Milwaukee Brewers: Opening Day Series vs STL, Fan’s Eyeview

Milwaukee Brewers Opening Series Game 3

At least it wasn’t snowing.

Early news on April 4 is negative. It relates to Game 2’s starting pitcher, Chase Anderson, who has reportedly lost about 2 mph on his pitches in 2018. The sample size is small, but the news is bad.

“Part of the reason for Anderson’s success last year was the improved velocity on his fastball,” Brewers beat writer Todd Rosiak reported.

These words could have considerably dented the armor of past Milwaukee Brewers fans. The 2018 fans, fresh off Braun’s thrilling walk-off, brush off this report. Perhaps, however, they should have taken it as a warning sign.

Game 3 goes bad.

Not only do the Brewers give the fans nothing to cheer, but the Braun-less offense gets shut out and Yelich leaves the game with an oblique issue.

The Cardinals win and take two of three games from the Milwaukee Brewers in Miller Park to start the 2018 NL Central battles. This game feels especially sour. After the late thrills of game 2, Brewers fans want to stick around for the whole game.

Cardinals ace Carlos Martinez commands his stuff and continues to put up zeros, however. He even comes out of the dugout to pitch the ninth inning. Luckily for Brewers fans, he gives up a hit and leaves game before he adds salt to the Brewers wounds by collecting a complete game shut out.

The Brewers have three early series against NL Central foes. They face the Cardinals at home and on the road, and they play the Cubs at Miller Park. They say you cannot win a championship at the beginning of the season, but you can lose one.

Young Brewers fans are already calling for the head of David Stearns for not signing a big starting pitcher. The patient fan has more respect for the Brewers GM’s overall plan and are less knee-jerk with their reactions.

However, the Milwaukee Brewers got some big years out of some unexpected places last season. Even the patient fans are beginning to think their patience will need to last longer than a couple of games.

Few expected the Brewers to turn their rebuilding project into a contender so quickly. Maybe they didn’t.

But that does not mean they won’t. The Brewers could still make the 2018 Playoffs, and a Chapionship could be in their near future so long as their minor league team’s continue to produce good prospects.

Next: Who Closes Now That Corey Knebel Is Hurt?

An experienced baseball fan has to look at what Stearns is doing and feel good regardless of what happens in 2018’s opening games.