Will Milwaukee Brewers’ Kyle Lohse Start in Opening Series?

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Lohse, who just inked a three-year, $33 million deal, believes he will be ready to go during the opening series of the 2013 Major League Baseball season.

Even though Lohse just joined a professional baseball team this week, he has been working hard all offseason so he would be ready to go on Opening Day. In fact, the right-hander has already tossed 95 pitches in a simulated game this spring.

The Brewers would like nothing more than for Lohse to be ready to go on April 2. However, they will have to see how he does in an exhibition game Thursday afternoon against the Colorado Rockies before they make any major decisions. Coincidentally, if everything goes well, Lohse will be facing the Rockies again in the first series of the regular season.

Lohse will throw no more than 60 pitches in the game on Thursday, which is just enough for Milwaukee to see what he is capable of and not enough to overwork his arm. The last thing the Brewers want to do at this point is push him too far to fast just days before Opening Day.

Manager Ron Roenicke has two plans ready to be executed early next week. One is with Lohse starting the second day of the regular season, right where the team wants him in the rotation, while the other plan has him making his first appearance during the weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

With that being said, Lohse believes he is ready to tackle the regular season head-on. He understands the necessity for precaution, but he also has confidence in his preparation. Lohse has worked hard all spring just so he could fly out of the gate when the right team came along.

“Until they see it, I have to gain that confidence,” Lohse said, according to Brewers.com “My plan is to be in that first time through. I know they can get by without that, but in all honesty, I’m ready.”

I believe Lohse will blow his team away with his performance on Thursday, which will be enough to convince Roenicke to give him the start on April 2.

Michael Terrill is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelTerrill, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.