Years from now, fans will look back at the Brewers' 2008 season and remember it as the year Milwaukee returned to the playoffs after a 26-year absence. The early-season struggles, the late-season swoon and Ned Yost's September firing will -- in the grand scheme of things -- merely be footnotes.
There was plenty of good, too. Most notable was Doug Melvin's trade for CC Sabathia in July that energized the fan base. And lest we forget the 3 million fans that poured through the Miller Park turnstiles. Sabathia nearly threw a no-hitter. Yovani Gallardo worked his way back from a knee injury. There were a lot of memorable moments in between that will eventually fall along the wayside.
So before we set our full attention to the Packers, Bucks, Admirals and college football and basketball, here's a look back at the best and worst of 2008:
High point: Sept. 28 -- Capping off a wild week, Sabathia pitched a complete game -- his third in a row on short rest -- and Ryan Braun hit an eighth-inning homer that would put the Brewers in the postseason. Fans and players hung around for nearly an hour after the game, watching the Mets lose to give the Brewers the Wild Card berth.
Low point: Pick a sweep, any sweep: The "Boston massacre" in May sparked an amazing run back to contention that was subdued by a four-game sweep by the Cubs at Miller Park in late July. Things seemed pretty dire after the four-game sweep at Philadelphia early in September, but the team was still tied for the Wild Card lead ... though it did cost Yost his job.
MVP: No debate here; Sabathia. His acquisition, alone, gave the Brewers unprecedented credibility as a legitimate contender. What he did on the mound was nothing short of amazing: 11-2 in 17 starts with a 1.65 ERA. The big lefty almost single-handedly carried the Brewers into the playoffs. He didn't fare well in his lone postseason appearance, but the Brewers wouldn't have been there without Sabathia.
Biggest surprise: Russell Branyan was a good story. He signed a minor-league contract prior to spring training and beat up Pacific Coast League pitching so badly, that his bat was summed to Milwaukee to spark a stagnant offense. He filled the role well until injuries set in late in the season. Still, he finishes second to Gabe Kapler.
Kapler spent last season retired from playing and was a manager in Boston's minor league system. Many wondered if he had anything left in the tank ... boy, did he. Kapler excelled as a pinch-hitter. He was a viable option in the outfield and was sorely missed when a torn muscle sidelined him for the final weeks and Corey Hart was spinning out of control.
He hit .301 in 96 games this season, with eight home runs and 39 RBIs. Sure, those aren't All-Star caliber numbers, but Kapler was a much-needed sparkplug in 2008.
Biggest disappointment: Eric Gagne, David Riske, Bill Hall and Rickie Weeks all get consideration in this department, so do Hart and Jeff Suppan -- signed to a $42 million contract to pitch in big games but imploded down the stretch. In the end, Ben Sheets' final days as a member of the Brewers were a sad end to what was supposed to be a great chapter in team history. In essence, 2008 was a microcosm of his career. So much promise, so little came of it. Sheets silenced his critics with a first-half performance that earned him the starting role in the All-Star Game. He wasn't the same after that, and the injury bug soon bit again.
His likely final apperance as a Brewer came in the season's penultimate game ... he barely lasted two innings and left the field to a smattering of boos. A rough way to end an eight-year Milwaukee career.
Unsung hero: Catcher Jason Kendall was written off for dead after last season. Who would have thought Kendall would have the impact he did. Pitchers raved about his game-calling abilities and the way he prepared for opponents. He thwarted running games, throwing out 36 of 91 would-be thieves. His offense, though far from prolific at the plate (.246, 2 HR, 49 RBI), Kendall was a stabilizing force behind the plate and brought a professional and veteran demeanor to the clubhouse.
