What is the value of one baseball game? I was lucky enough to have attended Game Four yesterday, my first playoff game ever, and I had a blast. But it hasn't hit me yet, that they lost, that the Brewers' season is over. And that's what's bizarre about elimination games -- the entire season is played with continual games, a repetition of skill and routine alike, and no matter the outcome of today's game, there is always tomorrow's game. You only have as much momentum as the next day's starting pitcher, they say. One game is merely one game in baseball -- which is one of the features that makes the game so enjoyable.

I am having trouble getting my mind around the fact that there will not be a Brewers baseball game for approximately six months. 

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As for the Brewers, I couldn't be more pleased with the way they put things together with duct tape at the end of the season, entering the postseason in a thrilling manner, as if playing as the hottest team in baseball for three months was not enough. This season was so thoroughly entertaining, from a club that managed to give us monumental slumps and one of the best hot streaks I've ever seen, lasting from that series at Pittsburgh in May through that series at Pittsburgh in August. 

Whereas last year's story was the slugging offense, this year's story was the above average pitching staff, and their ability to carry the team regardless of offensive output for most of the season. Sure, C.C. is the main story due to his incredible run, but he was here for half of a season. The stories of Ben Sheets, Dave Bush, Seth McClung, and Manny Parra are equally as compelling, explaining the trends and developments of our rotation throughout the season. 

Ben Sheets started the season strong, and pitched well even though the Sabathia trade, although a stretch of downright putrid run support, bullpen support, and defensive support plagued him. It's difficult to win baseball games when your team continually scores 3 or fewer runs, and that's the story of Sheets since July 9: 14 GS, 81.3 IP, 37 R, 7 quality starts; 4.10 runs average, 5.81 IP/GS. His two short starts in September weigh down a solid stretch during which Sheets pitched 7 quality starts in 12 starts, but didn't receive the support he needed to help the Brewers win.

After his rough start, Dave Bush pitched one fine season from May 27 and forward: 22 G, 21 GS, 138.3 IP, 113 H, 56 R, 85 K/30 BB; 13 quality starts (61.9%); 3.64 runs average, 6.29 IP/G

Manny Parra neither finished nor started his season with any type of quality results, but from May 20, a scoreless outing at Pittsburgh, through the end of August, he was one of the crucial pitchers to step up and lead this team to a hot stretch. 19 G, 18 GS, 109.3 IP, 45 R, 9 quality starts; 3.71 runs average, 5.75 IP/GS.

And of course, there is McClung's stretch as a spot starter from May 24-July 21: 11 GS, 60.3 IP,  29 R, 5 quality starts (45.5%); 4.33 runs average, 5.48 IP/GS.

The next time someone raves to you about how Sabathia took this team to the playoffs, be sure to mention Ben Sheets, Dave Bush, Manny Parra, and Seth McClung.

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Thank you for the excellent season, Brewers! It couldn't have been more entertaining, intriguing, exciting...