Before taking questions from reporters assembled for the Brewers’ end-of-season press conference on Tuesday, general manager David Stearns preempted any inquiries about the status of manager Craig Counsell and his coaches heading into the offseason, announcing that the whole staff will return next year.

Besides Counsell, who was already signed for 2017, bench coach Pat Murphy, hitting coach Darnell Coles, pitching coach Derek Johnson, bullpen coach Lee Tunnell, third base coach Ed Sedar, first base coach Carlos Subero and assistant hitting coach Jason Lane will all be back next season. Stearns and Counsell said that, although Milwaukee’s 73-89 record was not where it needs to get to going forward, they both were pleased with player development and improvement in 2016.

Retaining the entire coaching staff should provide some constancy and stability for a youthful club that is still early in its rebuilding phase.

"I think [bringing back all the coaches] speaks to both the quality of job we think they did throughout the major league season and the continuity we're looking to build throughout our entire organization," Stearns said Tuesday. "It's also a commentary on how we think this major league season went. We set out at the front of the season looking to develop and build a core of young players that ultimately could lead us back to a consistently competitive team. We have had some players emerge this year, and that's been a promising sign for the organization.

"No one is satisfied with 73 wins. That's certainly not our end goal. We have a lot of work to do to get to where we ultimately want to be. But we do think this was a productive season for us going forward."

Of Counsell’s seven coaches, four just finished up their first full year. Murphy, Johnson, Subero and Lane will be entering their second season, while Coles will be in his third and Tunnell his fifth. Sedar, the most experienced by far, will be going into his 11th season as a coach and 26th with the franchise.

Counsell, whose current contract runs through 2017 – team owner Mark Attanasio indicated in September that an extension could be offered this offseason – said his staff "made strides" during an up-and-down year that saw plenty of individual promise amid the overall team struggles.

Counsell said he believed the coaches will continue to grow, improve and eventually become a great staff.

"I’m still hopeful and optimistic that is on the way to happening," Counsell said. "I do think we have to be together to develop into great. We have to have continuity, and that’s what we’re on the path to.

"We’re directionally headed that way, but we need more time together to continue to do that like with everything else we’re doing. We got off to a really good start and there was reason to be excited about it."

Because expectations for so many young and unproven players were somewhat undefined and the expectations for the team were low – Milwaukee went 68-94 last year and traded away more veterans this season – Counsell and the coaches focused on incremental, individual improvement.

There were exciting and surprising bright spots – such as the play of infielders Jonathan Villar (.285 batting average, 19 home runs and 62 stolen bases) and Hernan Perez (.272, 13 and 34), as well as the pitching success of journeyman starter Junior Guerra (9-3, 2.81 ERA), rookie Zach Davies (11-7, 3.97) and reliever Tyler Thornburg (2.15 ERA, 13 saves) – that were encouraging for the staff and front office.

Before he was lost for the season with a broken wrist, center fielder Keon Broxton was the poster child for player improvement and development within the organization. Hitless in his first 18 at-bats to start the year, Broxton was struggling with the strike zone and batting just .161 on Aug 3. Over the next six weeks, though, the gifted athlete caught fire, going 36 for his final 120 (.300 average), with seven homers, 13 RBI and 15 stolen bases before getting injured on Sept. 16.

The Brewers went 14-13 in September, riding strong starting pitching and elevated offense – from a group with little major league experience – to its only winning month, ending the season on a relatively high note.

"Our mantra for the year was to explore young players and give them a chance," said Counsell. "We had to develop them, and find guys and improve guys. We had to create competition, which I was really pleased about.

"Ultimately, we’re trying to get guys to perform at the top of what we think they can perform at. Part of the way you do that is by creating a culture. That allows guys to produce to their capabilities."

So, in their initial year together, what was the relationship like between Counsell, who was in his first full season as manager after taking over partway through 2015, and Stearns, who was hired last October to direct the Brewers’ rebuilding effort?

Counsell said it was "very productive" working with the GM a decade-and-a-half his junior.

"We both came into this with an open-minded approach. We’ve been able to carry that through the entire season. We had the same goals in mind, and that really helps," Counsell said. "Obviously, we’re not going to always 100 percent agree on how to reach those goals, but we’ve been able to talk through the hundreds of decisions we have to collectively make over the course of the season."

Stearns agreed. "I'd echo those comments. There’s no drama," he said. "It’s good conversation, it’s pushing each other, it’s moving it forward. That’s what it has been. It’s really very simple. That’s the best way to put it. We challenge each other. To me, that’s the way it should be."