2026 MLB Thread

[BM1090]

Looking back at the games when they were swept, the Brewers had a chance to win 2 out of 3. The other game was the start of the Harrison wheels falling off.

If they can get a strong start out of Miz and the bats stay hot, I'm hoping they can get a quick start and negate the Padres bullpen a bit.

Going to be a good series and a battle.

[CreightonWarrior]

Sunday night, I told my two boys "you're skipping school Tuesday & Wednesday, we're going down to Houston and coming home with two victories!".

One of the greatest experiences of my life, so glad we did this.

my kid is only 6 months but I sometime day dream about the memories like this we'll have.

[CreightonWarrior]

The Cubs kicked the Padres ass this season.  All of the teams in the NL are good except the Cubs.   

the brewers don't have MVPete.

[The Sultan]

Sadly, I did enjoy some of the progress last season and now I'm numb.

I gotta wonder what happened to 18th and Wells. He just went away in March and never returned.

[TallTitan34]

I don't know that there was anything Counsell could have done with pitching, but I feel he's wound so tight in the playoffs, his teams get tight as well.

I thought Counsell had a great regular season somehow getting the worst pitching staff in the history of playoff baseball to the postseason.  (Top offense and defense helped in that as well.)

I do think there is something to your wound tight in the playoff theory though.

[MU82]

You try to win as many games as you can, and of course you want overall home-field advantage. So I'm not suggesting the Brewers should have tanked the final week or anything dopey like that.

But the Dodgers have the better path into the NLCS. It happens.

[TallTitan34]

I see the team that wins Game 1 of the Wild Card round is now 19-1. 

Might as well go back to the one game series and move those two games to the DS to make it a seven game series.  Same number of possible games and two increase in importance.

[BrewCity83]

I see the team that wins Game 1 of the Wild Card round is now 19-1. 

Might as well go back to the one game series and move those two games to the DS to make it a seven game series.  Same number of possible games and two increase in importance.

Disagree.  Fans of the team that lose Game 1 should get a second/third chance to see their team in the playoffs. Getting swept in two games sucks, but getting bounced in a one game playoff round is really a sudden end to a long six-month season.

[TallTitan34]

Disagree.  Fans of the team that lose Game 1 should get a second/third chance to see their team in the playoffs. Getting swept in two games sucks, but getting bounced in a one game playoff round is really a sudden end to a long six-month season.

If it wasn't 19-1 to this point, I'd agree.  But those two games have proven worthless so far.

[GB Warrior]

You try to win as many games as you can, and of course you want overall home-field advantage. So I'm not suggesting the Brewers should have tanked the final week or anything dopey like that.

But the Dodgers have the better path into the NLCS. It happens.

It'll be nice not to have the MKE-CHI rivalry strain, but from a pure baseball perspective, this is worst-case matchup for the Brewers. The Brewers defense and pitching staff is well-positioned, and top to bottom, the Brewers have better offense, defense and pitching. But in a short series, the Padres' bullpen mitigates a lot of what the Brewers do exceedingly well.

If I'm looking for anything, it's the Brewers to play their game straight up and don't press too much early. You have to get leads and capitalize on the bulk pitchers, but if there's an area the Padres struggle with, it's throwing strikes, and the Brewers are among the best at zone discipline.

Play your game, strike with singles and doubles on base early, then trust the process.

[Jockey]

It'll be nice not to have the MKE-CHI rivalry strain, but from a pure baseball perspective, this is worst-case matchup for the Brewers. The Brewers defense and pitching staff is well-positioned, and top to bottom, the Brewers have better offense, defense and pitching. But in a short series, the Padres' bullpen mitigates a lot of what the Brewers do exceedingly well.

If I'm looking for anything, it's the Brewers to play their game straight up and don't press too much early. You have to get leads and capitalize on the bulk pitchers, but if there's an area the Padres struggle with, it's throwing strikes, and the Brewers are among the best at zone discipline.

Play your game, strike with singles and doubles on base early, then trust the process.

Except the Brewers bullpen had a lower ERA than San Diego's even while playing in a better hitters ballpark.

Just get ahead and avoid Mason Miller.

[GB Warrior]

If it wasn't 19-1 to this point, I'd agree.  But those two games have proven worthless so far.

I thought this was interesting.

https://x.com/dead_baseball/status/2104581305182589119?s=46

I truly believe that PCA would have dominated a 31-game series.

[cheebs09]

Except the Brewers bullpen had a lower ERA than San Diego's even while playing in a better hitters ballpark.

Just get ahead and avoid Mason Miller.

He's at least been a little more human the last month of the season. That just might be me searching for optimism though.

Hopefully we can hit their starters a bit and their bullpen is pitching from behind.

[TallTitan34]

I thought this was interesting.

https://x.com/dead_baseball/status/2104581305182589119?s=46

I truly believe that PCA would have dominated a 31-game series.

I'd prefer best of 33 just to be sure.

[tower912]

Best of 162 and the season is already over for everyone.

[CreightonWarrior]

I'd prefer best of 33 just to be sure.

that's at least 39 home runs he'd rob.

[MU82]

If it wasn't 19-1 to this point, I'd agree.  But those two games have proven worthless so far.

The 20th team - the 1 that won - would disagree with you. And who knows what will happen the next 3 or 5 years?

[wadesworld]

that's at least 39 home runs he'd rob.

His fWAR would rise by 16.9

[SoCalEagle]

Go Sox!!!

[Dish]

Just an absolutely gigantic win by the Sox. Giving themselves an opportunity to clinch in Chicago. Day off tomorrow helps them regroup the bullpen.

Awesome game.

[MU82]

Nice job by the White Sox. Taylor was awesome - they couldn't touch his curveball. Impressive.

As an aside, I think I would have done better than that home-player umpire. He was calling balls on pitches completely inside the zone, and calling strikes on pitches several inches outside the zone. It was the worst I've seen in many months - thankfully the ABS system was in place.

[SoCalEagle]

Skubal looked great today. 6 complete innings, allowed only 2 hits. And Tucker went 2-4 with an HR and a walk. Dodgers looking good, take a 1-0 lead.

[tower912]

How long will Tampa let Rasmussen go?

[tower912]

Easy choice now.

[CreightonWarrior]

Don't have to worry about Mason Miller when you only force 7 pitches from the starter.