Milwaukee Brewers: Spring Training Information

By Jim Breen
Location: Maryville Baseball Park – Phoenix, AZ
Pitchers and Catchers Report: February 16th
First Game: February 28th
Schedule

Projected Opening Day Lineup

1. Rickie Weeks (2B)
2. J.J. Hardy (SS)
3. Prince Fielder (1B)
4. Ryan Braun (LF)
5. Corey Hart (RF)
6. Bill Hall (3B)
7. Tony Gwynn Jr./Gabe Gross (CF) – Mike Cameron after 25-game suspension
8. Jason Kendall (C)
9. Pitcher

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Ben Sheets RHP
2. Yovani Gallardo RHP
3. Jeff Suppan RHP
4. Carlos Villanueva RHP
5. Dave Bush RHP

Projected Bullpen:

Long: Claudio Vargas RHP
Situational: Salomon Torres RHP, Brian Shouse LHP, Mitch Stetter LHP, Guillermo Mota RHP
7th Inning: Derrick Turnbow RHP
8th Inning: David Riske RHP
Closer: Eric Gagne RHP
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Key Battles Spring Training will be mostly quiet for Milwaukee this year, as most of the starting positions have been set for the position players and most of the bench. There are a couple battles that need to be decided, however.

Starting Rotation: Doug Melvin and the Brewers have the luxury of possessing eight MLB-caliber starting pitchers at their disposal. The only set spots in the rotation are the top three (Sheets, Gallardo, and Suppan), so that leaves two spots to be won during Spring Training. Both Ned Yost and Doug Melvin have hinted that Carlos Villanueva and Dave Bush have a leg-up on the opposition for the final two spots in the rotation, however. The closer Spring Training gets, the more set the starting rotation seems to be. Chris Capuano, Claudio Vargas, and Manny Parra seem to be on the outside looking in, but any of the three could make the back end of the rotation if they pitch lights-out in March.

The trade market will most likely be the key to deciding the final two spots. Doug Melvin has openly said that he is open to trading his excess of starters for the right price, presumably one or two quality pitching prospects. Chris Capuano is probably the pitcher to be traded this off-season, as he seems to be the player with the most value on the open market. This is why it is projected that Claudio Vargas will man the long-relief role on Opening Day. If Capuano is still a Brewer in April, however, he is clearly the favorite to win the long-relief role over Vargas.

In all probability, Manny Parra will start the year in Triple-A Nashville, so he can continue to pitch regularly and get more experience on the mound. He has the highest ceiling out of the starting pitchers competing for the last two slots in the rotation, but the Brewers want to be careful with Manny and not push his arm too much. The Brewers will try to limit his innings this year, but if someone gets injured in the starting rotation, Manny showed he is more than capable to fill the role (as shown by his 3.76 ERA in limited action with the big league squad last year).

Backup Catcher: The starting position players for Milwaukee are almost set in stone, so Spring Training will largely be a tune-up for the starting eight in the field. Not all position spots are set, however, as the most intriguing battle may be for the backup catching position. Lefty Eric Munson and righties Vinny Rottino, and Mike Rivera will be competing throughout March for the spot.

The Brewers are incredibly overloaded with right-handed hitters in the starting lineup, so the bench looks to consist of mostly left-handed hitters (Gwynn, Gross, and Counsell). Doug Melvin and company will probably keep this trend alive and give the major league job to Eric Munson. Not only is he a lefty, but also he has a bit of pop in his bat that Kendall lacks.

What to Expect: Expect the Brewers to enter the regular season without one or two of their excess starting pitchers. As more and more free agents are being signed, the demand for Chris Capuano and Claudio Vargas will rise dramatically. Doug Melvin is known for his patience when completing deals, so do not be surprised if Melvin waits until very near Opening Day before making his moves. Injuries and sub-par performances will make GMs more likely to be generous in their trade packages as April quickly approaches. The Brewers will be looking to score one or two quality prospects via trading Chris Capuano or Claudio Vargas before Opening Day.

Jim Breen covers all the important news and rumors concerning the Milwaukee Brewers at his site, BrewersNation.

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