The Brewers are set late in games with closer John Axford and set-up man Francisco Rodriguez, but they are going to need some other relievers to step up to get the game to them. Here is a look at the Brewers’ bullpen for 2012 as of right now:

Closer: John Axford: 28-year old John Axford really stepped up in his first full season as the Brewers closer in 2011. He pitched in 74 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 2-2 with 46 saves, a 1.95 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Axford has now pitched in 131 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 10-4 with 71 saves, a 2.26 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Axford is downright nasty and I look for him to have another great year in 2012 for the Brewers.

Set-Up Man: Francisco Rodriguez: The Brewers didn’t think that K-Rod would accept arbitration but he did. The 30-year old righty will return to the Brewers as the set-up man in 2012. He pitched in 31 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 4-0 with a 1.86 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Rodriguez pitched in 73 games (0 starts) for the Mets & Brewers last year and he was 6-2 with 23 saves, a 2.64 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He has now pitched in 604 games (0 starts) in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 36-27 with 291 saves, a 2.51 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Look for K-Rod to turn in another solid year for the Brewers in 2012.

Righties: Jose Veras: 31-year old Jose Veras came to the Brewers over the winter in a deal with the Pirates. He pitched in 79 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 2-4 with 1 save, a 3.80 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Veras has now pitched in 255 games (0 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 14-13 with 4 saves, a 4.11 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Veras will try to replace LaTroy Hawkins in the Brewers’ pen in 2012.

Kameron Loe: 30-year old Kameron Loe pitched in 72 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 4-7 with 1 save, a 3.50 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He has now pitched in 125 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Brewers and he is 7-12 with 1 save, a 3.18 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Loe has now pitched in 232 games (47 starts) in his first seven years in the majors and he is 26-35 with 2 saves, a 4.33 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Brewers expect Loe to turn in another solid year out of the pen in 2012.

Tim Dillard: 28-year old Tim Dillard is going to try to stick with the Brewers a little longer in 2012. He pitched in 24 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 1-1 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Dillard has now pitched in 39 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Brewers and he was 1-2 with a 4.94 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP.

Marco Estrada: 28-year old Marco Estrada will likely be the long man in the Brewers’ bullpen in 2012. He pitched in 43 games (7 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 4-8 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Estrada has now pitched in 50 games (8 starts) in his first two years with the Brewers and he is 4-8 with a 4.67 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He has now pitched in 65 games (9 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 4-9 with a 5.08 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Estrada will also be the first guy moved into the rotation if the need arises for the Brewers in 2012.

Brandon Kintzler: 27-year old Brandon Kintzler pitched in 9 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He has now pitched in 16 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Brewers and he is 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Kintzler will need a good spring to secure a spot in the Brewers’ bullpen in 2012.

Mike McClendon: 26-year old Mike McClendon might have a good shot of winning a job in the Brewers’ pen this spring. He pitched in 9 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. McClendon has now pitched in 26 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Brewers and he is 5-0 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He has pitched good for the Brewers whenever given the chance.

Eulogio De La Cruz: 27-year old Eulogio De La Cruz might be a late bloomer. He pitched in 11 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 0-0 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. De La Cruz has now pitched in 26 games (1 start) in his first four years in the majors and he is 0-0 with a 8.16 ERA and a 1.97 WHIP.

Mark DiFelice: 35-year old Mark DiFelice got hit hard last year for the Brewers. He pitched in 3 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 0-0 with a 12.00 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. DiFelice has now pitched in 77 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Brewers and he is 5-1 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.

Seth McClung: 31-year old Seth McClung pitched in 19 games (11 starts) in AAA-ball for the Rangers last year and he was 2-3 with a 5.19 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2009 for the Brewers. He has pitched in 177 games (51 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 26-34 with 6 saves, a 5.46 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. He is a big time longshot to win a job in the Brewers’ pen this spring.

Lefties: Juan Perez: 33-year old Juan Perez pitched in 8 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He also pitched in 36 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year in which he was 0-5 with 4 saves, a 5.70 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. He has now pitched in 32 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 1-1 with a 4.79 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. Perez is going to have a good shot of breaking camp with the Brewers if he has a good spring.

Zach Braddock: 24-year old Zach Braddock pitched in 25 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. He has now pitched in 71 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 1-3 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Braddock will have a pretty decent shot of making the Brewers’ opening day bullpen if he pitches decent in spring training.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2012: B-