Brewers/Dodgers NLCS - Game 4 Friday - 7:38PM CST

[Ron Swanson]

The payroll stuff is real and why this sport is as broken as it is, but the real issue is this team's collective plate discipline went completely out the window. Like, every time I looked away and came back to see us batting, it was 0-2 with nobody on, 0-2 with two outs and a guy on first, etc. What the **** happened and who decided it was a good idea to go completely away from the offensive approach that was really the identity of this team all year? It's like they had success in that first game against the Cubs, and now all they're doing is hacking at everything.

[BUCKnation]

The payroll stuff is real and why this sport is as broken as it is, but the real issue is this team's collective plate discipline went completely out the window. Like, every time I looked away and came back to see us batting, it was 0-2 with nobody on, 0-2 with two outs and a guy on first, etc. What the **** happened and who decided it was a good idea to go completely away from the offensive approach that was really the identity of this team all year? It's like they had success in that first game against the Cubs, and now all they're doing is hacking at everything.

Offense has been ice cold since inning 5 of game 2 of the last series, outside of a few home runs. Other than 9th in game 1, they're just not following what they've done all year (making pitchers/defenders work to get outs).

[Kerb Hohl]

The payroll stuff is real and why this sport is as broken as it is, but the real issue is this team's collective plate discipline went completely out the window. Like, every time I looked away and came back to see us batting, it was 0-2 with nobody on, 0-2 with two outs and a guy on first, etc. What the **** happened and who decided it was a good idea to go completely away from the offensive approach that was really the identity of this team all year? It's like they had success in that first game against the Cubs, and now all they're doing is hacking at everything.

I promise you, whatever they're doing is well-intentioned. We can be mad that some of the best pitchers in the world with days to plan are keeping our lineup that is built to win over 162 instead of "best on best," where it generally falls apart against the literal best.

This is a smart team and I am guessing that they completely understand what you're saying. They're not self-sabotaging.

[ReddRum]

Maybe I am a pessimist but I am convinced this series is over. Can anybody convince me otherwise? We now have to win 4 of the next 5 games, 3 of which are on the road. I just don't see it happening.

[MVP2110]

Maybe I am a pessimist but I am convinced this series is over. Can anybody convince me otherwise? We now have to win 4 of the next 5 games, 3 of which are on the road. I just don't see it happening.

It's baseball, even the best teams sometimes lose 4 out of 5 games. Whose hot or cold can flip on a dime sometimes. The Brewers are in a hole and were always likely to lose the series. But they have a chance still

[ReddRum]

Maybe I am a pessimist but I am convinced this series is over. Can anybody convince me otherwise? We now have to win 4 of the next 5 games, 3 of which are on the road. I just don't see it happening.

It's baseball, even the best teams sometimes lose 4 out of 5 games. Whose hot or cold can flip on a dime sometimes. The Brewers are in a hole and were always likely to lose the series. But they have a chance still

Well said. Why do you say they were likely to lose the series? I know the Dodgers have star power and were hotter than us towards the end of the season but we crushed them during the season and we had the best record in baseball. I agree that it felt like we were / are the underdogs even so...

[Profound23]

Maybe I am a pessimist but I am convinced this series is over. Can anybody convince me otherwise? We now have to win 4 of the next 5 games, 3 of which are on the road. I just don't see it happening.

We swept them in LA in July. Do that again and the Brewers are one game away from being in the World Series.

Not saying that's what I predict but if you need something to be optimistic about, there you go.

[MVP2110]

Maybe I am a pessimist but I am convinced this series is over. Can anybody convince me otherwise? We now have to win 4 of the next 5 games, 3 of which are on the road. I just don't see it happening.

It's baseball, even the best teams sometimes lose 4 out of 5 games. Whose hot or cold can flip on a dime sometimes. The Brewers are in a hole and were always likely to lose the series. But they have a chance still

Well said. Why do you say they were likely to lose the series? I know the Dodgers have star power and were hotter than us towards the end of the season but we crushed them during the season and we had the best record in baseball. I agree that it felt like we were / are the underdogs even so...

My prior is that in MLB Big markets win the world series and small markets dont. This is proven basically every year in the playoffs. So while I'd love for the Brewers to be the exception that proves the rule, I cant say I was betting on them.

[Ron Swanson]

I'm not buying this idea that this is just great starting pitching. Yamamoto had some great pitches, but overall he wasn't authoring some Cy Young masterpiece last night. Telling guys to be more aggressive at the plate is fine until you start getting down 0-2 every single at bat swinging at junk and making it impossible to get anything going on the basepaths. These dudes are simply chasing balls, constantly and early, and the Dodgers staff knows it. Murphy was very careful to not flat out say "we need to stop being **** dumb/impatient" and giving the Dodgers starters all the credit, but that doesn't negate that half of it is just us beating ourselves:

“We chased way more than we've chased all year. We’ve been the best in baseball at not chasing. These pitchers brought out the worst in us.”

[Kerb Hohl]

I'm not buying this idea that this is just great starting pitching. Yamamoto had some great pitches, but overall he wasn't authoring some Cy Young masterpiece last night. Telling guys to be more aggressive at the plate is fine until you start getting down 0-2 every single at bat swinging at junk and making it impossible to get anything going on the basepaths. These dudes are simply chasing balls, constantly and early, and the Dodgers staff knows it. Murphy was very careful to not flat out say "we need to stop being **** dumb/impatient" and giving the Dodgers starters all the credit, but that doesn't negate that half of it is just us beating ourselves:

“We chased way more than we've chased all year. We’ve been the best in baseball at not chasing. These pitchers brought out the worst in us.”

Sure, the playoffs and pressure/matchup can cause a team to chase pitches compounding the issues.

I'm just saying that I doubt they went in and said, "hey, Joey. Just swing for the fences and don't make the pitcher work." And if they do say that, it is likely for a good reason in some cases. They know what works for them and they know how to attack pitchers. I don't think they selected a bad strategy on purpose.

Also, to get up 0-2, that means you're locating some good pitches.

[Iheartfootball]

Yes, Mark has responsibility, AND even if he did spend more, it would never match what LA and NY can afford. It's the system. Blame the system.

[MikeIsGood]

You guys can blame the system all you want and I won't fault you or anyone for it, but it's not going to change because they don't have any real incentive for it. "Baseball is dying and this is why" they say, while playoff ratings are at a 15-year high. It's just futile IMO.

[coolhandluke121]

The thing about the trade deadline is that it was hard to know where to upgrade. Was Suarez even better than Durbin after the Mariners got him? O'hearn was far worse than both Bauers and Vaughn after July, wasn't he? And those two probably outplayed Naylor as well. The Brewers had a surplus of starters and a deep pen, but still paid Montgomery's salary to get Shelby Miller. It's hard to justify paying prospect capital when you have a younger, cheaper guy doing the job, even if you're willing to pay bigger salaries. If they had known they were going to be so good, I think they would have been fine with spending more in free agency.

CF ended up being a hole in the lineup at times, but they didn't know Mitchell would be hurt. SS was the obvious trade deadline question mark, and I proposed some very ambitious targets. Not being aggressive there is the only thing I fault them for this year.

The rest is on bad plate appearances, injuries, and LAD's payroll, in reverse order of importance.

[Thunder Muscle]

Crowd dead

I thought it was pretty good early and jumping when innings were closed to keep it 2-1, but the lack of offense really sucked the life as the game crept on.

[humanrefutation]

The Dodgers were always more likely to win this series. Obviously, the Brewers had a better record than they did during the regular season. But the Dodgers are the defending champions, added to their team, and cruised through much of the regular season. They have star power up and down their lineup. They actually have a rotation that is more than pitcher long.

Our only hope here was that we'd get hot offensively and chase their starters and force them to rely on their less-than-stellar pen. That, plus cobbling together decent pitching performances, might keep us in it.

That hasn't happened. The series isn't over - LA has a notoriously terrible home crowd - but if our offense doesn't wake up, it won't matter.

[MickeyDavis]

Baseball playoff viewership is at a 15 year high and yet only averaged 4 million in the divisional round. Hell, the Fox NFL pregame show has more viewers than that.

That 4 million is about what the NBA first round had. But outside the US NBA viewers is estimated to be around 12 million for the first round.

[Profound23]

Crowd dead

I thought it was pretty good early and jumping when innings were closed to keep it 2-1, but the lack of offense really sucked the life as the game crept on.

Three of the last four games Brewers scored 0, 1, 1 with the outlier being 3 runs on solo HRs. Bad offensive baseball is boring and the crowds can only stay so excited for games like that.

At least game one the Brewers put on a defensive clinic that made it somewhat exciting. Yesterday I could not stay awake past the first few innings.

[sidney lanier]

MARK ATTANASIO'S THOUGHTS AT LAST NIGHT'S GAME

They spend three and I just spend one
This ownership stuff is such fun
I'm sipping a beverage
Enjoying my leverage
More postseason merch anyone?

[Kerb Hohl]

The payroll stuff is real and why this sport is as broken as it is, but the real issue is this team's collective plate discipline went completely out the window. Like, every time I looked away and came back to see us batting, it was 0-2 with nobody on, 0-2 with two outs and a guy on first, etc. What the **** happened and who decided it was a good idea to go completely away from the offensive approach that was really the identity of this team all year? It's like they had success in that first game against the Cubs, and now all they're doing is hacking at everything.

I promise you, whatever they're doing is well-intentioned. We can be mad that some of the best pitchers in the world with days to plan are keeping our lineup that is built to win over 162 instead of "best on best," where it generally falls apart against the literal best.

This is a smart team and I am guessing that they completely understand what you're saying. They're not self-sabotaging.

Also to add to this - I think if some of those rockets we hit find grass, a lot changes.

[Iheartfootball]

You guys can blame the system all you want and I won't fault you or anyone for it, but it's not going to change because they don't have any real incentive for it. "Baseball is dying and this is why" they say, while playoff ratings are at a 15-year high. It's just futile IMO.

Yes, and that's part of the systemic imbalance as well. If profit is the only motive and we believe the imbalance will never change, then what hope do we have that the playing field will never not be stacked against the Brewers? Again, even if Mark ups payroll, he ain't competing with the big boys. Be better off not followig the team. Maybe boycotting changes something? Or gets the team relocated to a larger market that can sustain or accept never winning a pennant.

I guess I'm trying to find the West Bend silver lining, and I'm coming up empty.

It's not like they are far off. They are in the NLCS, but I agree that getting over that hump without the massive resources available to teams in LA and NY is borderline impossible.