5 Things to Hope For in a Brewers New Year, Part 1

With the new year upon us I've come up with a list of five things, in no particular order, to hope for from the Brewers in 2013. I will serially publish each post over the next week or so.

1. Continuation of last year's offense

Brewers Lineup Shakeup Paying Dividends

After losing their first two games in Colorado following the All Star break Ron Roenicke shuffled his lineup, moving Corey Hart into the leadoff spot and Rickie Weeks to bat fifth. Since then the Brewers, who have mostly struggled on the road this year, are 4-1. Weeks' and Hart's numbers haven't shown marked improvement over these past few games, and it certainly helps that Ryan Braun has returned to the starting lineup, but it's definitely possible that the lineup shakeup has played a role in the Crew's recent success. Sometimes a tweak like that is just what a team needs to get things going after a rough stretch. I still think Nyjer Morgan makes a better leadoff hitter than Hart, as Morgan is more of a pure on-base player, with speed and little power.

Brewers Narrowly Miss Series Win in Cincinnati

Last night as Joey Votto came to the plate against Kameron Loe I thought to myself that the next two matchups (Loe vs Votto, Jay Bruce) would likely decide the game. If Loe can keep the ball away from those two bats the Brewers would probably win the game and the series. Unfortunately for the Brewers, Votto's success against Loe continued (4-7, 3 HR) as he blasted a game-winning two-run home run. All that stood between the Brewers and a hard-fought series win at Great American Ballpark were the bats of two of the hottest hitters in baseball in Votto and Bruce (Bruce hit a two-run homer in the seventh).

Hart Makes History and the Crew Keeps on Rollin'

Corey Hart found his power stroke in dramatic fashion Monday night against the Nationals, hitting three home runs and adding another in his first at bat last night. His three home run night tied a franchise record, as did the seven RBI that came with it. The Brewers are firing on all cylinders right now and have won 12 of their last 15 games. They even managed to overcome a poor start by Chris Narveson (3.1 IP, 6 ER) by scoring two runs each in the seventh and eighth innings yesterday, the winning run coming from a two-run two-out single by Jonathan Lucroy.

What a Difference a Week Can Make

I've been busy the last few days and haven't had time to post. I'm glad to be back at it today, but with everything that's gone on over the past week that also means that this will be a long one. Bear with me, though; there's a lot of good stuff in here that will make you feel great about the Brewers.

Last Tuesday Brewer fans found themselves lamenting an 0-4 start with their team facing the tough Atlanta Braves for three more games. Yovani Gallardo took the ball that day, put the team on his shoulders, and delivered a two-hit complete game shutout in which he also scored the Brewers' only run. That game started a stretch by the Brewers that left them 5-2 on the home stand and 5-5 overall, moving them back to .500 quicker than even the most optimistic Brewer fans likely hoped.

Brewers Trade Chris Dickerson For Yankees RHP Sergio Mitre

In a surprise move, the Brewers traded backup outfielder Chris Dickerson to the Yankees for long reliever Sergio Mitre. Mitre essentially fills the spot currently vacated by the injured Manny Parra. He has starting experience, so can fill-in as Milwaukee's fifth starter if needed in April. The move suggests that both Brandon Boggs and Jeremy Reed will now make the club, since Corey Hart will start the season on the DL, and that Manny Parra's injury may be more serious than we've been told. By no means is Mitre certain to start for the Brewers on April 6. Marco Estrada still stands as a favorite for that honor, assuming he's not pounded in his next spring outing. The Brewers sent Rule 5 pick Pat Egan back to the Orioles earlier this week, making room on the 40-man roster for Estrada, if necessary.

Brewers Baseball Is Here!

The Brewers began Cactus League play on Monday, splitting their split squad games against the Cubs (W, 5-3) and Giants (L, 10-9). Shaun Marcum looked sharp starting vs the Giants, retiring the first four in a row while throwing only fastballs and changeups for the day. He threw 16 of his 17 pitches for strikes and said he "accomplished what [he] wanted to get accomplished."

Still More Pics From Spring Training

Here's another set courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Previewing the 2011 Season: Corey Hart

Corey Hart's 2010 season was interesting, to say the least. He began the year by performing so poorly during Spring Training that the Brewers opted to start Jim Edmonds in right field on opening day (causing Hart to lose his spot on the Allstar ballot to Edmonds), and he did not play his second game until the fifth game of the season. Faced with circumstances he had not yet encountered in his career, Hart put his head down and worked hard to earn back his role as the team's everyday right fielder. He watched video of his swing, met frequently with hitting coach Dale Sveum, and spent a lot of time in the batting cages. Hart improved his swing, and his performance gradually convinced Ken Macha that he again deserved more time in the starting lineup.