FWIW, here are the last five sets of participants in the World Series, their payrolls the year they went to the World Series, and their payrolls the year after they went to the World Series. Mostly anecdotal given all the different money situations, but it might give you some idea where the Brewers could be headed should they get there. ---------- 2006 2006 Cardinals: $88,891,371 2007 Cardinals: $90,286,823 Payroll up 1.5% 2006 Tigers: $82,612,866 2007 Tigers: $95,180,369 Payroll up 15.2% 2005 2005 White Sox: $75,178,000 2006 White Sox: $102,750,667 Payroll up 36.7% 2005 Astros: $76,779,000 2006 Astros: $92,551,503 Payroll up 20.5% 2004 2004 Red Sox: $127,298,500 2005 Red Sox: $123,505,125 Payroll down 3.0% 2004 Cardinals: $83,228,333 2005 Cardinals: $92,106,833 Payroll up 10.7% 2003 2003 Marlins: $45,050,000 2004 Marlins: $42,143,042 Payroll down 6.5% 2003 Yankees: $152,749,814 2004 Yankees: $184,193,950 Payroll up 20.6% 2002 2002 Angels: $61,721,667 2003 Angels: $79,031,667 Payroll up 28.0% 2002 Giants: $78,299,835 2003 Giants: $82,852,167 Payroll up 5.8% ---------- The thing that stands out most to me is that, despite most of the teams involved in the WS raised their payroll the year following their appearance, no one actually made it back-to-back visits in the last five years.