Every season is dictated by injuries. The Brewers starting rotation isn’t great, but if they all stay healthy and we get full innings from all 5 starters, then they’ll be competitive all on their own. The biggest problem is depth. There’s no one to replace a starter.

Similarly, if the Cubs rotation loses 2 pitchers early, they’re suddenly not as dominant in the Central. The Brewers lost Capuano and Gallardo at the beginning of last season so it’s not unprecedented to lose two starters by April.

Every team has injuries and those can often dictate the outcome of the season. The Brewers aren’t a bad team, by all rights, and definitely have a shot, but on paper the current NL Central rosters favor the Cubs.

Starting pitching, or pitching in general, is our shaky ground. But, to be honest, I think this team may resemble more of a better tempered version of our 2007 squad possibly, and that team nearly got us the NL Central.

This sort of post to me shouts what brings down major media market teams, and that’s that they expect things are just a given. The Yankees spend through the roof, and get beaten down by the rookie Rays. So why not the Milwaukee Brewers? There are always unknowns and possibilities to this game. So who’s to say the Cubs are merited the Central? They have as many unknowns on that squad as any other team in the game.

As a fan of my Crew, I’m happy with my team, and love that we’re way ahead of ourselves in attendance than ever at this point(again). Pathetic to lose CC to a team playing with silly money? Nah, we tried. Pathetic if Sheets doesn’t return? Not too much, but that’s still even a possibility of him returning. Jon Garland is Jeff Suppan with youth on his side, in my opinion, so I don’t think we missed anything there.

By my estimation, I think this will be a whole heck of a lot closer than any of us think right now. It’s dependent on our pitching staff, consistency, and health, just like any other team.

An awful way to do business though? Not at all. They’re doing as much as they can with the money in front of them. An awful way to reward the fans though? I’d say not giving our fans a championship caliber ball club after 100 years is a bad rap, and with our market, I say we still have a huge talent pool to make us a major factor for years and years to come.

Jon Garland is pretty bad at baseball.

disregarding for a moment the discussion of whether we’ll be competitive, what are we supposed to do?

Get 10 times angrier?
Hold protests outside Miller Park?

“What the hell we supposed to do Moron?”

The Crew can’t afford to throw money at the latest thing – (see Fukudome) and have it fail miserably. Given their track record with big contracts for pitchers, I’m glad they didn’t throw money at Garland – I would much rather have Hoffman then Garland or any of those #5 starters. For a little perspective, let’s look at the Twins of last year – they lost Hunter and Santana and I think played a playoff game.. Do they need another starter? – yeah they do – but I’d much rather see how things break after opening day then throw money around now – we’ve got two good young pitchers and two solid middle of the rotation guys (yeah, I think Suppan will have a solid #4 starter year – 12-10, 200 inns. 4.25 era) and the number 5 starter is up in the air. But I’d rather take a shot with McClung or Villanueva then overspend on scraps. I think our offense and bullpen hang in there through September this year and we match last year’s 90 wins. Will the Cubs do as well as last year? Who makes them better – Milton Bradley? Losing DeRosa is gonna hurt them – he was key last year – do they get another career year from Theriot? Is Taguchi a better spot starter in the outfield then Edmonds was last year? How healthy is Harden all year?

Cubs trolls, already?

I was actually reading Cubs blogs to get reactions to the Heilman trade, and to an interesting bit of news that may indicate that Jeff Samardzija may start the season in Iowa so he can start, because Heilman has his bullpen slot. However, I thought Harden was busted again…Spellcheck? In your rotation? It’s more likely than you think. (The only people who want Chad Gaudin starting are fans of all the other NL Central teams.)

As much as the Brewers haven’t made many changes, I don’t think that the changes the Cubs have made have been particularly positive. The Cubs barely have any backup pitching, either, and I’m not sold on Samardzija; much like the Brewers version of the Swiss Army Pitcher, he can start or relieve and run up a K/BB =>1.

all the cubs do is spend and suck. how do you call this rebuilding? the florida marlins were rebuilding. the cubs have a great offseason themselves. haha not! what have the cubs done that is so great. trading away a great 2nd baseman/outfielder derosa. not bringing back wood, aaron heilman? theres a winner. forrest gregg? look out.

Mark DeRosa, Felix Pie, Ronny Cedeno…….

theres a team cancer, 7 teams in 9 years, terrible atitude, cant stay healthy. thats exactly who i want to spend 30 million on, brilliant

Which section of Wrigley is it again where I can buy my peanuts from Fukudome?

How many Brewers would I trade for Cubs at each position?? Not many – I’ll take the Brewers outfield – The Brewer SS, 2nd, and First – I’ll take the cubs catcher and 3rd baseman – now starting pitching… I’ll give the Cubs 3 of 5 but no more. How about bullpen? Who’s the Cub closer – Marmal? – then who is the set up? What about the bench?? Cubbies is more expensive – is it better – maybe, Brewers are better overall and will prove it during the season.

It does not take too long of a look at each roster (specifically the pitching staff) to ascertain that the Cubs are the superior team. The players, pitchers, money and manager are all there (even the most drunk and unintelligent fan-base!). The X factor is what I would like to call the Chokey City. Our beloved Brewers will win the NL Central, not because they’ll be so competent and dominant, but because the Cubs will choke. It should only take 87 wins.

As if I know anything…

As a Cubs fan I am totally miffed of the attitude about the Brewers moves.

Well, that’s because you’re a self-admitted idiot.

The Brewers were one of the best upcoming teams in baseball.

Correct. And then they lost Sabathia and Sheets. Yet, even with those two, they were only an 86-Pythagorean-win team.

Attendance goes through the roof fans care again and season ticket sales nearly double.

Fans being unrealistic can not, should not, and hopefully never dictates the move of a smart organization.

What’s it like trading two former top prospects for Aaron Heilman? Real good use of resources.

Now, after you make it to the playoffs one year out of 25, the team and ownership has decided to essentially re-build?

They resigned Cameron. They made an offer that put them second on CC’s list behind the Yankees. What else were they to do? Overspend—with money they don’t have—on AJ Burnett? Doing something stupid now—like spending money they don’t have just because they made the playoffs last year—is a terrible waste of resources, especially with 2010 and beyond looking to the be the window for the Brewers.

That is really an awful way to do business and reward loyal fans.

No. An awful way to do business and reward loyal fans is believe the team is still somehow a 90 game winner without Sabathia and Sheets and spend money for the sake of spending money just to appease the ignorant and shortsighted fans that call into 620 and 540 who have absolutely no vision towards the future and have to win now. Not doing anything stupid this offseason, like signing Looper to a multi-year deal, is doing a hell of a lot more to get this team viable for 2010 and on than any move your Cubs have made.

Really, congrats again on turning Pie and Cedeno in Aaron Heilman. Anytime you can take two top-ten prospects and turn them into a sixth starter, you gotta do that.

I would be 10x more angry.

That’s because you’re stupid.

Depending on those starting pitchers to be anything other then awful is really not taking a good hard look in the mirror.

They’re not depending on them. They’re being realistic about their chances and acting accordingly—by not spending on marginal players like Looper who won’t get the team into the playoffs or on zero’s like Garland. They’re not doing anything to adversely affect the team in 2010 and on.

Jon Garland signed for about what the Brewers paid Hoffman and that in itself is enough to make any smart Brewers fan throw up.

See how stupid you are? Jon Garland sucks.

It was truly a pathetic off-season.

Can anyone here actually tell me the Crew have a shot in the NL Central this season? crickets

It’s not looking good. But it’s looking better and better after this season, and it’s looking worse and worse for the aging team from Chicago.

1. Generally, one does not place a question mark after a statement. Especially when the aforementioned statement is the title of a piece of writing.

2. Using the term “crickets” is usually reserved for when a person inquires something and does not receive a response, not when they are initially posting a discussion thread.

I was thinking about posting a thread in the upcoming months about why Brewers fans should be optimistic about 2009. But I should have thought of this.. nothing unites Brewers fans like a Cubs fan talking trash.

Boooo Brewers… Booo Baseball… I’m taking my ball and going home.

Ooops I already paid in full for my tickets next year.

To be fair, while this gentleman may not have the best ideas about how the Brewers should improve or what they have done right or wrong, he was at least pretty civil about. He isn’t spewing irrational hate or anything and seems to just want to have a good battle in the central this year. I say cut him slack, most cubs fans are much less tolerable than this person.

are you ready? thanks to this idiot cub fan, i now am jacked up waiting for this season to start…and i dont think taking advice from a cubs fan is something very logical. the cubs franchise is one of the worst run franchises i have ever seen when it comes down to winning. (specially with the resources they got)

Jon garland you say? no telling how pissed off i would have been if we signed this joker.(though he is durable, ill give hime that) but a terrible era, bad whip, bad K/BB ratio, terrible BAA.

You trade away DeRo, one of your best players, and fan favorites. team is aging. a brian roberts or jake peavy deal are both looking like a no-go. harden is hurt. zambrano is now a 4.00 era guy with injury concerns. dempster had a career year last year and i for one, do not expect the same out of him.(i dont think he lost a game at home until after the all-star break, plz correct me if i am wrong). another bad trade for you guys, acquisition of kevin gregg, he is going to be a guy who will frustrate the hell out of you, with his suspect, at best, control. 30 million dollar milton is a very injury prone, team cancer. carlos marmol as closer = more control problem headaches.

but hey, what do i know. at least you’s guys still got that fukudome character. hes pretty good am i right? ha

what a joke of a post, get your facts straight. we will see when it comes time to play ball rather than crowning cubbies kings of the central in january.

LOSER

Screw this guy. GO CREW!!!

All I know is if the Cardinal’s lost CC and Sheets, 2 of the most dominant pitchers in baseball when healthy and only slightly upgraded the closer position. I would be a little worried and would be mad if we didn’t upgrade somewhere.

Cardinals have not made a lot of moves and their is near riots in the newspapers. So I just kind of assumed the Brewers who have made less moves and lost more would be more upset.

classic

i’m fired up for baseball now.
nicely posted.