[bahoena]

Last year, the Brewer's finally hit the .500 mark. I see their made dash toward the end of the season to get to that mark as a sign of better things to come, especially with the young bats they have in the infield.

Fielder is projected to be a better power hitter than his father.

Weeks could easily be a 20/20, or even 30/30, batter in his prime.

Hardy has some Jim Gantner like potential. (Okay, that's not saying much, but he's still solid at defense).

And throw in Hall, who given a full-time job could be a 20/20 player (he was 17/18 last year in 500 ABs).

They're all young, and may not quite be on par with the '82 World Series infield: Molitor, Young, Gantner, and Cooper, but if the Brewers can keep these younger players together for a few years, they will once again be a respectable team.

Any doubters out there?

[Lefty Noob]

Hall and Fielder are particularly impressive as prospects. Hall just needs a little more work to become a solid .300 hitter, and I definitely see 20 HR, 80 RBI potential in him. Fielder looks to be a good young slugger, but ultimately the jury's still out on him as a big-leaguer. Don't know if they'll reach their potential right away or not, but give 'em a few years and Milwaukee could contend in the Central.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by bahoena

Fielder is projected to be a better power hitter than his father.

Weeks could easily be a 20/20, or even 30/30, batter in his prime.


Any doubters out there?

I am with you man..I believe in the hype...Weeks and Fielder are golden!...Okay so the season hasn't started...but hey we can dream can't we...Its are American given right to dream each and every spring...
They're all young, and may not quite be on par with the '82 World Series infield: Molitor, Young, Gantner, and Cooper, but if the Brewers can keep these younger players together for a few years, they will once again be a respectable team.

[Calder]

The chances of Milwaukee overtaking the Cardinals at this stage might be hoping for too much, but I wouldn’t doubt that the Brewers have a chance to stay in the race. The Cardinals can’t win 100 games every year, so whether Ned Yost’s club has it in them to win the 92-95 games it may take for the division title remains to be seen. Houston has reached the post-season the last two seasons, but their first-half inconsistencies in 2004-2005 may not translate into the magic carpet ride they’ve enjoyed the last two seasons (just ask the A’s). You can only play with fire for so long before the thing blows up in your face. I think Clemens will come back after May 1 for the Astros, but I am not sure that he will be the automatic difference-maker that they’re expecting him to be.

Everybody seems to be high on the Brewers heading into this season, but it’s going to be difficult to keep up with St. Louis. Milwaukee does have a solid pitching staff with Sheets, Davis, and Capuano, but the questions remain about late-season additions from last year. Tomo Ohka’s ERA was a run higher, 4.35 to 3.33, after his trade from the Nationals in June. Rick Helling has the chance to make it as the fifth starter based upon his last seven starts. Helling was 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA. Whether his arm holds up is another story, as the 35-year old hadn’t started since 2003. The offense is loaded with Lee, Jenkins, Fielder, and Weeks, so the Brewers have the opportunity to stay in most ballgames this season. If nothing else, this team will be fun to watch in 2006.

[rmjvol]

Hi Calder, welcome to GoTeamsGo

Do you think any of the pitching staff will really stand out this year or do you see more of a team effort with no real heros?

[Calder]

Originally Posted by rmjvol

Hi Calder, welcome to GoTeamsGo

Do you think any of the pitching staff will really stand out this year or do you see more of a team effort with no real heros?

This pitching staff isn't glorious by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a lunch-pail crew who comes to work every day with hard hats in tow. It's hard to imagine that Capuano is going to duplicate his success of 2005, but 15 wins might do the trick for Milwaukee this year. Doug Davis wouldn't be able to be picked out of a police lineup, but he ate up 222.2 innings last season while winning 11 games. Sheets is looking to rebound after an injury forced him out in late August. The bottom line is, the Brewers are finally compiling some offense over the last couple of seasons, and so the need to win low-scoring games every night won't be a constant neccesity. Don't think that doesn't do wonders for the starting pitchers, as the pressure is relieved at least a little.

[Vladman]

Look ... rookies don't win titles. They are a KEY piece of the puzzle, and at times, when they get hot, you just ride their enthusiasm and their surging statistics. But your vets are the glue, and the aquisition of Corey Koskie will be key for this young club. He is a gold glover, soft spoken, and is definately a clutch performer. Jenkins will need to stay steady all year, and Carlos Lee will need to pick up where he left off last year. These 3 guys, if they are playing well, will decide just what direction the club is headed.

By the way ... back to the young guys

I've watched David Bush pitch a ton as a big blue jay fan, and let me tell you... the brewers have no idea what they are getting. This kid is a star. He's got a NASTY curveball, solid heater, good changeup, and competes with the best of them. Expect big things.