Milwaukee Brewers: Comparing 2017 to past playoff runs

In the 47 years of Milwaukee Brewers baseball, the franchise has only made the playoffs four times.

Read that number again, and let it sink in. Four playoff appearances in 47 years for the Milwaukee Brewers. If that’s not the definition of a tortured fan base, then I don’t know what is.

However, there is some silver lining for Brewers fans: the team has never shied away from making an acquisition to further a playoff push. The organization has made big moves in the past to help get over the hump, but we’ll get into that later. However, this year has been different, as they’ve made only a few minor moves.

The Brewers didn’t make a huge splash in the trade market this season. They opted to not gut the system for high end players like Jose Quintana or Sonny Gray. Instead they made the necessary moves to help shore up the bullpen.

The Brewers traded prospect Ryan Cordell for right-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak in July. Swarzak was tremendous this season for the Chicago White Sox, and that has continued in Milwaukee.

Through 15 1/3 innings pitched for the Brewers, Swarzak has 24 strikeouts with only three walks. He has stepped in to help take the late game pressure off of youngster Jacob Barnes. Unfortunately, Swarzak is a free agent at season’s end. However, with his numbers, he has given the Brewers every reason to bring him back in 2018.

In addition to adding Swarzak, the Brewers also acquired Jeremy Jeffress from the Texas Rangers. With his prior closing experience, Jeffress could be a vital piece to the bullpen this month. He has always pitched well for the Brewers. He is back in his comfort zone. And although his fastball isn’t what it was, Jeffress brings an intensity to the field that this team needs sometimes.

The Crew also made a move to shore up the middle infield by acquiring Neil Walker from the New York Mets. Walker has been an excellent addition to this point. Through 23 games, he has a .388 on base percentage to go along with three home runs. Therefore, heftily improving the offense. He has played multiple positions defensively for the Brewers, and provides good glove work wherever he plays.

Unfortunately, this season bears a striking resemblance to that of 2014. That year the Crew was in contention late into the season. They chose to only make minor moves, hence falling out of playoff contention and collapsing down the stretch.

There is still time for the Brewers to make the playoffs this season. For that to happen, they will need every player on the roster to step up. From Quintin Berry to Ryan Braun, it’s time for them to take ownership over this season.

General manager David Stearns has made all the right moves during his time in Milwaukee. If this team doesn’t make the playoffs this season, it won’t be an indictment on Stearns. The fact that they are even in contention shows the tremendous job he has done building this team.

In the previous playoff appearances for the Brewers, then GM’s Doug Melvin and Harry Dalton made all the right moves. Let’s take a look back at those playoff pushes.

In 2008, the Milwaukee Brewers made the playoffs, ending a 26 year playoff drought. The moves made during that season would set the tone for the coming seasons for the team.

The 2007 Milwaukee Brewers won 83 games, marking the first season above .500 in 16 years. Excitement was high heading into ’08. However, the Brewers weren’t a lock to make the playoffs.

With a pitching staff led by the oft-injured Ben Sheets, the Crew got off to a 28-28 start through May. But, a 16-10 June, followed by a 16-11 July, helped put the team in prime postseason position.

The Brewers made a pair of deals in July to help bolster the roster for the stretch run. On July 20th, they traded two Minor Leaguers to the San Francisco Giants for infielder Ray Durham. Though he was a solid acquisition for the stretch run, it was the trade made earlier in July that rocked the baseball world.

On July 7th, the Milwaukee Brewers announced to the world that they were all in for this playoff push. They traded top prospect Matt LaPorta, along with Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson, and Michael Brantley to the Cleveland Indians for ace C.C. Sabathia.

In 17 starts, Sabathia was 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA. He struck out 128 batters while only allowing 25 walks in 130 2/3 innings pitched.  With Sabathia and Durham along for the ride, the Brewers went 20-7 in August. That hot month helped set up one the most exhilarating finishes to a season in recent memory.

Due to a 3-11 start to September, the Milwaukee Brewers fired manager Ned Yost. With only 12 games remaining in the season, the Crew turned to fan favorite Dale Sveum to manage the team.

Over the next 11 games the Crew would go 6-5, leading to a suspense filled final day of the regular season.

Entering play on the final day, the Brewers were tied with the New York Mets for the NL Wild Card. With the division leading Chicago Cubs in town, odds were against the Brewers getting the win.

Then this happened.

When Braun broke the tie in the 8th, Brewers fans could taste the playoffs. Listen to the spectacular call by Brian Anderson and look at the reaction of Braun’s teammates. That’s the look of a 26-year playoff drought sliding away.

The Brewers won because of that home run, and the Mets lost later that day, clinching the Wild Card for Milwaukee. Unfortunately, they faced the juggernaut Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. The Crew was overmatched. While the 2008 team ended the drought, they lost three games to one.

That playoff run reminded everybody what playoff baseball is like in Milwaukee. Most of all it showed Brewers fans are some of the best fans in baseball. As a result we routinely fill Miller Park.

Coming off of their first playoff appearance in franchise history, the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers were in prime position to pounce in the American League.

That Milwaukee Brewers team personified the city at that time. There were future Hall of Famers and All-Stars all over the clubhouse. As a result, the 1982 team was a force to be reckoned with.

Unfortunately, it didn’t start out that way. The Brewers limped to a 23-24 start through 47 games, and that cost manager Buck Rodgers his job. Expectations that season were sky high, and the Crew needed a spark to turn things around.

Milwaukee turned to a man beloved by everyone throughout the organization and the community. Harvey Kuenn was the only choice for that team.

Affectionately known as “Harvey’s Wallbangers,” the Brewers would go on to finish the ’82 season 72-43 under Kuenn. With great performances coming from Mike Caldwell and the AL Cy Young winner Pete Vuckovich, among others, the pitching was tremendous all season.

AL MVP Robin Yount along with Paul Molitor, among others, helped pace the ’82 Milwaukee Brewers in the field and at the plate. They played a hard-nosed, aggressive style of baseball. So it was easy to see each player feed off of the next, and the energy spread like wildfire.

On August 30th, the Milwaukee Brewers made a splash by trading for pitcher Don Sutton. He went 4-1 with a 3.29 ERA in seven games that season for Milwaukee. And his last start would prove to be his most important for the regular season.

With only three games left to play in the season, the Brewers needed one win over the second place Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, the bats disappeared, and they could only muster up seven runs in the three losses. In addition, they allowed a staggering 26 runs to the Orioles.

The team lost three straight to Baltimore. As a result, the two teams faced off in game 163 of the season with the division title on the line. In that game, the Crew let loose offensively, scoring 10 runs. Sutton started the game, and allowed only two earned runs over eight innings pitched. So, one game showed why the Brewers traded for him.

The Brewers would go on to fall behind the California Angels 0-2 in the ALCS. Once again, with their backs against the wall, Sutton delivered a gem. Backed by a strong offensive showing the team won game three, and rode the momentum through games four and five, and into the World Series.

Twelve years after the Milwaukee Brewers moved from Seattle, they found themselves in the World Series facing the St. Louis Cardinals. Brewers fans would be in for a ride of a lifetime, and loving every minute of it.

Heading into game six of the World Series, the Milwaukee Brewers held a 3-2 series lead on the Cardinals. With a chance to close out the series, the Brewers turned to the man who got them there. Unfortunately, Sutton didn’t have it that night and the Brewers lost, forcing a game seven.

Milwaukee couldn’t get going early enough offensively, and they lost game seven 6-3. Although the Crew lost in the World Series that season, the fans made you think differently, when they did this.

When you see a reaction from a city like that, you would think the Crew had won the World Series. I’ll say it until I’m Brewers blue in the face: Milwaukee baseball fans live and die with this team.

Playoffs or no playoffs, the 2017 Milwaukee Brewers have been a glimpse at the future.

Next: 2017 Knebel vs. 1981 Rollie Fingers

As this team grows together, a World Series is definitely possible. So, with the core the Brewers have already built, and the prospects on the way up, this team has the potential to be dangerous in the future. And hopefully, that future begins now.