Just 2 weeks left ’til Opening Day

With only two weeks left until the Brewers open the regular season at Wrigley Field to take on the Cubs starting their 100th year without a Championship, here’s what we’ve learned so far:

• The Brewers’ system is loaded with talent–as evidenced by their NL best 14-6 mark in Spring Training
• Craig Counsell and Mike Cameron are ready, willing, and able to contribute–as evidenced by Counsell’s 17-for-35 (.486) and Cameron’s 11-for-30 (.367) numbers in Cactus League play
• Eric Munson wants the backup catcher’s spot badly…and has gone 10-for-24 (.417) with 5 those hits going for doubles
• Doug Melvin appears to have worked his magic (again)–this time by reclamating Chris Narveson from the scrap heap (actually, give more credit to pitching coach Mike Maddux for recognizing talent). Narveson leads the Brewers in IP this spring, and has gone 2-0, 0.57, in 15.7 IP. Narveson will likely join Manny Parra, Tim Dillard, Zach Jackson, and possibly Dave Bush in the rotation in Nashville, giving the Sounds one of the best rotations in ths minors
• Claudio Vargas has shown success in Cactus League play, going 3-0, 2.40, over 4 starts in 15.0 IP
• Joining Narveson and Vargas with at least 10 IP and ERA’s below 3.00 are Manny Parra and Carlos Villanueva. Parra has pitched 14 innings and gone 2-0, 0.64, while Villanueva is 0-0, 2.57, in 14 innings
• Ben Sheets’ ERA is 6.55, Dave Bush’s is 8.31, Chris Capuano’s is 9.00, and Jeff Suppan’s is 11.25

Yes, I know, Cactus League numbers mean almost nothing due to the small sample size and the fact that they are derived from MLB caliber talent seeing a lot of minor league talent. Capuano’s injury, however, gives Melvin and Yost a perfect out for keeping one of the young guns in Milwaukee to start the season.