WAUKESHA — Something special is brewing with the 2025 Milwaukee Brewers, for sure.
From proving wrong the prognosticators who picked them to be a middle-of-the-pack team at best, by going on to seize the best regular-season record in all of Major League Baseball with a franchise-record 97 wins, to dominant performances in their first couple of playoff games, the Milwaukee Brewers have surprised many this year — and Brewers fever is spreading. It has fans hoping and some seasoned observers saying that this team has all the makings of a possible champion.
“I think there is a special feeling among Brewers fans this year. They feel like they have what it takes and I can’t disagree. I think they are right,” said Bill Schroeder, former Brewers catcher and longtime TV announcer.
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Schroeder’s assessment comes because this year’s team, while still young, has gained more experience over the course of the last couple of seasons. Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang are two young stars leading the way; William Contreras has put together a stellar season despite playing much of it with a broken finger; manager Pat Murphy and the coaches have got the guys playing well and contributing all up and down the lineup; and Murphy has credited the leadership on and off the field of Christian Yelich as a key part of it. “It’s not just one guy doing it all,” he said.
Actually, some 2.6 million of us have had a part, too, as the fans getting behind the team have helped push them to new heights. Schroeder isn’t calling games on TV through the playoffs, which freed him up to go down to American Family Field on Tuesday night to witness the Brewers dismantle the Cubs 7-3 on the strength of three homers from Andrew Vaugh, Contreras, and Chourio.
Schroeder said it’s a different experience than working a game in the booth, with producers and co-hosts talking through headsets.
“Sometimes you lose sight of impact the fans have on these guys. It’s a real thing. It is real,” he said. “I kind of forget sometimes the energy created by the fans. We talk about it all the time how well this team is supported by fans. But it’s amazing when you sit down there with the atmosphere. It was loud, the in-game experience with videos and music. It’s just an amazing place to be, our ballpark. It’s been like that all year. Been like that a long time,” Schroeder said. “I was so energized just sitting in the stands watching people get into it. When Vaughn hit that home run in the first inning it was as loud as I’ve ever heard it in that ballpark.”
Jim Gantner can verify that. A former teammate of Schroeder’s and a longtime resident of the area said when the fans are loud and behind the team, the players can hear that, which gets the adrenaline going, and it all comes together with a different sense this year.
“It’s a lot more positive and thinking the team can win it all. Other years I don’t think they felt that confident the team could win. But this year everybody I’ve talked to, the fans, neighbors, they think this is the year and I kind of agree with them that this year they could go all the way,” the Colgate resident said. “The ceiling is unlimited. They got the team to win this series and go on to the next series and win that one. They are healthy. Their pitching is in good shape. The whole lineup can hit. So they got unlimited potential. They got the team this year I believe that they could win the World Series.”
Gantner said there is good depth in the pitching, strong defense, good contact hitters who can hit for power, and on any given day anyone could be the hero. And the team knows how to capitalize on opponents’ miscues. That recipe is going to win lots of ballgames, he said.
“Murph and his coaches have this team ready to play from the first pitch on. They had that layoff but Murph’s comment was we gotta be ready to go on the first pitch. They proved that, came out banging. They are ready to play and got good confidence. … They are good with the small things in the game, and the things you need to do to win a game and that’s what I like about them,” Gantner said. “That’s what I like about this team, every night it’s a different player coming through. You don’t know who’s going to be the hero each night and that’s what is exciting about watching this team play.
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“That’s one thing fans tell me this is the most exciting team to watch play in many years. I agree with them 100%,” Gantner said.
A piece of the action
The team’s success on the field translates to success off it, too, for businesses connected to sports. At WSC Sports, which specializes in sports memorabilia including a large amount of autographed items, Brewers swag has been a hot seller this year.
“It’s definitely an exciting time around here. Business has been solid, no doubt about it,” said John Stanke, director of operations. “The Brewers are a tougher market to sell nationally. The Packers are the king around here. We sell Packers stuff all over the nation, but definitely over the last couple of weeks a lot of Brewers packages have been going out the door.”
Signed photos, jerseys, helmets and bats are being scarfed up by people wanting their own piece of what clearly has been a special year. That includes shipments around the state and Midwest, Stanke said. He added the store rebranded from Waukesha Sports Cards as it expanded to stores in Southridge Mall, Brookfield Square, and the Fox River Mall in Appleton.
Some players attract greater interest than others: Chourio is one of the most popular and coveted autographs, but Andrew Vaughn, flamethrowing hurler Jacob Misiorowski, Brice Turang, Sal Frelick and Caleb Durbin all have been in high demand.
Fan interest has been notably higher this year, too, Stanke said. Turnout has been high at events where players sign memorabilia, and even younger, less-established players have been attracting more interest “and people are willing to collect where a couple of years ago people thought guys wouldn’t be around for the long haul,” he said.
The prices on the merchandise haven’t been affected too greatly yet by the team’s success this year, but if the winning continues, demand will only increase, affecting prices, particularly if there is a championship at the end of the run, Stanke said.
“People are excited. The buzz is real,” Stanke said. “The team can do it and everyone believes it.”
Schroeder added the emotional impact of that happening would be intensified given the Brewers family lost an important member over the offseason with the passing of longtime broadcaster Bob Uecker.
“I do know this team has something special. I can’t stop thinking the effect that maybe Ueck has in heaven looking down on these guys. It would be poetic for this team to win the World Series. He’s with them,” Schroeder said. “We think about him all the time and I think it would be great if they could win the ultimate prize.”