UNOFFICIAL SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON TO BEGIN TONIGHT
 
Well with the Brewers set to face the Cubs tonight in Chicago, I thought I'd do a quick preview of the second-half of the season. The big question around Milwaukee is whether or not the Brewers are for real. Was their 45-41 record overachieving, underachieving, or just right?
 
3 REASONS WHY THE BREWERS WILL FINISH OVER .500
 
1)GEOFF JENKINS WILL START HITTING
His career OPS was 865 entering 2004. This year his OBP is at .310, and he has an OPS of .741. Jenks has had some solid years, but injuries have always plagued him. He's finally healthy, so he should start hitting.
 
2)SCOTT PODSEDNIK ISN'T THIS BAD
A career minor-leaguer, Podsednik broke onto the scene last year and won almost all of the NL Rookie of the Year awards (except MLB's of course). So far in 2004 he is at .253/.327/.398. A far cry from 2003. I don't think anybody expected Pods to be as good as he was in 2003, but something close to a .260/.340/.415 I thought was more realistic.
 
3)BEN HENDRICKSON WILL BE A SOLID #5 STARTER
Although WES OBERMUELLER wasn't terrible as a #5 starter, in the end he couldn't get the job done. Hendrickson has been a stud in the Brewers' system for a few years and will do a solid job as the Brewers #5.
 
 
3 REASONS WHY THE BREWERS WON'T FINISH OVER .500
 
1)THE STARTING PITCHING CAN'T HOLD UP
BEN SHEETS is the real deal, but a sub 2.50 ERA is tough to do in any league, let alone the Major Leagues. DOUG DAVIS, VICTOR SANTOS and CHRIS CAPUANO have been outstanding for the Brewers in the first half, but how many times can the Brewers allow 3 or less runs?
 
2)THE OFFENSE SUCKS
For lack of a better term. Jenkins and Podsednik look absolutely lost at the plate. This team doesn't have enough power to drive runs in and strikes out too much and can't run enough to manufacture runs. Why do you think they are 14th in the NL in runs scored? No matter how well the pitching does, you can't finish over .500 when an offensive outburst is more than four runs.
 
3)THE NL CENTRAL IS TOO TOUGH
Playing 60% of their games against the Cubs, Cardinals, Astros, Reds and Pirates will catch up to the Crew. Despite a slow start, Houston is still an outstanding club. You could make a case that the Cardinals, Cubs and Astros are three of the best teams in the NL. Cincinnati is solid and we know how the Brewers do against the Pirates.
 
 
CONCLUSION
I really want this Brewers team to finish over .500. I think all of us Brewers fans deserve the opportunity to cheer for a good club for the first time since 1992. The unofficial second half of the season kicks off tonight from Wrigley Field when Doug Davis faces MARK PRIOR.