Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks (23) tags Pittsburgh Pirates' Freddy Sanchez to complete a double play in the season's final game in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Brewers Look for 2006 Success After Good Finish

It is a start. That is what Milwaukee Brewers fans are saying about the team's season this year.

The Brewers finished with 81 wins and 81 losses. It was not a winning season as some hoped. They did not win more games than they lost. However, it was still a solid season for a team that had 12 straight losing years before 2005.

The last time the Brewers won more games than they lost was in 1992. That year, they won 92 and lost 70. They narrowly missed the playoffs.

Brewers Manager Ned Yost said the team hoped for a winning season this year.

“You think of all the games that you could have won over the course of the year and wished you could have won one more,” he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

There are signs that will change in 2006.

Reasons for optimism            

The Brewers should have Ben Sheets, their best pitcher, back next season and in good health. Sheets missed 11 weeks in 2005 with a variety of injuries. Also, a number of players who had good seasons will return next year.

Pitcher Chris Capuano won 18 games for Milwaukee. Derrick Turnbow had 39 saves. A pitcher gets a save when he gets the final outs of a close ballgame.

The outfield of Carlos Lee, Brady Clark and Geoff Jenkins also had good seasons. Brady Clark had an impressive .306 batting average. Batting average is figured by dividing hits by total at-bats. Clark had 183 hits in 599 at-bats.

A number of young players also played well in 2005. Shortstop J.J. Hardy and second baseman Rickie Weeks will likely play those positions for years.

First baseman Lyle Overbay also had a good year, although he might be traded in the off season. Young star Prince Fielder is ready to take over that position.

Yost said he is hopeful for next year.

“You just don't take one huge leap,” he said. “It's a step-by-step building process.”

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Associated Press