Few things in life are more pleasing then spending a snowy, freezing, December night at a Major League stadium, talking baseball with big leaguers. And for about 300-some sponsors and season ticket holders Thursday night, the Milwaukee Brewers were more than accommodating.

There's a buzz in the air these days that hasn't been experienced in quite some time. You can turn on a radio show and actually hear people talking about the Brewers as opposed from that football team up north.

Talk is only going to heat up this week as Doug Melvin and his baseball operations posse heads to Dallas for the annual winter general managers meetings. At times, the event is a veritable flea market of sorts, and other times it's like a morning-after-Thanksgiving sale. With agents and players working the hotel lobbies like Sinatra worked a room at the Sands, all of them looking for a deal.

And Melvin just happens to be in a position where he has one of the more popular items on this year's shopping list in first baseman Lyle Overbay. The talented left-hander has done nothing but impress since coming over in a similar trade with Arizona two years ago, but is considered by some to be expendable with minor league phenom Prince Fielder waiting in the wings.

Melvin is not one of those people, and nor should he be. No longer is this franchise in a position where it needs to swap one of its biggest names -- in terms of popularity and ability -- for the chance to reload.

Instead, this is a time to show a commitment to winning. Fans here, understandably, are leery of seeing a favorite player shipped away for the third straight year. But unlike the Richie Sexson deal, which brought in depth and prospects, Melvin made a deal based on need last year when he sent Scott Podsednik to the White Sox for Carlos Lee.

The pressing needs on this club may not be readily available on the free agent market. A solid, steady arm in the bullpen and another starting pitcher are atop Melvin's wish list. But don't be surprised if Overbay is still wearing a Brewers' uniform and Fielder that of the Nashville Sounds when the team opens the season on April 3 at Miller Park.

Now is not the time for panic, and Melvin knows it. Eventually, fans will have to realize the guy isn't an idiot and actually has a plan. So far, that plan has been working fairly well. But no doubt, expectations have been raised.

And for Melvin, that's fine.

Putting an 81-81 season in the books ends the streak of losing seasons, but at the same time, it's no cause for celebration. There is still much work to be done, and there's a lot of hunger in the clubhouse.

"Hopefully," utility man Bill Hall said, "we can go out there and have a Cinderella type season."

And this time of year, it never hurts to do a little glass-slipper shopping. As long as you don't mortgage the future to do it.