Coming into this Major League Baseball season the National League Central was expected to be paced by the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cincinnati Reds. These three teams made the playoffs last season and entering 2014 they were once again expected to lead the charge in the NL Central. But in the early stages of the season somebody has forgotten to tell that to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers currently find themselves in first place in the National League Central with a record of 18-7 which also happens to be the best in baseball. In his first season as the Brewers manager in 2011, Ron Roenicke led Milwaukee to a franchise best 96 victories and their only appearance in the National League Championship Series. But shortly thereafter it became a bumpy ride for Roenicke and the Brewers. The Brewers would lose power-hitting first baseman Prince Fielder to free agency which left a huge void in their lineup. After the 2011 season ended Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun became entwined in controversy as his name was linked to performance-enhancing drugs. Braun was able to dodge the bullet in 2012, but once his name was linked to the Biogenesis scandal in 2013, MLB commissioner Bud Selig had seen enough and on July 22, 2013 he suspended Braun for the remainder of the season. As a result of Braun’s suspension, the Brewers would suffer their first losing season under Roenicke, but this year he is pushing all of the right buttons in Milwaukee.
This season Milwaukee is second in the NL in slugging percentage (.422), second in batting average (.262), and fourth in total bases (351). After making his first MLB All-Star Game appearance last season, Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez is not resting on his laurels. Gomez already has 14 extra-base hits on the season including five home runs as he is looking to eclipse his career-high of 24 homers which he just set last season. This past winter the Brewers signed infielder Mark Reynolds to a minor-league deal. After only hitting 14 home runs last season while splitting time with the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees, Reynolds is looking to regain the form that saw him hit 121 homers in four seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Early on the Brewers have seen the Reynolds that is more reminiscent of his time with the Diamondbacks as he has launched five homers while giving more potency to Roenicke’s lineup.
The Brewers pitching staff has a team earned run average of 2.52 which is second in the National League as they have found some diamonds in the rough. Last year when Brewers general manager Doug Melvin signed starting pitcher Kyle Lohse to a three-year, $33 million deal most people (myself included) thought that he overpaid for a starting pitcher. Lohse went 11-10 last season, but he had a 3.32 earned run average. This season Lohse is 4-1 with a 2.38 earned run average. Like Lohse, Brewer starting pitchers Wily Peralta, Yovani Gallardo, and Marco Estrada all currently have winning records while each player also has an earned run average under 3.00.
After acquiring relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez in 2011, the Brewers primarily used him as a setup man before they traded him to the Baltimore Orioles last season. Rodriguez’s contract was up and he returned to the Brewers this season on a one-year deal. But the Brewers didn’t envision Rodriguez having the type of season that he is currently producing. Rodriguez’s 11 saves are tops in in Major League Baseball while he has struck out 21 batters in just 14 innings of work. Rodriguez is resembling the man that was once dubbed as “K-Rod” that also set the single-season mark for saves in MLB history during the 2008 season as a member of the Los Angeles Angels with 62.
This is an important week coming up for the Brewers as they have consecutive road series’ against the Cardinals and Reds. The Brewers have set the pace in the National League Central as they currently have a 4.5 game lead on the Cards while they are up on the Reds by 7 games. You can expect both teams to make a run at some point, but this week is still a phenomenal opportunity for the Brewers to put their stamp on this division early in the season. The Brewers are another shining example that championships are indeed not won on paper, but on the playing field.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
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