MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Milwaukee won their division with a 96-66 record but didn’t get to the World Series.

Offensively they ranked 11^th in runs scored, 8^th in batting average, 10^th in on base percentage and 5^th in slugging percentage. They had a great pitching staff that ranked 9^th in overall ERA at 3.63, and 8^th in batting average against of .246!

Ryan Braun has surrounded himself in controversy, drug testing is what it is, and he accused someone of screwing up the test. Come on Ryan, you cheated, let’s not kid ourselves or the fans and players. Prince Fielder is gone to Detroit, and that covers the 2011 offense.

In the free agent marketplace, they lost a lot this year, besides Fielder, they also lost their short stop Yuniesky Betancourt, .252 BA, 13 HR, 68 RBI’s, third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. signed on with the Dodgers as did LaTroy Hawkins RHP, 2.42 ERA a 3-1 record middle relief, Mark Kotsay, RF a .270 hitter, playing in over 100 games went to the Padres, and Takashi Saito, RHP 2.03 ERA to Arizona.

ARAMIS RAMIREZ

They signed on Norichika Aoki from Japan, a left fielder for 2 years $2.25 Million, and no major league experience, shortstop Alex Gonzalez, .241 BA 15 HR’s 56 RBI and a .279 On Base Percentage from Atlanta for 1 year $4.25 million, for 7 years and $36 million they signed on Aramis Ramirez, .306 BA, 26 HR’s 93 RBI’s and a .361 On Base Percentage.

As a team they hit 185 homers in ’11, and collectively, .261 average. Their pitching was led by Yovani Galiardo with 17 victories, 3.52 ERA AND 207 K’S with John Axford saving 46 games, appearing in 74 games.

The Brewers took some hits this winter and although Aramis Ramirez was a great signing, they will be hard pressed by the Cardinals to some degree to repeat as division winners.