Unofficial Spring

Pitchers and catchers reported to camp on Friday.

The rest of the team is supposed to arrive in Maryvale, Arizona today for the start of the Milwaukee Brewers Spring Training Camp.

Some players showed up last week.  Spring may be weeks away, but the opening of camp is, for many, the official beginning of spring.

This should be a rather interesting year for the Brew Crew.  Since the start of last year, half the 40 man roster (which includes players down in the minor leagues) have been cut or traded.

The only starting position players are Jonathan Lucroy, Ryan Braun, and Scooter Gennett.

There are rumors about a potential trade involving fan favorite Joanthan Luuuuuuuuuccccccc - roy. If not before the season, probably before the trade deadline at the end of July.

Braun's new contract makes it difficult to trade him unless he comes out of the shoot hitting the ball and registering many home-runs.  Otherwise some of his recent setbacks (P.E.D. use and injuries) after signing a lucrative extension make it unlikely another team will want to pay his salary.

Ryan Braun certainly handled a number of things poorly, but I don't know that it makes him different than any of the rest of us.  Sure, he could have owned up to his problem sooner and it was a bad look when he insulted the integrity of the tester.  Since serving his time, and especially with the dawn of this construction season, Ryan seems to becoming more of a team leader again.

I wish him well and hope he is able to help out the team.  Not that the Brewers had much choice, but they stuck with him and it'd be nice to see them reap some dividends.

Four of the pitchers from the starting rotation are back.  Three of them young and there are young arms in the bullpen and the minors.

It's where Milwaukee fans need to find hope.  Hope the new (and very young - early 30s) General Manager David Stearns and his team of scouts and farm team instructors can cultivate the talent of the youngsters in Montana, the Fox Cities, Florida, Alabama, and Colorado Springs.

Meanwhile, in six weeks this team will start playing for real.

Expectations are low.

The pitchers have some talent, so if the pitchers play well this team has an opportunity to get some wins in a rebuilding year.

2016 is about 2017 and 2018 - it's about the future.  This fan and many others are looking to see talent, all-out hustle, and an improving club.

Then again, I hope that breeze a second ago wasn't caused by another swing and a miss.