Losing games is frustrating. Losing close games in extra innings is even more frustrating. But it’s May, and we haven’t even played two complete months of baseball yet. Brewers fans need to relax.
Milwaukee lost to the San Diego Padres in extra innings for the first game of the series. For some reason, this really set off a bunch of fans on social media. Should we be ignoring these types of people? Of course. But it doesn’t mean they aren’t out there, and it doesn’t stop people from agreeing with them and helping their algorithms.
It’s totally ok to have thoughts or concerns. Last year’s offense in the playoffs was beyond disappointing. It showed that the Brewers needed more bats. They were confident in their team, and decided to bring in Hunter Renfroe and Andrew McCutchen. The Brewers also expected good offense from a full season of Willy Adames and Rowdy Tellez. Chrisitan Yelich and Keston Hiura couldn’t have had worse years. So far, Adames and Tellez have won NL Player of the Week. Yelich and Hiura are hitting better this year. Luis Urias and Tyrone Taylor are getting hot. This team has a lot of talented hitters.
The Brewers are off to one of their best starts ever. They are 26-16 as of the morning of May 24th. They are winning the NL Central and leading by two games. The Cardinals are healthy and had a great week, while the Brewers have been beating the bad teams that they should be while also having a bus full of injuries. Fans really need to stop and get some fresh air sometimes.
Nothing With Bases Loaded, Twice
Again, it is completely ok to be frustrated with the first loss to the Padres. But these games happen. San Diego is 28-14 and one of the best teams in the National League. Manny Machado is leading in like three major offensive categories. Adrian Houser and the Brewers pitching didn’t allow a hit, and he only reached base once on a walk. How strange that the haters left that part out.
The biggest complaint I saw was that the Brewers had bases loaded twice and didn’t score a run. That is completely valid. They should have definitely scored runs in those situations. No excuse. Good thing they have another 120 games to fix that. They were also missing their hottest hitter after Renfroe left the game and Adames is still hurt.
With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Tyrone Taylor tried to get one deep into the outfield but it wasn’t quite enough. At least he got it out of the infield. Jace Peterson struck out and had just an awful at-bat. That can’t happen, but is also why he is a utility bench player and not an everyday starter with a healthy team. Then Kolten Wong got unlucky after hitting it right up the middle. Jake Cronenworth made an amazing play that could have been two runs.
Then more bad luck in extras. Luis Urias’s hit really should have been able to bring Wong home. Then Yelich walked. McCutchen’s double play absolutely hurt, but again was mostly bad luck in positioning and where it went more than anything. Rowdy grounded out to end it. Fans have every right to be frustrated, but have to understand these things happen.
Losing an extra innings game to another great National League team will happen. I saw the comment that this series matters because they need to take the season series over the Padres to get the two seed in the playoffs. No they don’t. It’s May. You know who wins in October? The team that is playing the best. The Braves were the lower seed last year in most series. Your favorite team can win 100 games a season and have a $300MM payroll and still not win the World Series. If that was the case, the Dodgers and Yankees would win every year.
They don’t, it’s the hottest team that usually wins. You can’t claim the Brewers offense will be bad in October in May. It’s impossible. I keep seeing “The Brewers haven’t won a series against a winning team yet!” Well genius, they haven’t lost one yet either. It’s almost they are playing the schedule they were given and don’t get to pick their daily opponents!
The Brewers Are Injured
You can claim it’s an excuse all you want, but this Milwaukee Brewers team is hurting. Luis Urias was finally able to come back, and then the injury bug hit the rest of the team.
Jake Cousins could be lost for the season. He was becoming a key piece in the bullpen. Willy Adames is still on the injured list. You lost your starting shortstop and a hot bat. Josh Hader was unable to make the trip due to family health issues. Freddy Peralta just joined the injured list with a shoulder problem and might be gone until after the All-Star Game.
Then last night, Hunter Renfroe goes down with a hamstring issue. He gets an MRI today, and who knows how long he will be out. So the Brewers just lost their hottest hitter. The team will do their best and still win games, but you can’t expect perfection from a team with this many losses to injury.
People should be happy it’s this early in the season. We still have until early August before the trade deadline hits. The Brewers have players like Brice Turang and Corey Ray who could be called up and surprise people. People were baffled when David Stearns traded for Adames and Tellez last year, and look how that turned out. Milwaukee has plenty of time to find a few hitters and another outfielder if needed.
The Brewers will finish three games against the Padres, and then have to go to St. Louis and face the Cardinals for four. We have to be prepared that it might be a rough road trip. If they can go 3-4 it would be great. When you are down your shortstop, right fielder, All-Star starting pitcher and the best reliever in baseball, it’s not going to be an easy road ahead.
Tough Road Ahead
We have to be prepared to possibly be second in the NL Central after Memorial Day, and we need to stop the constant whining. If you see the haters, be a better person than me and ignore them. If you don’t engage, they usually give up because they aren’t getting the attention they want.
It’s hard to ignore the hate, because they are annoying. Just remember they aren’t real fans or know anything about baseball. Losing the next two series to the Padres and Cardinals isn’t the end of the world. If Peralta and Renfroe are gone for a long time and the team can’t hit or make any moves, then yes it’s time to get a tiny bit worried.
But please stop posting every thought in your head, especially the negative ones. Start a group text with your friends. If you don’t have friends, please make some to improve your mental health. Social media is not the place to post every negative thought or feeling. Especially when it comes to the Brewers.
This is a good team and they will continue to be good. There is time to fix this offense, and still plenty of time to add pieces or call up young talent. Being only negative about it does nothing. And spoiler alert, we might lose this week again. So please prepare yourself. It happens a lot in baseball. Every MLB season has 162 games.
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