With the Milwaukee Brewers organization and its growing fan base legitimately expecting big things this year, a once nationally-forgotten franchise seems to be once again getting exposure.

With at least one publication picking them to win the National League Central in 2008 and another to secure a wild-card berth, years of intelligent drafts and wise trades are manifesting themselves into expectations and notoriety. Fox, the television company that showcases their “game of the week” on Saturday afternoons, picked up four Milwaukee Brewers games, something unheard of in recent memory.

In the past, the only time the Crew appeared on Fox was when on another team’s playoff hopes rested on the outcome of game. This year, the Brewers play games in both April and near the end of the season, a welcome shift for fans.

Interest in the Brew Crew also continues to grow in the Milwaukee area as evidenced by exceptional ticket sales for opening day.

While always considered an unofficial city holiday, this year reached new heights; because of such high demand for the coveted ticket, officials decided the only fair way to sell opening day seats was to offer a raffle for registered fans. Not since the 1982 World Series year has interest in professional baseball in Milwaukee been higher, nationally or locally.

The 2008 season will also see the introduction of the new Brewers centerfielder, the free-swinging Mike Cameron. Once he serves his 25-game suspension to open the year, he will be permanently placed in centerfield, hunting down fly-balls and becoming a regular on “Web Gems.”

Yet his ascension to the outfield causes a domino effect, as Bill Hall will man the hot corner and Ryan Braun will shift to left field, forcing 2007 first round draft pick Matt LaPorta to potentially learn another position or play for another team.

LaPorta, a college first baseman, began learning to play outfield due to the presence of team icon and current first baseman Prince Fielder. With Fielder firmly entrenched as the first baseman of the future and now Braun as the apparent left-fielder for at least the next couple years, the Brewers will eventually have to make some difficult choices. Obviously, fans and management alike want to keep both Fielder and Braun, but if that does not happen due to financial reasons, the slugger from the University of Florida provides insurance. LaPorta’s name may also surface in trade rumors depending on his offensive progress in the minors; either way it is a situation to monitor for the next year or two.

One other item of interest for the 2008 season comes from the east coast where the New York Mets acquired arguably the best pitcher in baseball when they traded for Johan Santana, formally of the Minnesota Twins. Armed with a large payroll and a plethora of talent, the Mets seemed primed for the World Series last year, only to suffer a collapse of historic proportion.

With Santana anchoring an already solid rotation and a lineup full of proven offensive stars, the Mets will be a formidable foe for the Brewers to overcome if they want a chance to represent the National League in the Fall Classic.

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