Get Pissed, Joe - You Gotta Be Titsin’ Me!
Saturday, September 20th, 2008It’s really happening. Before our very eyes, the Brewers are again breaking our hearts. I kept telling myself every few days that the Brewers are going to pull out of it, but it just hasn’t happened. With only eight games left they are two games back in the Wild Card. Two games is tough to make up in a week, but I’m going to say it’s impossible for a team playing as bad as the Brewers are. I started my yearly detachment about a week ago, but it isn’t going very well. I’ve replaced my raging anger with heartbreak and despair. What’s worse is that I keep coming up with new reasons why this team is so ridiculously disappointing. Not that they are reasons not totally clear to everyone; I just haven’t thought of them because I’ve replaced my fantasies of ripping Carlos Zambrono’s head off with fantasies of kicking Corey Hart in his undoubtedly undersized, redneck package.
Let’s start with the most obvious reason I’m so disappointed: there seems to be a trend starting. The Brewers’ old trend was just sucking balls year in and year out, but we’ve been hearing hype about the Prince Fielders and Rickie Weeks and JJ Hardys for a long time. This as rightfully made our expectations grow immensely over the last handful of years, but they have yet to produce to those expectations. A couple seasons ago, coming off their first .500 season in years, the Brewers couldn’t even make it back to that mark, going 75-87. Expectations were again high last year, and everyone knows about that horrible collapse. And now this year, coming off a 20-7 August, and with a 5 1/2 game lead in the Wild Card as of September 1, they are on the verge of doing it again. I mean, it’s not 100 years, but still. Throw us a bone.
Recently the whole CC Sabathia trade has really bummed me out. The Brewers hiked their payroll to nearly $100,000 and traded away highly touted prospects Matt LaPorta and likely either Michael Brantley or Taylor Green to get CC. Really, it was a great move, and I don’t think it’s at all regrettable. CC has been the best pitcher in baseball since the move. It’s just too bad that everyone else has seemed to crumble around him. I guess the underlying point is that this year was the best opportunity to make a championship run for nearly three decades. Also, this year is arguably the best shot they’ll have for many more. (Personally, I don’t believe that argument, but we’ll just have to see)
The last main thing that’s botherng me is how much time and energy I put into this team. The Milwaukee Brewers and baseball in general may be my biggest passion in life, so I never regret it, but the disappointment kills me. How long will it be before we have to stop ripping Cubs fans for their undying commitment and take a look at ourselves in the mirror? If you answered 62 years, you’re right! It can’t ever get that bad. Can it?