Brewers enjoy playoff taste, but plenty of unknowns ahead

Associated Press

Last update: October 6, 2008 - 9:59 PM

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So that’s what the postseason feels like. Now that these Milwaukee Brewers got a taste, they want a little more after being eliminated in four games in the first round of the NL playoffs.

“It was a lot of fun, regardless whether we won or lost,” said Prince Fielder, who had 34 homers and 102 RBI but went 1-for-14 against Philadelphia in his first postseason trip. “I finally got the feeling I always wanted to feel when I watched everybody else make the playoffs, so it was pretty cool.”

The Brewers sizzled in August, slumped in September, saw manager Ned Yost get fired with 12 games to go and came through to win the NL wild card on the final day of the season.

But CC Sabathia, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner who carried them down the stretch, might be gone in free agency, along with the Brewers’ own homegrown ace, Ben Sheets.

Principal owner Mark Attanasio and GM Doug Melvin also must decide whether to give the managerial job permanently to Dale Sveum or go with someone else.

Is Sveum the savvy tactician who helped the Brewers win six of their final seven while the Mets collapsed? Or is he the one who overpitched Sabathia too often on short rest and was forced to pay the price in the playoffs?

“I’m being optimistic,” said Sveum, who went 8-8 as manager. “We’ll probably know something soon.”

Regardless, no manager will have the pitching pedigree of two aces like Sabathia and Sheets. Sheets said he believes his time is up in Milwaukee, while Sabathia’s new deal might be able to buy half of Miller Park, which cost nearly $400 million to build.

Sabathia said he would consider more than cash when deciding where to play next. “This is the ideal environment,” he said. “You have a talented team, great clubhouse, guys get along and have fun. I’ve really enjoyed my time here.”

• Milwaukee second baseman Rickie Weeks had surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee and is expected to be ready for spring training.

Etc.
• Houston Astros pitcher Brandon Backe was among 10 people arrested during a brawl with police at a weekend wedding reception in a Galveston, Texas, hotel bar. The bride’s father, 19-year-old brother and a FEMA coordinator were also arrested Sunday at the hotel, a command center for emergency workers after Hurricane Ike went through Galveston Island on Sept. 13. Backe, a 30-year-old Galveston native, was charged with interfering with a police officer and resisting arrest, said Joel H. Bennett, Galveston County assistant criminal district attorney.

• The San Diego Padres opened space on their 40-man roster, when catcher Josh Bard and lefthander Shawn Estes cleared outright waivers and chose to become free agents.