So with the Brewers’ season over and the World Series at most a week from being completed, I am getting anxious for free agency to begin. I am constantly looking at the roster and areas for improvement, especially a few ways I think the team can make up for one big loss in Prince Fielder.At this point I believe it is safe to say Prince Fielder is gone. I know management say they can make him a competitive offer, but there are teams with bigger budgets that will certainly be bidding the Brewers into a hole they cannot get out of financially. However the Brewers do have some pocket depth to deal with and may be able to make a bang financially in the market.
Now let’s stop with the introduction and get to the roster I would WANT to see in 2012 and the reasons I would love it. Below this is a more reasonable wish list.
1B: Mat Gamel
2B: Rickie Weeks
SS: Jose Reyes
3B: Taylor Green
C: Jonathan Lucroy
LF: Ryan Braun
CF: Nyjer Morgan/Carlos Gomez
RF: Corey Hart
UTL: Casey McGehee, Jerry Hairston Jr., Logan Schafer, Martin Maldonado
SP: Zack Greinke, Yovani Gallardo, Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf, Wily Peralta
BP: Kameron Loe, LaTroy Hawkins, Marco Estrada, Chris Narveson, Mitch Stetter,
SU: Frank Francisco
CL: John Axford
Now, this is clearly a dream team and a lot of hope. The budget you save by having two non-arbitration players starting on your roster can open a lot up in your budget, including a star like Jose Reyes. If the Brewers can’t get Fielder, I think Reyes is an amazing second candidate to bring a star onto this offense. I think it’s safe to assume that Taylor Green can be as much an asset at third as McGehee was in 2011. His bat is electric, with great power and contact, and his defense is better than McGehee’s which will help. Reyes and Gamel will certainly be better than Betancourt and Fielder, not that either can replace Fielder, but Gamel can be a 20 HR player and a very good #5 hitter on a team while Reyes will be a ++++ replacement to Betancourt. If Peralta is at least a shimmer as good as he was in AAA he can already bolster a fantastic pitching staff. I see him as being comparable to Alexi Ogando and moves a versatile full inning lefty in Chris Narveson into the pen.
The oddest choice I see here was Frank Francisco as a set up man. My opinion here is formed from K-Rod as set-up last year. It’s nice to have a power closer as the 8th inning pitcher, but Francisco has shown some rust, but can still be an electric player. There are plenty of closers on the market that can fill a closers spot on another team, I see Francisco getting left aside and being a very cheap sign. He’s a good risk pick with high reward that and probably be easily replaceable. Otherwise I could see a AAA player replacing Francisco on the Bullpen roster with a trade off at the 8th inning much like the first portion of 2011. I see something like this being more successful and providing some insurance should Axford need time off.
That was my all time high for pickups in getting an all-star MVP candidate in Reyes, it would make the Brewers offense nearly as good as 2011 if not better depending on the performance of the Rookies at the corners, but I have strong belief that they could fulfill most of their expectations.
Here is my realistic hopes for the 2012 season:
C: Jonathan Lucroy
1B: Michael Cuddyer
2B: Rickie Weeks
SS: Clint Barmes
3B: Casey McGehee
LF: Ryan Braun
CF: Nyjer Morgan/Carlos Gomez
RF: Corey Hart
Bench: Jerry Hairston Jr., Taylor Green, Logan Schafer, Martin Maldonado
SP: Zack Greinke, Yovani Gallardo, Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf, Chris Narveson
BP: Kameron Loe, LaTroy Hawkins, Marco Estrada, Mike McClendon, Mitch Stetter, Cody Scarpetta
CL: John Axford
So this is what I think can happen. Barmes is a cheap available starter that does not bring star power, but can easily replace Betancourt and be much better both offensively and defensively (then again so is anyone in the Majors you put at SS, including bat boys). Cuddyer is someone who can bring in a great bat that would put a dent offensively at the corner where Prince once sat. Cuddyer can hit near .300 and 20 bombs supporting a strong offense, and with the power that he’ll be around in Milwaukee could see large increase in RBI’s and runs scored.
I think the above roster is a decline in bull pen from last year, but otherwise just as formidable if not more than the 2011 Brewers roster, it may not have two MVPs but it certainly has a lot of boom for the buck, and Cuddyer will probably come cheap with the bidding war some teams may get in over Pujols and Fielder, where the Brewers can sneak in and get Cuddyer cheaply if the Twins don’t lock him down first.
It would be nice to have the first roster since on paper it looks a little better but the second roster is probably just as good and could still win a division and go far in the playoffs.
-Brad
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