With Ramirez on the DL, who is going to step up for the Brewers? Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Bad luck keeps piling on for the Brewers. After Ryan Braun was a late scratch from Friday’s game with neck stiffness, Aramis Ramirez sprained his left knee (the same one that he hurt during spring training) while trying to stretch a single into a double.

The Brewers placed Ramirez, who started the season on an unusual hot streak, on the 15-day disabled list and promoted OF/IF Josh Prince from Triple-A Nashville to take his place on the 25-man roster.

Prince, 25, batted .251 with seven dingers and 55 RBI in Double-A Huntsville in 2012. But his numbers in the Arizona fall league is what earned him a spot on the 40-man roster. In 25 games, Prince posted a scorching .404 batting average along with ten stolen bases. Although he’s not considered a top prospect, the Brewers believe he has the chance to be the next Jerry Hairston, a star utility player.

Prince has the unique ability of playing both infield and outfield.

With Ramirez out for at least two weeks and Braun ailing from a stiff neck, Prince, along with the rest of the lower tier hitters, must step up and produce. If not, the lossess will start piling up on top of the bad luck.

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So why do people think he’s falling apart?  (more…)

Aramis Ramirez shows no signs of slowing down in 2013. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

If not for Ryan Braun, Ramirez might have been the Brewers MVP in 2012. The 34-year-old enjoyed a marvelous offensive season, his first in Milwaukee,  and played exquisite defense which resulted in him being named a Gold Glove finalist.  Ramirez is the definition of consistent. Take away his injury-plagued season in 2009 and his numbers look identical from year to year. When playing at least 100 games, Ramirez has only failed to hit 20 or more home runs in one season (2002). His RBI totals have hovered around 100 each year and has only reached triple-digit strikeouts once.

But at his age and with him dealing with a knee injury in spring training, can we really expect him to continue to produce at such a high level?

We can and we should.

Barring injury, there is no reason to think the right-handed power hitter will suffer a statistical drop off in 2013. Yes, he’s getting up there in age, especially for every day player, but his game isn’t built on speed or quickness and a player’s legs are usually the first thing to fail. Besides, Ramirez stole a career-high nine bases in 2013 – his legs are just fine.

Look at what Ramirez did in 2012 and consider the circumstances. He was coming to a new team in a different city and it didn’t help matters much when he got off to an abysmal start that led people to start questioning the Brewers decision to trade Casey McGehee (yes, I was one of them). And yet, he boasted huge numbers. He hit for a .300 batting and led the National League in extra-base hits. As a result, his isolated power (ISO), which determines how good a player is at hitting for extra bases, was .240, 11th best in the MLB. Not bad for his inaugural season with the Crew. This year, Ramirez is fully comfortable and is aware of what the Brewers are trying to do. The awkward first year syndrome is gone. He’s ready to build on last years MVP-type season (he finished 9th in MVP voting).

Fantasy baseball-wise, Ramirez should be a hot commodity come draft time. He was baseball’s fifth highest scoring third baseman in standard leagues in 2012 and, with third base being a shallow position, grabbing Ramirez in the middle rounds could prove to pay off big.

This season, I expect Aramis to be Aramis with just a little hint of better mixed in. His home run numbers should rise as he becomes more accustomed to how the ball flies in Miller Park. His doubles may dip in return, but I’m sure the Brewers would rather see a long ball than a double. Ramirez is getting older but his game has yet to be altered; 2013 will be no different. And for the second consecutive year, Cubs fans will wish he was still on the their side (or should I say the dark side).

Do you think age will affect Aramis Ramirez this season?

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Let’s be honest – there’s really not a whole lot of mystery here. Let’s suspend with the introductions and get on with the show.

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Let’s take a look at these comparisons.  (more…)

The good news about presenting these awards on a team-by-team basis is that there is little controversy about who deserves what award – stand outs on a club are easier to determine than comparing them to other players around the league.

The bad news is that it’s not going to stop us from generating other deserving candidates in the name of discussion and soap-boxing, along with a more general sense of jealousy that we aren’t yet invited to take on such prestigious responsibilities.

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But that’s not the only concerning issue around the team right now.

Wily Peralta had a strong outing in the loss last night, but according to Adam McCalvy the rookie pitcher left the game early in the sixth due to tightness in his right bicep.

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I know the Milwaukee Brewers have not had the best of times throughout the 2012 Major League season, but take heart, dear Brewers fans – your team is somehow, some way, one of the best teams the National League has to offer.

No, really.

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At age 34, you aren’t exactly expected to go through a renaissance period in your baseball career. Just don’t tell Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez that.

While his numbers have certainly never dropped off, Ramirez is living out one of his most productive of the 15 Major League seasons under his belt. While there is a lot of talk centered around the man bats in front of him, Ramy is more than deserving of a great deal of the motivation behind the Crew’s remarkable run for the second Wild Card spot.

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