Given understanding and expectation that the Milwaukee Brewers won’t be contenders for a few years, the season has gone pretty much according to plan thus far, despite a 38-49 record. While Milwaukee’s performance is in line with the pre-season expectation, the journey always takes an unexpected rout. Players the Brewers were counting on to produce haven’t, and players they expected nothing from have given them eyebrow-raising performances.

Brewers 2016 Midseason Report

The Brewers aren’t necessarily measuring this season in terms of wins and loses, but in the continued trend in the right direction. In sports, we tend to take things season-by-season. But given Milwaukee’s situation, we might be two or three years away from determining if this season was a success or not. However, it’s not too early to take a look at where they are in that process. Here is your Milwaukee Brewers 2016 Midseason Report.

Biggest Surprise

Junior Guerra. Consider this: Junior Guerra signed his first baseball contract before cell phones had cameras on them, and made his first professional start this season. Guerra originally signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2001. After six seasons with the Braves, he signed with the New York Mets and spent two years in their minor league system, before falling out of major league systems altogether until signing with the Chicago White Sox in October of 2014. He pitched in three games for the White Sox last year for a grand total of four innings.

Now, he is absolutely thriving in the role the Brewers granted him. Not only did he make his first professional start this season, he now has a 6-2 record with a 3.06 ERA over 82.1 innings. Further, Guerra only trails Ryan Braun in the WAR category among Brewer players, and is tied with Jonathan Lucroy with a 2.3 mark.

Honorable mention to Chris Carter, who only made his way to Milwaukee after going unwanted in free agency. At 29, Carter leads the Brewers in home runs and RBIs, and could be a significant pick-up for a contender down the stretch if he goes to a contending team that could use some situational pop.

Biggest Disappointment

Wily Peralta. In 2014, Peralta was in his age-25 season and right on the cusp of being in the Cy Young Award conversation. He finished that season with a 17-11 record and a 3.53 ERA in 32 starts. Those numbers could have been considerably better had he not lost five of his last eight starts. As a result, Peralta raised expectations to the point he was once viewed as potentially the future ace of the team.

As of this writing, he’s playing back in the minors trying to get back to being a serviceable starting pitcher. He rose seemingly from out of nowhere to have one magical season. Since, he’s fallen back down as quickly as he rose up. Every passing day makes it more unlikely Peralta sees big league success again.

Midseason Team MVP

Jonathan Lucroy. Surprisingly, Lucroy is third in WAR on the Brewers. But the value he brings at the catcher position is crazy, so it’s all relative. Lucroy’s batting average is a few ticks over .300, and he ranks in the team’s top three or four in all major offensive categories.

Defensively, Lucroy is practically the patron saint of pitch framing, and has thrown out 26 of 40 potential base-stealers. He’s as durable as any catcher, especially this year, as he has played in 81 of Milwaukee’s 89 games. He can also play a passable first base, which adds to his value.

Honorable Mention to Ryan Braun, who  continues to play at a high level, despite not ridding himself of nagging injuries.

What to Watch for in the Second Half

There is three things Brewer fans should be watching for in the second half:

1. Trades. There’s really nobody on the roster that is untouchable. Oftentimes when a team is in the midst of a rebuild, like Milwaukee is, and the trade deadline approaches, fans tend to want the team to sell off guys from the bottom of the roster; guys they are generally indifferent about. Fans don’t like the idea of trading guys they’ve watched develop. But Milwaukee should absolutely take an inventory of the team, and start at the top. However, to maximize wins in the future, the Brewers must sacrifice wins now. To get the most talent back, they must deal the most talented players. Whether they’re dealt sooner or later, Lucroy and Braun won’t see another playoff appearance in Milwaukee. Might as well rip the band-aid off now.
2. Development. Although he didn’t receive the “biggest surprise” distinction in this article, Jonathan Villar has been a revelation this season. Although he plays the same position as Brewers top prospect Orlando Arcia, Villar could be moved to second or third, or be dealt. But the further development of Villar and any other player on the Brewers’ roster under the age of 25 is paramount to their rebuild.
3. Games against rivals. Milwaukee obviously isn’t making the playoffs this year. Nor will they next season, most likely. But the success of the team going forward can boil down to games against the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. In those three, the NL Central is the most top-heavy division in the National League. The division also has the lowly Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. In order to make their presence known, the Brewers have to put up fights against the division’s elite. This season is all about the small victories in Milwaukee.

Main Photo