BuckyBrewer61

Not to hijack the thread (though I have a feeling this is about to...), but the MLB rules clearly state: "Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible." This is not, and has never been, some big secret. Pete Rose knew exactly what he was doing and exactly what he was risking. Saying Pete Rose should be reinstated just because he is the hit king is like saying we should let a murderer out of prison because he was otherwise a great guy. No - you do the deed, you pay the price. And I'll agree on the DH, though with the opposite opinion. I would eliminate the DH, everyone else in the sport has to play both offense and defense, why doesn't the pitcher? I know the answer, but much prefer the NL version of baseball.

Sorry to ask again...but is the WBC (particularly US games) being broadcast in the U.S. anywhere but on MLB network? I haven't seen any U.S. games on TV elsewhere, and I don't get MLBN. I understand them wanting to boost ratings on their own network, but it's a bit odd to me they'd limit the viewership potential of a tournament they are trying to increase the popularity of.

Is tonight's game on anywhere besides MLB Network? That's the only place I've seen it listed.

As is well known amongst players, coaches, media, management, and even fans alike, the following is posted in every MLB locker room: Rule 21(d): BETTING ON BALL GAMES. Any player, umpire, or club official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has no duty to perform shall be declared ineligible for one year. Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible. It wasn't a secret. Pete Rose knew full well that if he was caught betting on his own team, the rules clearly state he will be banned from baseball permanently. Everyone knows this. So, knowing this...he bet on his own team anyway. Sorry Pete, you were a great player, but you're out.

Woah Woah Woah....wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait. A. Minute. Who is batting 6th?!?!?!? If we could just get Gomez out of the 2 spot, we could be getting somewhere here.

Eh, I don't really care. In the end, the Brewers get just as many calls in this manner as their opponents do over a 162-game schedule, so it really doesn't matter one way or another. So if there are more sweet defensive plays made on "tag" outs and double plays that are borderline calls, that's fine by me. On another note, I think Gomez just about had a foot in the right-handed batters box when he tried to bunt there

I knew it. Easy one.

This I disagree with. Yeah there are plenty of logical reason's why Braun may be innocent here. But of the little facts we actually do know about, we know this - Braun's urine tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone. And the questions as to WHY? has never been directly addressed. There are a number of possibilities - tampering, lab error, storage error, etc. But, I'd assume the most common reason players test high for synthetic testosterone is...they are taking synthetic testosterone. Again, don't get me wrong, I tend to believe Braun here, but until someone actually fills in the blanks with something more than logic or conjecture, the court of public opinion will always be against Braun, particularly outside the state of Wisconsin.

Yeah, I have to say I'm getting very frustrated with this. I preface this by saying I still tend to believe Braun, and honestly will probably always believe him no matter what unless he is actually proven guilty due to my blind, undying love of the Brewers. And, I don't believe Braun owes an explanation to anyone here. Whether or not he is actually guilty, it is entirely his perogative to tell or not to tell the whole story. But, for months he talks about how he can't wait to tell his side of the story. We hear all this talk about how once we hear the story behind the story we'll understand and his name will be cleared, and how this is all BS. But then, when he has a chance to clear the air, he talks in vagaries about the process, in vagaries about the collector while throwing him under the bus, and claims his name has been dragged through the mud and he is completely innocent. He says nothing about why his sample tested positive despite his supposed complete innocence. He spoke convincingly and strongly, and again, I tend to believe him, but he backs up his claims with no evidence whatsoever, at least to the public. If you can't say for legal purposes, then tell us that. If you are protecting anyone or anything, be it MLB or teammates, then tell us that. But to speak vaguely about how the "true story" will never come out, you have to know that just makes you look guilty. Again, he doesn't owe me an explanation, but as a fan it is becoming increasingly difficult to defend him, and I don't blame anyone for being skeptical about this whole thing based on what little information the public has gotten. It may not be fair, but if I was not a Brewer fan listening to this whole saga, I'd probably think the guy was juicing too.

It's the good ol' bully theory. The real purpose is to make that person feel better and maybe "impress" some friends. Sound childish? Yep. Yeah I never really understood fans seriously talking trash. Sure I care if the Brewers win, and some friendly ribbing is fun, but people who seriously try to put me down by telling me that a bunch of strangers I've never met but happen to play in my hometown suck at baseball...I just chalk up as idiots.

Rather than being productive this afternoon, I've been mainly watching random-fan home video of Nyjer Morgan's game 5 walk-off. With the snow outside and all the offseason talk of Prince leaving, Ryan's allegations, etc, this makes me happy. I'm also trying to keep a straight face in front of the rest of the Alterra patrons. It's tough.

Couldn't agree more that pharmacists are unbelievably valuable resources and the foremost experts on drug-related information. I know you weren't aiming to be insulting, but to paint a broad stroke and say many doctors only know what a salesman tells them is...a little insulting, not to mention false. Anyway, I don't think it was your intention and I'm not upset, and it's a topic for a different thread, but couldn't help but throw in my two cents.

Wow, cynical much?

It seems as though the arguments for the anti-cap crowd are essentially saying that the small market clubs can out-do the big market teams by drafting wisely, trading effectively, and spending wisely whereas the big market teams end up signing big name free agents to bad contracts, thus evening the field. This may be true and will happen, but it says absolutely nothing about the inherent advantage of having multiple times a larger payroll than another team. Sure, the Mets and Cubs can hand out terrible contracts and end up with a bad team. But so can the Brewers. Or the Royals. The point is that, at square one, the field is not created equal. This argument is like if two people started playing Monopoly, and one person started with $1,000 and the other $4,000. Sure, the poorer player could outfox the rich one and win, but that has everything to do with the player and nothing to do with competitive balance. If big market team executives run their team poorly, that's a failure of the team just as much as if the pitcher gives up home runs or the batters strike out. It is not MLB's job to govern that in any way. It should be their job, however, to create a fair and equal playing field for all teams to start from, and may the best front office/coaching staff/players win. And because teams start with such a wide disparity in available finances, they are simply not doing this.

Link I don't really know much about the Phillies/players intentions on resigning after the buyout, but let the roster speculation with Oswalt and Lidge in Brewers uniforms begin!

"Every fan base has their d-bags, especially on the internet. People talking obscene amounts of smack act like they are players on the team- 'we' this, 'we' that" It's really kind of funny when you think about it. Don't get me wrong, I am a rabid Brewers fan and routinely say "we" this and "we" that, but I never really understood trash talking among fans. "Hey, these random guys I've never met that happen to play baseball in my city are better than those random guys that play in your city!" Ok....so what? Baseball is fun, I love it, I live and die by it, but all the chest puffing and arrogance over the skills of strangers is comical to me sometimes. That said...I do somewhat enjoy giving it back to someone who starts it up for no reason and knows nothing about baseball or their own team.

"Gomez is a fabulous centerfielder, but you also have to look at trying to score runs and trying to figure your offense and where you slot guys," Roenicke said. "When we take Nyjer out, sometimes it's hard to slot that guy in the second spot. This is typical Ron, and the reason I think assembling a lineup is his most glaring weakness. You are aware that when someone comes out of the lineup, you can move around batters...right, Ron? You know that 3B of yours that's hit the ball hard in 50% of his AB's this postseason? He's allowed to bat 2nd too... Oh, and all this talk of needing to maximize runs with Carpenter on the mound...does minimizing runs against not matter in a low scoring game? Give Ron credit for maintaining a loose, upbeat clubhouse, that goes a longer way than I probably give him credit for, but some of his lineup decisions drive me up the wall.

How about a little perspective here: 1) Our two best players are playing like our two best players in the postseason: Braun .500/.567/.962/1.528Fielder .333/.467/.833/1.300 Compare this to Pujols .414/.452/.724/1.176 (2011 postseason OPS was .843 before yesterday) Oh, and our worst player? Betancourt .346/.370/.615/.986 Not bad 2) Our ace is pitching as well if not better than their ace: Gallardo: 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 0.929 WHIPCarpenter: 1-0, 3.00 ERA, 0.917 WHIP 3) Some perspective on how red hot the Cardinals invincible lineup is. Batting stats through the first two games of the NLCS: Brewers: .279/.364/.603/.967Cardinals: .333/.366/.526/.891 Deep breath people...

Awesome. Signature worthy. Brewers over Dbacks 3-0Phillies over Cardinals 3-2 Yankees over Tigers 3-2Rays over Rangers 3-1 Brewers over Phillies 4-3Yankees over Rays 4-3 Brewers over Yankees 4-2 with everyone outside of NY rooting on the Crew. If I was a betting man, my money would be on the Phillies. But I'm not, and for no good reason I just feel like something magical is going to happen this month.

http://media.spokesman.com/photos/2004/10/17/spt17badger_10-17-2004_3R2QOCJ_t210.jpg?74a72ef94756bccc16ea1c78066b52f96b62dbc7 http://yourenotspecialbecause.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/kyle-orton-fumbles1.jpg http://a.espncdn.com/media/ncf/2004/1016/photo/a_orton_hi.jpg http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wis/sports/m-footbl/auto_action/5262507.jpeg

Did anyone else immediately think of this when they saw that color scheme? http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l248/ninetimesblue/ladies/astros/nolan.jpg

I can't post this as a picture from my iPhone, but if one of the mods wants to edit it, I think it may be worth it... http://ejumpcut.org/curre...nBaseball/pix/Major8.jpg Edited to include photo. Nice touch! - hawing http://ejumpcut.org/currentissue/RobsonBaseball/pix/Major8.jpg

http://www.jasonzweig.com/images/eatcrow.jpg Although I'm happier to be wrong than he is. I'll still hold that Roenicke's lineups don't give the Brewers the best chance to win, but that doesn't mean I'm not rooting for the Kotsays, Betancourts, and McGehees to play well. I like them all and would love it if they all got hot in the next two months. I just don't think it's the best strategy to hope for that when odds are more likely than not that they won't.

There are 7 hitters in the lineup who are better than Kotsay. Yet he hits second. That is my major issue. My minor one is not starting Hart, who's OPS (without getting the platoon advantage all season, unlike Kotsay) is 200 points higher than Kotsays on the season.You havea point on hitting 2nd althought there isn't exactly an ideal candidate. Lucroy hasn't batted anywhere near the top of the order all year so RR isn't about to try that. The only other option would probably be Green and we all know by now that RR would rather use a veteran in important spots. The ideal candidate is anyone who is a better hitter than Kotsay, which would include Weeks, Lucroy, and arguably Green. Ron does not seem to grasp the idea that the best way to score runs is to group your best hitters together, regardless of what type of hitters they are, what position they are playing, or how they have performed in certain positions in the lineup in the past. He instead thinks batting Kotsay 2 or 3 and batting McGehee and Betancourt ahead of anyone not pitching is the best lineup for this team. Yeah I know I'm over-reacting, but it is mind-boggling to me how someone who thinks this to be true has one of the 32 jobs in America managing a major league baseball team. He obviously has the favor of the players, which in the world of the modern spoiled athlete is saying something and I think is worth something, but to continue to assemble less than optimal lineups while possibly not once the entire season putting the 8 best active players in the lineup together at once is so frustrating. Ok, rant over.

I really wish someone would ask Ron, straight up, "Hey Ron, in one word, yes or no, do you truly believe that putting McGehee and Betancourt in the lineup everyday gives this team the best possible chance to win?" Of course, that would be a catch-22 because if he said yes he'd be a terrible evaluator of talent and just not paying attention to the numbers, and if he said no he'd just be a terrible manager.