Yes, I’m calling it a “bump in the road,” mainly because I still have faith in this 2017 Milwaukee Brewer squad. Sure, that may just be “pie in the sky” thinking after the Crew lost their 5th in a row yesterday afternoon, getting swept in Pittsburgh and only scoring 9 runs during those 4 games, in just their second series post All-Star break, after being up 5.5 games in the N.L. Central prior to said break.
And, yes, the Cubs are making a run, winning their first 6 games after said same break, and are now just 1 game out of first, but, one has to have faith.
Let me remind Brewer fans who now thinks the sky is falling and jumping off the band wagon, this team wasn’t suppose to be anywhere near the top at any point this season (excluding maybe Opening Day, if they win the opener), so this season is so far a success. Every day at the top of the Division is a bonus, just like free baseball when a game goes into extra inning … just to be enjoyed.
Sure this skid sucks, but lets put it into perspective…
1927 New York Yankees
“Murders Row,” probably the best MLB team of all time, the 1927 New York Yankees, lost 4 in a row (8/19 – 8/22) during their championship season.
The “Big Red Machine,” Pete Rose and company had a 4 game skid in 1976, and in fact lost 8 of 11 in August that season and still went on to win their second World Series in 2 years.
Closer to home the 1957 Milwaukee Braves also lost 8 of 11, in September! Still they brought home Milwaukee’s only baseball title (to date).
Milwaukee celebrates after winning 1957 World Series
Even the 1982 Brewers, a team the city just got done celebrating it’s 35th Anniversary, lost 5 in a row in April that season. They actually had 3, four game losing streaks mid season in a 20 game span (losing 14 of 20). Having their fourth, 4 game losing streak during the last last 5 games of the regular season, finally winning the finale 10-2 in Baltimore, making it to the American League Championship Series, and eventually the World Series.
Lets flip the coin for a moment, who was in the 2002 World Series? The Giants and the Angels, not the Oakland A’s even though they strung together a 20 game winning streak. What about the 2001 Mariners? they won 116 games that season, but, it was the Diamondbacks and the Yankees battling it out for the crown in the Fall Classic.
There are still a ton of games left in this 2017 campaign, and the Crew is still in first place, they may not have the cushion they had just 2 weeks ago, but, the simple fact is, they are still in first place.
Keep the faith Brewer fans… keep the faith.
(photos courtesy of: AP, UPI, Getty, Milwaukee Sentinel, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates)
