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Alright, So I'm officially forming a tournament team, however Jamie and Brian are unable to commit to sponsoring the team at this time as they have a lot of ventures on their plate and that's ok. I would like to open it up to between the two cities and have an excellent core of guys. The first tournament I am looking at happens to be next weekend (June 28 / 29) in Helenville. It's a Rec / "E" Class tournament that I think we could compete very well at. Money's not an issue, but if you can help me out, then help me out, but don't not put your name in the ring if it is a financial issue. Helenville is half way between Milwaukee and Madison and that is okay. I seen that an Ioxonia, forgive the spelling, outing is also being planned and I would love to add that tournament to this team as well. Unless of course that is something that you are only doing for the Madison guys, that's ok too. If you are interested in joining this team, please PM me ASAP with a jersey size and number preference. Also let me know if you are in for Helenville given the shorter notice. Even if you can't do next weekend, but are interested, also let me know that. The sponsor will be my side business, Custom Athletics. While I'll initially say that participation the team is open, please understand that I am looking for guys that are committed to playing ball two weekends a month. I understand things come up, funerals, sick kids, etc. However, forming a cohesive unit on defense is vital to a softball team. Having the starting/regular 3b not make it due to needing to mow the lawn and drink beers doesn't sit well with me. I coach the way I play and that is with hustle all over the field and trying to limit mental mistakes.With winning comes fun and vice versa. I run a first class team from jerseys to lineup board, webpage, stats, etc and have played for 11 years and coached for 4. So, in short, I think we'll have a lot of talent to draw from the three teams. If you lack on the talent side a bit, but are baseball smart and commited to playing ball, I want you also. I'll be forming a website tomorrow with the team information, as I dont want to clog up these boards given the decision from Brian/Jamie not to be involved with a tournament team at this time. ~~Luke

It's the 7th inning, two outs.. If he joins Juan, I'll give him a pass for the rest of the year.

Not at all. I try not to make such a point to call somebody out specifically. I'm just saying it gets annoying to know that you can come in here two minutes after anything goes wrong (Yost using his 8th relief pitcher instead of 7th best relief pitcher) and have to waddle through the it's Yost fault. It seems there are a certain group of people are pre-disposed to watching a game, waiting to point out something and make it Yost's fault. I'm not putting you in that camp, in fact I dont know who's in that camp really, I dont keep a tally. Having spent the past 11 years in Sarasota, it's been a habit to stop calling them devil rays, albeit I like the change.

Nope, wasn't. Not every post is directed at you, picking on you, referring to you, replying to you, so come of it and enjoy yourself and the discussion.

I agree with Bucky. There are people out there that are pre-disposed to want to disagree with every move Ned Yost makes. Little things that go untalked about on other fan forums are debated here over 40 pages for two days. Things like do I use my 7th best reliever on two days rest with diarrhea or 8th best reliever as if it is the deciding factor in making the playoffs. I dont think he is saying that there are people that DO disagree with everything. But there are people that WANT TO disagree with everything. That they have a pre-disposition to it. I know die-hard fans of other teams, the devil rays for example and they couldn't care less to hang a loss in extra innings on the manager, because he used the 13th best pitcher instead of the 12th best pitcher. They realize the manager is between a rock and a hard place, take their loss in stride. But yet, with this manager and a certain group of pre-disposed people, the minute something so miniscule comes up, it's a new topic on brewerfan.net two minutes later. You can believe that this group of people don't exist, but it's true.

We are not a small market team. The owner, who I trust when it comes to money, says so himself. Certain big contracts haven't been that great, but I wouldn't consider Cameron and Gagne failures. I dont want to turn this into a thread over Cameron and Gagne, but Cameron has done most everything we thought he would except a lower batting average. He has played very well defensively, has hit for power, stolen a few bases, ran the bases well and accounted for a majority of last night's win with his base-running and home run power. That said, I agree that players are replaceable, but you sound a lot like trying to be the Florida Marlins, except your not even "going for it" every 7 years. Fill a roster with pre-arby and arby players ends up with payrolls around 40 million. That's small market, and we are not small market anymore. Not with a new stadium providing various types of revenue, fans filling the seats, etc. I think they are doing just fine with their money. Granted they may have to do better with who they get as free agents, but I wouldn't write off spending on free agents all together.

Absolutely, I would buy now. The price might be higher now, but if it's starting pitching, that could mean even more starts/wins. We need the mindset that we are contenders now and not wait until after the road trip to decide if it's true or not. That's not going to happen, but that's what should happen.

In part I think that's why brewerfan.net exists. To discuss things with informed, non-closed minded individuals and to inform and hopefully change the thinking of the uninformed masses. I realize you weren't saying this was how you feel, only how a majority of people will feel and I was just adding that I hate that general feeling as well. I wasn't calling you out specifically, believing that's how you felt.

Russ, For all your knowledge of math, statistics, and probabilities, do you believe in the math? I guess what I mean is, do you believe that the Brewers have the best odds in the formulas presented because being run 1 million times, it's pretty damn close? I know I'm not wording that to make sense, but I guess for example... 1 +1 = 2. If you run that 1 million times, the answer is 2. Are there times, specifically this instance because you know the Brewers, that you believe the formula and odds to be wrong, despite what you are told will happen considering it was run 1 million times?

People who think it's unreasonable for a ballplayer to try and maximize his salary is being unfair IMO. Every other American does it. Who gets to decide how much money is "enough"? I absolutely couldn't agree more. Boy, Fielder is making it easy not to be a huge fan of his. He's got to understand that, in a blue-collar, middle-class state, many people aren't going to understand turning down 60 million dollars and trying to credibly pose as if he's being disrespected... which seems to be his attitude... I really don't like this argument that an athlete should alter his thinking because the state that drafted him has a tendency to be known as middle-class. There are middle-class, low-class, upper class people everywhere. Baseball is a very lucrative business. An athlete, a good athlete at that, should not expect to be paid less simply because the other people in the area consider themselves middle class. Similiarly, an engineer in Fargo, ND should be expected to be paid like an engineer in New York City, given they have similiar training and produce similiar results. Now, I believe there are arguments to be made as to whether the team should keep their costs low pre-arbitration, but Prince shouldn't expect to just "suck it up" because the people who live in the state in which he plays are middle class.

Again, we have to remember that contract negotiations are a two way street. The Brewers can make all the offers in the world, but if Sheets isn't interested, what's the point? I wanted to expand on this a little bit and also say that I think if Ben Sheets feels this way, it is perfectly ok. I think a majority of fans get a little too heartbroken over their stars when they leave for free agency, as if it somehows flips them the proverbial "bird". If Ben Sheets is feeling this way, then go get em son. Secure the financial stability of your family for generations to come, move to a warmer climate if you so choose, move closer to "home" to Houston, Lousiana, what have you, to an AL team where you dont have to swing the bat, or whatever the reason. If you choose to stay, I'll still enjoying watching you strike guys out and if you go, I'll remember the time you did it to 18 braves in a single game.

I don't have an opinion, per say, correct or incorrect (if opinions can be correct or not is matter of opinion http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif) But again I will say that it seems like the options were loss, loss, loss, & loss. But I can't get all warm and fuzzy over DeFelice. Even in hindsight, just pitch Tavarez and get it over with, save the bullpen another day.

I don't know how you mathematically quantify the options really. Seems we had 4 options, loss, loss, loss, bad loss.

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The Cubs are clearly the best team. However, I wouldnt say the Brewers are lucky. I think they too have earned every win they have gotten , plus threw a few more down the drain.

Ditto the Mall of America. I think they still have that Underwater World. If your wife is a sucker for animals,water creatures,etc, she'll love it.

Because he's horrible, his OBP is .312 edited 1 time...in the words of Casey1982, scaled back nested quote

Now, please don't take me wanting him to walk more as me wanting him to walk instead of hitting a home run at a 1-1 rate. A home run is the absolute best outcome for any plate appearance. But if you offer me him talking 3+ walks instead of one HR and 2+ outs, especially with Fielder and Branyan behind him, then I would take it. This is the most rational I've seen it worded yet. However, from a 3 hole hitter, I'll take the HR and 2 outs over 3 walks. Especially since the 1 & 2 hitters should be on base when the HR is hit. And considering it's the All-Star Game, I'll definitely take the HR, which I thought was what this whole discussion was about.

Are you kidding Tate? Y. Molina cant even get brushed at the plate without going to the hospital. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

P.S. See DiFelice pitch last night? Better option than a gassed Tavarez. With all due respect, we nor Ned Yost have the luxery of hindsight and I believe DeFelice was suckin before last nights outing.

And I think the other guy is just saying that he is not going to be so shortsighted to look at one stat...and ignore 9 others. just guessing.

I was looking at those projections Russ...and again, not a stathead, but aren't the Brewers the favorite right now to WIN the wild card? at 23% ?? Or is that just that way because they have to deduct points from the wild card slot for STL to put them into the division slot for STL?

Of course it's not irrelevant, but how relevant is it? You did not really answer the question that the gentlemen posed. How many runs would actually score if Ryan Braun walked 20 more times as opposed to swinging at pitches in the zone and making an out / hitting an extra base hit and scoring that way? Because seemingly, while it may be 28 extra at bats, if they are unproductive at-bats by Fielder, Branyan, etc, then all those extra at-bats did was tire my hitters for the ability to hit and field later in the game?

Strictly in terms of being in the All-Star Game, it is in my opinion. "Star Appeal" and "Fan Appeal" would be the drive train. Just my opinion. With hitting for power, home runs, rbi's, and a flashy glove, or stealing bases (depending what type of player you are), being the engine.