MILWAUKEE — With their painful and historic collapse in the rear-view mirror, the Milwaukee Brewers break camp in 2015 looking to make another run in what is shaping up to again be baseball’s toughest division.
Not much has changed in terms of personnel for the Brewers. They did add Adam Lind to fill what had been a gaping hole at first base and then shipped right-hander Yovani Gallardo to Texas for prospects. But other than that, the starting lineup, starting rotation and back end of the bullpen are largely the same.
The consistency is by design. After a nearly two-week evaluation following a 9-22 September that left the Brewers out of the playoffs despite leading the National League Central for 150 days, the team’s decision-makers thought a full-blown makeover wasn’t necessary.
Instead, the Brewers are counting on bounce-back seasons from key players like right fielder Ryan Braun and third baseman Aramis Ramirez.
Braun looked good out of the gate last year and showed no signs of rust from his season-ending 65-game suspension in 2013. He was hitting just a shade below .300 at the All-Star break, but a nagging thumb injury sapped him of his power in the second half and his bat all but disappeared in September.
He underwent an experimental procedure days after the season to cryogenically freeze a nerve at the base of his right thumb and came through spring camp with no issues.
Ramirez, back for an 18th and final MLB season, struggled through two leg injuries and was also a non-factor down the stretch.
Getting those two healthy would go a long way to putting the Brewers back in front of a tight division.
“You can’t survive without your 3-4 hitters,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “If you don’t have those guys productive at 3-4, everybody else is trying to add on to what they normally should be doing and it never seems to work out well that way.”
Milwaukee is also hoping that Jean Segura returns to the form that made him an All-Star in 2013.
A slow start followed by a freak injury — he was hit in the face by Ryan Braun’s bat while Braun was taking practice swings atop the dugout steps — and then the death of his infant son just before the All-Star break made 2014 forgettable for Segura. But the 25-year-old came to camp feeling recharged after a successful stint in winter ball and so far, the results have been encouraging.
“The sound of that ball is different,” Roenicke said. “You’re like, ‘Whoa.’ I’m watching as he hits and the load is different. The hands work better. He’s doing a couple of things really nice.”
Should those three players play to their career averages, the Brewers could again be a dangerous offensive bunch. Coupled with a starting rotation that was consistent for much of the season, Milwaukee believes that it has just as much chance to take charge of the Central for a second straight year and, having learned from their disastrous finish, get to the postseason for the first time since 2011.
“We are really balanced,” Gomez said. “We make it tough on the other team. We have five guys that can hit plus-20 (home runs) and can also steal bags, good base running. And any base hit, they can score; Ryan, Segura, Scooter, Khris .. me. With any base hit, we can score a run. That’s how you win games — play good defense and score a lot of runs.”
ROSTER REPORT
ROTATION:
RHP Kyle Lohse
RHP Matt Garza
RHP Wily Peralta
RHP Mike Fiers
RHP Jimmy Nelson
All eyes will be on young prospect Jimmy Nelson, who earned a full-time spot in the rotation, but Milwaukee is also hoping to get big results out of right-hander Mike Fiers this season. A late-season sensation in 2012, Fiers struggled the next season and spent the next 18 months working his way back through the Brewers’ system before he dominated opponents after a midseason call.
If Fiers maintains that form, the Brewers think they will have one of the more formidable rotations in the National League, despite the lack of a bona-fide No. 1 starter.
BULLPEN:
RHP Michael Blazek
RHP Tyler Thornburg
LHP Neal Cotts
LHP Will Smith
RHP Jeremy Jeffress
RHP Jonathan Broxton
RHP Francisco Rodriguez (closer)
Is anyone really shocked that Rodriguez is back for yet another go-round with the Brewers? Armed with a two-year deal signed a day into camp, Rodriguez returns for a fifth season with Milwaukee.
Installed as the closer on opening day last season, the 33-year-old saved 44 games for Milwaukee, and with a lack of late-game experience on the roster, general manager Doug Melvin worked to bring KRod back … again.
His return leaves right-hander Jonathan Broxton in the setup role with lefty Will Smith and right-hander Jeremy Jeffress available as late-inning power arms.
The plan early in camp was to use Tyler Thornburg as a long man, but he excelled in a traditional relief role before injuries ended his season early. But with a strong finish, Michael Blazek landed a spot on the roster and will likely be Milwaukee’s extended-innings pitcher to open the season.
LINEUP:
1. CF Carlos Gomez
2. C Jonathan Lucroy
3. RF Ryan Braun
4. 3B Aramis Ramirez
5. 1B Adam Lind
6. LF Khris Davis
7. 2B Scooter Gennett
8. SS Jean Segura
One of manager Ron Roenicke’s biggest dilemmas this spring was trying to decide where to put CF Carlos Gomez in the order. Far from the traditional leadoff batter, Gomez spent most of last few years in that role, and with his combination of power and speed, is a dangerous weapon atop Milwaukee’s lineup.
Should 2B Scooter Gennett prove he can hit lefties consistently, he could slide into the position at some point, freeing Roenicke to move Gomez down into more of a run-producing role in the heart of the lineup.
RESERVES:
C Martin Maldonado
OF Gerardo Parra (L)
1B/3B Luis Jimenez
2B/SS Hector Gomez
OF Logan Schafer
Logan Schafer was the last addition to Milwaukee’s roster and it came as something of a surprise. In parts of four seasons with the Brewers, he is only a .202 hitter and didn’t even crack the Mendoza line (.181) last season.
Still, manager Ron Roenicke considers Schafer an above-average bunter and he’s a versatile outfielder. Luis Jimenez could see a significant amount of action serving as the backup to 3B Aramis Ramirez. Gerardo Parra, a former Gold Glove winner, will get time at all three outfield spots this season.