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How pathetic of a game was that last night? The Brewers can be pretty pathetic, but last night’s roll over against the Cubs was BRUTAL. I don’t even know where to start…but some of the very, very low lights from last easily included:

• Yelich grounding out twice after Cain got on base
• Jesus fading into strike out/out oblivion
• The Brewer bottom of the order continuing to choke
• Albers getting mashed by Rizzo
• Albers managing to walk Javier Baez (btw, Baez had only drawn a walk 7 times prior)
• Albers then blowing up in the 11th, only to see Boone immediately get rocked
• Villar dropping Cain’s throw from centerfield, preventing a HUGE double play
• Two, classic Brewer solo home runs from Kratz and Villar (both would later strike out after a Perez lead off double in the 7th)
• Maddon once again outclassing Counsell on game management

Let’s be honest; the Brewers are a lackadaisical team. They are lazy on the base paths, lazy fielding relays, lazy turning double plays, and lazy to make plays that need to be made. There are lots of thrown away balls on steals, and lots of whining when they watch a strike cross the plate. Whether that is an indication of the quality of management of this team, or just the player’s personas, it is a cold, hard fact: the Brewers are lazy and sloppy. The Cubs don’t make mistakes; the Brewers do, and seem content to consistently dick around on the field and on the base paths. And teams like the Cubs will suddenly become aggressive on the basepaths and take extra chances because they know that the Brewers are a lazy, sloppy team. That, in a nutshell, puts the Crew in a PRETENDER status. I get that we have to watch that year over year with Mike McCarthy’s group in Green Bay, but I can’t stand watching it for an entire season of baseball.

Not all was bad, however. Guerra continues to be strong; Hader too was strong and should have had a better shot of getting out of the 8th had Villar caught the f’ing baseball and applied a tag of Zobrist. Even Braun flashed the glove a few times in left field, even robbing Contreras of a home run. Yet at the end of the day, the Brewer bats just aren’t consistent, and last night was a prime example of a team that can’t seem to put it together when the games matter. Jesus, for example, hypothetically mashes left handers. In the 6th inning, with runners on 1st and 2nd, and facing LHP Quintana for the THIRD TIME, Jesus promptly strikes out swinging at a changeup that is in the dirt. What kind of #3 hitter provides that kind of at bat in that moment? You look like you belong in triple A in a plate appearance like that, Jesus!

Is there a World Series in store for this team? I don’t think so; not this year. Villar doesn’t belong on a team that wins a championship; Arcia and his .200 ba isn’t going to get it done in the NL Central, let alone the post season. The starting rotation is shaky at best, and aside from the big guns in the bullpen, their arms like to get rocked in key games. There are a lot of things that could change between now and September, but let’s be realistic. Is Villar suddenly going to play like he cares at the plate or in the field? Is Arcia suddenly going to hit +.300 for the balance of the year? Is Chase Anderson going to return to last season’s form? No, no, and no. I’ll keep watching, but I’m ready to start watching the prospects come up and look forward to the future. The Brewers have a long way to go before they can even be considered in the elite category of MLB teams.

Last Night’s Top 5 / Worst 5

No surprise, but Albers is showing up as providing the arm to generate the opposing teams most valuable plate appearances and outcomes.

Today’s Matchup

As noted yesterday, today’s starters in Chase and Chatwood look as such.

Chatwood is a RHP; one would think those LHH in the Brewer lineup will be hungry for some revenge this evening, but let’s not hold our breath. Watch Shaw tonight when there is a borderline strike called on him. The guy is more interested in giving a whiney look into the Brewer bullpen than focusing on the next pitch and swinging the bat. I’m not sure what his deal is this season, but I can’t say I’m a fan, and I’m beginning to see why a successful organization like the Red Sox moved him.

Chase, is well, Chase. As previously mentioned, the Universe corrects things…brings them back into balance, if you will. A very good statistical year by Chase last season requires a Universe required very bad statistical season by Chase in order to get back to what Chase Anderson ultimately is: a borderline career #3/#4 starter on a MLB rotation. Look for the Cub bats to light him up tonight.

Bullpen Update

Sigh…I don’t enjoy updating these on a daily basis. At the very least, the opposing team’s reliever metrics improve, and the Brewers typically go south. Such is the case after last night. The Brewers, as a group, are fading into bullpen mediocrity very quickly the past two weeks.

Sadly, thanks to the combined effort of Albers and Logan, the Cubs didn’t have to use Morrow. Great work guys.

Mashers

So much for the Cains, Aguilars, Brauns, and Yelichs doing anything against Quintana. If the Brewers want to win today, they will need Shaw and Yelich to do more than strike out and ground out into possible double plays. Don’t expect much with runners on from the bottom of the order again, either.

Prediction

Maybe the Brewers can see Chase go 5 innings, only yield 5 runs, hit Chatwood up for 6 runs, and then open the roof, call it a “mechanical error,” and then hope it rains out the game. Brewers win in 5, and give the bullpen a day off. Fingers crossed!

I thought the Cubs would take 2 out of 3 this series, and so far I’m sadly on track. I think Chase gets hit again, but so does Chatwood. I’m going to say the Brewers have a 59% to win tonight. Fangraphs is currently forecasting at 44.2% chance to win, and Silver is forecasting a 51% chance for a Brewer win. Go Crew.