Even though Opening Day is 114 days away, Milwaukee Brewers fans cogitate, brainstorm, contemplate, imagine, envision, ponder, and ruminate over how the team can get better, or what next season is going to look like. Many of them think about the Brewers 24/7/365, and an additional day during Leap Years. So, though we know changes will come between now and then, let’s imagine that the season begins tomorrow. In that case, the Opening Day roster would look something like this.

PITCHERS 
Starting Rotation (5)

Ideally, of course, each member of this group would stay healthy and perform well enough to make 30 starts. Reality is the antidote for such delusions, though, and the Brewers have realities both behind and before them that figure to shake up the rotation at some point.

Peralta is high on the pundits’ list of Brewers most likely to be traded. Woodruff returned from a year and a half on the shelf in dominant fashion, but landed on the injured list again with a lat strain in September. Presumably, he’s back in full health right now, but next season will be a new test of the staying power of his shoulder.

Patrick made 23 starts and pitched well enough to earn down-ballot NL Rookie of the Year votes. Misiorowski brought excitement to the mound and the park; fans are ready for Year Two of ‘The Miz.’ Priester won 12 straight decisions, and the Brewers won 19 consecutive games in which he took the mound.

If one or more of these five falter, the Brewers have exceptional depth to buttress the rotation. Their five ‘starters-in-waiting’ made a total of 13 starts for Milwaukee last year. Tobias Myers made six starts, and after a midseason addition to his arsenal, he looked ready to make the move to a full-time starting job. Logan Henderson posted an ERA+ of 236 in five starts and is champing at the bit to be part of the rotation. Robert Gasser made two starts, but spent a lot of time on the injured list. In his return from Tommy John surgery, Coleman Crow made 12 starts at two levels, striking out batters at a rate of 32%, though he didn’t find his way to the 40-man roster until the end of the season. Carlos Rodriguez had a cup of coffee in Milwaukee in each of the last two seasons, and shows potential—although perhaps as a long reliever, rather than a true starter.

All five have minor-league options remaining, so if neither transactions nor injuries blow a hole in the side of the ship, this group can wait at Triple-A Nashville for a while. Only Myers and Rodriguez are candidates to do much work in relief for the team.

Bullpen (8)

The group listed above pitched 67% of the 634 2/3 innings Brewers relievers spent on the mound this year; expect to see more of the same. With four lefties and four righties in the pen, manager Pat Murphy has the flexibility to match up with opposing batters. Only Koenig and Uribe were fortunate enough to stay off the IL, and each of them wore down as the season progressed. As is true with the starters, the organization boasts good depth in the upper levels of the minors. There’s another bullpen’s worth of credible big-league hurlers beyond the group above, ready to stand the gap if called upon.

CATCHERS (2)

If the Brewers elect not to pick up a backup catcher via trade or free agency, Quero will probably get his first shot in the big leagues. Darrien Miller is a long shot—the kind of player likely to hang around a while but not to make much of a dent in the majors. Marco Dinges is probably the next-best backstop in the organization after Contreras and Quero, but is about two years away.

INFIELDERS (6)

Tyler Black and Anthony Seigler are both on the 40-man, but neither will make the Opening Day roster, barring something unforeseen. Vaughn and Bauers figure to rough out something like a platoon arrangement at first base, while Turang, Ortiz and Durbin are entrenched (for now) at the other positions on the dirt. Monasterio’s role will be filling in for and backing up all three, unless and until more moves come.

OUTFIELDERS (5)

Garrett Mitchell, Brandon Lockridge, and Steward Berroa are all on the 40-man, but this quintet has the inside track. Lockridge and Berroa might be waived at some point to free up roster spots. Mitchell could be in his make-or-break season; injuries have derailed his last three campaigns.

A lot can happen over the next three-plus months, and the Brewers could add or subtract players through free agency or trade. This version of the Opening Day roster will definitely change. Or it may not. Even this version of the roster is a clear favorite to win the NL Central next season.

What do you think about this 26-man? Am I missing anybody? Who is on your 26-man? Feel free to start the conversation in the comments section.