Now, this team is, by almost all definitions, a young team with talent budding in all areas, ready to flourish and hopefully carry this team to another playoff run. Gone are Prince Fielder, Zack Greinke, and the drastically talent-diminished K-Rod. Braun still remains, though with controversy swirling around him like a swarm of bees to honey, and Weeks is still trying to rehab from a horrific ankle injury that kept him from finding his bat until after the All-Star break in 2012.

I’ll go ahead and tell you now, there are a few certainties on this team, barring some catastrophic injuries (please, for the love of God, let us get through this Spring and the World Baseball Classic only missing Mat Gamel). Guys like Ryan Braun, Corey Hart (once healthy), Aramis Ramirez, and Yovani Gallardo are all proven major leaguers, and I will not classify them as wildcards.

We’re going to take a look at the three biggest wildcards, both from the field, and from the mound, so six players altogether. Part one will be the three position players, and part two will contain the pitchers.

Let’s get started.

1: Jean Segura

Segura was the centerpiece of the trade that sent Greinke to the Los Angeles Angels last season. The Brewers also got a couple of great minor league pitchers out of the deal (Johnny Hellweg and Ariel Pena), but neither are likely to see time with the Brewers this season. Segura is, even with the addition of veteran Alex Gonzalez, Milwaukee’s starting shortstop entering the 2013 season. Last season, his first in the majors, wasn’t all that bad. He finished off his time in Milwaukee with a slashline of .264/.321/.331, knocked in 14 RBIs, and stole seven bases in 148 at-bats with the Brew Crew.

Numbers that don’t sparkle, but they don’t tell the whole story, either. After a slow start in August, hitting just .209 with the Brewers, Segura seemed to finally figure out major league pitching, and finished the season strong, going for a .343 BA in the month of September. We also saw his versatility as a middle-infielder, both at shortstop and second base, and is a potential Gold Glover in the future.

Segura is one of the fastest players on this team, and with a full season, it’s likely he’ll steal at least 30 bases. He might add a little bit of pop and hit a few homers, but don’t expect much power out of him. Segura has the potential to be a guy who gets on base frequently, and will be a constant threat to steal. He’ll also take away many hits up the center as he improves his already impressive fielding.

2: Carlos Gomez

Gomez shouldn’t have to be on this list… he’s been in the majors for six years now. He was once viewed by the New York Mets as a super-prospect, and is the only player Jose Reyes has openly admitted is faster than he is. Gomez, though a six-year vet, is still only 26 years old (he was the youngest player in the MLB when he was called up by the Mets his rookie year). Once viewed as a potential five-tool player, Gomez has never quite found his offensive footing in the majors. Until last season.

He’s always been a Gold Glove caliber centerfielder, and as this team’s full-time CF for the first time in his career, he very well may be in the running for that award this season. He’s also always had unbelievable speed and baserunning skills. The problem has always been getting on base. Before last season, Gomez only had one season in which he hit above .250 (2008 when he hit .258 with the Minnesota Twins), and he doesn’t do a great job of getting on base period, unable to draw many walks. His career slashline of .247/.294/.379 is ugly to look at. His previous career high in homers in a season was 8, in 2011 with the Brew Crew.

But last season, Gomez found his offensive footing and completely exploded… and I don’t think it was a fluke. Gomez put together a much-improved slashline of .260/.305/.463, slugged an impressive 19 homers, drove in 51 runs, and stole 37 bases… all of this in only 415 at-bats, as he spent the first part of the season with very little playing time.

Gomez will rob teams of runs thanks to his defensive prowess in center. He is the fastest player on this team, and will probably steal over 40 bases playing in a full-time capacity. If he can match that power and continue to just hit the ball and continue to find more discipline at the plate, Gomez is going to be a HUGE key for the Brewers.

3: Jonathan Lucroy

I truly can’t wait to see Jonathan Lucroy play for a full season. Seriously. He’s been flying under the general public’s radar for the past three seasons, but I think he’s about to emerge as one of the best catchers in the game. If it weren’t for injuries last season, Lucroy could’ve hit 20+ homers and 90+ RBIs, to go along with his slashline of .320/.368/.513. As it was, in 316 at-bats, Lucroy gave the Brewers 12 homers and 58 RBIs, respectable by any catcher’s standards. But you tack on another 200 at-bats, and Lucroy is going to be as big of an offensive cog as anyone on this team, except perhaps Braun.

You add that on to the fact that Lucroy is already a defensive-minded catcher, with a sure glove and a strong arm—teams might not know much about him yet, but they will soon. He fits the title of catcher of the future in Milwaukee, just like Segura fits the title of SS of the future. Both of these positions have been in question for years, but Segura and Lucroy are filling those holes, and filling them in big ways. If Lucroy stays healthy, don’t be surprised to see him hit around .320-.330, hit 20-25 homers, and drive in 90-100 RBIs.

I’m just saying… Yadier Molina and Buster Posey… it’s time to watch out for Jonathan Lucroy.

So that’s it for part one.

I had a tough time not including Norichika Aoki, a rejuvenated Rickie Weeks, and Alex Gonzalez to this list, but I have my reasons. Nori put together one heck of a rookie season with the Brew Crew, but I (unlike many others) saw it coming. I think he’s only going to get better, but I think teams got the message last season… he’s got some pop in his bat, he can hit for average, he’s a good fielder, and he’s much faster on the bases than anyone thought.

Weeks has been a huge part of this offense before, and despite hitting 20 homers last season, still had a subpar season. When he finally found his bat halfway through, he helped bring the Brewers back into contention. I expect another normal bounce-back season for Weeks. Batting average of around .260, 25 or so homers, and 15 or so stolen bases, along with some spectacular plays on defense, and some spectacular blunders on defense as well.

Gonzalez has never played any position but shortstop in the majors, but he’s very likely going to be asked to be a utility infielder this season, especially with the glaring hole at first base until Hart comes back a month into the season. He’ll hit like he normally does, and he’s an excellent defender, so I think he can acclimate to first base, which is, on the whole, easier to play than shortstop.

All three of those guys, and anyone I didn’t mention, are going to be huge for this team. But I think Segura, Gomez, and Lucroy are really the quiet giants that are going to surprise teams the most this season.

In part two of this brief series, I’ll discuss the three pitchers who I think will have wildcard-like seasons with the Brewers.

My biggest problem is the cynicism in fans and pundits that don’t think it’s going to be enough.

Why not?

Sure, there’s been some more controversy within the Brewers camp this offseason, most recently involving a certain superstar player and a certain PED clinic.

I am, of course, talking about Ryan Braun’s name being included in a report concerning Biogenesis and their administration of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) to certain MLB players.

It should be noted, before delving into why the Brewers will, in fact, win the NL Central, that Braun has come forward and admitted his involvement with Biogenesis. In a recent report, Braun stated that Biogenesis was a company of interest in a research endeavor in his successful PED appeal last offseason.

It is also worth noting that Braun’s name has not been connected at all to any PEDs administered by Biogenesis, and that the MLB, though wanting to take a strict hand to Braun, is going to need more than a name drop for what seems to be a legitimate explanation for an unfortunate snafu.

But let’s talk about what’s really important… the Brewers and their chances of winning the NL Central crown for the second time in three years.

Norichika Aoki is a major wild card for this Brewers team.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance I don’t really have to explain the efficiency of this offense. It was one of the best in baseball last year, and driven by big bats like Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez, Corey Hart, Rickie Weeks, and even wild cards like Carlos Gomez, Norichika Aoki, Jonathan Lucroy, and Jean Segura, this is an offense to be feared.

Speed? They have it. Braun has back-to-back seasons in which he has stolen 30 or more bases. Gomez nearly reached 40 last season (37), Norichika Aoki tallied another 30, and Jean Segura, though only stealing 7 bases with Milwaukee last season, is one of the fastest players on this team. Segura swiped 50 bases in 2010 in the Los Angeles Angels’ farm system.

How about Power? Well, you have that too. Without going into great detail, all positions on the field have pop. Braun, Ramirez, Hart, and hopefully a fully recovered Weeks are the obvious sluggers. Add into that Carlos Gomez, who slugged a career high 19 homers last season, Lucroy, who has serious pop at catcher, Aoki, who hit a surprising 10 homers last season, and the only position really lacking in that department is Segura at shortstop, but even back-up Alex Gonzalez is capable of slugging a few deep ones.

The starting rotation is high-risk, high-reward. The only truly known starters are Yovani Gallardo, who is on the verge of becoming a true ace, and Marco Estrada, who is, quite surprisingly, right there with him. Behind those two, you have Mike Fiers, who was the best pitcher in the majors for a couple of months last season, Wily Peralta, who proved he can succeed in the majors during his productive call-up, Chris Narveson, who will be hoping to prove himself after essentially missing the entire 2012 campaign with a torn rotator cuff, and Mark Rogers, the formerly hyped major league prospect, turned bust, turned… well… we’re not really sure yet. But he did a great job in his call-up as well, and without any minor league options left, Rogers will at least be in the bullpen.

The revamped bullpen, featuring Tom Gorzelanny (also a capable starter), lefty specialist Michael Gonzalez, sinkerballer Burke Badenhop, a former major league standout in Kelvim Escobar, and Michael Olmstead, a steal from the Boston Red Sox organization will all be vying for spots on a bullpen that has plenty of open spots and immeasurable room for improvement over last season.

You’re likely looking at Tom Gorzelanny and Mark Rogers as spot starters and long relievers, Burke Badenhop and Michael Gonzalez being middle relievers, with Gonzalez especially being utilized against lefties. The three returnees from last year’s bullpen will likely maintain their roles—Brandon Kintzler will be a middle reliever, Jim Henderson the set-up man, and John Axford the closer. Escobar and Olmstead will almost definitely be beginning the season in the minors, but could quite possibly working their way up to the majors before long.

You add in all of those low-value, high-production players with Alex Gonzalez, who the Brewers signed for infield depth at a massive bargain, and I don’t see the reason to fret.

When you look at this team, there is a lot to be afraid of if you’re not a Brewers fan. It’s an offense that could potentially be the best in the majors. The bullpen is vastly improved. The above additions to go along with returning pen members Jim Henderson, Brandon Kintzler, and John Axford, all capable of throwing into the high-90′s, and all capable of great things.

The only real question mark is starting pitching… beyond Gallardo and Estrada, it’s all question marks and inexperience. But the talent is there in abundance, and essentially every facet of this team is underrated.

They didn’t make any big signings this offseason. They could have gone big for Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke, but they did the smart thing and made bang-for-your-buck moves to improve the areas that needed drastic improvement.

The Brewers didn’t make the playoffs for one reason last year—their bullpen. And that bullpen has been essentially completely revamped. Not much else has changed for the Brewers, and if they can avoid injuries in abundance (unlike last season), and if the young talent can prove to be major league ready, this is a dangerous team.

One that can earn a wild card berth… or even win the NL Central.

Ron Roenicke (10) argues with home plate umpire Joe West (22) after being ejected from a game against the Houston Astros. Photo:

As a game, baseball is unfair.  Not just on the field, but on the business end as well.  Sometimes, heads have to roll.  One Brewers coach already did a Louis XVI earlier this season, bullpen coach Stan Kyles.  I think that is enough for now, but it turns out I am in the minority of the Brew Crew Nation.  Many of you do not want to see RRR back in the dugout next season.   

We can credit this seasons disappointments to many things: poor pitching, untimely hitting, a complete and total lack of facial hair.  The one thing I do not think any of us can blame this on is the skipper, Ron Roenicke.  (I mean you can, and most of you do, but you shouldn’t) 
 
It is not Ron’s fault that his bullpen couldn’t close out a Little League World Series game.  The only guys that he can roll out there to finish of the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings, are the ones on the roster.  It’s not like he can waive a magic bullpen wand and make them all go away.  Or even better, waive the wand and make them better pitchers.  The current state of the pen leaves RRR very little to work with.  K-Rod has been a joke(2-6, 3 saves, 5.55 ERA), Axford has been uncharacteristically bad (4-7, 18 saves, 5.25 ERA), and everyone else has been adequate at best.  So, I  guess the question is, why is everyone ragging on RRR for the teams struggles? 
 
I am fairly certain that there is not a skipper on this earth that would trade places with Ron.  This guy lost his opening day shortstop, 1st baseman, and #5 starter in his rotation within the first 2 weeks of 2012.  Then you add the loss of Prince Fielder, Takashi Saito, his lover Mark Kotsay, Jerry Hairston Jr, and LaTroy Hawkins before the season even started.  Sprinkle a dash of 23 blown saves by your bullpen, two sluggers who started the season batting under .200 (Ramirez and Weeks), and finally a pinch of terrible batting with runners in scoring position…and you have the 2012 Brewers.  A mess, by any standard. 
 
Now, I am not a Ron Roenicke fan.  I did not think that he was the right person for the job when they hired him last winter (I love Dale Sveum), and that still holds true.  However, what is happening this season, can not be put on him.  And I will defend him for the duration of the season, because the assault he has taken from Brewers fans is unwarranted.  While he may not be my favorite Brewers skipper, he is certainly better than the last two (Macha and Yost). 
 
This bullpen has 23 blown saves.  TWENTY-THREE!!!!!  If they had saved even 40% of those opportunities the team would be a game over .500 and maybe Greinke would still be around.  But they didn’t, so we aren’t, and he isn’t.  Again, not Ron’s fault. 
 
Trying to predict the Crew’s offensive consistency, is a lot like trying to predict how many pounds of garbage it would take to make an entire city stink.  It’s pointless and nobody wants to know. 
 
If you are one of the many people who want Roenicke’s head to roll, just ask yourself this question:
 
If I was coaching the Brewers and we had a one run lead in the 9th inning, who do I send out to close the game?
 
That question SUCKS!!  And quite frankly, I don’t want to answer it.  Do you?  Can you imagine being in that position on Friday and Saturday night against the fricking Astros.  It is a lose/lose situation.  And if we can not stop the Astros offense from walk-off wins…who can we stop? 

Put quite simply, Brewers fans are better than regular fans.  This unnecessary assault on Ron Roenicke needs to stop.  We are not the Yankees, Phillies, or Red Sox.  Let’s not just assume that everything that is wrong with the team is the managers fault.  It is not his fault that management offered K-Rod arbitration, thus ending any hope of bringing back Hawkins and Saito.  It is not Ron’s fault that there is not a single pitcher in his bullpen that he can trust.   And it is certainly not his fault that this team has played flat and lifeless baseball from day one. 

My Dad always said, “If you dress a turd in a tuxedo, it is still a turd.”  The 2012 Brewers are lucky to even have a tuxedo.  I think that any skipper should be given at least 3 season, unless that manager is Ken Macha.  In my next piece (due next week), I will share with you why I think the Brewers are in a prime position for making a run in 2013.  And I would be extremely disappointed in Brewers management if Ron Roenicke was not a part of that.

This week there was so much news happening, I could add hundreds of things to the junk drawer.  So in honor of March Madness, these are things that I am putting in the junk drawer to forget.  Here are some things I am “Mad” about and deserve to be junked.

First Handful of Players Re-Assigned

This bugs me because I wanted to see more of a couple of these guys.  Primarily, I think it is madness that Brock Kjeldgaard did not get more time.  Brock was sent to Huntsville Alabama, along with pitcher Cody Scarpetta.  Then, it was Taylor Jungmann and Jed Bradley who were designated to minor league camp. That was not surprising beacuse those two have never even pitched in the system.   Anderson De La Rosa was the 5th player and he followed Jungmann and Bradley to minor league Summer camp.  We hardly had any time to see these guys, but clearly the organization does not think they are ready.  Therefore, I am forced to accept this, but it does not mean I have to like it.  This also sucks for Colin Bennett, who picked Kjeldgaard to follow this spring.  Sorry pal.  Better luck next season. 

Oct 4, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Shaun Marcum against the Arizona Diamondbacks during game three of the 2011 NLDS at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Shaun Marcum Is Still Not Pitching

This is frustrating for a few reasons.  Part of me wants to believe that he is genuinely having issues, but the Satan part of me thinks that he is milking it a little bit.  Why would he do that?  Shaun was clearly bitter that he was open to a long-term extension and the Brewers apparently were not.  Now, I do not doubt that he has some tightness in his shoulder.  That does not mean that he is not milking this thing for all it is worth.  Why would you risk injury in Spring Training, when you need to be pitching for a contract?  Just think about it for me.  It makes sense.  But, Marcum has been working with Rick Kranitz and was scheduled to throw off of a mound today.  So maybe I am blowing this out of proportion.  It wouldn’t be the worst thing ever if he started the regular season healthy. 

Brandon Kintzler Needs Nerve Testing

Kintzler had X-rays on his forearm earlier this week.  His discomfort was initially self-diagnosed as a screw moving.  Last season Kintzler had surgery to repair a hairline fracture in his arm, which involved a screw.  It is possible that the screw is still the root of the problem however.  Brandon now believes that the screw could be “pinching a nerve”.  If you have never had a pinched nerve, it is terribly uncomfortable.  It does not hurt necessarily, but it certainly is not something you enjoy.  This is good news however.  Hopefully this is something he can recover from and we can get some innings out of him.  Guy has good stuff, it would be a shame to watch him sit on the shelf for another season. 

John Axford Gets Into Politics

This may sound absurd, but John Axford has publicly thrown his support behind the highly controversial Stache Act.  If you do not know what I am talking about, follow this link.  This glorious movement was sent to me by an old friend, Shawn Anderson of The Hall of Very Good.  For those of you who do not know, Shawn is an avid baseball fan and a member/writer for the American Mustache Institute.  The AMI is responsible for this glorious piece of legislation.  You should really educate yourself on this.  It is one of the more genius things ever and I am not surprised that John Axford is on board with this.  Thanks Shawn. Oh, and for the record…nothing about this makes me “Mad”.  I just felt like it deserved some love.

**Special Note** Shawn and I will be doing a pre-season chat soon, so be on the look-out.  It is gonna blow your mind. 

Not related to the Junk Drawer, but the Brewers won today over the Padres 6-4.  Taylor Green hit a 2-run homer, Chris Narveson looked pretty sweet, and Tyler Thornburg has now thrown 5 consecutive scoreless innings.  That win puts us at .500 on the Spring!!!   Whooeeeee!!!!

Go Brewers!!

I have always believed that in baseball, more so than other sports, you can learn more from a loss than you will from a win.  Even though today’s games did not end in victory, there were some very exciting things happening.  If certain players learned something, or gained some confidence from today’s games…then the loses are well worth it.

Today the Brewers played the Oakland A’s, meanwhile the Milwaukee Brewers also played the Seattle Mariners.  It’s very strange I know.  Basically, it is a ST gimmick, used to cram more playing time in than the calendar would allow.  This is a practice only used during Spring Training (where attendance is in the Benjamin’s).  It can only happen because of the sheer number of players involved in ST.  These sort of shenanigans can only happen in the magical land of…Arizona.

Game 1:

Brewers 6  vs.  Athletics 8

This game was bizarre.  It really reached ‘Total Recall’ status, when the A’s decimated Frankie De La Cruz in the bottom of the 7th.  Let’s keep it simple.  He did not record an out, but was responsible for 4 runs.  This is something we already know, FDLC is erratic as H.  However, Michael Fiers looked very good today.  The aspiring prospect got the start , pitched 2 solid innings.  Gave up 1 run, on 1 hit, with 4 strikeouts.  Any pitcher will give up runs, but to strikeout 4 of the 6 outs you recorded…nice.  Tim Dillard continues to be very impressive, as h threw two innings and gave up one solo home run. 

The offense was a different story.  Martin Maldonado was the lone Brewers home run in this game.  Logan Schafer and Nyjer Morgan were the only two player to record more than one hit.  On the ST seasons, Schafer is batting .588.  Who is going to complain about that?  Then you have Carlos Gomez…who went 0 for 4, with 2 strikeouts.  That brings his ST average to a smoldering .125.  Maybe we will see a trade before the season starts, because it appears that the Brewers are stacked in the outfield.  Brooks Conrad was no better, he struck out in all 3 of his AB’s.  But my favorite downer of this game would be the 5 and 6 spots in today’s lineup, Taylor Green and Mike Rivera.  Those two fellows combined to leave 11 runners on base. 

What did we learn?  Fiers can pitch.  FDLC is a coin flip.  Dillard should be in the pen.  Logan Schafer might steal Carlos Gomez job. Brooks Conrad misses a lot.  Don’t ever bat Tay Green in front of Rivera.  Score more runs.  Let’s see what was going on with the other Brewers.

Oct 14, 2011; St. Louis, MO, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher

Game 2:

Mariners 7  vs.  Brewers 4

This game featured another 5 run outburst…this time it was in the Top of the 9th inning.  The score was tied 2-2, until Mark Rogers put himself in a really bad spot.  He left the game with the bases loaded, one run had already scored, and he had only recorded one out.  Things just spiraled out of control from there.  The highlight of this game though, was Zack Greinke.  Our boy threw 3 complete innings, striking out 5, giving up one hit, and one walk.  I’m calling it right now, he is going to win the Cy Young.  You can all laugh if you want, but we should have locked him up before the season started.  We will never be able to afford him after the clinic he puts on this season. 

What I was really excited about today, was Scooter Gennett.  Now, he went 0 for 2, but I was just excited to see him on the field.  Ryan Braun went 0 for 3 again.  My panic meter skipped a little, but went right back to “Don’t Panic”.  It was nice to see Aramis Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez both get into the swing of things, each going 2 for 3.  Travis Ishikawa is trying really hard to make this team.  Today, he hit his 2nd home run of ST and went 2 for 4 on the day.  There are all kinds of upsets a-brewin’ (pun intended).  And, even though the team was down 7-2, George Kottaras hit a 2-run homer to make the score more acceptable.  That home run also gave me hope that the Crew will be able to hit multi-run homers this season…because so-far, it seems like 2011 was not a strange coincidence.  Get ready for A LOT of solo home runs. 

So, what did we learn?  Mark Rogers is meh.  Zack Greinke is going to win the Cy Young and we will all cry.  Scooter Gennett played.  Braun is not making me panic.  Aramis and Alex are in talks to star in their own sitcom.  Travis Ishikawa wants to be the Japanese Prince Fielder. George Kottaras gave me hope. 

Tomorrow we play the Cubs.  Wolf is on the mound.  Aramis Ramirez should sit this one out, unless he wants to get beaned. 

Go Brewers!!! 

A quick catch-up:

He goes by Daniel, but is recognized as Dan Meadows according Baseball-Reference and multiple other sources.  Deadshot Meadows is only 6’6″ tall and weighs a mere 225 pounds.  Average fastball, serviceable change-up, and an out of this world slider.  Daniel spent a large part of last season dominating Double and Triple-A competition.  At 24 years old, he can’t even rent a car, without paying a ridiculous daily fee…but he knows how to record outs. 

I chose this kid because he is exciting to me.  Very rarely do I get excited about a guy who will probably be a bullpen pitcher his entire career, but something about him is…awesome.  Uniquely awesome.  This kid is a major league talent, who just needs more experience.  So far, Captain Ron Roenicke has not been afraid to use The Centaur.

Meadows “Big League” debut was not what you would call ideal.  It was the opposite of ideal…

GAME 1:  Last  Tuesday, my man got the ball in the 8th inning and had some issues getting the ball to miss Oakland A’s bats.  Tylenol DM faced 9 batters and gave up hits to 5 of them.  He was lucky to have gotten out of there only allowing two runs.  Based off of that one performance, I think he was tentative and apprehensive about any pitch that was not his slider.  While I really like his delivery (sort of like Chris Capuano…if he was taller), his balls were just way to high in the zone.  No one took him yard, but giving up 4 singles is almost worse.  Danny did not give me a lot to be positive about, looking at that 13.50 ERA made my soul hurt a little.  The Brewers lost that game 6-0. 

GAME 2:  But, like many players this time of year, the young man was given another opportunity to prove himself.  Luckily, for number 79, that opportunity came against the San Francisco Giants just three days later.  Threw a scoreless 6th inning, only allowing one hit and striking out two batters.  That is what I am talking about!!!  Danny Phantom struck out the Kung Fu Panda (Pablo Sandoval) , thus destroying all programming in Nickelodeons Wednesday night lineup.  Then the Phantom struck out the next batter.  No need to even discuss the double he gave up.  Unimportant.  This outing he seemed more confident.  I love to see a young guy just grip and rip and that is what Meadows did on Saturday. 

The scoreless inning on Saturday helped cut his ERA in half.  On the spring, Meadows has a 7.71 ERA and 2 strikeouts.  It has only been a small sampling, so it is hard to know what we have in this guy.  You have got to like the fact that he struck out Sandoval. 

Today was an off day, so we could see Meadows throwing again tomorrow.  Since they have two games, it will be split squad, so I am going to predict that the Tumbleweed will throw tomorrow.  Let’s give the kid another couple of outings and see how he does. 

RtB Spring Training Grade to Date:  B-

Prospect shows flashes of dominance, but needs to work on confidence.  Also needs to keep ball lower in the zone. 

Go Brewers!!

Apr 20, 2011; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Kintzler (61) watches as Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino (8) rounds the bases after hitting the game winning home run during the eighth inning at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies defeated the Brewers 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Well, I wish that there was not this much to write about.  Every season seems to start this way for the Brewers.  I won’t say they never have major injuries, but they seem to have a lot of players having  “few weekers” as opposed to “season enders”.  The fist week of spring has not been kind to the Brewers, but it certainly could have been worse. 

Corey Hart‘s knee surgery will have him back by around the time the season starts, which is a miracle.  Last year, Zack Greinke only missed a few starts thanks to “The Dunk Heard ‘Round the World”.  Every season sees these type of things and in the end everything works out.  However, things can always get worse. 

That is why we are going to start every work week with a little wrap-up of Spring Training injuries.  Now, you can be sure to strike up witty water-cooler banter with your knowledge of the Brewers current injuries.  I wish my office had a water-cooler…if it did, I would probably be there 6 hours a day.  But, enough about how lazy I am, let’s check up on some early spring injuries and where they stand:

Corey Hart:  His knee surgery was successful.  Thankfully there was no major structural damage.  Word on the street is, he was just walking on some uneven pavement and felt a pop.  Could have happened to anyone.  Corey is very optimistic and thinks he will be back in time for Opening Day.  That is admirable, but this team has a lot of outfield depth.  Realistically, he will probably be back a few weeks after the season starts.  Don’t expect to see him play this Spring.  RR won’t rush him back since he does not have to.   

Juan Perez:  This is a breaking story from this morning.  Perez suffered a partially collapsed left lung.  The 33 year old pitcher was admitted to Maryvale Hospital.  This is unfortunate for Perez, who has impressed the pitching staff early this spring.  The south paw is expected to miss a full week of baseball activities.  His outlook is positive.  Hopefully there will be no long-term discomfort, because I imagine having lung pain as a pitcher would be unbearable.  I blame the dessert air… 

Nyjer Morgan:  Morgan was beaned in the head by Barry Zito on Saturday.  After the initial contact Morgan took his base, then played in the outfield in the bottom half of the 1st inning.  Then he was pulled from the game, where his brain was scanned.  Many things were learned, primarily…there is nothing wrong with his brain.  Captain Ron Ronenicke, had T-Plush ride the pine today…just in case that looping curve ball knocked something loose.  Now, I have seen the pitch…let’s just chalk it up too Barry Zito not being as good as he used to be.  This was not a malicious pitch, just a big hanging curve ball.  Morgan will not miss any serious time.

Shaun Marcum:  Shauny has been complaining about some shoulder tightness, but what else is new.  He threw each of the last two days, with no apparent set backs.  Marcum will be back…I don’t know…one of these days.  Just so long as he does not turn this minor discomfot into a torn muscle.  Take your time Marcum.  No rush dude.  Would rather keep you fresh and un-used, because over-use turns you into “Playoffs Shaun Marcum”.   No one wants that buddy…grow a mustache. 

 Brandon Kintzler:  Many of the writers on this site believe in Brandon Kintzler, but the news is not promising.  Tom Haudricourt reported that Kintzler experienced throwing discomfort on Friday.  Brandon had a screw inserted in his throwing forearm to correct a stress-fracture.  BK had this to say about his arm:

I have the same symptoms I had before the surgery.  In the bullpen, it felt amazing. I thought it was back to normal. Then I got on the mound and it was like I was back to square one.  I know my body and the things I can push through. I just hope it’s not as serious as it seems. They’re going to take X-rays and look for bone stuff.

That sounds all kind of nasty.  Might have to wait another year to see if Kintzler can be the bullpen stud that we all want him to be.  Very sad news.  

Other than that, I guess everything is ok.  Mostly good news…well, I mean none of it is good news, but it’s the best kind of bad news (accept for Kintzler).  It’s like thinking you failed a test, then getting it back and seeing that you did fail it, just not by as bad as you thought you did.  Everyone would rather the team have NO injuries, but that is impossible.  So, I will take these.   

On a side note, the prospect I have decided to follow this Spring (Daniel Meadows), hasas already appeared this spring…and we are going to talk all about him tomorrow.  So sleep on that.  

Go Brewers!!!

This afternoon we got our second look at Randy Wolf.  And, for the second time, Randy did not disappoint.  Wolf threw 2.2 innings, no hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts.  That paired with his two shutout innings earlier this week…that puts him just shy of 5 scoreless innings to start ST.  Randy must be playing for one last contract, I guess.  Might as well try to dominate all season.  I have found that it never hurts to be good at what you do, so I encourage this behavior.  We have had our ups and downs together, but I would like to see you have another season like 2011.  If you do that, you will be off my S-list.

Speaking of my S-List…I really did not want to like Brooks Conrad.  Primarily, because I did not want him to take away the roster spot for Taylor Green.  Truth is, that old guy has got some game.  Their is no doubt that he can play defense.  Those 3 errors in the playoffs a few years ago must have been a fluke.  Conrad has made some big time plays at 2nd base so far this spring for the Crew.  Then today, we got to see why he is known as one of the best power pinch-hitters in baseball.  In the bottom of the 4th inning, Brooks launched a solo-shot to the opposite field.  I have not seen it, but it didn’t sound like there was any concern about it clearing the fence.  He also had a single in his first at-bat.  In the end, he will be the new Mark Kotsay.  Let’s just hope that he is better…than Mark Kotsay.  I can still loathe Mark Kotsay, even if he is in San Diego.  He can run, but he can’t hide from my dislike of him.  And for the record, I like Conrad more than I like Kotsay, but it is early…. 

Milwaukee Brewers catcher

Conrad was not the only home run hitter today.  Nyjer Morgan hit a home-run.  I am not joking, that happened.  Mat Gamel hit a home run for the second day in a row.  Never going to complain about that.  Last, but certainly not least, was Jon Lucroy.  By far the hottest batter on the team, Lucroy went 3 for 4 today, including that homer.  He also caught 6 innings of no-hit baseball.

Randy Wolf no hit 2.2, Juan Perez no-hit 1.1, Francisco Rodriguez no-hit 1 inning, Manny Parra no-hit 1…but then gave up a hit to the first batter of the 7th inning.  That aside, Parra only allowed that one hit in two full innings.  Amaury Rivas also threw a very nice inning.  At this point, I honestly thought they were going to shutout the Indians.  It helped relieve my anxiety, knowing that the score was 12-0.  Zach Braddock came out for the 9th…and…well, he got pimp slapped (couldn’t think of a better way to say it, is pimp slapping still relevant?).  Walked the first batter, got an out, walked the next batter, got another out, and then Adam LaRoche doubled.  12-2 was the final.  Finally, some signs of life from this team.

Great game to listen to.  The Brewers scored in every inning accept the 1st.  Everyone hit…accept Ryan Braun, but I am not worried.  Not while Jonathan Lucroy is on the team.  That little Tasmanian Devil is batting .636 on the spring.  Logan Schafer and Caleb Gindl continue to hit with relative ease. Every Brewers batter who had at least 2 AB’s had a hit (accept Braun).  Things seemed to be clicking today.  Hopefully this is a sign of things to come, but if nothing else it was nice to see them score runs. 

In closing, I read a very amusing story on Brew Crew Ball today about Wayne Franklin.  That is not a joke.  It is a birthday article for Wayne Franklin.  Wayne Franklin was Jeff Suppan before we had Jeff Suppan.  Kyle Lobner does a nice job of not focusing on how awful Franklin was in Milwaukee.  It is worth a read, if you are in the mood for a trip down horrible nightmare lane.   

Go Brewers!!!

Tonight I would like to take a look at both of those articles and share some of my thoughts with you.  Before you read my thoughts, you should go read their articles.  Therefore, let us start with Kyle Davis’ article from Call to the Pen.  It is all about Zack Greinke bringing another Cy Young to Milwaukee. 

Lou’s Editorial

Feb 26, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (13) throws during a workout during spring training at Maryvale Baseball Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

The first thing I noticed, I do not have the same curious fascination with Greinke as Kyle clearly does.  It’s not like he sleeps with a photo of him next to his bed fascinated, but probably a step below that.  Kyle references an article that lists ZG as one of the top 3 fantasy baseball pitchers in the National League this season, and I agree.  Although, there is something you all should know about me.  I only played fantasy baseball one time, Greinke was on my team, and he won the Cy Young.  Does this mean I should join a fantasy baseball league?  Probably not, but just something I thought you should all know.  And don’t ask me too, because I hate fantasy baseball…accept it. 

There is no doubt that Greinke knows how to strikeout batters.  Mr. Davis points out that Zack averaged over 10 strikeouts per 9 innings, which is pretty awesome.  Kyle covers almost every aspect of why Shaq Greinke was not as dominant as we had hoped, but there is one thing that I really need to emphasise.  Yuniesky Betancourt.  Greinke got much worse in 2010, which was his first season with Yuni Betancourt playing shortstop.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.  Then in 2011 Greinke gave up more home runs than he ever had in his career.  Now, Kyle attributes that to pitch selection and adjusting to batters.  His article does talk about the ineptitude of Betancourt, but I think his departure will be one of the best things to happen to Zack.  I genuinely think Greinke was pitching to fly-balls because he did not trust the right side of his infield.  Who could blame him?  This season, that should not be an issue. That is why I think Greinke could win the Cy Young. 

Truth is, Kyle’s article is spot on.  He leaves nary a rock unturned.  You have to go read this article, because this guy seems to be the Greinke whisperer.  Great work Monsieur Davis.  I tip my cap to you and your strange obsession with our starting pitcher.  You should all go follow him on Twitter @AgainstKyle

Now let’s talk about Robbie Knopf’s continuation of his Mock Draft at Seedlings to Stars.  Yesterday he posted the supplemental Mock, then messaged me to tell me how jazzed he was about who he thought the Brewers would pick.  Here is his entire Mock for the supplemental round, you should check it out. 

Lou’s Editorial

38th Pick Overall (also a Fielder Pick) – Addison Russell, SS

Once again, Robbie has made the Brewers look extremely intelligent.  While I will never debate this fact, perhaps he is giving us too much credit.  This kid sounds like he could be the next big thing in this franchise.  He hits too all fields, has power, and from what our boy over at S2S has to say…his upside is through the roof.  Now, the part of this article that caught me off guard was Russell’s build.  Very rarely do you see a 6’1″ and 205 pound shortstop in this day and age…well, any day and age I guess.  If the Brewers went ahead and drafted this kid, he is straight out of High School and that always makes me nervous.  But, since I can not find any real information on this kid other than what Robbie wrote about…I will leave it too the experts and people who have access to tape of this kid in action.  As an organization, we need to be stockpiling any and all talent right now, so any pick is a good one.  It’s best to draft these type of players now, while there is still time to develop them.  The wheels are slowly going to start falling off our wagon, so management needs to replace those wheels now.   

Robbie, you were right.  I really like this pick too.  Perhaps you should get a job with the Brewers front office, that way you can get paid for your genius and obvious love of the Brewers.

If you like what you see from Robbie, go follow him on Twitter at @RCG_Robbie 

Well this week we had a great many things slip through the cracks, so I had to whittle it down.  This has been a very exciting week for RtB in particular, as we have added two new writers.  Don’t worry, you will get to know these two gentlemen very soon. 

Since it is Leap Day, which of course is a day that does not really exist, I decided to theme the Junk Drawer.  The 5 things I chose for this week, seem like maybe they shouldn’t be real…but they are.  So, sit back, relax, and try to remember that nothing that happens today matters.

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