Brewers Future

The Brewers gave up two touchdowns last night to the Nationals and only managed one of their own in a 6-14 loss, dropping them to 1 game under .500 on the season and 4 games back in the tight NL Central.  The Crew has ripped off 3 wins in their last 10 games, while the now Central Leading Cubs have reeled off 8 wins in their last 10.  Frankly, the Brewers have NO chance to win the NL Central.  The Cardinals, who have a superior pitching staff to Milwaukee, added Julio Lugo and Matt Holliday is protection for Albert Pujols.  The Cubs haven't added anybody; they don't need to.  Their line up is expensive and filled with talent as is their pitching staff, Rich Harden, Alfonso Soriano, Milton Bradley, Carlos Zambrano, and Carlos Marmol turning their seasons into AVERAGE seasons by their standards is like making 5 huge trades.  All they need to do is get healthy and play average seasons down the stretch, and they'll be neck and neck with the Cardinals. 

Meanwhile, the Brewers will be watching from behind.  Their starting pitching is simply scary right now, I didn't realize that they had so many guys that wanted to throw BP for the home run derby next year.  Starters and relievers are putting their names into the hat, in hopes, somebody out there will notice them.  They give up hits to opposing pitchers at an alarming rate, they walk too many guys, they nibble the corners, they have nobody with electric stuff outside of Gallardo.  I don't need power arms, I need guys that get people out and right now, they don't have many people that can do that.  Instead, it looks like we've got 4 Rick Vaughn 2.1's in the rotation and a whole bunch in the pen.

At the plate, the Brewers are seemingly lost.  JJ Hardy is showing more of the real hitter he is, and not the fluke power year he had last season.  He has more holes in his swing than the health care reform bill.  Corey Hart looks lethargic, a step slow, and has been reigned in when he does manage to get on base.  Mike Cameron hasn't hit a ball hard in a few weeks, and Jason Kendall is still trying to muster one up to get out of the infield.  Prince Fielder can't carry a team himself, Braun is trying to help and even Counsell is getting into the swing of things, but their key pieces after Braun/Fielder are somewhat embarassing. 

That all being said, they have no chance of winning the division.  You can take that to the bank right now, so what should they do?  Easy, sell the pieces they can get something of value for right now.  JJ Hardy because they have the best defensive player in minor league baseball ready to go in Alcedes Escobar, all he has to do at the plate is hit .260 and he's already an offensive upgrade.  They should also look at sending Craig Counsell, Mike Cameron, Braden Looper, Trevor Hoffman, Frank Catalanotto, Jody Gerut, and Todd Coffey.  Of course, Jeff Suppan and Bill Hall are missing from the list, because nobody in their right minds would even consider these two albatross salaries. 

I'm not saying they should deal all of those guys, I'm not saying they should just trade them to trade them; I think if they can get a good value deal for any of them. they have to consider it.  I also include Corey Hart in that mix.  I also put most of those guys on the list, because they become FA's at the end of the year, so it might hurt their trade value, but I don't think they would all re-sign in Milwaukee.  The Brewers cannot and will not move foward until the staff is solved, the bullpen catches lightning in a bottle, and the offense hits with RISP and overall.  Rickie Weeks will return next season, and Macha needs to take the reins off the running game.  Well, either that or they need to hire Billy Haywood to get the team on a roll.