2009 Milwaukee Brewers season
[1] Starting pitchers CC Sabathia, who was acquired from the Cleveland Indians in a mid-season trade in 2008, and Ben Sheets both rejected arbitration and became free agents following the end of the 2008 season.
[2] Numerous teams showed interest in Sabathia, considered one of the best free agent pitchers available after compiling an 11–2 record and an ERA of only 1.62 in 17 starts for the Brewers in 2008.
[8] Needing to acquire at least one starter to fill the hole in the rotation left by Sabathia and Sheets, the Brewers signed free agent Braden Looper, formerly of the St. Louis Cardinals, to a one-year, $4.5 million contract for 2009.
[11] Relievers Todd Coffey, who was signed to a one-year contract avoiding arbitration after being claimed off waivers in September, and free agent Jorge Julio rounded out the offseason bullpen acquisitions.
[29] With the lineup and starting rotation largely set, the main position battles entering camp were for spots in the bullpen and on the bench.
[31] Mike Lamb, who had been expected to make the club before McGehee's strong spring, was released by the team on April 1; he was eventually signed to a minor league deal by the New York Mets.
[32] Closer Trevor Hoffman suffered an oblique strain in mid-March and was forced to begin the regular season on the disabled list.
[35] Overall, however, the team struggled during the first few weeks of the season, losing four consecutive series against the Giants, the Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds, and the New York Mets.
[44] Backup catcher Mike Rivera, however, suffered a sprained ankle in the same game and was placed on the disabled list; rookie Carlos Corporán was called up from Nashville to replace him.
[47] The team struggled at the start of interleague play, however, as the Brewers were swept in their last scheduled visit to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome by the rival Minnesota Twins.
[55] The Brewers returned to Miller Park on June 9 but suffered a 1–5 homestand in which the team was swept by Colorado and lost two out of three against the Chicago White Sox.
[58][59] The Brewers returned to interleague play in Cleveland, where they swept the Cleveland Indians in a high-scoring series that included a six-run rally in the eighth inning on June 15, capped by Prince Fielder's first career grand slam, and an 11-inning win on June 17 that mooted a four-run comeback by the Indians in the ninth inning, giving Hoffman his first blown save of the season.
[62] Milwaukee's fortunes improved with a return to National League play, as the team closed out June with series wins at home against San Francisco and the New York Mets.
Prince Fielder also made his second All-Star appearance when he was selected as a reserve player by National League team manager Charlie Manuel.
[67] Finally, Trevor Hoffman made his seventh All-Star appearance as a replacement for injured Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton.
The Pirates win on July 20 snapped the Brewers 17-game winning streak against Pittsburgh in a game marred by a disputed beanball thrown at Pirates pitcher Jeff Karstens, reportedly in retribution for an incident in April where Karstens hit Ryan Braun with a pitch, that caused both benches to empty during the eighth inning.
[69] On July 19, second baseman Felipe López was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league players Cole Gillespie and Roque Mercedes; the acquisition of Lopez was expected to fill the hole at second and at the top of the lineup left by Rickie Weeks' May injury.
Tim Dillard was called up from the minor leagues to replace the struggling Mike Burns, and Carlos Villanueva made his first start of the season in a July 28 loss to the Nationals.
[72][73] Shortly before the July 31 trading deadline, former Brewer Claudio Vargas was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in return for minor league infielder Vinny Rottino in an attempt to shore up the pitching staff.
