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I think Mr Attanasio is right on point with his answer. You can't win the World Series if you don't get in the playoffs, and in the playoffs, the hot team wins, more often that what you think is the best team. A playoff spot is a lottery ticket, the more times you get there, the more chances you have to win it, so get there as many times as you can.

THIS JUST IN .... The Philadelphia Phillies are still valiantly holding on in their fight to remain worst.

This draft has plenty of pitching at the top, for sure, but don't get hung up on that. Whatever spot the Brewers wind up with at this point, they're going to have multiple elite talents to pick from, they need to get an impact player, and worry about what position he plays later.

This is exactly right. This next year will be a great time for Brewers fans to pay more attention to the draft process. It's something to look forward to, for one thing, and it also shows how woefully inexact the whole thing remains. The best guy doesn't always go first, the obvious guy doesn't always pan out, "Who's that?", sometimes makes it to the big leagues. This is all about scouting - for the draft, for international players, and for players you may trade for, the best information wins. Pay for the best information - put the right people in the field, tell them what you want from them, and use it. Two great examples from the Green Bay Packers' past: The scouts said, "Take Joe Montana", and they were going to, but they needed a noseguard, so they talked themselves out of what their people had told them, and they took Charlie Johnson, from Maryland. Remember him? Oh, I'm sure you do. The scouts said, "Take Ronnie Lott", and they were going to, but they needed a quarterback, so they took Rich Campbell, from Cal. The man simply could not throw the ball at an NFL level. You're welcome, 49ers ... twice. Pay the right people to bring the right information ... and when they do ... use it.

Time will tell if it's the right hire, but the Brewers did a great job of interviewing the, "right guys" on this. There were several names in the mix who would have made me happy, I have nothing bad to say about their choice.

I see the Brewers will be interviewing Tyrone Brooks, who is with the Pirates. I know Tyrone personally - this is a good man. Prior to his work with Pittsburgh, he cut his teeth with the Braves, under the tutelage of scouting legend Roy Clark, before working for the Indians for a few years. He certainly knows his stuff, and at age 41, he fits the profile of the younger, new generation type the Brewers reportedly want.

Shall we call you Nostradamus? Thanks for digging this up, this is exactly what I was referring to, and you could just see it coming. The Brewers weren't going to lose 130 games this year, but that is exactly the pace they were on at one point, so some winning was going to come at some point, after the season was lost. Well, here we are. Just imagine the blowup on here if Milwaukee signs a free agent to a 5-year deal this winter, because they won't lose their draft pick. I honestly don't think that one will happen this time around, but just for the sake of this discussion board ... I'm kind of rooting for it.

I get it, obviously I'm going to wish the Brewers had the first pick on draft day, but I can't do it. If I managed a team and I was told to sit my best guys 2-3 days a week for the sake of the next year's draft, there is no doubt, I would say things that would cost me my job. As for, "cherry picking", trust me, both, "sides" will always do that after the fact, it goes with draft discussion, and that's fine with me. Here's to, "getting it right", when the Brewers' picks come up, in the meantime, I will positively root for the Brewers to win.

If it makes people feel any better, I'm sure the Cubs and the Cardinals will push the Brewers around plenty down the stretch. We're done with the Phillies, the Reds have out-horribled us, and honestly, I love the fact that Pittsburgh can't figure the Brewers out. If you add the Marlins to the mix, the Brewers just got a bunch of, "winnable" games at once. There are plenty of good prospects coming in next year's draft, but there is no Ken Griffey Jr, or Bryce Harper, the franchise will not crash into the sun if they pick 10th instead of 3rd. I love it when diehard fans plead for fewer wins ... now I hope we have a top ten pick, and thus, we hand out a dumb free agent contract, because our pick is protected. Things like this make for great reading.

Yeah, no kidding. Our guys are definitely as good as the Cardinals at drafting. We don't need any advantage at all. You do realize, "our guys", at this point, have completed exactly one draft, and there's a new GM coming, right? Why not embrace the possibilities? The Brewers' farm system is markedly improved, the team had to hire a new Director of Scouting, then they replaced the manager, they've made several trades for young talent, and they'll have a new GM soon ... isn't that good stuff? Isn't that fun? I'd rather watch a team fight to win, than watch a team tank games based on the sheer hope that picking a few spots earlier will get them a better player. If you don't like the Cardinals reference for some reason, how about this one? I was just on the phone with JJ Hardy, Corey Hart, and Yovani Gallardo, they told me Mike Jones, Dave Krynzel and Mark Rogers said the best player always gets picked first. Here's to the 22nd round pick, no-hitting the most expensive MLB team ever ... and winning tomorrow's ballgame.

I was just on the phone with the St Louis Cardinals, and they told me you can't build a winner without picking in the top five a bunch of times in a row. GO BREWERS, win 'em all, and trust your scouts to draft the right guys when your picks come up.

I believe the Brewers when they say they want to look at some young pitchers, but don't think for one second that they aren't looking at that vesting option. There's no reason to let that kick in, I would consider sitting him right now to be part of the rebuild ... he's gone for less cash in the end. Honestly, I don't blame Matt for being angry, but as others have said, he just hasn't pitched well this year. He should have accepted the chance to pitch from the pen, and gone from there.

Congrats to Mike, that was quite a way to get his first win for Houston.

Ryan Braun is now the franchise leader in career home runs.

Rick, the team is at the bottom right now for a reason, but keep that in mind, right now, is the bottom. The farm system has more talent in it than its had in five years, and some of those young studs will be in Milwaukee by this time next year. This is like 2003-4, when we knew there was talent coming, but the big team still stunk. The "rebuild" actually started the day Bruce Seid died. In a year, this team has a new scouting director, a new manager, a search for a new GM, its first draft class under Ray Montgomery, and ten young players who were acquired for major leaguers on their way out. That is major change. It will take a while to reach the major league level, but for the organization, the worst is over. Is financial disparity a real problem in baseball? Yes, of course it is. Baseball has undertaken dramatic change to combat the issue, since the owners lost the legal fight for a salary cap, but the money just grows again, widening the gaps. It's not impossible to win in Milwaukee, or Kansas City, or Pittsburgh, but yes, it's harder than it would be in a larger market. The bottom fell out, and the rebuild is underway - there will be good baseball in Milwaukee again.

Thank you Doug, for a lot of reasons. Hiring Doug Melvin was the right thing to do at the time, just as replacing him is the right thing to do today. 13 years at the helm is a long time for a GM, I support a change, but I'm also glad the team is keeping Doug around.

LE, I've thought about K-Rod to Houston quite a bit, because you're right, it looks pretty obvious. I do like AJ Reed, and the 3Bs we've already discussed. If Houston has interest, and if K-Rod gets through waivers, this looks like a pretty easy match, depending on who Houston is willing to give.

I don't see the Brewers missing the top five picks next year, and all five of those picks may turn out to be pitchers who have a chance to be true studs in the big leagues.

Well, sure, except the other two aren't castoffs.

I sent a letter, certified mail, from Waunakee to Chippewa Falls on Monday - scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday. I tracked it online, it was delivered today. It went from Waunakee to Milwaukee, to Madison, to Waunakee, to Oak Creek, to St Paul, to Chippewa Falls. It took four days to get there. That's bugging me.

If the Brewers can get either Moran or Davis, I think they should. Moran, (BJ Surhoff's nephew), is a lefty hitter, and as reilly points out, he's hitting for average, and doubles, but not many HRs so far. Moran was the 6th pick overall in 2013, taken by the Marlins, later traded to Houston. JD Davis is actually the guy I'd want more of the two. He's got more power, but also has a nice OBP. Davis played RF for Cal-State Fullerton, and he pitched in relief. He threw hard enough to take a shot as a pitcher, but he can hit, so, "the bat plays." Davis is still learning third base, but it looks like he'll be ok. Moran is in AA, he's projected to hit the big leagues next season, Davis is at high A, projected for 2017. Either of these players would get it done for the Brewers, but I think I'd ask for Davis.

"Dump Garza" ... no, not at this point. He's 31, having a bad season, not 36. The money's already spent, baseball contracts are guaranteed, so book it, they signed him, and the money's gone. No one would claim Matt on waivers right now, and I don't see the point in paying part of the money, to get a weak return in a trade - why not bring him back next year, to see if his value improves? Yovanni Gallardo was a mess two years ago, but he has since pitched better, been traded for three young players, and will now get a nice contract in free agency. One thing to watch for ... Garza's contract is through 2017, with a vesting option for 2018. Assuming he's here for the next two seasons, he needs to be used out of the bullpen in 2017, here's why: Garza's contract vests at $13 million for 2018 if Garza pitches in 110 games during the first four years of the contract, and he is not on the disabled list at the end of the 2017 regular season, and he pitches at least 115 innings in 2017. You've got him for two more years - stick him at the back of the rotation for now, and see if he comes around. As time passes, and the guaranteed money gets smaller, his value may improve some, to at least get a viable prospect. If the cash wasn't guaranteed, sure, cut him when the season's over if you want, but since it is, you don't really gain anything by dumping him.

I can only assume trading Lucroy this winter would be maximizing his value. That second season of control, on that contract, absolutely should up the return. I have no interest in extending Lucroy. That's not about anything he's done, it's about extending a catcher up into his 30s, as the team is rebuilding - I wouldn't mess with it, I'd use him to get more young talent. My guess is that teams who have a good catching prospect who's getting close won't be the ones to make the best offers for Lucroy. If the Brewers are dealing for a young catcher, I would use Lucroy to fill other holes, and trade a different player for a young catcher. I do think the Yankees would deal Sanchez, if the Brewers have a player who fills a need over there. I would not expect a deal for Max Pentecost. Since he was drafted he's had two surgeries on his throwing shoulder, and he has not played a game this season.

Since Lohse has no market right now, I don't think the Brewers have any, "have to trade" guys before the end of the season, but yes, it would make sense to move Cotts. I agree with those who thought he would go before the deadline, but this is a player who would either bring back a low level prospect, or be claimed on waivers. If someone claimed him, the Brewers could just let him go, to stop paying him.

Phillips is a stud, a great "get" for the Brewers, he is rightfully slotted as the #2 prospect in the system. Trading this type of player would cause this board to explode with anger. Santana is a real wildcard - it's not every day you see a guy with a high OBP, good power, and that many Ks in one package. You'd think that much swing and miss would knock down the OBP, or that the OBP might indicate an advanced hitting approach, but this is a player who Kd 14 times in 39 ABs with Houston this year. Defensively, I think he can handle left or right, he's either going to be a run producer or a curiosity who hits some real bombs on his way back to AAA each year. I'd have taken him too, because he has very real power potential, but he's no sure thing. Josh Hader is an interesting pitcher, he has a good chance to make it in the big leagues. He may wind up in the bullpen, but that's ok, and it's not a certainty yet either. Adrian Houser, I'll root for him every step of the way, but it won't surprise me if he never sees Milwaukee. Zach Davies is the best pitcher the Brewers got this deadline, he should stick for a while in the big leagues. He reminds me of Mike Fiers - he doesn't throw hard, he'll rely on command and deception to get hitters out. Just like Fiers, I think there will be debate as to whether he belongs at the back end of a rotation, or in a bullpen, but he'll get the opportunity to prove he's a starter ... and maybe he is. Malik Collymore, is an athlete much more than a ballplayer at this point. He's a true project, with some talent - the odds are long against him reaching the big leagues, aka, exactly the sort you'd get for Broxton at this point. Yhonathan Barrios is a pitching version of Collymore - he's a talented, but extremely raw young man with some potential. Both Barrios and Collymore are worth taking a shot with, but both are longshots. In Arcia, Phillips, and Trent Clark, the Brewers have three young players who truly could become big league stars. Behind them, they have a pile of players who have skills to make it, but still a reason why they may not. It stands to reason then, that some will ... some won't, but there's much better depth now. Gilbert Lara is obviously a "should become a star" in the eyes of the Brewers, or they wouldn't have paid him like they did. He may very well reach that level, but at his age, with so little to go on, I'm not saying that yet. There's a good chance he's the team's fourth best prospect, but I think simply anointing a teenager based on his signing bonus is illogical.