This season there are two teams that all of baseball should be watching out for: the Milwaukee Brewers and the Oakland Athletics. Both teams were one dimensional last season, but big offseason improvements have created an even greater level of optimism from two already solid organizations.
The Brewers dealt for Zach Greinke, one of the few true aces in the whole league, and Shaun Marcum, a solid number two from the Blue Jays. While the Brewers gave up some of their top prospects, adding Greinke and Marcum to a rotation that already featured rising star Yovani Gallardo was well worth the price. Now, the Brewers, who were once just an offensive power, have a pitching staff to back up their feared lineup. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder lead a very powerful offense that finishes in the top-5 of the National League every year in runs. The Brewers are in win-now mode as it appears that this is Fielder’s last season with the organization. With the new pitching, the Brewers should challenge the Reds and Cardinals in the NL Central.
The Oakland A’s already had the top pitching staff in the majors last season. Their four best starters are all 28 or younger, creating the dangers for an even better finish than their second place run last season. Last season, they had the second worst offense in the whole American League. However, the A’s went out and got some hitting help with former Royals outfielder David DeJesus and Hideki Matsui. If Oakland can get any offense out of their new additions, the young rotation should carry the A’s to at a challenge of the first place Texas Rangers. Watch out this year for the Oakland Athletics and the Milwaukee Brewers to take the whole league by surprise and challenge for their division crowns.
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