Braun and Ramirez Gold Love Finalists for 2012

Despite missing the playoffs, the Milwaukee Brewers were happy to have not just one, but two players representing them in the final round of voting for this year's Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Outfielder Ryan Braun and third baseman Aramis Ramirez were both selected as one-of-three finalists for the annual award, which recognizes the best players of the year at their respective positions.

Braun, last year's Most Valuable Player in the National League, and the Brewers MVP this season, was in the running with the Rockies Carlos Gomez and the Braves Martin Prado, with Gomez being crowned the left field winner on Tuesday night. Ramirez was up against the Padres Chase Headley and David Wright on the Mets. Wright took home the award, his third, after winning the honor in 2007 and 2008.

Critics have called the Golden Glove a popularity contest in the past few years. And while Braun's sixth place finish in fielding percentage among left fielders in 2012 warranted his runner-up status, many have argued that Ramirez fell victim to the corruption of the voting.

With a .977 percentage, the Brewers third basemen posted the best in the league, as well of his career. Wright, meanwhile, was third in the National League for fielding percentage. Ramirez was also arguably the most improved third basemen over 2011, halving his total errors with the Brewers in 2012, despite his age and nagging questions about his past performances with the Cubs.

The losses continue the Golden Glove drought that has plagued the Brewers since the early eighties. Robin Yount was the last Milwaukee player to win the honor, in 1982 as a shortstop. George Scott, Cecil Cooper, and Sixto Lezcano are the only other Brewers to win a Golden Glove during their time with the team. Scott with a whopping five, Cooper with two, and Lezcano earning one.

Brewers Cut Ties With Rrancisco Rodriguez

Francisco Rodriguez may not be a part of the Brewers bullpen anymore, though a newly public domestic violence and battery arrest in Wales in September is forcing the organization to keep ties with the reliever. Tyler Barnes, the team's vice president of communications, denies that the franchise knows the nature of Rodriguez's arrest, though he did admit that they were aware that there had been an incident.

District Attorney for Spokeshave County Brad Schimel also remained hushed when questioned about the subject recently, only revealing that the complaint was called into police on September seventeenth, and Rodriguez was apprehended the following day.

Schimel also cleared up the question of why Rodriguez was back on the mound for the Brewers as soon as the twentieth, stating that no charges had been filed against him, and that he was free to go after being brought in for questioning.

Rodriguez ran into legal trouble while playing in New York for the Mets as well. He was arrested at Citi Field in August 2010 for assault and harassment during an altercation with his then girlfriend's father. He was given one year of anger counseling for the crime.

Brewers Starting Pitchers For 2013

With the Brewers now firmly out of playoff contention, attentions turn towards the 2013 season. In the past, the next year's pitching corps was the big question during the off season, as the team has lacked a steady rotation since 2009. Manager Ron Roenicke took care of that problem early, by seaming-up the mound's personnel with trades and purchases throughout 2012. It looks like the Brewers are finishing the year with a solid picture of who will be in the starting rotation for 2013.

With nine-year veteran Shaun Marcum entering free-agency this off-season, Yovani Gallardo becomes the most senior pitcher on the roster. Gallardo began the most games of any Brewers starter in 2012, putting him in a good position to take over the ace role next year.

Roenicke Hopes Starting Pitchers Will Shine In 2013

Roenicke hopes to return to the number of pitchers he used to get the team into the playoffs for the first time in twenty-years in 2010. Just six names took the mound that year, compared to the ten that started for the team this season. Injuries and sub-par performances forced the manager to realign the roster a number of times during the year, though the reorganization seemed to workout for the best in the end, as three-of-the-seven potential starters for next season were not wearing Brewers uniforms until the middle-of-last-year.

With Gallardo at the helm, Mike Fiers, Mark Rodgers, Chris Narveson, Marco Estrada, Wily Peralta, and Tyler Thornburg represent the rest of the Brewers starting rotation. Estrada was the second most productive starter in 2012, putting up four double-digit strikeout nights and high numbers during August and September. Narveson will be another familiar face in the club house in 2013, though shoulder surgery limited the lefty to just a one-and-one season, with a suspicious seven ERA. Fiers is the youngest of the returning pitchers with at least ten starts in 2012. Despite being picked-up in late May, he went nine-and-ten on the season, including an outstanding July.

The rest of the players in question are recent additions to the roster, though each displayed promise in their few games with Milwaukee this year. Rogers and Peralta each put up winning records in 2012, Peralta giving up just under a 2.5 ERA. Roenicke told reporters that he is excited about the pair, who each posses a nice array of pitches, as well as Thornburg.