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Almost everything went wrong right out of the chute, dooming the Brewers to also-ran status by the end of the first month. There was plenty of blame to be spread around, and the bats certainly deserved their share. The Brewers hit just .227 while compiling an on-base percentage of .277 en route to a 5-17 April, then hit .228/.289 in May to help ensure there would be no rebound. Injuries and trades deprived them of many of their big guns, and the lineup changed almost daily for much of the season. Not having a consistent middle of the order will affect every team negatively. The Brewers finished slightly below the middle of the pack in the National League in most offensive numbers, with their best showing a seventh-place finish with a collective .254 average and their worst a .307 on-base percentage, which ranked 13th. They dropped markedly in stolen bases to ninth (84), though their success rate of 74.3% was third best. They hit .257 against right-handers and .234 against left-handers. They hit better away from Miller Park (.254 to .249) but did total 76 homers at home compared to 69 on the road. Milwaukee also was shut out 16 times, most since 2004 (16), its last 94-loss season. Ryan Braun's return to all-star status was a plus as was Khris Davis' second-half power surge. If Adam Lind returns at first base, he provides a solid anchor for the middle of the lineup. Grade: D-plus
DEFENSE
You don't have to play great defense to be a playoff team. The Pirates committed more errors (122) than any other club in the NL, and St. Louis and Chicago ranked 11th and 12th, respectively, in fielding. But the Brewers combined poor fielding (13th in the NL) with awful starting pitching and an inconsistent offense, resulting in a 94-loss season. Shortstop Jean Segura epitomized the defense, which at times was good but too often sloppy. He made many great plays and showed above-average range but also committed 19 errors, one of the highest totals at his position. Lind was better than advertised, committing only four errors while showing somewhat limited range. There were various issues in the outfield, where Braun committed only two errors in right but showed limited range (1.69 range factor); leftfielder Davis showed good range (1.78) but had runners take liberties on his below-average throwing arm; and various corner-outfield types saw action in center after Carlos Gomez was traded in late July. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy missed about two months behind the plate with a broken toe and concussion, and backup Martin Maldonado at times seemed to wear down with the extra workload. Mental errors happened too often, but infield positioning paid off more often than not.Grade: D
STARTING PITCHERS
Veterans Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza were expected to prop up a rotation that included up-and-comers in Wily Peralta and Jimmy Nelson as well as holdover Mike Fiers. Instead, Lohse and Garza responded with awful seasons, and Peralta missed nine weeks with a strained oblique and was otherwise ineffective. Lohse was removed from the rotation in early August and Garza in early September, and the Brewers finished with six rookie starters — an unthinkable scenario in the spring. As might be expected, the results were mostly disastrous. The rotation posted a 4.79 ERA, which ranked 13th in the NL, and the 905 total innings ranked 11th. One of those six rookies, Taylor Jungmann, accounted for the team's lone complete game (July 11 at Dodgers). Opposing hitters posted a .274 average against Brewers starters, ranking 13th, and they also issued a league-leading 334 walks. Injury aside, Peralta took a major step backward, going 5-10 with a 4.72 ERA a year after going 17-11 and 3.53. Getting him back on track will be of paramount importance. Nelson showed flashes of being a future workhorse as did Jungmann, though his late slide (9.52 ERA in his final five starts) was concerning. For the first time in many years, the Brewers will have a wealth of young arms to consider in spring training. And they may need them. Grade: D-minus
RELIEF PITCHING
The bullpen was the only area of the club that held up its end of the bargain throughout the season. The Brewers ranked fifth in the league with a 3.40 ERA, ahead of playoff teams in New York (3.48) and Los Angeles (3.91). They led the league with 548 strikeouts in 530 innings and were fifth with a .238 opponents batting average. And all of that happened under a heavy workload — the bullpen ranked fifth in innings pitched. When games were winnable, manager Craig Counsell relied heavily on the late-inning trio of setup men Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith and closer Francisco Rodriguez, who came through far more often than not. How many people outside of Milwaukee know that Rodriguez converted 38 of 40 saves while holding opponents to a .189 batting average? Before missing the final seven weeks with a broken hand, right-hander Michael Blazek (2.43 ERA in 45 appearances) showed he belonged in a big-league bullpen. With a plus-fastball, Corey Knebel also showed considerable promise (58 strikeouts in 501/3 innings) and could work his way into a high-leverage role down the road. Claimed off waivers from Philadelphia in late August, Cesar Jimenez took over for traded Neal Cotts as the second left-hander in the pen and performed well for the most part, with occasional control issues. One to watch in the future is right-hander Yhonathan Barrios, acquired from Pittsburgh in the trade of third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Barrios got his foot in the door in September and flashed a fastball in the mid-90s as well as a deceptive changeup. Grade: A-minus
BENCH
The Brewers' .255 average off the bench ranked second in the NL, as did their .388 slugging percentage and .706 OPS. Responsible for much of that production was rookie Jason Rogers, who hit .260 with two homers and eight RBI in 50 pinch at-bats. Counsell did have the benefit of versatility, with infielders such as Elian Herrera and Hernan Perez able to play multiple positions, and Hector Gomez and Luis Sardiñas as well their big-league stints. On the flip side, outfield depth proved to be a problem at times. Outfielder Shane Peterson showed enough versatility to get another look next spring, and backup catcher Martin Maldonado filled more playing time than expected with Lucroy out with injuries on two occasions. Grade: C-plus
MANAGER/COACHES
It did not turn out to be a good year for manager Ron Roenicke and his coaching staff. Roenicke was dismissed only a month into the season after a horrendous start by the club, and after the season five of the seven coaches were fired. Just one month before Roenicke was fired, his option for 2016 was exercised with hopes that removing lame-duck status would help players perform better. Since taking over in 2011, Roenicke developed a reputation as a player's manager and rarely made any critical comments publicly about any individual. That approach was deemed to have worked against him when fired, with management under the impression that players had become too comfortable and lacking accountability. Counsell was moved from a front-office role to the manager's office and given a three-year deal to direct the club during what could be a long rebuilding process. Counsell showed patience and discipline while also holding players accountable for their performance but played much of the time undermanned, particularly after several veterans were traded in late July. Because all new managers prefer to form their own staff, it was inevitable that changes would take place after the season. Only third-base coach Ed Sedar, the veteran of the staff, and hitting coach Darnell Coles, with just one year under his belt, survived the purge. Counsell's even-keeled demeanor, dedication to teaching and smart, analytical approach to the game will be tested as the team tries to get back on its collective feet. Just grading Roenicke and the staff, you would have to give an F. The switch to Counsell raises it. Grade: D
FRONT OFFICE/OWNERSHIP
General manager Doug Melvin told principal owner Mark Attanasio last winter that he was ready to step aside into an advisory role after 12 years on the job. A transition plan was formed that ultimately led to the hiring of 30-year-old David Stearns as the new GM in September. Unfortunately for the Brewers, the team completely fell apart in the interim, resulting in a 68-94 record. Along the way, a new manager took over and several veteran players were traded to get the rebuilding process underway. But the collapse actually began with five weeks remaining in the 2014 season, leading to a 9-22 finish that ruined a year in which the Brewers were in first place in the division for 150 days. Attanasio and Melvin opted afterward to make only minimal changes to the core of team, a joint decision that backfired badly. Attanasio recently admitted that his zeal to win worked against him in that he hesitated to hit the reset button until it became the only real choice. That desire to win also led to the four-year, $50 million contract given two years ago to Garza, which blew up like a trick cigar. Melvin did a great job in leading the Brewers from the ashes of the 2002 season (56-106) but exited with a dreadful product on the field. With Counsell and Stearns in place and several promising prospects added to the farm system through trades and the draft, the rebuilding process is underway but it is impossible to know how long and painful it will be. Attanasio's ownership and Melvin's leadership have been successful in the long run but their 2015 grade must reflect how bad things got this year. Grade: D
OVERALL
When he was commissioner of baseball, Bud Selig often said his goal was to give "hope and faith" to the fans of every franchise. Any hope and faith Brewers fans for the 2015 season were quickly dashed as the team opened with four losses and staggered to a 5-17 record in an April that got Roenicke fired. The team fell 16½ games out of first place by June 1. There was a brief surge in late June/early July, but the losing resumed and veterans were traded off before the July 31 deadline. The 68-94 finish was the worst since 2004, when the Brewers were still in the process of building toward respectability. The Brewers are so far behind playoff teams St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Chicago in the division that it's anyone's guess how long it will take to close that gap. Being uncompetitive for an entire 162-game season warrants a grade of F. Because the rebuilding plan was begun with a new manager, general manager and trades, it comes up a tick. Grade: D-minus
FREE AGENTS
RHP Kyle Lohse.
2016 OPTIONS
1B Adam Lind (club option for $8 million).
ARBITRATION ELIGIBLE
LHP Cesar Jimenez, RHP Wily Peralta, SS Jean Segura, LHP Will Smith.
DEFENSE
You don't have to play great defense to be a playoff team. The Pirates committed more errors (122) than any other club in the NL, and St. Louis and Chicago ranked 11th and 12th, respectively, in fielding. But the Brewers combined poor fielding (13th in the NL) with awful starting pitching and an inconsistent offense, resulting in a 94-loss season. Shortstop Jean Segura epitomized the defense, which at times was good but too often sloppy. He made many great plays and showed above-average range but also committed 19 errors, one of the highest totals at his position. Lind was better than advertised, committing only four errors while showing somewhat limited range. There were various issues in the outfield, where Braun committed only two errors in right but showed limited range (1.69 range factor); leftfielder Davis showed good range (1.78) but had runners take liberties on his below-average throwing arm; and various corner-outfield types saw action in center after Carlos Gomez was traded in late July. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy missed about two months behind the plate with a broken toe and concussion, and backup Martin Maldonado at times seemed to wear down with the extra workload. Mental errors happened too often, but infield positioning paid off more often than not.Grade: D
STARTING PITCHERS
Veterans Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza were expected to prop up a rotation that included up-and-comers in Wily Peralta and Jimmy Nelson as well as holdover Mike Fiers. Instead, Lohse and Garza responded with awful seasons, and Peralta missed nine weeks with a strained oblique and was otherwise ineffective. Lohse was removed from the rotation in early August and Garza in early September, and the Brewers finished with six rookie starters — an unthinkable scenario in the spring. As might be expected, the results were mostly disastrous. The rotation posted a 4.79 ERA, which ranked 13th in the NL, and the 905 total innings ranked 11th. One of those six rookies, Taylor Jungmann, accounted for the team's lone complete game (July 11 at Dodgers). Opposing hitters posted a .274 average against Brewers starters, ranking 13th, and they also issued a league-leading 334 walks. Injury aside, Peralta took a major step backward, going 5-10 with a 4.72 ERA a year after going 17-11 and 3.53. Getting him back on track will be of paramount importance. Nelson showed flashes of being a future workhorse as did Jungmann, though his late slide (9.52 ERA in his final five starts) was concerning. For the first time in many years, the Brewers will have a wealth of young arms to consider in spring training. And they may need them. Grade: D-minus
RELIEF PITCHING
The bullpen was the only area of the club that held up its end of the bargain throughout the season. The Brewers ranked fifth in the league with a 3.40 ERA, ahead of playoff teams in New York (3.48) and Los Angeles (3.91). They led the league with 548 strikeouts in 530 innings and were fifth with a .238 opponents batting average. And all of that happened under a heavy workload — the bullpen ranked fifth in innings pitched. When games were winnable, manager Craig Counsell relied heavily on the late-inning trio of setup men Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith and closer Francisco Rodriguez, who came through far more often than not. How many people outside of Milwaukee know that Rodriguez converted 38 of 40 saves while holding opponents to a .189 batting average? Before missing the final seven weeks with a broken hand, right-hander Michael Blazek (2.43 ERA in 45 appearances) showed he belonged in a big-league bullpen. With a plus-fastball, Corey Knebel also showed considerable promise (58 strikeouts in 501/3 innings) and could work his way into a high-leverage role down the road. Claimed off waivers from Philadelphia in late August, Cesar Jimenez took over for traded Neal Cotts as the second left-hander in the pen and performed well for the most part, with occasional control issues. One to watch in the future is right-hander Yhonathan Barrios, acquired from Pittsburgh in the trade of third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Barrios got his foot in the door in September and flashed a fastball in the mid-90s as well as a deceptive changeup. Grade: A-minus
BENCH
The Brewers' .255 average off the bench ranked second in the NL, as did their .388 slugging percentage and .706 OPS. Responsible for much of that production was rookie Jason Rogers, who hit .260 with two homers and eight RBI in 50 pinch at-bats. Counsell did have the benefit of versatility, with infielders such as Elian Herrera and Hernan Perez able to play multiple positions, and Hector Gomez and Luis Sardiñas as well their big-league stints. On the flip side, outfield depth proved to be a problem at times. Outfielder Shane Peterson showed enough versatility to get another look next spring, and backup catcher Martin Maldonado filled more playing time than expected with Lucroy out with injuries on two occasions. Grade: C-plus
MANAGER/COACHES
It did not turn out to be a good year for manager Ron Roenicke and his coaching staff. Roenicke was dismissed only a month into the season after a horrendous start by the club, and after the season five of the seven coaches were fired. Just one month before Roenicke was fired, his option for 2016 was exercised with hopes that removing lame-duck status would help players perform better. Since taking over in 2011, Roenicke developed a reputation as a player's manager and rarely made any critical comments publicly about any individual. That approach was deemed to have worked against him when fired, with management under the impression that players had become too comfortable and lacking accountability. Counsell was moved from a front-office role to the manager's office and given a three-year deal to direct the club during what could be a long rebuilding process. Counsell showed patience and discipline while also holding players accountable for their performance but played much of the time undermanned, particularly after several veterans were traded in late July. Because all new managers prefer to form their own staff, it was inevitable that changes would take place after the season. Only third-base coach Ed Sedar, the veteran of the staff, and hitting coach Darnell Coles, with just one year under his belt, survived the purge. Counsell's even-keeled demeanor, dedication to teaching and smart, analytical approach to the game will be tested as the team tries to get back on its collective feet. Just grading Roenicke and the staff, you would have to give an F. The switch to Counsell raises it. Grade: D
FRONT OFFICE/OWNERSHIP
General manager Doug Melvin told principal owner Mark Attanasio last winter that he was ready to step aside into an advisory role after 12 years on the job. A transition plan was formed that ultimately led to the hiring of 30-year-old David Stearns as the new GM in September. Unfortunately for the Brewers, the team completely fell apart in the interim, resulting in a 68-94 record. Along the way, a new manager took over and several veteran players were traded to get the rebuilding process underway. But the collapse actually began with five weeks remaining in the 2014 season, leading to a 9-22 finish that ruined a year in which the Brewers were in first place in the division for 150 days. Attanasio and Melvin opted afterward to make only minimal changes to the core of team, a joint decision that backfired badly. Attanasio recently admitted that his zeal to win worked against him in that he hesitated to hit the reset button until it became the only real choice. That desire to win also led to the four-year, $50 million contract given two years ago to Garza, which blew up like a trick cigar. Melvin did a great job in leading the Brewers from the ashes of the 2002 season (56-106) but exited with a dreadful product on the field. With Counsell and Stearns in place and several promising prospects added to the farm system through trades and the draft, the rebuilding process is underway but it is impossible to know how long and painful it will be. Attanasio's ownership and Melvin's leadership have been successful in the long run but their 2015 grade must reflect how bad things got this year. Grade: D
OVERALL
When he was commissioner of baseball, Bud Selig often said his goal was to give "hope and faith" to the fans of every franchise. Any hope and faith Brewers fans for the 2015 season were quickly dashed as the team opened with four losses and staggered to a 5-17 record in an April that got Roenicke fired. The team fell 16½ games out of first place by June 1. There was a brief surge in late June/early July, but the losing resumed and veterans were traded off before the July 31 deadline. The 68-94 finish was the worst since 2004, when the Brewers were still in the process of building toward respectability. The Brewers are so far behind playoff teams St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Chicago in the division that it's anyone's guess how long it will take to close that gap. Being uncompetitive for an entire 162-game season warrants a grade of F. Because the rebuilding plan was begun with a new manager, general manager and trades, it comes up a tick. Grade: D-minus
FREE AGENTS
RHP Kyle Lohse.
2016 OPTIONS
1B Adam Lind (club option for $8 million).
ARBITRATION ELIGIBLE
LHP Cesar Jimenez, RHP Wily Peralta, SS Jean Segura, LHP Will Smith.