The Brewers' miserable start is not surprising to many people. What should surprise some people is that, after years of spinning its wheels, the organization has a plan to end the streak of losing seasons.
It is a plan that two small market organizations have used to get themselves back in the playoffs. The Twins and the A's have followed the same path toward rebuilding a team without having Yankee-like cash to cover up cracks and holes.
In 1998, a group of young prospects won the Double A championship after a couple of years moving up the ranks of an organization together. Members of that New Britain Twins team included Joe Mays, Torii Hunter, Cristian Guzman and Doug Mientkiewicz.
In 1999, most of that team moved up to the Minnesota Twins to learn how to win -- and mostly lose -- at the Major League level. The point is that the Twins management concentrated on building a team, not just a group of talented players.
The first step of the process is getting the talented players. In order to rebuild, the organization needs to be blown up. The Brewers have not been good for a long time, but yet they have tried to be a .500 team by spending money on low- to mid-level free agents. Names like Sean Berry and Jeffrey Hammonds haunt this franchise.
Dean Taylor had the idea to blow the whole thing up, but was under pressure from management to make sure there was a decent enough product to open a new stadium. Obviously that theory doesn't work and hasn't worked for 20 years. Taylor did begin to rebuild the farm system that couldn't have been more neglected by Sal Bando.
Taylor also made a few acquisitions for players that the Brewers did not need or want and ultimately was shown the door. He should though, in the upcoming years, get some of the respect that he deserves for getting the ball rolling.
Ulice Payne is now leading the charge with General Manager Doug Melvin. Their first order of business was to change the line of thinking throughout the organization. No longer were they going to feed the fans a bill of goods. Free agents were signed to one-year contracts. The organization has also come to the realization that it can't win this year and is planning for 2005.
Signing players to one-year contracts have set the Brewers up to have all wasted money off the books by year's end. Paying players that have been hurt, players that play for other teams or players that don't produce has been a Brewers tradition since Teddy Higuera.
Only about $13.5 million will be committed to long-term deals and most of that goes to Geoff Jenkins and Richie Sexson. This allows Melvin to mold this team to as he sees fit. But the Brewers probably won't make a big splash in free agency because the organization's core talent is still a few years away. Where the Brewers can and need to spend money is in long-term contracts for young pitchers like Ben Sheets and Luis Vizcaino.
Melvin has vowed not to rush the young talent that the Brewers do have like Taylor did with Ben Diggins and Nick Neugebauer. Melvin has put seven out of the top 12 prospects at the Double A Huntsville to allow them to learn how to win and lose together -- just like the Twins did in 1998. The Brewers have not had this minor league talent since the late '80s.
Huntsville's rotation is headed by the Brewers' second-rated prospect Mike Jones, a hard throwing right-hander who was the Brewers first round draft choice in 2001. Alongside him is the third-rated prospect Ben Hendrickson and seventh-rated prospect Ben Diggins. Hendrickson was the Brewers' 10th round pick in 1999 and Diggins, a Los Angeles first round pick in 2000, was acquired from the Dodgers along with Shane Nance for Tyler Houston. Both Bens are big right-handers with heavy stuff.
Filling out the staff is Pedro Loriano and Luis Martinez. Loriano, along with his power slider, has been a huge surprise. He was acquired from Anaheim for seldom-used Alex Ochoa. Martinez is spending his second season at Huntsville and is searching for some consistency to go along with his electric stuff. The Brewers are also grooming a closer in Matt Childers. Childers paced Huntsville last year with 12 saves.
In the field, the Stars are lead by the highly touted shortstop J.J. Hardy. Hardy is the future of the Brewers infield. His presence has all but cemented Bill Hall's move to second base and made it well known that Royce Clayton is only keeping the position warm.
The left side of the infield if filled out by the Brewers' fifth rated prospect, Cory Hart. The power hitting Hart is making the transition from first base to third base, which at 6'5", only proves how good of an athlete he is. Hart and Hall represented the Brewers in the Futures Game last year at Miller Park during all-star weekend.
{INSERT_RELATED}The leader of the Stars is the leadoff hitter and centerfielder Dave Krynzel. The seventh ranked prospect was the first draft choice of the Taylor regime in 2000. Krynzel spent the majority of the spring with the big club and handled himself quite well. He provided just a glimpse of a potential igniter and ball hawk. Joining Krynzel in the outfield is Christian Guerrero. Christian is a potential five-tool player and is superstar Vladimir Guerrero's cousin.
By the all-star break the Brewers' top prospect should also be making his way to Huntsville. First baseman Brad Nelson was the Brewers minor league player of the year last year and led all the minors in RBI and doubles. He is beginning the year at High Desert, but if he puts up numbers remotely close to those of 2002, he will join Hardy and Hart in the infield of the future.
Either Bill Hall, who will play at AAA Indianapolis, or Enrique Cruz, who was the Brewers 2002 rule 5 pick from the New York Mets, will fill out that infield. Cruz is currently with the big club because he can't be optioned to a minor league club for a full year without passing waivers or being offered back to the team from which he came.
While watching the 2003 Milwaukee Brewers, know that there is a sun rising on the horizon. It has been said before, but patience with this franchise will be rewarded. The Huntsville Stars are the Milwaukee Brewers of 2005. The hope is that by playing together now, they will gel together in the future.
The plan worked for the Twins and A's. Payne and Melvin have the same one. Let's just hope they are willing and able to stick with it.
