I realize this is premature...but tonight's game made me think about what the Brewers must do to improve their team for next season.  Here are a couple of ideas...  Add your own input, of course.

Improve Their Defense

This will involve moving Rickie Weeks during the off-season for prospects.  Teams will no doubt be interested in his "potential," so the Crew could get a couple pretty good minor league arms for him.  The Crew would then move J.J. Hardy to second base, where his offensive prowess would still be above normal for the position.  Only players like Utley and Uggla will post better offensive numbers than him at second, and Hardy will improve the defense.

The Crew would then call up Alcides Escobar to sure up the infield.  He has the ability to be better than J.J. at short and have a much bigger range.  People are concerned about his offense, but the team is already dealing with Weeks' dreadful output.  Why not have a better defender hitting .220?  He may not get on-base as much, but I think Escobar will be about a .260-.270 hitter.  That is more than enough with his glove.

The final piece would be moving Prince Fielder and calling up Brad Nelson.  Nelson's offense is certainly not as good, but his defense is solid.  He has a bigger range than Fielder and can still work the count.  

Improve Pitching

After CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets leave (and don't get me started about signing the two pitchers...the team cannot afford to do that), trade Prince Fielder for a legit, young #2 pitcher like Matt Cain or Jonathan Sanchez from the Giants.  I've heard people say the Angels would be a good fit with Ervin Santana or Nick Adenhart -- although Adenhart would be a #5.  A rotation of Gallardo, Parra, Suppan, Bush, and McClung is not a post-season caliber rotation.  It needs to be addressed.  If the team can grab Cain, the starting rotation should be set to go.

The bullpen also needs to be addressed.  Salomon Torres will most likely be back -- if he doesn't retire.  He should be the team's set-up man, however, as his durability is more effective there.  Doug Melvin could attempt to swing a deal with Fielder for a closer, like one that could net a massive return of Zack Greinke and Joakim Soria, but the Crew would have to part with a massive amount of talent for that to happen.  It would probably take Fielder, Villanueva + prospects to get that done.  Brandon Lyon is also on the market this winter.  Milwaukee could look into that.

After that, Eric Gagne and Guillermo Mota will be gone.  The Brewers could build from within and call up Tim Dillard and Mark DiFelice to fill the pen.  Luis Pena is interesting, but has some major control issues to work out before making it to the big leagues.  Perhaps the team will inquire on someone like a Dan Wheeler, Juan Cruz, or Russ Springer, who are all on the free agent market this winter.

Improve Plate Discipline

Part 1 is to not pick up Mike Cameron's option.  He has been great in center, but his approach at the plate is atrocious.  There's not much on the market this off-season for center fielders, but Tony Gwynn Jr. could finally find his time in Milwaukee.  He works the count and uses all fields.  He could be the lead-off hitter next season.  The defense wouldn't fall off the map either, as Gwynn can handle himself in center.

That could mean calling up Mat Gamel to play third base IF he proves he can handle it in the Spring.  If he is a liability in the field, he needs to go to Nashville.  He does have very nice plate discipline, however, and doesn't strike out too much.  That is in Class-AA Huntsville, however.  Ryan Braun and Corey Hart will both improve a little at the plate simply because they are getting older and "wiser" at the plate.  At least, I hope they will.  Brad Nelson wouldn't be too much of a difference in terms of striking out or walking, but Nelson uses the whole field better than Prince.  There would be no overshift in the infield.

Here would be your lineups.  It's certainly a regression from this season, but it could field a competitive team.

C Jason Kendall; 1B Brad Nelson; 2B J.J. Hardy; SS Alcides Escobar; 3B Mat Gamel or Bill Hall; LF Ryan Braun; CF Tony Gwynn Jr.; RF Corey Hart

SP Yovani Gallardo; SP Matt Cain; SP Manny Parra; SP Jeff Suppan; SP Dave Bush

RP Seth McClung; RP Carlos Villanueva; RP David Riske; RP Mitch Stetter; RP Brian Shouse; RP Salomon Torres; CL Brandon Lyon