645
06-15-2005, 07:49 AM
Ever since the Milwaukee Brewers started drafting for talent instead of affordability, or right about the time Sal Bando was ousted as general manager, a preferred lineup of the future has been formulating in the minds of Brewers fans who have watched with great anticipation as the team's high draft choices worked their way through the farm system.
Not that the fans could have avoided it given the way the Brewers have marketed their bright future instead of their dismal present, but with the final piece (first-round pick Ryan Braun of Miami, Fla.) having been put in place during last week's draft, the batting order Brewers fans have been dreaming of looks like this:
Dave Krynzel, CF
J.J. Hardy, SS
Rickie Weeks, 2B
Prince Fielder, 1B
Ryan Braun, 3B
Brad Nelson, RF
Corey Hart, LF
Lou Palmisano, C
That lineup began to take shape earlier this season when Hardy was installed as the starting shortstop, and it has looked much closer to reality the last few days as the Brewers brought up Weeks and Fielder from Class AAA Nashville and threw them right into the fire. Krynzel also has spent time with the big club this season, meaning half of the Brewers' chosen eight already have faced major league pitching.
Hardy and Weeks are up for good and, even though Fielder and Krynzel likely will spend most of the season in Nashville, one thing has become apparent about the Brewers' supposedly glorious future: It's almost here.
The hot-hitting lineup of high draft picks will soon be in Milwaukee and the Brewers' long-standing troubles will be over, right?
Wrong.
There is no doubt that the Brewers have drafted well since Jack Zduriencik took over as scouting director in 1999. However, success-starved fans seem to take for granted that the talented position players on the farm are a panacea for all that ails the Brewers.
Well, they're not. Not right away, anyway. No matter how gifted they are, it is going to take time for the young players to learn the big-league ropes.
The Brewers promoted Weeks because they finally traded Junior Spivey and Fielder because they have back-to-back series in American League parks and need a designated hitter. Don't kid yourself, though. The Brewers also brought up both players because they need their booming bats in an order that isn't producing consistently as still another season goes south.
Even with Weeks and Fielder in the lineup, however, the Brewers ran their losing streak to five games Monday. Weeks hit the ball hard but failed badly in the clutch. Fielder got only one ball out of the infield in his hitless debut. Meanwhile, Hardy has been hitting below .200 all season.
The long-awaited debuts of Milwaukee's top prospects should serve as a reminder that it is going to take time for them to have the impact Brewers fans dream of. Time for the players to adapt to big-league pitching. Time for them to learn the importance of defense. Time for the team to build a comparable pitching staff.
The Brewers are putting some of their young hitting stars on the fast track these days, but that won't necessarily translate into instant success - for the players or the team.
Not that the fans could have avoided it given the way the Brewers have marketed their bright future instead of their dismal present, but with the final piece (first-round pick Ryan Braun of Miami, Fla.) having been put in place during last week's draft, the batting order Brewers fans have been dreaming of looks like this:
Dave Krynzel, CF
J.J. Hardy, SS
Rickie Weeks, 2B
Prince Fielder, 1B
Ryan Braun, 3B
Brad Nelson, RF
Corey Hart, LF
Lou Palmisano, C
That lineup began to take shape earlier this season when Hardy was installed as the starting shortstop, and it has looked much closer to reality the last few days as the Brewers brought up Weeks and Fielder from Class AAA Nashville and threw them right into the fire. Krynzel also has spent time with the big club this season, meaning half of the Brewers' chosen eight already have faced major league pitching.
Hardy and Weeks are up for good and, even though Fielder and Krynzel likely will spend most of the season in Nashville, one thing has become apparent about the Brewers' supposedly glorious future: It's almost here.
The hot-hitting lineup of high draft picks will soon be in Milwaukee and the Brewers' long-standing troubles will be over, right?
Wrong.
There is no doubt that the Brewers have drafted well since Jack Zduriencik took over as scouting director in 1999. However, success-starved fans seem to take for granted that the talented position players on the farm are a panacea for all that ails the Brewers.
Well, they're not. Not right away, anyway. No matter how gifted they are, it is going to take time for the young players to learn the big-league ropes.
The Brewers promoted Weeks because they finally traded Junior Spivey and Fielder because they have back-to-back series in American League parks and need a designated hitter. Don't kid yourself, though. The Brewers also brought up both players because they need their booming bats in an order that isn't producing consistently as still another season goes south.
Even with Weeks and Fielder in the lineup, however, the Brewers ran their losing streak to five games Monday. Weeks hit the ball hard but failed badly in the clutch. Fielder got only one ball out of the infield in his hitless debut. Meanwhile, Hardy has been hitting below .200 all season.
The long-awaited debuts of Milwaukee's top prospects should serve as a reminder that it is going to take time for them to have the impact Brewers fans dream of. Time for the players to adapt to big-league pitching. Time for them to learn the importance of defense. Time for the team to build a comparable pitching staff.
The Brewers are putting some of their young hitting stars on the fast track these days, but that won't necessarily translate into instant success - for the players or the team.