I won't make any predictions as to the Brewers post season fate, but...I think that once they secured a spot in the playoffs, the team has been focusing on resting injured players and getting as healthy as they can to make an October run.
I would be more worried about doing that if Baseball was like football, basketball or even hockey, when rust can really effect team play.
The one thing about baseball, that is different from a lot of team sports, is that while you field a team of 9 players, plus a pitcher, most of the game, they are all playing as individuals. When your team is on offense, it's just a batter against the other team, with some baserunners mixed in on occasion. On defense, outs are typically made by 1, 2 or maybe 3 players interacting. So I guess what I am getting at is this. The Brewers ended up getting exactly what they wanted, homefield through the World Series. They are probably as mentally and physically relaxed as any team in baseball. While their pitching staff has been banged up, this has given their starters some much needed days off to rest their arms.
Unless Woodruff completely recovers from his injury and can go, I think the Brewers end up using a 3 player pitching rotation with Peralta, Priester and Quintana. Given the off days for travel, and the fact that the Brewers have that first round bye, I don't think that would be a bad thing.
I also think that once the playoffs start, you see players dialed in and much more hungry at the plate.
The baseball season is a long and grueling 162 games. The Brewers were the first team to secure a playoff spot and have mostly coasted since. Of all the teams that will be playing in October, set aside injuries, I think they will enter the playoffs with the most mentally and physically rested and possibly best team in baseball.
Let's go win that World Series for Ueck!
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