Milwaukee Brewers: The all-time bracket
By Bill Felber
Milwaukee Brewers: The all-time bracket
No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed
The 2018 Milwaukee Brewers won the NL Central in a playoff against the Cubs, then swept a division series from Colorado before losing the NLCS to Los Angeles in seven games.
Its strength was a powerful and versatile outfield with Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich in the corners and Lorenzo Cain playing center. Yelich won the MVP on a .326 average, 36 homers and 110 RBIs. Braun contributed 20 homers, and Cain hit .308.
The starting pitching was ordinary but the bullpen, buttressed by Cory Knebel, Jeremy Jeffress, and sensational newcomer Josh Hader, came to the rescue almost daily. As a trio, they saved 43 games, working 213 innings and striking out 320 opponents.
The 1978 team was the first to surpass .500, going 93-69 and finishing third, 6 and one-half games behind the eventual World Series-winning Yankees. By 1978, many elements of the eventual 1982 pennant winner were in place, including Yount, Cooper, Thomas, and Paul Molitor Cooper batted .32 and Larry Hisle hit 34 homers while driving in 115 runs.
On the mound, left-hander Mike Caldwell was a 22-game winner, making 34 starts and producing 293 innings. Lary Sorensen went 18-12 in 180 innings of work.
Game 1: With a .589 winning percentage, the 2018 team wins; the 1978 club’s 93-69 record produced a .574 percentage.
Game 2: Another walkover, since the 1978 team did not play a post-season game.
Game 3: Its 116 OPS+ puts the 1978 team on the board. That’s clearly superior to the 2018 Brewers’ 99 OPS+.
Game 4: With a 110 ERA+ spurred by its superb bullpen, the 2018 team seizes a 3-games-to-1 advantage over 1978, whose staff ERA+ was 104.
Game 5: The 1978 club’s 53.3 collective WAR is clearly superior to the 2018 team’s 39.3 WAR.
Game 6: The 2018 team’s .982 fielding percentage tops 1978 by five percentage points.
Result: 2018 in six games