Carlos Gomez, Don't You Ever Change

Today's Brewers game against the Braves began with such promise. Carlos Gomez, coming off an MVP-caliber season, swung at the first pitch to open the bottom of the first and laced a ball down the third base line for a hit. He promptly took second on a misplay by Braves' left-fielder Justin Upton. The crowd approved but was suddenly silenced when Gomez inexplicably tried to beat a throw from left field to third base and was thrown out. That's right folks, for a team criticized the last couple of years for a preponderance of TOOTBLANs (baseball nerdery for "Thrown Out On The Bases Like A Nincompoop" -- it's a real thing -- I did not make this up), the first offensive play of the season could not have been more apt.

The excitable style of play that Gomez brings to the field is a big part of his appeal as a player. There are few players in the majors who play with such youthful abandon and seem to enjoy their job as much as he. In this case his opening day excitement got the best of him. Sure, he'll commit more TOOTBLANs than we'd like, but I'll forgive him for it because he's so much fun to watch. Don't you ever change, Carlos Gomez.