Sunday Sundries - Week 2

I hate to start out with tough mathematical analysis, but here goes.  3-3 is way better than 2-4.  Of course, the four losses were all blow-outs, and that's kinda depressing.  But one of the wins could very well be a top game of the year, so we got that goin' for us.

I was also going to talk about the Brewers actually being pretty lucky this year, but JP did a great job of that in his game recap today (and thanks for focusing on that instead of, you know, that game...just enough about that game...) and I strongly recommend that you peruse that.  And if you subtract Nelson's and Anderson's games started...shudder.

TOP PITCHING STORY

Jimmy Nelson has looked like an ace each time out.  He can be counted on to keep the Brewers in the game, and for whatever reason (so far), the Brewers do well in close games (more later).  He has been very tough to hit (.176 BAA). but a higher than expected WHIP (still good at 1.09).  A lower K rate than his stuff warrants is actually a good thing; he is getting quicker outs - except for that walk thing.  The alarming stat is his 4 homers allowed in 19 plus innings.

But he has been very tough.  Let's hope that continues.

Honorable Mention:  The continuing success of Tyler Thornburg and Jeremy Jeffress mean that the good starts lead to a very good chance of victory.  Thornburg, especially, has been really good.  No runs allowed.  WHIP of 0.60.  The good(?) news is that the backend good guys will be well rested this year.

TOP HITTING STORY

This is more of an over-all two week picture.  I over-all really like Sunday (Domingo Santana).  Sure, his defense isn't where it needs to be.  A good arm isn't everything.  But that will (hopefully) come.  Batting him lead-off is a real indication that Craig Counsell is going to be a really, really good manager.

Sunday hasn't started hitting yet.  But his stats as a lead-off hitter are just fine.  .261/.370/.413.  I expect the first two are where he will fall.  I expect the slugging percent to rise significantly.  Besides, that homer off of Trevor Rosenthal was awesome.

Honorable Mention:  Kirk Nieuwenhuis is the only one of the outfield triumvirate that has done anything.  Keon Broxton was so bad that he's gone.  Ramon Flores looks like he still needs time to return to full strength.  (OK, I said that I wouldn't talk about this, but Newy forced it.)

IMHO

I'm not going to let the start depress me.  It is basically poor starting pitching.  That will hopefully stabilize.  It might be a good idea to move Wily to the pen, start Cravy (or Guerra), and see if Wily can get his confidence back with a series of strong bullpen outings.  That will make the games competitive, and keep our attention.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

Did I mention that I enjoyed the win over the Cards?  I have appropriated a real game experience from aaronetc.

We had this drunk bro behind us yelling "Brewers suck!" for the entire seventh and eighth inning

Go back and find a replay of that homer; it was crushed.  That is what we should remember from this week.