AJAY

Does anyone know when the new merchandise hits the regular stores? I can’t find anything anywhere. Kohls even removed all their old Brewers stuff too. You wouldn’t even know Wisconsin has an MLB team if you shopped at Kohls right now. I can’t believe the Brewers are wasting the holiday shopping season opportunity by not placing their merchandise everywhere. This has to be the worst execution of rollout for re-branding I have ever seen. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I absolutely love the new logo, and I am both thrilled and relieved they didn’t bring back the 1980’s colors. The new darker navy and heavier gold add a much-needed vibrant effect. I am now okay with the changes to the ball-and-glove too. It looks a little more current and meaner. I am already used to it. Having said that. I am not happy about the uniforms. Block fonts are boring. I am okay with the colors, but the font is lifeless and dated. I will admit these jerseys do look better in person at the store than they do in social media posts, but these are still not what I wanted. I actually prefer the 2000’s font much more. Overall, I am still sick of the 1970’s and 1980’s look (other than the ball-and-glove logo) The new road grey jerseys look too close to what the Pirates have. The new yellow cap is dated and hideous. I would prefer just a yellow bill on the hat instead. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They just tweeted that there will be an announcement at 6:30 PM. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I could be wrong, but I don’t think anyone is taking issue with putting the large circle around the ball-and-glove. I think some people are more upset with just the tweaking of the ball-and-glove itself. . . Am I correct ? I actually wish the laces on the baseball were red and not yellow. To me, it seemed red in the original leaked logo on the Topps baseball card . . . Although I know that image was not clear and I could be wrong. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am okay with modifying uniforms and logos for different eras as long as the colors and themes are consistent. I like how the Pirates have had had many uniform changes but still keep consistent colors, concepts, and the same “P”. I think that is the right way to do it. You can balance tradition and identity with change also. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am both thrilled and relieved they are keeping the navy color, and I love the concept of the new logo overall. But I also wish they hadn’t tweaked the ball and glove part. The location of the ball has moved, and it seems odd to those of us who have the original image so passionately ingrained in our minds. I agree, the new ball-glove looks like a fake. I pray we don’t have boring block letters on the new uniforms. I prefer the current font but want pinstripes added. I am so tired of the 1982 look and colors. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My preference is to see pinstripes added to the current home jerseys and the ball-and-glove logo be on every hat (both home and road). Dump the “M” hats for good. I like the modern colors and don’t care for the retro colors at all. I also dislike the retro block letters that say BREWERS. It is so boring. I am good with the current font. It seems more stylish. I would also like the grey road jerseys to say “Milwaukee” instead of Brewers. Finally, I would prefer a yellow bill on the road hats. The road grey jersey needs more color. They are too bland and lifeless. I absolutely love the current navy “Milwaukee” jereys. Best Brewers uniform ever IMO. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We are not stockholders for American Family Insurance. We are Brewers season ticket holders. The American Family Insurance company objectives have absolutely no importance to us. We want a baseball franchise that manages to create an aura, similar to teams that have ballparks with a consistent recognizable name that spans across many generations. We want a ballpark name that incites a sense of identity, history and pride. We want a ballpark name that verbally sounds very pleasant and flows well with the name of the team and the city. Miller Park fits all that criteria perfectly. What we don’t want is to have a ballpark name that is awkward, long, generic, corporate sounding, and evokes no positive emotional feeling. We don’t want a ballpark name that elicits no feeling of connection to our city. We also don’t want a ballpark name that elicits anger, disgust, controversy, and ignores the wishes of the paying customers who have been incredibly loyal and supportive for generations. Miller Park is the most perfect name ever for a ballpark considering the city it is located in. No ballpark name fits better anywhere. I absolutely refuse to be associated with the lower class of sports franchises that adopt ridiculous sponsor names. I want the best aura and brand-image possible. I strongly believe that whatever additional revenue the team may make from this horrible sponsorship agreement will be offset in the long run by the significant loss in brand image the Brewers baseball team will experience. You make revenue by strengthening emotional connection and loyalty over the years. You don’t enhance your image and marketability by being just another generic sports team. The Brewers ownership needs to start treating this franchise like it is something extra special and run it’s business accordingly. We have a beloved ball-and-glove logo, the best tailgaiting tradition, the original mascot race, and our fan support is amongst the best. We now have a winning product. This place is special and unique, and it needs to be treated accordingly. The name “Miller Park” must be preserved ! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haven’t logged in for many years, but wanted to be part of this !! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Betancourt reminds me a lot of Jeff Suppan and Chad Moeller. He is a guy who eventually will get released and fans will turn around and say "We knew he sucked months ago. Why did it take management so long to figure it out?" I have seen this before.

I feel bad for the management. How was anybody supposed to predict that Corey Hart would get hurt, Aramis Ramirez would get hurt, Rickie Weeks would totally stink, and Jonathan Lucroy would slump so badly? Who could've predicted that Yovani Gallaro would slide backwards? Having said that, I do have some issues with management and our organizational philosophy . . . I hundred percent agree with most of the posters here who feel the organization really needs to turn into a pitching organization and less of a power hitting organization. I am not saying Doug Melvin should be fired, but he needs to acknowledge his own very serious shortcomings and let someone else be responsible for the pitching side of the organization. As another poster stated, I would love to see somebody credible from the Cardinals, Dodgers,or Giants be hired to run that aspect of the organization. I also believe the Brewers should NEVER consider themselves as contenders unless they have a true number one ace who is nationally acknowledged to be an ace. Somewhere in the team's official mission statement, there should be a commitment to always having a true number one starter in the rotation unless in a rebuilding phase. I'm also a believer that you need professional hitters from 1 to 8 in the lineup, especially to carry you through October. Guys like Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart may be able to have success during the regular season when you're facing a lot of average pitchers. But come October, you need guys who can battle, foul off tough pitches, drop a bunt, or slap an opposite field single against the best aces and nastiest relievers in the league. Execution and fundamentals needs to be a bigger emphasis in drafting and player development. Tools are nice, but if you can't use them well against the best opponents, it won't matter. I absolutely despise automatic outs in the lineup because I believe they completely negate any all-star contributions from other guys on your team. I want a GM who understands that a guy like Cesar Izturis should never ever be on the roster. The bench needs to be deeper. Always assume a key starter will be lost for the year, and have a replacement who you would feel comfortable with. This needs to be an organizational mindset and commitment. I almost vomited when the Brewers let Jerry Hairston walk away. I also want a general manager who understands that when you let guys like Takashi Saito and LaTroy Hawkins go, you better replace them with someone worthwhile instead of Tim Dillard and Manny Parra. When the strength of your team was the bullpen, why are you messing with the successful formula? I would advise Mark Attanasio to put together a secret task force that does nothing but study the Cardinals organization from top to bottom for the next three years. I would interview every former Cardinals player, coach, manager, scout, executive, etc. I would follow, analyze, and scout every current member of that organization. I would crunch every statistic about every player they draft, sign, trade, release, or show interest in to figure out what is the magic formula that they know which nobody else knows. This would be quietly done behind Doug Melvin's back. As a front office, I would also have more alarm bells go off when whenever you have fans who are smarter than the manager. The entire state of Wisconsin knew that Shaun Marcum was going to get lit up like a Christmas tree in Game 6 of the NLCS. How did Ron Roenicke not know this ? I repeat, how did Ron Roenicke not know this? Ned Yost was an absolute dimwit who should've been fired immediately after blowing the 2007 season due to his utter stupidity. Why was he retained for 2008 ? The front office still has some things to learn. The sooner the better.

I don't know much about Scooter Gennett, but I would like to see Jeff Bianchi get a serious chance to play at 2B on a regular basis. I don't pretend to be a professional scout, but after watching baseball for over 30 years, I feel like Bianchi has something in his batting approach that works whereas Weeks doesn't. I recently saw Bianchi hit an outside pitch and line hard it to the rightfield corner for extra bases. It was so beautiful. I almost cried. I have never seen Weeks do anything like that all season despite getting a million more at-bats than Bianchi. I also thought that once Bianchi got regular playing time last year, he showed enough ability to at least be serviceable. He showed a little bit of power. I really hate that his bat is being wasted on the bench. The last time I had a hunch like this, I was calling for Joe Dillon to replace Geoff Jenkins based on something I saw in his approach to hitting back in 2007. I posted it on BrewerFan.net and it took another 65 games or so before Brewers management finally figured it out too. Jenkins then became a platoon player with Kevin Mench, and Joe Dillon became a regular. But it was too late. I just hope management can see this one much earlier. Let Bianchi play !!

Shelby Miller just pitched a one-hitter tonight. He retired 27 straight after giving up a leadoff single. Oh yeah, the Cardinals also have 11 championships, make the playoffs almost every year, and have not had back to back losing seasons in a million years. The Brewers have one World Series appearance in 44 years. Why are we still sticking with the same old failure approach to building a franchise? I don't pretend to know what exactly the Cardinals can see that the Brewers don't, but it goes beyond just developing pitching. They knew to trade for Adam Wainwright and sign Chris Carpenter long before the rest of us could figure it out. They knew to trade for Jim Edmonds. Their managers always seem to make ours look like idiots. Their farm system rocks despite taking late picks every year. They just seem to know something that nobody else does. Meanwhile, we're still waiting for Rickie Weeks to figure it out after 8 years. Sorry to vent, but can Doug Melvin really take us to that next level? Is he the right guy? Is there someone smarter out there? I am getting very skeptical now. Can't imagine what's going through Mark Attanasio's mind.

I just wanted to express how frustrated and disappointed I am that some of the magic of the 2011 season seems to have been flushed down the toilet. I was very excited to win the Division Championship for the first time in an eternity. But in the end, the Cardinals championship really took away from the significance of it. It doesn't feel like a true division championship when another team in your division ends up having more success in the end. We couldn't even claim to be the best team in the division. The Cardinals postseason completely ruined everything for us. I remember the night the Brewers clinched the division on a big Ryan Braun homerun and the Cardinals falling to the Cubs on the Miller Park video screen. It was a special moment . . . and probably still is. But now when I see clips of that night, the irony seems almost too cruel. I can't view it in the same way anymore. I was ecstatic to see Ryan Braun win the MVP. It was cool to have a Brewers player reach that elite status. It was cool to have one of the iconic and beloved figures in baseball. Now it seems tainted and Braun is being portrayed as a major villain in the rest of the country. This couldn't be more opposite of what I thought an MVP would bring to our community and franchise. 96 wins was amazing, and I give credit to all the players and their accomplishments. I don't mean to minimize what that team did. There were a lot of awesome moments, and I apologize in advance for coming off as a whiner. Maybe I am just burned out and dejected by all the Braun controversy. But right now, I am just really disturbed at how some of the things that were supposed to be special about 2011 have been completely taken away from us. Hopefully it gets better. Thanks for letting me vent.

Try not to faint when you read this, but a new article in the USA Today suggests that the San Diego Padres are due to get a whopping 75 million dollars a year in their next TV deal. Yes . . . the San Diego Padres. Can you believe that? I really hope the Brewers are getting something sweet too. They should pull Time Warner Cable into the bidding to compete with FoxSports Wisconsin. It seems that most other teams are taking advantage of competition between channels. http://www.usatoday.com/s...o-sign-talent/53032284/1

Regarding the Sal Bando comment on Paul Molitor, I don't have a link to the story. But several years ago, it was mentioned by one of the columnists in the Milwaukee Journal who was writing an article about Bando and his time as Brewers' GM. It was just something I remember reading. Sorry I don't have the original link or print copy anymore.

A few comments in response to some of the posts in this thread . . . (1) I don't think anyone is faulting Prince Fielder for taking the money. I also don't think anyone is suggesting that the Brewers should have paid that kind of money. But I do think it is perfectly okay to be sad or disappointed when you have to say goodbye to someone you enjoyed seeing here. I also do think it is okay to be disappointed with the economics of baseball, especially when you don't see this kind of thing happen very often in sports like football. Packers fans never even think about losing their most important players who they love and want to keep. (2) I actually do think Prince Fielder was sentimental about leaving the Brewers. He had a great time here and was treated extremely well. There were a lot of special moments in his career that took place in a Brewers uniform. I have no doubt he had some emotions about leaving and will always have feelings for this organization and the community. (3) Sal Bando was specifically asked by a reporter whether the Brewers were trying to sign Paul Molitor as a thirdbaseman or a DH. The statement "He is just a DH" was in response to that specific question. It's amazing how much that has been misunderstood and taken out of context all these years.

I am not enough of a scout or stats guy to predict how Mat Gamel will hit with regular playing time in the Major Leagues . . . but I am concerned about the character and work-ethic concerns that have reportedly been an issue in the past. I don't know all the details, but I am so used to Prince Fielder and his all-out dedication to do whatever it takes to be successful. I just hope Gamel realizes that the opportunity to be a starter in the big leagues is something that millions of kids around the world would dream of. He needs to go above and beyond what is needed to prepare himself and shed the negative labels that have been placed on him by coaches and media. Frankly, this team really needs him to produce. I really hope he takes that responsibility and opportunity very seriously. We are counting on him.

When he first signed with Detroit yesterday, I was relieved that Prince Fielder was not going to remain in the National League. I also laughed at the length of the contract. 24 hours later, the reality is starting to sink in that he is not a Brewer anymore. He was just one of the most unique players to ever wear a Brewers uniform. He had the big smile, and he played with intense passion. He protected his teammates and bonded well with everyone on and off the field. He was great with the fans. So many memorable moments on the field too. All those memorable clitch hits. I am feeling very down today. It's almosy like the Brewers lost a little bit of what made them special. I just don't know why pro-sports does this to its fans. Whether it's LeBron James, Albert Pujols, or Prince Fielder, this just feels wrong at so many levels. Why is this all so screwed up??

I just read on FoxSports.com that the Washington Nationals were making 29 million a year in their old TV deal and that they are due to double or triple that soon. I also read somewhere else that the San Diego Padres are due for a huge raise in their next TV deal. I also read somewhere else that Rupert Murdoch is giving some MLB teams part ownership in their local Fox Sports affiliates as part of the TV contract. Now I really want to know what the Brewers will be getting in the future. The local media is completely asleep in covering this issue. Teams all over MLB with lower ratings and fewer households watching are cashing in big-time with monster TV deals. Shouldn't the Brewers ride the wave as well???? http://msn.foxsports.com/...stove-free-agency-010212

By the way, I am all for corporate sponsorship in Miller Park. But I wish they would bring back the dark blue fence padding in rightfield. The powder blue padding in that AirTran section looked way too tacky and cartoonish.

If this is the big story, I am kind of disappointed. I was expecting something big and new that would add big money to the team. This just seems like a lateral move.

Invader, there has been a lot of speculation on this forum about Braun having an STD. Can you confirm whether the stories you are hearing are related to the STD issue, or is everyone on this forum way off target in their speculation. I have not seen you acknowledge whether the STD discussion is on track or not. Is there some other explanation that you are aware of?

If I am interpreting this report correctly, the Brewers had more viewers than the Dodgers in 2011 (in terms of total number of households watching per night). The report also says the Dodgers and Angels had identical TV ratings (which therefore implies that the Brewers had a bigger audience than the Angels). I know the LA market has more wealth for advertisers, but shouldn't the Brewers' TV deal be much closer to what Anaheim has??? Let me know if I am misinterpreting the numbers. http://www.sportsbusiness...0/03/Media/MLB-RSNs.aspx Edit: Yes, I am aware the Brewers ratings were probably their best possible whereas the Dodgers still have much more upside. But still, the disparity seems extreme relative to the numbers.

I am extremely curious to see how Cardinals fans will be affected by Albert Pujols leaving for the Angels. The St. Louis fans have always had a very romanticized view of baseball because (1) their team wins a lot and (2) they have always had iconic players who they immortalize with statues and regular appearances in parades on opening day. Cardinals fans tend to believe their city is some kind of "Baseball Heaven" and that their stars are more historic and iconic than most other teams. I don't pretend to be an expert in Cardinals history, but I know they have never experienced extended losing and they have never had an iconic player turn their back on them in such a stunning way. My guess is that for at least some of the Cardinals fans, they will never view baseball in the same way again. Once you learn that a sport and an athlete can hurt you, your relationship with the game is unfortunately never the same. I still remember when Paul Molitor left the Brewers and what that did to me as a baseball fan. It was never the same after that. You start to view athletes as temporary, and you start to think more about how they live somewhere else, probably grew up as a fan of a different team, and probably would prefer to play in a different city if they had a choice. Once the illusion of an athlete belonging to a community disappears, the game never seems the same (in my opinon). I feel confident in saying that this experience will come as a huge shock to the psyche of Cardinals fans. This is so new for them, and the concept of what happened with Pujols doesn't fit the romantic storyline that most of them are used to. On a personal note, I have mixed feelings. I still think it is good for the game when stars stay with their original teams. I was also looking forward to the Cardinals being stuck with an awful contract. However, I feel great in the short-term because it helps the Brewers chances (assuming Prince Fielder does not become a Cardinal). I also think it is nice to see the "Best Fans in Baseball" get a taste of what the rest of us go through on a more regular basis. It just brings a little bit more sense of fairness.