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By: Big Rygg

Well folks, here we are. The 2007 season for the Milwaukee Brewers has ended and the team sits with 83 wins and 79 losses.

But what does it all mean?

Over the course of the next several days, I will be bringing you a 2007 season retrospective. It will cover multiple aspects of the team and numerous breakdowns and analyses, like you've come to expect from the Brewer Nation.

I don't have it mapped out for what I'll post when, but rest assured that you'll find topics on the Starting Pitching, bullpen, infield, outfield, bench players, offense, defense, coaching staff and probably a couple of others like front office personel, trades made and not made, et cetera, et cetera. I'll even hand out my very own team awards. Some are probably obvious, but a couple might make you stop and think.

For now, though, let me say the following things:

• The Milwaukee Brewers did everything that I expected them to do this year (when I was expecting things at the beginning of the 2006 season). They competed for the Central Division pennant, played some great baseball, and made the entire baseball world stand up and notice one of baseball's smallest markets.
• Mark Attanasio continues to show the Brewer faithful that he is truly the man that this city has needed at the helm of its favorite team for a long time coming. Not only has he actually spent a little bit of money on the roster, but (as one example) he recently handed out $10 concession vouchers for 2008 to every fan with paid attendance. That day saw well over 30,000 fans in attendance (I wasn't at the game, so I don't know the exact number). 30,000 fans * $10 each = $300,000! That's showing appreciation for our having set a franchise attendance record. And anyone that doesn't think that we can't eclipse 3 million fans in 2008 is kidding themselves.
• The last thing I want to mention tonight is that the fans of Milwaukee finally remembered what it was like to have a team worth supporting. Yes, there are plenty of diehards that have always supported the team (like South Side Rob and I have always done...granted, he for more years than me), but in order to have 2.8 million fans show up to watch baseball in one season means that there were plenty of casual fans and sometimes fans and bandwagon jumpers that came to watch ballgames as well. We can only hope that these people remain active fans and continue to pack Miller Park.

Again, I'll have plenty more to say over the next few weeks, so be sure to stay tuned. And, lest we forget, South Side Rob will no doubt have plenty to say about the season that was, as well as breaking down the off-season like no one else.

Best of luck to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Colorado Rockies in the playoffs. I refuse to root for the Padres since their beating us cost us our shot at the Central. Represent the National League well in the World Series.

And, just in case, best of luck to the Indians and the Angels (or even the Sawx or Yankees if they play the Loathable Losers). I have enjoyed baseball so much this seasaon, and cannot wait to watch October baseball again.

Coming up first for my season retrospective? That's still a toss up. Do I give you my awards first and then post the articles to support them? Or do I give you the articles first and then you can try to infer from them who I'll select?

For the record, I'm leaning toward posting my awards first and defending them second.

Until then (with breaking news and analysis as soon as events happen), this is Adam "Big" Rygg saying...

Thank you for reading.

Just as a reminder, the Brewer Nation doesn't have an off-season. South Side Rob and I will be with you all winter as we prepare for our first National League (Division) Pennant.