An A-Z visitors guide to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Sponsored by Key Magazine Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/59807
Key COVER FEATURE The winds of change swirl around every Major League ballclub each winter. That was definitely the case with the Milwaukee Brewers, but observers feel the team is positioned to pick up where it left off, with an eye on the ultimate prize…a World Series title…30 years after the Brewers' one and only appearance. 2012 Brewers poised for repeat performance By CHRISTOPHER PEPPAS IN REAL ESTATE, the name of the game is location, location, location. In Major League Baseball, it's rotation, rotation, rotation. The Milwaukee Brewers like the view from the top of the National League Central Division and don't plan on moving anytime soon. While slugger Prince Fielder has departed for the greener pastures ($214M) of Detroit, National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Braun is back on the field. A curveball, in the form of the drug testing controversy, cast a pall over Braun during the off- season. But he was exonerated on appeal, leaving nothing left to say but: "Play Ball!" The Crew's starting rotation came away unscathed, however. Top to bottom, they're all back on the bump. • Zack Greinke • Yovani Gallardo • Shaun Marcum • Randy Wolf • Chris Narveson 8 The most-feared back end of the bullpen will reprise its 1-2 punch. Francisco (K-Rod) Rodriguez and John (The Axman) Axford nailed down the eighth and ninth innings for the Brewers with the precision of a Rolex. Gone from the 2011 squad in addition to slugger Prince Fielder are third baseman Casey McGehee, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and relievers LaTroy Hawkins and Takashi Saito. General Manager Doug Melvin did not stand pat in the face of Fielder's departure and uncertainty of having Braun sidelined for 50 games. Even before Braun was cleared to play, Melvin burned up the phone lines and more than made up for the loss of Fielder in the process. The steady Aramis Ramirez (Chicago Cubs) was the big-ticket free agent acquisition. He will take over third base. Ramirez, who can flat-out rake, has knocked in more than 100 runs in six straight sea- sons. He hits for power as well, creating at least 25 souvenirs in nine consecutive campaigns. Alex Gonzalez, acquired from the Atlanta Braves, is a definite upgrade defensively at shortstop. At 35,