mikemercury

When you have a 30 year waiting list, revoking tickets is a legit threat. If a company bought 4 Diamond box 81 game season tix, and in one game, one fan gets tossed you don't really think the Brewers could/would want to loose or not accept their business do you? I was at 7/31 and while my section (212) was mostly Brewers fan I can't say the same for my parking section or the stadium as a whole. I know Packers season ticket holders who are Wisconsin born and raised that are Cubs fans. It makes ZERO sense to me. One Cubs home series we sat one section over from a bus from the fox valley and that had to have 50-60% Cubs fans. . .amazing. I honestly think that if we get to the playoffs for the 1st time in 25 years there is no way that NLCS game is more then 10% Cubs fans. Anybody dedicated enough to support the Brewers as a season ticket hold WANTS to be at one of those games...right?

I think it's a great decision. I'm an avid sports fan and fantasy player. If I didn't have a wager or the starter in my tied fantasy game, I can't even watch Monday Night Football or any other sporting event. Without some type, no matter how small, of a rooting intrest I can't watch a sporting event. I understand that MLB wants to maximize it's revenue, but back in 2005 Fanball.com hosted our fantasybaseball league for free. Then "the judgement" came down, and we had to pay cbsportsline.com like $160 for the same service the following season. Isn't that a type of monopoly? I believe the legal argument used was that once a player makes a hit or out, it not only becomes a stat, but a historical fact. I guess the Supreme Court says you can't own a historical fact. I think the fantasy magazines who have pictures in them and on their cover should be paying someone for the that, but I never bought a fantasy magazine because of who was on the cover, but the analysis and predictions of what's inside. If MLB would have won, you know for a fact the NFL, NBA would be doing the same thing. Not to get off topic, but why would someone feel ripped off for buying standing room only, when there are 80+ other home games you can buy tickets too. For $1 more and some foresight you could have sat field level in the bleachers.

I think it's a great decision. I'm an avid sports fan and fantasy player. If I didn't have a wager or the starter in my tied fantasy game, I can't even watch Monday Night Football or any other sporting event. Without some type, no matter how small, of a rooting intrest I can't watch a sporting event. I understand that MLB wants to maximize it's revenue, but back in 2005 Fanball.com hosted our fantasybaseball league for free. Then "the judgement" came down, and we had to pay cbsportsline.com like $160 for the same service the following season. Isn't that a type of monopoly? I believe the legal argument used was that once a player makes a hit or out, it not only becomes a stat, but a historical fact. I guess the Supreme Court says you can't own a historical fact. I think the fantasy magazines who have pictures in them and on their cover should be paying someone for the that, but I never bought a fantasy magazine because of who was on the cover, but the analysis and predictions of what's inside. If MLB would have won, you know for a fact the NFL, NBA would be doing the same thing. Not to get off topic, but why would someone feel ripped off for buying standing room only, when there are 80+ other home games you can buy tickets too. For $1 more and some foresight you could have sat field level in the bleachers.

I've never had a problem with a player who lets it be known they want to be traded. On the other hand, hinting out loud that JJ and Weeks should be (rightfully) benched instead can divide a team. While the perception is that it might hurt the Brewer's leverage, doesn't it let all the other 31 teams know it's ok to call the Brewers and make the first offer? (I bet the Bengals will wish they took Washington Redskin's offer for Ocho Cinco when they had the chance!) Perhaps someone overshoots a price that will make Melvin pull the trigger. That being said, Hall's greatest value is to someone else is as an IF super-sub or shortstop with power, but Juan Uribe's worse average and better glove didn't seem to fetch anything this offseason for the Whitesox. Platoons can and do work. Mench/Jenkins was way better then watching Jenkins just get dominated by lefties in a similar way Hall has been looking for the last 1 1/3 years versus righties. I was and still am 100% in favor of a Branyan/Hall platoon over Hall everyday, Gywnn on the bench. If they did move Hall, I consider Dillion to be somewhat comparable to a slightly less potent, but more versitle Cirillo version 2.0. While I feel that way I don't think the Brewers feel that way since he's had only 4-5? starts with the big club. The problem is I don't see a good trading partner for Hall right now except maybe the Rays or Twins, but they seem like they won't spend money on their own players much less another team's player. If/when Hall gets hot and/or Branyan cools off, Billy will get more AB's with a righty on the mound, and all will be well in Hall's mind. I think if we can land a solid SP under our control for at least 2 years for a OF(excluding Laporta, but perhaps Gamel) prospect and Hall that could help the team more then the current 3B platoon with McClung/Villy starting. Like most mock-trades that perfect formula usually doesn't exist, and we'll likely see Hall in a Brewer uniform all year.

I don't think it's very easy to move scrap heap nuggets after 1 good season for 3 reasons. That could have a career year for the player, which scares teams off. (Which is the case for guys you mentioned) Other teams look kind of foolish when they trade something of value for a player they could have had for basically nothing a few months earlier. Most nuggets that Melvin found are usually very cheap. A cheap contract is a key ingredient when dealing with payroll constraints. I realize that Clark and Turnbow never really lived up to their contracts, but remeber they were only getting Craig Council/Dave Bush/Arby type money.

There is ZERO chance the DH will go away. It's possible that there could be a DH in both leagues someday. NL owners don't want to pay for extra slugger if they don't have too. There's just as much of an advantage when AL teams play in NL parks. If Boston had played in Miller Park, Big Pappi likely sits a game, and plays 2 games at 1B, sending either Youklis and/or Lowell to the bench. I would think it would be unlikely that we get swept at home. I do agree that a roster move could, and should have been made to bring up Nelson or Russell the Muscle.

The main problem I have will Melvin and getting rid of him, could be the end of Gord Ash, Jack Z, Reid Nichols, and the rest of the front office staff. A new GM would likely want "his" guys in place. This team is way too close to good things to shake up the organization from the top down, and that's what getting a new GM often brings. A football the average teams turns over 1/3rd of it's roster every season. With only 4 teams in a division it's easy to go from worst to first. Baseball, especially for small market teams, is set up quite different. We have to do things like have Ryan Braun start the year in AAA in 07 for 2 months, despite being the 2nd best hitter on the team at the time so we gain an entire year at the back end before he hits free agency. (Outstanding yet, often overlooked move for the team.) In the mustache I trust. I also trust that if the Brewers don't start winning road games, the mustache will make a manager move. Are manager's contracts guaranteed like the players?

I would grade Melvin's first 3 years as A. The last 2+ seasons it can be argued he's been average or of a "C" grade. Overall that makes it a "B-?" All those reclamation projects gave us a respectable team, instead of starting guys who would DFA'ed or 25th men on half of other rosters. This team was ridiculously bad in '02. My top 5 favorite Melvin moves with a little hindsight would be: 1 Trade Podsednik/Vizsicano for Carlos Lee. It gave us the cleanup hitter we needed for two guys who's value peaked and were replaced by better in-house options(for at least one year anyway) Brady Clark in CF/Leadoff and Matt Wise as the 8th inning setup guy. 2. Sexon for 6 players. Sometimes the best prospect (Jorge DeLerosa) doesn't pan out, but we got a starting C, 2B, SS, 1B, SP, and King George. Overbay and Cappy for a 1 year rental straight up would have been a fleece, throw in 3 starters up the middle, who were below average, but still upgrades over what we had, and a hard throwing, young lefty, and wow. 3. Loogy Shouse for a bag of balls. Team has got more "bang for their buck" out of him over any post-arby player in the Melvin era. 4. Mota for dead weight/Jason Kendall signing - At the time of this post we are only 1.5 of 6 months through the season, but Estrada and his bull headedness are gone for a viable MLB starting catcher and flame throwing and valuable bullpen arm. 5. Carlos Lee/Nelson Cruz - CoCo, Mench and his big head, Nix - Lee wasn't comming back, and the entire MLB knew this. We caught lighting in a bottle with CoCo for 1 1/2 years, Mench forced Jenkins to be what he truely is, a platoon player. Cruz proved he was AAAA fodder. Honorable mention to Toma Ohka for Spivey. It's hard enough to get SP, especially when you have to trade a player to make room for replacement(Weeks) over the next 6+ years. Same can be said about Overbay for Bush/Gross, Zack Jackson. I was also a huge fan at the time of the Jenkins, Hall, and Sheets contract extensions, and Damian Miller, David Riske and Mike Cameron signings, and Torres trade. The only Melvin moves I would delcare a full blown looser was last offseason's Eveland/Davis/speedy lefty OFer for Vargas, Estrada, Aquino. I wonder since the only player we wanted at the time was Estrada if we could have got just him for Eveland? That trade looks more lopsided because Eveland is having success in Oakland that didn't have in Milwaukee (or Arizona). Davis signed a 3 year extension for cheaper then Supan money. The other mistake was offering Graffy arby after signing Council for 2 years 6 million. Overall minor in the whole grand scheme of things. I still think signing Supan was a good idea. Owner Mark A wanted a free agent, and because of that we offered big money to Juan Pierre and Dave Roberts that same off-season. Supan is much better option then those two, and is being paid in line with the Ted Lilly, Jason Schmidt, Jarod Washburn, Gil Meches of the world, and putting up better numbers. If we don't have Supan and his 200 innings last year, I think we finish more then 2 games out of 1st. The Linebrink deal was baddly needed last year, and while we did pay a bunch, Thatcher is nothing, Inman and Garrison could be replaced and/or surpassed by the picks we got for letting Linebrink walk. Gagne was expensive at 10 million but there was no other viable options on the market. Some of the best non-closer options we acquired anyway in the form of Riske, Torres and Mota.

It must be nice to listen to some type of intelligent or insightful Brewers conversation. The best the talking heads can come up with in Green Bay is rip on Eric Gagne and Weeks as a leadoff hitter daily. Yep like Gagne is the reason why we can't score runs. The only minor leaguer they could name is Matt LaPorta. They were looking at a month's worth of AA and AAA stats to see "what help was on the way" despite not knowing any of the names or history. Would a Hurricane Iribarren platoon with Weeks at 2B help spark a little offense?

I'm excited to have Cameron back. I think Cam should bat 2nd, and Hart 5th. Hart offers the better protection for Prince. Is anybody worried about Cameron having a slow start? Hopefully his time in AZ and Nashville will have him ready. He's the one guy you can't blame for struggling in the next week or so. Don't you just know if he does have a slow start and starts off 2 for 12, the bandwagon fans will be screaming for Gwynn and Kapler because Cameron is batting under .200. Anybody want guess the next time we see TG jr or Kapler start a game? It could (and should) be awhile.

No way McClung goes unclaimed. Dennis Sarfate, Greg Aquino, Jeff Bennett and I think Gary Glover are on Major League rosters. I'd much rather have Seth then any of those guys. I don't think he'll put it all together to become a viable closer or starter, but he has a ton of a value in the long man and/or garbage innings. To get back on topic, I think Para gets sent down today, Bush gets pushed back to Tuesday. If Sheets can't go on Wednesday, he'll get DL'ed a to free up a roster spot for Gwynn. I'm guessing Stetter goes down for TG jr, if Sheets can still go. Should Sheets get DL'ed will they call up Zack Jackson, or can they recall Para that quick since Ben and DL would be involved? If not the roster spot for Zack Jack would come from either Gross (either him or TGjr go when Cameron comes back) Dillon (25th guy, only 1 start so far, but leaves Council as only backup IF) or Turnbow (basically a more expensive McClung who seems to have lost all confidence).

I think we're overlooking one of the biggest reasons why Prince should bat 3rd. Teams will bring in a LOOGY to try and get Prince out, but then they face a tough call of leaving that guy in to face Braun, or make a change for a righty. I can understand 100% why Braun would want the protection of hitting in front of Prince, but he needs to learn some plate discipline. Jeff Francour would also never walk, and his sophomore numbers began to drop until he made the adjustment. The only reason I can think of Prince wanting to hit cleanup might be the mentality that cleanup hitters get paid more?

I think the fact most people are failing to touch on is that fan choice tickets will become a thing of the past as the team becomes more popular. I'm sure most of the 20 game fans choice terrace section fans are unhappy because they picked games in their fan's choice packages that many other fans picked also. That seems like a reality of a winning young club.

I live in Green Bay 2 hours away, and know of many people who now buy advanced tickets and even 9 and 20 game packs BECAUSE there is a roof. Most who live 4+ hours round-trip away can now plan that all day afair that a Brewer game is because that travel will not be all for not. Since Miller Park has opened many bars and groups up this way do bus trips because they know the game will take place. Remember too that Brewerfan.net is made up of die hards. The team knows it'll get our money anyway, but the team makes it's money off of the causal/band wagon type fan. The majority of those people who might happen to have a non-fan spouse are a lot more likely to buy a ticket if they don't have to dress like their going to a fall or winter Packer game.

Good point. That's exactly how I feel about the Sausage Race. It's so pointless. It's just makes me annoyed that an institution would waste resources on a frivilous idea when success has been so illusive. I'm struggling to see how the Sausage Race wastes resources. If Klement's provides the costumes, it costs roughly zero dollars. If someone thinks the Sausauges are waste, they've never been to the pro shop. You can buy Hats, t-shirts, key chains, bobble's, dolls, you name it. I'm not saying you or I would buy that stuff, but somebuddy is, and the Brewers are laughing all the way to the bank. There is something to be had about a team "representative" who will never retire, hold out, or be traded. ------

Prince is super tight with TGJ and Weeks. I think them being signed long term will be the only chance the team has of getting a "home-town" discount, when Prince hits the open market. Money will be the biggest factor, but I would be shocked if either player is ever traded because their friendship w/Prince will count more the people think.

Did not bringing up Ryan Braun at the start of the season have any impact on this team? I'd say it was 100% the right move, if for no other reason then those 2 months gained us a full year of Braun before he hits free agency. Braun was without a doubt one of the 25 best players when camp broke, but we had the vet's to hold the fort down 'till the rookie of the year showed up. I'll gladly trade 2 months of '07 for a full season of 2013 in his "prime". We may have a new owner and a higher payroll, but we're still just a small market team and that just makes good business sense. Should we have given up Will Inman, Steve Garrison and Joe Thatcher for Scott Linebrink? This is tricky but I think it's the right move if you want to win the division. I'm a very greedy fan. I'm not happy with a winning record, I want a playoff birth. I realize that Carlos V, was a Steve Garison like throw in from the Wayne Franklin deal , but I'm sure this franchise hasn't missed the Keith Ginter, Dana Eveland, and Nelson Cruz types that many of the BF nation were upset to see leave for other talent. Has Ned Yost cost this team a playoff spot with his moves? I don't see how it's Ned or any manager's fault when bullpens blow 3+ run leads. I've never see anybody praise Ned for sticking Braun in the 3 hole in just his 3rd major league game, when he clearly was ready for such a valuable run producing spot, and many a manager would have left him in the bottom of the order. In short: "In the mustache I trust" Doug Melvin has done an A+ job with this franchise and what he has to work with. Down years by Capuano, Hall and Estrada have hurt this team more then any other factor. I'm sure if we win or finish 2nd in the divison next year's team will be restocked with the best options available and we'll make a run at it '08. Eventhough we have a tougher schedule then the sCrubs, don't count out this year's version quite yet.

Those are excellent posts. I live in Green Bay/Brown County, and just about everybody here views DC as expensive and full of "FIBS". If you still want to go on the cheap, you can get fall rates starting in the last weekend in October like the Landmark Inn in Egg Harbor. Some small shops in the malls like Founders Square and the Top of the Hill shops in Fish Creek close come fall, but most stuff is still open. While I find Door County over rated, there is plenty to see and do and you guys should go at least once to judge for yourselves.

Trust the mustache people. He has yet to lead us wrong. Untill he does, I trust his judgement and like this trade. -----------------

We should piggy back Vargas and Shouse, it worked versus the Twins! (I'd put it in blue if I knew how) I like the piggy back idea in the low minors because you hope out of 7-10 prospects, a couple can actually become starters, and the one who don't cut it become bullpen arms. Not that many years ago it was an outside-of-the-box idea to use a 5 man rotation or specific guys for 7th, 8th, even 9th innings. I like the piggy back idea with a young pitcher like Yo because it limits his innings and shouldn't kill the bullpen by taking up two roster spots for 1 job, because in theory most of the pen would have the day off, and inbetween starts instead of throwing a side session Yo (or Vargas?) would be available for an inning plus if they only threw 2-4 innings. --------------------------

It's it more of a flyball park with the roof closed, and less of one with the roof open? ------------------

Council can play SS. Hall is now an OF. Cirillo can't play short. Council offers us a pinch runner that we didn't have last year off the bench, and unless we move 2 out 3 OF'ers (Mench, Jenks and Clark) Tony Gwynn (The only in-house option as a late inning speedster)will be in AAA. Cirillo hurt his value IMHO late last season we said he was playing too much and we had to play Bell more at the hot corner. Jeff Cirillo is a good player that I want to see with the team, but he wants playing time, but not too much? He can't have it both ways. Couldn't we have Vinny Rittino do about the same for less? ------------------

I will grow a mullet, from now till opening day, in honor of Craig Wilson, if he becomes a Brewer! --------

I think Helms should start too, I was comparing Hardy and Overbay. Move Helms to 3rd, and Hall to short. Right now Hardy has .707 OPS vs. Lefties in 37 AB's. -------------

I would take Lyle and his lefty bat over Hardy anyday. It would give us Hardy and Durrington on the bench as right handed sticks. I wonder what Mark Johnson and Kevin Orrie thought when they herd Miller a few weeks back, and now Cirillo are out weeks w/injuries. Good thing they went somewhere else so "they could be closer to the majors". ------------