Yovani Gallardo has had a hard time getting through the sixth inning this year. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

It’s no secret that the Milwaukee Brewers starting rotation is struggling. Well, struggling might be putting it too nicely. The starting rotation is like the movie Jack and Jill; you know it’s going to be excruciating to watch but you still show up with hopes Adam Sandler puts on a good show. However, admirable performances happen only once in a blue moon.

Coming into the season, nobody expected much from Milwaukee’s corps of starting pitchers and for good reason. Yovani Gallardo is not a “bonafide ace” as Fox News labeled him, Marco Estrada gives up more home runs than Josh Hamilton‘s Home Run Derby pitcher, Kyle Lohse has had only two great seasons in his career thanks to the St. Louis Cardinals fantastic pitching coaches, Wily Peralta doesn’t trust his pitches quite yet, and Hiram Burgos probably needed another season in the minors under his belt before making the jump.

Mark Attanasio and Doug Melvin knew this season was going to be a battle, especially for the rotation, but I don’t lay all the blame at the feet of  the starting pitchers. Part of, if not most, should go to pitching coach Rick Kranitz.

But this isn’t an article that bashes Kranitz. This is how to get the starting rotation back on the right track. While there is no quick fix (there might not be any solution at all), here are some ways the Brewers starting rotation can improve.

Increase Strikeout Rate

The Brewers starting rotation is averaging only 6.17 strikeouts per nine innings – fifth-lowest in baseball.  Contributing to that low number is Gallardo. Gallardo’s strikeout numbers have been down, as has his performance. Gallardo has a 6.23 K/9, 2.08 lower than his career average.

The decrease in strikeouts means more balls are being hit into play. Milwaukee’s starting rotation has the highest BABIP (batting average of balls in play) in the National Leauge at .310. All five starting pitchers have allowed a BABIP of .300 or higher with Peralta leading the way with a .318 BABIP.

Another area that’s reflecting the high BABIP is the Brewers defense. Aside from Jean Segura, the infield is anything but strong, especially with Yuniesky Betancourt tasked with playing first base while Corey Hart is on the mend. The limited range of Betancourt and Ramirez has surely helped raise the BABIP.

If Gallardo and the rest of the rotation can get more swings-and-misses and start racking up the strikeouts, a lower BABIP and fewer baserunners will be sure to follow.

Pitch Deeper Into Games

For as long as I can remember, the Brewers starting pitchers have had a strenuous time pitching deep into ballgames, aside from CC Sabathia. By the 5th inning, pitch counts are Mt. Everest high. None of the starters have a dominant out-pitch. They get ahead of the batter 0-2 and then throw three straight garbage pitches outside of the zone with hopes that the batter will chase. Of course pitch counts are going to soar if they throw like that.

Not helping the starters is Ron Roenicke who is very strict on pitch counts. As soon as one of his guys approaches the century mark, Roenicke yanks him and gives the ball to the bullpen. If Estrada or whoever it may be is struggling, then yeah, it’s understandable to replace him. But when he’s only given up two or three runs and he’s approaching seven innings with a pitch count in the low 90′s, put him back out there. Throwing 110 pitches isn’t going to ruin a pitcher’s arm.

Wily Peralta hasn’t pitched like the top prospect many people claimed he was. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

Brewers’ starters have the highest ERA (5.19) in the National League which is the leading cause as to why they are in the bottom of the pile in innings pitched. They average only 5.2 innings per outing.

Luckily with the addition of Francisco Rodriguez, the Brewers have a stacked bullpen and can afford the starters only going five innings…for now. If this trend continues, the bullpen will be feeble come July. Kranitz must figure out a way to get his starting rotation to pitch deeper into ballgames or the Brewers will keep sliding downhill.

Limit Home Runs

The starting five allow the most HR/9 in the National League at just over 1.30. Understandably, Miller Park is a hitter friendly arena; Milwaukee’s starters have combined to give up 25 home runs at home while only 11 on the road.

Fastballs are the easiest pitch to crush and the Brewers throw a lot of them – 57.8% of their pitches are fastballs. That number would be okay if the rotation was full of flame throwers, but their fastballs average only 90.8 MPH.  Peralta has the most speed on his heater by far, averaging close to 95 MPH. But the rest? Gallardo barely tops 90 and Lohse, Estrada, and Burgos are in the high 80′s. With a team velocity in the low 90′s, it would be wise for the Brewers to start switching things up and either throw different pitches a bit more or locate the heater better.

Ryan Braun and company are currently in a home run slump. After their nine-game winning streak where home runs seemed to be flying out of the park every pitch, the round-trippers have ceased. If the Brewers offense can’t hit them and the starters can’t limit them, the outcome is not going to be pretty.

I don’t know if there’s any way to completely solve the issue that is the Brewers rotation but at least this is a start.

What’s your opinion on how to fix the starting rotation?

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Estrada is currently living in opposite land; he’s dominant on the road but lousy at home. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Marco Estrada‘s home/road splits are eye-opening. In seven starts this season, Estrada has been shelled at home while being paramount on the road. Estrada gives up a bushels worth of home runs almost every time he takes the mound at Miller Park, which is a notorious hitter-friendly stadium. If the 29-year-old (I can’t believe he’s 29 either) wasn’t so prone to giving up long balls, Miller Park would be more accepting of him.

His situation is unique. In most cases, pitchers thrive in their home environments. They have the hometown fans rooting for them and they’re familiar with the ballpark. But for Estrada, it seems like he’s more comfortable when he’s far, far away from Milwaukee.

Now obviously I don’t really believe that Estrada should only pitch when the Brewers are on the road, but his road stats are something to take notice of. Take a look at his splits.

Those numbers are staggering. In the same number of innings, Estrada has allowed 14 more earned runs and five more home runs at home than on the road.

In all likelihood, Estrada will get back on track at Miller Park and his ERA will start to suffer on the road. Before this year, he had been much more efficient at home, but this is his first season as a full-time starter; maybe that has something to do with it. It obviously would be ideal if he could find a way to improve his home starts while keep dominating on the road, but that’s being a bit optimistic.

If his road dominance and home lousiness continues, do you think it’s possible that the Brewers only start Estrada when they’re on the road?

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Despite his lack of success, Rickie Weeks still has the support of his teammates. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Weeks, who was finally dropped in the order last night, is having another abominable season. He’s hitting just .188 with nine RBI’s while his strikeout precentage (28.7%) is through the roof. Weeks must have rented the movie Dazed and Confused before the season started because that’s exactly what he looks like at the plate.

In a recent poll on Reviewing the Brew, the majority of fans thought that the struggling second baseman should be benched for a few days. However, an alarming amount said that trading Weeks was the best move. While the latter will never happen, sitting Rickie should be on the horizon. Here’s what Ron Roenicke had to say about the possibility of sitting his former All-Star down:

When he’s sitting on the bench, he’s not a guy that’s like, ‘Whew, man, am I glad I have a night off.’ That’s not him. He’s thinking, ‘If I’m in there right now, maybe I would get it going.’ You have to know the personalities.

It sounds like Roenicke doesn’t think benching Weeks will do any good. Add that to the list of reasons why the manager isn’t incredibly popular in Milwaukee.

Weeks believes he is close to breaking out of his slump (if you can really call it that) and his teammates support him wholeheartedly. Corey Hart says hearing the boos aimed at Weeks is tough.

Baseball fans, they want things to happen. It’s tough. But Rickie is really confident that he’s close. That’s what he told me.

Jonathan Lucroy took it a step further, claiming that he will never give up on Weeks and still has unbelievable talent.

I’ll take him to battle with me any day. The guy has some of the best power and bat speed I’ve seen, ever, playing this game.

If his teammates still have his back, don’t you think Weeks should have the fans as well?

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Rodriguez contributed to the Brewers dreadful bullpen last season. He posted a career-high 4.38 ERA, blowing seven saves along the way.

The Brewers decided not to offer him a new contract after the 2012 season ended – nobody did. Every team left him alone until the Brewers once again reached out and inked him. Why they did this is unknown to me, but there’s got to be a reason why no one wanted him, right?

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John Axford has struggled in 2013; but does he deserve a demotion? Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Fans who are hoping to see Milwaukee Brewers closing pitcher John Axford sent down to the minor leagues will have to wait. According to manager Ron Roenicke, the Brewers have not discussed demoting the once prominent closer despite his 0-3 record and 9.95 ERA. He has yet to record a save this season and has already given up six home runs in just over 12 innings.

Here’s what Roenicke had to say about the possibility of demoting him:

No, it’s not [under discussion]. We feel he can get it back together. We saw him do it last year, and still feel that he can do it.

After four straight appearances with giving up at least one run to start the season, Axford reclaimed his velocity and location. He held opponents scoreless over his next six appearances while only giving up two hits. However, his success didn’t last long. In two innings so far in May, Axford has given up four runs and only managed to throw a complete inning once.

Fans are fed up with Axford, apparent by the boos that are rained down when he enters and leaves a ballgame. But sending him to the minors is not the answer. He will figure his stuff out soon, just like he did in 2012. If I were Roenicke, I would throw him into a save situation and just see how he does. If Axford succeeds, his confidence will be through the roof.

What are your thoughts? Do you think John Axford should be sent to the minors?

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Carlos Gomez has been on fire to start the season. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Overall, it was a successful month. From Carlos Gomez showing why he deserves that multi-year extension he received to Brewers fans thanking the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim for giving them Jean Segura, April was a good month (except for Rickie Weeks and John Axford).

I love statistics. While I may not be what people call a “sabermetrician”, I still know to dig deeper than the average box score.

At the end of each month, I will be putting together a list of mostly unknown statistics that I find interesting. Here is the first batch of statistics for the month of April.

Hitting/Baserunning Stats

• 35 infield hits – 2nd-most
• 15.5% HR/FB ratio - 3rd-highest
• Caught stealing 11 times – most in MLB
• 940 plate appearances – 5th-least
• 49% ground ball percentage – 2nd-highest
• 7 triples - 4th-most

• 3 hit batters – lowest in MLB
• 1.29 HR/9 – 5th-highest
• 58 walks – 2nd-least
• 8.6% swinging strike percentage – 6th lowest
• 23.4% line drive percentage – highest in MLB
• 4.76 RS/9 – 7th highest

There you go folks. You now know more about the Brewers than you ever thought possible. You’re welcome.

Weeks’ batting average is dreadful, his strikeout numbers are in the heavens, and his defense has been lackluster so far in 2013.

We want to hear from you, the fans. Whether you’re a die-hard Weeks fan or a raging lunatic every time he strikes out, we want to know: Is Weeks the answer at second base or should his time in Milwaukee be coming to an end?

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Rickie Weeks is struggling, but Scooter Gennett is not the answer. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

There has been a vendetta against Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks during the last couple of weeks. Whether it’s fair or unfair, it’s ridiculous. Absolute hogwash.

I, along with many, have been a devoted Weeks supporter since his first game in 2003. But after a couple of injuries and a miserable campaign in 2012, the Rickie Weeks bandwagon has emptied quite a bit. But I’m still here. I may as well be driving.

Before you continue reading, make sure you check out Senior Staff Writer Lou Olsen’s critique of Weeks (here) and then come back to see my rebuttal.

Our rants will follow three basic points: Bat, Glove, and Presence.

Bat

People must understand that Rickie Weeks is a career .249 hitter, so expecting him to hit in the upper .200’s is unrealistic wishful thinking. For Weeks, last season was a fluke. He was still battling an ankle injury and didn’t turn it on until the second half of the season, ultimately batting .261. Don’t think any more about it.

In his article, Lou talked a lot about Weeks’ statistical struggles this season (batting .169) and how he’s currently mired in a long slump. Let’s break his season down even further.

Weeks will start hitting once Ramirez is back in the lineup. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Before Aramis Ramirez was placed on the disabled list on April 6^th, Weeks was 7-for-15 (.467) with one home run and only two strikeouts. But since Ramirez has been out of the lineup, Weeks is only 6-for-62 (.097) with no home runs and 26 strikeouts. It’s clear that having Ramirez and Ryan Braun hitting behind Weeks in the order drastically improves his performance. When Ramirez returns, hopefully sometime during the next home stand, Weeks’ bat will rise from the dead and he will be the hitter he is capable of being. His power will come back and his strikeouts will fall, even if it is slightly. Though Jean Segura has been raking of late, putting Weeks back in the two-hole will not only get Weeks back on track, it will provide the offense with more firepower at the top of the lineup.

Weeks has been down in the count far too often this season. His first pitch strike percentage is 61.4% – his highest since his rookie year. He’s hitting .162 with 14 strikeouts when he’s down 0-1 this season.  To have success, Weeks must become more aggressive at the plate, a trait that will return with more protection in the lineup.

Lou is a big Scooter Gennett fan and thinks he deserves his spot in the sun. With all due respect to Lou, I find that laughable. Yes, Gennett is hitting .386 in Triple-A and yes, he has struck out only eight times. But so what? Gennett has absolutely no power and is basically the same type of hitter as Logan Schafer and Jean Segura – a contact hitter who’s not a home run threat. Substituting Gennett for Weeks would be overkill and would greatly diminish Milwaukee’s offensive output. Sorry Scooter, it’s just not your time yet.

Glove

Remember when Weeks was a defensive liability and we all cringed every time the ball was hit in his direction? That’s no longer the case. While he is definitely not a fielding stud and occasionally boots a routine ground ball, he gets the job done. He doesn’t make the mental mistakes that a rookie like Gennett would. While Gennett and Segura might have a strong connection on the field, Weeks and Segura look pretty fluid as well.

Weeks’ fielding ability has improved since his rookie season. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Weeks’ defense has been spotty the last couple of games (two errors in Wednesday’s loss to the San Diego Padres) but his mind was probably focused on his hitting woes. Plus, his family attended the game and there’s nothing worse than having your parents intently stare at you in pressure situations.

Nobody else seems to be worried about Weeks’ defense and, as far as I’m concerned, it’s been a non-issue for a while.

Presence

Rickie is a leader, just not a vocal one. There’s no doubt he’s already helped Segura’s progression as a shortstop. They look like two peas in a pod out on the field. In an article by Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he explains why younger players look up to Weeks.

One of Weeks’ most valuable attributes can’t be measured by numbers, and that’s leadership. While he is quiet by nature, the presence he creates by being in the lineup every day, being prepared and being professional is invaluable.

Weeks shows up to work every day and almost never needs a day off. Just recently, when Roenicke wanted to give Weeks a day off, he talked his way out of it. No matter how bad he’s struggling, you won’t hear Weeks complaining or making excuses. He played in 157 games last year, a team high. He’s one of, if not the, hardest working players on the Brewers.

Roenicke had this to say about Weeks’ presence via Todd Rosiak:

Everybody knows how tough he is. But just the way he goes about his job and the way he plays makes him a big leader, and a big part of what we do.”

Weeks may not be boisterous and have the swagger Lou is looking for, but his presence is monumental in the Brewers clubhouse.

Before the season started, I predicted that Rickie Weeks would bounce back and be selected to the 2013 All-Star Game in New York; I still believe that. The injuries that have hurt the Brewers have also negatively impacted Weeks’ performance. I expect him to raise his batting average and start hitting the ball with more vigor within the next couple of days. Keep the faith, people.

In case you missed it, you can find Lou’s article on why Weeks’ time in Milwaukee should be over, here.

With whom do you agree? Leave comments and questions below.

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Gallardo is not an “ace”. He’s not a stud pitcher and should never, ever be associated with Justin Verlander or Clayton Kershaw. He is more of a lower-tier “king” who is more than capable of pitching like a top-tier pitcher and has done so on occasion. However, that does not make him  a true ace, and I’d even argue that Gallardo hasn’t been the team’s ace since 2010.

Yovani Gallardo is good, but he’s not an ace. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Before I go any further, we must discuss what the definition of an ace is. To me, an ace is someone who has a great chance of absolutely shutting down opponents night in and night out. An ace is a player can throw a complete game with no problem and who makes batters look silly on a consistent basis. An ace is the pitcher in which you have the utmost faith in the most crucial of situations. Gallardo does not fit the criteria.

Don’t agree with me? Well, let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

The 27-year-old owns a record of 69-44 and, while that is more than respectable, his ERA (3.69) looks more like an ERA of a No. 2 or 3 starter.

Gallardo is a six-inning pitcher. Rarely does he go beyond that, and there are a couple of factors that contribute to this. One reason is that Ron Roenicke is overly obsessed with pitch counts and almost never lets his pitcher finish a ball game. Since Roenicke took the reins in 2011, the Brewers rank last in complete games with only one (Gallardo in 2011). But the biggest factor as to why Gallardo doesn’t go deep into games is because he gets himself into deep counts with almost every batter he faces. He doesn’t have that “out” pitch that top-of-the-rotation hurlers have. He turns to his curveball when he’s ahead in the count but he can rarely throw that for a strike. By  the fifth or sixth inning, his pitch count is in the upper-90′s leaving Roenicke no choice but to pull him. Take yesterday, for example. Gallardo pitched extremely well, limiting the the San Francisco Giants to one run on five hits. Yet he only lasted six innings because his pitch count was already at 92.

In his six major league seasons, Gallardo has four complete games. Let’s compare that to the other star pitchers around the league. Verlander (eight seasons) has accumulated 20 complete games including six last season alone. Kershaw (five seasons) has thrown nine complete games and CC Sabathia (12 seasons) has 35 complete games on his resume.

Gallardo has the tools to be an ace but hasn’t demonstrated it yet. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

I think it’s fair to say that Gallardo is not on the same level as these guys.

Before his outing yesterday, 2013 had not been kind to Gallardo. In his first three starts, he had an ERA of 6.61 and his WHIP was 1.78 (7th-worst in the majors). Opponents swing and miss at Gallardo’s pitches only 4.6% of the time (4th-worst). His strikeout pitch is not in existence and batters are squaring up on his pitches more than ever. Batters are hitting an astonishing .361 versus Gallardo. That’s not exactly what you want out of your go-to starter.

While you don’t have to be a flamethrower to be considered one of baseball’s best (see Greg Maddux), it sure does help. Gallardo can blow it by the best of them but his fastball velocity (92.2 MPH) is not anything noteworthy. His low-90′s fastball makes hitting his location even more pertinent. If he leaves it up, see ya later.

Gallardo might be called Milwaukee’s ace but you must take that with a grain of salt. He has the tools to become a Cy Young candidate but taking those tools and building something is a different story. Gallardo would greatly benefit from a pitching coach not named Rick Kranitz and a manager who isn’t so worried about pitch counts.

Yovani Gallardo is a very good pitcher but is more suited as a No. 2 starter. He will rack up double-digit wins yet again this season, but calling him an ace is like calling Jeff Suppan a future Hall of Famer; it just doesn’t make any sense.

Do you think Yovani Gallardo is an ace? Leave comments and questions below! Follow Justin and @ReviewngTheBrew on Twitter. Be sure to like us on Facebook, too.

Click the picture to see it in GIF form:

Segura, whom I predicted to hit around .280 this season,  is now batting .455 with a home run and three runs batted in. He has showed no signs of slowing down after his red-hot spring. He looks more like a No. 2 hitter than a bottom of the order type of guy.

If the 23-year-old keeps swinging the way he has been, the Brewers will be the clear winner in the deal that sent Zack Greinke to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Segura.

Leave comments and questions below! Follow Justin and @ReviewngTheBrew on Twitter. Be sure to like us on Facebook, too.