Best Record ≠ Best Team

Game 36: Brewers 1, Mets 9
23-13 for the season

I had a bit of an argument (ok, not an argument-- a conversation) with a guy sitting next to us at the game on Saturday. toward the end, when we were losing miserably, this guy said aloud "well, what do you expect? the Brewers are the best team in baseball."

I try hard not to get into it with random people in the stands, but I'd had two beers and couldn't let that go.
So I said, "they have the best record in baseball. That doesn't make them the best team in baseball."
"They're 24 and 12! They're the best team in baseball!"
"They've been playing exclusively in the NL Central, the Dodgers and Washington. That they have that record against that kind of competition merely makes them a competent team, not the best."
"You can get to the playoffs without being the best team-- just by winning the most games," he pointed out.
"You're right-- but in that case they're the winningest team in baseball, still not necessarily the best."
"That's fair. I admire your passion."

oy. is it a good thing when a guy in the stands complements you on your passion? I'm not so sure. it may mean "you're an obsessive freak." you never know.

however, I think my point was well shown in this last game of the early-season series with Milwaukee. yes, the Brewers beat the hell out of the Mets on Saturday. but they lost on Friday, and the Mets came right back to win 9-1 (on another awesome performance from Oliver Perez) on Sunday. that's what happens when you're no longer playing the NL Central; simply being a good team isn't enough to win a series. and the Brewers, while on their way, are not much more at this point than a good team. it'll be fun to watch their kids develop, but for now-- no matter how many games they win, Milwaukee is not the best team in baseball.

I missed the majority of this game for tutoring, but caught good parts of it on the radio, and am reveling on Perez's ability to learn and come back from flameouts. I'm loving the Mets young pitchers, and enjoying watching them develop.