If you believe the Brewers won't win the NL Central, then the Pirates are just 1.5 games out 1st place.
We just need to track down the Cards and Flubs and hope the Brew Crew collapses like it did a couple of years ago.
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Moderators: SammyKhalifa, Doc, Bobster
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Personally, I think the Brewers' pitching will catch up to them. I'm not at all convinced they are this good.
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dogknot17@yahoo.co
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I checked the other day: Vegas has the Pirates +1700 to win the Division.
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Like Mulder, I want to believe. I want to think that Marte will help the lineup and the defense. I want to think Polanco will get his average up and start hitting with power. I want to think that Cole will be more consistent and stop giving up homers. I want to believe that Watson's increased velocity will lead to a better performance. I want to believe that Cutch will continue to hit. I want to believe that this will lead to the division.
I don't think the Brewers will win the division but I am extremely doubtful it will be the Bucs who topple them. I am hopeful but they have just been so inconsistent all year. If they can get to within 4.5 games by the end of next week and jump the Cardinals I will have more hope.
I don't think the Brewers will win the division but I am extremely doubtful it will be the Bucs who topple them. I am hopeful but they have just been so inconsistent all year. If they can get to within 4.5 games by the end of next week and jump the Cardinals I will have more hope.
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rucker59@gmail.com
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6042514C4F4A4D42615640404C230 wrote: If you believe the Brewers won't win the NL Central, then the Pirates are just 1.5 games out 1st place.
We just need to track down the Cards and Flubs and hope the Brew Crew collapses like it did a couple of years ago.
WOW! This is an important prospective. I don't think the Brewers can maintain, but they are likely to be buyers so that will impact the numbers. Best if the Pirates take care of business before the trade deadline. Gotta win 3 of 4 next week. A sweep changes things.
We just need to track down the Cards and Flubs and hope the Brew Crew collapses like it did a couple of years ago.
WOW! This is an important prospective. I don't think the Brewers can maintain, but they are likely to be buyers so that will impact the numbers. Best if the Pirates take care of business before the trade deadline. Gotta win 3 of 4 next week. A sweep changes things.
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OrlandoMerced
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Brewers are currently on pace for 89 wins. You can probably make a case that 88 wins guarantees you the division and you can probably win it with 87.
That means the Pirates have to win 45-46 out of their remaining 73 games.
I also don't believe in the Brewers, but because the Pirates have to leap two other teams, it's not going to be about what other teams do, the Pirates have to turn into a .600+ winning percentage team to capture the division.
That means the Pirates have to win 45-46 out of their remaining 73 games.
I also don't believe in the Brewers, but because the Pirates have to leap two other teams, it's not going to be about what other teams do, the Pirates have to turn into a .600+ winning percentage team to capture the division.
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I don't know what to make of the NL Central. I'm certainly not buying the Brewers. As I said above, I really don't like their pitching.
I'm not sold on the Cubs. Lineup-wise, they are as good as anyone, at least in the infield. But, I'm certainly not buying their outfield, even with Schwarber back. I also think all those innings Arrieta, Lester, and Lackey have racked up over the years are taking a toll on them. Losing Hendricks to injury hasn't helped. And now Lackey is on the DL. I think they have major pitching issues overall.
The Cards...I don't know. Their magic seems to have run out a bit.
The Pirates...ugh.
In short, no one deserves to win this division. But, as I've said a few times, the rules say someone has to. No one gave us a tissue in 2015 when we won 98 and got stuck playing the 97 win Cubs in the WC game, while the Mets coasted on their mediocrity and the mediocrity of the NL East to a division title. If memory serves, I think the Cubs and Pirates were a combined 13-0 against the Mets.
So, I'm not going to apologize when one of these four teams is still playing in October. The rules say they have to. Given that our rotation is stabilizing, and we're the only team of the four guaranteed to be getting an All-Star caliber player at the deadline, I like our chances. We don't deserve a playoff spot, but neither do any of the other three. We did deserve one in 15 and didn't get one (a series anyway). Stuff tends to even itself out over the long haul.
I'm not sold on the Cubs. Lineup-wise, they are as good as anyone, at least in the infield. But, I'm certainly not buying their outfield, even with Schwarber back. I also think all those innings Arrieta, Lester, and Lackey have racked up over the years are taking a toll on them. Losing Hendricks to injury hasn't helped. And now Lackey is on the DL. I think they have major pitching issues overall.
The Cards...I don't know. Their magic seems to have run out a bit.
The Pirates...ugh.
In short, no one deserves to win this division. But, as I've said a few times, the rules say someone has to. No one gave us a tissue in 2015 when we won 98 and got stuck playing the 97 win Cubs in the WC game, while the Mets coasted on their mediocrity and the mediocrity of the NL East to a division title. If memory serves, I think the Cubs and Pirates were a combined 13-0 against the Mets.
So, I'm not going to apologize when one of these four teams is still playing in October. The rules say they have to. Given that our rotation is stabilizing, and we're the only team of the four guaranteed to be getting an All-Star caliber player at the deadline, I like our chances. We don't deserve a playoff spot, but neither do any of the other three. We did deserve one in 15 and didn't get one (a series anyway). Stuff tends to even itself out over the long haul.
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OrlandoMerced
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Even if the Cubs rotation remains in shambles, they're still an ~85 win team. I think best case scenario is that the Cubs and Cards both hover around .500, meaning that the division foes are all playing themselves evenly and no one is piling up wins.
The Pirates have 16 games left till the trade deadline. They need to win 10 of those games to hold, and if not they should look to trade Watson and Nicasio.
The Pirates have 16 games left till the trade deadline. They need to win 10 of those games to hold, and if not they should look to trade Watson and Nicasio.
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rucker59@gmail.com
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5F627C717E747F5D7562737574100 wrote: Brewers are currently on pace for 89 wins. You can probably make a case that 88 wins guarantees you the division and you can probably win it with 87.
That means the Pirates have to win 45-46 out of their remaining 73 games.
I also don't believe in the Brewers, but because the Pirates have to leap two other teams, it's not going to be about what other teams do, the Pirates have to turn into a .600+ winning percentage team to capture the division.
That's what I had been thinking, and I pretty much tossed the towel in. But Carolina's point is key - if you believe in the Brewers then your post is correct. But if the Brewers are destined to come back to the pack, then we only have to play 2 games better than the Cards and Cubs; the Pirates, Cubs and Cards are at a viritual dead-heat at the break.
.600 baseball will not be necessary unless the Cards or Cubs play at that level. As of the break, if we allow for the Brewers to fall-back, the winner of the division may only have 78 wins. I certainly don't think that will be the case, somebody will step up and claim the division, but 84 or certainly 85 could do it.
If the bullpen settled down, I could possibly see 42-31. It's easier to imagine 31-42, but the bar is low and a win % of 57% is certainly not crazy.
That means the Pirates have to win 45-46 out of their remaining 73 games.
I also don't believe in the Brewers, but because the Pirates have to leap two other teams, it's not going to be about what other teams do, the Pirates have to turn into a .600+ winning percentage team to capture the division.
That's what I had been thinking, and I pretty much tossed the towel in. But Carolina's point is key - if you believe in the Brewers then your post is correct. But if the Brewers are destined to come back to the pack, then we only have to play 2 games better than the Cards and Cubs; the Pirates, Cubs and Cards are at a viritual dead-heat at the break.
.600 baseball will not be necessary unless the Cards or Cubs play at that level. As of the break, if we allow for the Brewers to fall-back, the winner of the division may only have 78 wins. I certainly don't think that will be the case, somebody will step up and claim the division, but 84 or certainly 85 could do it.
If the bullpen settled down, I could possibly see 42-31. It's easier to imagine 31-42, but the bar is low and a win % of 57% is certainly not crazy.