RETHINKING "GLASS HALF FULL."

A year ago, I griped about Milwaukee baseball pundits accepting "being close enough" as "good enough."  "Perhaps it's time for Milwaukee area baseball pundits to rethink their "glass-half-full" when the Brewers hit the All Star break within a game of the Cubs, after giving up first place during that trip to Miami and Pittsburgh." There's nothing quite like getting within nine outs of going to the World Series to concentrate the mind.

Milwaukee's pitching staff has been the worst in the National League through the first five weeks of the season, entering Saturday ranked 15th with a 5.07 earned run average. Considering how problematic the pitching has been in general, it was a minor miracle the team was 18-16 entering the second game against the New York Mets, particularly in light of its minus-12 run differential.

The Brewers had a good start to the season, then regressed to the mean, with a schedule that has so far been full of Dodgers and Cardinals.  It's now time for the Cubs and Cardinals to have their battle of attrition.

Better, though, to be asking questions about pitching (and runners left on base in scoring position?) from the outset, rather than treating "in the hunt" as good enough.