FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Dyhard:Homecoming Week said 06/06, 04:18 PM
*Assuming the D'backs, Cubs, and Phillies win their divisions*

I'm going to pick the Milwaukee Brewers.

I'll start with hitting.

Ryan Braun is a great young hitter who hits for a good average, gets on base enough, and has a lot power. They also have some other young guns in Prince Fielder, lots of power, Rickie Weeks who when gets on base, scores lots of runs. The Brewers have great outfielders in Gabe Kapler, who is really showing that the Brewers made the right move in signing him. Corey Hart is also showing strong strides that he is a good outfielder, and Mike Cameron is streaky, but when he is hot, he is hot, and he will get a lot of hits. Jason Kendall is doing well and that was a great pickup there. platooning Hall and Branyan is a good deal. JJ Hardy is doing bad..but he should get better as the season goes on.

Pitching....

The Brewers have good pitching in Ben Sheets, who is doing extremely well, Manny Parra, young and doing well, Jeff Suppan who is doing well, Seth McClung, and Dave Bush who is good at home.

The bullpen is actually not bad...Shouse, Mota, Torres, Villanueva, Tavarez, and Zach Jackson isn't to bad either.

Brewers=NL Wildcard winner

Dyhard:Homecoming Week said 06/06, 11:38 PM
Cardinals are a good choice, but the Brewers are better.

Isringhausen gives up a lot of runs and has a lot of blown saves. Piniero isn't that good of a pitcher and he isn't going to shock anyone. Mulder isn't going to help much (0-3, 12.27 ERA)

They aren't going to help much when they return (except Carpenter).

Todd Wellenmeyer isn't going to do well for the entire season, Wainwright will get worse as time goes on, Lohse has been good, but will get worse, and Looper is going to start giving up more and more runs.

Franklin isn't going to be the closer was Izzy returns, and when that happens, the Cards are going to lose games. Izzy is not doing his job well at all. He has given up too many blown saves.

Gagne is a good closer, and isn't as bad as Izzy. He isn't that good, but isn't terrible.

The Brewers are betting hitting wise than the Cardinals.

Pujols is just as good as Braun or Fielder, and the Brewers just have the talent needed to win the Wild Card.

Rick Ankiel isn't going to do as well as last year, and Chris Duncan isn't doing well.

The Brewers have JJ Hardy, who isn't a good hitter, but that one player isn't a concern for the Brewers.

Dyhard:Homecoming Week said 06/07, 12:12 PM
I'm not saying my pitchers won't fall either, but I don't see my pitchers falling as much as yours.

La Russa will most likely put Izzy back into the closer's role when he returns from the injury, moving Franklin back to the bullpen.

I doubt that Mulder is going to have an ERA of 4. I see an ERA of around 5 for him. It isn't going to be easy getting that 12.27 ERA down that low of a 4. I feel I'm being generous giving him a 5 ERA, but 6 might be the most likely, but I'm seeing an ERA of around 5.

Wainwright might not get worse, but I'm seeing Wellenmeyer and Lohse getting worse. Looper might be good now, but can he last the entire season? The season is LONG, and I don't see him continuing that pace that he is on.

Izzy isn't much better and I can prove it. ERA of 8, 6 blown saves. He isn't much better, but he is actually worse.

Braun is an excellent hitter, and didn't start off too hot, but will do well for the remainder of the season. Prince Fielder is going to have more HR at the end of the year after starting off slow. Ludwick and Pujols started off fast, but Ludwick will start to cool down.

The Milwaukee BRewers will win the National League Wild Card.