Brewers NLDS Roster and Playoff Predictions

As an avid baseball fan I had to create a post about the most exciting time of the year in America's Pastime. The month of October is a part of baseball that only 10 exclusive fan bases get to celebrate every year and is part of the reason why I think baseball playoffs are so exciting, it is so exclusive. As Brewer, Cubs and many other fan bases can tell you it can take years to make the playoffs, win a division, get to a World Series or win the World Series. That being said this piece will provide insight to who I personally think the Brewers will have on their 25 man roster for the NLDS along with my unprofessional judgement on how the playoffs will play out.

One of the unique problems that the Brewers have coming into the playoffs is limiting their roster to 25 guys. I have never experienced a team who for better or worse is so deep and has so many decisions to make on their playoff roster as the Brewers have legitimately used 35 guys in the month of September to help them win the Division. So to get started here are my locks for the Brewers 25 man NLDS roster:

• Catchers: Manny Pina, Erik Kratz
• 1st Base: Jesus Aguilar
• 2nd Base: Jonathan Schoop, Hernan Perez
• Shortstop: Orlando Arcia
• 3rd Base: Mike Moustakas, Travis Shaw
• Outfield: Ryan Braun, Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich
• Starting Pitchers: Jholys Chacin, Wade Miley
• Relief Pitchers: Corey Knebel, Josh Hader, Jeremy Jeffress, Joakim Soria, Xavier Cedeno, Corbin Burnes

This puts the Brewers at 11 position players and 8 pitchers for a total of 19 players, leaving 6 spots open. Part of the thought process for the rest of the roster could depend on who the Brewers are facing and the match-ups the Brewers front office thinks they can take advantage of on the mound. But I will just go ahead and make the case for who I think will round out the roster and why:

• Domingo Santana: Has gone 8-18 (.444 avg.) since being called up in September and has provided consistent quality at-bats all month and provided a huge pinch hit against the Cubs to help win the division.
• Keon Broxton: While Santana will provide an offensive spark off the bench, Broxton will provide defense and 1 true speed threat for the Brewers off the bench.
• Gio Gonzalez: I believe will be the Brewers 3rd starter for the NLDS as the Brewers will lean on his post-season experience. I believe he will start game 2 for the Brewers. 
• Brandon Woodruff: Will provide the Brewers with a long-reliever in the NLDS as I believe they will try and get by with 3 starters and thus Woodruff could throw some critical innings. 
• Zach Davies: If the Brewers do end up using a 4th starter in the NLDS, I would think Davies would be the man as it appears the Brewers have lost faith in Chase Anderson
• The last and final spot I believe will go to....
• Dan Jennings: I believe the Brewers will keep the lefty who has struggled lately as a situational lefty. Both the Rockies and Cubs lineup has some big lefties in it and if Hader is unavailable for a game because he went 2 innings the night before, I believe they will want to have Jennings available along with Cedeno. 

Again these are just my opinions and thoughts based on what I have seen and expect the Brewers to go with for the NLDS. In this situation I think the one big name left off is Curtis Granderson but I think as we have seen the last couple days, Santana and Broxton provide more at this point than Granderson does. All that being said, I don't care who is on the playoff roster as long as the Brewers are moving on to the NLCS!

Here are my predictions for the two wild card games and the Divisional rounds:

NL Wildcard: Cubs over the Rockies: Lester throws another gem in the post-season

AL Wildcard: A's over the Yankees: Severino struggles again and the Moneyball A's transcend baseball with winning a 1-game playoff with a bullpen game!

ALDS: 

1. Astros take down the Indians in 5 games. I love both these teams but I think the starting pitching of the Astros and the deep lineup will be too much
2. Red Sox beat the A's in 4 games. The Red Sox offense will not slow down and prove to be too much for an A's team without the best staff. 

NLDS:

1. Dodgers sweep the Braves in 3 games. Experience and their recent surge will continue as the Dodgers roll into the NLCS. 
2. The Brewers beat the Cubs in 5 games. I believe the deeper lineup and deeper pen will prove pivotal over a team with more post-season experience and the Brewers move on to the NLCS!

I will leave you all with this: The Brewers reenacting one of the best baseball movies of all time! 

Go Brewers!!!