100! 100 losses -- first time in franchise history. This Bud's not for you -- or, more correctly, this Wendy's not for you.

"Not since they went 65-97 in 1970 - their first year in Milwaukee - have the Brewers been so lousy. Of course, this is the 11th time in 33 years that they've lost 90 or more games, so it's not like we were caught unprepared for the possibility."

Now to prepare myself for the "Contract the Brewers" posts. Bring 'em on boys!

Fortunately they have that fabulously expensive, if over-engineered, new stadium with retractable roof. South eastern Wisconsin residents enjoyed higher taxes to help pay for it and then got the pleasure of hearing their governor Tommy Thompson say "Stick it to 'em". I bet they just love seeing that collosal roof home to such a historical (hysterical?) season.

[quote]Originally posted by DCBucky:
Now to prepare myself for the "Contract the Brewers" posts. Bring 'em on boys!

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Well, since no one else will oblige: CONTRACT THE D*MN BREWERS (if you have to contract any team). Contract the Brewers and the Devil Rays. Move the Expos (who have already built a wonderful team) to Washington/Fairfax County, Virginia. Play two seven-team divisions in two separate leagues.

Given Bud Selig's persistent attempts at forcing Major League Baseball to commit Selig-assisted suicide, I want the entire Selig family stricken from the game. Bud. Wendy. Grandkids. The dog. All of them.

Selig's incompetence as a commissioner is exceeded only by his incompetence as an owner ... oops owner's father who divested his assets to be commissioner. This team hasn't has a winning season since ... when? 1992? The year Pat Listach had his career?

I love Wisconsin. America's Dairyland. Delicious frozen custard. Filled with friendly fat folks who make me look skinny. But M'waukee is baseball's smallest market. When the Brewers played in beautiful County Stadium (widest stadium seats in baseball ... built for the widest butts in America), they were consistently among the worst-drawing teams in baseball. Unless NFL-style socialism were imposed on baseball, could the Brewers ever generate the revenues from their tiny market to be a viable franchise?

One hundred losses. Get used to it, Wisconsin baseball fans. You got a whole lot more in your future.

I realize this dates me quite a bit, but as I was not yet around in the Milwaukee Braves' glory days, and they moved to Atlanta a good 15 years before I was a thought in my mother's brain, but can anyone tell me why the Braves did move out of Milwaukee? I had always thought that the Braves did pretty well there. Think of what we could've avoided, i.e.; Selig, if they had not moved.

[ September 20, 2002: Message edited by: cubsfan1982 ]

[quote]Originally posted by cubsfan1982:
I realize this dates me quite a bit, but as I was not yet around in the Milwaukee Braves' glory days, and they moved to Atlanta a good 15 years before I was a thought in my mother's brain, but can anyone tell me why the Braves did move out of Milwaukee?

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When the Braves stopped contending after going to the World Series after the 1957 and 1958 seasons, attendance dropped dramatically. Even though they had an exciting team (think: Hank Aaron), people just stopped going to their games after the defending world champions lost the 1958 series in a choke. (They were up 3 games to one, and lost to the Yankees in seven.)

The Braves had been in M'waukee since only 1953, so they had no long-term attachment to that city. New owners decided to move south in 1963, and Atlanta looked promising. After a long series of court fights (deja vu for Selig with the Twins contraction litigation), the team finally moved in time for the 1966 season.

And one of the Brew Crew will soon be the new single season strike out leader. Jose Hernandez needs only one whiff to break Bobby Bonds' record. And they wanted to contract my Twins...

100 and counting!

Just want to amend my earlier post to cubsfan1982, explaining why the Braves moved from M'waukee in 1966. I had stated: "When the Braves stopped contending after going to the World Series after the 1957 and 1958 seasons, attendance dropped dramatically." Actually, the Braves never stopped CONTENDING during the entire time they played in M'waukee. But after the 1958 World Series, they stopped WINNING PENNANTS. But from 1959-1965, they were in contention for the NL pennant every season. I was correct in stating that attendance did drop precipitously after the 1958 World Series loss/choke.

[quote]Originally posted by George_vikingfan:
And one of the Brew Crew will soon be the new single season strike out leader. Jose Hernandez needs only one whiff to break Bobby Bonds' record. And they wanted to contract my Twins...

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Sissy wimps running the Brewer franchise. Check out this article from espn.com about manager Jerry Royster not letting Jose Hernandez play at home this past weekend because of the impending record: Danger zone: Hernandez one K from mark

Seems the Brewers fans are having some fun with this record in light of the otherwise awful season unfolding America's Dairyland. According to the article:
"Royster said his decision had everything to do with the way the home fans reacted last week as Hernandez approached the record against Houston. Fans cheered Hernandez's two strikeouts and booed the plate appearances when he walked or put the ball in play. Friday night, fans in the right-field stands in Miller Park assembled what looked like 188 'K' placards, which were removed at an usher's request."

Gotta love them Cheeseheads. Hernandez is making $3.33 million this season. I think the fans are entitled to have a little fun. Unnfortunately, in Bud's Personal Pleasure Dome, no fun for the fans is allowed.

Supposedly, Hernandez will play the remaining 7 games. But you gotta wonder how the Dodgers felt about the Brewers "resting" one of their best hitters (yes, despite his whiff count, Jose is hitting around .280 with 24 HR) during a series against the Giants.

Well, here's a move in the right direction: the Brewers have gotten rid of Ms. Wendy as President and CEO. Read more here.

Ulice Payne, the former Marquette basketball star, is the new head of the team. He's a big-time lawyer in M'waukee, and has stayed active in the sports biz, chairing the Bradley Center. He also becomes the first African-American to be named president of an MLB team.

Hernandez isn't playing right now. He may play Saturday or he may sit out the rest of the year. Jerry Royster says the publicity over this is "making a mockery of it."

From the ESPN.com article:

[quote] Royster said he had not decided whether Hernandez would bat at all in Milwaukee's final series of the season, a four-game set in St. Louis. The manager said his shortstop "won't be laughed at.''

"To be honest with you, I don't care if he played another game,'' Royster said. "I can tell you one thing -- there's no need for him to play. I don't have a plan to sit him the rest of the season, and I don't have plans to play him. If we need him, he will play.''

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Meanwhile, he IS hitting .288 with 24 homers and 73 RBI. Would there be this much of a fuss if it weren't for the Brewers being so awful?

You know, I'm really getting sick of all this wussy over-protective, nanny-ish attitude that demands that managers (even dead ducks like Jerry Royster) have to protect the fragile psyche of their players and not let them set any bad records.

Jose Hernandez apparently is such a sissified emotional cripple that he'll be scarred for life if he sets the strike record. Boo. Hoo. If Hernandez doesn't want the strike-out record, here's a novel approach: DON'T STRIKE OUT SO MUCH. Learn better respect for the strike zone. Don't swing at so many bad pitches. That's a much more honorable way to avoid the record.

Maybe it'll start a trend in which pitchers with 19 losses will have to make their last scheduled start or two of the season.

CITT:

Bizarre. Guys like Jim Thome consider a high number of strikeouts an acceptable fact of life due to the fact that he wants to hit the ball to Akron with every swing. I'm sure there's precedent but what used to be called "punch & judy" or "banjo" hitters (ie short swing, contact-oriented, spray the ball around) weren't putting up the big power numbers. Oh wait. That was before steroids!

Somebody help me here: last night, I was talking to a friend while half-watching Sports Center. There was a play where one team had a runner on 3rd. Ball hit to the SS, a liner which he caught, an out. For some reason, the SS, instead of throwing the ball to the pitcher tossed it to the 3rd baseman to throw to the pitcher. The runner on 3rd waltzed home. Did anyone see that? Was it the Brewers who were the team in the field?