One of the greatest seasons from any Milwaukee Brewers team was the 2011 MLB season. This season was the year that I started watching Brewers baseball and still standouts as some of the best baseball I have ever watched. This season consisted of great team chemistry along with the franchise’s first division title since moving to the National League. In this article, I will highlight the dynamic duo consisting of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, the phenomenal pitching staff, and the greatest walk off hit in franchise history.

• The 2011 season was led by two incredibly talented players, Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Ryan Braun was the starting left fielder and Prince Fielder was the starting first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers. Prince Fielder placed third in the MVP, Most Valuable Player voting while Ryan Braun took first place in MVP voting. They had two of the top three players in 2011 and were incredible offensively. Ryan Braun had a batting average of .332 along with 33 home runs and 111 RBIs. Prince Fielder had a batting average of .299 along with 38 home runs and 120 RBIs. Both were offensive threats for opposing pitchers and led the Milwaukee Brewers to one of the best offenses in all of Major League Baseball.

• While the Milwaukee Brewers were known for their incredibly top heavy offensive talent, they had a group of pitchers that were spectacular for the Brewers. Pitchers such as Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke, and John Axford were crucial for their team success. The National League Cy Young Award is given to the best pitcher in the National League. Yovani Gallardo placed seventh and John Axford placed ninth in NL Cy Young voting. Yovani Gallardo was the best starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers throwing a 3.52 ERA, Earned Runs Average, while throwing for 207.1 IP, Innings Pitched. John Axford was the best relief pitcher in the National League as he possessed a 1.95 ERA along with 46 saves which tied for first in the National League. Along with having two of the top ten pitchers in the National League, they acquired Zack Greinke at the trade deadline who was incredible during his time in Milwaukee. Greinke had the sixth most wins by a pitcher and the seventh most strikeouts in the National League.

• While this season had many memorable moments, there is one moment that tops them all. The Milwaukee Brewers played the Arizona Diamondbacks in game five of the National League Divisional Series. The winner of this game would advance to the National League Championship Series which would determine who would advance to the World Series. Winning this game was very important for the Milwaukee Brewers as they hadn’t had much overall success as a franchise so it was vital they come out on top. The game was very close and low scoring as heading into the ninth inning, the Milwaukee Brewers led the game two to one. Though the Brewers needed only three outs, they were unable to sustain their lead. The Diamondbacks scored one run in the ninth inning which tied up the ballgame. Heading into the tenth inning, the momentum was all towards Arizona but the Brewers held them to zero runs in the tenth inning and had an opportunity to walk it off. Craig Counsell, former player and now manager for the Brewers, led off the inning and flew out to right field. Then Carlos Gomez hit a single up the middle and shortly after, stole second base. Now with a runner in scoring position, the Milwaukee Brewers had a chance to win. Nyjer Morgan, who was having a bad series offensively, came up in the most clutch way possible, with an RBI single up the middle of the field that scored Carlos Gomez and sent the Milwaukee Brewers to the NLCS. This hit is the most memorable and impactful hit throughout the entirety of this beloved franchise. 

The 2011 season is a season that will go down in history as one of the biggest “what ifs” as they ended up losing in the NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals. While it didn’t end in a World Series appearance, it was still very much a successful season. From having elite hitters to spectacular pitching performances, the Milwaukee Brewers were able to win the National League Central division for the first time since joining the National League in 1998. This season will always hold a special place in my heart and has given fans hope for many years to come.