Brewers Counting On Rookies

Don't expect to hear to much from Milwaukee this off season. They are investing in their rookies to lead them to the playoffs and bring them there second winning season in fifteen years. The Brewers used Fielder, Weeks, Hardy, Braun, Gallardo, Villanueva, and Parra to hold the division lead for most of the season, but fell apart in September. Much of that can be accredited to playing an extra month in the bigs, especially for Braun, and their young pitchers. Their bullpen was pretty solid the whole season, but I expect them and these young guys to get a lot better. It would be hard not to pick them for next year, especially because these younger players who helped so much now have a season under their belt. Corey Hart is a lock in right field with Hall possible on his way out through a trade. Jenkins has a nine million dollar club option which will probably be declined so he can sign for something smaller, or they will pursue other options. Matt LaPorta is making great strides down in Fall Ball and could be up next season. Kenny Lofton is a free agent and would sign for cheap and be a stop gap for there other prospects. It would also give them a legitimate leadoff man. You could then move Hall to left and platoon him with Mench, who has great power too. The late innings are set for the Brewers with Turnbow, Aquino, Linebrink, and Cordero, but a long reliever like Jeremy Affeldt or LaTroy Hawkins to go in early and lead to those guys would help out a lot. The Brewers and Cubs will be gunning for another playoff spot the whole season, and it will probably come down to the end with them playing each other in the final three games of the season.