Oct 1, 2008 - 6:06 AM
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The Milwaukee Brewers were determined to make the playoffs in 2008.
After a devastating collapse in the final month of last season ended their campaign without a postseason appearance, the Brewers did everything they could to avoid a similar fate.
Milwaukee's front office made a pair of bold moves that paid off in thrilling fashion. First, the team traded top prospect Matt LaPorta and four others to the Cleveland Indians on July 7 in return for 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia.
After enduring a slump at the beginning of September, the Brewers fired manager Ned Yost with 12 games remaining, asking bench coach Dale Sveum to guide them the rest of the way.
Sveum got the job done as Milwaukee booked a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 1982.
Here are three reasons why the Brewers claimed the 2008 National League wild card.
1. CC Sabathia.
Sabathia's impact on the team and its playoff pursuit cannot be overlooked. The 28-year-old, who enters free agency this offseason, carried the pitching staff.
The lefthander won each of his first four starts with the Brewers and didn't suffer a loss in the NL until his 14th outing. Sabathia registered seven complete games and three shutouts, finishing with an 11-2 record and 1.65 ERA while striking out 128 in 17 starts.
Sabathia stepped up when he needed to at the end of the season after NL All-Star starter Ben Sheets suffered a torn muscle near his right elbow. As a result, Sabathia made each of his final three starts of the regular season on three days' rest. He won two of those outings and threw a complete game on Sunday to lead the Brewers to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs and into the playoffs.
"CC is not only a great pitcher that we all know, but he's one of those special human beings that comes around every once in a while," Sveum said. "What he does on the field, the clubhouse, the person he is, he's very professional and works hard. One of the nicest guys I've ever been around that's a superstar. He brings a lot to all aspects of the clubhouse. Obviously on the field we see that every two or three days."
2. A front office that is not afraid to take risks.
General manager Doug Melvin made several bold moves that led to the Brewers' playoff berth.
Melvin decided not to comprise the present for the future, trading LaPorta and depriving Milwaukee's farm system for Sabathia. For the reasons stated above, the move paid off.
While many questioned the decision to oust Yost with so little time remaining in the season, it certainly lit a fire under the team. The Brewers won six of their final seven games to sneak into the postseason.
"I don't know whether it directly had an effect on our success or our turnaround or not," left fielder Ryan Braun said. "I think it made us understand obviously the urgency of the situation and just the fact that upper management and that ownership believed that we could still turn this thing around and find a way to win. And obviously it's worked out for us."
Earlier work by Melvin led to this team's ultimate success. He drafted Braun and Prince Fielder, two key members of the lineup, and signed closer Salomon Torres, who has 28 saves.
3. An offense filled with power hitters.
The Brewers' lineup is capable of going deep at any moment. Five players finished with 20 or more home runs while seven of the nine regular starters finished with double-digit blasts.
Braun led the way with 37 home runs and posted a team-high 106 RBI. Fielder was not far behind, logging 34 homers and 102 RBI, helping pace a team that finished fifth in the majors in home runs.
Milwaukee finished second in the NL with 324 doubles and can also steal bases, finishing seventh with 108.
