Playing a game of ‘what if ’
Brewers’ fortunes bright if certain things go right
It’s not true that the Milwaukee Brewers will be so awful this year that the Bob Uecker talking alarm clock given to fans at Miller Park on July 10 will be programmed with the wake-up call, “Lit up! Lit up! We’re outta here! Gone!”
Conventional wisdom, though, has the rebuilding Brewers looking up at the rest of the National League Central Division by then. Most publications pick the team to win between 70 and 75 games.
The good news is that the farm system is teeming with talent, thanks to general manager David Stearns, who blew up the roster by swapping veterans — some of whom were well on their way to middling careers — for oodles of kids with upside. Help is on the way, but it won’t get here for a couple of years.
In the meantime, the Brewers will patch together a hodgepodge lineup and hope to win enough games to keep their fans engaged. It doesn’t help that they play in the toughest division in baseball.
“Patience at some point might wear thin,” Stearns admitted in a recent interview. “I don’t know when that might occur, but what I do know is that the fans are knowledgeable enough and devout enough in their support of this organization to understand what we’re doing and to understand that it’s the right process.”
Translation: Things could get really ugly for a time in the valley.
But let’s play angel’s advocate. What if everything goes right for the Brewers this year? What if the team stays relatively injury-free, inexperienced young players contribute and veterans have solid-to-exceptional seasons? Is it inconceivable that they could surprise and win, say, 80 games?
As long as we’re dreaming, we might as well dream big.
Granted, it would take a combination of luck, the stars aligning and the semi-stars producing. But as long as we’re dreaming, we might as well dream big.
Putting on our rosiest colored lenses, here are some what-ifs that could make the Brewers a better-than-expected team in 2016:
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Braun’s back: Ryan Braun bounced back from a chronic thumb issue to put together a solid season (.285 average, 25 homers, 84 RBI) before he was shut down with a herniated disk, which required surgery. He’s 32 and still in the prime of his career. If healthy, there’s no reason he can’t put up good numbers in 2016.
Upgrade in left: The trade of Khris Davis opened the door for 23year-old Domingo Santana to play left field. Santana is an upgrade defensively and flashed impressive power to all fields. With more experience and plate discipline, it’s not beyond reason that he could be a 25-85-.280 player soon.
The Arcia factor: Top prospect Orlando Arcia, 21, probably will start the season at Class AAA Colorado Springs, but he’ll be called up at some point. Touted as a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop and ever improving at the plate, Arcia’s arrival could give the Brewers a much-needed boost and fans a reason to come to the ballpark.
Starting pitching: It couldn’t possibly be worse than it was in 2015. If Matt Garza puts his head back on straight, Wily Peralta moves closer to fulfilling his potential and Jimmy Nelson, Taylor Jungmann and Zach Davies hold their own, the staff would be vastly improved. Those are a lot of ifs, to be sure, but we’re in dream mode.
Status quo in the pen:
Relief pitching was a strength last year. Someone will have to step up to replace Francisco Rodriguez — Jeremy Jeffress? Will Smith? Damien Magnifico? — but otherwise the bullpen should be solid again.
Hot corners: Freeswinging first baseman Chris Carter strikes out a lot but averaged 30 homers and 78 RBI over the last three years. Veteran Aaron Hill is a career .268 hitter with nearly 500 extra-base hits. They’re not the long-term answers at first base and third base, respectively, but if they produce to their career norms they won’t be liabilities at the corners, either.
A first at second: It looks like Scooter Gennett once again will platoon at second base, perhaps with Jonathan Villar and/or Hill. Is it a stretch to expect Gennett to improve upon his plate discipline (12 walks in ’15) and stop swinging at bad pitches? He doesn’t turn 26 until May 1. Maybe this is the year he figures it out.
The odds of all those things happening at once aren’t good, of course, but it doesn’t have to be a write-off year. The Brewers have played 11⁄2 seasons of bad baseball. Maybe we’re due for a pleasant surprise.