After one game, there is very little that a fan can gather from the Brewers performance today. You could conclude that Ben Sheets is going to have a great season. You could conclude that Eric Gagne will be terrible. You could even say that Tony Gwynn may be the better option in center field even after Mike Cameron returns. However, you can not come to any of those conclusions because it is way too early. The one thing that I think we can take out of the game is that the Brewers will be gritty all season long and fight their way back each and every game. It was an ugly win, but at least it was a win.... and you know that every win against the Cubs is worth more than a win against any other opponent... especially at Wrigley Field.

I would personally like to thank Mother Nature for raining at all the right times for me today. Starting the game late allowed me to take a late lunch and see the first few innings. The second delay came right as lunch was ending and lasted until about 45 minutes before I was able to leave. I got home in time to see the rest of the game, from the seventh inning on. If Mother Nature had kept the rain away I would have probably only seen about 40 minutes of the game.... so thanks to her for that.

Tonight I will try to catch a glimpse of some of the other action going on around MLB with the  MLB Extra Innings free preview. I am debating whether or not to purchase it for all of the games outside the Milwaukee market in order to keep tabs on everyone else, especially the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. I think the only holdup is the fact that I may switch from Time Warner Cable to U-Verse sometime this summer, once it is available in Oshkosh.

I was checking out the ESPN.com predictions and the Brewers got very little love across the board. A NL Central crown here, a NL Wild Card there, but overall the Cubs were the favorite of just about every ESPN reporter/writer. Except for Pedro Gomez. Why? Well, because.....

I had originally scheduled a Brewers Pitcher Breakdown for Saturday and a MLB Breakdown for Sunday, but with all of the changes at MLBlogs over the last 24 hours, I have decided to bypass these posts and instead spend the day trying to figure out how to blog all over again. There are some pretty major changes behind the scenes, and I would rather learn them and hit the ground running tomorrow than offer up a couple cheesy 'Breakdown' posts (trust me they were going to be as cheesy (maybe more) as the Brewers Batter Breakdown posted on Friday.

I will try to be back later today, otherwise you know I will be back tomorrow for Opening Day (even though it looks like the Brewers-Cubs game may get rained out). I hope everyone enjoys March Madness, NASCAR, the NBA (if anyone watches anymore), the PGA, or the NHL today... because from tonight (Braves v. Nats) through October (Brewers v. Some AL Team), Major League Baseball is taking over!

I thought I would do a quick post to test out the new Movable Type blogging software.

Here's a picture:


And some audio:


And a video about The Doorman:

Continue reading 'Testing... 1...2...1...2'...

Over the next two days, I will list each batter and pitcher on the opening day roster (and DL) and give my thoughts on how their 2008 could go. Besides getting injured, the player can have a good year, a bad year, or something in between. I will give both the good year and bad year scenarios and then select what I think the player will be closer to in 2008. (You will notice that my opinion is slanted and this is more of an entertainment piece, than an intelligent assessment of the Crew... although you can glean some of my opinions off of the post.... see: Mike Rivera, Gabe Gross, and Tony Gwynn.)

• Jason Kendall:
  • Good Year - Kendall comes in and is a unifier rather than a divider. He hustles and does not walk everything out. He leads a young pitching staff by calling a better game than his predecessor. Basically, he ends up being everything Johnny Estrada was not. After lasik eye surgery in the offseason, Kendall sees the ball better and bumps his average up to .280.
    
  • Bad Year - He isn't Johnny Estrada (a good thing), but bats .203 and throws out 1 in 25 runners attempting to steal. Kendall ends up splitting the season with Mike Rivera, starting just over half the games.
  • My Pick - Good Year

• Mike Rivera:
  • Good Year - Gets about 75 starts to cover for a disappointing Jason Kendall. Shows he is the catcher of the future by making the most of his playing time hitting close to .300 and throwing out a good percent of the runners trying to steal on him. Is the Brewers catcher of choice if they make the postseason.
  • Bad Year - Gets about 35 starts to give Kendall a breather here and there. Is replaced midseason by Vinny Rottino.
  • My Pick - Bad Year
• Craig Counsell:
  • Good Year - Gets the occasion spot start to give Hardy or Hall a day off. Comes in as a left handed bat off the bench to pinch hit for the pitchers spot later in games. Puts up a .260 average and few notice him, other than his odd batting stance.
    
  • Bad Year - The Brewers "Mr Mendoza" bats .201 in all of the roles mentioned in a good year. Ned decides to let pitchers hit instead of bringing Counsell in.
    
  • My Pick - Good Year
• Joe Dillon:
  • Good Year - The ultimate utility man plays an equal number of games at first, second, third, and in the outfield. Gets more AB's than any bench player because of his flexibility. Picks up key, scrappy, pinch hits and becomes a fan favorite because of his grittiness.
    
  • Bad Year - Dillon spends more time fixing his batting gloves before each pitch than he actually does playing in games. Ned falls in love with Gabe Kapler and sends Dillon down when Cameron comes off of suspension. As it turns out, Matt Dillon would be a better option coming off of the bench.
    
  • My Pick - Bad Year
• Prince Fielder-
  • Good Year - See: 2007.... plus .030 to the BA and 20 to the R'sBI total.
    
  • Bad Year - See: Rob Deer... circa 1989. Fielder falls apart. His vegetarian diet zaps him of most of his power, and causes him to strike out  150+ times. He returns to meat by the All-Star game and puts on 100 pounds before the Brewers trade him to the Rangers for Kevin Mench and Nelson Cruz.
    
  • My Pick - Good Year
• Bill Hall:
  • Good Year - See: 2006
    
  • Bad Year - See: 2007
    
  • My Pick - Good Year
• J.J. Hardy:
  • Good Year - J.J. puts up stats a little better than last year's, without the extreme ups and downs. He provides better defense than offense, overall. Uecker's call of, "Hardy, to Weeks, to Fielder. Double play!", is a call that is made on a daily basis throughout the year as health is not an issue after losing half of his body weight this spring when he caught dysentery on the Oregon Trail.
    
  • Bad Year - Hardy's average and power dip significantly, but the screams of high school girls make Ned keep him in every game. Hardy has more girlfriends than home runs in 2008... which is a bad year for us, but a good year for him.
    
  • My Pick - Good Year
• Rickie Weeks:
  • Good Year - Weeks stays injury free and ups every offensive statistic. His defense still leaves something to be desired, but his speed helps with Ned's small ball approach.
    
  • Bad Year - See: Last Season
    
  • My Pick - Good Year
• Ryan Braun:
  • Good Year - His pace from 2007 stay about the same... meaning his numbers look like A-Rod's. By batting behind Prince, his R'sBI will take a bit of a hit, but he is able to display his speed on the base paths a little more.
    
  • Bad Year - A sophomore slump while transitioning to the outfield leaves Braun with slightly higher than average stats. His fielding improves slightly, but only because plays in left are no where near as difficult as they are at the hot corner.
    
  • My Pick - Bad Year - just kidding.... Good Year
• Mike Cameron:
  • Good Year - After serving his suspension, Cameron continues the torrid start he had in Spring Training. His defense is an improvement in center and helps Braun and Hart. While his power numbers are not tremendous, his speed and ability to go from first to third on a single, give the Brewers a heck of a lot more production than the two spot provided last season.
    
  • Bad Year - Cameron never recovers from the layoff and puts up lower than average offensive statistics. He improves the team defensively, but doesn't give the Brewers enough to warrant bringing him back with the club option in 2009.
    
  • My Pick - Good Year
• Gabe Gross:
  • Good Year - Is an adequate bat off of the bench. Puts up double digit home run totals. Gets clutch hits. Everyone is happy.
    
  • Bad Year - Is the last guy off the bench after a slow start. Puts up single digit home run totals. Everyone is sad.
    
  • My Pick - Bad Year
• Tony Gwynn:
  • Good Year - Starts each game Cameron misses and shows that the Brewers may have a better center fielder in him than they do in Cameron. Hits .300, steals some bases, and makes papa proud.
    
  • Bad Year - Fans think, "You're whose son?" as Gwynn struggles mightily over the first 25 games. He looks lost in the field, lost at the plate, and lost on the base paths. He is sent down when Cameron comes back.
    
  • My Pick - Bad Year
• Corey Hart:
  • Good Year - Hart's numbers go up from last season and he becomes the soft spoken leader of the team. Already a fan favorite, people start modifying their Robin Yount jerseys and tear off the 9, use the 'T", and use Sharpies to add the H-A-R.
    
  • Bad Year - Corey has a breakdown after he tries to plea with fans to call him Jon Corey Hart after getting sick of the "Never Surrender" and "Sunglasses at Night" references. He "Always Surrenders" when at bat and hits in the mid .200's. It's an ugly year and the Brewers think twice about that long term deal.  
  • My Pick - Good Year
• Gabe Kapler:
  • Good Year - Kapler rapidly ascends up the bench to become one of Ned's favorite options. He comes into blow out games at first, but is soon used in key situations where the Brewers need a big AB... and he delivers more often than not.
    
  • Bad Year - The Brewers trade him for Vinny Barbarino and actually get the better end of the deal. Kapler retires again and manages a local Babe Ruth team.
    
  • My Pick - Good Year

Well, I have named My 25, My 9, My Standings, and now I will reveal My Awards. I will include the four major awards given in each league; MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year. I will provide my winner and my runner up for each category:

NL MVP

Winner: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers

Runner-Up: Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies

NL Cy Young

Winner: Johan Santana, New York Mets

Runner-Up: Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres

NL ROY

Winner: Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles Dodgers

Runner-Up: Andy LaRoche, Los Angeles Dodgers

NL MOY

Winner: Joe Torre, Los Angeles Dodgers

Runner-Up: Dusty Baker, Cincinnati Reds

AL MVP

Winner: Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox

Runner-Up: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

AL Cy Young

Winner: Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox

Runner-Up: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

AL ROY

Winner: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox

Runner-Up: Daric Barton, Oakland Athletics

AL MOY

Winner: Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays

Runner-Up: John Gibbons, Toronto Blue Jays

Today, I will reveal my predictions for the way I believe Major League Baseball's standings will look at the end of the season. Throughout the season, I will do progress reports to see how accurate these predictions are. Last season, I ended at 78.7% accurate by taking the total number of teams in the division, subtracting the number of spots I was off by, and then taking those totals and dividing by the total points possible for the league (122). Let's see if I can improve my accuracy this season!

NL Central

1. Milwaukee(2)
2. Chicago
3. Cincinnati
4. Houston
5. St Louis
6. Pittsburgh

NL East

1. New York(1)
   
2. Philadelphia (Wild Card)(4)
3. Atlanta
4. Florida
5. Washington

NL West

1. Los Angeles(3)
2. Arizona
3. Colorado
4. San Diego
5. San Francisco
   

AL Central

1. Detroit(3)
2. Cleveland
3. Minnesota
4. Chicago
5. Kansas City

AL East

1. Boston(1)
   
2. New York (Wild Card)(4)
3. Toronto
4. Tampa Bay
5. Baltimore

AL West

1. Los Angeles(2)
2. Seattle
3. Oakland
4. Texas

Postseason

NLDS -  New York over Los Angeles (3-1) & Milwaukee over Philadelphia (3-2)
ALDS -  Detroit over Boston (3-2) & Los Angeles over New York (3-1)

NLCS - Milwaukee over New York (4-3)
ALCS - Detroit over Los Angeles (4-1)

World Series - Milwaukee over Detroit (4-2)

Does this come as a major shock to anyone? As a fan of a contender (and a homer), I do not think there is any other way my predictions can go. I would expect the same from fans of any of the playoff teams mentioned above and many of the teams I predicted for the top halves of their division. That is the great thing about the beginning of the season... every team has a chance because every team (besides Boston and Oakland) is 0-0. I am sure my predictions will be off overall, but as long as my predictions about the Brewers are accurate, I am perfectly fine with that.

To say that the Brewers decision to release Claudio Vargas is a surprise may be a bit of an understatement. As a matter of fact, I had him penciled in as the team's number four starter this morning, but I was evidently very wrong. I thought Vargas had a good enough spring to warrant a spot on the club, whether in the rotation or the pen. The Brewers must feel like the better option is to go with Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra so they can start developing into the top notch starters the organization pictures them as. This is a move that could pay off in a big way with the odds Ben Sheets leaves after the season seeming to be pretty high. It is also a move that could prove to be very risky if one or more of the current starters gets injured.... or if any of the three young pitchers (Gallardo included) has a hard time adjusting to the big leagues.

I would not be surprised if Vargas is on another team's roster by the end of the day or first thing tomorrow morning. He has the stuff to be a four or five on most teams in the majors, and I would assume his new team would want him in camp a few days before the season starts. It is just a shame that all we have to show for the Doug Davis/Dana Eveland/Dave Krynzel trade is                (that big space means, nothing). Can we do an "Edit-Undo" or "Ctrl-Z" on that deal? Or are we better off to just not have those three (or is it six) players?

I realize naming my starting nine for Opening Day is a little late this season and many of the spots in the lineup have already been claimed, but I guess it is better late than never. I will attempt, again, to name the nine starters and the order they will come to the plate next Monday against the Cubs.

1. Rickie Weeks (2B)
2. Tony Gwynn Jr (CF)
3. Prince Fielder (1B)
4. Ryan Braun (LF)
5. Corey Hart (RF)
6. Bill Hall (3B)
7. J.J. Hardy (SS)
8. Ben Sheets (P)
9. Jason Kendall (C)

This is the lineup Ned has gone with most of the spring, so there are no major surprises here, but I do have a few comments about the lineup:

• I am still not sold on the pitcher hitting in the eighth spot, but I think Ned is. Knowing him, he will do it Opening Day and then randomly throughout 2008.
• Other than the pitcher batting eighth, I really like the batting order. Hopefully Ned will keep a consistent lineup all season.
• When Mike Cameron returns, he will just replace Tony Gwynn in the two spot.
• Since it sounds like J.J. Hardy caught the plague, there is a chance that Craig Counsell or Joe  Dillon could start in his place, but I am banking on him recovering by Monday.
• I don't have any bold predictions this season like I did last season when I said that Braun should be the starting third basemen.

I guess I might as well pick My 5 (the starting rotation), too, since that appears to be more of a challenge this season.

1. Ben Sheets
2. Jeff Suppan
3. Carlos Villaneuva
4. Claudio Vargas
5. Manny Parra

Since there are four guys fighting for the last three spots it is really a crapshoot. Here are a few additional notes on the rotation:

• That leaves Dave Bush on the outside looking in. He will be placed in the bullpen in a long relief role.
• There is a chance that Parra starts the season in Nashville with Bush in the rotation, but like I said in My 25, I think Ned will get his way and have 13 pitchers on the roster when they break camp.
• When Gallardo returns, I think Seth McClung will be sent down and the pitcher with the worst first start between the final three in the rotation will be moved to the bullpen.
• I have Vargas in the fourth spot in the rotation since that will be Opening Day in Milwaukee. He will be able to handle the pressure of a home opener better than Parra or Villanueva.

I am up... 5:00 AM Central Time. Why? Because I am a baseball fan. My wife thinks I am nuts, but I have been craving baseball for so long, there was no other choice. I will only get to watch for an hour and a half or so because I start work at 7:00 AM, but it will be a nice way to welcome the day... and the 2008 season.  What a great scene! I may have to do the same thing tomorrow!

To make this post somewhat Brewers related, I read that the Brewers are making initial plans to offer multi year contracts to Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Braun's offer, I get. Fielder's, I do not. Again, I may be pessimistic, but I do not see Fielder wanting to stay in Milwaukee beyond his arbitration years. So why "waste" a ton of money on him, when he will likely leave anyways. The obvious benefit is buying out his arbitration years, but I do not see Scott Boras letting that happen. I hope I am wrong and maybe Prince wants to be a lifelong Brewer who is gullible enough to "give away" his arbitration years, but I do not see it happening. I would rather (and I can't believe I am saying this) offer Ben Sheets an extension before I offer Fielder a multi year deal. At least Sheets seems to like Milwaukee (heck, he is a part owner of the Milwaukee Admirals), and we all know how good he can be IF he stays healthy. Just my two cents this early Tuesday morning.

 

As I mentioned last week, as we lead up to Opening Day, I will be featuring some analysis of the Brewers and MLB with a special feature each day. Today's feature is "My 25", which predicts the 25 guys I think will make the trip back to Milwaukee with the Brewers this weekend before heading to Chicago on Monday.

Pitchers (13)

Dave Bush, Eric Gagne, Seth McClung, Guillermo Mota, Manny Parra, David Riske, Ben Sheets, Brian Shouse, Jeff Suppan, Salomon Torres, Derrick Turnbow, Claudio Vargas, Carlos Villanueva

Catchers (2)

Jason Kendall, Eric Munson

Infielders (6)

Craig Counsell, Prince Fielder, Bill Hall, J.J. Hardy, Rickie Weeks, Joe Dillon

Outfielder (4)

Ryan Braun, Gabe Gross, Tony Gwynn Jr, Corey Hart

DL (2)

Chris Capuano, Yovani Gallardo

Suspended (1)

Mike Cameron

Notes:

• I think Ned will get his wish and keep 13 pitchers up on the big league team and go shorthanded on the bench. This means Gabe Kapler does not make the team. I do not agree with this decision and think the Brewers should keep Kapler and send Villanueva, McClung, or Parra down, but I have a feeling Ned will get his way.
• This works out temporarily because Joe Dillon can play in both the infield and the outfield, so they have a floater who will play the infield more often.
• When Gallardo comes back, he will either be replaced on the DL by someone who gets hurt or one of the three previously mentioned pitchers will head down to the minors.
• When Cameron gets back, someone will be placed on the DL or one of the three previously mentioned pitchers will head down to the minors or the Brewers will cut ties with Gabe Kapler
• I may continue to add to these notes as the day progresses..... and I did not copy Brewer Nation, I just copied my post from last year about My 25 in 2007.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that Chris Capuano will have season ending surgery on his injured throwing elbow. He has a torn ulnar collateral ligament, to be exact. This is devastating news for Cappy because he had the same type of injury and required the same type of surgery a few years back and spent a long, long time working his way back.

A couple idiots on the JSOnline Brewers Blog have said that this is good news. There are many other colorful words that could describe these "fans", but since this is a family friendly site, I will refrain from using any of them. Yes, it does make the starting rotation dilemma an easier one to solve, because there is one less arm in the race, but I would rather have as many healthy pitchers to choose from as possible... not only to begin the season, but throughout. This is not good news at all... it is actually sad news for a class act... the type of person the JSOnline Brewers Blog comments section sometimes lacks.

Capuano has been one of my favorite Brewers since his arrival from the Diamondbacks a few years back. He was a steady arm the Brewers could rely on for solid starts nearly every time he took the hill... up until last season. His fall was painful to watch because, just as quickly as fans cheered him on to 18 wins, they booed him with every loss. It was not for lack of effort as he has had one of the better work ethics of any of the Brewers pitchers. Something just fell apart last year, and I was really looking forward to him making a 180 degree turn and returning to the dominant pitcher he was a couple years back.

Another thing that helped make me a fan of Cappy was his segments on the Bob and Brian show on 102.9 The Hog in Milwaukee. Every time he was on the air he sounded like a nice, fun, intelligent guy that you could see yourself having a beer and watching "Deadliest Catch" with. The same was true when he was on "Brewers St8 Up" on FSN.

I hope he is able to make a quick recovery and that the Brewers still have an opening on their roster for him when he makes his comeback. He is a class act who is extremely hard working and, if he is able to get over this injury and his struggles from 2007, would be a welcome addition to any roster in the big leagues. I wish him all the best as he goes through this process all over again.

I thought the chat yesterday with the Oshkosh Northwestern (CLICK HERE) went really well. Alex Hummel, the paper's Conversation Editor, posed a variety of questions and I did my best to give answers that reflected my thoughts and feelings about a variety of different Brewers issues. I checked the paper this morning and could not find a transcript. I will look for it again tomorrow, but they may have decided not to print this one... so, here is the transcript (I have included the question, my answer, and gave additional thoughts to my answer in bold):

Oshkosh Northwestern: Let's start off with the obvious question: Will 2008 be the year the Crew makes the playoffs?
Me: I really think they will, but they will have to win the division, because I see the Wild Card team coming out of the East. I am cautiously optimistic that this is the year... but the Cubs have been saying that for 100 years now! (Now, I realize the Cubs have been to the postseason recently, but what fun is making the playoffs if you get manhandled once you get there?)

Oshkosh Northwestern: Before we play ball, let's quick discuss the impact of the big sports story of the outgoing season: Brett Favre's retirement. Just as the Brewers may be posing a playoff threat, Aaron Rodgers (health-depending) will take the field and bring to an end one of the most storied sports records ever -- Favre's consecutive starts streak. No doubt, Packer fans will be watching closely as the 2008 NFL season takes off. Will that attention, do you think, sap the Brewers of audience and attention? Or will people stick with a playoff-bound Crew?
Me: I am a big Packers fan too. Just like everyone else, I wonder how the transition from Favre to Rodgers will go. I will probably watch each Packers game once the NFL starts again, just like everyone else. The Packers can keep Sunday... the Brewers will just take the rest of the week. I was in Madison for a Badgers game against Iowa and the Brewers were right in the thick of the race. I thought everyone at the bar we were at was watching college football, but when the Brewers hit a home run the place went nuts. I think sports fans in Wisconsin will stick by the Brewers if they are in it... and abandon them if they are not. I sure hope the bandwagon stays full through October!(Don't get me started with the whole fair weather fan thing. Also, mark my word, Aaron Rodgers will be out as starting quarterback by midseason, either because of injury or poor play, and someone like Quinn Gray will be the quarterback the rest of the way.)

Oshkosh Northwestern: Have you noticed any extra traffic and hits on your blog given the greater expectations for the Brewers this coming season?
Me: I have had some pretty big days, but I am expecting the biggest days to come throughout the season. The NCAA tournament will steal a lot of attention until Opening Day... but then interest will skyrocket (I hope). (Make sure you bookmark the site and keep coming back and commenting on my posts!)

Oshkosh Northwestern: What are the odds that the Brewers (notorious for having one of the lowest payrolls in the MLB) will still have: JJ Hardy, Corey Hart, Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder; 2-4 years from now? Will the Brew Crew finally open their wallets to keep a very talented and young team together?....Will the Brewers keep with this low ball philosophy and not pay the big $$$ contracts....will the players want to move into a bigger market (New York, LA, etc) and forego the Midwest.
Me: I really believe that the Brewers made the right decision to save their money and only offer Prince Fielder the money they did. Every major leaguer’s contract is controlled by the team for the first three years. They then get three years of arbitration. Prince will make a ton of money next year and will have a huge year to make sure that happens. After three years of arbitration, I think the Brewers will let him go. Physically, he is a DH in waiting. His agent, Scott Boras, will command one of, if not the biggest contract in the league and the Brewers will just not be able to afford it. With Matt LaPorta on the way, everything will be OK. Besides, I would rather tie up guys like Braun, Hart, Weeks, Hardy, Gallardo, and Parra, than overpay for one guy. Because of MLB's free agency rules we will have the core group of guys for the next 2-4 years... after that, Fielder will head elsewhere, and I can only hope some of the other guys will still be with the Crew. Mark Attanasio will pay his guys. He has doubled and nearly tripled the payroll since he arrived. (As I said in my post about Prince Fielder, we have to enjoy what we have while we have it and stop worrying about 3 years from now. Some guys will leave, some will stay, and some will come from other teams. It is the way business is handled in sports. Think of all of the money the Brewers will stockpile over the next couple years from increased attendance and merchandise sales. Be grateful for what we have and thank God that a guy like Mark Attanasio bought the team.)

Oshkosh Northwestern: Thoughts on the NL Central?... Will it be a competitive division? Some teams seemed to make some nice moves over the winter -- like my Reds nabbing CoCo from the Crew -- and there is a lot of young talent in the division. Add in teams like the Brewers who return all their heavy hitters, the Central looks to be in a nice spot. But will we be the cellar division of the league again this year?
Me: I think the NL Central is pretty close to where they were last season when compared to other divisions. It will be one of the more competitive divisions too. Every team but Pittsburgh has a real shot at the division. There are more question marks with teams like the Astros, Cardinals, and Reds than there are with the Brewers and Cubs, but every team still has some uncertainties (As a side note, I think the Reds overpaid for Cordero). I think the NL Central is stronger than many believe, but the records seem to indicate that is not the case. But think about this... each team in the division beats the heck out of each other, knocking down their final records. The other divisions are top and bottom heavy. The NL Central has provided three of the last four NL participants in the Fall Classic. (Granted, they lost two of the three. I have a feeling 85 wins will win the division this year too.)

Oshkosh Northwestern: Let's get this one out of the way... Who's winning the Big Dance?
Me: I have UCLA beating North Carolina in one of the better Finals in recent memory. As a true homer, I have Bucky in the Final Four. (After last night's games, UCLA looks like a great pick, but Wisconsin better step into high gear if they are going to get past K-State. Beasley looked like a freak against USC and may look the same against Wisconsin. Man, do I love March Madness!)

Oshkosh Northwestern: One could easily argue the season will start off with a bang given the trip to Wrigley for a two-game set with the Cubs. Do you expect fireworks? And, is it too early to say this is an important series? My brother lives a block from Wrigley, and I think he can attest that the Brewers-Cubs battles are getting more and more heated. The rivalry is stoking whether games are in Chicago or Milwaukee.
Me: The rivalry is huge (hence the reminder of the Cubs 100 year drought in my first response). It may evolve into one of the bigger rivalries in the league this year. Not only do they open against each other, but they end against each other in Milwaukee. If it was against the Pirates, I would say it does not matter, but every game against the Cubs matters. Those series will be electric... but with a playoff contending team, every game at Miller Park will be exciting this season. (Around Wisconsin and Illinois it is already a big rivalry, but it does not get the airplay on the four letter network that the Red Sox-Yankees, Braves-Mets, or even Giants-Dodgers gets. I think that may change as the two trade punches -- maybe literally -- like heavyweights in the NL this season.)

Oshkosh Northwestern: As a fan, what's your best brush-with-a-Brewer story? We're talking modern and/or earlier eras...
Me: There are a ton because I used to hang out down at the stadium and get autographs. Plus, I grew up with Brewers living all around me. Robin Yount attended my sister's t-ball games, I had swimming lessons with Pete Vuckovich's kids, witnessed my friend getting slapped by Bob Uecker (joking around with him), and had Phil Garner hook me up as a bat boy in Spring Training. When I was a young kid I ran on the field to get Harvey Kuenn's autograph before a game, and have pictures of me with Don Sutton, Pete Ladd, Moose Haas, and Jim Ganter. You can see why I am a big Brewers fan! (Biggest non-Brewer celebrity encounter was meeting Muhammed Ali in the airport in Phoenix a few years ago.)(I have talked about some of these stories in the past, but will go into more detail -- including pictures and videos -- throughout the 2008 season.)

Oshkosh Northwestern: There was some trade talk in the off-season about shipping Bill Hall and maybe Ben Sheets to the Atlanta Braves... Are those two guys (now that the younger stars are getting big billing) happy in Milwaukee? Secondly, given the glut of outfielders we've got, can fans expect some early-season trades depending on how the pitching rotation shakes out?
Me: I think both Hall and Sheets are happy in Milwaukee... the question is whether the team and fans are happy to have them. I think fans are sick of Sheets and all of his injuries. They are also frustrated by Hall's up and down play and were ready to see them both leave town. I personally would not have minded trading Sheets away, but am actually happy with the switch of Hall back to third and Braun to left. If anyone gets traded it will be one of the starting pitchers. Either Capuano, Bush, or Vargas may be dealt if another team loses a starter (I am sensing the Angels may come calling soon). They may even decide to stick with what they have to provide depth for when Sheets gets hurt. I think they will stay put with their outfield. (I will reveal My 25 next week and explain who I think makes it, who gets sent down, and who gets traded.)

Oshkosh Northwestern: What's your opinion of Miller Park? I've heard plenty of fans rave about it since the 2001 opening. I've heard other more finicky Brewer backers say it still has an airplane hangar feel -- so big and vacuous that it loses the folksy retro-charm of other new stadiums. Have an opinion on this one? Personally, as long as I can get a brat with Special Stadium Sauce, I'm happy as a clam.
Me: I really like Miller Park. I miss County Stadium, because it had a lot of character and history, but Miller Park is really top notch. I have heard from fans from other cities who have attended games and many of them love the stadium. For me, I do not care too much about what the stadium is like as long as the Brewers are playing... and winning. The brat with Stadium Sauce is a nice bonus!(If I was told I could magically attend a Brewers game at County Stadium in 2008, I would jump all over the opportunity. Working as an usher in the last couple years at the stadium, I understand why Miller Park had to be built because the old stadium was falling apart... literally. I love the roof on Miller Park, because I know that all 12 games I have tickets for will actually take place. That is huge for a guy living an hour and a half away!)

Oshkosh Northwestern: What do you expect from Eric Gagne? And can the Brewers come to rely on Turnbow in a solid set-up role?
Me: If Gagne is the Gagne we saw early last year in Texas and not the one we saw in Boston, then the Brewers will be fine. If not, we are only stuck with him for this season, which is why signing him was so much smarter than signing Cordero. Turnbow is a much better pitcher than people give him credit for. He blows up every once in awhile, but is usually pretty solid. If both of them fail to handle the end of games, David Riske seems capable of sliding in and taking over either of the two roles. The bullpen is one of the questions the Brewers have since there are so many new faces. (I see Gagne, Turnbow, and Riske each having huge roles in the success of this team. It is great to know that the Brewers have three legit closers so if one gets cold, the others can step up and fill in.)

Oshkosh Northwestern: Last year seemed like the Brewers ran out of gas at the end. Has the marathon-nature of Major League Baseball sunk in enough for the younger players?
Me: I think the pennant race was a great thing for the team last year. Falling short after such a big lead will help motivate them to get to the postseason in 2008. The players will do their part. The part that worries me is the role Ned Yost will play in the success or failure of this team. I think having Ted Simmons in his ear on the bench will make him a better manager by default.... but only time will tell!(I won't leap onto or off of Ned's bandwagon this season until I see whether he spent the offseason figuring out what he did right and what he did wrong last season, and made adjustments. If we get the same bad moves he made last season, I will be all over him. If he makes adjustments and proves himself, I will back him up 100%.)

So... what are yours thoughts. Agree with me? Disagree? Let me know in comments.

I decided to come up with a schedule for the next ten days, leading up to Opening Day on Monday, March 31, 2008 in Chicago. This will give you an idea of exactly what is coming on My Brewers as the season approaches. Stay tuned for some really great Brewers content!

• Thursday, March 20 - "Oshkosh Northwestern Chat" at 3:00pm CT (CLICK HERE) - There will not be new content on My Brewers, but please join me at the chat and ask questions if you would like!

• Friday, March 21 - "Oshkosh Northwestern Chat Wrap" - I will discuss how the chat went, post a copy of it from the paper, and will go into more details on some of my answers.

• Saturday, March 22 & Sunday, March 23 - Off - I will be taking the weekend off to celebrate Easter with my family, as many of you will, too. I will also be spending this time prepping some of the posts for the upcoming week.

• Monday, March 24 - "My 25" - the 25 players I believe Ned will take to Chicago for Opening Day.

• Tuesday, March 25 - "My 9" - the 9 players that I believe will start on opening day, and their spot in the batting order.

• Wednesday, March 26 - "My Standings" - the order I believe each of the divisions in baseball will finish at the end of 2008.

• Thursday, March 27 - "My Awards" - who I believe will win MVP, Cy Young, ROY, and Manager of the Year in 2008.

• Friday, March 28 - "My Brewer Batter Breakdown" - an analysis of what I expect out of each player on the roster.

• Saturday, March 29 - "My Brewer Pitcher Breakdown" - an analysis of what I expect out of each player on the roster.

• Sunday, March 30 - "My MLB Breakdown" - an analysis of each team in the majors, from a Brewers fan's perspective.

• Monday, March 31 - OPENING DAY!!!!

I will probably have more content scattered throughout, but these are the items you can expect each day leading up to Opening Day. You can either come back each day or wait until the end and read it all... either way, just make sure you come back!

I will refer back to my predictions throughout the season... probably more often if I am accurate, and less often if I am way off (just like all of the experts in the media)!

Many people are getting worked up about Spring Training statistics and how bad they are, especially for Rickie Weeks and many of the pitchers on the roster. Hopefully this will help put things into perspective.

Let's start with Rickie. He is batting .125 with 20 strikeouts. Many are claiming he will be a major flop this season, and end up being a major flop overall, with these stats as evidence to their argument. Are the people of Seattle getting worried about Ichiro and his .105 batting average this spring? Probably not. Now, I understand that this is a little like comparing apples to oranges because of Ichiro's past success compared to Rickie, but they are both players that are having terrible springs. Craig Counsell is hitting .486 with 7 RBI... do you think that will stick?

Jimmy Rollins is hitting .209. Russell Martin is hitting .175. Gary Sheffield is hitting .172. Alex Rios is hitting .161. Frank Thomas is hitting .067. Chris Duncan is hitting .038. Moises Alou is hitting .000. Cut'em all!!

How about Brewers pitchers and their ERA's?

• Suppan = 11.37
• Gagne = 11.25
• Turnbow = 9.00
• Capuano = 9.00
• Bush = 8.31
• Sheets = 6.55

Do those numbers worry you? How about these?

• Dan Haren = 5.14
• Trevor Hoffman = 7.36
• Chad Billingsley = 7.43
• Brandon Webb = 7.90
• Francisco Liriano = 8.10
• Tim Lincecum = 9.00
• Homer Bailey = 8.44
• Jake Peavy = 9.00
• Eric Bedard = 9.69
• Barry Zito = 14.92

Wow, those are some really good pitchers who either have a ton of experience or a ton of potential, but they are terrible! Their teams may want to consider sending them to Triple-A to "work things out". Think that is a ridiculous statement? Well, it is. So let's stop ragging on our pitchers until they are putting up those stats in the regular season!

The comments I read on the JSOnline make our "fans" sound like a bunch of spoiled idiots. Folks, these are Spring Training stats!

As I mentioned earlier this week, I have been asked to participate in a chat about the Brewers on my hometown newspaper's website. The chat will be at 3:00pm CT on Thursday, March 20. You can head on out to the forum now to post questions by clicking HERE.

One of the things I want to make very clear to those that may access this blog from the link on the Northwestern's website who may be thinking, "Who the heck is this guy and why is he any more knowledgeable about the Brewers than the next schmo?" Well, I have never and will never make the claim that I am any better or more knowledgeable than anyone else. I am just a big Brewers fan who grew up in the Milwaukee area attending games and following the team. I carried that passion up to Oshkosh when I arrived 10 years ago to attend UWO. I liked the city so much that I decided to settle down here.

I am not one of those bandwagon jumpers that have crawled out from under a rock to back the Brewers now that they are a good team again. I will being posting more personal stories, pictures, and videos of these events over the season, to prove that loyalty.

Many in the area have a hard time understanding my feelings about the Brewers... the only way I can explain it is that it is what I grew up with. Just like many of you are die hard Packers fans, I am that way with the Brewers. To me, the Packers take a back seat to the Brewers... which is hard for some to comprehend... but that is how I have always been.

So now that I have cleared all of that up... come on out and let's talk about the 2008 Brewers and what we can all expect from this years club!

The brackets just came out and two teams from Wisconsin are in... Wisconsin as the #3 seed in the Midwest and Marquette as the #6 seed in the South. My quick thoughts...

• Marquette - The Warriors, I mean Golden Eagles, get a tough matchup in the first round, going against the Kentucky Wildcats. These are not the Wildcats that have been in the running for the national championship nearly every year that I can remember, but they are a tough matchup anyways. Marquette has done little to excite me this season and I have a feeling the same will be true this coming week. If they manage to get past Kentucky, I do not see them beating Stanford. When the season began, Tom Crean's squad looked like they would make a run at the Big East and maybe even a Final Four appearance, but they have fallen a ton in my eyes. I will pull for them to win each game they play, but do not feel very good about their chances.

• Wisconsin - Many will say that the Badgers got hosed with a #3 seed instead of a #2 and I will probably be one of those people, but in the long run it really does not matter. The Badgers should easily win their opening round game against Cal State Fullerton, before running into either O.J. Mayo's USC Trojans or Michael Beasley's Kansas State Wildcats. As great as Mayo and Beasley may be, I think Bucky will beat either team and advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they may meet up with Roy Hibbert and the Georgetown Hoyas. Do I think the Badgers have a chance at getting to the Elite Eight or Final Four? Yes.... if they play as well as they have over the past few weeks, then I do not think much will get in their way as they advance deep into the tournament.

Just my two cents... now watch Marquette go to the Final Four and Wisconsin get beat in the first round... or maybe they will meet in the Championship game... who knows!?!

One of my favorite shows on TV is The Office and one of the funniest lines on that show is when Michael Scott says, "That's what she said!" after someone says something that only sounds dirty after he says it. Well, I have decided to use that line as a title for another recurring post. These posts will include "quotes" from players, coaches, managers, front office staff, broadcasters, and fans (so basically anyone) about the Brewers. The "quotes" in these posts are not what these people actually said, but are things that I think they would say. Some will be serious, some will be funny, and I am sure some will be pretty stupid, but hopefully all are enjoyable. Feel free to add yours to the comments section of the post.

• Claudio Vargas to Ned Yost after last night's outing, "So Ned, now that I have locked up a spot in the starting rotation, will I be the #4 or #5?"
• Prince Fielder after hitting his first home run of the spring after becoming a vegetarian, "Beefy!!"
• Current "sideline reporter", Trenni Kusnierek, to former "sideline reporter", Ann Carroll, "See Ann, that's how you do it."
• Former "sideline reporter", Ann Carroll, to current "sideline reporter", Trenni Kusnierek, "Bob... I mean Sally... I mean Trenni... you really did a great job on the Braves-Timberwolves game last night!"
• Current NFL Network play-by-play guy, Bryant Gumbel, to former "sideline reporter", Ann Carroll, "I think you did a great job calling Cowboys games!"
• Gabe Kapler to me, "Steve, you thought you were real funny with your Gabe Kaplan post when the Brewers signed me. You never thought I had a chance. Well, now who's laughing?" (Note to Gabe: Not me. You are proving you have a legit shot at beating out Tony Gwynn and Gabe Gross for the spot in center while Mike Cameron is out)
• Ned Yost to anyone that will listen (in his "I always sound annoyed" voice), "Listen... these guys are playing their hearts out. Rickie and Cappy and Bushy will all be fine. I am batting the pitcher in the eight spot just to tick everyone off. Ted Simmons was not hired to replace me. Why am I getting so perturbed? "
• Bob Uecker to his wife after she oversleeps and is about to miss an important appointment, "GET UP! GET UP! GET OUT OF HERE!"
• Callix Crabbe to the Brewers, "Remember me?"

It is time for the 2008 debut of '(Day of the Week) Morning Catcher', a random assortment of items related to the Brewers, here on 'My Brewers'. This type of post will occur when there is not one major story, but maybe multiple items that I have an opinion about. Some posts will be long, others short, but hopefully all will provide some interesting thoughts about the Brewers. So without further ado...

• First and foremost I, Steve Dempsey, will again be the featured guest on the Oshkosh Northwestern's Thursday @ 3 chat. As best as I can tell, I am the first person to have two chats on the newspaper's website. It was a real honor to be asked the first time, but I am even more honored to be asked to come back for a second chat. We will be discussing the upcoming season and some of my thoughts and expectations. I will post more information as it becomes available. I hope all of you take the opportunity to check in on the chat on Thursday, March 20 at 3:00pm CT. Thanks again to Alex Hummel and the rest of the staff at The Northwestern for providing this outstanding opportunity for me!
• Tonight at 9:05 marks the first Brewers game on TV here in Wisconsin. A winter of Brewers Classics from 2007 was nice, but seeing the real thing (other than the fact it is a Spring Training game) is something all fans have been waiting for since the end of September.
• Claudio Vargas will get the start and try to prove that he deserves a spot in the rotation once the season begins. So far, he is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA this spring, so he is definitely proving he belongs. Will this start help that cause or help improve his trade value? Neither would shock me at all.
• It looks like Ned is trying the pitcher in the #8 spot tonight, too. What a treat to be able to witness this experiment first hand. I can not decide whether this is a smart move or a dumb one. I see the benefits, but why mess with a lineup that crushed the ball all last season (other than flip flopping Fielder and Braun)?
• According to JSOnline.com, the Brewers cut second baseman Hernan Iribarren, first baseman Brad Nelson, left-hander Zach Jackson and reliever Luis Pena today. These were not tough cuts compared to the decisions that will have to be made at the end of spring, but they are still four guys that may find there way to Milwaukee at some point in 2008.

I wish I had more to say about the Brewers over the last couple weeks, but let's be honest, nothing very important has happened (that I did not post on). The pitchers have gotten roughed up during some outings and looked great during others. Hitters have gone 0-3 with three strikeouts and 3-3 with a few extra base hits and RBI). Ned has made good decisions and bad ones. But none of it matters, so I am not going to get too worked up one way or another.... not until the last week and a half of spring training. At that point the real feelings will start to creep in. I check the box scores and stories but have not had very much to say. Add to that a very busy few weeks at work and some other things going on in my life, and I have had to change my priorities a little bit. But, as the season gets closer you can count on me to have an almost daily opinion on the Brewers.

For those of us that can not wait to see the Brewers on TV again, we will be able to see them in the very near future. It appears as though FSN will send their crews down to Phoenix starting next weekend and we will all finally get a glimpse at the 2008 version of our team. The games that will be telecast are as follows:

Friday, March 14 at 9:05pm CT vs. San Diego Padres
Sunday, March 16 at 3:05pm CT vs. Seattle Mariners
Monday, March 24 at 3:05pm CT vs. Colorado Rockies

While looking for these games, I also noticed that the Brewers will premier on national television right out of the gate on Opening Day against the Cubs. The game will be shown on FSN, with our buddies Brian and Bill, but will also be shown on ESPN2. I understand the ESPN family of networks usually has about 6 games on Opening Day, but it is nice to have the Brewers as a part of one of those games. I am not stupid, and know that the Cubs are the big draw and the likely reason they picked up the game, but I would like to think that the Brewers have gotten to the point where they would be on ESPN no matter who they played.

(UPDATED 3/10/08: The game on Thursday, March 27 at 2:00pm CT vs. Chicago Cubs will be broadcast on WGN, so we will get to see a 4th game!)

Take the 'n' out of Prince and you have the word 'price'. The Brewers and their fans knew that this day was coming and it has arrived. The Brewers signed Fielder to a $670,000 deal yesterday. That is a lot of money to most people, but to Prince it was a slap in the face. He believes he deserves more money, and he deserved it  last year.  When you compare him to other players in the league, there is no question that this is true, but it is also the Brewers' right to use the system they have used for every player with 0-3 years of experience.

When teams like the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies make exceptions to their rules for guys like Troy Tulowitzki and Ryan Howard, I can understand why guys like Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder would be jealous and/or frustrated (Note: Braun has not expressed this, but I can imagine he may have these feelings).

My opinion on the whole situation is that the Brewers will make long term offers to Weeks, Hart, Braun, Gallardo, and Hardy and will let guys like Sheets and Fielder go once their deals expire. The Brewers will get all they can out of Fielder this year, and each year he goes to arbitration. Once he is eligible for free agency, he will head to New York, Boston, or California and play first base until he physically can not play the field anymore and has to move to DH. The Brewers will then transition Matt LaPorta from right field to first base after Fielder leaves. I think the Brewers realize they have no chance once he is able to bolt to another team, and they believe they should save their money for guys they have a legit chance at keeping.... and I think they are making the right decision.

While Prince is a Brewer, I will be a big fan. But I know that Scott Boras is drooling over the payday Fielder will get in a couple years... and it will not be in Milwaukee. Prince is no Robin Yount when it comes to loyalty.... at least I am not getting that impression from him based on his comments both yesterday and before.