Well, it has taken a few days for me to come to grips with the baseball season being over for the Brewers. I feel very lucky that I was able to attend both games this past weekend and won't soon forget the experience. I have never experienced anything like I did Saturday night at Miller Park. The crowd was electric all night long and I've never heard Miller Park as loud as it was for the first inning. It was a surreal feeling and the fans should feel very good about doing their part and being vocal all weekend long.

Overall, the 2008 season went about how I thought it would. The Brewers had an up-and-down team but finished as the Wild Card winners but were quickly bounced out of the playoffs. The team struggled to start the year followed by three months of unbelievable baseball and finished up by backing into the playoffs and losing their manager in the process. To call this season a rollercoaster is an understatement.

Rickie Weeks had so much promise at the beginning of the year and most thought this would be his breakout season. Unfortunately, it turned into yet another lackluster performance at the plate and more defensive struggles. If I thought the Brewers could get fair value in return I'd be all for trading him but I don't think it's possible.

Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun both came into the season with high expectations and I really thought the two could pull a Mantle/Maris and each hit 50 home runs. Well, Prince was worried too much about getting paid early in the season and Braun struggled the last six weeks with an injury. So we had to settle for 30+ homers each. If Braun and Fielder want to be the superstars they think they are, they need to become more consistent and disciplined at the plate. At least I know Braun will have a chance to improve as a Brewer next year; I'm not as sure about Prince being back though.

I'm too sickened by Corey Hart to even talk about him. Perhaps the worst six weeks of baseball I've ever seen from one player. But we shouldn't boo you, right Corey? You're lucky there wasn't a revolt by fans to get you out of the lineup ourselves. Seriously, you followed up a great first half and All-Star Game appearance with a wasteful second half that had most of the fans turn on you. Learn patience at the plate and maybe you can get in the good graces of the fans again.

Jason Kendall did a great job with the pitching staff and threw out a ton of runners. He was a huge upgrade over Johnny Estrada...except for that .246 average. I can't wait to see you have another year with Manny Parra and I hope you can help Yovani Gallardo grow into a great pitcher but you really need to raise the average by at least 25 points. 

Mike Cameron played some great defense for the Crew except when it mattered most, the playoffs. Your 25 home runs were nice but that .243 average will likely find you playing for another team next year.

Bill Hall and Russell Branyan clicked as a platoon for a few weeks but it was another disappointing season for Hall. I don't see Branyan back next year and I think Hall is in a similar position as Rickie Weeks: he has little to no trade value, so the Brewers may just need to hope that he can bounce back in 2009 from another sub par year.

Gabe Kapler was a pleasant surprise. He served as a great 4th outfielder finishing with a .301 in 300 at bats. I'd really like to see Kapler back next year to maybe serve in a platoon with Tony Gwynn Jr. Kapler comes from a winning environment and would be a good fit for the clubhouse. 

JJ Hardy had another solid season both in the field and at the plate. Hardy may be the most expendable player in the offseason. A solid defender at shortstop with an above average bat could bring back a very solid pitcher to throw in the rotation. Alcides Escobar seems poised to take over next year for Hardy and could provide more speed to the lineup without the loss of much in the field. He won't have near the power of Hardy but will definitely be a threat on the bases. 

Prince Fielder isn't going to sign with the team long-term, so Doug Melvin should trade him to the highest bidder and bring back the best possible starting pitcher. If Prince alone or with the combination of prospects can get a really good number two starter or even a lower-level "ace", then I think he needs to be traded. That way we could keep Hardy at shortstop and keep Escobar in Triple A next season. Prince could be replaced either with Brad Nelson or a free agent signing. You can't replace his power but you can upgrade defensively and still get a mid-level power bat as well. As I said earlier, I think a Kapler/Gwynn Jr. platoon in center would serve as a solid replacement for Cameron. The team would save money with those two and although they won't combine for Cameron's home run total, they should provide better at bats with less strikeouts. Kendall needs to play less in order to keep him rested throughout the season. Then I just pray that Hart, Hall and Weeks can bounce back from sub par seasons and provide the offense with the production it needs from them.

When looking back at the offense, it really is amazing that this team even made the playoffs. I could see the value in sticking with the same offense for 2009 and hope that the players return to their career norms, which would, in theory, produce more wins. But I think a shake-up is needed for success not only in 2009 but the future as well. Unfortunately, that means holding on to some headaches and trading away some valuable pieces....such is the life of a mid-market baseball team.

This was by far the best season I've ever had as a baseball fan. So enjoy a little Nirvana, widely thought of as the best band of the 90's. I have to admit that I was never really a fan of Nirvana while Kurt Cobain was alive. Hell, it wasn't until a few years after he died that I really started to enjoy their music. In addition to being one of my favorite Nirvana songs, "Heart Shaped Box" was the first Guitar Hero song I ever completed. Enjoy the video.