Agonizing Loss for Brewers Brings Me to My Next Point
Tough Loss to Washington
The Milwaukee Brewer’s Josh Hader, arguably the most dominant relief pitcher during all of 2019 was called upon to protect a 2-run lead with 6 outs remaining for the host Washington Nationals. 6 outs were all that remained for a rematch of last year’s NLCS between Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hader was a perfect 17 of 17 in these situations – 6 outs left and a 2+ run lead – and Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell had put together 21 outs, mixing and matching his available pitchers to have his team up 3-1 in the bottom of the 8th with his most reliable pitcher only left to do what he had done all year. Hader struck out the first batter on his seemingly unhittable high fastball, and all was going to plan. The next batter, pinch hitter Michael Taylor, worked the count full, and the next pitch was well inside but appeared to hit the end of the bat. However, it was ruled a hit by pitch, and after review (which is one of the least transparent systems you’ll find anywhere, and probably run by that fucker Tony LaRussa) the call stood. Longtime National Ryan Zimmerman – drafted #5 in the same draft as Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun – was next and managed to somehow break his bat with just the handle remaining in his hand, dropping one of the bitchiest of singles into center field to put 2 on. The runner-up to the MVP this year behind Christian Yelich, Anthony Rendon, also walked to load the bases for the 20-year-old future superstar Juan Soto. On the 3rd pitch, Soto hit a sharp single to the right fielder, 21-year-old Trent Grisham. Grisham had been the man called upon to replace Yelich, the best player in baseball, back in early September and had not committed an error all year. The ball however took an unexpected bounce, and instead of a close play at the plate for the tying run, Grisham let the ball go under his glove, letting all 3 runs score. The Nationals took a 4-3 lead heading into the top of the 9th where the Brewers wouldn’t score again.
Brewers Organization Taking the High Road to Competitiveness
Yes, the Brewers season is over, and to be honest it’s nothing new for Wisconsin sport fans – we are used to heartbreak and devastating loses – but don’t take this as a slight.
These are not the loveable losers in the Cubs, being so embarrassing that they couldn’t win a World Series in 100+ years despite unlimited resources.
The Brewers were a game away from the World Series last year, and despite everything they endured this year, beat out the Cubs (again) to make back to back playoff appearances. It did end in another gut punch fashion, but for the Brewers to be so competitive is more impressive than anything any Chicago sports team has done in my lifetime. The Brewers had one year of not even winning 70 games, but outside of that year, this organization has been competitive the last decade. Today the common approach, for a franchise to get back to being competitive, is to suck so bad that you get higher draft picks and thus can stockpile talent. Look at the White Sox currently, or the Astros and how they achieved their current levels of success and high quality of player capital. Taking the Astros in particular, they managed 3 straight seasons of 50-win years – 56, 55, and 51 from 2011-2013. THREE YEARS STRAIGHT OF WINNING LESS THAN 60 GAMES??!?!??!!
Stearns and Counsell On the Same Page
The Brewers only year since 2005 that was even remotely comparable to such futility was 68 wins in 2015. The job that David Stearns and Craig Counsell have done, and the partnership they have formed is something to be excited about going forward.
Looking at one example in particular, the moves Stearns made at the trade deadline. He acquired cast offs and guys that were on the fringe of being released outright, but he gave Counsell exactly what he was looking for to manage the way he wanted to manage. The result was the most impactful acquisitions any team made – yes that is compared to the acquisition of ‘premier’ players like Zach Grienke whom the Astros traded for, or the Cubs paying more to get Craig Kimbrel. Theo Epstein by the way, for all the great success and ass kissing he’s had in his career as a personnel manager, has done no better than a 10-year-old playing the franchise mode in the Madden video game. He has time and time again just thrown money out the window for big named free agents who end up being some of the biggest liabilities on the team – i.e. Jason Heyward and Yu Darvish. To have a GM and team manager have the chemistry that Stearns and Counsell do is something that could make this organization special for a long time to come.
Let’s Keep Things In Perspective the Bears Suck
Going back to the heartbreak Wisconsin sport fans have had to endure and how this is more of a compliment that the Packers/Brewers/Bucks/Badgers always have a chance. I wanted to finish this post by bringing up a comparable in the Bears to provide some context – who remember haven’t won a Superbowl since 1985 – and how big of a deal they made last year. They missed a 43-yard field goal in the 1st round of the playoffs to have their season end. A 43-yard field goal? That’s what they wouldn’t shut the fuck up about????? They acted like they were up 3 scores in the second half of the NFC Championship, had the ball up 2 scores with under 4 minutes to play, gave up a Hail Mary 2-point conversion, allowed the other team to recover an onside kick, then don’t get to possess the ball in overtime because the other team scores a 50 yard touchdown to end the game (not to mention 3 or 4 other plays like Peppers telling Burnett to slide after intercepting Wilson where he would have had a walk in touchdown)
That right there shows how far off the Bears franchise is from being in the same breath of a conversation as the Packers. I won’t get into the other Packer playoff games that leave me contemplating putting my head through a concrete wall, but I just want to emphasize this one important point that should never be forgotten – the Bears will always STILL SUCK. If they want to go around acting like last year they were a 43-yard field goal away from a dynasty by all means, go and spend your $180 face value ticket to get in the game and $18 beers to go watch that piece of shit embarrassment of a team on Sundays. Have fun going 8-8 this year (which is what I predicted to start the year by the way). Wisconsin will always trump Chicago for sports, and that’s not up for debate. Wisconsin fans appreciate how great it is to have a real shot at winning the whole fucking thing.