The addition of free agent center fielder Mike Cameron shows how much
emphasis the Brewers are placing on improving their defense in 2008.

With the three-time Gold Glove winner taking over in center, Bill Hall
will move to third base and Ryan Braun from third to left field.
Making the move from the infield to center last season was difficult
for Hall, who committed nine errors before finally finding his bearings.

Braun was even worse at third base, committing 26 errors in 112 games.
His brilliant offense -- .324 batting average, 34 homers and 97 RBIs
-- allowed him to claim the National League Most Valuable Player
award, but Braun remained a work in progress in the field.

Attempts to trade for a third baseman, most notably St. Louis' Scott
Rolen or Texas' Hank Blalock, went nowhere. General manager Doug
Melvin hoped to find an established third baseman who would allow the
team to move Braun to left.

Now, even though Hall was primarily a shortstop before moving to
center, the Brewers believe he'll handle himself well at third. Hall
played 10 games there in 2006 and 49 in 2005.

"It's not like he's totally unfamiliar with third base," Melvin said.

In past years, the Brewers might have been willing to give Braun more
time to become a solid defender at the hot corner. But their win-now
mentality meant improving a defense that tied for 13th among the 16 NL
clubs in 2007.

Despite those defensive issues, the Brewers finished just two games
behind the Cubs in the NL Central. By improving their fielding, they
think they can make up that gap -- and more.

"It's all about winning now," Hall said. "As close as we were last
year, you don't know how many chances you will get."