BuckyBrewer61

+100000 There has been a serious lack of direction with this franchise since 2011. Perhaps the window seemed open the following offseason, but it was painfully clear halfway through 2012 that the window of opportunity for that group of Brewers had closed. I would contend that going into full rebuilding mode was the best strategy at that time, and still do. But if they chose to continue trying to compete - fine - but in that case try and actually compete. Have a purpose. Instead we are trying to half-arsedly compete with a below average team by holding onto players who actually have value but will never play for a contending Brewers team. I fear for the coming 5-10 years of Brewers baseball, and am disappointed we will likely only put one good team around a hall of fame caliber player in Ryan Braun.

HGH has been shown to increase lean muscle mass and decrease fat mass, but has never been shown to significantly improve healing from any injury - muscle, bone, tendon, you name it. Anyone that has used it for, or claims its role in "healing" is purely speculating as to its benefit given the complete lack of evidence in human subjects that any benefit exists at all. HGH actually has less evidence supporting increase in strength, power, and endurance than does testosterone. Testosterone has better evidence showing its benefit in these measures and hasn't really been linked to injury healing, hypothetically or otherwise, like HGH has. So when I hear Ryan Braun or others say he was taking testosterone for nagging injuries in 2011, it sounds just as phony as his press conference in 2012. Let's call a spade a spade here.

This argument continues to drive me nuts, and I don't know how it got started, much less become so prevalent in this conversation. Let's be very clear about this. Systemic steroids, and PEDs in general, do not help aid in recovery. Not true at all. Growth Hormone Activates Gene Involved In Healing Damaged Tissue This is one article about genetic biology of elderly mice from 11 years ago, very far from any sort of proof on the topic. I can pick and choose random studies to prove my point too. How about this one, 10 years more current: "Human growth hormone may be detrimental when used to accelerate recovery from acute tendon-bone interface injuries." Published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery in May 2013. This found that rats subjected to rotator cuff injury and repair that were given HGH post-repair not only did not have any benefit in healing, but actually demonstrated weaker, less durable repairs. Again, this is not any sort of conclusive evidence on human subjects, but people talk as though HGH and other PEDs are accepted, routine therapies in recovery from injury, and this is one fact that is very simply not true. Ok, maybe some athletes believe (without any scientific evidence to support them or those that supply the drugs to them) that they are using PEDs to accelerate their healing, but let's not kid ourselves about the reason the majority of athletes use PEDs.

This argument continues to drive me nuts, and I don't know how it got started, much less become so prevalent in this conversation. Let's be very clear about this. Systemic steroids, and PEDs in general, do not help aid in recovery. In fact, in general steroids have the exact opposite effect, actually impairing the healing process. Now, there are select situations that they are used in the medical profession, i.e. a local steroid injection at the site of a stable injury purely for pain relief, which is also legal for athletes. But using them systemically in someone recovering from injury would have the exact opposite of the intended effect. Plain and simple, athletes that take PEDs are doing it for one reason and one reason only - to get bigger, stronger, faster, better - to gain a competitive advantage. Perhaps they are doing so in the context of regaining strength, speed, and ability after an injury, but there is simply no good scientific evidence that these drugs help with healing of an actual injury itself.

Every year since 2011 it is more and more apparent that the Brewers are just playing in a totally different league compared to many teams in baseball. With deals like this it is abundantly clear that the only chance teams like the Brewers have to compete is to draft and develop young players. And not just some, an entire team of them. And with the draft being such a crapshoot, for everyone, small market teams are just rolling the dice and hoping, over and over, while big market teams get to divvy up the riches amongst themselves. Maybe you get lucky and trade for a star for half a year, but that's all you can afford. And the only free agents you can get are minor leaguers, role players, and former stars looking for someone to take a flier on them after their prime is past. The stars have aligned once in my 30 year lifetime to have a team with a legitimate chance at a championship...and it didn't come. I guess I can only hope it might happen again, but it's hard to be optimistic when you're hoping on luck while competing against teams that simply don't have to do so. It's very disheartening as a baseball fan that MLB allows such an uneven playing field to exist. Sigh.

Is there anything an athlete can do to more certainly declare "I am an arrogant, self-centered (fill in your favorite insult here)" than to point at his name on the back of his jersey after making a play?

Yes, I do and it's pretty obvious. Especially after last year when every turn over was reviewed. There were way more overturned than in previous year and it's because the refs are now making the calls that are fixable, not the right call. I would prefer no expanded replay. The umps are blowing blatantly obvious calls and now we want them to make judgements about what runners are going to do? No thank you. Totally agree, NFL constantly make calls that are fixable first. Every borderline "fumble" is allowed to play out, with a giant pile, prolonged extrication of players/the ball, a huddle of refs and coaches screaming, then eventually a replay that takes at least 5 minutes and often determines a player was clearly down in the first place. And this is far from the only example. If there was actually a hard and fast rule that only CLEARLY indisputable calls were overturned, and only after a STRICT 1 or 2 minute decision time (no decision by then, no overturn - period), replay would be better. But it has expectedly evolved into making further guesses on borderline video evidence after 5-10 minutes or agonizing analysis. And to think baseball will be any different would be naive IMO. Will replay assure more correct calls in baseball? Sure. Is it worth taking 5-10 minutes for each close call to watch multiple frame-by-frame videos of a ball just hitting a glove before or after a single cleat hit the bag, or if it grazed a blade of grass before hitting an outfielders glove? Well, now we all get to find out...

Clearly they are, I never implied the crimes were similar at all, just meant to draw a parallel to the jersey exchange idea. There are a lot of Brewers fans that now have Brewers merchandise that will go unused. That's a lot of public marketing that is now relegated to closets at a time when you are looking to rebrand yourself. If you're already looking to "give back" and looking to deflect the Braun situation, you don't think a new influx of Segura, Gomez, Lucroy, and Peralta jerseys in Miller Park and around Milwaukee would help? Because the vast majority of the jerseys seen nowadays (or at least before this week) are Braun's. EDIT: In thinking further I'll give you that it's probably not the best idea for the Brewers to distance themselves from Braun by discarding many of his jerseys (this may be more what you were getting at)...perhaps something like a "have a Braun jersey, get another player's half off" kind of deal?

How about a jersey exchange a la the Patriots and Aaron Hernandez? Obviously a WAY different situation, but I know the Braun jersey in my closet isn't going to get much, if any, use anymore.

I am unsure how the whole "steroids don't make you stronger, they help you recover quicker" notion came from. Testosterone in particular has strong evidence suggesting it does, in fact, increase strength and power: - In one placebo-controlled, double-blind study of exogenous testosterone, 43 normal men were randomly assigned to one of four groups: strength training exercise with either 600 mg of testosterone enanthate once per week (about six times a replacement dose) or with placebo; or no exercise with either testosterone or placebo [25]. Testosterone treatment increased fat-free mass and muscle strength, both in men who exercised and in men who did not, but more so in those who exercised simultaneously. - In a second, double-blind trial of exogenous testosterone, 61 healthy eugonadal men were randomly assigned to one of five groups, each treated with a GnRH agonist to suppress endogenous testosterone secretion and one of five weekly doses of testosterone enanthate from 25 to 600 mg [26]. Testosterone administration was associated with a dose-dependent increase in leg press strength and leg power. Improvements in strength and power correlated with serum total testosterone concentrations. The evidence the HGH increases strength is less convincing, FWIW. Strength of course does not equal success in baseball, but I would think it's logical to say that baseball talent < baseball talent + added strength (see: Barry Bonds) Further, while I don't know of any evidence to support this, the argument that steroids help you recover more quickly does not make intuitive sense. Steroids suppress the immune system, which is essential to the healing process. Taking steroids does not aid healing, it impairs it.

For people that think Brian and Bill never criticize the Brewers, that last comment after the Marlins manager came to talk to the ump was a perfect example to the contrary. "Good to make an appearance on the field once in awhile...just to let em know you're watching." "Next time you might get a call." IMO a clear jab at Roenicke. They know who signs their paychecks, but they have these sly comments frequently. Just listen to Brian next time Yuni swings away at the first pitch. Or Gomez falls over trying to send an 0-2 pitch into the seats (well...maybe not this year for that one).

With 3 games left to go in May at 5-20 for the month, the Brewers are on pace to set an all-time franchise low. The ten worst calendar months in franchise history (minumum 10 games played): 1. Aug 1969 (Seattle Pilots): 6-22, .214 2. Aug 2004: 6-21, .222 3. Sep 1995: 6-21, .222 4. Jul 2001: 6-20, .231 5. Aug 1975: 7-23, .233 6. May 1994: 7-21, .250 7. May 1987: 6-18, .250 8. Apr 1970: 5-15, .250 9. Sep 1976: 8-23, .258 10. Aug 1994: 3-8, .273 So only winning the last 3 games of May will keep this from being one of the 10 worst months in franchise history. And they need 2 of 3 to keep this from being the worst month since the Brewers arrived in Milwaukee. Of the teams listed above, only Team Streak finished above .500 at 91-71, and excluding the strike shortened '94 and '95 seasons, all the other teams lost at least 94 games. Yikes.

So when does RRR's seat start to heat up? I mean, if he lost every game the rest of year, he'd be fired, right? Obviously there is absolutely no way that happens, but it demonstrates that there has to be SOME threshold where his job security becomes more tenuous. I agree with those that say that the Brewers failures this year are largely on the players and not RRR, but I also don't think "well, it's not his fault, he's not the one pitching/hitting" is valid reason to keep a job either (see: Butch Wynegar). It's the manager's job to put the team in the best position to win, and I feel Roenicke routinely does not do so, and FWIW thought so when they were winning the division in 2011 as well. Would it make a huge difference this year? And did it in 2011? I don't think so, though I do believe it does make some difference, albeit small. But if "it's not his fault" is the best we can say about the guy...what are we trying to hold onto?

http://media.mwcradio.com/mimesis/2011-12/23/billings-mustangs-joe-block_jpg_475x310_q85.jpg

Did Yuni move on that ground ball? I don't care how nice of a 2-week stretch he had...he sucks.

Yuni's 1st 25 games this season: .279/.297/.570/.866 7 HR's, 4 2B's, 22 RBI Since (10 games): .179/.220/.282/.502 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 RBI Both are of course very small sample sizes, and you can't really draw conclusions from either, but I worry that a one month burst of power may buy Yuni far more starts and at bats (and even years of a contract...) than he deserves because, despite one month of value, Yuni is not all of a sudden a good baseball player. This is evidenced by the fact that after one good stretch, Yuni became our clean-up hitter... Granted, the options were scarce and still are given our awful bench, but he is simply not that good. I hope I'm wrong and would love it if Yuni turns into Jose Bautista, but odds are he will instead turn into Yuni. Hopefully those putting together lineup cards and handing out contracts realize this sooner than later if he keeps trending the way he has the past 2 weeks.

Don't get me wrong, I will always live and die by the Brewers, and am rooting for this team as hard as any other. And I do believe this is a decent team that, if things break the right way, can contend for a playoff spot. But to me this team just seems so... Uninspiring. Apathetic. Boring. Am I wrong? Forget the numbers and projections, that's not what I'm talking about. Players will come out of slumps (I mean, they have to at some point, right?), the team will have hot and cold stretches as they have already thus far, but through the season so far, and much of last year for that matter, these players just don't excite me. I want to be invested in these players, but I'm just not. They just seem like 25 guys coming to the ballpark, doing their job, and going home. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't. So be it. Where's the personality? Where's the fire? No I don't think these things necessarily translate to wins, but it sure as heck makes it easier for me to get invested in a team when I feel like the team has an investment themselves. I don't mean to pile on Roenicke (though am usually happy to do so...), but I feel like this team has taken on his personality, or lack thereof. And let's face it, when Fielder left, the Brewers edge left with him. I love watching Carlos Gomez play baseball, but who else, skill level aside, gets you excited to watch Brewer baseball? Yeah they've been on a cold stretch, but again this feels like a team just going about it's business. How many times over this season already has the team fallen behind early, then gone out with a whimper for inning after inning en route to a loss? And conversely, how many times have they posted a run or two in a comeback effort, only to turn around and give the runs right back the next half inning? When you flip the script, it seems as though the Brewers have often gone down meekly for multiple innings in that scenario. Aside from the ONE win against the Cardinals in 7 tries this season, when has the team made you feel like they had a comeback in them? I miss Mike Cameron. And Prince Fielder. And T-Plush. I miss Zack Greinke and his quirkiness. I miss untucking 'em. I miss beast mode. I miss players dropping at home plate like bowling pins. I even miss Seth McClung firing a fastball at Albert Pujols, even if it is in a pivotal September game. I mean heck, look at our bench right now - Alex Gonzalez, Logan Schafer, Jeff Bianchi, Blake Lalli? Who's excited for a big pinch hit opportunity in the 8th??? I'd take Mark Kotsay back if I wasn't afraid our manager would start him at pitcher and bat him 3rd. Around 2006 or so until 2011 were special years for obvious reasons, but I really believe a big part of it was how easy it was to love those players and how fun it was to watch them play, winning and losing aside. Even those guys that remain from those teams seem to have lost something, call it an edge, a passion, whatever, but the magic just seems to be gone. I want to love these players for more than just the logo on their hats...

The red hot Braves? Pssh, big deal. Phillies? Cardinals? Piece of cake. Who's next on the schedule? The Brewers...? In Milwaukee...? http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqpo7kknoF1r1y82eo1_500.gif

I am craving a navy blue "Milwaukee" Segura jersey...anyone know where I can get one? Can't seem to find one online.

Anyone know a way to get the game out of market? I'm in Florida for the week and would like to catch some of the games, is there an MLB.tv free trial? Or any other way to possibly get the game?

There are certainly plays that could be easily reviewed in baseball, tonight's being one (though as mentioned...the umps were correct, as they are the VAST majority of the time). Problem is, when replay is expanded (which I agree it inevitably will be), we will end up reviewing trap catches that are impossible to discern, plays at first that are essentially ties (was the ball in the mitt yet???), etc and baseball replay will become football replay. Slow, tedious, excruciatingly analyzing minutiae, and not having a huge impact on most games anyway. In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not

This is not funny anymore

A home run would make everything better...

How do you not swing when you know a pitcher is on deck?????

This season sucks.