First, Jack Zduriencik leaves town and now Salomon Torres retires.  Anybody else feel like the band is breaking apart?  It was pretty well know that major change would be coming the Brewers way in the hot stove league.  Does anybody else get that impending doom feeling?  Two guys that could have been key for 2009 success and beyond are gone.  Now the sum of all fears seem more and more likely.  CC Sabathia leaves town.  Ben Sheets dupes someone into giving him a massive contract to start 15 games.  Prince Fielder gets traded.  Jeff Suppan is still allowed at Miller Park and Bill Hall bats cleanup.

This offseason just feels like it is snowballing faster than you can say the Brewers finish the 2009 season in fourth place.  Doug Melvin continues to move at snails pace in an early offseason where even the small market teams are getting aggressive.  While the A's strike fast to land Matt Holiday and even the Nationals pull off a trade to land a pretty decent left arm, Melvin sits and crosses his fingers that a 100 million dollars will make Sabathia enjoy summering in Milwaukee.

I do not want to sound gloom and doom here but there is nothing worse than watching a band break up.  Just knowing that the same magic we experienced in 2008 will most likely be a ten times different type of show next season is gut wrenching.  Will next year's show stink worse than Bob Dylan's electric guitar set?  I say this Brewers franchise is not as doomed as everyone thinks but that is everything goes to plan.  That means Yovani Gallardo having a full season to establish himself as a legit ace.  Manny Parra needs to get some stamina and grow up to become something special.  Dave Bush needs to pitch a full six months instead of four.  Seth McClung could become a workhouse pitcher in the mold of Sabathia or the answer at closer.  Then again, rumor has it if the Cubs land Jake Peavy, Kerry Wood will be available.  Heck, if you invest 10 million in Eric Gagne, Kerry Wood would at least prove to be worth that kind of money.  Mitch Stetter could be a solid lefty out of the pen if he can stay consistent.  Carlos Villanueva should be nothing short than a stalwart again in the pen.  So if the "good ifs" happen pitching wise and the hitting stays patient, the Brewers should still be competitive.

Still, it is sad to see the 2008 Brewers break up the way they are.  Craig Counsell is no longer around to provide some nice back up vocals in the field.  We probably will not hear Tears for Fears if Brian Shouse takes his sidearm style some place.  At least we can relive all the memories of the 2008 Brewers when the "Best of" DVD comes up out in December.