Brewers ready to start anew-Offseason activity gives club different
look for 2005
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com

MILWAUKEE -- Give the Brewers this: At least they are not standing
pat.
After another tough season, the team got busy at baseball's Winter
Meetings, and kept on wheeling and dealing after that gathering
broke up. In less than a week, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin
filled his two major offseason priorities while opening plenty of
holes elsewhere, making the Brewers one of the teams to watch as
baseball rolls into the new year.

Gone from 2004 are the Brewers' home-grown shortstop, their leadoff
man and perhaps most popular player, their All-Star closer and his
reliable setup man, and their top bench threat. But with the
departure of Craig Counsell, Scott Podsednik, Dan Kolb, Luis
Vizcaino and Keith Ginter come some intriguing newcomers. Among
them:

A lot can change by Opening Day, but as 2004 becomes 2005, this is
who is projected to take the field for the Brewers:
CF Brady Clark
2B Junior Spivey
RF Geoff Jenkins
LF Carlos Lee
1B Lyle Overbay
3B Russell Branyan
C Damian Miller
3B Russell Branyan
SS J.J. Hardy
SP Ben Sheets
SP Doug Davis
SP Victor Santos
SP Chris Capuano


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New left fielder Carlos Lee brings a much-needed power bat from the
right side of the plate, and his arrival means a new position for
Geoff Jenkins, who may move across the field to right.
Catcher Damian Miller returns to his native Wisconsin, where the
Brewers hope he emerges as the team's first legitimate No. 1 catcher
since All-Star David Nilsson in the late 1990s.
Right-hander Jose Capellan will get a chance to win a job in the
starting rotation. If he does, he will immediately become one of
baseball's hardest throwers.
Right-handed reliever Justin Lehr will be relied upon at the back of
an overhauled and unproven bullpen, perhaps even serving as Kolb's
replacement at closer.
Outfielder Brady Clark looks like the new starting center fielder
and leadoff man. He will be a defensive upgrade over Podsednik but
still has big shoes to fill; Podsednik was the Brewers' cover boy
and led the Majors in steals last season.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy and center fielder Dave Krynzel will get a
chance in 2005 to shed their "prospect" labels and become Major
Leaguers. The team is talking about Hardy as its starting shortstop
despite the fact he is coming off shoulder surgery and has only
limited experience above Double-A. Krynzel is a prototypical leadoff
man and an outstanding defensive player, but he has to improve his
plate patience before he moves into the starting lineup.
Then there is the most intriguing newcomer of all. Los Angeles
investor Mark Attanasio bought out Major League Baseball's longest-
tenured ownership group this fall and promised to run the team like
he runs his investments. That means the ultimate measure of success
will come in the win-loss column.

Offseason report card: Active and Aggressive (10). But will the
Brewers' flurry of moves translate into wins?

Arrivals: Miller (free agent), Lee (trade), Capellan (trade), Lehr
(trade), RHP Derrick Turnbow (waivers), RHP Sam Narron (waivers),
RHP Andy Pratt (trade), LHP Rigo Beltran (minor league contract),
LHP Tommy Phelps (minor league contract)

Departures: Counsell, Ginter, Kolb, Podsednik, Vizcaino, C Gary
Bennett

Did you know? The Brewers batted .221 with runners in scoring
position last season, the lowest such average since the 1988 Orioles
hit .217 in the clutch. It was the fourth worst of any Major League
club since 1970. The team hopes the addition of players like Miller
(.324 with RISP in 2004) and Lee (.299) helps address that problem.