It was another rough night at the yard this evening.  With the exception of one breathtaking swing by Rickie Weeks, the Brewers' vaunted offense was stymied by someone named Burke Badenhop and the tight defense behind him.  Florida sent the Brewers to their fifth straight loss, this one 6-2. 

  There is no hiding the fact that Milwaukee's offense is struggling mightily and the players are well aware of that fact.  While all the attention is on a lineup which just went 22 innings without scoring, the longterm worry is more on the pitching side in my opinion.  I know these guys will hit.  They will blast a lot of homeruns and run the bases well and score more than their share of runs over the full schedule.  If they cannot address their flagging OBP they will fail to realize their full potential offensively, but they will score plenty regardless.  I do not have that same confidence about the ability of the pitching staff to get the job done in the end.  The starting rotation is a real worry.  The impact of the loss of Gallardo cannot be understated.  Beyond Sheets there is a worry every night that the starter will scarcely last past the half-way point of the game whether they are throwing well or not.  The last four spots in the current rotation lack horses who can push into that last third of the game while keeping the team in the game.  Over the long haul that will likely put such pressure on the bullpen, which is a team strength, that it may turn it into a team weakness.  Hopefully some of those starters will elevate their games and will render my fears meaningless. 

  In the short-term all the conversation will continue to revolve around the slumping offense.  But if your eye is on the post-season ball, keep it focused on the starting pitching.  That is the key to the Brewers' 2008 season.