54-year old Ron Roenicke is getting his first shot as a major league manager in 2011 for the Brewers. Roenicke was a coach under Mike Scioscia with the Angels and I would expect that he will bring the same style of baseball to Milwaukee. That means the Brewers are going to run the bases a lot more aggressive in 2011, which will put a new kind of pressure on opposing pitchers and defenses. I like the improvements that the Brewers have made for 2011, so Roenicke will be under pressure to win right away.

The Brewers are loaded in the starting rotation but they have a lot of questions about the bullpen heading into 2011. 27-year old righty closer John Axford burst onto the scene for the Brewers in 2010 as he replaced Trevor Hoffman during the year. Axford pitched in 50 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 8-2 with 24 saves, a 2.48 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He only gave up 42 hits while whiffing 76 batters in only 58 innings last year which shows how nasty he was. But, he was not perfect as he walked 27 batters last year, so he has some things to improve on. Axford has pitched in 57 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Brewers and he is 8-2 with 25 saves, a 2.60 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The Brewers really hope that Axford’s 2010 season wasn’t a mirage because they really don’t have a backup plan.

41-year old righty Takashi Saito will serve as the Brewers’ top set-up man in 2011. Saito pitched in 56 games (0 starts) for the Braves last year and he was 2-3 with 1 save, a 2.83 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He only gave up 41 hits in 54 innings last year with 69 whiffs, so Saito still has it. He has now pitched in 292 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 17-13 with 84 saves, a 2.19 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. I think he has at least one more good year in him.

38-year old righty LaTroy Hawkins will start the 2011 season on the D.L. Hawkins played in 18 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 0-3 with a 8.44 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. He has now pitched in 771 games (98 starts) in his first 16 years in the majors and he is 60-84 with 87 saves, a 4.56 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. The Brewers really need Hawkins to get healthy as they don’t have much depth in the pen.

29-year old righty Kameron Loe must have really learned how to pitch in Japan in 2009, as he was really good for the Brewers in 2010. Loe pitched in 53 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 3-5 with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He has now pitched in 160 games (47 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 22-28 with 1 save, a 4.48 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. I think he’ll be solid again for the Brewers in 2011, and they really need him to be.

23-year old lefty Zach Braddock burst onto the scene for the Brewers last year. He pitched in 46 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 1-2 with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Braddock whiffed 41 batters in only 33 2/3 innings last year, which shows just how nasty he can be. But, he walked 19 batters last year, so Braddock will need to really tighten up his control to fully reach his potential.

31-year old righty reliever Sean Green might really surprise for the Brewers if he can just stay healthy in 2011. He pitched in 11 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. Green has now pitched in 250 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 10-11 with 2 saves, a 4.36 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.

30-year old lefty Mitch Stetter will get another chance to win a job as the situational lefty for the Brewers in 2011. Stetter pitched in 9 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 0-0 with a 14.73 ERA and a 2.73 WHIP. He has now pitched in 116 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 8-2 with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.

34-year old righty Mark DiFelice missed all of last year due to injury. He last pitched with the Brewers in 2009. DiFelice has pitched in 74 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Brewers and he is 5-1 with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. If he is healthy, he will likely help the Brewers at some point in 2011.

27-year old righty Tim Dillard pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 0-1 with a 12.46 ERA and a 2.77 WHIP. He has now pitched in 15 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 0-1 with a 6.27 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP. Dillard is a longshot to be much help for the Brewers in 2011.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BREWERS BULLPEN IN 2011: C

27-year old righty swinging shortstop Luis Cruz has refused a minor league assignment from the Brewers and he has become a free agent. Cruz played in 7 games for the Brewers last year and he was 4 of 17 (.235 avg, .588 OPS) with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI. He also played in 129 games in AAA-ball in which he was 137 of 488 (.281 avg, .723 OPS) with 54 runs scored, 10 homers and 68 RBIs. The Brewers won’t miss Cruz too much….if at all in 2011.

The Brewers have placed 38-year old righty reliever LaTroy Hawkins on the 15-day disabled list due to right shoulder weakness. Hawkins pitched in 18 games (0 starts) for the Brewers in his first year with the team in 2010 and he was 0-3 with a 8.44 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. He has now pitched in 771 games (98 starts) in his first 16 years in the majors and he is 60-84 with 87 saves, a 4.56 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. The Brewers hope to get back Hawkins sometime in late April and they can use the help in the pen.

The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired 30-year old lefty swinging outfielder Nyjer Morgan from the Nationals for 21-year old righty swinging 2B/3B/OF Cutter Dykstra. Morgan played in 136 games for the Nationals last year and he was 129 of 509 (.253 avg, .633 OPS) with 60 runs scored, 0 homers, 24 RBIs and 34 stolen bases. Morgan has now played in 342 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 352 of 1,245 (.283 avg, .704 OPS) with 175 runs scored, 4 homers, 77 RBIs and 92 stolen bases. Morgan will likely push Carlos Gomez for his starting gig in CF. Cutter Dykstra played in 100 games in A-ball last year and he was 110 for 353 (.312 avg, .827 OPS) with 66 runs scored, 5 homers, 39 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. This was a good deal for the Brewers as Dykstra isn’t considered much of a prospect.