Milwaukee Brewers 2010 Primer

Just six years ago, the Brewers were one of baseball's punchlines in line with the Pirates and Royals. Since then, general manager Doug Melvin has done a great job rebuilding the organization from the bottom up, filling his team with talented young players led by Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun. Unfortunately, they now face a new challenge: failing to live up to expectations.

The Brewers have Braun locked up until 2015, but Fielder is facing free agency in 2011 and with other players like Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks aging without cashing in on what once seemed like limitless potential, talk this offseason has centered on whether the Brewers' window is currently closing. They made the playoffs in 2008, but their pitching staff crashed and burned without Ben Sheets and CC Sabathia in 2009 and a team that surprised its fans with 81 wins in 2005 disappointed them with 80 wins.

Now the team is teetering in the midst of the balancing act that all small-market clubs face. They've already traded prospects for veterans to make a playoff run once (the Sabathia trade). Do they do it again in 2010 to try and take advantage of Prince Fielder while he's still in Milwaukee? Or do they step back for a year or two to try and reload for the last half of Braun's deal?

---

---

Coming and Going

In: Carlos Gomez, OF (trade); Randy Wolf, LHP (free agent); LaTroy Hawkins, RHP (free agent); Jim Edmonds, OF (free agent)
Out: JJ Hardy, SS (trade); Braden Looper, RHP (free agent); Felipe Lopez, 2B (free agent); David Weathers, RHP (free agent); Seth McClung, RHP (free agent)

Around the Horn

A Prince Paid Like a King? ...
2010 is the second year of the two-year deal signed by Prince Fielder prior to the 2009 season. With one year of arbitration still looming in 2011, the Brewers want to lock down their slugger without risking losing him to free agency after next year. Unfortunately for them, agent Scott Boras always wants his clients on the free agent market and Fielder will likely demand a huge sum should he hit the open market. That leaves the Brewers in a tough situation. Should they make a huge offer to Fielder now to keep him (the offer would likely have to be well above market price); stick with him and make a run, risking losing him for draft picks in two years; or trade him and try to replenish the system with a huge prospect haul that he could command? GM Doug Melvin doesn't have to make the decision now, but the clock's ticking.

The Yovani and the Wolf ...
Everyone expected the Brewers' pitching staff to take a step backwards after losing Ben Sheets and CC Sabathia following the 2008 season, but the 129-run increase (they allowed 689 in 2008 and 818 in 2009) nearly single-handedly kept the Brewers out of the playoff race last year. Yovani Gallardo, only 24, is budding into an ace, though, averaging nearly 10 strikeouts per nine innings to go with his 3.27 ERA . They've also added veteran Randy Wolf, to eat innings and give some support to Gallardo in the rotation before the Doug Davis/Jeff Suppan/Manny Parra roller coaster at the bottom of their rotation. With Wolf on board and LaTroy Hawkins in the bullpen, the Brewers' pitching is certainly better than last year. The question now is if it's enough.

One More Chance for Rickie ...
Rickie Weeks has been the Brewers' second baseman of the future for almost five years now. Between 2006 and 2008, he made some strides at the plate (he did a good job increasing his on-base percentage to become a better leadoff hitter), but struggled in other aspects (his power was inconsistent at best) while injuries kept him off the field. After a good spring and a hot start in 2009 (he was hitting .272/.340/.517 with nine homers through 37 games) he again injured his wrist and missed the remainder of the season. So in 2010 it's time to ask the question again: is this the year Rickie Weeks finally breaks out and fills out the Brewers lineup?

The Glove Is There, But the Bat ...
Two new constants in the Brewers daily lineup in 2010 are Carlos Gomez, acquired from the Twins in the JJ Hardy trade, and highly touted rookie shortstop Alicides Escobar, whose presence enabled the Hardy trade. Both have excellent defensive reputations and will undoubtedly aid the beleaguered Brewers' pitching staff discussed above, but both also have plenty of room to grow as hitters. With a fearsome top of the lineup that features Fielder, Ryan Braun, Corey Hart and Casey McGehee, just a little support from the two glove-men at the bottom of the order could give the Brewers the best offense in the National league in 2010.

Projected Opening Day Roster



2010 Outlook
The Brewers scored 785 runs, third-best in the National League, in 2009. With Weeks back, the offense is still likely to be among the best in the NL, even with Zaun, Gomez, and Escobar occupying the bottom end. The pitching is the key, though, and while a maturing Gallardo and Wolf should help some, the huge question marks around the other three (or anyone else that may make starts, like Dave Bush) will likely decide whether the Brewers contend for their second playoff spot in three years or have another frustratingly mediocre season.