be shocked to see them back in the race at some point. And I fully expect a couple of months of .500 or below baseball out of the brewers at some point this year.

[DiamondMind]

The Brewers are now #1 on ESPN's power rankings

[Ding Dong Johnson]

coupling an 8-2 stretch by the Cubs with a 2-8 stretch by the Brewers puts them right back in it. And I would be willing to bet alot of money that both of those stretches will happen for both teams during the season

 

2 teams going 10-10 over 2 different stretches, whenever they occur, does not allow for 1 team to make up games in the standings.

[third eye]

Fair enough. Pointing out my wording mistake does not change the point of my post. Your attention to detail is noted, but I was simply trying to point out that leads at this junture in the season can be and have been erased over two-week strecthes where hot streaks are aligned with slumps. If this were the Cardinals of a couple of years ago, I'd be alot more worried, because we know what they have done over a whole season. I just dont see the Brewers being able to maintain it.

[Soul]

Sure looks like they'll run away with it.

 

It also looks like we won't be the 2nd place team for long (if we even still are).

 

We'll probably finish with 75 wins or so, a $115 million junk team. Maybe there'll be hope when we get sold.

 

After all, it's been the new Brewer ownership that really seems to have made the difference.

 

Is that what the payroll is now...good god that is pathetic.

This year the payroll is about $100 million.

 

The Payroll topic in Transaction says $113.58 mil... That includes Wood, Prior, and Rusch, though.

 

ESPN says about $100 million, but that's the current roster salaries, not the actual payroll.

 

I believe the payroll thread includes some of the deadweight, which brings us closer to $115 million.

 

We pretty much know now that this team won't perform anywhere near what a $115 million team would be expected to. Sure, we suspected it even before the season, but now there's a month and a half in the books, we're below .500 but near the top of the league in payroll.

 

And it's only going to get worse over the next few years, so I'm starting to feel comfortable saying if we sell the team to someone who doesn't give out blank checks, there's going to be some major, major hack n' slash taking place. As in, we're looking at atrocious baseball for a couple years while the new owner tries to turn around our salary layouts.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Fair enough. Pointing out my wording mistake does not change the point of my post. Your attention to detail is noted, but I was simply trying to point out that leads at this junture in the season can be and have been erased over two-week strecthes where hot streaks are aligned with slumps. If this were the Cardinals of a couple of years ago, I'd be alot more worried, because we know what they have done over a whole season. I just dont see the Brewers being able to maintain it.

 

It was more than just a wording mistake, it was a flaw in logic.

 

I'm not denying that 8 games can be made up, but the Brewers are looking to be a team that will have less 2-8 stretches and more 8-2 than the Cubs.