Milwaukee Brewers Chasing a Championship?

Times were so tough for the Milwaukee Brewers in the recent past that some folks weren't sure of what division or even in which league the Brewers were attempting to compete. What they were sure of was that the Brewers were always destined to finish far out of the excitement and often at the very back of the pack. But 2007 is a different year and hope springs eternal in the hearts of many baseball fans. What's "brewing" in Milwaukee may in fact be that break out season that brings the Brewers and their fans back to the land of the living and into, dare we say it, post season play. To dream further is fun, but let's get there first.

Alive at the Plate. When you have someone hitting for power like Prince Fielder you have reason to hope for a happy conclusion to the 2007 season. Fielder is on track to hit fifty home runs this season and that has to lift everyone's spirits in Milwaukee. Of course the extra benefit that Fielder brings to the plate is that he also hits for decent average. It's certain that more than one Milwaukee fan has referred to him as Prince "Hitter" instead of Prince Fielder for that he has accomplished this year . There are other bats for opposing teams to contend with when they meet up with Milwaukee too like Hardy, the shortstop or Johnny Estrada the catcher.

This is not the most overpowering team in the Majors but you can find the basics equipment for a pennant run here including some folks that have seen lots of action like Graffanino, Counsell and Coskie. When it comes down to the final few weeks having some of these experienced bats around can't do anything but help the "Brew Crew" in their march to the post season.

Enough Pitching to Make It. The collection of pitchers put together by the Milwaukee front office is at least eclectic but also its often electric. Just as it doesn't hurt to have a major power hitter on a team aiming for a post season birth, it also doesn't do you any harm to have a pitcher on pace to win 20 games for the season. Ben Sheets is to the pitching staff what Prince Fielder is to everyone else, a great example and a lot of inspiration. Some have complained that Ben Sheets in 2007 is no the Ben Sheets of several years ago. Apparently the batters of the opposing teams have not received this message as he continues to mow them down.

The rest of the pitching rotation has been bounced around a bit due to injuries but the bodies are there in the long run to get the job done. And as with the batting contingent having someone on the staff like Jeff Suppan who has seen post season play can be a real plus towards season's end. In many tight games winning of losing the game is often put in the hands of the closer. For the Brewers being able to turn to a closer like Cordero who has very few blown saves to date, is a comforting position to be in. If the Brewers don't make the playoffs it seems unlikely that the blame will fall on the pitching staff.

Who Is Coming After Them. Looking at the standings near the half way point of the season Milwaukee truly stands out, not only as the leader of the Central Division of the National League but also as the team that has their own destiny in their hands. As the largest division in the Majors, the National League Central Division statistically provides Milwaukee with five other teams that must be bested. in fact the bottom three teams Houston, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have just about said "good night " for the season by dropping down to a dozen or more games out of first place. Still in contention are the Cubs and the Cardinals but neither team has show the spark, the determination or the wins to put Milwaukee to the test.

It would be a great day in baseball to see a team like Milwaukee with a comparatively small market and a small budget somehow make its way to the playoffs. What happens at that level is often a matter of momentum, and right now Milwaukee is on the momentum train bound for post season play.