The 2001 baseball season is now well behind us, and the rays of hope that spring anew with the approach of a new season, the 2002 season, are here. Memories, both good and bad, still linger from the past season, but now everyone, both fan and player alike, are set to make new memories, hopefully more good than bad. As the cliché goes, everyone starts the season with the same record and with a clean slate. Anything can happen in the upcoming season, and many things that we won't expect to happen will. Anticipation flows through the veins of the baseball world. Possibly in no place does this anticipation run stronger than in the hearts of the young baseball players, jockeying for a promotion, trying to keep his starting spot, or even just trying to stay on the roster at all. This time of year, every roster is full and everyone has a chance. Welcome to the coming onset of spring, and the real beginning to a new year, spring training.

Though formal spring training doesn't begin for a few weeks, some players have already been through minicamps down in Arizona and Florida, and some players have even been there for most of the winter, trying to work on skills to try to become a better player, a player more valuable to the parent organization. For Brewers farmhands, this means heading down to Maryvale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. As players start trickling, and then streaming, down to the valley of the sun, what better time to try and project where all the guys will end up? The following projections are where we at Brewerfan.com think that all the guys will end up to begin the season, as well as some alternative possibilities. Keep in mind that, with some roster moves likely to be made before the start of the season, we can't really guess as to exact rosters, but here is out best try with the present personnel.

As always, feedback is appreciated: toby@brewerfan.com

With a glut of middle infielders, someone is going to have to be moved, and I think that if the Brewers can move Loretta for pretty much anything, they will. Blanco and Casanova should pretty much split time as the backstop. The starting infield and outfield are now almost pretty much set, unless Belliard is traded, or can't adjust to third base. Paul Rigdon probably gets the nod over Nick Neugebauer, as the Brewers will want to be cautious with "Nuke." The last bullpen spot will either go to Mike Buddie, last year's serviceable long reliever or Jorge Sosa, the Rule 5 draft pick from Seattle.

Notes:
The team will once again be heavy on 1B/corner-OF/DH types, with Rushford, Jacobsen, Barker and Zuber all likely making the team. I would imagine the team wants to get a good, long look at Jaisen Randolph as a leadoff guy, to see if he can get back his prospect status. The 5th outfield spot is pretty much up for grabs, although another spot might open up if Sanchez breaks camp with the Brewers. The pitching picture is muddled at best, with no less than 20 pitchers having a decent shot at a roster spot. I have chosen to go more in-house with roster picks, although any number of Garcia, Lee, Krawczyk, Childers and possibly even Mallette, could end up back in Huntsville. Of the 5 starters listed, only Osting is a sure thing to be there at the beginning of the season. There will be some decent AAA talent released here.

Notes: Brian Moon starts his third campaign in Huntsville, and even with his defensive prowess, one wonders if he will ever advance, or if he should be tried out as a pitcher. The lineup is pretty much a facsimile of last year's High Desert opening day starters, except at third base, where minor league vet and former top prospect Gabe Alvarez takes over. Hall and Scarborough make a way above average double play combo. The starting pitchers are pretty much set, although a veteran minor leaguer like Jeff Sparks could be chosen to start for awhile, to give a young staff some guidance. And again, there are a lot of arms to choose from here for the bullpen, and some good talent will be released.

Notes:
This will be another High Desert team that will put out a bunch of offense, but will struggle on the mound at times. Alfonzo, Voltz, Clark, Zoccolillo and Hammond will all hit for above average power here. Garcia will share time with Voltz and first and Zoccolillo in left field, as well as bat as the DH. Ayala and West, like Scarborough and Hall, are a very good middle infield pairing defensively. None of the starters besides Hendrickson proved a whole lot last year, and the task won't get easier in Adelanto. Smart may start to provide some leadership. Once again, there are a whole lot of bullpen arms to choose from, although Hall and Shwam are the likely setup-closer combo.

Notes: With a hot start, Belcher may indeed not be around long, and it would appear Villanueve would be given the catcher's spot at that point. Until then, Florian will get a lot of at-bats, just in a widely varying array of defensive positions. Besides Belcher, Lansford and Cordero, this is basically the 2001 Ogden team. This will be a fairly veteran A-ball team, with only 9 of the projected 24 players being non-college signees. I would expect Beloit to once again retain 12 pitchers, to ease the burden on young shoulders and arms.