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| 2014 Milwaukee Brewers are better than expected. Photo credit MLB |
Coming into this new season, the Brewers were far from being predicted by the national baseball media and experts as a team that could contend and be a factor in the NL Central Division race, especially a division that had three teams in the playoffs last season not to mention the defending NL Champion Cardinals.
by Michael Hanley
When you sat down and looked at this team coming into the start of this season, they had some nice players on their roster that could give them solid production. Players such as Braun, Ramirez and Overbay could provide a formidable trio in in the lineup. In the pitching department they had Gallardo as their ace and added their free agent signing of Matt Garza to compliment Gallardo at the top of their rotation. There still though were questions as to how the bullpen would one look in terms of what roles would each player be given and second how would they perform after a forgettable season last year. Also there were holes in the lineup that made allot of observers outside the organization question would Milwaukee be able to generate enough run support for their pitching staff on a regular basis. The Brewers had the look of a team that would be right in the middle of the division, not one battling for 1st place on a regular basis.
As they say, you don’t play games on paper, you play them on the field and the Brewers have been pretty special so far on the field. They are owner’s of baseball’s best record at 20-8 and possess a 5 ½ game over the Cardinals in the NL Central, by far the largest of any current division leader. Milwaukee has not reinvented the game of baseball during this hot start, they have been very efficient in every facet of the game.
As with any good team, the core of it begins with the starting rotation.The Brewers rotation has been rock solid so far as they sport a very impressive 2.29 staff ERA, easily one of the best not only in the National League but in all of baseball. Yovani Gallardo, the longtime ace of this rotation, has had a renaissance of sorts this season. He no longer is the high strikeout pitcher with a lightening quick fastball that we had grown accustomed to watching. Gallardo has made that transformation to a pitcher that now is not all about getting 10 K’s in a start, hes one that now seeks early contact from hitters, keeping his pitch count down and lengthening his starts.These adjustments have led to a 2-0 record with a 1.91 ERA in 6 starts, which represents his best start to a season in his eight year career. Kyle Lohse was coming off a respectable season posting a 13-10 record along with a 3.33 ERA in 198 innings pitched. Its not numbers that would blow you away necessarily but it was a commendable effort given that he put up those numbers on a team that finished with a 74-88 record. He has been even better so far this season, putting up a 4-1 record with a 2.70 ERA in 6 starts. His control with all his pitches has been remarkable as he has only walked 11 batters in 40 innings pitched so far this season. Lohse has continued to be a perfect compliment to Gallardo as a dynamic duo at the top of the rotation.
The big surprise of this rotation is the two pitchers who seal the back end of this rotation. Wily Peralta and Marco Estrada have emerged to be pitching more like top of the rotation type of pitchers so far. They are a combined 5-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 10 starts. Peralta is a young pitcher who has started to figure it out as he has gained more starts under his belt. Walks were a big issue for him last season as it inflated his pitch count which in turn limited his innings per each of his starts. This season though its been a different story in that category as he has only walked 7 batters in 31 ⅔ innings pitched, which is astounding for a pitcher still early in his major league career. Peralta has a very lively arm that will only continue to get improve as he maneuvers through the riggers of the season.
Marco Estrada is a more established pitcher at age 30 and his adapted to the role as the 5th starter with great results. He has given Milwaukee stability in a spot of the rotation that was a revolving door last season met with little success. He won’t blow anyone away with his velocity but he is a crafty veteran who can change speeds and pitch to contact to get hitter outs with regularity.
The only disappointment in this starting rotation is Matt Garza surprisingly enough. He has gotten out to a slow start, posting a 1-3 record with a 5.00 ERA . He has struggled with command of his pitches so far and has not been able to go very deep in any of his starts which has spelled doom for him every start out except his one win vs the lowly Cubs. The Brewers will need Garza to round into form especially as the games wear on and the game stake on higher importance, especially in division games.
Not only the starting rotation been sparkling so far, the bullpen also had help its end of the deal. The Brewers have been able to turn the ball over to the bullpen and be able to trust that they will be able to close out a game something they could not do much of at all last season. The star of this bullpen by far has been Francisco Rodriguez, better known a ” K-Rod” he has found the fountain of youth.He so far is a perfect 13 for 13 in save opportunities and has yet to give up one run in his 16 appearances.Rodriguez is pitching like he was back in his brilliant career w/ the Angels. Hitters have looked silly against him trying to read on what he could possibly be throwing a them. He has struck out 23 batters and walked only 4 so far a better than 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio which is off the charts good. Now hes bound to give up a run or two at some point this season but he is well on way to having one of his best seasons in his long and decorated career as a closer if he can keep this type of efficiency.
Brewers also have gotten sublime performances from relievers Zach Duke, Tyler Thornburg and Will Smith who all have taken to their roles brilliantly for Milwaukee.They have come in and been able to get the batters they are brought into face and be that bridge to Francisco Rodriguez that the Brewers had hoped would happen.
