Brewers first nonlosing season since 92

[RockSports17]

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Pop the champagne. Raise your beer mugs. Gather the ticker tape. The Milwaukee Brewers are no longer losers.

They're not exactly winners, either, but their 81-81 record marks their first nonlosing season since 1992, when Robin Yount and Paul Molitor were still in the lineup instead of Cooperstown.

``I told our guys it's very important for us to go home this winter and not give anybody the ability to call us losers again,'' manager Ned Yost said. ``They've been called that for 12 straight years.''

No more.

The Brewers blew a shot at a winning record by losing their last two games at Pittsburgh, but they're in no position to quibble over their turn of fortunes, particularly considering they played without their ace for much of the season.

An inner ear infection and a torn back muscle limited Ben Sheets (10-9) to 22 starts and sidelined him for all of September.

``It's always the 'What if?' but man, if we had Benny Sheets, you never know, we could have been right in that wild-card hunt,'' said outfielder Geoff Jenkins, the senior member of the team who went through seven seasons of sub.-500 baseball. ``We get him back strong next year and we add a few players, we'll be right there.''

New owner Mark Attanasio said he's accelerated his three-year plan to reach respectability.

``My expectations, I'm sure along with the expectations of the community, have been raised as a result of what we've done this year,'' said Attanasio, an investment banker from Los Angeles who purchased the club from the Selig family for $223 million last winter.

Attanasio raised the payroll from a major league-low $27.5 million in 2004 to more than $40 million in 2005 and he said it will go up again next year.

Fans are hoping the Brewers' turnaround will attract players such as Angels pitcher Jarrod Washburn, a Wisconsin native who is eligible to become a free agent.

Attanasio isn't looking for pricey short-term solutions to put the Brewers in playoff contention in 2006 but won't shy away from acquisitions that will pay off down the road.

Attanasio wants to sign general manager Doug Melvin to a long-term contract extension by November, and Melvin in turn will try to lock up Yost for the long haul. Then, he might try to dangle as trade bait slugger Carlos Lee, who has a year and $8.5 million left on his contract.

Lee had 22 homers and 78 RBIs at the break but lost his power stroke after participating in the Home Run Derby at the All-Star game and managed just 10 home runs and 38 RBIs in the second half.

The Brewers no longer have to look for a front-line third baseman thanks to the emergence of Bill Hall, who hit .291 with 39 doubles, six triples, 17 homers and 62 RBIs. With Hall at third, J.J. Hardy, who showed some pop at the plate over the second half, could play shortstop every day.

Second baseman Rickie Weeks will need to improve his defense (21 errors since his midsummer call-up) and will have surgery soon to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb.

The Brewers began their offseason shuffling Sunday by dismissing bench coach Rich Dauer and third-base coach Rich Donnelly. Dauer was in charge of the infielders, who committed 75 of the club's NL-worst 119 errors, and Donnelly was in charge of the catchers, who allowed a league-leading 66 wild pitches.

The Brewers made up for their mistakes thanks to a solid new leadoff man in Brady Clark, who led the team with a .306 batting average, and a superb bullpen anchored by Derrick Turnbow, the latest of Melvin's many reclamation projects, who saved 39 games in 43 chances.

Most importantly, the Brewers' bevy of prospects began making their mark in the big leagues in 2005.

Hardy broke camp with the club and was joined over the summer by Weeks, Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, Jose Capellan and Dana Eveland.

``We got the kids here now,'' Jenkins said. ``I think you saw the formula in Oakland and Minnesota when their young guys came up and they started winning. That's the formula we're trying to copy. We're not going to go out and spend $130 million for a baseball team, so we've got to have our young guys produce.''

Yost said he senses a newfound regard from opponents, too.

``The guys in that locker room have brought respectability back to this organization,'' Yost said. ``I don't think there's a team that enjoys coming to Milwaukee anymore, or looks forward to Milwaukee coming to their hometown.''

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[awefullspellare]

Hehe I love the non-losing vs. winning thing .