The Milwaukee Brewers proved that they want to win now. By trading for CC Sabathia, they ensured that they have one of the best lefties in the league to go along with their ace, Ben Sheets.
Their one-two punch could arguably be one of the best in the league, and with youngster Manny Parra doing a great job as the No. 3 starter, the Brewers appear poised to make a run at the playoffs, whether it’s via the wild card, or winning the division.
They currently trail the Chicago Cubs by four games, heading into their final series before the All-Star break, and lead the St. Louis Cardinals by one-half game in the Wild-Card race.
They appear to be in a great position to chase down the Cubs, and to fight off the Cardinals. Sabathia, Sheets, and Parra give them three solid options at the top of the rotation, with two other pitchers fighting for the last spot in the rotation. Jeff Suppan was recently placed on the DL, making way for Dave Bush and Seth McClung to battle for the final spot.
Suppan is a big-game pitcher, and if he can return to top form when he returns from the DL, the Brewers could have the best starting rotation in all of baseball.
Bush has been terrible on the road, but his numbers at home are outstanding. The opposite can be said about McClung, who struggles at home but pitches well on the road. Since June 1, Bush has pitched in eight games, limiting the opposition to one run four times, and zero runs once.
His ERA has dropped from 6.04 to 4.39, and it’s been mainly because he has limited the big innings, and in those eight starts, he has only given up three home runs. In that span, he has a 2.71 ERA and a 39-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Their offense is in the middle of the league, but largely due to the underproductive bats of Bill Hall, Rickie Weeks, Mike Cameron, and to a lesser extent, Prince Fielder.
Their team ERA is 13th in the majors, not terrible, but probably not as good as it needs to be at 4.07. They have the seventh most errors in the National League, but have turned the third most double plays. They’ve also thrown out the second-most base stealers in the majors, second to only the Yankees.
Bill Hall has been a weak spot on defense, with 16 of the team's 60 errors. With three All Stars in the form of Ben Sheets, Ryan Braun, and Corey Hart, the Brewers have shown that they do have some of the best players in the game.
Hart has been their most consistent hitter all year, followed closely by Braun. J.J. Hardy has been on a tear lately, and now leads the Brewer's regulars in batting average. Hardy, Braun, and Hart have carried the offense, and while Prince Fielder has put up solid numbers, he is way off the pace that he was on last season.
If he could get hot, the Brewers offense would be a whole lot better. They have solid options off the bench at almost every position, and speed throughout the lineup. They do lack plate discipline, but their home runs can often offset their high strikeout totals.
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