2012 Milwaukee Brewers Predictions
After back-to-back seasons with 80 wins or less, the Milwaukee Brewers won a franchise record 96 games and captured their first division title and playoff series victory since joining the National League in 1998.
Losing Prince Fielder takes some pop out of the lineup, but the Brewers appear to have enough weapons to make a run at another NL Central championship.
Projected Pitching
Starting rotation: Zack Greinke (R) – The former AL Cy Young Award winner led the league with 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings while going 16-6 with a 3.83 ERA in 2011.
Yovani Gallardo (R) – Gallardo is coming off his best season. He finished 17-10 with a 3.52 ERA and was sensational against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS, striking out 14 batters in 14 innings spanning two starts.
Shaun Marcum (R) – The former Toronto Blue Jay went 13-7 with a 3.54 ERA and logged 200.2 innings in his first season in the NL.
Randy Wolf (L) – Wolf’s biggest asset is his competitiveness. Many pitchers have better stuff, but he seems to have more will. He finished 13-10 with a 3.69 ERA and led the Brewers with 212.1 innings.
Chris Narveson (L) – Narveson showed improvement in 2011, but the Brewers want to see even more. He lowered the 4.99 ERA he had in 2010 to 4.45 last season.
Closer: John Axford (R) – Axford is coming off a phenomenal season during which he tied for the NL lead with 46 saves.
Projected Lineup
Jonathan Lucroy (Catcher) – Lucroy did an excellent job of managing the pitching staff last season and threw out 28 percent of runners. He wasn’t bad with the bat either, hitting .265 with 12 home runs and 59 RBIs.
Mat Gamel (First Base) – The Brewers will certainly miss Fielder, who hit 38 round trippers last year. Gamel will get the first crack at first and should stick as long as he’s hitting. He doesn’t have Fielder’s power, projecting more as a 20-home run guy.
Rickie Weeks (Second Base) – Weeks batted .269 with 20 homers despite missing time in July, August and September. He hit .269 with 29 long balls and 83 RBIs when healthy in 2010. That’s the kind of season the Brewers need out of him this year.
Aramis Ramirez (Third Base) – Ramirez is an upgrade at third in terms of offense. He batted .306 with 26 jacks and 93 RBIs for the Chicago Cubs last season.
Alex Gonzalez (Shortstop) – His bat has left him (.281 on-base percentage over the last three seasons), but he’s still an asset defensively.
Ryan Braun (Left Field) – The Brewers dodged a major bullet when the National League MVP’s 50-game suspension for a failed drug test was overturned. He batted .332 with 33 home runs and 111 RBIs last season.
Nyjer Morgan (Center Field) – Morgan is coming off a solid season during which he batted .304 in 378 at bats. His best moment came in the NLDS when he drove in the series-winning run.
Corey Hart (Right Field) – Hart posted a career-high .356 on-base percentage in 2011 and blasted 26 homers.
Prediction – 1st Place NL Central: The Brew Crew’s strong pitching staff gives them an opportunity to win the division despite the loss of Fielder. The Brewers are listed at +250 to win the NL Central.
