GM Billy Beane didn’t show much respect to Ken Macha in Oakland pretty much saying that he was managing the team. After watching Macha lead the Brewers to a 80-82 (49.4%) you have to wonder if he is the right kind of guy to manage this team. The Brewers have made some improvements over the winter and they are probably expecting to make the playoffs. If the Brewers fall short of that goal they will likely be pointing fingers at Macha. Macha has compiled a 448-362 (55.3%) in his 5 years as a major league manager. This year will tell quite a bit about both Ken Macha and the Brewers.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE MANAGER IN 2010: C

42-year old righty Trevor Hoffman will be back as the closer in 2010 for the Brewers. He pitched in 55 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last season and he was 3-2 with 37 saves, a 1.83 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. Hoffman has now pitched in 985 games (0 starts) in which he is 59-68 with 591 saves, a 2.73 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Hoffman showed no signs of slowing down last season as he is the current all-time leader in major league history in saves. But, he will have to continue pitching at a high level for a couple of more years to hold off Mariano Rivera.

37-year old righty LaTroy Hawkins will be the Brewers’ top set-up man in 2010. Hawkins pitched in 65 games (0 starts) for the Astros last season and he was 1-4 with 11 saves, a 2.13 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. In his five years in the National League, Hawkins has pitched in 294 games (0 starts) in which he is 12-21 with 43 saves, a 2.75 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Hawkins could take over as the closer if something were to happen to Hoffman this season.

29-year old righty Todd Coffey will also get some time at the back end of the pen in 2010. He pitched in 78 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last season and he was 4-4 with 2 saves, a 2.90 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Last season was a “career” year for Coffey but he should pitch well again for the Brewers in 2010.

31-year old righty Claudio Vargas was outstanding for the Brewers last season. He pitched in 28 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last year and he was 1-0 with a 1.78 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. In 36 games overall last season out of the pen for the Brewers & Dodgers, Vargas was 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. He only gave up 25 hits in 41 1/3 innings last season showing that he has the stuff to dominate in short stints out of the pen.

29-year old Mitch Stetter will be the top lefty out of the pen for the Brewers in 2010. Stetter pitched in 71 games (0 starts) for the Brewers last season and he was 4-1 with 1 save, a 3.60 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. He only gave up 37 hits in 45 innings pitched last season while whiffing 44 batters showing that he has pretty good stuff. But, he also walked 27 batters which is way too many. If he throws more strikes this season he could have a breakout year for the Brewers in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2010: B+

The top three in the starting rotation (Gallardo, Wolf and Davis) is set for the Brewers but the #4 and #5 spots have 5 guys competing for those jobs. 24-year old righty Yovani Gallardo is without question the ace of the staff going into the 2010 season. Gallardo started 30 games for the Brewers last season in which he was 13-12 with a 3.73 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Gallardo only gave up 150 hits in 185 2/3 innings for the Brewers last season while whiffing 204 batters showing how nasty his stuff is. But, he walked 94 batters last season which is way too many. If Gallardo can improve his control he could make a legit push for the Cy Young Award in 2010.

33-year old lefty Randy Wolf was signed over the winter to serve as the Brewers’ #2 starter in 2010. He started 34 games for the Dodgers last season in which he was 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He was really sharp last season as he gave up only 178 hits in 214 1/3 innings last season for the Dodgers. The Brewers hope they will get the version of Wolf the Dodgers did in 2009. Wolf has pitched in 279 games (275 starts) in his major league career and he is 101-85 with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.

34-year old lefty Doug Davis will be the #3 starter in 2010. Davis started 34 games for the D-Backs last season in which he was 9-14 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Davis started 111 games for the Brewers from 2003-06 when he was 37-36 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Davis is a solid innings eater but don’t expect him to be much over .500 in 2010.

35-year old righty Jeff Suppan was awful last season and he will have to fight for a job this spring. Suppan started 30 games for the Brewers last season in which he was 7-12 with a 5.29 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP. In Suppan’s three years with the Brewers he has started 95 games in which he is 29-34 with a 4.93 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. I think the Brewers would be better served to go with someone else at the back end of the starting rotation in 2010.

27-year old lefty Manny Parra had a disappointing 2009 season for the Brewers after showing some promise in 2008. Parra started 27 games for the Brewers last season in which he was 11-11 with a 6.36 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP. Parra gave up 179 hits in only 140 innings for the Brewers last season while walking 77 batters. Unless Parra gets his act together by throwing more strikes the Brewers shouldn’t use him in the starting rotation.

30-year old David Bush had some injury problems last season so if he is healthy he would be a decent pitcher at the back end of the rotation for the Brewers in 2010. He pitched in 22 games (21 starts) for the Brewers last season in which he was 5-9 with a 6.38 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He has now pitched in 120 games (113 starts) in his four years with the Brewers in which he is 38-40 with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. If healthy I have a feeling that Bush will be the #4 or #5 starter for the Brewers in 2010.

26-year old righty Carlos Villanueva will also likely get a shot to win a job in the rotation for the Brewers in 2010. Villanueva pitched in 64 games (6 starts) for the Brewers last season in which he was 4-10 with 3 saves, a 5.34 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. More than likely he will serve as the Brewers’ long man in the pen who can make a few spot starts.

31-year old lefty Chris Capuano is a long shot for the Brewers in 2010. He last pitched in 2007 for the Brewers due to major surgery that has knocked him out for 2 years. Capuano pitched in 115 games (111 starts) in his four years with the Brewers in which he is 40-44 with a 4.38 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. If healthy he would make the Brewers’ rotation.

28-year old righty Kameron Loe pitched last season in Japan. He last pitched in the majors in 2008 with the Rangers. Loe has pitched in 107 games (47 starts) in his major league career and he is 19-23 with 1 save, a 4.77 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. Loe, like Villanueva, would likely be better served as a long man/spot starter in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE ROTATION IN 2010: C+

27-year old righty swinging Corey Hart will be the starting RF for the Brewers again in 2010. He played in 115 games for the Brewers last season and he was 109 of 419 (.260 avg, .753 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 12 homers, 48 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. The Brewers hope that Hart can stay healthy and get back to putting up the kind of numbers he did in 2007+2008 when he averaged 81 runs scored, 22 homers, 86 RBIs and 23 stolen bases. Hart played in 112 games in RF for the Brewers last season and he made 5 errors while showing poor range. He also had 3 assists while playing RF. The Brewers need Hart to improve all the way around in 2010.

32-year old lefty swinging Jody Gerut will likely backup Hart in 2010. Gerut played in 122 games for the Brewers & Padres last season and he was 63 of 274 (.230 avg, .654 OPS) with 40 runs scored, 9 homers, 35 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Gerut is a better hitter than he showed last season as he has a career .264 batting average with a .765 OPS in 542 games. Gerut didn’t make any errors in 37 games in RF while showing good range but he didn’t have any assists as runners challenged him often.

31-year old lefty swinging Joe Inglett played in 11 games in RF for the Blue Jays last season and he made 2 errors there while showing poor range. On the bright side he did have 2 assists last season.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RF IN 2010: C

24-year old righty swinging Carlos Gomez came over in a trade over the winter from the Twins and he will likely be the starting CF in 2010 for the Brewers. Gomez played in 137 games for the Twins last season and he was 72 of 315 (.229 avg, .623 OPS) with 51 runs scored, 3 homers, 38 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. Gomez has speed to burn and if he can just be a .250 hitter in 2010 he will be a huge asset to the Brewers. Gomez only made 1 error in 132 games in CF last season and he showed outstanding range. He also had 3 assists from CF so he has a decent arm.

32-year old lefty swinging Jody Gerut played 19 games in CF for the Brewers last season and he only made 1 error but he showed poor range there. He is not a natural CF.

39-year old lefty swinging Jim Edmonds is going to try to win a job this spring for the Brewers. He sat out the 2009 season because no one wanted to sign him. Edmonds played in 111 games in 2008 for the Padres and Cubs in which he was 80 of 340 (.235 avg, .822 OPS) with 53 runs scored, 20 homers and 55 RBIs. Edmonds has a career batting average of .284 with a .905 OPS in 1,925 career games so the upside is there is Edmonds still has it.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2010 SEASON: D+