The city is in a panic. The bandwagon has a few open seats. Even non baseball fans are complaining. Just the name Gagne provokes anger, and don't even whisper anything about D-Bow, you might start a mutiny.
For the same reason there wasn't a parade down Wisconsin Avenue last year when the Brewers started 24-10, there isn't a reason to fire the manager and throw shovelfuls of dirt on the 2008 season.
For starters, the early season schedule has been brutal. Of 34 games, 21 have been on the road. They have already gone on two nine-game, three-city trips. The have already traveled to second place Chicago twice for five games. The have played first place St. Louis five times, first place Florida six times and have made the trip to New York, which has never felt like home to the Brewers.
They also have played only two games this season at full strength. Mike Cameron missed the first 25 games due to suspension. Ben Sheets missed a start and Yovani Gallardo missed his first two starts and now is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Gagne has blown five saves, and the starters other than Sheets haven't exactly been tearing it up. Both Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra have pitched like young inexperienced pitchers. They also both seem to have an invisible fence which seems to block them from pitching in the sixth inning. That alone has puts a huge strain on the bullpen.
To put things in a bit of perspective, no Brewers' starter other than Sheets has posted a win since Parra did so April 5.
Then we get to the hitting. These are the kind of struggles that get hitting coaches fired, but I have yet to see Jim Skaalen go to the plate and try to hit every pitch 500 feet. Cory Hart is the only regular hitting near .300, and this is in a lineup that has proven to be lethal.
Prince Fielder isn't going to hit .248 the whole season. Same goes for Ryan Braun at .257, Hardy at .241 and Weeks at .188. It just isn't going to happen -- this team plain and simply has too much talent to tank the entire season.
So please take you finger off of the panic button. I'd much rather have the struggles in May and get hot late, than vice versa. We already experienced that in 2007.
A few other thoughts:
I have never witnessed a player that was so loved at one point in his career and then so vengefully hated later. When the song "Fuel" by Metallica would pop on and bullpen door open the place would absolutely go nuts as Derrick Turnbow made his way to the mound. Ever since the "Bobblehead Day" blown save Turnbow has gone from hero to villain. It's not so much that he has completely lost all of his confidence, but to the extreme that fans have turned to hate. I have nothing against booing -- it shows you care, but I am against hatred. This isn't Philly.
A small lineup change is in order as well. Hardy does not fit well in the seven slot; he needs to be moved to the second spot, moving Cameron down to more of a power slot. Cameron just doesn't make enough contact to hit second. Also the experiment with the pitcher hitting eight gets old quick when you are struggling to score runs.
I understand what the numbers say. It gives you a few more runs a year and it keeps Jason Kendall from leading the league it double plays, but over 100 years of baseball can't be completely wrong.
Also to all of sabermatricians out there, it does matter where you hit in the order. Baseball is a very mental game and if you are not comfortable at the plate you aren't going to hit. Just ask the Crew right now, who looks like there trying to win the World Series with every at bat.
Lastly, Rickie Weeks has to get it going. He is batting .188 with an on base of .316. Yet he is tied for fifth in the National League with 29 runs. Imagine his run totals if he can get straightened out?
