Less than a month from now the aroma of brats and beer will fill Miller Park as the Milwaukee Brewers will take the field in their home opener against the Atlanta Braves.
The parking lots in Milwaukee will fill up early as tailgaters fire up the grills and crack open a couple cold beers anticipating yet another season of Brewers baseball. In the beginning of past seasons, Brewer fans have had an inflated sense of hope that it was going to be the year they had a legitimate chance to contend for a title. Those seasons have come and gone, and Milwaukee still only has one playoff appearance in the last 27 years on their resume.
The Brewers finished the 2010 season eight games below .500 (77-85), and trailed the Central Division Champion Cincinnati Reds by a disappointing 14 games. As a team, the Brewers pitching staff ranked No. 26 in the majors with an ERA of 4.58. Their opening day starter and “ace” Yovani Gallardo was less than perfect with an ERA pushing four. Fans were losing hope, attendance was down and it seemed first baseman Prince Fielder had played his last game in a Brewers uniform. It started to look like the Brewers were on the verge of having many dismal seasons to come. However, owner Mark Attanasio and General Doug Melvin turned that view around.
This offseason the Brewers made some serious moves in an effort to put together a team that could compete in 2011. On Dec. 5, the Brewers acquired pitcher Shaun Marcum from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for top Minor League prospect Brett Lawrie. Three weeks later, in a blockbuster deal, the team shipped young and talented shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and two pitching prospects to the Kansas City Royals for 2009 American League Cy Young award winner Zack Greinke.
In a short span the Brewers pitching rotation improved drastically and is considered by some to have the second best rotation in the National League behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The uncertainty surrounding the future of Fielder was cleared up in late January when the two sides came to terms on a one year, 15.5 million dollar contract. After all these moves were completed, the Brewers locked in a deal with second baseman Rickie Weeks, agreeing to terms on a four year ,nearly 40 million dollar contract extension.
Acquiring two new pitchers, securing an already stellar infield, along with an outfield that consists of two All-Stars in Ryan Braun and Corey Hart, and the new look Brewers just may have what it takes to win the Central Division this season.
Due to the off-season moves former ace Gallardo has been moved to second in the current rotation, followed by Marcum. Those three pitching on consecutive nights can make any series long and frustrating for opposing teams. One-time starting pitcher Manny Parra has been moved out of the rotation and will most likely be used as a setup man for closer John Axford. Strategic moves drastically improved the Brewers pitching staff this offseason.
Okay, so let’s be honest, the Cincinnati Reds winning the division last year was a fluke and it is doubtful that they will repeat. Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is still without a contract extension, and their best pitcher Adam Wainwright is already on the injured reserve for the entire season due to Tommy John Surgery. The Chicago Cubs are without Manager Lou Pinella and no one can control the actions of Pitcher Carlos Zambrano.
That leaves the Houston Astros and Pittsburg Pirates as the two teams that could possibly contend for a division title. Neither one of those teams have been relevant in the past couple years. That said, the Brewers finally have a chance to do some real damage in the NL Central and barring injury or a major meltdown should see the postseason once again. Don’t be surprised come October when Bernie Brewer is still sliding down his slide and the world famous sausage races are still happening at Miller Park.