It's over. The Brewers didn't win the National League Central title. Those guys down the freeway, with the fans who take over Miller Park when they come north, won it.

Don't whine about it. Don't brood or mourn. This was never supposed to be the Brewers' year, anyway.

The Cubs spent $300 million over last off-season to load up with a bunch of veterans who had been through pennant races before and a manager who had won them with a couple different teams. They got a return on their investment. They can do that because they play in a big market, with big TV and other revenue.

The Brewers have to do it differently, building through their system with young talent. And, they are doing a great job of it.

Next year should be the Brewers' year. They will have their infield intact -- with Ryan Braun, J.J. Hardy, Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder. Braun and Weeks, with hard work, should be better in the field. Weeks also should have a better overall offensive year.

Corey Hart gives them an anchor in the outfield. Bill Hall also could be out there and could be a major factor if he would rebound closer to his 2006 season. But, Hall also could be used as trade bait to land another solid relief pitcher or outfielder.

Tony Gwynn Jr. could end up in center and give the Brewers a true leadoff hitter. Gabe Gross and others also will remain in the mix.

The Brewers do need to beef up their middle relief and get a catcher who can field and hit. Johnny Estrada can do the latter but isn't very good at the former. Damian Miller, despite his age, is good behind the plate but has seen his better days at it.

Overall, however, the Brewers young players should only be better after going through this year. If GM Doug Melvin makes a move or two to bring in some veteran help around the core of kids, this writer will be picking them to win it next spring.

As for this year, they lacked the experience to pull it off. That includes Ned Yost, who was managing in a pennant race for the first time. It's a lot different than serving as a backup catcher or even as a coach, both of which Yost had done.

The buck stops at Yost's desk, and his inexperience under pressure showed a couple times, in the altercation with two players and in how he handled his pitchers at times. But, all the talk about firing Yost is ludicrous. He was probably two weeks away from getting major votes as NL Manager of the Year.

Owner Mark Attanasio put the hysteria to rest last Tuesday when he went public with the fact Yost will return in 2008. The hysteria might actually continue, but the Brewers' brass correctly is not getting caught up in it.

If Melvin makes those moves, the Brewers stay healthy and still don't win next season, then don't renew Yost's contract after next year. To talk about canning him this season, when the club played meaningful games in September for the first time since 1992 demonstrates a couple things about today's Milwaukee baseball fans and some members of the local media.

First, it's been so long since they've had a winner they don't know how to handle it. After the Brewers' 24-10 start, I was amazed when I came in for one of my monthly baseball work trips to hear people talking about how the team couldn't lose after such a start. Some fans were ready to buy World Series tickets already.

Expectations rose and became mistaken for reality. Enthusiasm clouded sound judgment. Then, when the season turned into the marathon that is it, the kids started making the inevitable mistakes and the Cubs started earning their salaries, the fans and those members of the media became disillusioned and turned to Yost as the scapegoat.

Those disillusioned cited the number of leads the team blew, and their horrible record on the road. Yost should have done something about those weaknesses, they argued.

In some situations, Yost could have managed his bullpen differently to hold onto the lead, but in many others it would not have mattered which reliever he went to after the pen tired. The bullpen needs shoring up.

The Brewers also lacked the experience to make the key plays in crucial situations. Next season, Rickie Weeks won't boot that double play grounder he kicked in Atlanta. Corey Hart won't strand eight runners like he did Wednesday. Other players will make the key plays in the field and get the clutch hits.

As for the poor road record, it's more of a puzzle, since it has been a problem for a couple seasons. But, many of these young players were making the rounds of some of the road stadiums for the first time, at least as everyday players. It takes experience to know how to get rest on the road, how to deal with the travel, adapt to new ballparks, deal with hostile crowds, etc. They now have that experience and should be better next year.

Again, it was never supposed to be the Brewers' year. They were a year away. But, these kids showed that they are good, very good.

"Wait until next year" has some real meaning to it this winter.