Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, May 08, 2008
We Say: Tom Fisher, on the ongoing saga of the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff
I can’t help but to think back to the Milwaukee Brewers’ finish to the 2007 season. While the offense took major steps forward, the pitching took even bigger steps back. Hope was on the horizon, though, with some promising young pitchers ready to break through.
Unfortunately, we are only in May and things seem to be right back to where they were. Ben Sheets is pitching well, but he has already had injury concerns, and one can’t help but to think he will show up on the disabled list at some point this year. Yovani Gallardo made an impressive few starts after coming off of the DL, only to tear his ACL in his third game. Jeff Suppan has an ERA of 5.22. Dave Bush’s ERA is currently sitting at a disgusting 6.98. Carlos Villanueva has given up eight home runs in 34 innings, Manny Parra is averaging less than five innings per start, and four relief pitchers are on pace to pitch in more than 80 games this year.
Despite this atrocious start to the season, the Brewers are only one game under .500, and their hitting has not yet come to life. Here’s to hoping they do the opposite of last year and finish hot after starting slow.
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