Last year was great. Now go do it again.

As pitchers and catchers prepare to report to Maryvale Baseball Park, questions remain as to what exactly the National League Central will look like in 2012.

Can the Brewers sustain the loss of Prince Fielder? Can the Cardinals sustain the loss of Albert Pujols? Can the Reds rebound from the terribly disappointing season they had in 2011, just one season after winning their first division title in 15 years?

And when on Earth will we know anything about Ryan Braun's status?

In St. Louis, Pujols is gone; his loss is the only one that could possibly be felt deeper than the Brewers loss of Fielder. To help shore up the loss of arguably the best player in the game, new manager Mike Matheny will move Lance Berkman from right field to first base, and put newly acquired free agent Carlos Beltran in right.

How the Cardinals will fare under a first-time manager is another huge question mark. Matheny, who broke into the majors with the Brewers in 1994, not only does not have any major league managerial experience, he has never even been a coach before. How he goes from being a teammate to guys like Chris Carpenter and Yadier Molina to being their boss can be a tricky transition.

Making it even tougher on Matheny is widely respected and longtime pitching coach Dave Duncan has taken an indefinite leave of absence to be with his cancer-stricken wife, Jeanine. While there is some dispute as to the length of Duncan's absence, most in the organization don't expect him back, and have promoted bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist to take Duncan's place.

On the bright side for Matheny will be the return of ace Adam Wainwright, who will try to regain his 2010 form after missing last season with Tommy John surgery.

In Cincinnati, the Reds have brought in several newcomers to try to recapture the division crown they won in 2010.

Mat Latos was acquired from San Diego for four players, including disappointing starter Edinson Volquez and highly-touted youngster Yonder Alonso. Latos will help anchor the Reds starting rotation alongside Johnny Cueto and Bronson Arroyo.

In the bullpen, free agent acquisition Ryan Madson will take over the closer's role from former Brewer Francisco Cordero, who left Cincinnati for Toronto. Left-handers Aroldis Chapman and Sean Marshall will set Madson up.

In all, the Reds have made important but not necessarily headline-grabbing flashy moves to try to contend again. Former NL MVP Joey Votto still is the anchor of the offense, but Jay Bruce also had an outstanding 2011 campaign in which to build on this season.

Two key questions that manager Dusty Baker has to have answered this spring is how much production can he expect from third baseman Scott Rolen, who missed 97 games last season at the age of 36; and can Brandon Phillips continue to play like the best second baseman in the National League, which he has been for the last five years.

The rest of the division includes the putrid Houston Astros (for one more season before they move to the American League), the up and coming Pittsburgh Pirates (who faded badly in the second half of last season), and the Dale Sveum-led Chicago Cubs (who aren't any closer to winning in 2012 than they were in 2011).

This brings us to the Brewers.

The biggest question (other than the outcome of Braun's PED suspension appeal) is how can the Brewers replace the bat of Prince Fielder?

Simple. They can't.

But that doesn't mean the Brewers cannot compete. They will just need more contributions out of players that have been erratic at times.

Mat Gamel will be given every shot to be the everyday replacement for Fielder. Gamel has been biding his time at different positions at Class AAA Nashville for the past three and a half seasons, and it is put up or shut up time for the once prized prospect. Former Nashville manager Don Money publically ripped Gamel's work ethic and attitude at the end of last season, and Gamel himself has done little to endear himself to teammates.

On multiple occasions, Gamel has been given opportunities at the Major League level and has failed to play with any level of consistency, and has even turned down chances to get some extra work in at the batting cage when proven veterans were doing so themselves.

On the other hand, every time Gamel has been given the opportunity to play every day, he has thrived. Last season at Nashville, he hit .310 with 28 home runs and 96 RBI in 128 games. An iron-gloved third baseman by nature, Gamel was told by the organization that he was road blocked at the position; first by Ryan Braun, then by Bill Hall, then by Casey McGehee.

By the time all three had washed out at the hot corner, it was too late. Gamel was now a first baseman and the heir apparent to impending free agent Prince Fielder.

If he struggles at first base, expect Corey Hart to move in from right field from time to time. Hart was drafted originally as a first baseman before moving to third base, and then finally the outfield while in the minor leagues.

Perhaps in part because of Braun's likely suspension, (although the club denies it) the Brewers went out in the off-season and won the bidding rights to Japanese League star Norichika Aoki, a three-time batting champion for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. If Braun is suspended and / or if Gamel struggles at first base, Aoki could see extensive playing time.

Of course, the biggest free agent move that GM Doug Melvin made was the signing of Brewer-killer Aramis Ramirez to shore up third base. Last season, McGehee struggled so badly that he was replaced by journeyman utilityman Jerry Hairston, Jr. for the playoffs.

With McGehee shipped off to Pittsburgh and Hairston in Los Angeles, the signing of Ramirez was critical. Not only will he provide some of the offense lost by Fielder's big bat, he also is a significant upgrade defensively at the position. Along with new shortstop Alex Gonzalez, the Brewers horrific infield defense has suddenly gotten a lot better.

Unfortunately for the sake of continuity, three-fourths of the Brewers infield was overturned; only second baseman Rickie Weeks remains.

For the first time in anyone's memory, the Brewers starting rotation will remain intact from the previous season. It is even rarer that this distinction is a good thing, despite the rotation's collective struggles down the stretch at times last season.

Shaun Marcum was vilified for his poor performance in the postseason, but right up until Sept. 1, he was the Brewers most consistent pitcher. Zack Greinke may never recapture his Cy Young Award-winning form that he had with Kansas City, but he and Marcum fortified the leaky sieve that was the Brewers biggest weakness in 2009 and 2010.

The Brewers bullpen has some new faces. Gone are LaTroy Hawkins (via free agency to the Los Angeles Angels), Takashi Saito (via free agency to Arizona), and Mitch Stetter (via free agency to Texas). Taking their place is newcomer Jose Veras (acquired in the McGehee trade), Manny Parra (back from injury), and Brandon Kintzler (who impressed the front office in 2011 with his limited work).

Then again, the Brewers still have the best eighth and ninth inning combo pitchers in the game in Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford, so if Milwaukee has a lead late, it is generally a safe one.

Can the Brewers win their second division title in as many years? Yes, when you consider that St. Louis has an entirely new look without Albert Pujols, Tony La Russa, and Dave Duncan. Cincinnati should certainly contend, but there is no reason to think that Milwaukee cannot continue their winning ways, especially if Braun is exonerated.

Winter has been long enough. Let the games begin!