What We Learned: Spring Training officially kicks off

Links from BCB

• The countdown to Opening Day is at 42 days. Derek takes the opportunity to ask what question the number 42 could answer for the Brewers this season. There are also posts from the weekend on bullpen coach #43 Lee Tunnell, and the 44th player on Derek's personal prospect list.
• With Spring Training underway, Derek posted the first mailbag of spring training on Friday. Questions include the possibility of Orlando Arcia starting the year with the Brewers, moves GM David Stearns has done and could still do, and an important video game question.
• In the growing pop-culture war on BCB, Kyle fires back at Travis by subjecting you to a post based on a Meghan Trainor song. (It also talks about on-base percentages, to keep it Brewers related.)
• As pictures from camps started coming in, we discovered that the Diamondbacks new uniforms are even worse than we expected. Travis takes a look at the new Diamondbacks uniforms and how they compare to some of the worst uniforms in Brewers history.
• It won't be much longer before you can start watching spring training games on TV. The Brewers released their spring training broadcast schedule, and Derek lists the important dates for you.
• Continuing to look at the worst teams in franchise history, Kyle has a review of the 2002 Milwaukee Brewers.
• There's still time to vote for #16 in the BCB Community Top Prospects poll. It's a close race right now between Marcos Diplan and Tyrone Taylor for the spot, and your vote counts.
• Over in the FanPosts, Bayired has his predictions for the 2016 season.

Other Brewers News & Notes

• With Khris Davis gone, the expectation was that someone would move back to left field, and the Brewers have made it official now. Adam McCalvy of Brewers.com reports that Ryan Braun will move back to left field with Domingo Santana taking the right field spot.
• Wily Peralta is back in camp this year hoping to get past the down year he had in 2015. Adam McCalvy has an interview with Peralta as camp begins.
• As Spring Training begins, a lot of new players in camp will make team chemistry an interesting topic to watch. Behind the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel pay wall, Tom Haudricourt writes that watching the team come together will be important in camp this year.
• It's been six years since Chris Capuano has been in Brewers camp. Tom Haudricourt spoke with Capuano about returning to the Brewers.
• One of the biggest position battles brewing in Spring Training is for the center field job. Colin Anderle of BP Milwaukee looks at the six candidates who will be trying to win the starting job there.
• 2016 marks what should be the first full year for Craig Counsell as manager of the Brewers. Adam McCalvy looks at what Counsell plans to do in his first full year leading the team.
• Jonathan Lucroy received a lot of attention for his comments last month about wanting to win, but has changed his stance since them. Adam McCalvy spoke with Lucroy, who is going to make the most out of this year and just try to have fun.
• Out of the GM role, Doug Melvin has the chance to enjoy Spring Training from a different perspective. Tom Haudricourt spoke with Melvin, who is enjoying watching Spring Training without the responsibilities as a GM.
• Need a reason to root for new Brewers prospect Jacob Nottingham? Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel notes that Nottingham is a Packers fan.
• The improved farm system that the Brewers have will eventually pay dividends for them. Delontay Mathis of Miller Park Prospects writes that the new wave of prospects will eventually pay off for the Brewers, and recaps the trades from the past year.
• Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com had the chance to interview former Brewers pitcher LaTroy Hawkins following his retirement after the 2015 season.

Around Baseball

• Don Mattingly is famous for getting benched for not cutting his hair, and now he's going to bring a hair policy to the Marlins. Mark Townsend of Big League Stew reports that Mattingly is bringing back a no facial hair policy as manager of the Marlins.
• After the Royals World Series win and recent success, it's likely that imitators will emerge to try and duplicate that success. Jack Moore of BP Milwaukee says that imitators will pop up, but they should be ready for a long, painful process.
• Over on Miller Park Prospects, Delontay Mathis ranks the prospects in the Reds system.
• The Cubs signed reliever Aaron Crow to a minor-league contract and released LHP Luis Cruz after a failed physical.
• The Dodgers officially finalized their six-year, $30 million deal with Cuban RHP Yasiel Sierra.
• The Indians signed third baseman Juan Uribe to a one year deal worth just under $5 million.
• The Nationals signed RHP Juan Gutierrez to a minor-league deal.
• The Orioles signed former Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo to a three-year, $35 million contract.
• The Padres signed RHP Casey Janssen to a minor-league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.
• The Rangers signed pitcher Jeremy Guthrie to a minor-league contract.
• The Royals signed pitcher Mike Minor to a two-year, $7.25 million contract that could be worth up to $24.5 million with incentives and a third-year option.
• The Yankees signed utility player Chris Parmelee.