Mark Attanasio has higher expectations after Brewers' unexpected ride in 2017

Mark Attanasio is the first to admit no owner likes to win more than he does, so if this wild-card thing doesn’t work out for the Milwaukee Brewers, he will be naturally disappointed.

But Attanasio also will be grateful for a competitive ride through the 2017 season that no one saw coming, including himself.

“You know, I was reflecting, and it’s certainly been a unique ride,” Attanasio said Wednesday during an impromptu media session in the dugout before the Brewers took on Cincinnati at Miller Park. “I was reflecting on other seasons that came down to the wire like this.

“In 2008, with six games to go we were one game (behind) the Mets for the wild card, and it worked out. In 2011, we clinched (the NL Central) around now. In 2012, we actually got eliminated yesterday (on the calendar). We’re not eliminated, so that’s good. Then, in 2014, I don’t even want to remember how bad that was. That was in Pittsburgh and miserable when we got eliminated; we just completely faded.

“You know, it’s been a great ride for a lot of reasons. It was not expected this season. Or, if somebody did expect it, I’d like to know who it was. Maybe (manager) Craig Counsell might have expected it. Craig said, ‘Don’t put any limits on the team,’ and then (general manager) David (Stearns) adopted that way of speaking. That certainly worked here.”

BOX SCORE:Reds 6, Brewers 0

RELATED:In one tough week, Brewers' playoff hopes have faded badly

RELATED:Lackluster showing damages fading wild-card hopes

MLB:Live scoreboard, box scores, standings, statistics

And, just like that, the Brewers’ rebuild moved ahead of schedule in its second full season. Everyone’s expectations will be higher moving forward, including Attanasio’s, and he’s OK with that.

“That all happens,” he said. “I think this group is able to rise to expectations. They continue to prove that. When we started last season, when we had 2.3 million fans come out, you’re getting in on the ground floor. You’re getting to know who these guys are.

“Now, this year, we’re really getting to know who they are. Travis Shaw wasn’t even in the mix in 2016. Now, he’s a household name in Milwaukee. Corey Knebel is about as an electric closer as there is in major league baseball.

“We’ve got probably a dozen players here I would pay to come see individually. I’d come out to watch our shortstop play defense every night. I’d pay for a ticket to see that. And I don’t mean to be excluding anybody. We’ve got a lot of exciting players.”

And, in even better news as the rebuild moves forward, the Brewers have a very modest payroll with only one big contract beyond 2017. Ryan Braun is signed through 2020 with a club option for 2021, at a guarantee of $57 million. (Eric Thames is the only other player signed past this year.)

So, beyond internal raises for players who produced, the Brewers will have financial flexibility in both the free-agent market and trades.

“It helps level the playing field versus teams that have more resources,” Attanasio said. “We’re in a fortunate position so we can maybe 'punch a little bit above our weight.' I always felt like we could punch above our weight in this community. We’re going to draw more than 2.5 million people this year.

“At the same time we’re trying to sneak into the playoffs, I think we’re trying to sneak into the 10th spot in baseball from an attendance standpoint. Every year of our ownership, we’ve had more sponsor dollars come in. That’s very good, but a challenge. So, the support from the fans, either by showing up at the ballpark or sponsors, has always helped us do the incremental extra.”

Attanasio admitted to sneaking on the field from his owner’s box when Travis Shaw walked off the Cubs with this 10th inning homer Saturday, calling it “the most euphoria I’ve felt since we clinched against the Diamondbacks (in 2011) to go to the (NL) Championship Series."

“There’s been some pain with the euphoria,” he added. “It’s as intense as I remember in any of our 13 seasons of ownership.”

But it beats the long-term pain often associated with rebuilding teams. So, no matter how these final days play out, Attanasio will derive satisfaction from what his team achieved, both in togetherness off the field and the winning season on it.

“I’m going to feel good,” he said. “That game Thursday night (10-inning loss to the Cubs) might have been the hardest game in our ownership. At least one of them. Maybe Game 6 (of the NLCS) against St. Louis was harder in 2011. When we lost Friday night again, it was like back-to-back blows, and three tough nights.

“I went into the clubhouse and I spent time with Craig, the coaches, David and (assistant) Matt (Arnold), and I just said how proud I was of the team and the guys and how hard we were playing. Because we haven’t always played as hard when we have had to, and this club was.

“The way I got brought up by my mom and dad was to tell the truth, so if I didn’t really feel that way, I could have just gone home and had a drink. But I really believed that there was nothing to feel bad about. I was actually very pleased. Craig, he has a player’s temperament. I’ve seen him down before, but he was pretty good that night and looking forward and trying to pick the guys up a little bit. And here we are.”