CNNSI: Brewers guaranteed playoff spot with CC

[Banedon]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/07/07/corcorna.cctrade/index.html?eref=T1

 

The Milwaukee Brewers have all but guaranteed themselves their first playoff berth since 1982. After slipping past the St. Louis Cardinals to grab the second-best record in the National League with their win over the Pirates on Sunday, the Brewers added CC Sabathia, the defending American League Cy Young award winner to their starting rotation without surrendering a single member of their major league roster.

[OleMissCub]

I want to say I disagree, but I can't.

[bukie]

Still a lot of season to be playing to guarantee anything, especially with the Mets starting to wake up, the Phillies far underplaying their Pythagorean, the Cardinals still holding strong, and the Brewers overplaying their Pythagorean to this point.

 

Oh, and the Cubs still being 4 games up on the league, even after a rough road stretch.

 

Sure, the Brewers are one of the more talented teams in the NL this year, but it doesn't guarantee anything.

[anabiono]

um, there are no guarantees in sports or life for that matter

 

stupid sensationalism

[UMFan83]

When you're relying on Ben Sheets to stay healthy, you're guaranteed nothing.

[Electron Blue]

the article says "all but guaranteed" not "guaranteed." It's just a strongly worded way of saying "The Brewers now just need to play like they can and they'll make the playoffs."

 

[/grammatical nitpick]

[Banedon]

the article says "all but guaranteed" not "guaranteed." It's just a strongly worded way of saying "The Brewers now just need to play like they can and they'll make the playoffs."

 

[grammatical nitpick]

 

I agree that's what it says, but I think you're giving the author a bit more credit than he deserves with that distinction.

 

The headline is "Brewers punch ticket for October by adding Sabathia"...though I'll admit that someone else probably wrote the headline.

 

Also the last paragraph doesn't qualify anything...

 

Whether or not Sabathia does wear down, the Brewers and their fans will be pleased enough to have their third playoff berth in franchise history, even if it has to come as a wild-card entry. And if Sabathia stays strong, Milwaukee very well could make it all the way to the World Series.

 

I just think the author wanted to write something "controversial" so here ya go.

[rocket]

hopefully cc sabathia is on the cover of si where that article appears.

[Soul]

That's a bit bold for early July.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time.

[BigbadB]

And haven't these same yahoos guaranteed that the Yankees would win every World Series since 2000?

[Electron Blue]

the article says "all but guaranteed" not "guaranteed." It's just a strongly worded way of saying "The Brewers now just need to play like they can and they'll make the playoffs."

 

[grammatical nitpick]

 

I agree that's what it says, but I think you're giving the author a bit more credit than he deserves with that distinction.

 

The headline is "Brewers punch ticket for October by adding Sabathia"...though I'll admit that someone else probably wrote the headline.

 

Also the last paragraph doesn't qualify anything...

 

Whether or not Sabathia does wear down, the Brewers and their fans will be pleased enough to have their third playoff berth in franchise history, even if it has to come as a wild-card entry. And if Sabathia stays strong, Milwaukee very well could make it all the way to the World Series.

 

I just think the author wanted to write something "controversial" so here ya go.

 

cringe... sure enough, I clearly didn't read the article :)

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I wonder if there were similar headlines about the Braves last year when they traded for Tex... :-k

[moochpuppy]

The headline is "Brewers punch ticket for October by adding Sabathia"...though I'll admit that someone else probably wrote the headline.

 

 

The Cubs have been involved in a ticket scam before, maybe it's not Milwaukee's turn. ;)

[TruffleShuffle]

Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time.

 

=D>

 

the brewers are more likely than not to make the playoffs, but it's far from a guarantee. the closest things to a guarantee right now are the cubs and devil rays.

[Clem Fandango]

Here's a bold prediction:

 

CC's first start as a Brewer will be a collosal failure.

 

This of course is wishful thinking, but CC's been a mixed bag this year. I'm banking on his first start being the bad half of the bag.

 

[crosses fingers]

[Jehrico]

And haven't these same yahoos guaranteed that the Yankees would win every World Series since 2000?

They picked us prior to '04.

 

Milwaukee, meet the SI jinx.

 

I'd rather potentially face the Cards than the Brewers in the playoffs, so hopefully, they don't make it.

[Soul]

I wonder if there were similar headlines about the Braves last year when they traded for Tex... :-k

 

I'm too lazy to look them up, but I'm sure there were.

 

I know BBTN all but said it put the Braves over the top. Turned out to be a total non-factor, good as Tex is.

[Soul]

Here's a bold prediction:

 

CC's first start as a Brewer will be a collosal failure.

 

This of course is wishful thinking, but CC's been a mixed bag this year. I'm banking on his first start being the bad half of the bag.

 

[crosses fingers]

 

 

It's the Rockies though. The 13-wins-on-the-road, stinky, Rockies.

[bukie]

If I had to gauge teams' chances to make the playoffs in the NL at this point in the season, it'd go something like:

 

1. Cubs

 

------------

 

2. Phillies

3. Brewers

4. Mets

5. Cardinals

 

-------------

 

6. Braves

7. Diamondbacks

8. Dodgers

9. Marlins

 

--------------

 

10. Rockies

11. Padres

12. Reds

13. Astros

14. Pirates

15. Giants

16. Nationals

 

The only team that would have even close to a playoff guarantee at this point would be the Cubs, and even then there are a good 80 games to go before the talk is even reasonable.

[SouthSideRyan]

Bukie it seems you're not taking divisions into account. There's no way the Reds, Astros, or Pirates have a better chance at the playoffs than the Giants because those teams would have to beat out one of the Brewers or Cubs while the Giants only have to beat out mediocrities. The Giants are most likely a worse team than those 3, but their competition sucks. Same with the D-Backs and Dodgers having less chance than (in the very least) the Braves, and likely the Cards and Mets. Neither Arizona or LA look like good teams, but their competition is even worse. It'd probably take a Philadelphia and New York collapse to put the Braves in the playoffs.

 

I'd say

 

Cubs

Phillies

Brewers

D-Backs

Dodgers

Mets

Cardinals

Braves

Padres

Marlins

Rockies

Giants

Reds

Pirates

Astros

Nationals

[bukie]

The method to my madness:

 

- The Braves, even as much as they've struggled, are still only 6 games out, and have a better run differential than the Mets. They've played better this year than the D-backs, Dodgers or Marlins. I basically put the magic number for "gonna be a stretch" at 10 games at this point.

 

- The Cardinals, as much as they're expected to fall apart, haven't yet. Compared to the D-backs who have fallen apart but built a big enough lead that they somehow still hold a playoff spot, I believe the Cardinals are in better shape (despite a guaranteed spot out of the West anyway).

 

- The D-backs and Dodgers, though tied for the division lead, are both playing poorly and have been unable to put any team in their division away. I also believe the Padres and Rockies are much better teams than they've been this first half, so I really think it's a 4-team race to be the least ugly team in that division.

 

- Despite the Giants' record, their offense is pitiful, and outside of Lincecum and an occasional Cain gem, their pitching can't keep them in games forever. The fact they're only 11 games under .500 should be considered a huge success for that team.

 

- The Reds, Pirates and Astros are still in much better shape to make a run at the wildcard than any team out of the West.

[SouthSideRyan]

You think the difference between the Reds/Pirates/Astros and the loser of Cubs/Brewers is closer than the difference between the Giants and the D-Backs?

[bukie]

You think the difference between the Reds/Pirates/Astros and the loser of Cubs/Brewers is closer than the difference between the Giants and the D-Backs?

 

It's about the same. Although, I am really down on the Giants. I think the difference between the Giants/Nats and any other team in the league is bigger than the difference between the Cubs and any other team in the league. Which makes going 3-4 against them all the most frustrating to this point.

[SouthSideRyan]

You think the difference between the Reds/Pirates/Astros and the loser of Cubs/Brewers is closer than the difference between the Giants and the D-Backs?

 

It's about the same. Although, I am really down on the Giants. I think the difference between the Giants/Nats and any other team in the league is bigger than the difference between the Cubs and any other team in the league. Which makes going 3-4 against them all the most frustrating to this point.

 

Oh I agree that the Giants are a horrendous team. I just think the Cubs and Brewers are the class of the league, and have a hard time seeing either miss the playoffs.