AJAY

History will now record the New York Yankees as the World Champions of 2009. Sadly, there will be no asterisk in the record books even though their payroll is beyond ridiculous. I don't know about you, but as a small market fan, I feel like MLB and the players union have just given all of us the middle finger. If any MLB player or team executive is browsing this board and reading this post, shame on all of you for turning this game into a farce. Shame on you for cheating the American public. Shame on you for treating your small-market fans like dirt. Do any of you care about anything in life other than your pocketbooks? Do you any of you have any pride? Do you care about the game? It's time for someone in the players union to be a man, step up, and admit that this is total garbage. Someone needs to show some integrity for a change.

Jeff, thanks for the personal response. I appreciate it. Very classy of you. Nice to see you on BrewerFan.net. Just to be clear, I have absolutely no issues with you since I don't know you personally and obviously I have never been a teammate of yours. I will be totally honest and admit that I have heard a little bit about your reputation although I don't know any of the facts or details. I just know that you have been traded a lot despite having a talented arm, and I was just trying to make sense out of that. You can't blame us for being curious, right ? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Based on your interview, I wasn't sure if you felt that there was something you wish you would have handled differently during your playing career in terms of dealing with teammates and coaches. And since you didn't address this in the interview, I wasn't sure what to make of it. And since I am being honest, hearing your story about smashing someone's CD player caught me off guard. I am not going to lie . . . most people probably don't do stuff like that even if they are upset. So again, I wasn't sure what to think . . . and more importantly, I wasn't sure what your thoughts were either. Anyway, you don't have to respond or anything since it was all in the past and it's none of our business anyway. But I just wanted to clarify where I was coming from. I hope you understand.

On another note, it is becoming apparent that our commissioner is so thrilled with the television ratings that he is telling everyone in the media that baseball is fine and doesn't have a competitive balance problem. He continues to state that this is an "aberation" and that baseball still has had more different champions than any other sport. It's funny how he ignores all the history of the division races, the frustration of small market fans, and the plight of teams such as Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, etc. Apparently now that baseball teams are making profits again, the competitive integrity issue is no longer important to him anymore. This sport is looking more and more like pro-wrestling where everything seems phony and fixed in the interests of maximizing ratings and storylines. Maybe Vince McMahon can take over for Bud Selig once he retires.

A very large portion of Yankee fans grew up as fans of the team before they had such a huge payroll advantage. Should they not enjoy the team just because things have gone better for them? The All Madden analogy doesn't quite hold up. People who grew up Yankee fans didn't stack the deck in their favor. They just happened to grow up rooting for a team that would have lots of advantages. I also think you have to consider the typical New Yorker's mindset. They are used to having the tallest buildings, the wealthiest companies, the most expensive properties, the most expensive hotels and restaurants, the most tourists, and people who come from all over the world just to be in NY. They get more high profile events and media coverage than any other city. They grow up with the mindset that their city and their people are "special", and things like wealth, power, and status are such an ingrained part of their overall mindset. So based on this mindset, it doesn't seem unusual to Yankees fans that they have the most famous players, highest payroll, most championships, most hall-of-famers, etc. If a free agent leaves a place like Kansas City or Pittsburgh to come to NY, it just matches their normal mindset that NY is the place to be and that is how the world is. If they outspend all other teams by millions of dollars, it doesn't seem unusual for them because it is just another extension of how they view their place relative to the rest of the country. I can't blame the New Yorkers, and I am not critical either. I just think it's a different mindset that is sometimes hard to understand in the rest of the country. For the rest of us, this payroll disparity seems absurd and makes us angry because we see how other sports operate and it seems ridiculous how anyone can find satisfaction in a team buying the World Series. I know NY has other sports teams that have to compete on a level playing field. But truthfully, those other sports don't hold the same special place as the Yankees do in NY. I think the Yankees are more representative of how New Yorkers naturally view themselves and their city relative to the rest of the world. I think that is a big reason why the Yankees are so popular in NY besides just winning games and championships.

I am more suspicious of the umpires getting paid off. The calls were terrible and mostly pro-Yankees.

It's offical. The Yankees just bought the 2009 American League pennant. It's so disgusting what MLB has become these days.

This might sound crazy, but I actually think putting the playoffs on TBS makes these games seem less relevant compared to before. When I was a kid, the games were on ABC or NBC and the whole country was into it. Then they went to ESPN (which at least had some relevance in the sports world). But to now put games on TBS just makes it seem like the MLB playoffs aren't as important as they used to be. Some of the aura seems gone. Also, I wish baseball would bring out the heavyweights to cover the postseason in the booth. Guys like Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Chris Berman, etc. give the postseason a bigger feeling of importance. The TBS crew in the booth just doesn't have that same aura. It's all about the packaging.

Thanks for posting the interview. Nice work. I have to admit that I was a little concerned about Juden's analysis regarding some of the interpersonal disputes and being traded so frequently. I have the feeling there was a lot more to it and that Juden was either minimizing or denying responsibility. I didn't see a whole lot of remorse or accountability in regards to his behavior and how he dealt with people. I know that interviews in print don't always capture the tone and body language of a person, but I was hoping he would show some recognition of having made mistakes in the past and learning from it. But I guess not. To me, he just reinforced the impression that I had of him . . . and maybe that is who he really is even today. I don't know. Am I misinterpreting his responses?

I am watching the playoffs this year, but not with the same level of interest. It's almost impossible to take this seriously knowing that these are mostly big-money / big-market teams that have outspent their competition. MLB just seems like a big joke right now.

I hope Ned Yost gets the job with Houston. It would be great to see one of our division rivals hire an incompetent manager who is completely clueless.

The Brewers have answered my prayers. Fielder and Braun are both "interesting", and I am thrilled the Brewers finally have some players who fall into that category. I love that Fielder not only has unbelievable talent, but that his name recognition, unusual body shape, fiery personality, clubhouse leadership, and showmanship make him a nice change for the Milwaukee market. I also love Braun's swagger, Hollywood connections, outspoken nature, etc. The fans are clearly responding both with high attendance and jersey sales for these two. I don't remember Molitor or Yount ever generating this much buzz on either a local or national level. My dream has always been to bring more sex appeal, glamor, swagger, and national attention to the Brewers franchise. I am thrilled that we finally have some of that for a change. Growing up, I kept hearing people in the media lie and say that fans in Milwaukee don't appreciate flashy players and only want hard nosed players like Yount and Molitor who "play the game right" and run out every ground ball, etc. That couldn't be further from the truth. As a kid, I always dreamed of adding more Reggie Jackson type of players to the Brewers. So I am glad that we finally are changing and it's no coincidence that Braun and Fielder are bringing attention to Milwaukee and that the community here thinks of them as gods. I love seeing Fielder on the cover of a video game. I love seeing Braun getting invited to be in movies and TV shows like The Bachelor. I love seeing Prince Fielder as the top story on SportsCenter for trying to enter the Dodgers clubhouse or for his homerun celebration controversy. I love having a Brewer win the HR Derby at the All-Star Game. I love seeing Brewers in the starting lineup for the All-Star Game. I love seeing Braun on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Braun and Fielder make us feel major league again, and I LOVE IT because as a fan, I finally get to experience what the rest of the baseball world does. I hope the Brewers front office ponies up the cash to pay the Prince to keep him a Brewer forever. It would be incredibly stupid to lose these two because these are the most special players to ever come up in our system. You don't let such talent and marketability walk away. These two have the ability to forever change the perception of the Brewers franchise, and you have to keep them here if you ever want to build any kind of legacy as a sports franchise.

My concern is that the Brewers have recently had the reputation of being a great place to play because of the wonderful chemistry in the locker room. If the reputation is now changing because Macha is so unpopular, then I believe it becomes much harder to attract good players here. I am not comfortable with Macha's reputation because we also heard similar rumblings in Oakland too. I really wouldn't mind seeing a change just to get someone who can relate to players better. Like I also said before, Macha is also incredibly boring and also doesn't do anything to sell the team or create excitement in the fan base. I wouldn't mind a little more fire and passion that mirrors the energy level of the fan base.

I would lean towards calling him a "money eater"

Suppan is an innings eater? I don't recall him pitching into the 7th or 8th inning as consistently as starters on other teams. I think he actually chews up the bullpen with short outings. I personally hope he gets shelled on Sunday just to reinforce to the Brewers management that he has no business being in the rotation next season.

It isn't about the city. It's about being a prestige franchise. The Yankees are one of those franchises. Danzig make it outr to be all about the money. There are other factors involved. I agree that a free agent might prefer to play for a "prestigious" franchise even if another team offered equal or more money. But the prestigious franchises would still have a limit on what they could spend and therefore good players would still have to sign with other teams as well. I also think that if baseball had an economic system similar to football, our perception of franchises would gradually change over time. When I was a kid, teams like the Royals and Orioles were considered extremely strong franchises. I know critics will say that these teams are "mismanaged", but they also don't have the luxury of buying CC Sabathia, Mark Texeira, AJ Burnett during the offseason if they want to instantly get better.

Logan, most people realize that Fielder will be gone after 2010 because the Brewers are not likely to keep him for 2011 if they determine he is not signable. They will likely be forced to trade him a year early so they can get something in return rather than watch him walk away for nothing a year later. I am assuming you might be the type of person who is pleased with what the Brewers get in return, but I would rather see the team have the choice of keeping him if that is what they determine is best. It's about having the same options as larger market teams and not being forced to make moves out of necessity. I agree that we would not have had CC Sabathia if not for the current system. On a personal note, I was one of the first people to state how terrible I felt for the fans of Cleveland when he got traded here. And you might find it strange that fans get attached to players, but that is how it is and that is what builds a connection between fans and the game. Unfortunately, that connection is now being destroyed because of a terrible economic system that leaves people feeling bitter, hurt, disrespected, and abandoned. And I don't understand your comment about how players would end up with the Yankees anyway even if MLB had a system like football. Do all the great NFL players end up with the NY Giants? And while I agree that many of the players are replaceable, it's the ones you really want to keep that are unfortunately the hardest to keep. That is the biggest problem. If you feel Braun, Fielder, and Gallardo are the only ones worth keeping, then who do you think the big market teams are going to throw the big bucks at when free agency comes around?

I am starting to get stomach ulcers watching Jeff Suppan pitch. The Brewers are doing a disservice to their fans by continuing to throw him out there in the rotation. I don't care how much money he is due next year, the guy just needs to go. We have seen enough. GET HIM OUTTA HERE.

Logan, even if you think that signing a homegrown player to a long-term deal is a bad financial investment, I still want the Brewers and other small-market teams to have the CHOICE of being able to make those kind of investments even if they don't work out. You might think that the Brewers have a long time of control over their homegrown players, but the reality is that the large market teams have even much longer control over their homegrown players because they can entice them to stay with big money. Guys like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada have now stayed with the Yankees for what seems like an eternity. Small market fans can't even think of having something like that. Besides the pain of losing stars and having to suffer through constant rebuilding, how will small market teams ever end up with players in the hall-of-fame if all the best players are going to leave all the time. It's almost like too many cities are constantly being shutout from all the things that make the game special. This issue is really about the unfairness and the bitter feeling it creates. I deeply wish more people in the media, commissioner's office, and players union would understand and care about the misery of the fan experience rather than focusing on data about wins, losses, payrolls, and postseason appearances. The numbers just don't capture the human element involved. By the way, I completely loved Danzig's comments about the difference in being a football fan vs. baseball fan. I don't follow football closely, but I don't recall ever seeing the Packers lose a player who they wanted to keep. Nobody ever once talked about trading away Brett Farve, Donald Driver, etc. These kind of discussions constantly dominate baseball and are almost non-exisitent in football. It drives me insane that my sport hasn't been able to give the fans the peace of mind they strongly deserve.

Ender, I think most people would be okay with trading a player if it was something that helped their team get better. But what completely angers me is that trading players like Prince Fielder is often a necessity and not a choice. It absolutely infuriates me that Yankees and Red Sox fans don't have to face the same constraints. Those franchises get more choices and options . . . whereas for teams like ours, it feels like there is a gun to your head and you have to give up players you really don't want to. I just can't stand it. In your example about the Packers having to give up a player because of cap room, you are forgetting that it is so much easier to swallow when you know all the other teams have to make the same decisions with the same cap. It feels VERY different in baseball and I completely disagree with your statement that there isn't much difference. In the NFL, everything seems the same for all the teams. As a fan, you feel like you are being treated fairly and equally. But in baseball, it feels like you are being crapped on over and over. There is a HUGE difference.

That whole experience was just so unbelievable. I am so thankful for that whole season and that magical Sunday which I will NEVER forget. I never get bored of watching youtube clips from that game and the celebration in the stands. In fact, my iPod is full of so much video, audio, and photos from that game alone. I still feel the rush even today.

WOW !!! Games like this make you sad that Brewers season is coming to an end.

It just gets crazier on Chicago's North side. LOL http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4490125

Lots and lots of Brewer fans don't share your feelings. They are coming out to the ballpark and they are watching on tv or listening on the radio more than ever before. I agree with that, but how will you keep them coming out in the future if you have to lose all your best players on a regular basis. For example, look at the Cleveland Indians. They also had record attendance for so many seasons, but the departures of Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, etc. have completely demoralized the fan base and left a lot of people turned off. Now they are really struggling to draw fans because the people of Cleveland feel crapped on by the sport of baseball. That could be us in a few years too if we have to say goodbye to hall-of-fame talents like Prince Fielder. These are the type of players you dream of drafting and you hate to give up the most. People won't even get excited in the future if we draft a good player because the guy will eventually leave and it will once again be a painful reminder that baseball doesn't care about people in cities like ours. Also, think about how many more fans would be following the Brewers right now if the playing field was level. I think more people would be excited about baseball knowing that the league values them and cares about them just as much as any other fan base.

How come we never see articles stating that Kevin Youkilis and Jonathan Papelbon are gettting close to free agency and therefore should be traded to Kansas City or Pittsburgh so the Red Sox can start rebuilding? This sport is so screwed up.

I would literally roll out the red carpet and give a blank check to Tony LaRussa and / or Dave Duncan if they would agree to come to Milwaukee. LaRussa may irritate people with his pitching changes and old-school style. But he always wins and knows how to get more out of his talent than anyone. His teams are also well balanced and are usually fundamentally strong. His track record is outstanding, and he brings instant credibility. This is a no-brainer. Pay these guys what they want and bring 'em to Brew Town.