One thing’s for sure, the 2011 Milwaukee Brewers are going to be one hell of a fun team to watch.  The question that everybody has is whether their defense can hold up, particularly the infield.  With Greinke, Marcum, and Gallardo headlining the starting rotation and Braun, Fielder, McGehee, and Weeks leading one of the most productive offenses in the league, they’re going to be competitive night in and night out.  And from what I’m about to show you, the defense shouldn’t be as glaring a weakness as people are making it out to be.

Betancourt - .974 fielding % (league average = .973)
McGehee - .954 fielding % (league average =.951)
Weeks - .980 fielding % (league average = .984)
Fielder - .997 fielding % (league average = .993)
Braun – .990 fielding % (league average = .985)
Gomez – .970 fielding % (league average = .987)
Hart – .993 fielding % (league average = .987)

You could probably come up with some overly-excessive advanced metrics bullshit that proves these guys are the worst group of fielders to ever put on baseball uniforms, but basic fielding percentage numbers show that all 7 starting infielders/outfielders are within thousandths of a percent of the league average.  They probably won’t single-handedly win many games with their defense but it’s also not going to lose many for them either.

The outfield of Braun, Gomez and Hart has proven to be solid over the last year, although Gomez makes me want to slap him in the face because of his erratic play and Hart looks like he probably goes home after games and dances in front of a mirror with his wiener tucked like Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs.  Hey, what you do on your own time is your own business.  I’m not here to judge.  Show us a little consistency and all is forgiven.

The infield isn’t going to be a steel curtain by any means but I don’t think it will be laughably bad.  Sure, Prince Fielder has the quickness of Roseanne Barr… and Betancourt may throw the occasional ball into section 234… and Weeks bobbles more balls than Tom Cruise, but I’ve accepted this.  If these are our biggest concerns I’d say we’re in good shape.  Average defense + exceptional pitching + exceptional offense = October baseball, in my opinion.  Of course, we won’t find out for another month or two what this team will be, but I’m looking forward to the ride.

I’ll try to get another post in before the season opener about the pitching but I can’t guarantee it.  In the meantime, listen to The Beer Pen Podcast… I’m tired of single-handedly comprising 10% of their total listenership.

Joe