Unser Chat » David Stearns doesn’t expect wholesale change for the

Milwaukee Brewers after they fell a game short of the World Series.Milwaukee is set to return most of its roster after winning the NL Central in a tiebreaking 163rd game and pushing the Dodgers to Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain headline the group http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-dustin-pedroia-jersey , with Ryan Braun, Travis Shaw, Jesus Aguilar and Orlando Arcia all under contract, too. That gives Milwaukee’s general manager reason for optimism long-term.“Those are players that performed on a big stage in October and have the ability to continue performing as Brewers in the future,” Stearns said. “We genuinely believe we are set up to succeed going forward.”Stearns also pointed to an abundance of young pitching. Rookie right-handers Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta pitched well down the stretch, and Woodruff and Burnes played crucial roles in the postseason. All three will be in the mix for a rotation spot with Jhoulys Chacin, Zach Davies and Chase Anderson. The wild card for that unit is Jimmy Nelson, a breakout ace in 2017 who missed all of this season following surgery on his right shoulder.The Brewers’ bullpen 1-2 punch of Josh Hader and Corey Knebel are also under team control for years to come.“We certainly like our numbers and we do feel we have depth at that position,” Stearns said. “We’re always going to look to get better. We’re always going to look to improve. But we think we have a number of high-upside, high-quality arms who are continuing to improve Nomar Garciaparra Jersey , and some who are entering that sweet spot in their careers. That’s fun for us to see.”The team has just three free agents — late-season acquisitions Wade Miley, Gio Gonzalez and Curtis Granderson. Miley was a major contributor, going 5-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 16 starts during the regular season and then pitching masterfully in the postseason.Mike Moustakas and Joakim Soria have mutual options for $15 and $10 million, respectively, and Jeremy Jeffress and Jordan Lyles have club options for 2018.Moustakas seemed a strange fit when Milwaukee acquired him from Kansas City prior to the trade deadline because the team already had Shaw entrenched at third base. But Shaw held his own after moving to second, and Moustakas came through with some timely postseason hits after delivering eight homers, 33 RBIs and a .767 OPS in the regular season.“There is a reason why he has the reputation he has as a big game player,” Stearns said. “We’re happy to have him.”Jonathan Schoop didn’t fare as well after he was acquired from Baltimore. He batted .202 with four home runs and 21 RBIs for Milwaukee and went hitless with three strikeouts in eight postseason plate appearances.Schoop is still under team control for next season, but after earning $8.5 million in 2018, he might be a non-tender candidate.“He has had really impressive stretches throughout his career, and unfortunately for both him and us http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-dustin-pedroia-jersey , we didn’t see one of those stretches when he was a Brewer,” Stearns said. “We’ll sit down to see if we can determine why, and then we’ll go forward.” PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — For a strange start to spring training, Felix Hernandez seemed satisfied.The former Seattle Mariners ace, trying to regain his status as an elite pitcher, gave up four runs and left after 1 1/3 innings Saturday against the San Diego Padres.Hernandez allowed four hits, but just was one was hard hit. He didn’t walk anyone, but hit a batter and threw only 23 strikes in 42 pitches.“The most important thing is that my arm, and my body feel good,” Hernandez said. “The pitches were moving Fred Lynn Jersey , the curveball was really good.”Hernandez, who turns 33 in April, is entering his 15th season in Seattle — and the final year of his seven-year, $175 million contract. The Mariners hold a team option for 2020.Long the star of the Mariners’ rotation, “King Felix” is coming off the worst year of his career, posting a 5.55 ERA in 155 2/3 innings and being removed from the rotation for the first time in his career.Hernandez missed nearly half of 2017 with injuries and has since struggled to regain the form that saw him win a Cy Young Award and make the All-Star team six times. He is 168-128 with a 3.34 ERA in 403 career starts.One concession to time is a change to working only from the stretch position, something he decided on in the offseason. He hasn’t ruled out returning to the windup but he said he likes how it’s gone so far.“I feel good from the stretch. I just feel like I’m going straight to the plate,” Hernandez said. “Not too much movement. From the windup, I got to do a lot of stuff.”On Saturday, the first inning went well, as he struck out Travis Jankowski to start the game. In the second Wade Boggs Jersey , Jose Pirela led off with a double to deep right and Greg Garcia beat out a slow roller down the first base line that Hernandez fielded, he thought, in foul territory. It was ruled a fair ball and went as a hit.“He said it caught the outside part of the line,” Hernandez said. “I said no chance.”Omar Narvaez’s passed ball allowed Pirela to score, then Ty France was hit by a pitch. Boog Powell singled off Hernandez’s glove, scoring Garcia and sending France to third. Allen Craig’s sacrifice fly scored France, and Jankowski’s infield single ended Hernandez’s day.Just because Hernandez is nearing the end of his contract — and possibly his time with the only team he’s known — he said it hasn’t affected his approach.“It’s not different,” Hernandez said. “I just got to do my job if I want to continue playing.”