I can think of plenty of ways to analyze the outset of the beginning of the Major League season. When it comes to the Brewers and the Cubs in late March and early April, those options certainly aren't limited to being at - I think this is still right - Wrigley Field for the opening series.
Hopefully you were scoring at home during those rain delays on Monday - your card should total about an hour-and-a-half of furling/unfurling/tarp-on-the-field. The whole event raises questions over why this game was scheduled there in the first place. Just 90 miles north, the Cubs and Brewers could have played a game that would have had them forgetting they were back from Arizona.
Considering what the Brewers have showed this week, though, maybe Milwaukee fans can be a bit less upset their team is again heading back to Chicago later this month before the Cubs ever show up at Miller Park.
If Eric Gagne had not allowed a game-tying home run to Kosuke Fukudome on opening day, the first two games for the Brewers would have been picture perfect. As it stood heading into Thursday's game, the results were exactly that and the route there was close to it.
Just like in last season's opener against the Dodgers at Miller Park, Ben Sheets was overpowering in his first game. The only two hits he allowed to a dangerous - if hapless - Cubs lineup were to Fukudome. And Sheets, by all indications, is healthy, though we know his injuries can crop up at any time.
His battery mate deserves just as much mention. For the life of me, I can't understand why the Cubs did not make an effort to bring back Jason Kendall, a consummate catcher and professional. The move going from Johnny Estrada to Kendall is about as lateral as Sheets' 12-to-6 curveball, which is to say, not at all.
Already, the improvement on defense for the Brewers is noticeable. Bill Hall, the infielder-turned centerfielder-turned third baseman, has made plays in the first two games where Ryan Braun may have erred. For his part, Braun has looked passable on defense in left field.
While Mike Cameron serves out his suspension, the Brewers' platoon at that position is working early. Tony Gwynn made an opening day start and played the hero's role for Milwaukee, and Gabe Kapler, a year past his last baseball action, filled in respectably against a lefty on Wednesday.
The biggest piece of evidence for me that the Brewers are ready to take the next step and take over Central primacy is their response to the Cubs' best punch on Monday. Even though the Brewers were a better team last year, they topped the league in losing games after holding three-run-or-more leads.
After Fukudome tied the game against Gagne in the ninth with nobody out, the Brewers responded with aplomb and went on to win the next inning. That's a new concept for this team on the road. It is one that should encourage Brewer fans this season and will represent another year of improvement on an inexorable march to the playoffs.
No, you don't have to be at Wrigley Field to see that.
If you think the Brewers have a good shot of making it to the playoffs this season, e-mail Jon at bortin@wisc.edu.
