Last season, the Milwaukee Brewers posted a winning record for the fourth time in six seasons and came within five games of a playoff berth. This season, Milwaukee will enter the season with a well-rounded roster that has few holes.
But the Brewers are also short on sure things. While they have sufficient depth at their questionable positions -- particularly the starting rotation -- the team is essentially relying on big seasons from players who aren't safe bets to provide them. As such, the Brewers' path to the postseason will be a narrow one.
Ryan Braun is going to be ballin' like a boss and still somehow isn't 30 years old yet. For the second straight season, Braun posted a 7-WAR season. He upped his game from 30/30 in 2011 to 40/30 last season, becoming just the 11th player in baseball history to reach that plateau. While we can't forecast such a season as a repeat, it's safe to say that Braun will once again be among the cream of the crop in 2013.
But after Braun, the production drops.
To see why the Brewers are in such a tough spot -- and to get complete access to Insider's MLB content -- sign up today.
ESPN The Magazine subscribers
Need more information?
