Ryan Braun... Image via Wikipedia

Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a biweekly blog published every Wednesday and Sunday with a bonus “SIX STATS…” posting every Friday.

At the time I post this, the Milwaukee Brewers are still waiting to hear the fate of their NL MVP Ryan Braun. Will he serve the entire 50-game suspension? Will it be reduced to 25 games? Or will a reversal of the suspension answer the Brewers prayers?

As the Brewers and Braun wait, the Brewer faithful are anticipating the worst… 50 games without Braun. If that is the case, the question becomes, what do the Brewers have to do in the win-loss column to stay above water until Braun returns? To help answer that question, here’s a look back at the last 12 seasons and how each of the eight playoff teams (four in the American League and four in the National League) were doing after 50 games.

* Of the 96 teams that made the playoffs in the last 12 seasons, 78 were above .500 at the 50-game mark.

* Of the 96 teams that made the playoffs from 2000-2011, 6 had 25 wins and 25 losses after 50 games.

* Of those 96 teams, only 12 (12.5%) were under .500 after the first 50 games.

Here’s a look at the 12 teams that were under .500 after 50 games yet made the playoffs in the last 12 seasons.

Team, season, 50-game record

Houston, 2005, 18-32

Colorado, 2009, 20-30

Florida, 2003, 21-29

New York Yankees, 2007, 21-29

Chicago Cubs, 2007, 22-28

Minnesota, 2006, 23-27

Oakland, 2006, 23-27

Colorado, 2007, 23-27

Milwaukee, 2008, 23-27

Oakland, 2001, 24-26

Oakland, 2002, 24-26

Minnesota, 2009, 24-26

Did you know? The average record after 50 games of the 96 teams that made the playoffs from 2000-2011 was 28-22.