Another summer full of promise gets underway today.  I’ve spent a lot of time and words in this space in the past making assessments and speculating on the fate of the local 9 from year to year.  There’s so much to read, though, in so many places, so I’ll try to keep my comments more brief.  Here’s a list of 10 things I think we’ll see from the Brewers this season.

1. Trevor Hoffman will become the first pitcher in baseball history to hit 600 saves for his career, before June 1.
2. Veteran outfielder Jim Edmonds will get more playing time between center and right than anyone would have predicted when he signed.
3. Ryan Braun will hit over .300 again, and pace the ballclub in batting average.
4. Prince Fielder will hit over 40 homeruns again, and will get  mentioned again when we reach MVP chatter time.
5. Alcides Escobar will be a Rookie of the Year candidate, and he’ll win it if he can hit over .260.
6. Yovanni Gallardo will win 15 games.
7. One of the team’s young catching prospects (Angel Salome or Jonathan Lucroy) will be called up to the team by the 4th of July.
8. Jeff Suppan will be traded or released before July 1.
9. We’re going to watch the opener in open-air sunshine.
10. The Brewers will win 86 games.

Enjoy the season!