Milwaukee Brewers Push for the Playoffs

The Milwaukee Brewers proved that they want to win now. By trading for CC Sabathia, they ensured that they have one of the best lefties in the league to go along with their ace, Ben Sheets.

Their one-two punch could arguably be one of the best in the league, and with youngster Manny Parra doing a great job as the No. 3 starter, the Brewers appear poised to make a run at the playoffs, whether it’s via the wild card, or winning the division.

They currently trail the Chicago Cubs by four games, heading into their final series before the All-Star break, and lead the St. Louis Cardinals by one-half game in the Wild-Card race.

They appear to be in a great position to chase down the Cubs, and to fight off the Cardinals. Sabathia, Sheets, and Parra give them three solid options at the top of the rotation, with two other pitchers fighting for the last spot in the rotation. Jeff Suppan was recently placed on the DL, making way for Dave Bush and Seth McClung to battle for the final spot.

Suppan is a big-game pitcher, and if he can return to top form when he returns from the DL, the Brewers could have the best starting rotation in all of baseball.

Bush has been terrible on the road, but his numbers at home are outstanding. The opposite can be said about McClung, who struggles at home but pitches well on the road. Since June 1, Bush has pitched in eight games, limiting the opposition to one run four times, and zero runs once.

His ERA has dropped from 6.04 to 4.39, and it’s been mainly because he has limited the big innings, and in those eight starts, he has only given up three home runs. In that span, he has a 2.71 ERA and a 39-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.         

Their offense is in the middle of the league, but largely due to the underproductive bats of Bill Hall, Rickie Weeks, Mike Cameron, and to a lesser extent, Prince Fielder.

Their team ERA is 13th in the majors, not terrible, but probably not as good as it needs to be at 4.07. They have the seventh most errors in the National League, but have turned the third most double plays. They’ve also thrown out the second-most base stealers in the majors, second to only the Yankees.

Bill Hall has been a weak spot on defense, with 16 of the team's 60 errors. With three All Stars in the form of Ben Sheets, Ryan Braun, and Corey Hart, the Brewers have shown that they do have some of the best players in the game.

Hart has been their most consistent hitter all year, followed closely by Braun. J.J. Hardy has been on a tear lately, and now leads the Brewer's regulars in batting average. Hardy, Braun, and Hart have carried the offense, and while Prince Fielder has put up solid numbers, he is way off the pace that he was on last season.

If he could get hot, the Brewers offense would be a whole lot better. They have solid options off the bench at almost every position, and speed throughout the lineup. They do lack plate discipline, but their home runs can often offset their high strikeout totals.

The Brewer's bullpen should be an area of focus now. Derrick Turnbow started out as the eighth-inning man, and struggled badly, leading to his demotion to Nashville. Eric Gagne started out as the closer, but also struggled, blowing five of his 15 chances. Salomen Torres took over for Gagne, and for the year has saved 15 of 18 games, including 14 of 15 since taking over for Gagne.

Brian Shouse continues to excel out of the bullpen, against righties and lefties, and is leading all active pitchers with a 1.95 ERA. Mitch Stetter, a second leftie, is second in active pitchers with a 2.53 ERA. The Brewers have two of the best left-handed relievers, but their righties have been very inconsistent.

David Riske, Carlos Villanueva, and Guillermo Mota have been inconsistent all year. Mota has seen his ERA inflate to 5.82. Riske’s last six outings, covering seven innings, have been great, as he has only allowed one earned run. Since April 27, he has a 2.64 ERA and has only given up runs in four of his 17 appearances.

Since being demoted to the bullpen, Villanueva has a 2.33 ERA, but has given up a run in seven of 16 appearances. Mota’s ERA has climbed every month, and in July he has given up eight runs in only three innings. While Gagne has improved since coming off the DL with three shutout innings and a win, it’s obvious that the Brewers could use some help in the bullpen.

Sabathia should help somewhat, because he pitches deep into games, keeping the 'pen fresh and limiting its chances to blow the lead. Heath Bell of the San Diego Padres would be a nice addition to the club, with a 6-3 record in 45 games pitched and a 2.19 ERA. Regardless, the Brewers probably need to add at least one right-handed reliever with a low ERA in order to keep leads late in ballgames.

The eighth inning has killed the Brewers all year, as they’ve been outscored nearly two runs to one. They’re in position to win, and anything short of the playoffs would be a complete disaster in Milwaukee. In order to do so, they must find a good reliever for the eighth inning, and players like Weeks, Hall, and Cameron must step up. Fielder also must show that he can step up big time, because if he gets hot, he can carry the team.