It's a Sad Day When You Admit That Your Team Stinks, but the Brewers Do

I hoped I would never have to come to this conclusion, especially after their playoff berth in 2008, but the Brewers stink.

At 3-8, Milwaukee is already in the divisional cellar and searching for the light to get out but are not finding it.

I usually never admit that my team stinks, and I haven't said it about the Brewers since they really did stink, back in the early 2000's. But now I am left with no choice but to say it and not get my 2009 hopes up.

Some may argue that there is hope left, but any that is left is minute.

The pitching has been awful, but in the few instances that it has been effective, the offense hasn't been clicking. Take, for example, Saturday in Flushing, New York, against the Mets.

Yovanni Gallardo went six scoreless innings before Carlos Villanueva gave up the lone run of the ballgame in the seventh. The offense failed to score, losing by the worst of scores, 1-0.

Good teams are able to have their offense, defense, and pitching going all on one day, for at least four or five days a week. The Brew crew have not been able to do so, with only one game in which they scored five or more runs and allowed less than five runs, one game!

Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder have not been big boppers at the plate in '09. Those two are the key components to the offensive attack. Their ineffectiveness have been a big reason that the offense has been below average.

And then there is the disaster that has been Jeff Suppan. To be frank, "Soup" has been off, not on. He was supposed to be the No. 1 starter in the rotation for awhile, but has self-destructed by walking batters left and right.

To be able to compete for the Playoffs, the crew needs to reverse into a 180 degree turnaround.

The bullpen must begin to keep leads and maintain tie games to keep the team alive, the offense needs to be better late in the game, and the starting pitching needs to be able to consistently keep the team in the game.

The Brewers have been unable to do so and have shown no sign of completely turning their season around.

I hate to say it, but the Milwaukee Brewers stink.