My first thought of the morning was that it was just a dream.   It seemed to me much more plausible than the possibility that we had actually gotten swept by the Chowdas. In our very first series of the season.  That we had not only gotten swept but that we had blown a six run lead on Saturday and allowed Jacoby Ellsbury to steal home last night. Something he hasn’t done since before college.  Because — oh, I know why — nobody steals home.

But, alas, a quick look at espn.com assured me that it was not a dream.  Though, it was certainly a nightmare.

That we’ve got troubles is undeniable.  How we have so many is just the slightest bit perplexing.  Just a couple months ago weren’t we gathered round the hot stove exchanging high fives while everyone around us hurled abuse in our direction for being so insanely greedy? Isn’t the one advantage to listening to people rail on your about how you buy all the best players in baseball supposed to be that you end up with – well — the best players in baseball?

And yet here we are.  Again.

Let’s leave aside, for the moment, A.J.’s collapse. After all, he’s performed well for us, so far.  And while he may have had something of a meltdown on the mound midway through a dominant performance, I would like to think that this was more of a fluke than a sign of things to come.  It makes me feel even better to know that two hours after the game he was still too upset to have changed out of his uniform.  It makes me think he cares as much as he should.

But, notwithstanding A.J.’s performance, victory was fully within our grasp on Saturday.  So here it is – the question for which there is no answer – what gives with our bullpen? And how is it possible that we have to ask ourselves this question every season?

Our bullpen woes have, of course, been exacerbated by the fact that Bruney is on the DL.  And he’s the only guy we’ve got in there who doesn’t induce cold sweats other than Mo.  So, then the obvious answer would seem to me to be to do what I’ve been proposing all along – move Joba to relief.   Except, we can’t anymore. Because Wang’s on the DL.  Not to mention the fact that, while Sabathia hasn’t exactly been blowing it, he sure as hell isn’t blowing minds either.  So the point is, well, we’ve got troubles.

The silver lining at this point is Mark Melancon, who showed us just the dimmest little flicker of hope last night.  After a 1-2-3 seventh, he managed to work his way out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth.  With Bruney out, and until we come up with any other ideas, I say we just go ahead and give the guy a trial by fire.  Start sticking him in in the eighth on the regular and see how he fares.  (At least until Cashman calls for some reinforcements — presumably he’s on the hunt.)  Hell, anyone else got any better alternatives?

It’s true that it’s early.  And our performance now may be in no way predictive of our record when all’s said and done. Still, I reject earliness as an excuse for anything.  A game in April impacts our record every bit as much as the ones in late September.

And it’s never a good time of year to give a Chowda Head fuel for his fire.  Because the only thing a Chowda Head does worse than lose is win.