DuWayne Steurer

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOK. It seems that when Braun popped positive, what some people wanted him to do was just say "GUILTY", and forego his right to an appeal, and just serve his suspension. I know it's not a 1 to 1 correlation between sports and a court of law, but why in the world would a guy not appeal, when he has that right? What I DO understand is that people are upset that after the appeal, he didn't just say "Glad it's behind me, we found the flaws in the system, and now we want to move forward" I get that. And I don't disagree that Braun's vehement denial was kind of a douchey move. Be that as it may, I don't understand why there are some (a vocal minority) who think Braun should have just tossed away his right to appeal on the possibility that he might have won on a technicality, which he did in fact do.

That's' a bit different. There's not a lot to lose if you just go in and pay the speeding ticket. 3-4 points, and maybe a hundred bucks. To a lot of people, fighting a speeding ticket in court isn't worth the day off of work they'd have to take to go to court. Braun was fighting a 50 game suspension. He had a LOT to gain by overturning that suspension, and nothing to lose if he eventually ended up losing his appeal.

I liked Aaron Boone on Baseball Tonight getting all righteous with Rick Sutcliffe. Dude, your brother went from a mediocre .700-ish OPS middle infielder to a .950 OPS guy at age 32 when he started playing with A-Rod. After hitting 20 dingers once in a season ever, he hit 120 homers in his age 32 - 35 seasons. Please get off yer horse Booney!

Dude, you have said this, probably a dozen times. I'm not trying to jump all over you, but you're just saying the same thing over and over.

We got guys over in the NFL getting arrested at what seems to be a record pace. They got professional hitmen playing over there. There have been guys on the Brewers that I have really not liked before, but this just doesn't stop me from cheering for the guy. If you don't like the guy, root for the laundry.

LOL okay man. People hate being lied to. Over and over and over again. People hate being made fools of. And for what Braun did, lying over and over, throwing people under the bus, imo he is a piece of crap. Here's the thing. Dude popped a negative, and then got off on a technicality. What was he SUPPOSED to say? "Yeah, I got off, but here's the thing. I was ACTUALLY taking?" I know we want our sports hero's to be White Knights, but that's not how it works. Dude got off on a technicality, which is fine. I'm not all that harsh about steroids. I do several (monitored) cycles a year, due to a medical condition. NBD. I suspect Brauny did one, maybe two cycles to get over an injury late in the year or whatever. He got popped, and he lied because he got away with it. There's NOBODY here, and I mean NOBODY who is so perfect that they have never lied to a spouse, or a brother, or a parent, or someone at work, or SOMEONE, maybe not to hurt them, but to just shield them from information that might paint the teller of the lie in a negative light. It doesn't make that person a "HORRIBLE HUMAN BEING" or a "PIECE OF CRAP HUMAN BEING"....... It just means they made a mistake. I think when people throw out the terms HORRIBLE HUMAN BEING, a reality check is in order. Casey Anthony is a horrible human being. So far as I know, Ryan Braun hasn't murdered any babies.

Really surprised at the amount of angst about the fact that he 'lied to the fans'. Does he come across looking like a bit of a tool after his big presser in spring 2012? Well.........yeah. Lesson not learned after Rafael Palmeiro's fall from grace, apparently. People calling him a 'piece of crap human being' and such..........proof once again that while we love our hero's, what we REALLY love is to see them knocked off their pedestals.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a .250/.300/.450 slash line out of Francisco, with 20 -ish homeruns if he played every day. Those numbers are right around his career norms, and he's entering his age 27 season next year. Probably don't want him hitting vs. LHP ....um......ever I suppose, but he hits well enough against righties. I really have to agree with Robert on this. I don't *want* Ben F at the hot corner, but there's lots of other needs, and if the Brewers can find a suitor for Ramirez, and take care of the starting pitching problem, and assemble a solid bullpen, having a .750-ish LH half of a 3B platoon isn't a bad thing to have already on hand.

The problem with saying "what are the chances of competing next year" is that much of that answer is wrapped into "how many of the current impact players get traded before the deadline. If they truly think they can go for it (and by all accounts, Mark A and Doug are always in 'go for it' mode), they'd hang onto Ramirez, Gallardo, Henderson, Lohse, Aoki, and so on. They'd also be holding onto, then, a bunch of expensive, and in some cases, expiring contracts. If you decide to get rid of a lot of that dead weight, you have to accept that much of the talent you get back won't be MLB ready, or if it is, it's not going to be positive WAR ready, to the point where we'll have enough to make a playoff run in 2014. I just don't see it. Even if they all come back, even if Braun, AND Ramirez, AND Hart are healthy, even IF they all bounce backto pre 2012 form, even IF Braun isn't suspended, even IF Weeks doesn't suck the first half of the season, even IF Gallardo regains his form, even IF one or two of the young pitchers step up and are league average at the back end of the rotation.............. Even IF all those IF conditions are met, it's like an 85 to 87 win team. We need a LOT of IF's, and a bit of luck.

I read this three times and.............sorry, but.......what?

Yeah.......really not a comp for Segura, and a puzzling move, honestly. Altuve will struggle to put up a .750 OPS, ever, because he lacks power, and doesn't take walks. He's a negative defensive WAR as well, so I just don't get the hype about this guy, other than he's teensy-weensy, and hit .290 last year. Simply no reason to lock him up, even if it was on the cheap. They may save a few bucks, but honestly, if you're not looking to make an upgrade from a guy like Altuve within a few years, you don't have any kind of plan that involves contention.

Saying this team could "easily" win 45-50 is a serious stretch. Saying that with a lot of luck and major progression from the young guys, they could possibly win 45-50 games? Yeah. But saying 'easily'? I don't see that. Someone has to score points for them.

I just can't see it at this point. Even with his HR's this season, his OBP is just barely over .300. He is literally providing one thing, and one thing only, and that's homeruns. He's hitting .200, with a .300 OBP. He still takes walks, but a .302 OBP is hurting, not helping your team. He's strictly a DH at this point who can't run, doesn't hit (other than homeruns), and is now carrying a sub-par OBP. I know the "if he stays healthy for 5 more years" argument says that he can hit 600 homeruns, but I just can't see him getting enough PA's if he continues to OBP at such a terrible rate.

There's absolutely nothing odd about this. This is Kohl/Hammond's MO. Chase .500, get the 8 seed, and keep just enough fans coming out to pay the bills. They won't tank a season as long as Kohl owns the Bucks. It just won't happen.

Fantastic article that really digs inside the mind of Mark A a little bit. I don't think too many people thought this was a 90 win team, but .500 wasn't out of the question. A horrendous rash of injuries (139 games missed so far by Hart, Ramirez, and Braun, for starters), and basically the entire starting rotation under-performing leaves us where we're standing now. I won't use this thread as a sounding board for what trades I think they should or shouldn't make, there's enough of those out there. What I will say is that I'm starting to get this uneasy feeling that this team is headed towards a situation where they're being run like the Bucks. Chase .500, sign mediocre mid tier (and expensive) free agents, and hope the fans stay interested just enough in a team on the periphery of the playoff race to keep coming out, and not do the things that need to be done to truly make the team back into a contender, even if it means hardcore tanking a season or two.

Sorry TLB....... but, "Ugh". I work in a call center, and for my first 3 years there, I was a DSL/business data repair advisor. (Now I'm in Trouble Resolution, MUCH better. :D ) Under NO circumstances would I give out my direct extension. Those people who you give your direct extension or e-mail address immediately think you are their personal help desk, and that's just not the case. I gave out my email on a few occasions, and I quickly found out that these people that asked for my extension would email 2-3-4-5 times a month (or more) with silly, trivia questions, and stuff that was just not my company's support issue. They didn't care that a blue monitor, or their printer not working, or something like that is not their Telecom's fault. They got "Great Service!" from me/you/their 'personal advisor' once, and now they're going to expect it all the time, and immediately. Not only do these people e-mail often, they expect immediate response. They don't care that you're taking call after call all day long, and metrics in a call center hold outbound calls against you. They got "great service!" from you once, and now they won't leave you alone. Now, as a part time supervisor, and a customer liaison for our Platinum and Mega-Customers, I do occasionally give out my number for a customer who's looking for frequent follow ups on a major trouble, but when I do, I make sure that the customer is aware that my direct line is "this time only", and if/when they have another trouble in the future, to call the regular help desk. Don't mess with a person's metrics in a call center by asking for a personal extension. The metrics in a call center are brutally strict, and believe me when I say they hold that over your head. And I know from talking to folks who have worked for Charter, Time Warner, AT & T, etc, etc, that it's that way across the board.

Braun - off the table unless you're completely, completely blown away. However, as others have said, one team might not have enough chips to pull it off. Also, as a few others have pointed out, Braun's value to the Brewers extends well beyond what he does on the field. Gomez - while I do expect his offense to regress, I'm not at all a fan of seeing guys sign extensions, and then turning around and trading them. He signed the extension because he wants to be here, and then we trade him less than a full season later? I know that the players realize and understand the 'it's a business' side of things, but trading a guy having an all star caliber season in the prime age-seasons of his career after signing a team friendly contract is sending a bad message (IMO of course) to other players. Also, I'm simply not sold on Logan Schafer being a starting caliber offensive performer. Gallardo - Classic example of sell-low. While the Brewers might not be good again during Gallardo's contract, the truth is the value they get back for him is at it's lowest right now. I'd still not be opposed to trading him, especially if they could get a few younger arms, or even one top-40 arm. Their best bet might be to ride him out until the off-season and see if he regains any of his form or velocity. Henderson - Here's where they might score some good value, especially as they get closer to the trade deadline. K-Rod - Love to see them turn around and flip K-Rod to a team needing a closer or a setup guy close to the deadline. He's not over-priced, and he has a proven track record. A-Ram - I think this is a tough one. His contract makes it tough, and I don't want to see the Brewers be one of those teams paying guys to play for other teams. This isn't a discussion of "I wish they hadn't signed him". They did, and that part is no longer debatable. It is what it is. The truth is, the Brewers have nobody waiting in the wings to play 3rd base, so letting A-Ram play out the string right now isn't the worst thing in the world, unless someone says "we need a 3rd sacker, and we'll pay him" Weeks - Untradeable. Just bury him on the bench. Rather pay him to not play than pay him to play for another team. Hart - Untradeable at this point. Unless he comes back and gets ridiculously hot. Aoki - I'm really torn here. I like watching the guy play, and he's signed to a super-team friendly contract. That being said, he just doesn't profile offensively as a right fielder, and he's super streaky at the plate (of course, that might just be my perception as well) Lucroy - Team friendly contract, and there's nobody behind him. Not untouchable, but no reason to move him really. Lohse - Also torn on this one. Wasn't a fan of the signing. At all. That being said, it happened, and we have to move on. I don't want him to be a Brewer, but at the same time, I don't want to see us signing FA's, and trading them 3-4 months later. Sends a bad sign to future potential signees. Segura - Off the table.

I talked to a police officer friend about this very topic a while back, as the laws are somewhat misleading and vague. From what my friend tells me, you can be in the vehicle, and even have your keys. What constitutes "operation", is ANY attempt at manipulating the vehicle. Even so much as putting the keys in the ignition, or pushing in the clutch on a manual (which I think is pretty obvious). In the instance of a person sleeping across the front seat (or in a van), with the keys in the glovebox or in the visor, a ticket should not be issued.

His job is to bring runners in, not get on base. Page 14 of the manager's handbook. Not sure if srs.........but no matter how you slice it, a guy with a .273 OBP is killing the team offensively. Whether he's hitting 8th or 4th. His job is to not make outs.

I thought it was interesting that RRR in his post game presser actually did finally make mention of the fact that Yuni is still not walking, so he is actually acknowledging the fact that despite his torrid HR pace, his OBP is still a detriment to the team. That being said, the Yuni-bomber has played a role that certainly no one expected in the early going. I don't expect him to keep it up, and likely he won't have to as Hart return and Weeks starts hitting sometime in June or so..........but it's been a nice surprise to have the extra power in the lineup while A-ram and Hart were out.

Gomez would destroy Posey. I'm taking Gomez over any catcher just because he seems like he'd want it more. This. Gomez doesn't look it, but he's a big dude, and he gets a lot of momentum built up in 90 feet. Something tells me he'd lay a catcher out if given the chance.

Anytime someone drinks more than 3-4 adult beverages, I think we can safely say that they're not drinking that many because they're 'really thirsty'. At the point where a person is drinking a dozen or more alcoholic drinks there's really only one end game, and that's to get drunk. To not feel feelings, or to lose some level of control of inhibitions, bodily function, whatever. If the precursor/requirement to having fun with friends (notice I said 'if'), if even only 10-12 times a year is to get ripped up before playing cards, or going to a game, or bowling, or golfing, or whatever it is.........if being drunk is a requirement or a necessity at such an event, then yes, I would say that it is in fact a 'drinking problem.' NOW, that doesn't preclude such people from being "productive members of society" (and I still don't see where that came from) Often times, those two things can be mutually exclusive. Not always, but sometimes.

That's the most terrible thing anyone has ever said on this forum. But seriously....... enough with the rain, wow. I know we're not at 2008 flood levels, but things are getting dicey around here again. Sandbags are out, some low-lying roads are starting to get barricaded off, etc,etc, etc.

People at .4 are not walking and talking. They're being shipped to a hospital, if they're not already dead. One thing I will comment on in this thread is the "different people have different BAC effects because of body weight and blah blah blah blah blah" coupled with "we shouldn't be speculating that Yo has a drinking problem based on this one incident" Well, if you don't have a drinking problem, you know when you've had too much. Does Yo need counseling or rehab or detox? I don't know. But someone who's made the decision to get behind the wheel after drinking enough to get to a .22 has a 'drinking problem' for the simple fact that he's not cognizant of the fact that he's putting his and others' lives at risk, or he is aware of it, and doesn't care. I don't care about the "out at 2 am" stuff. He has a life, and he can live it however he sees fit. Just don't do it behind the wheel when you're drinking.

The amount of trade scenarios that were thrown around here involving Ramirez before he had even played half of the first year of his 3 year deal with the Brewers was what drove me batty. We're not the Marlins, and Doug doesn't run the team like the Marlins. To suggest that he's going to sign a FA, and then trade him 80-ish games into his contract isn't at all realistic. The worst part about it was that it was (for the most part) people that just didn't like the Ramirez signing. Well, obviously Dougie did, or he wouldn't have done it. Turning around and trading him right away just isn't his MO. We can discuss all day whether or not Doug's team building strategy is sound (I'm having serious doubts about that, believe me), but there's nothing in Doug's MO to suggest he's going to "sign and trade", so when people say they're throwing out serious/fair/honest trade proposals that Doug could/would/should pursue, let's look at Doug's track record, and see if that's even a remote possibility. You can call it dismissive, but truth is, there's no way Doug was trading A-Ram mid-season last year, and almost certainly wasn't going to this off-season. I also question how many GM's would have wanted Ramirez's contract. And before someone says "eat some of the salary", should the Brewers really get in the habit of signing FA's to play somewhere between 80 and 160 games, and then paying part of the next 2 1/2 to three years worth of their contracts, just to be rid of them?