True Blue Brew Crew

Mark A calling in a favor from the Commish who was happy to oblige

So you don't think this has already been hashed out at the top with MLB approval? The AAA stadium is very new and consistently rated one of the best minor league parks. The AAA team is going nowhere. This A's move to Vegas has literally been in the works for years. About as long as Las Vegas Ballpark has existed. By the way, look up the Gwinett Stripers AAA team and take a look at where it's located.

Slow start...frustrating bullpen...no significant trades made prior to deadline...young talent flashes late...playoffs missed...another year of what ifs...offseason firesale...team put up for sale.

Forgot to mention the weird lack of extension for Counsell as well. The sense that both Stearns and Counsell have been aware that the team is being positioned for sale and have thus acted accordingly has been growing in my mind as well.

On the eve of the 2023 season, nothing that has transpired this offseason has led me towards anything other than even further suspicion that Mark A. will have the team on the block within the next 2 years. No extensions apparently offered, much less signed. All indications that Woodruff and Adames weren't even approached by the team. And I think we all know that a Burnes extension isn't even worth contemplating anymore. Payroll down from last year despite being in the midst of a competitive window. No long term contracts given to free agents. And the team is set to gain another year of control on both Frelick and Wiemer when the major league roster doesn't even have an established everyday 3rd OFer. That's the behavior of a team in rebuild (or positioning long-term) not a contending one. If an agreement can be reached with the state to extend the future of AmFam Field, you'd be hard pressed to find a better time on paper to sell. These things of course don't have to add up to an intent to sell. But add these factors to the fact the team has been inexplicably unaggressive at a time when they have co-aces and strong complimentary starting rotation pieces, and everything just smells off. ETA: I'd love to hear news break today on a Woodruff extension but it just doesn't seem at all likely despite the fact that it should very much be something they should be working on round the clock.

The reason for considering Wiemer over Frelick is Joey's right handedness and the lack of RH bats in the OF.

Stunned to see some here digging in on this notion of an easy pivot to Jackson for the Jets. In addition to a skillset not suited for the offense run by the Jets NEW offensive coordinator, who happens to be Rodgers favored offensive coordinator, it also ignores the HIGH likelihood that the Ravens will simply match any offer Jackson signs. So when you toss around the idea that the Jets can just go ahead and give up 2 firsts and sign Jackson, you're not only ignoring fit, but you're also ignoring the fact it would be a high risk low reward gamble that the Ravens wouldn't just match the offer. The Jets would still have no QB, but they now would have completely alienated the QB they actually want in Rodgers. It's widely reported that the reason there has been so little activity on Jackson is because teams know that the Ravens will almost assuredly keep Jackson at the offer sheet he signs. Poison pills are no longer allowed. The Ravens seem very willing to let some other team do all the contract work for them. This is moot anyway because the Rodgers to the Jets trade is 99.9% gonna get done.

The Jets specifically hired Hackett with the aim of bringing in Rodgers. Don't be like Jets fans and act like it would be so easy to just pivot to Jackson in that system. Gonna tell Hackett, "yeah nevermind" and go out and get a new OC who runs an offense Jackson fits? Yeah, no.

Knew someone would overreact, thanks for providing the proof.

This has bothered me ever since I read it, finally I tracked this down. If we eliminate every player based on their worst moment, there probably wouldn't be anyone left to draft.

Given the narrow window left with Burnes and Woodruff, I thought it was absurd to play with service time window with Frelick because they had the almighty Tyrone Taylor. Now Taylor might be out of the picture for OD, and people are acting like Tyler Naquin can just be penned in as the solution. Let's face it, this team's best case scenario is one with Frelick living up to expectations. So what sense does it make to keep pushing his debut back given the short time left with this pitching. Do we want to go for it or not while we have these guys? Rip off the bandaid and get to the point where Frelick is one of the best bats in the lineup before Woody and Burnes are pitching elsewhere.

Why is payroll down from last year? Who is replacing 2 of the top 3 spots in the bullpen pecking order? (Hader/Rogers and Boxberger) Names can be offered up but are they realistic or just wishful? How was the savings from not having to pay Hader his projected $14 million reallocated elsewhere? Did Stearns step down because he was told payroll had to be cut? Is the recent backlash from various players (Burnes, Lauer, Cain) a result of players feeling betrayed by the Brewers not spending more to win in this competitive window? Some more musings going through my mind now that camp is underway and the "there's still plenty of time before the season" narrative is evaporating. I was one of those posters who would say that when people were lamenting the lack of moves in Januarys past. I look back at this past offseason and believe that not only was there no intent to add payroll, I now believe the mandate was to cut salary no matter what. To do so in this competitive window with Burns and Woodruff atop the rotation is a stark departure from the way Attanasio has operated in the past. Something has changed.

Not an article, just my own personal prediction looking at things through the lens of a businessman. This will be a fun one to circle back to if I end up being right though. And yes, I'm fully aware of things Mark A has said in the past regarding his wishes for the future and passing things on to his children. I also notice some things that jump out to me as changes in his behavior. I sense circumstances that may have changed those plans. Two additional items to chew on. 1) Mark Attanasio used to be widely embraced and revered by this fanbase. Now it seems 50/50, love him or hate him. Don't discount how much that can wear on someone over time. 2) Mark has begun buying ownership stakes in other sports teams. That could be nothing. But it could also be a pivot to something else to continue to buy additional stakes in to pass down in the family. There's no need for vitriol towards myself. I simply threw it out there as an observation and a prediction. I didn't declare it to be any kind of inside knowledge or try to browbeat anyone into agreeing with me. Just want it on the record and was curious if anyone else had similar thoughts.

When this all settled, I think 3 key factors will emerge as to why Aaron Rodgers is quarterbacking the Packers in 2023... 60 million guaranteed dollars a weak NFC and familiarity in GB vs uprooting and competing in the stacked AFC the Packers unwillingness to get messy The first one answers why not retire, the second answers why not ask to be traded, and the third answers why the Packers accommodate him.

I brought it up as an aside in the Burnes arbitration thread but something like this is worthy of a discussion of its own. Something hasn't been adding up with the Brewers for awhile now and I believe what makes the most sense is that Mark Attanasio is positioning the team to be put up for sale. No long term, large money contracts signed since Yelich's extension nearly 3 years ago. Whispers that Burnes, Woodruff, and Adames haven't even been approached about extending. A payroll down nearly 30 million from 2019, when the Brewers were coming off a season that brought them 1 win away from a World Series, with Jhoulys Chacin leading the staff. Mark even indicated at that time and many times since that with a payroll north of $130 million that there was room to spend more for the right pieces. Well, what's better than 2 co-aces, the top closer in the game, and strong complimentary pitching? Yet, payroll has declined since, down another 8 million from last year, set to begin 2023 at $104 million. Really? With Burnes and Woodruff anchoring a starting pitching staff the likes rarely seen around here? Combined with Stearns stepping down, the weird uncertainty with Counsell, and growing unrest amongst players which we never heard in year's past. I'm sure people can claim that this is all due to Covid and local TV money issues throwing the team budget into ruins. But perhaps Covid and/or failed cryptocurrency investments have actually led to Mark A wanting out? Now, we have this push to have the state spend the money necessary to upgrade and maintain AmFam Field in exchange for an extended lease. Without even getting into the right or wrong of that, how much more attractive is this team as an asset if the stadium is upgraded and its life extended with public funds. Add in a slew of cheap young hitting prospects, the prospects to come when Burnes, Woodruff, Adames, get dealt, no bad contracts aside from Yelich, and it amounts to just about the best possible time to sell. I predict that the majority of the team's top prospects will be held even if the team is in the thick of the race this year. Maybe an excess OF prospect from the top 10 gets dealt, but no one else of significance is dealt for a major piece. I see no large money, long term extensions handed out. I see all 3 of Burnes, Woodruff, and Adames being dealt in the next 12-15 months. And I see an agreement reached with the state to improve and refurbish AmFam. This should all play out in the next 2 years or less, which also leaves just 4 years left on the Yelich deal and no other major money committed. That would bring us to 2025 with a stable stadium situation, hopefully some young exciting cheap hitting stars, an end to the Yelich deal in sight, all on the back of a string of seasons dating back to 2018 when the team was competitive year in and year out. I expect Mark A to have the team either sold or on the block by Spring of 2025. Possibly even by this time next year.

How much smoke has to pour out of the windows before people realize there's a fire inside the Brewers house? The relentless defense by some is a sight to behold. I see more criticism of management and ownership/leadership on both of the Packers and Bucks forums I visit. That in itself is amazing to me given the accomplishments of the 3 teams. As an aside, watch as Attanasio puts the team on the block after Burnes, Woodruff, and Adames depart and this money for AmFam is secured. If some of these hitting prospects amount to anything while they're cheap it will be a tremendous time to sell. It will also explain why more wasn't invested in this window with one of the league's best pitching staffs. How the heck is the 2023 payroll $104 million with Burnes and Woodruff anchoring the rotation? If they thought Hader was set to be paid too much in 2023 then what did they spend that money on instead? Maybe when that picture comes to light, the unending defense of the organization will go away. And I say all of this as a former unabashed apologist of this organization. I was as high on Attanasio and Stearns (and Melvin before that) as anyone. Things have changed dramatically and so many just don't see it.

A lot of the assumptions made in defense of the team as this process played out are looking awfuly poor right now. The word of mouth among the casuals isn't kind to the Brewers in any way. Now even some of the media is joining in on the bashing. Many rush to the defense of this organization but those defenses look poorly founded. They botched this pretty bad.

I mean no newspaper would give certain writers an article a day on the front page. Maybe that's something to ponder Brock?

How does that work out in the long run? Honest question. If the visitor clicks and then finds the content ridiculous or even substandard, do they stick around? Personally I find myself spending less time here than before.

Pretty disingenuous to say it cost the Eagles the game as their fans are saying. Without the penalty, KC still kicks a chip shot FG to take the 3 point lead. Yes, Philly would have had plenty of time to try and tie things up or even take the lead - about 2 minutes. But it can't be assumed. Their protests would hold much more validity if they had the lead when the penalty occured, not a tie game with KC already in FG range on a drive that resulted in a shorter FG.

Careful who you hand the company pen to. Especially when the writer has a tendency to write absurd things and craves attention. Knew it was just a matter of time before this (justified) complaint came.

Just wait until Rodgers decides he wants no part of the AFC with the likes of Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, Herbert and being behind their strong overall teams no matter how much he'd improve one of the lesser teams behind them. Instead he'll say nah, I like my chances here in the NFC where arguably Jalen Hurts is the top passer in the conference currently. Aaron tells the Packers let's roll with what we got here and then Jordan Love is out the door. Protest that scenario all you want but there is a world where the Packers continue to simply honor what Aaron wants and if he decides he wants to keep playing in Green Bay, they very well might move Love instead.

Given the status of the clock ticking on Burnes and Woodruff, it should be both from day 1. I'll say it again, some day even the most team sympathizing fans will be lamenting the years wasted with this pitching and wishing they had lined up the offensive talent sooner. Simply put, while I often side with the notion of holding a player back to manipulate service time, this is not the moment to be doing it with Frelick.

The 1980's style of offense the football team has played since Barry Alvarez didn't hinder them from hanging with the big boys for a long time either. And yet suddenly they've decided to revamp the whole approach on that side. Kids they are a changing.

Pace of play wasn't brought up as a factor in winning or losing, it was mentioned as a factor in attracting better talent.