With the possible exception of Secret Stadium Sauce and the famous racing sausages, the Brewers' first 39 years of existence will not be remembered for bold innovation. In too many, management's thought process followed a predictable path:

We need to sell tickets ... Let's have Kenosha Night!

Our players stink and the fans are mad ... Let's fire the third base coach!

We need to save money ... Let's cut back on the scouting and player development departments!

The opening of Miller Park -- coupled with regime change and revenue sharing -- ushered in a new spirit of adventurism during the past decade. From the front office to the field, the Brewers started to dabble in calculated risks with varying degrees of success.

They drafted a high school kid from Florida when other clubs thought he was too chubby to be productive. (Prince Fielder became an all-star and the youngest player in history to hit 50 homers in a season).

They hit their pitcher in the No. 8 spot and their catcher ninth. (Didn't work).

They experimented with a home-road platoon for two starting pitchers. (Less successful than the pitcher hitting eighth).

They traded a coveted hitting prospect to Cleveland for Cy Young winner CC Sabathia. (One of the best moves in franchise history).

And, most recently, they fired their manager with 12 games left while tied for first place in the National League wild-card standings. (May or may not have helped, depending who you ask.)

After years of fumbling in the dark, stubbing their big toe on every coffee table that their market size and their own ineptitude laid in front of them, the Brewers found the proverbial light switch and began to buck against some of the conventional baseball wisdom that held them back for decades.

Facing their biggest game in 26 years Sunday afternoon at Miller Park, the Brewers faced a decision fraught with potential risk, reward and future ramifications:

Who should start Game 4 of the National League Division Series vs. Philadelphia?

They took the safe, predictable and almost "no-brainer" route offered by conventional wisdom. They put their trust in reputation and experience, gave the ball to veteran Jeff Suppan, hoped for the best and got the worst.

Suppan, midway through a four-year, $42 million contract bestowed in part because of his track record of pitching well in big games, was tagged for three homers and five runs in three innings as Philadelphia ended the Brewers season with a 6-2 victory.

"The Brewers were in a tough spot," one veteran baseball man said in the media room as the verdict became inevitable. "That guy (Suppan) was their big free agent signing a couple years ago. He's pitched in big games. They pretty much had to send him out there, even though it looks like he doesn't have much left."

Had the Brewers opted to start Yovani Gallardo, who relieved Suppan with three scoreless innings on short rest, Seth McClung, Manny Parra or a combination of the three, they end result of the game may have been the same.

It's doubtful, though, that it would have been worse.

Facing a Phillies lineup that pounded him three weeks earlier at Citizens Bank Park, Suppan took the mound amid the deafening din created by 43,934 fans and about twice as many inflatable noisemakers called "Thunderstix."

"I felt good going into the game," Suppan said. "I felt like we had a good game plan."

Holes in the plan showed up early. Philadelphia's first batter of the game, shortstop Jimmy Rollins, worked the count full and hammered a homer into the bleachers in right field.

That deflated the crowd significantly, but the energy returned when Ryan Howard hit into an inning-ending double play. Suppan got into trouble in the second, giving up a pair of singles but wriggled off the hook by striking out catcher Carlos Ruiz and pitcher Joe Blanton.

Even for fans that didn't see Suppan struggle through a putrid September, it was quite clear that every batter was going an uphill battle. Suppan's best fastballs topped out at around 87 mph. He took a long time between pitches. He worked deep into counts. But, it seemed as though he might be able to continue his "Houdini" act and wriggle off the hook often enough to keep the score close and get his team into the middle innings.

The magic evaporated in the third.

 Page 1 of 2 (view all on one page)

Next >>

2 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by WestSideWillie on Oct. 6, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. (report)

Hey, Maybe the owner can blame the Suppan signing on Dean Taylor and Wendy Selig-Prieb, just for good ole times sake. Again, the free agent history of overpaying to get quality players to play in Milwaukee is shown with Suppan. There is no other choice. As for the dreamers who think CC will stay in Milwaukee, 6 years, $150 million is the starting point for him. Still, for those who think this team is on the rise-the line up on Sunday, the Brewers drafted Fielder, Braun, Hart. Kendall, Soup, Durham, Counsell, and Cameron all pick ups and all declining.

Posted by High_Life_Man on Oct. 5, 2008 at 6:42 p.m. (report)

Saturday was great. Today, not so much. Either way, a great season, and I'm happy I got to attend 2 playoff games. Adios Svuem (I think his decision to pitch Suppan today sealed the deal), adios Sheets (good riddance...soon you'll be Houston or NYY's problem) and adios CC (thanks for the memories, you're everything this team needed....and more).