Prince Fielder

If Joe Mauer was a lock for the American League MVP, then Albert Pujols is a lock, deadbolt, and steel reinforced wall to win the National League honors.  

Mauer received 27 of 28 first-place votes, nearly taking the award unanimously, and I think Pujols will complete the clean sweep of the senior circuit. 

Although the offseason has barely begun, the Milwaukee Brewers are already making their plans for this time next year. Rebuilding, retooling, or reloading; call it whatever you like but that's what the Brewers are using the 2010 season to do.

While this may be hard for fans to swallow only a year after making the playoffs for the first time in 26 years, it's a harsh reality of being a small or mid-market team in the current baseball economy. The Brewers simply cannot hope to compete for the playoffs year in and year out.

Expectations for the 2009 season were sky-high for the Milwaukee Brewers. Despite the departure of CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets, many felt the Brewers would still compete for a playoff spot after successfully making the playoffs in 2008.

Unfortunately, the starting rotation assembled my Brewers GM Doug Melvin didn't perform up to expectations. The team fell on hard times due to injury and ineffectiveness, and the team slipped to third in the division with an 80-82 record.

Milwaukee fans are used to seeing the above joyful celebration between Braun and Fielder, the two young faces of the Brewers franchise.

They are the ones people associate with the positive change that has taken place in recent years.  They are the ones fans buy tickets to watch more than anyone else on the current Brewers roster.  They are the ones fans of other teams think of first upon hearing the name of the Brewers franchise.

But they are also the ones that will cost more money than anyone else on this team in the long run.  

Mat Gamel or Matt LaPorta? That was the question facing Milwaukee Brewers' GM Doug Melvin last season when it became clear that the Brewers were the front runner to obtain pitcher CC Sabathia.

Melvin and the Indians agreed to send Matt LaPorta to Cleveland and the Brewers made the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. Mat Gamel, along with Alcides Escobar, became 1A and 1B in the farm system's top prospect ratings.

It should come at no surprise that Prince Fielder can hit home runs, in fact he hits them with authority and confidence unlike any other player. Which is why Fielder won the 2009 Home Run Derby.

First off a little history lesson, Prince has been hitting home runs his entire life, when he was living in Detroit and his father, Cecil, was playing for the Detroit Tigers, Prince would hit home runs in Tiger Stadium to the amazement of all the players.

As I sat at my computer anxiously awaiting Charlie Manuel's decisions on this year's National League pitching staff, I wondered whether or not the Phillies' skipper thought Josh Johnson would make the team. 

Would Javier Vazquez sneak in?  Who would he choose as the last relief pitcher?  One wonder that I did not think I had to consider was whether or not Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee's ace, would be on this year's team. 

With All-Star fan balloting wrapping up tomorrow, I figured it was time to take a look at which Brewers should be making the trip to St. Louis for the mid-summer classic.

By my estimation, the Brewers will have four players in this year's game.

Rickie Weeks very likely would have made the team if injury hadn't cut his season short on May 17.

Mike Cameron also would have been a strong candidate if he would have maintained the numbers he put up in April. Cameron will have to hold out hope for a Gold Glove at the end of the season instead.