Baseball begins

So pitchers and catchers are starting to report for Spring Training. After the offseason baseball has had, what with the Mitchell report and Roger Clemens trying to clear his name; and with Andy Pettitte copping to taking some HGH, getting back to the game will be interesting. Now, I am a fan of the Milwaukee Brewers. I like the Minnesota Twins as well, but the Brewers are #1 for me. And, for a change, they actually have a shot to be #1 in the NL Central. The free-spending Cubs will have a lot to say about that, but for now I want to talk Brewers. They signed Eric Gagne to a one-year deal just before the aforementioned Mitchell report dropped. Honestly, I was not a big fan of that signing, although the fact that it's a one-year deal helps a bit. Gagne's production has been dropping, and it was clear that he is not the pitcher he was with the Dodgers. But, I know the Brewers had to do something after letting Cordero go to the Reds. Still, the Brewers, even through their long stretch of bad baseball, have always had good closers. You think they wouldn't have needed to sign someone like Gagne.

They also signed Mike Cameron. This move makes some sense in that it allows Bill Hall to move to 3rd and for Ryan Braun to move to left. Hopefully hiding Braun in left will make his bad defensive play less of an issue. But, Cameron is suspended for the first 25 games. So, it will be interesting to see what Ned Yost does there. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel seems to think Tony Gwynn Jr. will get a longer look in center.

Jason Kendall is also a Brewer now. I would have been a lot more excited about this a few years ago, when Kendall was one of the most feared catchers in the league. But, being that there are not a lot of good catchers out there (not everyone can have Joe Mauer), this is probably not a bad pickup.

Overall, I am not sure the Brewers are better than they were last year. But, I don't think they are worse. Last year, a lot of people in Wisconsin were disappointed the Brewers didn't win the NL Central. I was too, but I was also happy with their 83-79 record. It was nice to see winning baseball can be played in Milwaukee. But in 2008, unless the Cubs really are on their once-a-century magical ride to a World Series victory, I will be disappointed if the Brewers don't win the division this year, or at the very least get in as a wild card. St. Louis is rebuilding, Pittsburgh is perpetually rebuilding, Cincinnati is a year away I think. I am not sure about Houston just yet, but I don't exactly fear them based on what I do know.

I will probably have more to say about the Brewers soon. Really, I just want to get to Miller Park again this year.

As for the Twins, I have to gather my thoughts a bit on them. All I know at this point is that I have a ticket to the opener against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Orange County, Southern California, California. And, they better hope Francisco Liriano picks up where he left off. If he comes back and pitches well, that softens the blow taken when Johan Santana was traded to the Mets (that steamed my clams a bit...I wanted Santana to stay in the AL).