How Good Really Are My Brewers?
So incase you didn't know the Brewers...yes MY LOWLY BREWERS have the best record in the NL. With a record of 21-10 and having won 12 of their last 15 the Brewers are indeed red hot (as I am writing this they are beating the Nats 3-0 top of 7). They've got a 5 game lead on the 2nd place Cubs right now and 8 games on the lowly Cardinals (haha I love it!). But to the average baseball fan who isn't also a Brewers fan like me, how good really are the Brewers? Are they for real or are they in for a plummit? I'm going to try to figure this out as unbiased as I possibly can...GO BREWERS!!!!!!!Ok, so yea the Brewers have a great record but it could be a fluke right? In my full and honest opinion, no it isn't. This is the Brewers' year. They've been progressively improving over the last 4 seasons and with no injuries and every offseason move strongly bettering the team they're ready. I mean sure they're going to falter. Every team will have a losing streak at some point when you play 162 games. But this team is leagues better than they have been in the last 10+ years and with a weaker NL Central than I can really ever remember I can feel it. We're goin' back to the Playoffs baby!
They're pitching staff is rock solid with:
1. Ben Sheets (2-2 with 4.04 ERA and 21 K's) Looks like he's over the groin pull
2. Chris Capuano (4-0 with 2.90 ERA and 22 K's) - Look for his K totals to jump up
3. Jeff Suppan (5-2 with 2.63 ERA and 27 K's)
4. Dave Bush (2-3 with 6.03 ERA and 31 K's) A lot of K's but he's struggling.
5. Claudio Vargas (3-0 with 2.89 ERA and 33 K's) What a stud in the 5 slot.
I thought they overpayed Suppan coming into the year but he's been a pleasant suprise. Sheets can be an ace again...case and point: Opening Day. Cappy has been good and his K's are unusually low. Bush can and will come around (he was decent for the Crew last year and won 12 games for them) and Vargas has been an even more pleasant surprise than Suppan.
The 'pen has been good too. Wise -> Turnbow -> Cordero make up one of the best 7-8-9 inning combos in the majors. Cordero is 12-12 in save ops and has been amazing. Turnbow (no longer Turnblow) has found his stuff again and has gracefully made the move from a closer to a good setup man. Also Shouse has stranded every single run he has inherited this season...he's been great out of the pen as well.
They're young hitters have been outstanding. Fielder (9 HRs .298 AVG and 26 RBIs) and Hardy (8 HRs .339 AVG and 26 RBIs) (highly underrated and on a 17...no wait 18 game hitting streak) have been stellar and are red hot right now. Weeks has been hitting fairly decent as a lead-off hitter (could and will raise his AVG) and Estrada has been a great acquisition. Hall has struggled in CF a bit this season but need not worry because Tony Gwynn Jr. is a great young player who is definitely making the most of his opportunities this season. Jenkins (.349 6 HRs and 16 RBIs) has seemingly rejuvenated his career and Mench (.299 2 HRs 12 RBIs)has figured out how to hit and play in MIL.
I could go on and on but this is supposed to be a short post. The Brewers are for real. Don't believe me? Check out their bullpen, rotation, starters, and bench. They're pretty strong and deep in all categories and as previously stated the NL Central is much weaker....I've watched every possible game on TV and Gamecast and I'm convinced. This is at the very least a Wild Card team, although I think they have a better chance at winning their division.
I know it's early, but is it too early to think that I might be in Milwaukee watching baseball in September? How good do you think the Brewers really are?
For all non-Brewer followers and baseball fans in general: I want you to read this. As for me I'm off to take a picture of the standings and have it framed...later!
9 comments:
Capuano and Fielder are nasty dude. I hope my Reds can catch them but I'm having my doubts.
I still think theyre a year away, but I think they can compete. Until they bring Ryan Braun up they're taking a dead spot in their order
Yea 3B is a dead spot in their order but Graffy and Counsel play much better D than Braun. And when Braun is ready they will have an absolutely killer lineup and arguably the best young IF in the game with (Prince, Rickie, JJ, and Ryan).
I think the Brewers are good and that you have reason to be exited, yet something causes me to worry about them. To me it seems like they start out the year realy good and then kind of fade away.
The thing that worries me is I don't see them making the playoffs if they dont win the division and I think Chicago when they finally wake up could be what keeps the Brewers out of the playoffs. I expect the wild card to more than likely come from the East (Mets, Braves, possibly the Phillies and who knows maybe the Marlins) but the West has some tough teams too.
I like the Brewers and they are built to be competitive for years to come and their staff is definetely coming around. I think Capuano (former Dukie) is probably the ACE in all actuality, at least until Sheets gets his stuff back. Vargas is a wild card who can pitch amazing one game and then absolutely horrible the next. Of course if Bill Hall starts hitting like he did last year then the Brew Crew could do some major damage.
Good luck, and if you make the playoffs I hope your team can take it home. The Twinkies always seem to run into trouble (usually the Yankees) in the playoffs.
well as far as braun is concerned, 3B defense isn't a huuuge deal, but there's been talk of moving bill hall to 3rd and braun to left, well at least among the BP types of the world there has been
Or just as well to see Hall back at 3B and let Gwynn Jr. start in CF. Because if Hall goes to 3B and Braun to LF, then Hart will get no PT and Mench and Jenkins would never play together again b/c other than Hall Gwynn Jr. is their only other option in CF (Other than possibly Gabe Gross i guess).
But regardless they have the best record in the majors and that's w/o Braun so I see no need to rush him right now. Maybe later in the year if a need presents itself or he makes some positive strides on D. But for now I think they're doing more than ok with the roster they have.
Just skimming this post made me a worse person
You're just jealous because the Brewers are this year's 2006 Tigers. And this year's tigers are just the 2007 Tigers.
this year's Brewers ARE for real, they will win the central going away... the nl looks pretty top heavy with the brewers, dodgers, braves, and mets all one notch above the rest
Post a Comment