So...there was a game last night. The Brewers lost. Let's not dwell on it (especially the last play).
Today the Brewers enter play in fifth place, one-half game behind the second-place Pirates, Reds, and Cubs. Ah, the standings of early May. In hopes of salvaging a split and staying above .500, the Brewers send out Dave Bush to face the Diamondbacks' Yusmeiro Petit.
After a string of three quality starts, Bush lasted only five innings last time out, giving up five runs (four earned) to the Pirates. He also hit three batters, moving him into the league lead in that category. Looking at all his starts, however, if someone told you Dave Bush would start May with a 4.50 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, would you be at all surprised?
But perhaps more intriguing than what Bush has done so far is his batterymate today. With regular Bush catcher Mike Rivera on the disabled list, Ken Macha's choices are regular backstop Jason Kendall or new call-up Carlos F. Corporan. Bush has never pitched to Corporan outside of spring training. Kendall has caught Bush for all of two innings this season and the battery has yet to give up a single: instead it's been a home run and three doubles plating four runs. Small sample or great game calling run afoul of Blown Bush Syndrome? You decide. Either way, it's likely that Jason Kendall will don the Tools of Gritty Ignorance for the eleventh consecutive day.
Presumably also dealing with some minor lineup decisions about which I am blissfully unable to ramble, the Diamondbacks send to the mound 24-year-old RHP Yusmeiro Petit. Arizona acquired Petit right before the 2007 season in exchange for current Brewers reliever Jorge Julio. He's been in the majors in parts of the past three seasons but this is the first time he's been in the rotation from opening day. The early results aren't inspiring: he is 0-2 with an 8.62 ERA and 8 walks and has averaged just over 4 1/2 innings per start. He may be looking forward to this start, though, since he has just a 2.25 ERA (12 IP) against Milwaukee in his career.