They weren’t chanting "Soouuup" Sunday night at Miller Park.

Instead, the crowd of 40,168 showered Jeff Suppan with a chorus of boos as the veteran right-hander left the mound after an absolutely awful four-inning outing that included a leadoff home run and back-to-back bases-loaded walks. Suppan, who also was knocked around in an unlikely opening day start, is 0-2 with a 12.91 ERA. He’s given up 11 runs on 11 hits and seven walks in 7.2 innings of work.

"That's two starts ... you've got to give us six innings," manager Ken Macha said. "That's two starts in row now that he couldn't give us six innings."

Suppan's struggles cause problems that linger beyond just the game at hand. Every time he has a short start, Macha needs to give extra work to his bullpen and that can have an effect on the next couple of days.

When asked by a reporter if a veteran pitcher could be on a short leash after a couple of bad outings, Macha skirted around the question.

"He was missing down; he was trying to keep the ball down," the manager said. "After the first hitter, he’d only given up one hit. It’s tough to figure out."

Suppan’s downhill slide isn’t just isolated to his two starts in 2009. After going 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA last August, Suppan unraveled in the season’s final month, going 0-3 with an 8.44 ERA in five September starts as the Brewers nearly slid out of playoff contention.

Things came to a head in the fourth and final game of the National League Division Series, when he was tagged for five runs on six hits in three innings, digging the Brewers into an early hole from which they never escaped. The Phillies went on to beat Milwaukee, 6-2, and won the series, 3-1.

Suppan, though, doesn’t think the dismal end to last season and his ugly debut in 2009 are related.

"Last year is over with," Suppan said. "I’m looking at these last two outings and trying to be a pitcher that helps a team win. That’s my goal, that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m looking at the last two starts.

"The only way I can get myself going is by going back to my foundations; location, changing speeds and working fast. That’s how I pitch; I try to get ground balls. That’s my foundation, so that’s what I’ll try to go back to."

During his pre-game meeting with the media prior to the opener Friday, general manager Doug Melvin was asked what he thought of Suppan’s first two seasons with the Brewers. Melvin said that Suppan has done what’s been expected of him since joining the Brewers.

"We didn't expect an 18-game or a 20-game winner," Melvin said."Jeff has never been that."

Suppan was signed on Christmas Day 2006 to provide veteran leadership and postseason experience to a young club still trying to get over the hump. He had been named Most Valuable Player of the National League Championship Series that fall while pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals, and helped that team win the World Series.

"Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan going 9-0 in the month of August last year, we probably wouldn't have the postseason appearance," Melvin said. "Jeff has given us what we hoped for, what we expected."

Since signing his four-year, $42 million deal with Milwaukee, Suppan hasn’t exactly rewritten the franchise record books. Coming into the season, he had a 22-22 record and 4.78 ERA, slightly above his career average of 4.63.

Hello, I'm Rickie Weeks: Speaking of Brewers on the hot seat, you'd be pressed to find a player that's taken more grief over the last few years than second baseman Rickie Weeks.

He's been the target of fans' ire for his well-documented defensive liabilities and railed on for his offensive shortcomings, especially when installed as the leadoff hitter.

It's early -- way early -- but Weeks is doing his best to silence his critics.

Through the first six games, is hitting .280 (7-for-25) with two doubles, a home run and four RBI. In addition, he's stepped up his play in the field, and is starting to show flashes of the player the Brewers had envisioned when they selected him second overall in the 2003 draft.

On first glance, credit goes to batting coach Dale Sveum and bench coach Willie Randolph -- himself an all-star infielder who's worked extensively with Weeks on his defense. But while the additional coaching has been beneficial, nothing has helped the 26-year-old more than time.

"I’m growing older in the game," Weeks said. "The more you grow in this game, things slow down a little bit more."

Weeks had a very good spring. He was second on the team in hitting with a .324 average (24-for-77). His strikeout numbers were still high (19) and he only drew eight walks, but Weeks still finished with a .424 on-base percentage.

That’s the number that really stands out to Macha, because when Weeks gets on base, he scores. Despite a .324 OBP last season, Weeks scored 89 times.

"If he gets on, he scores runs, that's his history," Macha said. "I know a lot of people look at whatever he hit last, but you can't do that. Getting on base and scoring runs is the name of the game."

Weeks has heard the boos sent his way, he’s heard the calls for him to be benched, traded or sent down to Class AAA Nashville. He’s taken it all in stride and continued working on his craft. He’s one of the hardest-working players on the team and regularly is out in the field well before stretching and batting practice to take extra infield work.

It’s starting to pay off.

"I've just stayed confident like I've always been," Weeks said. You can't worry about the past; you can only work on the future. That's what I'm doing right now."

Rivera happy to help: Backup catcher Mike Rivera was lonelier than the Maytag Repairman last season, playing in just 21 games (15 starts) as Jason Kendall entrenched himself behind the plate. When given the opportunity, Rivera delivered, batting .306 with a homer and 21 RBI.

When Macha took over as manager this season, he wanted to get Rivera some more playing time -- and Kendall some rest -- and assigned him as Dave Bush's regular catcher. In his first start since Sept. 3 of last season, Rivera went 2-for-4 on Saturday with a double.

Macha says he's open to the possibility of using Rivera more than just when Bush pitches, especially on day games following night games.

"Jason is our main guy," Macha said. "I want to keep him fresh so if we get into August and September, he'd be able to go out there for the majority of those games."

Opening schedule tough: Tim Lincecum, Randy Johnson, Matt Cain, Rich Harden, Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster are some of the best pitchers in the National League. Edinson Volquez and Bronson Arroyo are near the top of the next tier of top hurlers.

And those are the pitchers that the Brewers have and will face through their first eight games. Suffice it to say, the schedule makers weren't exactly kind to the Brewers.

"If you sit back and take a look at our April schedule and into early May, it's a pretty difficult schedule," Macha said. "Not having Trevor and stretching out our bullpen a little bit (made it harder).

Included in April are trips to New York to face the Mets -- a potential playoff team -- and Philadelphia to take on the defending world champion Phillies.

"We've got a tough row to hoe," Macha said.

Hoffman getting closer: Trevor Hoffman could throw off a mound later this week.

The closer, still recovering from a sore right oblique, has been throwing off flat ground and got up to 120 feet in a throwing session on Saturday. He was given Sunday off and will throw again on Monday.

Hoffman, 41, hasn't been experiencing an increase in pain the day following his sessions, but said that it's not the actual pain that's a factor right now.

"It's more tolerance of what muscle can stand," Hoffman said. "We increase it with different parameters. The intensity level goes up, distance goes up and then you introduce down-angle, then you introduce the mound slope.

"All those are variables that can change the dynamic of what kind of load it can take."

Macha said that Hoffman will probably need to throw "a couple" of minor league rehab starts and possibly a batting practice session before joining the active roster.

In the meantime, Hoffman has been with the team and watched Saturday night when his stand-in, Carlos Villanueva, blew his first save of the season when he allowed a two-run homer to Alfonso Soriano.

Hoffman, the all-time leader with 554 saves has suffered the same fate many times in his career and thinks Villanueva will be just fine.

"I sit watch his demeanor," Hoffman said. "They way he handled it was fine. He's been in that situation before. He was comfortable with the pitch. It's just one of those things that happen. He had three good outings prior to that. He was pounding the zone with strikes.

"He's going to go right after hitters and, you know what? That's the way it goes some times."

The road less traveled: Still think sportswriters have it easy? The Chicago media corps left Miller Park for home after Sunday's game, two months after pitchers and catchers first reported to the Cubs' spring camp in Phoenix. In that time, they visited five cities in all four time zones. The Cubs play their home opener this afternoon against the Colorado Rockies.

When we last saw them: A look at what a couple of former Brewers are doing shows Brian Shouse struggling so far with Tampa Bay. The lefty has allowed a run on two hits in 1.1 innings of work and has a 6.75 ERA. His teammates, Gabe Gross and Gabe Kapler, also played in Milwaukee last season. Gross is hitting .091 (1-for-11) with five strikeouts while Kapler is batting .125 (1-for-8) with a double and four strikeouts. ... Russell Branyan is off to a good start in Seattle, hitting .286 (6-for-21) with two home runs and three RBI. ... In Los Angeles, Guillermo Mota's return to the Dodgers hasn't been pretty. The right-hander has allowed three runs on two hits in three appearances and has an 11.57 ERA. He's walked four and has yet to record a strikeout. ... CC Sabathia recovered from his ugly start to the season and is now 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA and six strikeouts.

Quick hits: ESPN’s Sundaynight telecast was the first from Milwaukee since July 1997. ... Todd Coffey has yet to allow a run as a Brewer, a span of 10 innings (12 games) dating back to last September, when he was claimed off waivers from Cincinnati. ... Yovani Gallardo’s home run Wednesday was the first by a pitcher off of San Francisco’s Randy Johnson.... The Brewers became just the ninth team since 1969 -- but the second in five days -- to issue four consecutive bases-loaded walks in an inning. The Braves accomplished the same feat last Wednesday at Philadelphia. 

Injury report: Aside from the aforementioned Hoffman, the Brewers’ disabled list is empty. LHP Chris Capuano continues to rehab from his second "Tommy John" surgery in Arizona. No word yet on when he will be cleared to return to competitive action.

Rattlers report: Up in Appleton, things are going pretty well for the Brewers' Class A affiliate. The Timber Rattlers opened the season with a three-game sweep of Quad Cities, including a 10-1 victory Friday night. Six of the Brewers’ top nine draft picks from last season are with that team, including top choice Brett Lawrie, who hit his first professional home run Friday. The Timber Rattlers return to action tonight when they open a three-game series with Fort Wayne at Time Warner Cable Field.

On the farm: IF Mat Gamel is terrorizing Pacific Coast League pitching to open the season. The prospect is hitting .615 (8-for-13) with a home run, three doubles, seven RBI and owns a .667 on-base percentage.  ... Class AA Huntsville rallied from a five-run deficit to beat Mobile, 8-6, Saturday behind second baseman Shane Justis’ 2-for-4 effort that included a home run. … Rookie team Helena opens its season on June 23 against Missoula.

He said it: "I told him 'nice play, you jerk.'" -- Prince Fielder, on what he said to Reed Johnson after being robbed of a potential grand slam Sunday.

Attendance: Total -- 129,391; Average -- 43,130; Sellouts -- 2.

This week: The Cincinnati Reds come to town, with Yovani Gallardo and Edinson Volquez kicking off a three-game series tonight at Miller Park. Following a day off on Thursday, the Brewers travel to New York for three games against the Mets at brand-new Citi Field. All of those games, except for Monday and Wednesday, will be carried on FS Wisconsin with the other two broadcast locally by WMLW-TV in Milwaukee.

NL Central standings (through Sunday): 1. St. Louis, 5-1; 2, Chicago, 4-2 (- 1/2); 3, Pittsburgh, 3-3 (1 1/2); 4, Cincinnati, 2-3 (-2); 5, Milwaukee, 2-4 (-2 1/2); 6, Houston, 1-5 (-3 1/2).