Deep Thoughts………

It is now Sunday of opening weekend and so many things have already tested my faith in the 2011 edition of the Milwaukee Brewers.  First their was the “Opening Day Collapse”, which was followed up yesterday by the much anticipated “Marcum’s  Meltdown”.  With Randy Wolf on the mound today, I can only imagine the horrors that are about to be unleashed in Great American Ballpark.

     On Saturday, I decided to document my thoughts throughout the game.  I have never watched a game while holding a tape recorder, but it was very necessary.  If you missed my article on Thursday, please feel free to check it out here.  This will be no different, so again I provide you with a disclaimer

If you do not want to read me going on a (random) rant, this is your official notcie to stop reading.  The following several quotations are the fan in me lashing out.  My apologies to any and all who might not like what I have to say.  You have been warned.

• The beginning of a new ERA……Marcum walked his first batter on four straight balls.  Wasn’t the thing we liked best about Marcum was that he pounded the strike zone?  Must have been that Canadian air.  All of his pitches are “flat”.  Not sure if they are lacking velocity or rotation, but they look like meat pitches. 
• I do not even know what to say, it seems like Marcum is walking every other Reds batter.  After Thursday, and now watching the first inning of today’s game…..nothing has changed.  This is the same team it was last year, just with higher expectations.
• Come on Rickie, that throw was rushed when it didn’t need to be.  We need to cut out the chicken doo-doo mistakes.  Errors will always come back to bite you.
• Boy, wish I would not have been right about that error.  Reds have a commanding 4-0 lead. 
• Yuniesky Betancourt is really trying to give away that starting job at shortstop.  The only saving grace I have been giving this guy is his ability to hit, but he looks like a little leaguer up at the plate.  I have seen kids playing in the Little League World Series with better discipline.  Show some restraint dude, you DO NOT have to swing at every pitch this kid throws. 
• Travis Wood just mowed right through our lineup.  That is a bad sign of things to come.  Reds have a 4-0 lead and it looks like that is going to be enough.
• I watched Marcum pitch in spring training, the guy on the mound right now…..is not Shuan Marcum. 
• ARE THEY PUTTING ESSENCE OF JEFF SUPPAN IN THE WATER!!!!!!!!!!  What is up with all the walks Shaun!?!?!?!?!!??
• Erick Almonte just rocked Travis Wood.  Great AB Erick.  How come no one else on the team has been able to put a charge into one of his pitches like that?  Clearly it was the right decision to start him in place of Mark Kotsay today.  Mark Kotsay probably would have grounded out, flied out, or broke a hip. 
• And out comes Marcum……..couldn’t  even finish 5 innings.  Jeff Suppan tainted water………….DAMN YOU SUPPAN!!!!!
• Craig Counsell should get the start tomorrow in place of Betancourt.  Another frickin’pop-up.  Horrible at bat.  Take some pitches, like you did in spring training!!!!  Here is a prophecy for everyone……Yuni Betancourt will not be on this roster after the All-Star Break.
• Sergio Mitre looks pretty good.  His career numbers are nothing special, but he is getting the job done so far.  Hopefully he will get another inning of work.
• The Sergio Mitre for Chris Dickerson deal was worth it.  Mitre just threw two awesome innings.  I bet he could throw another one, but I doubt they will let him hit in the bottom half. 
• The one thing that I have been really hanging my hat on for this season is our ability to score at will.  But the way they have been carelessly swinging the bat today, I might have to sell my hat. 
• Nyjer Morgan with his first hit as  a Brewer.  Nice to see him getting a little work off the bench.  I have to think that Roenicke is going to let him try to steal 2nd at this point in the game.
• Guess not.
• Cordero against the heart of our lineup….this could get exciting.
• Guess not again.
• Ooops, spoke to soon.  Here comes Prince to the plate with Braun on 2nd base.  Homer would put them within 1 run with McGehee due up next.  
• Prince does not look the same to me at the plate so far this season.  Discipline big guy.  Maybe if you envision that the ball is a gluten -free doughnut…….
• McGehee knocks in a run to give us a little more respect around the water cooler tomorrow.  
• Erick Almonte hit a heroic game winning home run this spring, hopefully he can do it again……
• Or he could strike out…..that would be fine too.  What a waste of an evening.  

End of Deep Thoughts 

     Now I edited several of my thoughts….mostly due to graphic content.  But, also due to some of it just being downright not nice.  Being a fan can really make you nasty.  I do not know that I every realized that, until I recored my thoughts during a game.  Love really can make you crazy.   

     I do not want to lie to you, my valued reader’s, I am scared.  I know it is early, but I can not help but turn on my “Bad Brewers deflectors”.  Over the past 18 years, the Brewers have lost well over a thousand games.  During my time as a Brewers fan, I have learned that once things start going downhill, they do not come back.  It is the only way I can keep my heart from breaking year after year after year.  All off-season we talked about the upgrades to the pitching, but at this point it has been exactly the same as last season.

     If on Wednesday, someone would have told me that our best chance to win this weekend would be Randy Wolf, I probably would have laughed until my bladder exploded.  However, as of this morning…..that is the case.

     Not sure if this will be an ongoing segment.  If you like it, let me know.  If not, I will come up with some other way to record my thoughts during games.  Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend so far.  It would be nice to go into the home opener with a 1-2 record as opposed to 0-3.  Let’s all hope that Miller Park can snap them out of the funk they are in right now.