The first pitch of the Major League Baseball season was thrown last month and it’s good to have baseball back. The Clarion sports staff discuss what they think will happen this season.

Q: Are you excited for the season?

Andrew: Definitely, after last year’s run the to the NLCS I think this team is fun to watch again. It took me awhile to get into baseball, but every year I appreciate the sport more and more and am ready for warm summer days and the Brewers on the radio.

Joe:  Nothing other than the voice of Bob Uecker would have driven out the long winter that we had this year, and finally it is back.  I plan on making several pilgrimages to Miller Park this season, and hopefully they can take things just as far as last year.

Q: What do you expect from the Brewers Roster?

Joe: Granted the season is still very young, but if they maintain the ability to win the close games, I think the sky’s the limit.  Lorenzo Cain setting the tone for the season with a walk-off home run robbery on opening day is something fans should never forget.  If he misses that, the Crew might not even be close to 8-2.

Unfortunately, it is tough seeing Craig Counsell getting extra mileage out of the current pitching staff (excluding Josh Hader), but once they settle in, they should be able to grind out wins more consistently.

Andrew: Yeah the pitching will be interesting, I personally would like to still see Hader become a starter, but at this point, I don’t see how that happens, he’s just too good out of the bullpen.

As far as the rest of the staff it sounds like Counsell will be managing starters Freddy Peralta, Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff which could force them into situations like last year with using “out getters” instead of actual starters. And the injuries to Jeremy Jeffress and Corey Kenbel will takes away some go to arms in the pen. I feel better about pitching this year, but I agree they will still be grinding out some games.

I think the offense this year will be good this year too, with reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, and a hopefully productive Ryan Braun they have the ability to put up runs. Consistency is biggest problem, mostly from the infield with Jesus Aguilar

Q: Who are their biggest division rivals? The Milwaukee Brewers have played 10 games so far in this young season, going 8-2. They sit at first place in the division. Do you think they can win the division again?

Andrew: Their chief rivals for the division title are again going to be the Chicago Cubs, but with their roster possibly on the start of the decline, the Cubs could be on the outside looking in again in the postseason.

Their pitching so far consists of an old Cole Hamels (who has no idea how a rivalry works by the way) and what is looking like a terrible contract with Yu Darvish. Jose Quintana is the only name I know that I would be afraid of and he can’t pitch every day. I think the Brewers will be able to hold of the Cubs and take the division.

Joe: I am not so confident that the Cubs make it out of the hole they have dug for themselves.  If they don’t win their series against the Pirates this week, I expect St. Louis or Pittsburgh to pick up the slack in the NL Central.  Pirates pitching has looked strong so far, and the Cards have some up-and-comers that could have breakout years.  The likes of Kolten Wong and Paul Goldschmidt could really take advantage of relatively weak pitching in the rest of the division.