Do Chicago Bears have what it takes in NFC North?

Some of you may have just read my NFL season preview blog. If you haven't check it out, I'll wait. Ok, now we can begin. It's time to take a look at my Chicago Bears' NFL season and why I think they have a shot to be where I predicted them to go where I did in that post.

As the photo shows Brian Urlacher at the top of the post, his presence is paramount on success on the defensive side of the ball this season. He missed all of the preseason after having his knee scoped, but has practiced all week leading up to Sunday's season opener against the Colts and should be ready to go. As good as Julius Peppers, Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman are around him on defense, the unit is not nearly as good without him on the field, he is that type of player. And with the expectations surrounding this team from Bourbonnais to Lake Forest and Halas Hall, he will be the difference on a defensive unit that looks to continue its pace of ball hawking like it had last year (11 fumbles recovered, 20 interceptions). Throw in the fact the NFC North includes the likes of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers along with Matt Stafford and the Lions and a defense that can keep you in games against those high-octane attacks is vital.

As good as the defense has been over the years, last year showed the importance of an offense for this team. Matt Forte has gotten paid, but the two biggest playmakers on this offense will be Jay Cutler and his reuniting with Brandon Marshall. When theses two were together in Denver, they were special and could be a great duo again this season. The Bears do have weapons around the offense, starting with Forte. But Devin Hester on the outside on the other side of the field and put rookie Alshon Jeffery in the slot and defenses will have nightmares figuring out what to defend. Marshall has shown throughout the preseason he is the true No. 1 receiver the Bears had been lacking over the years. The thought of what he can bring to the field, with Cutler no less, can be special.

Speaking of Cutler, his absence started the tailspin. The Bears are 18-10 in his three seasons when he is the quarterback. The Bears have gone out and gotten him weapons in Marshall and Jefferey to go with Hester and the resigned Forte. The key is going to be keeping him upright. The offensive line has been a question mark for the last few seasons and is again this year, especially on Cutler's backside. It was a point of emphasis in training camp and the preseason and will be tested in Week 1 against the Colts. If Dwight Freeney is kept in check, it will be a positive sign going forward.

As for Forte, I wouldn't expect him to have as robust rushing numbers as he has had in the past, but his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield will add to the passing game. Plus, the addition of Michael Bush, while it makes the team better, may hurt Forte's numbers. Either way, I'm not worried. As long as he stays healthy and is around in December, this team should be in the hunt for a playoff spot.

All that together has expectations high at Halas Hall. And with the window closing on the stars of this defense, things have to happen now to get back to where this team was in 2005. They have the pieces, now they just need a couple breaks.

Time for my Week 1 picks. Don't forget to join the Wilber's Way Pick 'Em league to go against me!
Cowboys at Giants
Colts at Bears
Eagles at Browns
Rams at Lions
Patriots at Titans
Falcons at Chiefs
Jaguars at Vikings
Redskins at Saints
Bills at Jets
Dolphins at Texans
49ers at Packers
Seahawks at Cardinals
Panthers at Bucs
Steelers at Broncos
Bengals at Ravens
Chargers at Raiders

Time to look into my NFL crystal ball

Every pundit seems to have a soap box for which to make their NFL predictions, which usually fall flat, and I figure, hell, I have the platform to do so, so why not make my motives known on how I think things will unfold this season in the greatest professional sports league in the world, the National Football League. Let's go conference-by-conference, then to the playoffs. I'd say cue up Hank Williams, Jr., but he doesn't do that anymore. Anyway, here goes.....

We'll head first to the AFC, where the talk all preseason has been about the Houston Texans. They have a stellar defense that put the offense on its back and carried it into the divisional round of the playoffs last season, so that makes sense. I have a couple question marks about their offense, mainly injury concerns, but feel the defense, if it can fill the hole left by the departure of Mario Williams (J.J. Watt time!), then they could be in a great position to have the No. 1 seed when all is said and done. Winning the South won't be a question, but getting that top spot could be. Andrew Luck will surprise some with how well he will play this year, but he will still make the "rookie" mistakes to put his team on the outside looking in.

Another sexy pick this offseason and preseason has been the Kansas City Chiefs and, I can see why with the team getting healthy, but now that everyone has sold out on the San Diego Chargers, I get the sense this would be the season they would put something together and shock us all and do something special. That's my longshot pick. Otherwise Romeo Crennel has the horses on defense - they kept the Chiefs in games last year when they had literally no offense to speak of - and a healthy Matt Cassel to win the West. And then there's that Peyton Manning guy joining the Broncos. With a defense that made Tim Tebow look good, seeing Peyton do anything but win is hard for me to imagine.

In the North, the Steelers and Ravens have been the class of the division for years, but the Bengals came out of nowhere last year and gave the division three teams in the playoffs. Things could be close again this year, but the rest of the conference has gotten stronger, so I'm giving the division to Pittsburgh and thinking the Ravens could get a Wild Card spot.

In the East, New England is hands down the best team, but seeing what Buffalo did this offseason to bolster its defense has to make one think about the possibilities of the Bills getting back to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. Could this be the year? Not for a division title, but a Wild Card, yes. The Patriots are still too good, despite not having a running game (that Tom Brady guy is pretty good).


And now the Playoffs...
AFC Wild Card
Steelers over Chiefs
Broncos over Ravens

AFC Divisional
Texans over Steelers
Broncos over Patriots

AFC Championship
Texans over Broncos


Now to the NFC....
The NFC East is up for grabs this year as no one can seem to agree on who will emerge (everyone, but the Redskins gets a steady mention as a favorite). For me, Michael Vick doesn't stay healthy enough to lead the Eagles, and if one game is any indication, the Giants will have a hard time running the ball again this season. That makes me think this could finally be Tony Romo's year to get the Cowboys into the playoffs with a division crown.

In the South, the Saints will get a fight from the Panthers and a bigger one from the Falcons, but they still have the gunslinger in Drew Brees to lead this team, with our without a bounty system, to a division title. The Falcons may be good enough to get one of the Wild Card spots, but it's going to be close with the number of good teams in the NFC North.

Speaking of the North, this could be the best division in football this year with three teams that have a legit shot to not only win the division, but earn the No. 1 seed if things fall right. That said, even with my allegiances, the Packers have the passing game to light up the scoreboard and carry their defense to another playoff berth. Will they win the division? That all may hinge on the ability of the Chicago Bears offensive line to keep Jay Cutler upright and able to throw to his now stellar receiving core led by Brandon Marshall. Detroit can be a party spoiler, but needs to put it together on defense against both the Bears and Packers strong passing attacks.

In the West, San Francisco was the surprise of the season. This year, the 49ers will not surprise anyone and STILL get the job done with their gritty defense and a Randy Moss who has something to prove and will provide a great compliment to an offense with some already solid weapons. The Seahawks may be the surprise of this year's season, but Russell Wilson might not be enough to get them into the playoffs.

Here's the playoff breakdown
NFC Wild Card
Bears over 49ers
Saints over Falcons

NFC Divisional
Bears over Cowboys
Saints over Packers

NFC Championship
Bears over Saints

SUPER BOWL XLVII
Bears over Texans
OK, so maybe a little crazy. Maybe I'm just wishing this, but the Bears have the weapons in place and I'll break them down in the next couple days to get a look at what needs to happen to get them to this point.

Move to first base great for Hart, Brewers

For a team well out of playoff contention, there has been a lot of off-the-field Brewers news this week. The latest being Randy Wolf's dismissal this morning, but that wasn't the biggest news to hit Brewers Nation, at least to this citizen. That news came in the form of Corey Hart advising his agent to inform the Brewers he was up to a permanent move to first base to help with contract negotiations.

As Adam McCalvy wrote on Brewers.com Tuesday night, the move for Hart is both for him on the field and for his family, who like it in town. As for Hart at first base, manager Ron Roenicke has already gone on record saying he wants Hart to stay at first beyond this season. With his contract running through the 2013 season, an extension could be in the talks and that is what Hart is hoping for.

The question then becomes would an extension make sense for the Brewers? Beyond being Ryan Braun's best friend on the team (that may play a part, as keeping the cornerstone of the franchise happy is important), Hart has excelled moving back to the position he was drafted at out of high school in 2000. He has played 71 games at first base this season and 51 in right field, but the numbers aren't much different beyond that. Moving positions hasn't hurt his batting average (he's actually hitting 10 points higher when he plays first), in fact since settling in it has gone up as he's hitting .297 since the All-Star Break and he has taken the time to focus on the defense which has shown as he has been stellar in that regard.

The move to first would also free up a regular spot for Norchika Aoki to start in right field and open the door for Carlos Gomez to cement his spot as the every day starter in center, or at least keep a platoon roll going. Despite Mat Gamel doing everything right up until he got injured in that freak accident in San Diego, Hart has played well enough to bump him from the spot at first meaning Gamel is left in a utility infielder role. With the injuries piling up early in the season, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a backup plan on standby.

Maybe the biggest question of the whole discussion would be whether Hart deserves Andre Ethier money. According to Baseball Reference, Ethier is signed through 2017 after signing a 6-year $95.95 million deal with a $17.5 million vesting option for 2018. The numbers are similar for both in terms of first basemen. Now, Hart is not in line to get Prince Fielder numbers, but it wouldn't be out of the question to see Hart get a similar deal to Ethier. What Hart is behind in 10 points in batting average, he makes up for in RBIs and home runs when comparing the two. As a guy hitting in the No. 5 spot in the Brewers lineup, those are numbers you'd like him to continue to hold where he has over the last couple years. Whether or not the Brewers could afford that price is another thing. With Braun's salary continuing to rise and Yovani Gallardo's climbing salary as part of his extension might make it tough.

If anyone is going to stand on top of a mountain and welcome Hart to Milwaukee for the long term it is going to be me. At the end of the day, it comes down to how much Mark Attanasio wants to open up the check book and pay the home grown core General Manager Doug Melvin has built with this team.

Cuba City is Petitgoue as much as Petitgoue is Cuba City

I don't usually let my prep sports writing cross over to my blog, but I feel the need to make a post today simply for the magnitude of the developing story in my hometown. Most people outside of high school sports in Wisconsin have never even heard of it. In just the size of 2,000 people, it's not on any map other than the Wisconsin one.

Saturday was an emotional day for the 2,000 people that lived in Cuba City, not just because of the boys' loss in the WIAA Division 4 state championship game, but because one of the men that arguably put the city on the map may be retiring after a remarkable 45-year reign. He has seen 820 victories to just 200 defeats. Countless conference championships and three state titles. He is to the town what the Packers are to Green Bay.

It doesn't take much to read body language when the team was presented with the silver trophy for losing in the state title game. Clearly it was disappointing to not come out on top (the other team played great and earned the win), but knowing the signifcance of the game beyond just winning and losing Petitgoue showed some of what was going through his mind and a decision that will be made today (Sunday) and be passed on to school administrators Monday morning at 9.

Even more proof was the emotion that came out in the postgame press conference. He didn't give away his decision after the game, but it's clear, the 71-year-old winningest coach in state history knows the decision will be tough. Hell, I got swelled up watching a man I've looked up to as far back as I can remember because of his knowledge of the game and, more recently, as a coach in my circles of covering sports in this great state. Just watch...





Growing up there (I spent 21 of my first 21 years living in Cuba City) it is the typical small town. Well, except for one difference. Every kid's Saturday mornings are pretty much reserved for basketball after they start kindergarten and everyone knows who Jerry Petitgoue is. Once you get old enough to start playing organized games (starting in about third grade) you realize why you know Coach Petitgoue (and Jeff Pustina, the girls coach). I never had the chance to play varsity high school basketball for Jerry, I had two points in my junior varsity career, but with a goal of being a sports writer since the third grade he had an influence on me.

Basketball is engrained in the DNA of the schools. That success rubs off on the other sports because of the small-town nature where kids play multiple sports, but at the end of the day hoops is king.What other high school do you know where you can purchase a reserved ticket package to the home games? It's a product of what both programs have been able to do consistently over the years.

Looking around the Kohl Center Thursday and Saturday at the great number of people who attended the games (Saturday had to have close to 1,000 fans, plus students) it wasn't just parents and people who lived in town at the game. I haven't lived there in seven years and I made the trek to Madison for the games.

Coach Petitgoue's reach goes beyond sports, especially for anyone who has ever called Cuba City home. I think back to a time just a couple years ago when I was covering a game in Darlington. It was the season finale for the conference title. The Cubans, with now UW-Milwaukee standout Evan Richard, fell and I was doing interviews with Darlington players and coaches on earning a share of the conference title. I turn around and the Cuba City team is long gone. A simple phone call to his house that night led to a 20-minute interview and conversation about the game, his team and the playoffs, starting the next week. He came on with an "Oh hey, Wilber" because he knew me, but was ultra professional with media and would talk to anyone, usually saying he just hoped the team could win the next game and finish .500 (which he knew they could).

With what he has established in Cuba City, there will surely be success there for years after he has stepped down as coach. The end of an era may be upon us and sometimes it is hard to let go of, especially when he just lead a team to the state championship game. What he has meant to the town and the state's basketball tradition cannot be quantified. There will never be another like him.

Braun's sincerity shines through for him and Brewers Nation

Ryan Braun showed passion, sincerity and a touch of emotion we aren't used to seeing from the Brewers left fielder Friday afternoon at Maryvale Baseball Park. All the more reason for not only Brewers fans, but baseball fans across the country.

I'm not going to go over the entire statement, but there were parts where the words and body language Braun displayed made him very believable with what he was saying. This was the NL MVP out of the element by which I know him by and he did himself so well on the mic. If you were one of the haters he mentioned during the statement, you had to take notice and eat some crow (that Aaron Rodgers talked about Thursday night on Twitter).

The line that stands out the most to me came quickly as Braun got to the point. (Transcript)

"If I had done this intentionally or unintentionally, I’d be the first one to step up and say, ‘I did it.’ By no means am I perfect, but if I’ve ever made any mistakes in my life I’ve taken responsibility for my actions. I truly believe in my heart, and I would bet my life, that this substance never entered my body at any point."

The emotion in the man's voice when he said those words gripped me. Watching this unfold, beyond me being a huge Brewers fan, I could not help but believe the words he was saying.

Just moments later, he took aim at some of the haters and rumors...

"Despite the fact there have been many inaccurate, erroneous and completely fabricated stories regarding this issue, I’ve maintained the integrity of the confidentiality of the process. There’s never been a personal medical issue, I’ve never had an STD. Many of the stories that were erroneously reported by the initial network continue to live on, and it’s sad and disappointing that this has become a PR battle and that people continue to leak information that’s inaccurate."

Have to love him putting the four-letter network on notice and dispute the STD rumor that circulated all over Twitter and Facebook in the last three months. With all the details Braun gave out on the entire process, I'd say he did quite well for himself in trying to get back his good name today.

There were times I looked to notes to guide him through what he wanted to say, but there were others where he ditched the sheet and spoke from the heart. That's very endearing to a public that will break down his every move throughout the season. Like he said, there will always be doubters.

The last line he delivered may have set the tone for the next step in the process for Braun.

I’ll try to answer all of your questions, but please respect the fact that I can’t get into many details of the process because it’s supposed to be confidential, and because of potential ongoing litigations and the fact that I am considering all my legal options. There may be some questions I can’t answer."

So we got a lot of details, but still don't know what was in the test. Either way, the Brewers have their MVP ready for the season. As great as I thought he was before, after today and the way he handled this turmoil, he has even more respect from me. It's something one can take into their own lives. That is what we take from our sports heroes isn't it?

Which Brewers starting pitcher has most to prove in 2012?

With Monday being the first official workout for Brewers pitchers and catchers at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix, it's time to start thinking baseball. More specifically, I really wanted to take a closer look at the starting pitchers on the Brewers staff in this post. As I talked in a post last month, all five starters return from last season. Usually with everyone back complacency could be a factor in performance this season. But with this group, all five have something to prove. With the status of Ryan Braun up in the air, the team will lean on the pitching staff to carry them through the time he is out.

We'll start with the man that proved he was the ace last season, Yovani Gallardo (Baseball reference stats). He was the man that the team turned to in the playoffs to get big wins and throughout the regular season was a horse, winning a career high 17 games and was the first Brewers pitcher to strike out 200 batters in three consecutive seasons in team history. His 3.52 ERA was a career high for a full season. Most importantly, he walked just 59 batters, or just 2.6 per nine innings. That's a full one batter less than his previous best set in 2010. The big number for Gallardo, and this is what he has to prove is the 207 innings he threw last season, plus the 26 innings he threw in 12 days in the playoffs.. That's 44 1/3 innings more than his previous high for a season. Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci has come up with the "Verducci Effect" which tracks the jumps in innings a pitcher makes from year to year. Anything over 30 for a 25-and-under hurler has a good chance of resulting in injury or regression the following season. So, he's got that and a season to show that he is in fact the true ace of the staff this season.

After Gallardo, Zack Greinke proved himself last year, after getting the ire of fans with his basketball injury during spring training. After missing all of Spring Training Greinke took only three starts in the minors before he made his Brewers debut May 4. While the Brewers played well behind him when he took the mound, his performances were lackluster at times. The Brewers went 10-5 in his first 15 starts (he went 7-4), but his 4.84 ERA was not Greinke-like (Game logs). His strikeouts were there, but he'd get wreckless at times. The second half of the season was where Greinke turned the corner and showed why he has a Cy Young award in his trophy case. From July 27 on, Greinke was 9-2, leading the Brewers to an 11-2 record during that stretch. He posted a 2.77 ERA, struck out 87 while walking just 27 (Game Logs). Those were the numbers fans were expecting out of the gate. This season, he's got to make it through the spring and then start the season with the same effort he finished last season with. If he does that, he will push Gallardo and have a shot to win an NL Cy Young. Oh, and how can I forget he is a free agent after this season. So he's auditioning for a possible contract. Now, the Brewers are rumored to want a deal with him and it sounds like something he would welcome. We shall see how that pans out.

Shaun Marcum is the middle man in the starting rotation and could take the cake as the most interesting and maybe the one with the most to prove. I can't remember a guy having a regular season like him and then tanking that bad. He pitched just 9.2 postseason innings and allowed 17 hits and 16 runs, all earned, during that time. Yeah, it was bad. That makes what he did during the regular season seem out of place. It was rather stellar. He went 13-7 and posted a 3.54 ERA which was .02 behind Gallardo as the best of the staff (Game Logs). His 200.2 innings were a career high. But, when it comes down to it, the awful outings he had in Phoenix in the NLDS and the two outings in the NLCS against the Cardinals are the black eye on his 2011 season. Like it or not, that's how it is. Add to the fact that he's also a free agent adds to the mix where other teams will be keeping an eye on him. When it comes to the Brewers signing him, I really only see them signing either he or Greinke. Not both.

Randy Wolf was as consistent a No. 4 starter last season as there was in the Majors. He hadhttp://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2149688284499501924#editor/target=post;postID=7026812923272109016 the most innings during the regular season with 212.1 innings pitched and his 3.69 ERA is the fourth lowest of his 12-year Major League career. He struck out 134 hitters while walking 66, but allowed just 214 hits for the regular season (Game Logs). Those numbers aren't jump-off-the-page great, but they are pretty good. During the Brewers run last season when they took over the NL Central, Wolf was the focal point. He won five straight decisions in late July into early August. He was the tough-luck loser last season at times, losing five games on the season when he allowed three runs or less. What does Wolf have to prove? He too is a free agent after this season. It seems unlikely the team will resign him as he will be 35 this season. Last season he was the pitcher they wanted when they signed him prior to the 2009 season.

Chris Narveson is back to close out the rotation and after listening to a discussion on ESPN Radio in Milwaukee Monday, one would think he would be the guy that could become complacent. But Drew Olson doesn't see that happening with him. I say he has something to prove because the pitching staff for 2013 is going to be retooled and if he wants to be a part of it and move up from the No. 5 slot, he'll have to work at it. At one point in 2011 Narveson was 2-4 through May with a 4.68 ERA. Once the calendar turned to June, Narvey turned it on. He went 9-4 the rest of the way with a 4.32 ERA (Game Logs). That's about what you would want out of your No. 5 guy.

So, after all that, it seems pretty clear who the guy with the most to prove is. That's Marcum. The postseason can define guys. If there were ever a reason people, or fans, can point to and say "That's why the team didn't go to the World Series," it's him. The biggest way to make us as fans forget about that is to have the same regular season he had last year. General Managers across the Majors will also have to say he is the most interesting because he was an innings hog last year. It was a personal high for him, but it showed the elbow had healed after his Tommy John Surgery. If he backs that up again and something can't be worked out to stay in Milwaukee, a big deal awaits him next season.

What do you think? Comment and let me know!

Top five Brewers storylines heading into Spring Training 2012

With the sendoff of the semi full of equipment from Miller Park Thursday, the countdown to Spring Training is officially on. Yes, pitchers and catchers report to Maryvale Baseball Park outside Phoenix in nine days! That has me already crafting up the five biggest storylines to follow throughout camp. Let's jump right into it.

5. Injuries. The overwhelming story after the first few days of Spring Training last year was Zack Greinke's basketball injury. The team cannot afford a distraction or an injury like that in this camp with the Ryan Braun situation already looming large on what will happen. Rickie Weeks is coming back from an injury at the end of last season. I know he came back to play in the playoffs, but really wasn't the same player he was before the injury. If something were to happen to Greinke or any of the five returning starting pitchers, things could go a little sideways in Maryvale and beyond. I know every teams needs to avoid the injury bug, but I would have to say the margin for error for this team is quite slim already before injuries.

4. The starting rotation and the back end of the bullpen are established even before the guys even start heading towards the dessert, but the middle of the bullpen is still up in the air. As I wrote a couple weeks back, that's where there would be openings to guys to make the roster. Manny Parra is back from injury. Zach Braddock hopes to have figured things out with his sleep disorder. Beyond those two, it's anyone's guess who will emerge and close out the sixth and seventh spots in the bullpen. As a fan, this is one of those things that will only be read about in the box scores because if you watch or pay attention to every inning of every single one of these games, you probably will lose your mind in boredom.

3. Whether or not the Brewers fess up that signing Nori Aoki was an insurance policy for a possible Ryan Braun suspension is one thing, having Aoki shine during the spring will give hope that the team won't fall on its face if the MVP is suspended for the first 50 games. Aoki has been a batting champ in Japan, so he can hit. But can he hit MLB pitching? Can he make it in left field? Those are the questions surrounding him and should be something that has to be watched through the spring as a whole not just a handful of games.

2. Mat Gamel has to show the coaching staff and all of us in Brewer Nation he is ready to take the next step and be the everyday first baseman for this team. It should be noted he is out of Minor League options, so he will have to make the big league roster or it's up in the air where he'll end up this season. Judging by what he did not at first base in the field and more significantly at the plate, Gamel has come into his own. If he gets cconsistent at-bats this spring he should set himself up to get those at-bats during the season, too, which will only better his chances to avoid being platooned with Corey Hart at first.

1. The Ryan Braun Situation might be the biggest story in all of baseball that will develop between now and the nine days leading into Spring Training. News broke today the arbitrator does not have to deliver the verdict on Braun's appeal by Monday. If it doesn't come down by then, it should still be out by next Saturday before the Brewers officially open camp. Regardless of the outcome, Braun will be at camp and ready to follow up his MVP season.

There they are. Of course, seeing how Alex Gonzalez and Aramis Ramirez take to the Brewers and the surroundings here will be something to watch, but it's one of those things that will get worked out as the spring unfolds.

Did I miss one? Hit me up with some comments!

Latest coaching hire shows Bears new regime gets it

The moves started the day after the final game of the regular season at Halas Hall with the Chicago Bears. Within the first week General Manager Jerry Angelo and Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz were out and change was in the air.

It started with the hiring of Phil Emery as the new GM, who is known by his peers as the "hardest worker in the room." Then the promotion of Mike Tice to offensive coordinator gave a sign the run game would be a focal point for a team with a back the likes of Matt Forte toting the rock.

Now, with Tuesday's announcement of Jeremy Bates as the new quarterbacks coach, the same man who held the same job in Jay Cutler's final two years in Denver, the direction of the team is very clear. That direction, which lacked a little with Angelo at the helm, now revolves clearly around Cutler and rightfully so. With an aging defense, the offense is clearly what needs to carry the team and has the most room for growth.

In an article today in the Chicago Tribune, Steve Rosenbloom rips the Bears for the lack of of No. 1 receiver. Well, if we can tell anything in the first month or at least weeks of the Emery era at Halas Hall, that will likely be priority No. 2 this offseason. The first, of course will be figuring out which way to go with Matt Forte. He will most certainly be a Bear next season, but the question will be whether or not he will be franchise tagged.

I like the direction things are going. I know it's in the early stages, but making Cutler happy has to be paramount and most tied to the team's success. If you doubt that, remind me again how the last month and a half went in the regular season. He has his guy on board that will keep him comfortable and grounded. In the two years with Martz calling the shots for the offense, it seemed at the start of both seasons the Mad Scientist wanted to do it his way before he had to be wrangled in and shown which way to go with things. I don't see that happening with Tice and Bates leading Cutler and the offense.

What moves will the Bears make this offseason in the first year of the Emery Era? Time will tell, but know that it will be much more thought out and much better for the team than what we saw in the Angelo Era.

Nothing but love as Bill Hall signs with Yankees

His bobble ranks as one of the favorites in my vast collection. He is the man that made magic with that pink bat on Mother's Day a few years back. Bill Hall (He's still Billy Hero in the 223) signed with the Yankees today and after I got through making jokes about Mr. Hall to my favorite Yankees fan (Vaughan is also a fan of the champion G-Men), I am really happy for him.

Now don't get me wrong, I would not have wanted him on the Brewers and before you jump on me for that, hear me out. Since he hit 35 home runs and drove in 83 and had a .271 batting average in 2006, a year after he hit .291, the man hasn't done much of anything at the plate. Now maybe the Brewers are to blame after moving him all over the diamond defensively, but for the money they paid him it didn't work out. He is a .248 lifetime hitter, but hit .211 last season in 199 plate appearances in 61 games before the Giants sent him packing.

Playing in 120 games in 2010 with Boston he hit .247, so maybe there's hope for a guy to come in making $600,000 and make a difference. Baseball history is littered with guys that have struggled and reinvented themselves and had a second wind in their career. It certainly makes it hard for teams to cut a guy when he can play eight of nine positions on the field. For Hall, that counts the pitcher and not the catcher. But when he was called on to be a starter and play one spot in Houston he couldn't hack it any more.

With the Yankees he'll be an invite to spring training and will have no pressure to make the team. I have followed Bill's career and he has a good shot to make the team. If he's called upon to do more than be a bench guy, he will likely struggle. It will be interesting to see how long he lasts with the Yankees. All the fans on Twitter saying he will bring them closer to a title are crazy off a Super Bowl win. He is a great guy, but will not be the piece that puts them over the top. Get real now.

Yes, Bill Hall, I paid $40 and traded a regular bobble for you pink bat bobble and even have your jersey T, but I'm glad you are not a Brewer. Have fun spending time in the Bronx and getting the farewell gift bag set up for Derek Jeter's one-nigh stands. I'll enjoy watching you play ball this season (outside of Milwaukee).

With Braun out T Plush should steal show at Brewers On Deck

When Brewers owner Mark Attanasio announced Wednesday National League MVP Ryan Braun would not be at this weekend's Brewers On Deck event, many fans were upset. I can see a little disappointed, but upset? Come on folks. It only makes sense.

All is not lost in the event, which I have attended for the last three years, because the fun is still coming to the Midwest Airlines Center and his name is Nyjer Morgan. Yes, T. Plush will be the shining star of the day and was the guy I had circled even with Ryan Braun on the lineup almost because of the excitement that would surround the MVP. That would leave Nyj open to getting some love from the 223. Plus, I have to go meet another one of my Twitter followers (Yessir!).

Do I really need to make a case? I mean, there will be only one guy in the house that has a postseason series winning hit on his resume. Not even Robin Yount has that on his docket. And you know he will be the most fun. Yes, I am planning a photo throwing up the "T" with Nyjer that will be one of my favorite pics for ages.

Beyond checking in with one of my Twitter followers, I have a full gameplan of guys I want to check in with on the day. Doors open at 10 and the first autograph stage I am going to look for is the new guy in town, Aramis Ramirez on Stage 3. If that doesn't work out the new first baseman, Mat Gamel is on at 11 on Stage 4 for just $10 and I hear he shaved his head. Might be worth a look!

My man T Plush is on Stage 6 at noon. How does that work, you ask? I'll have to run to one and get my ticket in line, then run to the other, then run back say hi to Maty and run off for a Plushdamentals lesson. It can happen.

The big autograph of the day could be Robin Yount on Stage 1. He'll be the one guy I enter the lottery for. I didn't like how the process worked last year, but maybe the tweaked it this year and it will be more friendly.

Finally at 3:45 Taylor Green is on a free stage. Yes, free. The perfect price to see the minor league player of the year from last season. Interesting to see if he makes the team this year or if they'll have him play everyday in Nashville.

There are other things I'm looking forward to on the day. The main stage usually has some great things to check out throughout the day. One of the biggest things is Joe Block. He'll be hosting a couple events on the stage and will be the No. 2 guy next to Uecker in the radio booth this year. I listen to more games on radio than I see, so I'll have to put up with him a lot this season. I have heard nothing but good things, but have still yet to hear the guy's voice at length. I'll hear him for 162 days over a 180 day span this summer, so let's hope the first impression is a good one. I'm sure he'll do fine.

Second, the Meet the New Brewers segment on the main stage should be fun with Aramis Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez joining Craig Counsel and the Brewers front office on stage. I have to come around to A-Ram this season. This is the first time I'll see him in person wearing Brewers colors, so after this I should come around.

The final event on the main stage is the media roundtable. It's basically the talking heads that cover the team getting their time in the sun. They usually do a pretty good job and Mr. Sports writer of the Year Tom Haudricourt is one of my faves. Can't go wrong.

So yes, without Ryan Braun the star power will be a bit short, but the day should still be great. Can't wait to have a great day with RJ and April amongst our favorite boys of summer!

A devoted Brewers fan's goodbye to Prince Fielder

I knew this day would come at some point this winter. The longer the whole process of Prince Fielder signing with another team was one I had come to grips with dating back to the 2010 season when I gave him a standing O in what I thought was his final game at Miller Park then. The news today he has signed with the Detroit Tigers for $214 million over nine years made it real. He will not be climbing out of the dugout at Miller Park this season.

Was there a Brewers player in the last seven years more exciting to watch? It would be hard to argue against a guy that averaged 40 home runs and 113 RBIs while playing no less than 157 games per season while he was the every day first baseman over the last five years. In his somewhat short time here he at or among the team leaders in single season statistical categories that include extra-base hits (tied with Robin Yount with 87 in 2007), walks (114 in 2010), home runs (his 50 in 2007 in first and 46 in 2009 is second) and RBIs (141 in 2009). For his career, his 230 home runs ranks him second all-time behind just Robin Yount's 250. Take a look at the stats on MLB.com to remember Prince in a Brewers jersey for a little bit longer.

It has been a good ride Prince. I will miss you. The Beastmode this year was the funnest thing surrounding this team in a long time and you made the Keg jump and jive. All of us in Brewer Nation will miss you. But I'm not mad at you. As someone who is searching for a new job that pays more I respect you did it your way and got what you deserved. I'll always be cheering for you, except when you play against my beloved Brewers. When you make your first trip to Miller Park, I will lead the standing ovation. You were part of the revival of baseball in this town and as a fan I thank you for that.

To remember all of your greatness, let's take a trip down memory lane and check out some of your greatest moments as a Brewer. Oh what fun it has been.

The date was June 25, 2005. It will go down as a great day in Brewers history when the Prince made his debut and hit his first of 230 home runs as a member of the Brewers. Oh, Rickie Weeks hit his first career long ball that day, too. Check the vid, here.

On September 25, 2007 Prince showed what he was capable of by becoming the first Brewer and youngest player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs in a season. I have a bobblehead commemorating that moment.


One of those 50 was a bit unorthodox as it was of the inside-the-park variety at the Metrodome against the Twins. Yes, the big guy could move it around the bases when he had to. He has two inside-the-park homers for his career. Check it out, here.

Prince has hit his share of walkoff homers. I'm pretty sure few compare to the one that led to the "bomb celebration" at home plate. I was at this game. Yes, AWESOME is about the right word. Would have been better had I won the $50 or so in the pass the cap, but I'll take the moment.


He set the Brewers RBI record on Sept. 19, 2009. It came with a sacrifice fly, but helped him on his way to 141 RBIs that season. Still impressive.


The big guy was huge on the national stage. In 2010 he won the home run derby.


Then in 2011, he had the biggest shot in the actual All-Star Game. Yes our mighty Prince was showing he was ready for the big stage.



The three home runs you hit on Sept. 27 last season against the Pirates help lock up the NL Central crown. Yeah, he had to carry the team at times. But he was good for it.


For those that said the big guy couldn't do it in the playoffs, he made a difference in Game 1 of the NLCS. Possibly his biggest postseason performance.


One final look at Prince's final at-bat as a Brewer, as seen from Section 223, Row 6, Seat 7.

Could Braun be exonerated? Hope sweeps Brewer Nation!

 The day started off great for Brewers fans today when the team hoisted and bolted into place its 2011 NL Central Division pennant (or banner if you want to call it that. Then the media world gave us a gift I would have to say gave everyone in Brewer Nation hope.

That hope came from the Dan Patrick Show on DirecTV and Fox Sports Radio. It's known Ryan Braun had his hearing last week in his appeal for his positive drug test and DP had a chat with someone "close to the situation"

As Tom Haudricourt says on his blog on JS Online, Patrick says "Ryan Braun may be exonerated here. he may be found innocent. And judging from all the information I was told, there's a good chance that he should be."

Now this isn't set in stone, but the minute any one of us as Brewers fans gets any idea or hope he is going to beat this thing after believing what Braun has said about the test as "BS" someone comes along and says no one has every beaten a positive test with an appeal. Well, I cannot remember a time when a player's positive test was leaked before the appeal was heard. So, my answer to that is how do we know? Truth is, we don't.

I'm going to go along with what Dan Patrick said and use him for a minute as a spring board to show some validity in what he said. A guy of his profile taking what he has heard and was told in a discussion has to show that the chances of Braun beating this rap are greater than we could have thought. It would be unprecedented.

I have not written on the matter in this space before, but I've gone back and forth on the idea that Braun could win a libel suit with ESPN. I have not wavered on the idea that this should not have leaked. Especially if he beats it. Had it not been leaked, we would have never found out about it in the first place and wouldn't think anything of him being in New York other than to accept the MVP award.

A simple Google search shows a lot has been written about this today and rightfully so. Patrick saying this and making his case on why he believes it to be true is a large step in what was believed to be an open-and-shut case that would have seen Braun out for the first 50 games. I was coming to grips with that idea and ready to see the team struggle offensively without him in the lineup. But this could give us all hope.

Isn't that all we wanted anyway? Isn't that what we were looking for? It's like Steve Urkel when Laura Winslow told him his chances were 1 in a million his response, "So you're saying there's a chance?!" Well, consider me Urkel and consider this my chance.

Fate of Brewers season doesn't entirely lie with Braun

With Ryan Braun finally getting his day to appeal his positive test for a banned substance, the National League MVP and the Brewers can finally start to put the final pieces together for the 2012 season. Will the Brewers have their superstar left fielder or not though the first two months of the season? We will find out shortly.

Maybe it's the optimist in me and believer that this season will be just as special as the last, but part of me thinks the Brewers can hold the fort down while Braun is away and keep the National League Central crown within reach if he is out for the worst-case scenario of 50 games. Don't get me wrong, Brauns .332 batting average, 33 home runs, 111 RBIs and 33 stolen bases will be hard to replace in the top third of the lineup on top of the loss of Prince Fielder, but for 50 games and 57 days, the Brewers can weather the storm. Here's how.

When Rickie Weeks went out in August last year, fans, myself included, feared things could go south, but the pitching emerged to carry the team to the NL Central title. That will have to happen at the start of this season. All five starters return and all have something to prove.

Yovani Gallardo is ready to prove he is a true ace, even if he's not the pitcher on the staff with a Cy Young Trophy in his trophy case. As good as he was in the playoffs last year, is the level I expect to see Gallardo all season. He was inconsistent at times last year letting his pitch count get the best of him and force him out of games early. I'd expect to see that as a point of emphasis from the start of Spring Training.

Zack Greinke, you know the guy who does have a Cy Young, wants to put the rough spring from last year behind him and I expect him to come out of the gates strong. While Gallardo was shining in the postseason last year, Shaun Marcum was busy flipping his glove in disgust as he lost all three starts in awful fashion. (Can't forget the glove flip in Phoenix!). The kicker on top of it all for Greinke and Marcum is both are free agents after the season and are auditioning for big money elsewhere.

Randy Wolf is in a similar boat in the final year of his three-year deal. Last year he was the guy that was the most consistent pitcher during the season, but got little to no run support in some of his best outings. Finally Chris Narveson is back in the five-hole at the back of the rotation and has to prove himself to a point to maybe earn a chance top step up on the rotation with possibly two or three of the other guys leaving the rotation after the season.

As for the offense, the thought with filling the shoes of Prince was not to drop it all on one guy, but to spread the load throughout the lineup. That has to be the mindset of Corey Hart, Weeks (who should move up to the No. 3 spot in front of Aramis Ramirez) and everyone including the new guy Nori Aoki.

Only time will tell how things unfold, but the pieces are in place for the Brewers to be at least within shouting distance of the top of the division if Braun is out for 50 games at worst or (what I'm hoping for) a 25-game ban. The pitching is the key to the team, especially the starters out of the gate.

Brewers 2012 roster to be sorted out in spring training

It's only mid-January, but with the Nori Aoki (that's what we're going to call him this season) signing, things are starting to come together with the 25-man roster for the Brewers.

We are 31 days until pitchers and catchers report to Maryvale Baseball Park, so it's expected things would start clearing up by now, but it's just crazy to think about baseball with temperatures falling at or below zero this week. That said, I'd say about 20 of the 25 roster spots can be set in stone, leaving five open for discussion.

I'll start with the position players because of the two spots that could be open there, I'd say they are about locked up. Of course the starting eight (around the horn) should go Ryan Braun, Nyjer Morgan, Corey Hart, Aramis Ramirez, Alex Gonzalez, Rickie Weeks, Mat Gamel and Jonathan Lucroy. The bench should be Carlos Gomez and George Kotaras as the returners with Aoki as another outfielder and Brooks Conrad and Cesar Izturis as the nonroster invitees who have the inside track on making the team. Bopth Conrad and Izturis are switch-hitting infielders, that should help give the team some solid bats (and gloves) off the bench.

The pitching staff is a bit more wide open in the middle. Of course, all five starters return with Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf and Chris Narveson back in the fold. In the bullpen John Axford anchors the back end and the surprise return of Francisco Rodriguez solidifies the eighth inning quite well. Also back is Marco Estrada and Kameron Loe who were both valuable in the sixth and seventh inning (and beyond) last season.

That leaves three roster spots if the team is going to go with 12 pitchers. That's where spring training will decide how things fall. Manny Parra, coming off a year where he spent more time on the operating table than the baseball diamond, can show if he's healthy and be a solid lefty in the bullpen. Also, Zach Braddock could show whether or not he will be Major League worthy this season. Wily Peralta is also an option to make the move from Nashville to Milwaukee. An outside shot to make the club on Opening Day is Jed Bradley and Taylor Jungman, last year's first-round picks.

Spring Training will give Ron Roenicke time to straighten things out, but there shouldn't be many surprises unless the team makes a couple moves. Those moves would be likely financially based to get the team closer to $90 million from the $100 million the payroll is at right now.



**On a programming note, I know haven't been blogging lately, but I am planning on amping things up a lot more as we had into On Deck on the 29th and down to Phoenix for Spring Training next month. It should be a fun and interesting spring with plenty of storylines that have to sort themselves out**