How Do You Like Your Milquetoast?

Another Brewers season has come and gone, leaving yet another winter to mull disappointment.  For a second consecutive season, the Brewers pitching staff failed to perform at even a reasonable level and the potent put erratic offense was just good enough to keep the team mediocre.  It took about 20 minutes after the season concluded for the Brewers brain trust of general manager Doug Melvin and majority owner Mark Attanasio to decline the 2011 option of former manager Ken Macha.  From opening day 2009 Macha, when he opted not to start Yovani Gallardo against San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum, was at odds with both Brewers fans and players.  Getting rid of Macha was the easy part, now Melvin must find a way to upgrade the pitching staff with a limited budget and the failings of previous free agent acquisitions Jeff Suppan and Doug Davis fresh in his mind.  Star first baseman Prince Fielder will enter the final year of arbitration so there is much speculation that the Brewers will try to trade Fielder for young affordable pitching talent.  With San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez also rumored to be on the trading block and Fielder's single dimension skill set, there is concern the Brewers will not be able to obtain what they need.

The season was not all down moments, however.  Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, Casey McGehee, Ryan Braun and Fielder all hit over twenty home runs and Hart, McGehee and Braun each knocked in over 100 runs.  Gallardo led the team with 14 wins and 200 strike outs and promising young players like closer John Axford, catcher Jonathan Lucroy and center fielder Lorenzo Cain made big contributions and give hope for the future.

Brewer Of The Year:  Corey Hart  .283 BA, 31 HR, 102 RBI, 7 SB

No Brewer had more big moments in 2010 than the starting right fielder.  After starting the season in a platoon situation Hart emerged as one of the team's  offensive leaders and earned a spot on the National League All Star team.  His stellar play earned him a three year contract extension.

Top 5 Brewers Games Of 2010:

5.  April 22 @ Pittsburgh  Brewers 20, Pirates 0
The Brewers tied a franchise record for margin of victory, belting four home runs and pounding out 25 hits against six Pirate pitchers.

4.  June 24 vs Minnesota  Brewers 5, Twins 0
Gallardo struck out 12 Twins and allowed just five hits in a complete game shut out that sealed the Brewers first home sweep of Minnesota since 1995.

3.  September 7 vs St. Louis  Brewers 4, Cardinals 2
In front of a raucous home crowd Brewers relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman pitched a scoreless ninth inning to become the first player in Major League Baseball history to record 600 saves.  The historical night provided emotional relief for both Hoffman and the Brewers as a frustrating season neared an end.

2.  August 6 vs Houston  Brewers 6, Astros 5
Astros closer Matt Lindstrom retired the first Brewer he faced, trying to protect a three run ninth inning lead, but would not retire a second hitter.  Pinch hitter Joe Ignlett hit his only home run of the season with a runner on to bring the Brewers with in one and after Weeks and Hart reached, Fielder doubled down the right field line driving in the winning runs.  Hart scored all the way from first narrowly beating the throw of Hunter Pence and capping the Brewers most exciting come back of the year.

1.  May 28 vs New York (NL)  Brewers 2, Mets 0
For eight and one half innings Gallardo and Mets ace Johan Santana matched each other pitch for pitch, but Mets manager Jerry Manuel went to the bullpen in the bottom of the ninth and paid the price.  With two outs Hart connected for a two run walk off home run off Ryota Igarashi.