Brewers Wrap Up

Todd Welter Posted: Oct. 5, 2009

The season has mercifully come to end and what a well documented disappointment it was. It was a season that has left Brewers with plenty of problems that need to be addressed. Should the pitching be upgraded through a weak free agent class or by trading Prince Fielder? Do you give Casey McGehee the starting third base title or hand it to Mat Gamel? Alcides Escobar or, well deciding between Escobar and J.J. Hardy should not really be up for debate. It should be Escobar. Before we look forward to the hot stove league, let’s wrap up the 80-82 2009 campaign.

Team MVP
Ryan Braun had a shot at co-MVP but a late season power outage gives the MVP title solely to Prince Fielder. If Albert Pujols did not exist, Fielder would probably be the odds on favorite for the National League MVP. Let’s see all he did was shatter the club record for RBI’s (141). He missed 50 dingers by four and hitting .300 by a percentage point. He showed up to work every day as well. If that does not scream team MVP, I don’t know what does then.

Those that think Fielder should be traded to address the pitching rotation need to come up with a different plan. There is no way you trade him now. You own his rights for two more years and you do not trade away a guy who can now hit for power, average and take walks. Sorry, Matt Cain is not equal value for a guy who has hit 158 homers over four seasons.

The Goat
So many candidates for this award. Bill Hall is out of the running considering he did not even last the season in a Brewers uniform. Jeff Suppan, Braden Looper or Manny Parra could get some consideration but all had some decent moments throughout the year. Well, maybe not so much Suppan.

Anyways, the goat of the team goes to J.J. Hardy. His bat was no where to be found. He whined when he was demoted to the minors and could not understand why he was sent to Nashville. Well, having a bad season and a better player behind you is a pretty good reason. What makes Hardy even more of a goat is his refusal to move to third base because he is a shortstop for crying out loud. Well, he was not a good shortstop this season and if he is to become one again, it probably will not be in Milwaukee.

Unsung Hero
Craig Counsell wins it hands down. The guy played through a bum knee and provided a solid bat.

Pleasant Surprise
At the start of the year it looked like it would be Rickie Weeks but then he was lost for the year. So Casey McGehee is your pleasant surprise of the year. He took advantage of his opportunity and ran with it. He did it all on a bum wheel. He definitely deserves a good, hard look at being handed the starting third base job next season.

Biggest Disappointment
Besides the season and the starting rotation, it has to be Manny Parra hands down. The guy started the season off terrible and it did not get much better from there. He did rebound all right from that awful start with an okay second half. This was supposed to be the year Parra took a step forward towards forming a lethal lefty-righty combination with Yovani Gallardo. Instead he leaves the season with more questions on his ability to even develop into a decent third starter.

Best Moment
There was some high points this season. The rally in Cleveland. Mike Cameron’s home run robbing catch on June 27 against the Giants along with that ninth-inning rally. Fielder’s walk off celebration after beating the Giants in September was also pretty neat.
The best moment still came on Opening Day and the rally to beat the Cubs. It was a nice image seeing Weeks drive in the tying run, then make that mad dash for home to beat out Ryan Theriot’s throw and slamming his helmet to the ground in joyous celebration.

Lowest Moment
The season ending without a trip to the playoffs.

To read more from Todd every day, you can read his blog on 620WTMJ.com right here.

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Brewers Wrap Up