Brewers 2012 MLB Season Odds
(The Spread) – Without Prince Fielder in their lineup, can the Milwaukee Brewers repeat as National League Central champions?
According to oddsmakers the Brewers are currently 30/1 to win the 2012 World Series and 13/1 to win the National League Pennant this year. They’re also 9/4 to win the National League Central Division and have an over/under of 85 for number of total wins during the regular season.
The Brewers went out this past winter and spent $42.5 million in efforts to upgrade their lineup. After losing Fielder, the club signed former Cub Aramis Ramirez to a three-year, $36 million contract and also added Alex Gonzalez at one year and $4.25 million. The other $2.25 million was spent on Norichika Aoki, a 30-year-old outfielder who will come off the bench.
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Along with Fielder, Milwaukee parted ways with Yuniesky Betancourt, Mark Kotsay, Craig Counsell, Jerry Hairston, Josh Wilson, Felipe Lopez, LaTroy Hawkins, Takashi Saito and Casey McGehee, whom they traded to the Pirates in exchange for reliever Jose Veras.
OUTLOOK: It isn’t a foregone conclusion that the Brewers won’t contend now that Fielder is in Detroit. The lineup is still pretty good, as Rickie Weeks (23), Ryan Braun (30) and Aramis Ramirez (23) all hit over 20 homers last season. Not losing Braun to a 50-game suspension also helps Milwaukee’s chances of making another postseason appearance, and the top of the rotation (Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum) is pretty good as well. With the offseason additions that the Reds made, they’re probably still the pre-season favorite to win the division and the Cardinals always find a way to be good (although this year they’ll have to do it without Albert Pujols and maybe ace Chris Carpenter). But the Brewers will be in contention for a postseason berth throughout. They just don’t have a lot of holes.
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