The Diamondbacks were inevitable
When the Brewers were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in their Wild Card series, I sent a text to my friend Andrew.
“Can’t believe the Diamondbacks are going to the World Series,” I had said, prophesying. “Wouldn’t have guessed it, but here we are.”
A few weeks later, and the Diamondbacks have just won the NL pennant and are headed to the Fall Classic to take on the Texas Rangers. It was inevitable, I suppose.
This year’s candidate seemed one of the most unlikely. Arizona had stumbled into the playoffs, barely sneaking in as the final wildcard team, despite their best efforts over the final week to do otherwise. They lost their final four games of the season, scoring just three runs across those games and only made it in due to the Cubs equal ineptitude at the end of the season.
Despite this, they looked just fine against the Brewers. Which, while not perhaps saying much, as we had a tendency to be teams’ “get right” series through the season this year, was still disappointing and a bit surprising. Disappointing because the Crew decided that getting hits with runners in scoring position was just not their style. Surprising because the Diamondbacks were now destined to win the National League and head to the World Series.
Now, I don’t know if I would really call this phenomenon that I’m about to describe a curse, per say. If anything, it is a blessing, I suppose. It is unknown whether it is brought on by some weird cosmic force, the will of the baseball gods, or just plain, stupid luck, but it is an undisputable fact of life, an immutable truth of the universe. Because whether by divine intervention or some scientific anomaly, the team that beats the Brewers in the postseason is fate-bound to reach the World Series.
This isn’t a generalization or an exaggeration. This is a fact, with the data to back it up.
In their 54 seasons as a franchise (or 55 if you want to count that year in Seattle), the Brewers have made the playoffs nine times. The first time was in 1981 and Milwaukee faced off against the New York Yankees in the first round (they were in the AL at the time). The Bronx Bombers defeated the Brewers 3-2 in the series and the blessing/curse was born.
The ‘81 Yankees went to the World Series but lost to the Dodgers. In 1982, the Brewers made their one and only World Series appearance, but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals. So far, two out of two opponents the Crew had lost to in the postseason ended up playing in the World Series. Not all that strange yet, not even really anything to bat an eye at.
Two and a half decades worth of losing later and the Brewers finally found themselves back in the postseason in 2008. In a battle of Ryans, Howard got the better of Braun and Philadelphia bounced Milwaukee in the first round. They would go on to win the World Series.
Then, in 2011, they lose to St. Louis. The Cards win the championship. 2018, lose to the Dodgers, who eventually fall to Boston in the World Series. 2019, lose to the Nationals in the Wild Card game. They win their first championship. 2020, Dodgers again. They get a ring. 2021, Atlanta Braves. I’ll give you one guess where they ended up.
And then finally now, the final piece in the puzzle. Out of all the teams that have used the Brewers’ Blessing to cruise to a World Series, perhaps the Diamondbacks were the most unlikely. The Nationals were hot in the second half of 2019, the Braves in 2021 were at the doorstep of a potential dynasty. And while the Diamondbacks boast some good young players of their own and a solid one-two punch at the top of their rotation, their path through the rival Dodgers, and then either the Braves or the Phillies, was one that was daunting to say the least. But the power of the Brewers Blessing still prevailed, proving itself to be one of the most unstoppable forces in the known universe.
You’d think, with the number of times the Crew has beaten themselves in the postseason, maybe some of that magic would bounce back to us. I guess that’s not how cosmic curses work.
A C ertain Point of V iew
