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Thursday, April 5
Milwaukee Brewers preview

ESPN.com

POWER RANKINGS


	Jeromy Burnitz had big power numbers (31 HR, 98 RBI), but a small average (.232).

Strength of schedule
.494, 11th in NL
Lineup ranking
9th in NL
Pitching ranking
12th in NL
Prediction
4th in NL Central

The lowdown
2000 record: 73-89 (3rd in NL Central)
Runs scored: 740, 13th in NL
Runs allowed: 826, 10th in NL

Three key issues for 2001
1. Are Jamey Wright and Ben Sheets ready to join a healthy Jeff D'Amico for a solid front three?

2. Will Jeffrey Hammonds stay healthy, be able to play center field and post decent numbers away from Coors Field?

3. Will the new ballpark brings more fans and increased enthusiasm to the team, and perhaps give the team more money to make a midseason pickup if they're in the playoff chase?

Three key facts
1. Geoff Jenkins (34), Jeromy Burnitz (31) and Richie Sexson (30) became the first trio of Brewers players to hit 30 homers in the same season since Cecil Cooper, Ben Oglivie and Gorman Thomas in 1982.

2. Brewers pitchers set a club record by issuing 728 walks last season.

3. Jenkins led the Brewers in batting average (.303), homers, hits (155), slugging percentage (.588), runs scored (100) and total bases (301).

RETURNING 2000 STATISTICAL LEADERS

AVG	G. Jenkins	.303
HR	G. Jenkins	34
RBI	J. Burnitz	98
RUN	G. Jenkins	100
SB	J. Mouton	13
WIN	J. Haynes J. D'Amico	12
SV	C. Leskanic	12
ERA	J. D'Amico	2.66
Complete 2000 Statistics: Batting \| Pitching

Dave Campbell's scenarios
Best case: Brewers Hop into race.
New park and good vibe has club excited; starting pitching will tell tale.

Worst case: Yeast infection.
Jeff D'Amico could have recurring arm problems and other starters may be downright ineffective.

ESPN.com's lineup analysis
Player	Comment	Pos. rank*
T. Fernandez, 3B	Hit .328 for Blue Jays in '99	9
M. Loretta, SS	Out until early May; Jose Hernandez fills in	7
G. Jenkins, LF	He's become very good defender to go with 34 HRs	6
R. Sexson, 1B	Overrated (only .499 slugging pct.), but may hit 40	7
J. Burnitz, RF	Do you think $10 million player when you think of him?	7
J. Hammonds, CF	Better than Grissom, but those were Coors Field totals	8
R. Belliard, 2B	Regressed after nice rookie year	12
H. Blanco, C	Cannon arm and isn't automatic out	11
ESPN.com's pitching staff analysis
J. D'Amico, RHP	Has already missed spring action with sore shoulder	16
J. Wright, RHP	Don't dig in: Led NL with 18 hit batters	49
J. Haynes, RHP	Well, he now has 722 career innings and 5.63 ERA	62
B. Sheets, RHP	Olympic hero will become ace, but not this year	39
Middle relief	Unknown group, but had second-best NL relief ERA	6
C. Leskanic, CL	Escaped hell and got big payday as result	9

	Position average (NL rank):	8.38 (T9th)
	Pitching index (NL rank):	10.75 (12th)

* Position rank, compiled by ESPN.com's baseball staff, compares each NL team's strength at that position, including platoons, based on players' total projected value (offense, defense, durability) for the 2001 season.

NL position players and bullpens ranked on a 1-16 basis, with 1 being best.
NL starting pitchers ranked on 1-64 basis, with 1 being best. Cumulative rankings of starting pitchers are combined with bullpen and closer for overall pitching index, with more weight given to starters.
In both rankings, 1.00 is the best possible score, 16.00 the worst.

Click here for position-by-position NL rankings.

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