So, now what? After a 12th consecutive losing season, Brewer fans are left to wait until spring, where a sense of optimism will quickly turn to a feeling of defeat and depression ... again.
Why? Why can't the Brewers field a competitive team of any sort? Or at least a .500 club? Many thought that 2004 was going to be the year as the Brewers overachieved for the entire first-half of the season. But all of the optimism and "feel good" stories of April, May, and June quickly turned to the annual, hard-luck reality of July, August, and September.
Everybody understands that the Brewers are members of Major League Baseball's "Annual Punching Bag Club," a list of small market franchises that include the likes of Kansas City, Pittsburgh, and Montreal. Granted, MLB's lack of a salary cap and imperfect revenue sharing system are detriments to the Brewers and other small market franchises, the "small market excuse" does not work anymore in Milwaukee. People want results.
Pittsburgh had a series of successful years in the '90s and well, don't ask the hard-to-find diehard Expo fan about the strike-shortened season of 1994. These were the most recent "good old days" in these franchises' histories ... and both came during the 12-year period of defeat in Milwaukee. Yes, folks, Barry Bonds was a Pirate at one time!
Even Kansas City made a run for much of the 2003 season, keeping things interesting until finally yielding to the Minnesota Twins, the team that has really bucked the small market syndrome, relying on a great farm system and good front office management to remain competitive and successful.
Many are hoping that the Brewers are taking a page out of the Twins' book of success. After all, Baseball America labeled the Brewers' farm system as the best in Baseball, just a few years after being accused of having the worst system in the game by the same publication. There is offense on the horizon. Prince Fielder had a great year at Double-A Huntsville and Corey Hart also played well again in the minors. Shortstop J.J. Hardy and 2003 College Player of the Year Ricky Weeks should eventually give the Brewers a double-play duo up the middle that will hopefully stay together for a decade or better.
Outfielder Dave Kernel, who is enjoying a September cup of coffee right now in Beer-town, will hopefully serve as the table-setter for this group. Current lead-off hitter Scott Podsednik's sophomore slump has the club questioning his future as an everyday lead-off hitter, even though he's on pace to finish the season with close to 70 stolen bases.
With all the potential at the plate, an obvious area of concern is the lack of pitching down on the farm. Ben Hendrickson and Mike Jones will hopefully mature in the next couple of years to team with Ben Sheets to form a solid young staff. They will need to find more help in this area, that is for sure.
Another reason for optimism in Milwaukee is the team's support in Wisconsin. Over this past weekend, the Brewers' organization topped the $2 million mark for season attendance. While many other franchises easily meet and exceed this mark, as well, there are several teams who haven't seen that figure and who might not see it for several years.
Also, some writers feel that the constant bellyaching from Brewer fans over the last few seasons has been a sign of weakness and lack of character. Well, I look at it as an indirect showing of support. They're bellyaching because they care. They want a winner ... even if it's 82-80, it's a start.
So, is their an end in sight? Brewer fans hope so. Twelve consecutive losing seasons might reach 14 or 15 before the ship starts to turn, but remaining patient with the farm system is the only real way a small-market franchise such as Milwaukee can develop any reign of sustained success.
That formula shouldn't be all that difficult to tolerate. After all, it's been 12 years since they've seen a winner. Hopefully, Brewer fans have enough patience on reserve for a few more seasons. Help should be on the way.
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