There’s a phrase commonly used in sports I despise.
Perhaps you’ve heard it.
Perhaps you’ve used it.
“Peaking too early”.
It’s a phrase fans use to knock another team’s ability to sustain success; and one you’ll likely hear used between now and the end of baseball’s regular season.
Brewers ace, Corbin Burnes was named the National League’s pitcher of the month for July. Did he peak too early?
Teammate Freddy Peralta earned the same award in August. Did he peak too early?
Brandon Woodruff has allowed just three earned runs in his last four starts. Did he peak too early?
No. Suggesting they peaked too early indicated your belief they have a greater chance at stumbling through a playoff start versus sustaining their dominance. Â
The Brewers have posted a record of 24-14 since the trade deadline, averaging nearly 5.5 runs scored per game in the process.Â
Is the offense peaking too early? Answering “yes” to that question suggests you have no confidence in the Brewers ability to produce runs in October.
The Brewers aren’t lucky to be atop the NL Central. The Brewers aren’t riding one or two players into the final two weeks of the season. The Brewers have dominated NL central division opponents and are one of five teams in the National League with a record above .500 at home and on the road.
The Brewers are 17-games above .500, but don’t confuse their record with the misguided idea of a team peaking too early. Look at the Brewers as a team that improved the roster at the trade deadline, got healthy, and has been at or near the top of the division all season long.Â
Would you rather they wait a couple weeks to play high-quality baseball?
The Brewers aren’t peaking too early. They’re just good.
