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  • December 03, 2007 07:48 PM ET

The Brewers will win the NL CENTRAL in '08

Show414 (2-1-2) vs awc1230 (37-13-1)
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The Brewers were so close last season and just barely missed the playoffs. Many people were amazed to hear experts say that Milwaukee would win it in '07 and we all know that didn't come true, while other experts said they were still one year away from making any noise in the post-season. Well guess what Brewer fans the year is over and '08 will be our year to get our first pennant in over 20 years.

Hitting was never one of Milwaukee's weak points. They have one of the youngest and most talented infields in all of the NL with Braun, Hardy, Weeks, and Fielder. Since Braun's call up to the majors he produced A-Rod like numbers. I seriously believe that both Fielder and Braun will contend for NL MVP next season.

I know The Cards and Cubs are still teams to look out for, but how can anyone take St. Louis with that horrid rotation of theirs. Milwaukee's major problem last year was their pitching woes. Gallardo now has one year under his belt and mark my words he'll be an All-Star this season. However Ben Sheets still has to prove that he can stay healthy for one full season. If that happens Milwaukee should take the division.


Brewers still have many problems, and more problems than the Cubs

a. They have a shaky pitching. Can they count on Ben Sheets? Can he stay healthy for an entire year? They lost their all-star closer. They are counting on the erratic, unreliable Derrick Turnbow, who had an ERA above 4.60 last year, and a career ERA above 4. Is Dave Bush a reliable #2 starter? I dont think so, and his 5+ ERA can back me up. Their #3 starter in Claudio Vargas and his 5+ ERA dont look that attractive either...

b. They're hitting is overrated. Their corner infielders are great hitters, but both Weeks and Hardy are unreliable. Hardy hit under 280, and had 25 homers this year widely because of inconsistansy. After hitting 15 homers in the first month and a half of the season, he went on to be very unreliable in hitting only 10 more over the next 4 months. Weeks hit a solid 235. I dont need to elaborate about that.

c. They have lost veteran presence. They decided not to sign Geoff Jenkins, and his replacement? Kevin Mench, a 260 hitter. They traded away their allstar catcher in Estrada for a lost reliever.

d. Cubs are better. They have a more explosive offensive, a better bullpen, and better pitching.


Ok, first of let me comment on the pitching. Gallardo will be the #2 for Milwaukee not Dave Bush. Second yes they lost Cordero and Linebrink, but Cordero blew way too many games for us and he was simply not worth the money for the value we were getting out of him. I still however would have liked to see Linebrink stick around. Derrick Turnbow may not be no Jonathan Papelbon but he's actually pretty good under the closers role. The last time he had the job full time he closed 39 games with an ERA under 2, closer is the role Turnbow is most comfortable with and we should be able to see him close at least 35 for Milwaukee this year.

Second their hitting is not overrated. Rickie Weeks raised his BA a whole 23 points after August. I think being sent down to TRIPLE A was a real wakeup call for him, and he should be back and perform up to his true potential this year.

Also you mentioned we lost Johnny Estrada, well I'd rather take Damian Miller or Jason Kendall's defense over Estrada's hitting anyday.

While I do agree Chicago's pitching is better. Milwaukee clearly beats them in the O deparment. Soriano proved that he's overpaid last year.

We are we talking about STL ? really


The last time Turnbow had the closers role he lost it because he was ineffective. Gallardo has a full season under his belt? HA. He started less than 20 games last year. Thats not having a full season under your belt.

If your team is basing its season hopes on "players that should reach their potential", that rarely spells out a playoff team. In only August did Weeks hit over 300, here are his other months, in order: 247, 237, 206, 125, 245. I dont see that much improvement. Atleast not enough to bank on him for support.

I dont even need to mention the Cardinals, who have a much better rotation with Carpenter coming back, and a better bullpen. The Cubs are the team to beat.

Comments (9) Add A Comment

December 3, 2007  07:52 PM ET
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I'll be of for a while, but I encourage people to wait to see all 3 responses to vote. GL AWC

December 3, 2007  08:00 PM ET
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no

December 3, 2007  08:02 PM ET
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The Cardinals rotation will be better this year.

Piniero now under pitching coach extroadanair dave duncan looked more like the young stud we remember back in seattle, and hes still only just 28. Wainwright was the best pitcher in the league statistically after the month of june and really looked like a number one starter. Looper pitched masterfully in day games, ERA under 2, and poorly at night, ERA above 4.5, but really showed great promise as a starter. Carpenter is lost until July but you can hide a bad starter for a while. Most importantly though is Mark Mulder is back and has had a long offseason to be physically and mechanically ready for spring training and the 08 season.

If Mulder gets his arm angle back high were it was before his injury, he should be able to return to at least good, if not the Cy Young candidate he is just three seasons removed from. Three good starters, and Wainwright being the Ace is just about the best most teams can ask for, should they hold out still July or June and be able to stay at about 500 or better look for the Cards to be back in 08.

December 3, 2007  08:02 PM ET
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hmmm... maybe you should argue me... lol

December 3, 2007  08:05 PM ET
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goodluck, i agree, please wait for all the responses

December 3, 2007  08:07 PM ET
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mulder will not be as good as he was before carpenter is very injury prone and rolen and edmonds are both pretty much done piniero is nothing special

December 3, 2007  08:11 PM ET
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51, where the cards offense besides pujols? the astros even have a better offense than yall.

December 3, 2007  08:33 PM ET
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"Well guess what Brewer fans the year is over and '08 will be our year to get our first pennant in over 20 years. "

You had me until here. Winning the weakest division in baseball and winning the pennant are two very different things.

 
December 3, 2007  08:35 PM ET
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my bad, I meant division.

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