Oates: What went wrong for the Brewers? - Chippewa Herald

It's not an easy week to be a Milwaukee Brewers fan.

Everywhere you look, there are reminders of where the Brewers were, where they are and where they're headed.

Flip on the television and you see longtime Brewers cornerstone Prince Fielder winning his second Home Run Derby title at baseball's All-Star Game. Only this time the big man is representing Detroit instead of Milwaukee.

Open the newspaper and you see the defending National League Central Division champions are 40-45, which is only five games worse than last season. Then you realize 40-45 is misleading, that the Brewers haven't even played as well as their lackluster record indicates.

Glance at the schedule and you see Milwaukee plays the three teams it trails in the division â€" Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Cincinnati â€" in series immediately following the All-Star break. That could be a chance to gain ground or, more likely, it could mean the Brewers are nine games away from throwing in the towel.

So what went wrong? Why is a team that won 96 games last year on a pace to win 76?

First, Fielder took $214 million from the Tigers in free agency, leaving a 275-pound hole in the batting order and a bigger void in the clubhouse, where his competitive fire fueled the team. Then, a run of injuries cost the Brewers their catcher, shortstop, first baseman and two starting pitchers for long stretches. Finally, the Brewers miss the leadership provided by departed veterans such as Craig Counsell, Mark Kotsay and LaTroy Hawkins.

Despite all that, there is one more factor in the Brewers' slide and it is the biggest reason they're close to becoming sellers at the trade deadline. More than anything, underachieving players are responsible for putting the Brewers in this precarious position.

Some point to general manager Doug Melvin as the problem, but there was no way the Brewers could keep Fielder once the Tigers opened their checkbook. If you must blame Melvin for something, blame him for the back end of the roster, which is not up to major league standards. Other than that, he's done just fine.

Free agent Aramis Ramirez is no Fielder, but he's been a solid fourth hitter once he got past his customary slow start. Japanese signee Norichika Aoki has given the Brewers a .300 hitter who can handle the bat and allowed them to move Corey Hart from the outfield to first base, negating the loss of Mat Gamel. Melvin also had Marco Estrada and Mike Fiers ready to step in when two starters went down.

Others have taken issue with manager Ron Roenicke. Praised for his ability to keep the players relaxed last year, Roenicke now is seen in some quarters as a softie who can't motivate the troops. Yes, Roenicke could be tougher, but the Brewers have never quit, not even after a recent series of debilitating, bullpen-related losses.

In summary, the Brewers' problem this year isn't the way the team was put together or the way it is being run. No, the problem is too many players have failed to perform like they did last year or throughout their careers. Second baseman Rickie Weeks, center fielder Nyjer Morgan, catcher George Kottaras, starter Randy Wolf and the entire bullpen have let the Brewers down.

Weeks has hit .274 since late May, which is right about what he hit the previous three seasons. However, that only raised his average to .199. With injuries to Gamel, catcher Jonathan Lucroy and shortstop Alex Gonzalez, the Brewers simply couldn't afford to have Weeks hitting .160 for two months.

Morgan's antics, so amusing when the Brewers were winning, have become a burden. He started slowly at the plate, which happens in baseball, and his paltry RBI total (five) is understandable since the Brewers seldom had runners on base. But Morgan's baserunning gaffes and mental meltdowns are inexcusable.

If anyone expected Kottaras to step up when Lucroy went down, they've been disappointed. Known as a left-handed hitter with pop, Kottaras had three home runs in the first five games and hasn't had one since. Only the timely hitting of call-up Martin Maldonado has saved the Brewers from disaster at catcher.

Wolf has had hard luck, with the bullpen kicking away several games he should have won. Still, his 5.80 ERA and inability to avoid the killer inning have been the weak link in a rotation that must carry the team.

As for the bullpen, it seems like John Axford, Francisco Rodriguez, Jose Veras and Kameron Loe forgot how to throw strikes at the same time. The bullpen's 1.53 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) is dead last in the major leagues. The big three â€" Axford, Rodriguez and Veras â€" have the worst WHIPs of their careers.

It is obvious by now that the Brewers aren't as talented as they were last year. But they're not as bad as they've been playing, either. Unless they raise their collective level of play immediately, it's going to be a tough few months to be a Brewers fan.