Kuzul

Our fourth stop on the 30 in 30 is the Milwaukee Brewers.

Due to my schedule preventing me from writing yesterday, I’ll be making up for it by covering two teams today. Consider it a 2-for-…Wednesday? Something like that.

The brew crew finished the 2010 season one game ahead of the Astros, two games ahead of the Cubs and nine games back of the Cardinals.

How many games ahead or behind each of those teams will this season’s Brewers be? A large part of the answer to that question is the production of newly acquired former AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke.

The Brewers also welcomed Shaun Marcum from the Blue Jays to their rotation this offseason. The addition of these two talented pitchers gives the Brewers a rotation that can match up with nearly every team in the National League.

If one thing is certain about this team, it’s that they are ready to win NOW. The question remains though, does this team have enough to make a serious push in the NL Central. 

Let’s take a look at that Milwaukee’s lineup and starting rotation should look like this season.

C- Jonathan Lucroy
1B- Prince Fielder
2B- Rickie Weeks
3B- Casey McGegee
SS- Yuniesky Betancourt
LF- Ryan Braun
CF- Carlos Gomez
RF- Corey Hart

SP- Zack Greinke
SP- Yovani Gallardo
SP- Shaun Marcum
SP- Randy Wolf
SP- Chris Narveson
CL- John Axford

This Brewers lineup has a solid heart of the order with Braun, Fielder, McGehee, Hart and Weeks. Each of these players had over 20 HR and 80 RBI last season. 

These five are also the only everyday starters remaining in this Brewers lineup, as Alcides Escobar was a part of the Greinke deal.

Betancourt will be the replacement for Escobar, as he was also a part of the Greinke deal, although I think he is a slight downgrade at the position.

Lucroy and Gomez are the other two starters, both are very young and have a lot of potential. If the Brewers can get solid seasons from both, expect this lineup to cause a lot of problems for the rest of the NL Central.

From a pitching standpoint, this rotation is solid. If Greinke pitches like he did in 2009, the Brewers will have gotten the better end of the trade. He still has the stuff to be an ace, there’s no question about that, and with a better supporting cast, I think we can expect another great year from him.

Gallardo as a No. 2 man is impressive, and emphasizes the depth of this Brewers rotation. Winning 14 games last year with a 3.84 ERA and 200 K, at the age of 24, he has the potential to become a superstar. 

With Greinke and Gallardo at the top of the rotation, what more could you need? Well, the Brewers obviously didn’t think they had enough, so throw Shaun Marcum (a 13-game winner with a 3.64 ERA, 165 k, and an astounding WHIP of 1.15) into the mix.

If that wasn’t good enough, the Brewers still have Randy Wolf as their No. 4 starter, and if Narveson can bring his ERA down a bit, this is a solid five man rotation.

Not many questions left for this Brewers team, but what does remain, are answers. For a team that barely finished third in the NL Central, the expectations couldn’t be higher. 

Are playoff expectations justified? I’m not so certain, but with a solid lineup and rotation, this team will definitely make some noise in the NL Central.

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In the first half of the season, Corey Hart could do no wrong.  He was one of the biggest surprises in the league, hitting .288 with 21 HR and 65 RBI.  Owners who took the gamble on drafting him were on cloud nine…

Unfortunately, the euphoria did not last forever.

Hart’s production in the second half was much more inline with what we would have expected.  He hit .278 with 10 HR and 37 RBI.

Overall he posted a HR/FB of 16.7%.  Just compare that to his numbers the past few years:

• 2006 – 12.2%
• 2007 – 13.0%
• 2008 – 9.9%
• 2009 – 8.8%

Does he have the potential to hit 31 HR again?  Probably not, but there’s no reason to think that he can’t continue to be in the 24-26 HR range.  He’s done it before, and he certainly can do it again.

The rest of the numbers are extremely realistic, outside of maybe the runs scored (91) and RBI (102).  Obviously, with a decrease in home runs, the counting numbers are going to take a hit as well.

You also have to consider that the Brewers could look exceptionally differently come Opening Day 2011.  Will Prince Fielder remain in the lineup?  Where exactly does Hart fit into the picture?  Will he bat second?  Will he bat sixth?  It really is too early to tell.

This past season he hit all over the lineup, though the two biggest spots were second and sixth:

• Second – 361 AB, .291, 13 HR, 62 RBI, 61 R
• Sixth – 122 AB, .303, 15 HR, 31 RBI, 22 R

There are two overwhelming concerns in those number:

1)     In a little more then half a season hitting second, he had 62 RBI.  Is that really a number that we can expect to continue?  In that spot, the RBI just aren’t likely to be there at that type of rate.

2)     Batting sixth, he hit a home run once every 8.1 at bats.  Even with that type of production, he had just 31 RBI?  Really?  With that type of power and in that spot in the lineup, more production just has to be there.

You put them together and you get major concerns.  If he hits early in the lineup, the RBI likely won’t be there.  If he hits later in the order, can he really show the same power that he did in 2010?  It just seems like no matter the scenario, a regression is inevitable.

While Hart is going to be a usable option, for sure, don’t get too caught up in his hot streak and production.  There’s going to be a regression coming.

What are your thoughts on Hart?  Do you see him regressing in 2010?  Why or why not?

Make sure to check out our review of other players who struggled in 2010 and their prospects for a rebound:

• Beckett, Josh
• Hill, Aaron
• Lind, Adam

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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Whether you believe that Prince Fielder will be with the Milwaukee Brewers when the 2011 regular season begins or not, there is one seemingly inevitable truth that is staring the collective known as Brewer Nation in the face…

Prince Fielder will not be a Milwaukee Brewer forever.

This is a certainty. There is no getting around it. There is no point in trying to figure out a way that it might not happen. It’s an effort in futility.

Perhaps you’d like to argue about the money coming off of the payroll after this season. Maybe a look into the pre-arbitration salary situations of some of the younger players on this team complete with a fiscal breakdown of how to fit a mammoth salary into a mid-market-sized budget would make you happy.

Again, the fact must be stated that it simply does not make a bit of a difference. Prince Fielder is leaving the Cream City sooner or later.

So with that non-question put to bed, we can move on to more pressing matters. We need to figure out who can replace Fielder at first base for the Milwaukee Brewers.

The following slides will each name a potential replacement and will breakdown why they could work out and also why they might not.

I welcome your thoughts and suggestions on the men I named and anybody that you feel I left out.

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Corey Hart is having a huge season for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2010 and the Brewers have rewarded Hart with a contract extension.

The Brewers signed Hart yesterday to a three-year extension worth $26.5 million. The deal will cover Hart’s final year of arbitration and his first two years of free agency eligibility.

Hart has put up an impressive .288/.346/.565 hitting line with 23 HRs so far this season. The Brewers now have their left fielder and right fielder locked up for the foreseeable future.

I really don’t have an issue with this contract. If you believe Hart’s corrected vision and batting stance are the reasons for his turnaround, then he should be worth around $8 million a season for the next three years. Even if Hart finishes his next three seasons at what he has produced so far this season, then he will outperform the extension.

Here is what some people are forgetting about this deal and the Brewers. The Brewers have to overpay sometimes to get people to either come to or stay in Milwaukee.

Have you ever been to Milwaukee? I have. It’s the worst.

I will bet my life there is no athlete in America who wants to play in Milwaukee. So if you believe Hart is only worth about six million a year and the Brewers have to pay him eight in order to stay and have an above-average right fielder for the next three years, then so be it.

However, no matter how many outfielders the Brewers sign to extensions, it won’t matter until they get some pitching.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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They say “Home is where the heart is,” and that saying is truer now than it has been all season in Milwaukee.

Except now the saying goes, “Home is where the Hart is.”

MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy has reported that Corey Hart, 28, has signed a contract extension with the Brewers to continue his memorable season.

As recently as May, a contract of this manner would never have been fathomable. Hart, coming off the team’s first arbitration hearing since 1998, was not making regular appearances in the lineup.

Fans and media alike, as in 2009, were on Hart’s case after he won a $4.8 million salary and was not producing. Then a walk-off home run against New York, followed by a grand slam the next night out, jolted a season that has led to an All-Star appearance.

Just call it a story we never expected.

“I’m anxious to go out there and prove to everybody that I’m worth it,” he said in spring training. “I told [GM] Doug [Melvin] and [assistant GM] Gord [Ash] that I want to go out and prove to them that I’m a guy who could get a long-term deal.

“I love Milwaukee, my family loves it, and we want to stay. The fanbase has been really good to me, and the ones who are mad, hopefully I can win them back over.”

Corey will bring to Chicago, along with his new contract, a .288 average, 23 home runs, 72 RBI, and a .910 OPS.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that Hart will bring in $26.5 million during the three-year deal.

The deal covers 2011-2013, which would have been Corey’s final year of arbitration and first two free agency seasons.

Just days ago a subject of trade rumors, including the Giants making a serious late push, Hart now is locked up until age 31 with the Brewers.

The signing may reveal that Melvin is open to trading Prince Fielder this winter for pitching. Rickie Weeks may also re-sign along with Hart.

Hart was the first young star to crack through to the big leagues, making his debut with the Brewers in 2004. He was followed by Weeks, Fielder, J.J. Hardy, Ryan Braun, and Yovani Gallardo.

He said all along he would like to stay in Brew Town.

“I would be disappointed to be traded away from the Brewers, because this is the only team I know,” he said last month. “I would like to stick it out here and help to turn things around.”

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The San Francisco Giants enter the last week before the Major League Baseball trade deadline three games behind the San Diego Padres in the National League West. The Giants have so far won on the heels of their tremendous starting rotation, but there are other pieces needed if the Giants are to return to the postseason. Those pieces? Bats.

The Giants are 10th in the National League in runs scored but still have won eight of their last 10. Now is the time for the Giants to get the big piece at the plate that will help them get over their offensive inconsistencies and put pressure on the front-running Padres.

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The Milwaukee Brewers had high expectations going into the 2010 season, but their starting pitching let them down again.

At 43-52 heading into last night’s action against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Brewers look to be sellers instead of buyers at the trade deadline.

One of the more attractive trade chips the Brewers have to get an influx of pitching into their organization is right fielder Corey Hart. Let’s take a look at the pros, cons, and the teams that might be interested in the two-time All-Star out of Kentucky.

It sounds so easy. Just lower your hands and good things will happen. That is what Hart did in the offseason and now he is having a career year.

After having a miserable 2009, Hart adjusted his batting stance in the offseason by lowering his hands, and the rest is history. Hart went into last night’s action second in the NL in HRs (22), fourth in slugging (.562), second in RBI (70), and 10th in OPS (.910).

He is currently on pace for a .290/.343/.562 with 39 HRs season. Those are big boy numbers.

Hart is doing a lot of damage against lefties this year. He is hitting .352 with an OPS of 1.115 against lefties. He could be attractive to a team like the Tampa Bay Rays, who might face John Danks, Mark Buehrle, C.C. Sabathia, or Andy Pettitte in the playoffs.

Hart also has a pretty affordable contract moving forward. He will make $4.8 million this year and won’t be a free agent until after the 2011 season, so the team trading for him will get him for a year and a half.

Cons

Perhaps the biggest con against Hart is his asking price. Apparently, Brewers’ GM Doug Melvin is asking for the moon.

Would I trade Madison Bumgarner for Hart? Not a chance.

If that is the asking price for Hart, then he might be staying in Milwaukee for a while.

Another negative against Hart is that he has never been the greatest of fielders. Over the last three years, he ranks towards the bottom of right fielders in terms of UZR, which could be a factor if he goes to a bigger ballpark.

A team also has to wonder about Hart’s home and road splits. Hart’s OPS is over 100 points higher at home than on the road. What happens when he leaves the friendly confines of Miller Park?

Interested Teams?

Now that we have looked at the pros and cons, let’s look at the teams that could be interested in acquiring the 28-year-old.

San Francisco Giants: This is the logical destination for Hart. The Giants need a bopper in the middle of their lineup. The issue though is that the Brewers are asking for Bumgarner and I don’t think that is going to happen.

San Diego Padres: Like their division rival, the Padres need more offense. Hart would be nice protection for Adrian Gonzalez.

Atlanta Braves: The Braves are looking for outfield help and Hart could move over to left. How deadly would a Jason Heyward-Troy Glaus-Brian McCann-Corey Hart middle-of-the order be?

Tampa Bay Rays: Hart could be what Pat Burrell should have been for the Rays—a power-hitting right-handed batter in the middle of the lineup. Hart could DH too.

Chicago White Sox: The White Sox are hell-bent on getting a left-handed power hitter like Hart’s teammate, Prince Fielder, or Adam Dunn. But if Ken Williams fails to get those lefties, Hart might be a fall-back option.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With only 10 days remaining to the 2010 MLB trade deadline, teams pursuing big bats are starting to scramble.

The Chicago White Sox are reportedly pressuring the Milwaukee Brewers to accelerate a deal for slugging first baseman Prince Fielder.

The San Francisco Giants, hotly pursuing the surprising San Diego Padres, are also seeking an impact bat, and they’re casting a wide net stretching from Wisconsin to Texas to Kansas to Florida.

All across the majors teams and their fans are starting to feel the tension.

Can our team acquire the bat we need without selling the farm? Can we win the division or the wild card without it? What if our rivals get the one we’re after?

As we count down to another trade deadline, clicking refresh repeatedly and watching that scroll bar relentlessly, let’s take a look at the Top 10 Power Hitters That Could Be Traded.

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The Milwaukee Brewers find themselves at a pivotal crossroads as a franchise.

Unlike most mid-market franchises, the Brewers woes aren’t the surefire sign of a fire sale and lengthy rebuilding process. Although there are structural issues with this team that point to bolstering their talent pool by trading some major league talent to this year’s contenders. 

However, some selling could mean being a strong contender next season.

The hot rumor, of course, has Prince Fielder available and several teams in hot pursuit of his services. The power hitting Fielder is viewed by many as a middle of the order cornerstone. A view shared by super agent, and mid-market nemesis, Scott Boras.

With his outlandish demands and thirst for the biggest deal, Boras is almost certain to steer Fielder to a bigger market and more lucrative contract than the Brewers could offer.

It appears Fielder’s greater value to the Brewers is the bounty of major league ready prospects he would net for Milwaukee. One potential scenario could have him going to the Chicago White Sox for some combination of second baseman Gordon Beckham, starting pitcher Daniel Hudson, third baseman Dayan Viciendo, and other prospects. It is no secret that White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams always gets his man even if it means overpaying so there is a good chance the Brewers could get the best value from Williams.

Is that the only move?

No.

While this means they would acquire great talent with huge upside, but it would create a log jam in the infield. This means the Brewers could sell high on Rickie Weeks, Casey McGehee, and possibly Mat Gamel. These players could help bulk up on lower level minor league talent, back-of-the-rotation starters, or relievers.

Speaking of selling high, there is the matter of Corey Hart. The outfielder is having the classic trap year for those who think he is going to hit at this pace for the rest of the prime years in his career. His numbers year to year suggest he is far from a sure bet and it behooves the Brewers to sell him to the highest bidder immediately. With the Giants, Rays, and Padres rumored to be interested, there is no doubt Hart could increase depth for the Brewers on the major league level. 

How about Hart for Matt Garza or Ben Zobrist or B.J. Upton? That sounds like something that could happen.

Other veterans like Craig Counsell, Randy Wolf, LaTroy Hawkins, or Jim Edmonds could also bring back players that could provide organizational depth in key areas of need.

Using the current payroll $90 million and project their current obligations, with potential deals being taken on by trades, at about $30 million to spend. That is enough space to add significant talent to reload for a serious run.

It could mean making a free agent splash and signing Adam Dunn. Dunn makes sense for the Brewers and his price tag will be significantly less than Boras’ bonkers asking price for Prince Fielder.

The rest could be used to grab workhorse Javier Vazquez for significantly less than many teams are expected to offer Cliff Lee. They could also invest in some bullpen help like Jon Rauch or Matt Guerrier.

The Brewers moves at the deadline could feel like a rebuilding project, but with proper foresight this could retool this team for a more serious run over the next five years.

So let the rumors run wild, but please don’t stand pat. Milwaukee is ready to see a true contender.

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Last night, news broke that the Philadelphia Phillies were working on a major deal for a front-line starter.

While there were names thrown around, eventually it was learned that they were working extensively with Houston for right-hander Roy Oswalt. While a deal wasn’t imminent, the two sides have continued talks into Wednesday afternoon.

While that seems to have cooled from last night, another rumor has made its way to the top of the list, and it’s the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers trying to negotiate a deal that would send Prince Fielder to Chicago.

If that is the player the White Sox are after, it would effectively end any chase they had for Nationals’ first baseman Adam Dunn.

Prince Fielder’s potential landing spot isn’t the only hot rumor out there. There are several names being thrown around.

So, without further ado, let’s get to what else is on the MLB rumor sheets.

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