Brewers 2013 Minor League Prospects

The Brewers protected five minor league prospects from December's Rule-5-Draft last Tuesday, adding a pair of pitchers, a duo of outfielders, and a second baseman to their forty-man roster. The additions bring the team's total to thirty-nine rostered players, leaving just one spot available for the Brewers own acquisitions on December sixth.

Outfielder Josh Prince is the talk of the bunch. Coming out of Tulane in 2009, Prince put up expected numbers though various classes in the past three seasons, including a .251 average with Class AA Huntsville earlier this year. However, a breakout batting performance in the Arizona Fall League had scouts from around the country interested in the Brewers-affiliate, virtually overnight.

Following Prince's agreement with the Brewers on Tuesday, assistant general manager Gord Ash told reporters that the outfielder's showing in the Fall League was enough to guarantee him a spot on the roster going into the winter. While Prince's relationship with the organization was perhaps the most essential preservation, according to Ash, all five of the individuals were important assets to withhold from other teams.

Right-handers Hiram Burgos and Nick Bucci both accomplished bright seasons within their respective classes in 2012. Burgos was one of the most impressive pitchers in the farm-system this year, earning a ten-and-four record over twenty-seven starts. Putting up a 1.95 ERA over that time, the twenty-four year old was promoted through all three classes of the league throughout the season, beginning the year with single A Brevard County before ending with Triple A Nashville. His performance garnered him the Brewers minor-league pitcher of the year award, all-but guaranteeing him protection from December's draft.
At twenty-two, Bucci's early years in the farm-system were promising. Beginning the 2012 season with a strained shoulder muscle forced him to miss most of the year, halting what was hoped to be a successful season for the young pitcher. Fortunately, after reemerging at Class A Brevard County for four appearances on the mound, Bucci looked like he hadn't missed a beat. Pitching a 1.99 ERA with a two-and-two record, Ash said he hopes to keep Bucci as the thirteenth man in the line for the winter.
Like Bucci, outfielder Khris Davis also spent a good amount of 2012 on the disabled list. Despite that, he still managed to split eighty-two games between Huntsville and Nashville during the season, putting up numbers not-usually maintained by players with chronic injuries. A .350 average with fifteen homers and over fifty RBIs gave Davis one of the best bats in the league this year. Ash believes his offensive game is ready for the big-time, if he can get over his injured past.

Scooter Gennett Hot Brewers Prospect

The lone infielder taken by the Brewers before December, second baseman Scooter Gennett has been in the organization's minor-league program since graduating high school in 2009. He has made all-star teams in each of his three seasons in the system, including this year's All-Star Futures game. His performance at Huntsville in 2012 was average but respectable, and Ash sees him as a budding star that just needs a chance at major league coaching and guidance.

Shaun Marcum Brewers Pitcher Looking For New Contract

Sunday wasn't only the day that the Brewers were eliminated from playoff contention, the day also marked the last time fans will see most likely pitcher Shaun Marcum on the mound for the team. The veteran pitcher will enter free agency once Milwaukee completes its final series of the year later this week, and the Brewers have already indicated their decision to not resign the thirty year-old. Marcum himself said earlier in the year that he would like to stay with the organization, but that it was up to Milwaukee.


At his age, Marcum enters the free-agency pool at a less-than-ideal time. Being both too young to retire, though too old to carry the leverage he once did at the bargaining table, the Missouri native and his agent may find it difficult to find a long term contract. With the Brewers this season, Marcum enjoyed an eight-million dollar contract, comparable to his compensation with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he played the majority of his major league career.
Beyond his age, Marcum is wading into one of the deepest agency-pools in baseball this time of year. Rookie and veteran pitchers are a dime-a-dozen in leagues across the country, and Marcum's past nine years in the league have not set him apart. Ending with fifty-five career wins and thirty-six losses, and a 3.78 ERA, the starter proved to be impressive throughout nearly 1000 innings, though his numbers won't standout on the scouting reports.

Marcum Battles Injuries During 2012 Season

Another thing working against the veteran is his tendency towards injuries. After a breakout 2007 season, Marcum had a mid-season breakdown in 2008, blowing numerous starts, and suffering an elbow injury that ended his season. He sat out the entire 2009 season due to the elbow, returning for the 2010 season opener, replacing Roy Halladay. However, the returning pitcher was unable to reach the same caliber of play that he was at pre-injury, resulting in his trade to the Brewers in December of that year. In Milwaukee, Marcum's physical ailments continued to haunt him, as arm trouble at the end of 2011 seriously impeded his performance. An off-season sore shoulder kept him from participating during most of 2012's spring training. And, the Brewers, weary of the pitcher, took notice.

Marcum started just twenty-one games in 2012, the second-lowest single-season starts of his career, and more than ten less than the amount he played in 2011. He managed just seven wins over the twenty-one games, though was only credited with four losses. His ERA also continued to climb, jumping to 3.70; yet another reason for potential buyers to be skeptical.

Ryan Braun 2012 Stats as of Today | Will He Be MVP of the National League?

It sure looks like Ryan Braun will make that 20-20 mark onceagain.  He’s just one stolen base away from the magic number.  I suppose that there is nothing magical to being fast on your feet.  Hitting a minimum of 20 home runs is something more akin to magic.  We have over a month of baseball to be played and Braun just might hit 35 homers for the season.  Will he have the same number of stolen bases?  That’s harder to predict. 

Since his wobbly start in 2012, Braun is batting .304, with 29 home runs.  He’s one of the bright spots on the Brewers offense.  He’s already been hit by twice as many pitches this year as compared to the entire 2011 season.  Basically, most of his numbers are close to how he performed last season, save for stolen bases, and on base percentage.  It’s tough to beat .397 in that department, but he’s darn close.

Braun Draws More Intentional Walks Compared to Past Seasons

One thing that has changed for Bran is the number of intentional walks.  Without Fielder to threaten opponents, teams have chosen to walk Braun nine times so far this season.  That’s compared to a whopping total of two last year.  When the next batter is not much of threat, you take the shot at walking Braun. 

As always, Braun is nearly error free on defense.  You don’t expect much when it comes to errors from the outfielders, and Braun has just one to his name as of today.  He may not get the MVP title in 2012, but his numbers once again prove that he’s one of the best in baseball. 

Brewers Recap of First Three Weeks of 2012 Season

We are three weeks into the new Brewers season, and I thought that I would check the current stats.  Let's see if anything pops out at us, shall we?  The Brewers are one game under .500, and have the day off.  They are on the road for a while, and I would like to use this "quiet time" to reflect. 

Who has the hot bat right now?  Carlos Gomez.  Gomez is batting .371 right now.  His at bats number 35, but you still have to say that he's seeing the ball very well.  Corey Hart has been playing well for the past three games.  During the series against Houston, he had five hits, and five RBI's.  His batting average jumped 36 points in three days.  He hit a home run in each of the past two games.  Good job Mr. Hart!

Matt Gamel is swinging the bat well.  His batting average is currently .281, with nine runs on the books.  All eyes have been on the first baseman, as we look to see if he can fill Fielder's shoes.  With just one single home run on the books, we have to say that he's more of a "get on base" guy, when compared to Prince. 

Finally, Ryan Braun is putting up fair numbers.  He's hit four home runs, and is batting .275.  He had a pretty nasty flu bug last week, but got five hits of Houston's pitchers.  He hit a pair of home runs during the series, and scored four RBI's.  Braun has just one stolen base so far this season.  The Brewers need Braun to keep up the pace, and peform.  They hit the road tomorrow, and play at St. Louis.  Brewers fans will have to wait until May 7th before the team comes home to Miller Park. 

Ryan Braun and Corey Hart Both Working Their Way Back

Ryan Braun is in a slump. As of this post, he's had only one hit during spring training. He's also had three walks, so it's not as if the guy isn't getting on base. Still, the Brewers outfielder might be struggling to concentrate after the crazy off season he had. He had to weather some harsh cat calls during a "road" game against the Angels. He says that kind of stuff doesn't bother him at all. One would think that if you are going to weather a slump, you might as well do it when the games don't count.

All reports about his batting practices are good. He is not converting those times in the batting cage into productive hitting in game situations just yet. Some say that he's avoiding the media, and that might be true. He's got to get his head together and the rest will follow.

Corey Hart Opening Day Preparations

It looks like Corey Hart will be healed by opening day, but he's got some things to work out before he's in the lineup. First, Hart needs to stay on track with practices. A perfectly healthy knee is fine, but if he doesn't get enough time at the plate and on the field, Hart may have to sit out the first week of the regular season. The surgery itself is not very invasive. It's more about the time needed to ramp up to playing speed. The first few games are away from Miller Park. Perhaps he will be swinging the bat in Milwaukee by April 6.

Brewers Start Road Trip On A High Note

I was looking at the Brewers road trip stats for 2011, and I noticed that they suck on the road. Okay, perhaps the word "suck" is a bit much, but the road is where they falter. If they had just played .500 ball on the road up until this current Brewers series, they would be tied for first place with the Reds.

The Brewers play one more game on the West Coast, then catch the red eye for Milwaukee in time to play at Miller Park tomorrow night. The Rockies are in town for a three game home stand, then the Nationals come for three. The Brew Crew will take next Thursday off, and then host the Giants for four games. Will it finally hit 70 degrees in Milwaukee before the Giants come to town? Don't bet on it.

Brewers Take Serious Approach to the Pitching Situation

Milwaukee Brewers fans know that pitching and defense wins baseball games. It's nice to have hot bats, and the Brewers certainly have that already. When the pressure is on, you need pitchers that can shut down a team, or a bullpen that can keep the game close. The Brewers now have both.

Brewers Sign Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke

First, we see that the Brewers signed Shaun Marcum. That was a nice start as Marcum was happy to land in a city that was closer to his home town of Kansas City. He finished 2010 with a record of 9-7. From there, the rumors were that the Brewers would use prospects to fill the final starting rotation. To the surprise of everyone, Milwaukee signed Zack Greinke. Greinke was supposed to go to a big market, big city team. He might find Milwaukee to be a forgiving and baseball loving city. The night that Greinke signed the deal, Brewers tickets started selling at a brisk pace.

With two spots open in the bullpen, the Brewers signed Takashi Saito. Saito is one of the best set up men in the game, and he signed a one year deal. From here, one would expect that the Brewers will see which of their nine prospect pitchers will shine in spring, and win that final spot on the roster. Could this be the year that Milwaukee goes deeper into the playoffs? My fingers are crossed.

Milwaukee Brewers Coaching Staff Takes Shape

As the new coach takes over for the Milwaukee Brewers, the question of who stays and who goes is starting come together. Dale Sveum is said to be staying on with the Brew Crew, so below is the current list of who is coming and who is going at Miller Park.

Milwaukee Brewers Managers On The Way Out

Willie Randolf, Bench Coach

Rick Peterson, Pitching Coach

Milwaukee Brewers Managers On The Way In

Jerry Narron, New Bench Coach

Rick Kranitz, New Pitching Coach

Jeremy Shelby, yet to be named Coach

Yes, most of these guys have a connection to the Orioles. We will see if this new staff can get the Brewers above .500, and into playoff contention in their first year. They have to, because we will most likely lose Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks to free agency in 2012. Get a couple of hot pitchers, and this team will rise to playoff level. Is that stating the obvious. Yes, I think it is.

Milwaukee Brewers At Miller Park Lose All Three VS Phillies

The Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park have been struggling. They lost three in a row, VS the Phillies. I realize that Philadelphia is a great team but to get swept at home is not cool. Why didn't Ken Macha just use up the bullpen in an effort to pick up a win on Saturday? The team had a chance that night, but Ken was thinking too much about Sunday.

Rickie Weeks is Mr. Hot and Cold. Right now, he's Mr. Cold. I think Rickie is having trouble seeing the ball right now. Perhaps he's got to get back to basics. Learn to love the ball Rickie, and hits will follow.

Corey Hart doesn't want to take a walk. You won't see that guy at the plate with a 2-2 count on the jumbo tron. He's just swinging away. Meanwhile, Macha is thinking way too far ahead. Sometimes you have to do what it takes and use up the pitching staff. We're going down in flames here Kenny.

If I'm going to spread a bit of blame, let's talk about Ryan Braun. He went 2-12 on this home stand. Yes, he was hit by a pitch last week. I'm sure that hurts. He's gutsy to stay with it, and get in there to play against the Phillies. But Ryan, if you need some time to heal, take a seat. The pitching staff will probably blow any lead you help create. You might as well let that elbow ge back into shape. Prince Fielder didn't do much better, going 3-12, but he hit two home runs in the series. In his past ten games he bat .350. That's great, but Prince had only four RBI's in those ten games. Guess who's not getting on base?

Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day 2010

It's snowing right now. Groundhogs day is upon us, but I don't believe in the predictions. What I believe is that the Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day 2010 game will be with a closed roof at Miller Park. If you glance at this Miller Park seating chart, and scan over to section 112, that's where I will be seated for opening day.

When I was a kid, I used to get to leave school early, and go to the opening day games. Now, I have to try to get the day off before my coworkers grab it. It's a struggle. Two guys that I work with have gone every year for 20 years. They have a standing order to keep them off the work schedule, so they can see the Brewers on opening day. Most times, we can sneak out and head to Miller Park after the phones stop ringing.

Aaron Rodgers Represents Green Bay Packers in Pro Bowl

I managed to catch one of two Aaron Rodger's touchdown throws. Yea the defensive line just pretends to rush the passer. It was still pretty cool to see a few more throws before heading into the off seasn. When the Green Bay Packers schedule comes out, then we will have something to write about here. Until then, I'm a big fan of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Milwaukee Brewers Face Pittsburgh Pirates in April, Houston Astros in May

April 26-28 is when the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates come to Miller Park. Opening day is always a sell out for the Brewers. The April games that follow are usually low attendance events. Consider trying to sell Pittsburgh Pirates tickets, for an April series for Milwaukee. That's when you sneak into the lower level and enjoy the view.

A better bet is to buy Houston Astros tickets at Miller Park for May 25, 2010. Houston comes to Milwaukee in May, and the attendance starts to pick up right around that time. College kids are finished with school, and looking to have some fun. By the first week of June, school's out for summer, and the ballpark is filling up nicely.