Why I cheered Ryan Braun on Opening Day in Milwaukee

Opening Day at Miller Park has to be one of my favorite days of the year. With Ryan Braun making his return to the Brewers and Major League Baseball Monday afternoon, I expected a loud ovation for the 2011 National League MVP and got just that from the sixth largest crowd in Miller Park history. What followed, however, was the media crying foul on us fans for giving the man that will likely crush every Brewers team record once is all said and done a welcome back cheer.
The two-minute standing ovation Braun received at January's Brewers On Deck day gave every indication what was in store on Monday. I give every fan the opportunity to do what they want when they are at a game. You paid for that seat, why not?

Here's what went down:


Once that went down, every pundit chimed on on what was wrong about that scene. Deadspin has the best collection of them, here. I can't speak for everyone else, but here's why I stood up and made noise for Braun.
First and foremost, he's our guy. I said it on the Wilber's Way Twitter that night. I don't like to think we're stuck with him because the other 29 teams would probably move mountains if he was dangled as trade bait. The Brewers have locked him up until 2020 (with an option for 2021), so he will remain a Milwaukee Brewer for a very long time if the the team allows it. So long as he's not on one of those other teams, fans of those teams will continue to boo him or whatever every chance they get. They would have regardless, being the Brewers' best player. The way he produces when healthy, there's no reason to see that changing anytime soon.
Second, because he's not going anywhere, the Brewers need him to thrive in the place he plays 81 games. Why not make Miller Park his sanctuary where he knows the fans have his back? If nothing but negativity swirled around him, that would bring him and the team down and the Brewers would be forced to find somewhere that would take him. When he succeeded at a place he was wanted, the Brewers would have to look back and wonder what happened. With the fans behind him, he will want to be here, too. Being the smallest media market in the MLB can't hurt that part of it either.
Third, he's admitted his wrong. It was the worst kind of wrong an athlete can commit, but he has admitted it and that's more than most of the other guys that were involved with BioGenesis.
Sure, Braun is not on the level he once was because of the whole situation, but when he laces 'em up and takes the field in Milwaukee, fans here will continue to cheer him. I'm not going to argue morals. Braun seems to get it and wants to let his play speak for him (a 1 for 12 start isn't doing so good on that front right now) and it will the more time goes by.

Predicting the 2014 Milwaukee Brewers

Every team in Major League Baseball has hope this time of year as Spring Training breaks and Opening Day is just around the corner. For Milwaukee's Brewers those hopes are tied to three main things. Those three things are simple. Firsts, it's the performance of Ryan Braun. Second, the overall health of the team, and finally the depth of their starting rotation. If things come out right in all three of those areas, the Brewers could be in the hunt for one of the two National League Wild Card spots and finish the season with 85 wins.

Let's first look at Ryan Braun. Back in January, I wrote that the Brewers needed Braun to be what the back of his baseball card says he is. Looking at the team that has come north from Maryvale Baseball Park, this couldn't be more true. If you read some of the projections in the fantasy baseball circles many are calling for Braun to be a shell of the player he was before last season when he missed 101 games between injury and suspension. I can't see that happening and his spring numbers show that. He hit a home run off the second pitch he saw this spring. he is motivated and primed to carry the team again. 

The key to him being able to do that is the second part of what will make the team successful: health. Last year from Braun, to Aramis Ramirez, Corey Hart, Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez the Brewers had key parts missing lots of time and it showed with what the team did on the field. This season, Hart is gone and Weeks is in a platoon, so they are not as big of a part of this team. The others, however, are back in town and need to have solid years if the Brewers want to be impact players in the National League Central. Ramirez has looked like his old self in spring and has gotten over his knee injury from a year ago. Just like last year, though, it could come out of nowhere. For Gomez, he plays with such wreckless abandon, an injury is not out of the question every time he make a catch at the wall or a diving play in center field. 

Onto the starting pitching, where on paper, it would appear the Brewers have assembled one of their best staffs in recent memory outside of the 2011 team that won the NL Central. Yovani Gallardo will start Opening Day with Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza to follow, then Wily Peralta and Marco Estrada will round out the starting five. Lohse and Garza have shown flashes that they could be aces over the course of the last season while the youngsters in Peralta and Estrada will need to find consistency this season to cement their spots on the Brewers rotation. 

Some publications have had the Brewers finishing fourth in the division again and I could see that if things hold pat from last season when the the Cardinals, Reds and Pirates all made the postseason. Milwaukee does have the potential to push through and mix things up a bit. The first six weeks of the season could be telling with a hearty helping of intra-division games on the slate that could set things up for who will be in it in June and July. Last season, the Brewers stumbled in May going 6-22. To end the season eight games under .500, the team cannot afford to have that big of a set back if playoffs are going to be a possibility. 

PREDICTION

With the pieces the Brewers have this season and the chip on Braun's shoulder, this team can compete for a Wild Card spot and be 85-77 this season. Braun will have 35 homers and be in the MVP discussion. 

Francisco got robbed out of roster spot with Brewers

At the start of Spring Training if you had told me Lyle Overbay and Mark Reynolds would have beaten out "Fat" Juan Francisco for the platoon at first base, I would have probably agreed with you. After the dust settled Saturday night in Maryvale Francisco's locker was empty and he was the one heading out of camp. 

That doesn't mean the 26-year-old Francisco didn't do everything he could to improve himself at the plate and perform this spring because he did just that. In the end, it was his track record that did him in and inexperience at first base.

The numbers tell the story of a solid spring which followed up a pretty good Dominican Winter League for Francisco where in 40 games he hit .260 with 3 homers and 24 RBI, according to the 2014 Brewers Media Guide. His .346 average (9 of 26) were one of the best on the team of guys with over 15 ABs that paired well with his 3 HR and 6 RBI. He also drew eight walks to give him a .500 OBP and a .731 slugging percentage. He did strike out nine times, but that was by no means the tops on the team. In fact, that was middle of the road with the guys he was competing for the first-base job with besting him.

Overbay would be the one to look at most since he was the lefty and the Big O hit just .179 this spring (7 of 39) with a pair of doubles and eight walks with a lone RBI. His 15 strikeouts are tops on the team this spring. The 37-year-old had just a .319 on-base percentage and a .550 slugging percentage.

Now, I know what you're saying "An exhibition season doesn't make a season." While I'd agree with you, if a true platoon is going to be the plan at first base this season wouldn't you want to ride the hot hand into the season?

Unless a true platoon isn't going to happen there. If Reynolds is the starter and Overbay is just a defensive replacement and spot starter, then the move makes sense. Of the other options still available at first base that were in camp, only Hunter Morris has extended experience at the position. It's that or Martin Maldinado, Jeff Bianchi or Rickie Weeks playing there. 

Safe to say, barring a trade things could be rough at first again this season. We can only hope Doug Melvin knows what he's doing on this one.

Brewers impress with new Carlos Gomez bobblehead

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I've been critical of the Brewers and their selection of bobblehead giveaways for this season, as a whole. I mean, they aren't exactly impressive with guys that have not been on the team for a full season getting their own bobble, or going to the other direction with another Robin Yount bobble in yet another different uniform. As someone already with 65 bobbles in my collection, I'm allowed to be a littel critical and recognized as a bit of an expert.

That was, however, until the team unveiled the new Gold Glove Carlos Gomez bobblehead giveaway set for April 26. I was lucky enough to get a gold jersey'd Gomez bobble last season and was very impressed with it and this year's ups the ante while commemorating the first Brewers gold glover since Robin Yount.

A couple things play a part in me loving this bobble so much. The first is Gomez is fast becoming my favorite player. With Corey Hart out of town, and Braun in turmoil (I still love and support), Gomez was the bright spot of the team last season in making his first All-Star game. 

This bobble has the Gold Glove and his feet are not even on the ground! Yeah, it's pretty awesome.

This falls in line with the other bobble that has been released, although as a season-ticket-holder exclusive in the Jean Segura All-Star bobble from last season. The fact that it will be released in limited fashion will make it that much sweeter.

If the rest of the bobbles deliver like these have, already, I may have to eat crow in the bobblehead department this season.

Gomez fits perfect as Brewers leadoff hitter

With players starting to arrive in Maryvale for Spring Training, it's time to start looking at the Brewers lineup. I've been giving it some thought and it would appear every spot seems to be locked up except the top two spots and the discussion is between Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura.

Both had breakout years last year in making the All-Star team and with a healthy roster this year, could be the cogs that push the Brewers into playoff contention. But who hits where?

Norichika Aoki hit leadoff most of last season with Segura hitting second and Gomez hitting third with Ryan Braun suspended. So Segura has the recent history of hitting second and he fits the position with his average and speed.

Gomez has hit leadoff before and has a .238 career batting average. That's not a good average for that spot, but that was pre-2012 when he put everything together and turned the corner. Last year he had career highs wth a .284/.338/.506 slash line. Those are numbers that would fit great at the top of the Brewers lineup. 

His 77 stolen bases the last two season would also fit nicely at the top and are part of what helped him finish ninth in NL MVP voting last season. He has shown the ability to be able to do the little things you would think of with the stereo typical leadoff hitter, as well as show the power that has made him a threat anywhere in the lineup.

Segura has spent the vast majority of his MLB career in the No. 2 slot and has shined there. The 23-year-old had 44 stolen bases to lead the NL last year. He hit leadoff in one game in his career, so there is no history to look at there. 

The "old" ways of doing things with the stereotypical hitters in the No. 1 and No. 2 slots go out with the window with this team. It would be about building as much of a cluster as possible with guys. Of course Braun will remain in his third spot, Aramis Ramiez hits fourth and Jonathan Lucroy would follow him in the fifth slot. With those spots set, it would make sense to put guys at the top of the order who can cause chaos on the basepaths and put pressure on pitching to not only get the hitter out, but keep runners in check. 

Gomez has gotten worlds better at taking pitches and waiting for his pitch. Three years ago, Ron Roenicke would not dare put him in the top half of the lineup, but now he makes the most sense at the leadoff spot. With Segura right behind him, those are two hitters in front of the big boppers who can take bases and help manufacture runs when needed. 

In the future Segura could be the guy who hits leadoff, but right now, he is best suited for the No. 2 spot behind Gomez.

Does Roenicke enter season on Brewers hot seat?

A lot of talk has been made this offseason that Brewers manager Ron Roenicke could be on the hot seat if things go tough for the fourth-year skipper this sesason. Some people were calling for it last year, but General Manager Doug Melvin made it clear he was on Roenicke's side after dealing with a myriad of injuries (and a certain star player's suspension) that Running Ron was not going anywhere.

I get the feeling the same can be said of this season for a few reasons. First, the NL Central was the first division in Major League Baseball history to have three teams qualify for the playoffs last season. That means it is going to be tough to break through just them to reach the playoffs.Yes, the Brewers should contend for one of the NL Wild Card spots, but there are a lot of gambles being taken on young guys in the starting rotation and in the bullpen that are not completely Roenicke's responsibility.

Second, Roenicke is one of only five managers in Brewers history to have a winning percentage over .500 of the 18 men that have taken the helm of the team. He also is the manager with the winningest record in franchise history, back in 2011 with 96 wins. He is fourth on the Brewers all-time winning percantage list with a 253-233 record (.521) and is already fifth in terms of total wins in franchise history and will move into fourth on the list past Del Crandall within the first two months of this season.

I know there is a lot of 'What have you done for me lately?' in pro sports, but you can't make changes just to make one. Roenicke has shown the ability to work with players. In 2012, the team seemed down and out in July and was able to work with the young players and make a run at the NL Wild Card before falling just short in September. Last season, the team got off to a 6-22 May, only to push back and finish just eight games under .500 with a team missing half of the team that started on Opening Day missing considerable time. He made the most with what he had.

Finally, the idea that a manager fits a team just as a team is built around a manager's philosophy is true. Roenicke is a perfect fit for the personality of this team, namely Ryan Braun. Unlike managers of past years (see Ken Macha) Braun and Roenicke seem to be on the same page. That might not seem like much to the regular person, but I always look at what Phil Jackson was able to do with Michael Jordan and then later Shaq and Kobe to get his 10 NBA rings. Clearly, the Brewers aren't quite on that level, but it is important. 

Consistency can go a long way for a team. No pro sports franchise wants to be compared to the Cleveland Browns, changing coaches every year and then scrambling when your first choice turns you down. With the pieces Roenicke has in the field and on the mound over the next couple of years he should be able to challenge Phil Garner for the all-time wins in franchise history. Baseball people in this city will back him, everyone else needs to follow suit.

Weeks a player without a position to start season for Brewers

Rickie Weeks won't make any excuses about it. That's what makes him so likeable, but coming off the worst statistical season of his career before he tore his hamstring so bad it needed surgery to repair it, the Brewers' second baseman preps for spring training knowing his $11 million salary makes him a player without a position.

That's because after his injury last season, the Brewers gave full reigns of second base to Scooter Gennett after the injury and Gennett proceeded to hit .353 with a .381 on-base percentage. Weeks, on the other hand did not have a batting average over .186 for all of May last season and had to fight to finish with a .209 average before he was injured August 8 in San Francisco.

Brewers brass has been very clear this offseason about their plans for second base with manager Ron Roenicke saying he is set to start the season with Gennett at second. General Manager Doug Melvin and assistant GM Gord Ash are hoping Weeks comes to Spring Training in Maryvale healthy and can show he can play to show other teams he is a viable piece to trade for.

At 5-foot-10 Weeks is not an option at first base, and cannot play any other infield position, so keeping him on board as a utility infielder is out of the picture.

As for a bench spot for Weeks if he is platooned with Gennett, that does't seem likely either. Again the $11 million tab on his contract pays a part of that and the other part is left-handed Scooter hit just fine against right and left-handed pitching last season. The thought would be to see how he did for a full season. 

The bench will be a post for a later day, but if the Brewers go with five position players on the bench, one would be Logan Schaefer and Caleb Gindl would likely be kept as another outfielder. As for infielders, Lyle Overbay or Mark Reynolds would get one spot depending on which was not playing that night. Jeff Bianchi can play the other three infield positions and seems a likely option on the bench, as well. That leaves Martin Maldinado as the backup catcher on the bench. Where that leaves Weeks (and Juan Francisco) is trade bait.

Barring a Gennett injury in Spring Training that means Weeks, the longest tenured Brewer after Corey Hart left has limited time left as a Milwaukee Brewer. It's not a great time for him, but maybe a change in scenery will serve him well. He has not been the same since his severe ankle injury in 2011, the year he made the All-Star team.

As for where Weeks could end up, the Miami Marlins are the only team linked to him this winter publicly. The Brewers will likly only be able to get prospects for Weeks and will have to eat some of his salary themselves. He has done himself well in the clubhouse and he team would do what they could to put him in a position to succeed. It's a story worth watching when camp convenes in February.

Garza signing would shore up Brewers rotation, bullpen

It's not quite official just yet, but the Brewers and free agent pitcher Matt Garza seem destined to agree to a contract that will see Garza sign the richest free agent contract in Brewers team history. 

Did anyone see this coming? I know I didn't, but it's a coo for General Manager Doug Melvin that helps two of the most important part of the team; the starting rotation and the bullpen.

Last season it felt like the Melvin leaned on the young arms to carry the starting rotation and the result was an avalanche that burried the team in a 6-22 May that proved too much to dig out of. The Garza signing address that and and give the team the ability to slide one of the three being considered for the final two spots in the rotation to the bullpen. 

Marco Estrada, Willy Peralta and Tyler Thornburg will all have a shot at those final two spots, but the one that misses out (I'm leaning towards Thornburg) would be moved to the bullpen, where he could be a viable asset. In Thornburg's case, a possible set up man for closer Jim Henderson.

It would also clear things up with Will Smith, acquired from Kansas City in the Nori Aoki trade, and settle him in the bullpen, where he has experience.

Garza would fall in line behind Kyle Lohse and Yovani Gallardo in the starting rotation and add a potent arm to the No. 3 slot of the rotation. The Brewers are hoping they get the Garza who started 2013 6-1 with the Cubs, not the one who ended the season 4-5 with the Rangers and a strikeout-to-walk ratio that was the worst of his career after battling injuries. 

The 30-year-old Garza and his injury past is the concern circling the Brewers fan base, and it is a great concern, but it's a risk the Brewers have to take if they want to shore up the rotation. They are banking on him being healthy enough to log 170 innings at least and take the ball every fifth day and keep the ball in the ballpark, something that won't be easy considering his recent history. He has allowed 35 home runs in the last two seasons and he's coming to Miller Park which is one of the friendliest hitter's parks in the Majors.

As a whole I'm for this move, but there are some shaky parts of it. Instead of worrying about three years from now, I look at this season and it's a move that shores things up on the pitching front.

With Overbay Brewers could platoon at first base

It would appear in the last week I have turned this space into a Yankees blog, that would would not be the case. The Brewers have just picked up Yankees castaways over the least week or so to play first base. the latest is Lyle Overbay, who will make his return to the Brewers after being traded away prior to the 2006 season.

As I said on Twitter last week, normally retreads are not a good idea. The Brewers learned that lesson with Doug Davis (before his injuries), but given the free agent landscape and their budget it makes sense to bring options in to play the position and see who wins out in spring training.

Sure Overbay's numbers have slipped lately, but he turns 38 next week and can still hit, especially right-handed pitching, which would make him a great candidate for a platoon.

Overbay hit .240 last season in 142 games with the Yankees, but had 111 strikeouts in 486 at-bats. That's not quite Mark Reynolds pace, but close. He did have 14 homers with 24 doubles and can still produce.

The split that jumps out as a candidate for a platoon came last year when he .258 with all but one of his home runs against right-handed pitching and .190 against lefties, according to Baseball Reference.

That bodes well for him to make the team, not only to platoon at first, but to be a bat off the bench as the Brewers are notoriously right handed.

This does not clear up the mess that is the Brewers first base riddle. I have written my take on Mark Reynolds. He is the right-handed veteran in the mix and that could get a roster spot alone. 

The other options include Sean Halton, who saw some time last season, but I can't see that panning out, at least to start the season, and Jaun Francisco.

Francisco has all the potential, but he's viewed as a lottery ticket. Sure the payoff could be huge if he puts his tools together, but he hasn't shown the ability to do that in his time with the Braves and Brewers.

How this all pans, out we shall see. That's what spring training is for and it will be interesting to see how things shake out in Maryvale.

Brewers finally sign first baseman in K machine Reynolds

When I wrote in this space that the Milwaukee Brewers needed to solve the riddle that was their first base position this winter, one of the last directions I thought they would go was Mark Reynolds.

The former Diamondbacks/Orioles/Yankees/Indians third and first baseman is now a member of the Brewers after officially signing with the team Thursday night, as our friends over at Brewer Nation broke down, here. Not exactly the type of birthday present I was expecting from my team, but it helps solve the riddle to some point.

The deal is worth $2 million according to numerous reports with $500k in incentives. That's low risk for a guy signed in mid-January, but still doesn't solidify the position. As Dick Kaegel wrote on Brewers.com, Reyolds has 1,276 strikeouts in 3,418 career at bats and holds the record for most strikeouts in a single season with 223, according to Baseball-Reference while also hold three of the top six spots.

All that aside, he did hit .220 last season with 21 home runs in 135 games with the Indians and Yankees. He did strike out 154 times, which is clearly more than one per game, on average.

He does have some power, which suits him well at Miller Park.

Let's just say he did not get signed for his bat. His defense, however, is a strong point for him, especially at first base. He has a .990 fielding percentage at first base over his career, as opposed to a .928 fielding percentage at third base, where he started his career. That is a strength for a team that has little room for error and can't give away outs.

A platton with Juan Francisco seems likely, at least to start the season, but short term this could pay off for the Brewers. They bascially can't stand to have the production that Yuniesky Betancourt and Francisco had together last season and Reynolds fits their budget.

If you're wondering what the other options are at the position, check out my post from a couple weeks back. The options aren't very pretty. 

I heard numerous rumblings about this signing that Hunter Morris at Triple-A Nashville would be a better option, but he regressed there last year and moving up to the Major League club might not pay off well at all and they could lose him all together. To start the season, Reynolds seems to be the one the team is hedging their bets on, with a little Francisco sprinkled in.

It won't be anything to write home about, but if his defense pays off, the Brewers might live with the .220 batting average.

Will Braun be Braun of old this season for Brewers?

Amidst all of the questions surrounding the Milwaukee Brewers entering the 2014 season, the biggest one has to be whether Ryan Braun will return to the Braun of old this season and be the player he was before all of the PED talk started circling around him.

He played just 61 games last season, after missing 46 games with a nagging injury and final 65 with the PED suspension and was on pace to have one of his worst seasons before the suspension, regardless. Hitting the restart button was good for him in that aspect.

This season, however, is going to be a different animal for him. If he thought he had it rough as the Brewers' best player on the road, he will hear it every time he jogs to right field and when he comes to bat.

Truth be told, the PEDs were to help come back from an injury and with his prolonged time off (missing 101 games last season), he should be back and healthy and if he can maintain his health, he will be a valuable part of the team.

The one thing the Brewers will need of him is mental toughness. It's something he's had from the start of his career. He has been one of the best players in the league since he came up from Nashville, winning a Rookie of the Year and MVP in his first five seasons. He'll need to answer the same questions from media over and over and get a few slights from players on other teams, at least for the near future.

As for the team around him, the Brewers are moving him to right field because of what they saw from Chris Davis who replaced him in the lineup during the suspension and other players on the team came into their own in the final two months of last season. 

Carlos Gomez had his best season as a pro last year and won the first Brewers Gold Glove since the 80s and Jean Segura showed he is one of the top short stops in the National League with his showing. Get Aramas Ramirez healthy and add the upstart Scooter Gennett to backstop Jonathan Lucroy and things are solid for the Brewers lineup. That will take some of the pressure off Braun to produce in the Brewers lineup.

He will get some protection being in Milwaukee, a small media market, and from manager Ron Roenicke who seems pretty close to Braun. 

That said, I can see Braun having an all-star year (not starting because of fan vote) and returning to form. Winning back the masses in Milwaukee and beyon will take time. If he goes out and produces, people will forgive and forget and he will rise again as the face of the Brewers franchise. Doug Melvin, Mark Attanasio and the Brewers are banking on it.

If not Weeks, who for Brewers first base spot?

We are in the home stretch of the Major League Baseball offseason and the Milwaukee Brewers still have not hammered down the team's No. 1 need it had entering the offseason, first base.

General Manager Doug Melvin tried with Corey Hart, which seemed like a slam dunk at the start of the winter, and failed with Hart signing with the Mariners. Then it was James Loney at the top of the list and he resigned with the Rays. So, now the Brewers are left looking at the scrap heap for a trade or staying in-house with the guys that spent most of the season struggling with it last season. Even worse, fans are clamoring for Rickie Weeks to slide over to first base. 

Let's work in reverse there and scratch off one of those options. Weeks is not the answer at first base. As Adam McCalvy wrote on his Brewers mailbag late last week, Weeks isn't a fit at first base, despite fans' outcry to move him there. Yes his $11 million salary is something you would want to find him a spot for, but it's looking like Weeks will land on the bench or be moved in spring training. Maybe for someone that can play first base.

Weeks is just 5-foot-10 and with his defense being an issue at second base, it would not make sense to make him a bigger part of the defense. As, McCalvy says, if you're going to put someone a first who is average defensively, he had better hit. Well, the way the last few years have gone for Weeks, it doesn't seem he could do that well, either.

Jaun Francisco seems to be the front-runner for the position more out of default than anything else. "Fat Juan" as he is referred to by Braves fans, showed why he was DFA'd by the Braves early last year, hitting just .221 last season with the Brewers which was lower than his average with the Braves. 

Can Francisco be servicable at first base? Maybe. He is reffered to over and over on Twitter as a lottery ticket that could hit .275 with 30 homers. The odds of that jackpot coming through is a long shot and I'm not sure the Brewers are willing to wait around for him to come though. He is a cheap option at the position which does bode well for him. If that's the best thing he's got going for him, though, it doesn't say much for the Brewers options.

A long shot at first base would be bringing Hunter Morris up from Triple-A Nashville. After hitting .300 and crushing Double-A pitching two seasons ago, Morris slipped in acclimating to AAA with his average sliding down to .247 with 24 homers and 73 RBI. The Brewers think he needs one more year with the Sounds before he could be ready to move up to the big league club.

The other options for the Brewers involve signing free agents or making trades. Melvin has been link to trade talks with the Mets for Ike Davis. He was awful last season and the Mets want too much (read: Tyler Thornburg), which Melvin turned down. Logan Morrison was another player the Brewers had links to, but he was already traded by the Marlins to the Mariners. Taking him out of consideration.

A comb through the available free agents with first base experience yield familiar names from Yuniesky Betancourt to Alex Gonzalez. With no talk about bringing either of them back, they seem out. 

There is one big name out there in Kendrys Morales, but signing him would result in the Brewers losing the No. 12 pick in June's draft. Something they wouldn't want to give up after losing their pick last season after signing Kyle Lohse. 

Yeah, it's a mess. The miss on Hart has put the team in a rough spot. Still having questions on pitching, it may be something the team waits until spring training to address when teams decide who they want to cut loose or becomes roster casualties. Stay tuned.

Carlos Gomez extension struck at right time for Brewers

If you had told me prior to last season the Brewers would extend Carlos Gomez into his free agent years, I would have said they were crazy. Well, that's exactly what the team did today in tying up the center fielder through the 2016 season.

After last season's success, which was Gomez finally realizing what the Twins, Mets and Brewers had all hoped for, it's a move that is very telling of a Brewers franchise, finally gaining financial stability and gaining credibility along with the ability to sign players long-term.

Signing Ryan Braun through the 2020 season makes sense because he's an MVP. Signing Yovani Gallardo makes sense because he has the potential to be the ace of a pitching staff. Signing Gomez initially seems like a stretch, but actually makes sense, too. The 27 year old had already cemented himself has a stellar defender, but the Brewers were waiting for him to emerge as the type of offensive player they could rely on to play every day.

Baseballreference.com shows they finally have that player. Gomez had his career best output last season in many key offensive categories. His batting average (.260), on-base percentage (.305), slugging percentage (.463) and OPS (.768) are reasons why he now has a $24 million contract. He also had career highs in doubles, homers and stolen bases.

While he still showed signs of that player who seemingly had a bet going with Yuniesky Betancourt as to who could be worse at the plate (he struck out 98 times and walked just 20 times last season), the offense was livable consistently for the first time since he arrived in Milwaukee last season.

As Gomez told Adam McCalvy in his story on Brewers.com, he knows he has work to do. Manager Ron Roenicke agrees, but likes the direction Gomez is going and should be part of a solid team that will remain together until at least 2015.

The contract extension for Go Go comes just in time for the year he gets his first bobblehead. Fittingly enough it is of him making a catch. It's what he does best. Plan for it June 9!

Brewers unveil Corey Hart bobblehead

Did somebody say bobblehead? Oh baby! This year of the bobblehead thing has got me even more excited about the upcoming season. Just think, every two weeks Sunday Funday at the ballpark will include a bobblehead giveaway at Miller Park!

Today the Brewers released the Corey Hart bobblehead. It's a little different than the one released a few years ago. This one, the Brewers say, is to honor the 100-year anniversary of the Minor League Brewers first American Association championship, and will be given out May 5.

Early reviews of the bobble are that it looks nothing like Corey. Well, this isn't the first time and it probably won't be the last a bobblehead looked nothing like the person it was representing. Some have noted the tattoos are missing. Well, they're kind of ugly anyhow. Plus, this bobble looks healthy and Corey will not be active when this day comes after his knee surgery last week. That said, it's a different idea to have a player in this uniform. How many times could they have a player that's been with the team longer than anyone in the current uniform and still have people interested in it? I get it. It should be fun.

Bobblehead days have always been a great way to have a draw for the team. When the Brewers announced they were going to have 10 bobblehead giveaways I figured they would have some weekday giveaways to help draw attendance. I know they lost millions last year with payroll and regardless of when these days were scheduled it would draw gate revenue. Sunday is not a hard day to draw until September so a weekday would make sense.

Here is the full schedule of bobbles from Brewers.com and below are the first two released bobbleheads. Pretty sweet!


The Nori Aoki bobblehead giveaway is set for April 7 (yes the first weekend of the season) when the Diamondbacks are in town. This is a great likeness to Nori and maybe one of the closest ones to a player in along time.


The George Scott bobble will be given away April 21 in a game against the Cubs. I love the gold gloves and his gold chain. Totally late 70s and early 80s.

2013 Brewers On Deck redeems itself to this fan

The winter after my Milwaukee Brewers won the National League Central title, I should have been ecstatic about getting back with my summer family and hitting up Brewers on Deck in 2012, but 15,000 people all seemingly not as big a fan as me totally turned me off.

The 2013 edition of Brewers On Deck may have saved the event in my eyes, however. The event still had longer lines than Six Flags with a ride that lasted just seconds watching a player sign a sheet of paper, but got me engulfed in the team I love and motivated me to write this.

After a tad of crazy bad luck both during the week and this morning, I actually went to the event by myself. Crazy, I know, but there were going to be friends there I could check in with and not be a complete loner the whole day, so it worked out OK.

Since I was shut out on the autograph front, I actually made a B-line to one of those long lines I was talking about. After two hours, I got a chance to greet and get an autograph from Carlos Gomez.





Waiting in line for the autograph actually made it easy on me to get in line for what could be the biggest surprise of the event, which is the success of these grab bags the team sells. Basically it's a bag of leftover bobbleheads from the year before. I know we all love bobbles, but I don't need another Randy Wolf, thank you. An Aramis Ramirez one, which I did not get last year, however, I will take! Make that one of the "rare" bobbles and it's an even bigger win. Add to that the 2011 commemorative DVD and a voucher for two free tickets Opening Week of the season, I'm I just found out why they are so successful. That's how you make $25 count!



After that, I pretty much lived at the Main Stage where the team had a Q & A with the newest Brewers, "Milwacky Squares," their play on Hollywood Squares, "Brewers Faceoff," a play on Family Feud and a media round table discussion with the beat reporters from the team (which in Milwaukee is about four guys). This was the one area I always thought the team did very well on throughout the years at their On Deck events. Well, that is if you don't count the inclusion with Dennis Haskins, who played Mr. Belding on Saved By the Bell eons ago.

There the storylines for Spring Training and the season were discussed. From Corey Hart's knee surgery and how Mat Gamel will fare at first base, to the revamped bullpen and the "Baby Brewers" starting rotation. I'll delve into all of them in the next couple of weeks as we get closer to pitchers and catchers reporting on February 12, but as the Journal-Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt said, "(GM) Doug Melvin and (owner) Mark Attanasio sat out here and are actually honest in saying they think those guys can get it done" in regards to the starting pitchers. I'm actually on board with the move, too, with the six guys vying for four spots heading to Maryvale ready to duke it out and earn their spot in the rotation. How that will fall, we have to see how it unfolds, but at least one is going to end up throwing out of the bullpen to start the season.

Things look promising for this team and there is flexibility if the team is in contention to make a move with a payroll under $80 million heading into the season. A good talk with my man +Brewer Nation motivated me to stay focused on this writing game and I'll try to focus on the Brewers, especially after the Super Bowl.

Be sure to click below for more of my photos from the day!

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.

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!

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).