Gammons may have been right about Brewers

[dabvu2498]

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46477&highlight=brewers

Remember this thread in ORG?

It hit me last night that Mr. Gammons may have been onto something. He generally got panned for his comments, but let's comapre and contrast the Brewers and Reds position by position:

C: Three headed monster vs. Damian Miller and Mike Rivera -- Advantage: Reds

1B: Hatteberg/Aurilia (when EE returns, hopefully) vs. Prince -- Prince holds advantages in SLG, HR, RBI production. I'll take Prince.

2B: Phillips vs. Weeks -- tough one. Similar players but Weeks is a clear defensive liability. Offensive numbers (thus far) are comparable, but I fear a fall off from Phillips more than I would anticipate one from Weeks. -- Reds slight advantage.

SS: Lopez vs. Bill Hall -- Let's not forget JJ Hardy is due to return soon after the ASB as well. Another tough one. I'd almost pick Hall based on what he's done vs. the Reds. In fact, I will... -- Brewers slight advantage

3B: EE/RA vs. Corey Koskie -- Don't know exactly how EE will react when he returns to the lineup and you know what you're going to get with Koskie... .270/.370/.460 Don't forget, if Koskie slips, you could see Hall here and Hardy at SS -- Brewers slight advantage

LF: Dunn vs. Carlos Lee -- Reds slight advantage based on OBP, Brewers slight adavntage based on RBIs, SLG

CF: Griffey vs. Brady Clark/Gabe Gross -- Clark has struggled and Gabe Gross is not going to set anything on fire, but they don't have to when surrounded by the rest of the squad. Griffey hitting in the 3 hole has been a top-of-the-order liability (.303 OBP) ...still... -- Advantage Reds

RF: kEARnS vs. Jenkins -- Similar players here again -- Slight advantage Reds based on this year's numbers and not career numbers.

SP: Arroyo, Harang, EZ, Milton, Mays, (Claussen) vs. Davis, Capuano, Bush, Villanueva, Eveland, Jackson (Sheets, Ohka, DeLaRosa) -- I'd put up Arroyo and Harang vs. any 2 pitchers' first halves in all of MLB. I'd also put up what Sheet, Davis, Bush and Capuano might do in the 2nd half vs. any top 4 guys in MLB. Was anyone else impressed with Villanueva like I was last night? -- Clear advantage Brewers

Bullpen: Ugh vs. Ugh -- Give the Brewers the advantage because of Turnbow, Shouse and Cappellan

[buck588]

Brewers aren't a bad team. As both an Atlanta and Cincy fan I can tell you they crushed the Braves earlier this year, but that has been the only time i've been able to catch them on television.

[OldXOhio]

Gammons simply didn't give up on them after their mediocre start like some others. Perhpas he's better than his peers in understanding the duration of a baseball season, but going into 2006, the Brewers were a lot of people's NL sleeper.

[Wizzler]

The Brewers are a good team. They are young and inconsistant. They could have folded when they had an 8 game losing streak in may/june, but they fought back, they could have folded when they just got crushed by the twins, but they came back and swept the Reds. Now they have the cubs and they are 5-2 on the season against them, they should be 6-1. They could be 1 game out of the NL Central lead at the break, or even leading it if things go perfect for them. They pitching has begun to come around. Doug Davis has been pitching really really well for the last 6 of 7 starts and back in the mid 4 for an ERA. he was near 6. capuano lights out, enough said. bush was terrible away from miller park at the beginning of the year now he is a solid 4-5 starter(#3 for now). then they get Sheets back who has some of the best stuff in the game and ohka who had a 3.10 era before getting hurt. AND if they do go out and get maddux the rotation of cappy sheet davis maddux ohka can do some damage. put Zach Jackson, and Dave Bush into the pen and add the Jorge De La Rosa when he gets back from the DL(cracked fingernail, blisters) and suddenly the brewers pitching becomes formidable as a whole. Jose Cappelan has shown he is a big league pitcher. kolb wise and turnbow all have had their problems this year so can't get too excited about them. However kolb had a 2.53 era before his recent 2 week crap fest, so if he comes back to form the bullpen is looking better. Geremi Gonzalez and Brian Shouse have been just short of amazing since coming to milwaukee for basically nothing. Honestly, It really looks like the brewers are in a position to make a run at the NL Central, they are one of the true wild card contenders. But like i said they are young and inconsistant so don't be surprised if they fall off the face of the earth.