Braun hit .332 with 33 homers and 111 RBIs last year and led Milwaukee to the NLchampionshipseries, where the Brewers lost to the eventual World Series champion St.
They beat the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies in a new first round created after the strike split the season into two halves, but lost to the Dodgers in the NLchampionshipseries.
Leading the list: the Cincinnati Reds of 1973, a powerful group led by Johnny Bench, Pete Rose and Tony Perez that took a tough National League West division over the Dodgers and Giants before getting upset in the NLChampionshipSeries by the New York Mets, three games to two.