Playoff Notes following the Brewers-Nationals Wild Card Game


As the splinters of Ryan Zimmerman’s bat fell unto the grass at Nationals Park tonight, so did a bloop base hit that started the rally for a National team that finally broke the elimination curse.
Everyone feels for Milwaukee rookie outfielder Trent Grisham who let a line drive past his glove—letting Anthony Rendon score the go ahead run causing the stadium to explode into the stratosphere. Grisham wouldn’t be out there if MVP front runner Christian Yelich didn’t break his kneecap, it’s a different ballgame completely, but that’s how fragile this game is. It comes downs to one pitch, one play, and you have to live with the outcome. Milwaukee had their relief ace Josh Hader on the mound (the guy the Brewers wanted on the mound), Washington had Juan Soto (the guy the Nationals wanted) at the plate, that’s everything you ask for. The definition of playoff intensity. That’s playoff baseball.
Waking up tomorrow, Washington plays on, and Milwaukee is looking toward 2020 Spring ball. Both these teams faced massive adversity throughout the season and it’s just amazing that both of them found themselves in this position tonight. Washington looked dead in the water at the end of May, followed it up with the best record in the game from that point on, having to deal with one of the worst bullpens ever, and only one real threat offensively in Anthony Rendon. For Milwaukee, you lose Christian Yelich, but win 20 games in September despite not having Yelich, and being just one game away from winning the NL Central. They have Lorenzo Cain and Ryan Braun are banged up and the group in that dugout doesn’t seem like they are completely ready to get to the next level.  
Looking ahead to the NLDS, Washington has a dilemma on their hands, who starts Game Two in Los Angeles? Scherzer threw 77 pitches with Strasburg threw 34 out of the bullpen. Scherzer presumably gets Game Three based off the work load he went through tonight, but it’s not a given Strasburg gets Game Two. Tonight was Strasburg’s first relief appearance since college and you don’t know how he responds to the adrenaline release after tonight. This is so important because the Nationals bullpen is absolutely atrocious. Washington could get swept based off how bad the Nationals bullpen is, so do you turn to Anibal Sanchez and hope that you can get the game of his life, then turn it to the combo of Doolittle/Hudson, while praying to the baseball gods that combination doesn’t implode like it has all season? This come from behind win in the Wild Card game might have been the only thing the 2019 Washington Nationals have. They might be just good enough to break their franchises elimination curse to get embarrassed against the repeat National League Pennant winners.
Looking on the other side of the ledger in the Milwaukee dugout—this is the second straight year that you come up short due to the lack of arms in the rotation. Milwaukee was one arm short because as good as Josh Hader is, having him go two high leverage innings in a win or go home game, isn’t really ideal. As much as the game is leaning toward high velocity-multi inning relievers, history shows having them in the postseason isn’t a sound strategy. Finding another arm whether in the rotation or bullpen is imperative for the Brewers.
If this is what the rest of the postseason is going to be like, it will be another classic postseason. Buckle up and enjoy the best sport on the planet.

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