The Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers are set up to have another bad season with very few additions and lost some pretty big parts of their team. They did sign free agent starter Matt Garza to strengthen their rotation, but regardless the Brewers do not look good in 2014.

Corey Hart signed with the Mariners, so the Brewers signed Mark Reynolds as his replacement at first base. The Brewers also traded outfielder Aoki to the Royals in exchange for Wil Smith, not the actor. They still have a solid lineup, but it will have to work together to be successful in 2014. Here is how the lineup may look in 2014.

1. R. Jean Segura         SS 103 OPS++
2. S. Rickie Weeks        2B 80 OPS++
3. R. Ryan Braun           LF 134 OPS+
4. R. Carlos Gomez      CF  126 OPS+
5. R. Aramis Ramirez     3B 125 OPS+
6. R. Jonathon Lucroy     C 114 OPS+
7. R. Khris Davis          RF 153 OPS+
8. R. Mark Reynolds     1B 96 OPS+

The pitching rotation for the Brewers looks pretty decent, but compared to other powers in the NL Central they are not that good. I don't have much to say about the rotation for the Brewers, so here is how their rotation may look in 2014.

1. R. Matt Garza          106 ERA+
2. R. Kyle Lohse          117 ERA+
3. R. Yovani Gallardo     94 ERA+
4. R. Marco Estrada      102 ERA+
5. R, Tyler Thronburg   195 ERA+

After trading him last deadline the Brewers will also reunite with Francisco Rodriguez, the team he was upset to be traded to by the Mets. He will most likely be the closer as John Axford signed with the Cleveland Indians.  Jim Henderson, Michael Friers, and Will Smith all all probably be in the bullpen in 2014.

The Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers won the National League central with 96 wins in 2011. In the 2011-2012 off season it looks like The Brewers aren't even going to win the wildcard. they lost Prince fielder to free agency and Ryan Braun has to face a 50 game suspension for a failed test for performing enhancing drugs. The Brewers haven't signed any sluggers besides Aramis Ramirez so there is no one to replace Fielder.

Braun and Fielder used to be the 3-4 bunch for the Brewers combining for 231 RBI's, 71 home runs, a .406 on base percentage, and an OPS+ of 165, which is phenomenal. Now The Brewers have to play 50 games without Braun, the 2011 NL MVP and 162 games without Fielder. The Brewers didn't sign Carlos Pena as a replacement and don't seem to be in the bidding for any of the other remaining possible free agents. A trade might be brewing, but it doesn't seem likely.

The rotation for The Brewers seems pretty stable with Zack Grienke anchoring it. Grienke won 16 games with a 3.86 ERA over 171 innings. The other notable starters are Yovani Gallardo, Shaun Marcum, and Randy Wolf. These three starters combined for 619 innings and a 3.58 ERA. The Brewers have four starters with decent ERA's and can provide a sufficient amount of innings. If they do fail to pitch a decent amount of innings The Brewers have good bullpen. With Axford and Rodriguez in the back end the 8th and 9th innings are almost a given. 


Although the middle of the lineup is significantly weaker, The Brew Crew still has Rickie Weeks and they signed Aramis Ramairez. Weeks hit 20 home runs, had a .350 on base percentage and an OPS+ of 121. Rmairez hit 26 home runs, had a 361 on base percentage, and 136 OPS+. Also Corey Hart hit 26 home runs for The Brewers, but any combination of  these three players will not make up for the combination of Braun and Fielder. 


When Braun returns after his 50 game suspension, The Brewers may be able to compete with The Reds, but they will already be in a hole. with The NL West looking stronger than ever, a wild card also looks out of the equation.   

Performance enhancing drugs

If you haven't already heard the 2011 national league MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Ryan Braun claims he has never taken any performance enhancers, but the tests say he has. Not a lot of specifics have been released about the controversy yet, but i assume they will soon.

I was extremely disappointed to hear about this, because athletes who take performance enhancing drugs don't deserve the money, fame, or opportunities that they have abused. There are 25 athletes in Triple A that would love to have that position that you are taking away with your fake artificially produced talent.

Ryan Braun will have to serve a 50 game suspension, just like Manny Ramirez. I am a huge fan of the New York Yankees and I was astonished by the season Alex Rodriguez was having in 2007. When I found out he had taken steroids i was devastated. This is very similar to what Ryan Braun did to all those kids who look up to him in Milwaukee.

To discuss strategy now, the Brewers are pretty much screwed. If they don't sign Prince Fielder, which seems very unlikely, they will have lost their number three and four guys for 50 games. the N.L. central will be deprived of action without Fielder, Braun, and Pujols assuming Fielder signs with a team not in the central. I guess what the fans in the central have to look forward to is Joey Votto.