Oct. 1 -- LEARNING ON THE JOB

By KEVIN NOONAN

The last few weeks have been a wild ride for all of the Milwaukee Brewers, and it's been wildest for new manager Dale Sveum, who has been on the job for a mere 12 games and now has to deal with the pressure of the playoffs.

"Obviously, I was shocked when I got the job,'' Sveum said before today's game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

And he can either thank (or blame) the Phillies.

Former manager Ned Yost was fired on Sept. 15 after the Brewers were swept by the Phils and Sveum was promoted from third-base coach. The Brewers promptly pulled out of their tailspin and made the playoffs for the first time in 26 years.

"It was a life-changing experience,'' Sveum said. “There’s no doubt about it, when you go from just worrying about holding a guy [at third base] or sending a guy home and position the infield and throwing batting practice and hitting a few fungoes.

"So, obviously things have changed. It’s something that I’ve prepared for for quite a while now. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. And after the first day, I’ve actually felt right at home.''