Milwaukee ? Zack Greinke loves the attitude of the Milwaukee Brewers and their willingness to try to reach the postseason immediately.

“The main reason I wanted to get out, I mean, preferred to get out of Kansas City, is I wanted to be on a team that was trying to win this year because as a pitcher you don’t really know how long your career is going to be,” Greinke said Monday, a day after he was acquired from the Royals in a six-player trade.

After winning the AL Cy Young Award with a 16-8 record and 2.16 ERA in 2009, the 27-year-old right-hander slumped to 10-14 with a 4.17 ERA last season.

“Just really wanted to be in a place where they were playing to win games right away,” he said.

Since the end of the season, the Brewers also acquired Shaun Marcum to join a rotation that also includes holdover Yovani Gallardo. The new players join a core that includes All-Stars Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and Corey Hart to go along with Rickie Weeks and Casey McGehee, closer John Axford and setup man Zach Braddock.

“They’ve got some really good offense on the team and they seem to have like an attitude about them, and I kind of like that,” said Greinke, who liked the swagger of former Brewers catcher Jason Kendall. “He was great for our team. I’m assuming that he got some of his attitude from being in this organization.”

Fielder is eligible to become a free agent after the season. General manager Doug Melvin is content to keep the slugging first baseman for 2010. Fielder’s agent, Scott Boras, encourages clients to become free agents to maximize value before signing.

“Realistically, we’re done making major moves,” Melvin said. “I envision this club with Prince being the No. 4 hitter and having a big year for us.”

Melvin traded starting shortstop Alcides Escobar, center fielder Lorenzo Cain, top pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi and former first rounder Jeremy Jeffress to the Royals for Greinke, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and cash.

Melvin compared this trade to the one he pulled off to acquire CC Sabathia in 2008, except that Greinke has two remaining years under contract instead of a few months. Milwaukee needed a boost in its rotation after Sabathia and longtime ace Ben Sheets left as free agents after winning the NL wild card that season.