Milwaukee Brewers
2015 Win/Loss Record:
68-94, 4th in National League Central
Last Postseason
Appearance: 2011
Last World Series
Championship: None
Key Arrivals: Chase
Anderson (P), Chris Carter (1B), Jonathan Villar (SS)
Key Departures: Jean
Segura (SS), Adam Lind (1B), Francisco Rodriguez (P)
Manager: Craig
Counsell, 2nd Year, W/L 61-76
Overall Review: After a 7-18 start last
year, the Milwaukee Brewers fired manager Ron Roenicke and hired former World
Series hero Craig Counsell as the new skipper. While the team didn’t fare much
better under Counsell, they still managed to stay out of the basement in the NL
Central. That will be the goal for 2016 season as well.
In January, the Brewers made a
six-player deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks to acquire utility infielder
Aaron Hill, starting pitcher Chase Anderson and shortstop prospect Isan Diaz.
About a half dozen years ago, the Brewers were competing for playoff spots and
managed to snag two of them, one in 2008 and the other in 2011. That has been
the only playoff journeys this franchise has taken in the past 33 years and the
prospects for another one look far, far away.
Offense: Right-fielder Ryan Braun
returns to lead the offensive charge for the Brewers, although his reputation
has been severely damaged over the years due to his link with performance
enhancing drugs. The 2011 NL Most Valuable Player will look to build on his
2015 season (.285 average, 25 homers, 82 RBIs and 24 stolen bases) and
hopefully return to his MVP form of several seasons ago.
Newly acquired first baseman
Chris Carter will be an adequate substitute for the departed Adam Lind in terms
of homers and RBIs (Carter had 24 HR and 64 RBIs for Houston last year). His
.199 average was rather pathetic and he will be looking to improve on that.
Left-fielder Khris Davis will also help out at the plate. In 2015, Davis batted
.247, smashed 27 home runs and added 66 RBIs.
Pitching: As far as the rotation goes,
Jimmy Nelson will be expected to be the ace of the staff once again. Last
season, Nelson had an 11-13 record, with a 4.11 ERA while striking out 148
batters in 177 1/3 innings. Not exactly ace numbers but the Brewers have little
else to fill that role. Wily Peralta (5-10, 4.72, 60), Matt Garza (6-14, 5.63,
104) and Zach Davies (3-2, 3.71, 24) are the slim pickings Counsell has to fill
out the rest of the staff. Keep an eye out for Taylor Jungmann. In his rookie
year, Jungmann compiled a 9-8 record with a 3.77 ERA and 107 strike outs in 119
1/3 innings. With a full season ahead of him, 2016 could see the righthander
charge ahead and be the ace by season’s end.
Not one pitcher on the Brewers
bullpen staff recorded a save in 2015. Francisco Rodriguez had 38 for the team
last year, but he’ll be with the Detroit Tigers in 2016. Corey Knebel is
expected to be the closer. In 48 appearances last year, Knebel had a 3.22 ERA,
did not pick up a decision and struck out 58 batters in 50 1/3 innings. Will
Smith will provide some help as last season he was 7-2 in relief, with a 2.70
ERA and 91 strikeouts in 63 1/3 innings.
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| Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun |
Prediction: As a kid growing up
cheering for the Blue Jays in the 80s, the Brewers always were the most
annoying opponent as they gave Toronto all kinds of trouble. But those days are
gone and the Brewers have pretty much been relegated to the “filler” role for
more than 30 years. They should avoid the basement of the NL Central but that’s
only because the Reds are worse than they are. Fourth place again for the Brew
Crew.
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