After a tremendous run last year that resulted in the club's first playoff berth in a quarter-century, the Brewers sat 13.5 GB of a playoff spot coming into today's action, and spot the National League's worst starting rotation thanks to their 5.22 ERA. As Adam McCalvv of MLB.com writes, the club has a ton of roster decisions to make this offseason, although GM Doug Melvin says "We've got a lot of decisions, and none of them will be discussed until the end of the season." Some of the issues facing the Brew Crew this offseason are... Impending Free Agents: Trevor Hoffman, Claudio Vargas, Mike Cameron, Felipe Lopez, Jason Kendall, Craig Counsell, Frank Catalanotto, and Corey Patterson will all be free agents after the season. The clubs hold a $3.7MM option for David Weathers next year ($400K buyout), and there's a $6.5MM mutual option for Braden Looper ($1MM buyout) that MccCalvv says the club "will almost certainly pick up." Arbitration Eligibles: Dave Bush, Corey Hart, Rickie Weeks, Seth McClung, J.J. Hardy, Jody Gerut, and Todd Coffey are all eligible for salary arbitration. Coffey, who's been the club's primary setup man, figures to get a nice raise over his current $800K salary. Starting Pitching: As I mentioned earlier, Milwaukee sports the NL's worst starting staff. McCalvv reports that "Melvin promised this week that he would be much more aggressive this winter in his search for answers," and that the club might take a "little more chances and risks" than they're accustomed to taking. The Brewers also have questions about the key up-and-middle positions. They have to sort out the Hady-Alcides Escobar situation at short, and decide whether to try and retain Lopez or give Weeks another shot at second base duty. Cameron and Kendall have both made it clear they'd like to return , but those decisions will have to wait until the winter. Milwaukee also must figure out third base, and whether Mat Gammel or Casey McGehee deserves the job. Prince Fielder has the another corner infield spot locked down, and is under contract $10.5MM next year before being artitration eligible in 2010, his final year before free agency. McCalvv also mentions that manager Ken Macha faces lame-duck year next season, and that Melvin is fielding questions about whether another managerial change may be in order. --

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