JimH5

During the offseason, I think teams should make their manager play Strat-o-Matic (or the like) for several hundred games, just so they get a feeling for what can happen when they try something out of their comfort zone. Could it hurt?

Most bunts in ASG history.

. . .whoever was the sidekick at the time (Dwayne Mosely, Pat Hughes, Merle Harmon, whoever). . . Yikes--Merle Harmon was never a sidekick. The broadcast didn't really become "The Bob Uecker Show" until long after Harmon was gone. Merle Harmon was an established broadcaster with national credentials when he came to Milwaukee. Many of the others have used the job as a resume builder. I don't think that was the case with Harmon. Sorry to sidetrack. . .

the way he says "gonzalez" annoys me too. That is a wonderfully precise complaint.

It's turning into Monday Night Yawn. People I now fast forward through: Santino Michael Cole Air Boom Any Diva match Alberto Orton That doesn't leave much.

I'm getting tired of the facial hair on these World Series participants. The Gilette Fusion has FIVE BLADES! Don't these guys know that?

Jeter is so clutch.

why do you take a nude picture of your GF to the library? To show it to Bud Selig.

Ken Rosenthal's tie. When you're on tv and you're shorter than every other person on tv, wearing a bow tie makes you look like a nerdy child on school picture day.

Because we tried scrubbing it out, and we tried soaking it out. . .and then we finally allowed Wisk into our lives.

SCP Auctions is selling a 1982 World Series ball with provenance claiming that it was the ball used to record the final out in the Series. http://www.scpauctions.com/LotDetail.aspx?lotid=17426&searchby=4&searchvalue=577&page=0&sortby=0&displayby=2&lotsperpage=100&category=1&seo=FINAL-OUT-BASEBALL-USED-IN-GAME-SEVEN-OF-THE-1982-WORLD-SERIES---ST.-LOUIS-CARDINALS-DEFEAT-THE-MILW The auction opens October 28th. It closes November 19th. This is lot #577 and the opening bid is $5,000. There is also a reserve on the lot, so I'm guessing that $5,000 won't take it. Didn't someone buy the Bartman ball and have it blown up at a Cubs bar in Chicago? I think this needs to have a similar fate. Maybe someone can dig through Jane Pettit's couch cushions or something and come up with enough to buy this ball. That would be clutch!

Who was the first Brewer to record a hit in the All-Star Game? Larry Hisle in 1978. Who was the first Brewer to record an extrabase hit in the All-Star Game? Jeromy Burnitz with a double in 1999. Who has the most managerial wins in Brewers history? Phil Garner 563-617

Which Pitcher holds the Brewers record for career wins as a Brewer?---- Mike Caldwell 117 Baseball-reference.com says that Jim Slaton has 117 wins to lead the franchise. Caldwell is 2nd with 102. You don't want wedding reception fisticuffs. . .at least not because of a trivia question.

I just don't think the Selig ownership group had the resources (or perhaps the foresight) to get the Brewers into a mid-tier revenue situation. I think I was paying about $16 a seat for a good lower grandstand (infield about 8 rows up) partial season ticket. Maybe they didn't have the confidence that the team could grow much beyond that. I don't think they tanked anything or that they weren't trying. I just think they were poor by MLB ownership standards.

The fact, when disscussing the state of the Brewers with people, that Mark Kotsay has been described as clutch. I say That he's a pretty awful player, their response? He's clutch! Its just frustrating me right now. Along with the Cardinals winning Game 1. When you want to tweak a sabermetrician, just drop "clutch" into the conversation a couple of times. I like to say "Jeter is so clutch" every once in awhile just to get them going. It's fun! I hope Joe Sheehan and Keith Law are reading this.

1) At what point are these guys humans, and at what point are they property? Greinke would be a good example of this. I've seen fans at many sites complain about the accessibility of players, that they are not particularly friendly or won't sign autographs. I believe if a player is contractually obligated to fan interaction, then that is his responsibility, otherwise, it can really only be my expectation that he will perform on the field. It's nice when guys are personable, but not expected. This is obviously only one aspect of this topic, it can be taken from many different angles. How long is too long to stay away when your wife gives birth? What if there is an illness in the family? What is the player's obligation to the team over self? You and I get sick leave and the like, why shouldn't they? I understand the importance of each game, but is there a line? I would consider Greinke's case to be unique, as his medical situation is well known. I expect that players conduct themselves in ways that positively represent themselves and the Brewers organization. They can't sign every autograph, or pose for every picture--people shouldn't expect that. But they can act with basic courtesy--and fans can act with courtesy toward them, too. The birth thing is a hard one, since they get so much time off from November to February. But, people don't always plan pregnancies--so who am I to say? Is a week enough? Ten days seems like a lot, but maybe not. I guess the same with illnesses--unless it is a spouse or child, then I would be much more forgiving. 2) The hometown discount. I see this a lot, not necessarily here all the time, but in many forums. Fans feel that the team that drafted the player should be given special treatment. This is interesting to me, because I think it varies by situation. Mike Piazza, to me, owed the Dodgers a hometown discount. They drafted him in the boonie rounds as a favor. They gave him his shot, that he most likely would not have garnered otherwise. Should he sign for far below market? No, but it is my feeling that all things equal, consideration should be given to the team that got you here. Just my opinion, could be wrong. Guys like Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, etc. don't really owe the team anything, IMO. They were high picks, that would have been happily scooped up by the teams immediately following. The Brewers didn't do them any favors, they were going to make money regardless. I also find it interesting because, it would seem in any negotiation that the arrived upon salary would be the lowest amount that management had to play to keep their asset. I don't know of a ton of teams that pay extra for players just because they like them, obvious exclusion of Derek Jeter. We agree. Free agents are free to do whatever they want. Milwaukee is a fine place to live. But New York is, too. If they feel comfortable in a small market and if they want to accept less to play there, then they are free to do so. Or they can leave for more. No hard feelings. But they also have to know that fans have strong feelings about rivals. Regardless of how much I like Prince, if he signs with the Cubs, he gets booed until I decide to stop. Giants, Rangers, Angels, Mets--I don't mind. . .but the Cubs are hated. That's just the deal. 3) Professionalism. This one I find especially fascinating. We here constantly that these guys are professional, they should carry themselves in a certain manner. These guys are where they are because of a special talent at a child's game. Most are not highly educated, and many came from less than stellar backgrounds. This spans all sports. Newfound wealth from sports does not equate to professionalism. Pro players, for the most part, have lived their lives being the best around at their chosen game. From little league through the draft, they were the best. Entering the pros, they meet their counterparts. What prepares these guys to react to being not the best? Kevin Youkilis is a fairly well acknowledged hot-head, he gets angry over popping out in non important games, he's thrown tantrums. Sportswriters and teammates roll their eyes and comment on this, but seriously, what has prepared this guy to fail? He's always been the best. Doctors, lawyers, businessmen, are trained in etiquette. They have been taught how to maintain themselves in a professional manner. It seems to me that people assume the wealth of players should lead them to be professional. I expect them to be professional because they're wearing the local jersey. I don't want to cheer for someone who conducts himself like a dope. The same way I don't want to eat in a restaurant where I can hear the chef yelling in the kitchen. There really isn't much to etiquette. Just act like an adult. Bryce Harper acted like a punk early on, and I would hope that by the time he gets to the majors, someone in the Nats organization would coach him on how to behave like an adult. I don't think the money has anything to do with it. Just being a major-leaguer means you have to conduct yourself with professionalism. Harper's not going to be perfect--but you hope he's not doing the same stuff at 25 that he does at 20.

ESPN's E:60 profile on Scott Hall is pretty riveting. I've never been to one of the small indy shows, but even for the guys who are sober, it looks really depressing. Hall looks about ready to die. He moves slowly and is very puffy. Steroid use and drug & alcohol abuse have taken a huge toll. Hopefully his life will serve as a lesson to some of the younger guys.

I am also interesting in reading what comes of this. My own interest is in the 1969-70 offseason, with the Pilots bankruptcy and not knowing where the team was going. The team was in Spring Training, without knowing where they would play their home games. That seems like a story that needs to be told. Plus, Bud seems like a good storyteller, so I'm psyched to get his perspective on those days. Hawing, if there are any symposiums or other public access sessions with Bud, I hope you'll pass the word along.

I thought it was a fun gesture, though next year's team will need to develop their own personality. Even as it got overused, it was a sign of cohesion and enthusiasm.

The Mad Scientist from the Subway commercials? If not him, then I would go with Audrey Kuenn, too.

When you walk around on other people's turf, you've got to expect that you're going to take a little of it. Especially in the midst of a really tough, emotional series--They want to win as much as we do, so it's best to save the pleasantries for later, when emotions aren't as intense. There are people on this site who have ripped Pujols and LaRussa and Molina and the "classiness" of the Cardinals, so it shouldn't shock us that they might dislike some things about the Brewers or their fans.

Gah, neither has his haircut. For those of us forced to wear the Ripken/David Wells "hair" cut, Eckersley's mane is glorious! Let it flow, Dennis!

I'll have whatever Eckersley is having. He doesn't look like he has aged in 10 years.

It won't be Darrell Porter. He died 9 years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darrell_Porter I don't have a problem with them picking Suppan--though it would have been like if the Brewers used Richie Sexson to throw out a pitch against Arizona. A little tweak doesn't hurt--it's fun.

Good Lord, John Laurinitis is a stiff. They had better get out of that story line quickly. He's a show-killer.