Just stopping by to say hello. I feel very compelled to do so because of the recent play of the Milwaukee Brewers. The SECOND PLACE Milwaukee Brewers. This team has been flat out tearing it up ever since looking like a total dud towards the beginning of May. The reason might baffle you...starting pitching. As a former pitcher myself, I have always been a believer in a strong pitching staff correlating to late post-season runs. Then again, I'm one of the few who enjoys a good old-fashioned pitching duel that ends in a 1-0 final. Sure, the Brewers have been fun to watch during the later part of the past decade because of their ability to wow fans by hitting the long ball, but can you name the stellar starting pitchers that pitched for the Crew during this time? C.C. Sabathia! For more than half a season? Umm...Ben Sheets? Maybe Gallardo? Well don't look now, but the Brewers have three starters with an ERA under 4.00. These three pitchers, of course, are Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf and Chris Narveson. Ahhhh, what?!
That's right. The unsung ace, Mr. Jeckle and Hide and the best number five guy in the league are helping to keep this team afloat while giving Yovani Gallardo and Zack Greinke (the expected 1-2 punch) time to figure it out. Now that Gallardo has finally gotten there (6-2, 4.35 ERA - was 2-2 with a 6.10 ERA at one point) and Greinke is transitioning out of spring training mode, things should remain looking positive for the starting five. Gallardo and Marcum a combined 12-3 in late May? Hello. I don't want to say I was right about them in my pre-season predictions, but I seem to have had a good beat. As for my other predictions....eh, you be the judge. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make here is you can either rely on guys knocking out 200 home runs a year and finishing .500 or ride a strong staff of pitchers all the way to October. Take your pick.
What's that? You say you want both? Well, I suppose you can. The Brewers appear to have finally assembled a team that has strong pitching while still keeping their big-boppers in the lineup. Braun and Fielder are putting up monster numbers early in the year and this is especially promising from Fielder's perspective considering is usual slow starts. Jonathan Lucroy has been a pleasant surprise behind the plate ever since he came off of the DL, Rickie Weeks continues to get on base in front of Braun and Fielder (6th in NL in runs scored) and has very impressive numbers in the lead-off spot. And don't look now, but here comes Corey Hart. Tonight against the Nats, Hart put on his sunglasses and not only knocked three balls over the wall; he destroyed them. I mean, holy moley. These were no-doubters. Coming into the season, I feared that there would be a lot of question marks for the Crew once we got through the first five hitters in the lineup, but it appears that Lucroy is going to give the bottom feeders some credibility while Gomez and Betancourt attempt to make up for their lack of hitting with their dazzling defense. Wait...come again? Yuni B has looked like crap in the field, too? Oh well. We can't all be winners.
Sort-of quarter season update:
CENTRAL DIVISION
St. Louis Cardinals: 29-20
MILWAUKEE BREWERS: 25-23 (3.5 GB)
Cincinnati Reds: 25-23
WILD CARD
Florida Marlins: 26-19
Atlanta Braves: 26-23
MILWAUKEE BREWERS: 25-23 (2.5 GB)
I'll take it.
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