Issues, issues and more issues (most not good)

Let’s start with the major one that is on everyone’s mind; is Ryan Braun healthy?  The obvious (and scary) answer is NO.  For those who need to play catchup, he was injured in the World Baseball Classic and missed a game with tightness on his right side.  It is rather obvious that this is quite similar to the injury he had at the end of last year when he struggled through September and hit .208 with 3HR and 11RBI.  Braun said that this injury was no big deal, yet today he exited the game with stiffness on his right side again.  This is something that the club has to be concerned with.  Braunie needs to be shut down now, get treatment and hopefully be ready for the season opener.  You can make a very good argument that Braun is the most important player on this team.  The Brewers can not afford to be without him for any length of time.  Get healthy sooner rather than later Braunie.

Next, David Riske can not, I repeat can not be kept on the opening day roster.  You don’t believe me, look up his horrid spring stats (I have a link to the brewers homepage on the sidebar).  Today he gave up 1Er in 1 1/3 innnings and his ERA actually went down!  He also had 3 inherited runs today.  One word for Riske, AWFUL!  He is starting to make the Suppan contract look good and you all know how I feel about that.  The Mustache and Macha have to realize this.

Along with this comes the bullpen as a whole.  The poll I have listed below this looks now like the least of our issues.  Stetter and Coffey are probably the only ones throwing the ball well right now.  Trevor was until he got hit by the injury bug, but that doesn’t matter much now.  Everyone has been worrying about the rotation, maybe we should have been focusing on the bullpen.

Lastly, the Jake Peavy rumors have returned.  Do we want Peavy?  Here are my thoughts.  Peavy is a great pitcher, no one will deny that.  However, I don’t think I am a fan of this.  Peavy has a big contract that would come along with him.  More importantly, Peavy is a “maximum effort” pitcher, I mean on every pitch his veins are popping out of his head and he grunts.  He looks like he is trying to throw 95.  Compare this to C.C. and Yovani who appear like they are throwing the ball effortlessly and the ball pops out of thier hand and they hit 95 on the radar gun.  The point I’m getting at is in my mind Peavy is an arm injury waiting to happen.  Wouldn’t you know it, he is coming off an arm injury that shut him down last season.  I think it is too risky to pickup a guy like Peavy coming off an injury, with a big contract and remember the Brewers are going to give up some good prospects in return.

Casey McGehee (pronounced McGee) HAS TO MAKE THIS CLUB.

This has gotten way too long.  I’m done.