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Milwaukee Brewers: 2018 Review, How Did They Reach NLCS?

By Max Neibaur

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 05: Craig Counsell and Bob Uecker share a laugh before Game 2 of the 2018 National League Divisional Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Colorado Rockies on October 5, 2018, at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 05: Craig Counsell and Bob Uecker share a laugh before Game 2 of the 2018 National League Divisional Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Colorado Rockies on October 5, 2018, at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WI – SEPTEMBER 14: Christian Yelich #22 and Lorenzo Cain #6 of the Milwaukee Brewers  (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI – SEPTEMBER 14: Christian Yelich #22 and Lorenzo Cain #6 of the Milwaukee Brewers  (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Milwaukee Brewers Offense Powerful and Deep, But Inconsistent

After Stearns revamped the depth of the organization by trading veterans for prospects, the Milwaukee Brewers took off with a pre-flight in 2017. Milwaukee fell just one game short of the MLB Playoffs that season, but the team played important games together.

The next year, Counsell led the Brewers all the way to NLCS Game 7 of the MLB Playoffs. The Milwaukee Brewers had not made that deep of a postseason run since getting to within a game of winning a World Series back in 1982.

By 2018 Spring Training, Stearns felt like he had a good roster and deep organization.

"“I think we’re in a spot where we can consistently compete in this division [NL Central],” he said Saturday morning. “That’s our goal. That’s our expectation. We have to prove that. There are other teams in our division that have proven that over the course of a long time, that they can consistently compete. We have not done that. So this is our opportunity to prove we belong in that conversation.”"

Cain and Yelich played well all season long. Yelich played MVP-caliber baseball during the second-half, while it could be argued Cain’s output defending center field and leading off for the Brewers could make him the team MVP. Quality lead-off hitters could be undervalued in this era of higher launch angles and home run happy lineups.

Although Jesus Aguilar hit the cover off the ball during the first half of 2018, his numbers faltered post-All Star Break.

On the other hand, defensive wizard Orlando Arcia struggled at the plate so badly during the first half, he got demoted to the minors.

Arcia, however, returned to the club later in the year and played a key role at the plate during the 2018 MLB Playoffs. Braun also played well later in the year and excelled in the postseason.

Stearns added hitters before the 2018 trade deadline that likely influenced the better play of Braun and Arcia down the stretch because it gave Counsell the ability to use his players more strategically.

Because Stearns did not have to purge his entire system to move the Milwaukee Brewers franchise to within a game of the World Series in 2018, the team is in good position for 2019 and does not have to overpay for anything during the off-season.

Even the pitching staff looks good after young pitchers proved they could handle MLB Playoffs pressure.

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