Brewers Again Predicted By Many To Be Average, But Will They Be That Bad

 Over the last few years, everyone has a prediction for the Milwaukee Brewers, and most are doom and gloom. Now, this off-season is no exception, as the Brewers traded away their ace pitcher, Freddy Peralta, for some high-rated prospects. This is the third year in a row the Brewers have moved some of their top players, and they continue to make the playoffs. Is this the season the Brewers will struggle with all the new pieces in place?

Milwaukee doesn't really care about the outside noise; they focus every year on making the World Series. Now the band-aid approach they take maynot be what people approve of, but year after year they continue to make the playoffs and play exciting baseball. Making the World Series is their goal, but the reality is that they have never had enough talent to make it to that spot. 

With the uber-talented Dodgers in the way, it looks like that won't be possible again. It doesn't mean the approach ownership is taking is horrible, just won't get it done in my opinion. The only way I see this working is if everything falls in place for the Brewers for this method to work. With that said I do think they will be competitive again this season.

Milwaukee has some good live pitching arms and some talented young players in the lineup. Love them or hate them, they are going to compete at a high level under manager Pat Murphy.

Are The Brewers Losing To Many Talented Players For The Sake Of Winning Now

When do you say enough is enough when it comes to trading your young talent away.Sometimes you have to wonder If Brewers GM Doug Melvin is trading away too much of the Brewers talent. In 2010 and 2011, the Brewers have lost a lot of talented players all for the sake of winning it in 2011. On December 6, 2010 the Brewers traded Brett Lawrie to Toronto for Shaun Marcum. Lawrie is a top talent and will be in the Majors in the not too distant future. Shaun Marcum has pitched well, so you cannot fault that trade at all.

December 19, 2010 the Brewers traded Jake Odorizzi (minors), Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Jeremy Jeffress to Kansas City for Yuniesky Betancourt, Zack Greinke and cash. Now Greinke has not been great by any means, and Betancourt has struggled all season long for the most part. Losing Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar in my opinion was huge and so far this trade has been about even. The talent the Brewers gave away in this trade was too much in my opinion.

On March 27, 2011 Brewers traded Cutter Dykstra (minors) and cash to the Washington Nationals. Received Nyjer Morgan. This was one of the trades that the Brewers did well on. Morgan has been more than the Brewers could have hoped for. July 12, 2011 Brewers traded two players to be named to the New York Mets and received Francisco Rodriguez and cash. This was another trade that was good all dependent on who the Brewers have to give back to the Mets. This was an interesting trade, but the question will be what happens next year and down the road.

Now today the Brewers acquired Jerry Hairston Jr who is 36 years old from the Washington Nationals. Who did the Brewers give up in return for this journeyman Erik Komatsu, 23, was batting .294 in 93 games with Double-A Huntsville this season. He was taken in the eighth round of the 2008 draft, and was the Brewers' minor league player of the year last season. Now this is just too talent to lose all for the sake of winning right now when there are no guarantees. GM Doug Melvin has gambled everything on this season, and if it does not work he has really hurt the Brewers for years to come. There is always a price to pay when you trade away talent. I hope the Brewers do not pay a price later down the road.