That sigh of relief that you heard yesterday was from Brewers fans who found out that Ryan Braun's MRI came back clean.
In case you have missed it, Braun has been struggling with tightness in his right side. It's the same area that gave him trouble last season (the famous inter-costal injury that led to his struggled in August and September). It's the same area that flared up again in the World Baseball Classic. The same area that forced him out of an exhibition game on Wednesday.
And Wednesday was when the fun really started. A beat reporter went on the radio and said he was concerned that Braun's injury was more serious than the Brewers let on. The host on the radio show went over the deep end (it wasn't my former station), and started implying that the injury could be serious enough that Braun could miss a chunk of the 2009 season.
Now we know that the MRI is clean. Braun, according to the Brewers (who have a history of understating injuries) just needs rest and relaxation. That he just needs time before the tightness in his side goes away.
The Brewers had better be right about Braun's injury. Because the way it looks, this team will only go as far as Braun and Prince Fielder will take them.
It's a little bit different than it was last year. Sure, the Brewers needed Braun and Fielder to produce, but they had some pitching to lean on as well. You know, some guy named Sabathia.
But, he's gone, now in New York, where he'll start the season opener for the Yankees. The Opening Day starter for the Brewers? No, not Yovani Gallardo, but Jeff Suppan. Yes, you're reading correctly. Jeff Suppan. The same Jeff Suppan that was dominant against the Mets while pitching for the Cardinals in 2006. The same Jeff Suppan who hasn't looked nearly as dominant in two seasons as a member of the Brewers.
This week wasn't a good week for the youngsters, either. Both Gallardo and Manny Parra were lit up in Cactus League starts. Now I know that you can't get worked up over March starts in Arizona, but part of me wonders whether or not too much is being placed on the shoulders of the young guys. Part of me wonders whether Gallardo and Parra are ready to grab the mantle of staff leader just yet. Not that they never will. Just that it might be too early in their careers to do it.
And then there's the news that Trevor Hoffman could start the season on the DL. The same story goes for Braden Looper. On top of that, David Riske, Carlos Villanueva, and Jorge Julio have all struggled so far. Again, I realize it's March, but there are too many things that seems to be going on at the same time for me to write it off as it just being March.
The pitching is just not in good shape right now (and I say that knowing Dave Bush has had a pretty good spring). It could all turn around, and all this worrying I seem to be doing could be for nothing at all. Then again, this could also be something that could linger on for a portion of the 2009 season. It could go either way.
That's why the Brewers need Braun and Fielder to be at their best while the pitching sorts itself out. These are two guys that could carry a team. We've all seen it before. If Braun can get past his ailment (whatever it really is), then there's no reason to expect we won't see the same guy that we've seen for the last two seasons.
And, now that Fielder has his security in the form of a two year contract, maybe he can settle down. A big portion of his problems last season were the result of his trying to do too much. In simpler terms, he was swinging for the ten million dollar contract every time he stepped up to the plate. Well, now he's got a little bit of money. Let's see how he does now.
If Braun and Fielder are clicking, scoring runs shouldn't be a problem. And considering the state of the pitching staff, the Brewers will need all the runs they can get.
Listen to today's podcast for my thoughts on the Sweet Sixteen!
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