With the signing of Aramis Ramirez and Casey McGehee being shipped out of town, let’s take a look at the projected Milwaukee Brewers’ lineup for 2012. We are going to have two lineups: One with Ryan Braun and one sans Braun.

With Braun

1. Rickie Weeks, 2B

2. Nyjer Morgan/Carlos Gomez, CF

3. Ryan Braun, LF

4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B

5. Corey Hart, RF

6. Mat Gamel, 1B

7. Jonathan Lucroy, C

8. Alex Gonzalez, SS

Sans Braun

1. Morgan, CF

2. Hart, RF

3. Ramirez, 3B

4. Weeks, 2B

5. Gamel, 1B

6. Lucroy, C

7. Gomez, CF

8. Gonzalez, SS

I am sure if Braun is suspended for a long period of time, the Brewers will go out and get another serviceable outfielder because there is no way they can go out there with that lineup for 25 or 50 games. They will be really hard pressed to score runs.

Now the lineup with Braun inserted into the three-hole still looks pretty good. The key to either lineup will be Gamel. The Brewers don’t need him to be Prince Fielder, but they need him to be productive.

Bill James is predicting a .282/.342/.476 season out of Gamel with 19 HR’s. I think the Brewers would be very happy with that production from Gamel.

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By The Baseball Index