Woodruff is throwing. Stop submitting your imaginary World Series roster.
The Curds & Chaos Desk · Reported brief + original R-rated fan column · Adult language
Source brief
Reviewing the Brew’s October 14 report, citing Journal Sentinel reporter Curt Hogg, says Brandon Woodruff threw a 31-pitch bullpen at Dodger Stadium on October 13. Facing hitters could be next. A postseason return remains uncertain; no comeback or roster spot has been announced.
Read the reporting: Reviewing the Brew · reporting attributed to Curt Hogg ↗Our take · Original opinion
R-rated fan opinion: Thirty-one pitches, and Wisconsin’s volunteer roster committee has already promoted itself to the front office. Put the laminated World Series plan down, Gary. A bullpen session is encouraging. It is not a golden ticket tucked inside a bag of cheese curds.
I love the possibility of Woodruff helping this team again. Of course I do. A familiar arm working toward October availability gives you something to root for beyond the next inning. But the actual good news is progress, and progress deserves to be enjoyed at its real size. We do not need to inflate it until it blocks the garage door. My opinion: treat any possible contribution as a bonus, not the foundation of a postseason pitching plan. Build around the people who can take the ball now. If another usable option develops, fantastic. Planning around somebody whose availability is still uncertain is how your beautiful whiteboard becomes a very expensive coaster. A bullpen session and getting outs against hitters ask different questions. That distinction matters more than the emotional appeal of the name on the jersey. I want the next updates to establish what he can actually do, how consistently he can do it, and what the team thinks his role could be. The answers should come from the staff and the work, not a fan account adding six siren emojis to the word MAYBE. There is also a roster decision attached to any future return. A spot has a cost. Whoever occupies it needs a job Milwaukee can reasonably ask him to perform. This is playoff baseball, not a reunion photo where everybody squeezes in and somebody’s uncle gets cropped at the shoulder. Sentiment can ride along. It cannot fill out the lineup card. Meanwhile, let the guy work without turning every encouraging report into a countdown clock. Wisconsin fandom has a special talent for demanding patience while refreshing the same page like it owes us money. We will absolutely do that. At least understand what we are refreshing for: evidence, not permission to print commemorative bullshit. Root for the next step. Celebrate it if it happens. Keep the real game in front of you, and leave the hypothetical roster in pencil. Hope is useful. Pretending hope has already passed its physical is how the group chat ends up needing its own general manager.