Game Eight: Cubs 6, Brewers 3

Box Score

I'll start by being is optimistic as possible.

The success of the Brewers' 2013 campaign hinges on several 50/50 propositions going the right way. One of them is Wily Peralta being a viable starting pitcher. He rebounded nicely from an ineffective start against the Rockies to generally stifle the Cubs for 6.2 innings. At the very least he's going to have to consistently shut down inferior opponents, so tonight was an encouraging sign.

Another 50/50 proposition is the play of Jean Segura. He's off to a fantastic start to the season at the plate, batting .454 in 24 ABs. That pace will not not last, but after hitting .313 in 1570 minor league ABs and a respectable .264 in limited major league action last season I'm feeling confident he'll be a regular contributor to the offense.

The last bit of optimism I can offer is that Ryan Braun is a raking machine. It's just a matter of him staying on the field for one reason or another. And now for some realistic discussion.

Until the bullpen gets straightened out his team will not consistently win games. Three runs is generally not enough to win a major league game, but tonight it was good enough to have a lead going into the 7th. At some point you just need to be able to send some relievers out there to nail it down for multiple innings. Like the 2012 team, the Brewers simply cannot hold a lead and in the rare event they do its in the most agonizing fashion imaginable. Sadly, it's not going to get better unless it gets better. There is no regression to the mean on the horizon or immediate help in AAA to save the day. The best hope is for the starters to pitch deeper into games and increase the odds of bullpen Russian Roulette.

All things considered the Cubs are a terrible team. One with a better record than the Brewers, but a terrible team nonetheless. Tomorrow it's Kyle Lohse versus the hittable Scott Feldman. This is a game the Crew should win and it's quite necessary the do so. I can live following a bad team, just not one that's hopelessly out of contention this early. There's a big difference between 2-7 and 3-6. Based on how things are going that two game swing would feel like twenty.