Last season they choked yet it was actually manager Ned Yost’s

Last season they choked, yet it was actually manager Ned Yost’s best year. Even if the rotation holds up, I can’t see Fielder, Braun, and Hart providing enough offense with their lack of support.4) Last SeasonThe Brewers were actually poised to win the Central last year, but faltered after June, and lost out to the Cubs by two games. Mike Cameron and Bill Hall (who doesn’t even want to be on the team) have displayed decent power, but still hit around .220.This team doesn’t even have a regular around .300, unless you count Hart, who is still 10 points off. That means that Jason LaRue is statistically a better leadoff canidate right now Wow.JJ Hardy and Jason Kendall don’t scare anybody. Leadoff man Rickie Weeks is hitting a repulsive .212., with an OPS of .326. Without a solid option, Brew Crew fans will sprout many a grey hair watching this team finish games.3) Hitting DepthThe Brewer’s lineup has been relatively healthy this year, but outside of Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, and Corey Hart, there is not much to fear. Salomon Torres is okay, but there’s also a reason he’s never been a closer in his 15 years in the league.The closer position might be the most important pitching role.

Guillermo Mota’s ERA is around 5.00, and there’s a reason he’s on his fifth team in five years. I foresee potential problems.2) Your Closer is Who???Well, two Milwaukee closers are currently in Triple-A, represented by the shells of Eric Gagne and Derrick Turnbow. Suppan was a solid third starter on a World Series team, but Bush has been terrible this year, and backend starters Manny Parra and Seth McClung have no big league success before this season to speak of. And nobody knows the pitfalls of injured starters like a Cardinals fan.Also, young stud Yovani Gallardo is out for the season, leaving Jeff Suppan and Dave Bush to lead the rotation if Sheets goes to the DL. Here are five factors that could and probably will lead to the Brewers being a non-issue in the Central race.1) Potential Rotation WoesFirst of all, Ben Sheets is their ace Is he a total stud when healthy? Absolutely Is he consistently healthy? No.

But what makes people think they have the intangibles to compete throughout the entire season?This team hasn’t competed in almost two decades, and there are plenty of reasons to believe this season will end just like every other season since their move to the NL. Pardon me if I’m not convinced.Yes, the Brewers are extremely talented. I’ve heard rumblings about how the time has finally come the talented Brewers will take their rightful place as playoff contenders.Uh…I don’t think so. Recently the Milwaukee Brewers have been playing well.

Guus Hiddink said after their upset over the Netherlands, “I don’t want to use big words but it is almost a miracle.” Clearly, Guus Hiddink is underestimating his team’s quality, but make no mistake if Russia do continue their surprise run and lift the Euro 2008 title, it will be nothing short of just that, a miracle. This article was originally published on Goal by Shyam Parthasarathi.. Nobody held a candle for them at the start of the tournament, but the Euro’s have been known to produce their fair share of surprises. Russia have won over many hearts and minds with their football and most neutrals would probably support them. They now face Spain who beat them convincingly in their first game.

This didn’t allow the Dutch to play their counter-attacking game and ultimately led to their demise.Arshavin (how many times have I mentioned him?) inspired Russia to a famous win. What Russia also did in that game that no other team (including France and Italy) did was that they scored first. Being Dutch, he understood the manner in which they would approach the game and made the two fullbacks, Aleksandr Anyukov and Yuri Zhirkov attack so far forward that it didn’t allow Wesley Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt to get into the game.This left Ruud van Nistelrooy isolated and the Dutch were stifled and got a taste of their own medicine in the game. Guus Hiddink’s role in that game cannot be underestimated.