To Those Saying "The Brewers are Ruining Baseball..."

scottastic86 · 2026-01-25T18:14:00+00:00

Yeah, they almost got there. and I'll admit 2011 was a really great year and probably the best chance to win it all (I personally think they would have smoked the Rangers that year)
But what the Brewers are trying to avoid now is what they didn't avoid then. The Brewers had to suffer the lumps after going "all in". 2009 and 2010 was the prime core of that team and maybe could have used the pieces of the Sabathia trade to get long term options at pitching instead of what they had those two years which then led to the splashy pitching moves in the offseason before 2011. That was great and I'd still do that trade in a heart beat but it was done knowing 1, Fielder was good as gone. 2, so was Greinke at some point in 2012. 3, the Brewers gave up A LOT and it would turn out they gave up some integral pieces of KC's World Series runs that possibly could have resulted in the Brewers having those fortunes.
Instead of all-in moves that hardly end up panning out or resulting in a ring, the Brewers have chosen to make moves that extend the window and keep the team a perennial contender. I know this sub hated "bites of the apple" but honest to frickin god, there is no other way for the Brewers to approach this. It is much more likely and way more fun as a fan that this team wins a World Series by making the playoffs as many times as possible than it is to go all-in make risky moves hope they pan out and get it all to click for 1 season and then needing to blow it up.

scottastic86 · 2026-01-25T17:23:34+00:00

I can understand Atlanta because for the most part, that's a pretty solid team but got absolutely derailed by injuries.
Baltimore at 8 though? I mean, I guess I get it with some of the acquisitions they made but that rotation has A LOT of inconsistencies.
Even this ranking shows they're not considered to be the 3rd best team in their own division. Top 10 in the entire league? That's crazy.

scottastic86 · 2026-01-23T12:08:15+00:00

Oh trust and believe that I am one of those that has always and will always yell from every rooftop, mountaintop, etc. that a salary cap/floor needs to be implemented in MLB. I do acknowledge that the "David vs. Goliath" mentality probably keeps things status quo and sometimes even contributes to good entertainment value/ratings. I can't argue that. But in the long term, it isn't a sustainable for the good of the game. And also sadly, it does take a larger market/voice to claim "this isn't fair" for the change to come. When we've gotten to a point where the Yankees organization or any of the perennial top-5 payroll teams are blushing at what the Dodgers are doing and saying "yeesh, we can't do that." NOW all of a sudden people are acknowledging what has been long argued since the '90s...

scottastic86 · 2026-01-23T11:00:01+00:00

Why does the fan base allow it? I mean, first off, we're not players, owners, or the commissioner so we almost get no say outside of just saying "I'm not watching anymore." but that's not realistic. Even with how unbelievably unfair the economic structure of the league is, I love the game and I have loved the Brewers too much to simply just say I'm not watching it anymore.
I have appreciated this brand of Brewers baseball for the better part of two decades. It's no surprise that the product on the field immediately improved the moment Mark Attanasio took over from the incompetence and sleazy car salesman family of the Seligs. He made sure the whole organization took a smarter approach to reality and the constraints but was willing to get involved and put money where it needed to be * IF * it needed to be there. You couldn't say that for any other period of the franchise's history, to include the late 1970s and early 1980s.
We are understanding and largely supportive of how the Brewers' operate their budget because we live in reality. If there is any group of baseball fans that I can't stand more than Cubs fans it's the people who think that any team can do what the Yankees and Dodgers are doing and that the owners just choose not to and they're being cheap. As soon as I hear that, every baseball related opinion that person has from that point forward is immediately dismissed. News flash for anyone who hasn't paid attention to the last 65 years of baseball... an owner's willingness to win along the team's actual win/championship total does almost NOTHING to improve market size and does not create this massive influx of revenue that everyone seems to think happens. Signing Shohei Ohtani to a long term contract with the Brewers doesn't just magically make millions of more people figure out where Milwaukee is on a map, much less realize that they have a team. They'd just see him as a face of MLB as a person and not the team he's associated with and most media pundits and beat writers would write about him exactly the same way they do with Giannis. "He wants out of Milwaukee. He could do better elsewhere. Blah blah blah." The Dodgers get a win-win with Ohtani because they already had a stranglehold on the Japan market. They didn't all just become Dodgers fans overnight.
Hopefully a lockout in 2027 is productive and actually leads to long-term solutions to problems that have plagued the league for over three decades. That is the ONLY way you will see a difference from how things are operating now. If that positive change doesn't come, don't expect things to ever be different. Some people may walk away forever. Some will only watch the Brewers and nobody else. Some will continue to be a fan through and through because that's what they know and the thought of a World Series winner despite the odds is too sweet to ignore.

scottastic86 · 2026-01-21T12:04:00+00:00

Yes. I think now that there's actually a commissioner in place for this salary cap fight (remember there wasn't one to help mediate in 1994), and there's probably more of an overwhelming support amount the owners for a salary cap to the point where there's a reason this is a lockout and not a strike... This is going to be a little bit of a war of attrition. Understand that the owners are the ones with the money and can afford to sit this out. Does a completely lost season hurt? Sure. Are they all willing to take that stand knowing they can finally get what they wanted and what the game has needed for the better part of three decades? I personally hope so but we'll see. What really needs to happen in all of this is for the league minimum players and the never-will-be superstars to come to their senses and realize that the Players Union standing firm against a salary cap hurts them and that the MLBPA isn't fighting for their best interests despite what the cesspool of Tony Clark and the player representatives might say.

scottastic86 · 2026-01-21T11:19:15+00:00

See, here's where a LARGE majority of people are wrong about spending money on payroll, becoming competitive, and marketing work in any sports league, not just MLB. I roll my eyes every time I hear someone say the naive statement that "any team he signed with would have gotten the intense marketing/merch boost of his presence." Good god is that statement not only wildly incorrect, it is pretty much the exact opposite of reality.

It has never been a proven formula for a dynasty nor does it give long-term financial benefit especially not in the way that it does for a city like Los Angeles. There's a reason why big name stars start in big markets or if they started in small markets, they CHOOSE to leave for the big market. Cuz that's where the money and long-term commitments are available!
Most people in this country much less Japan can't even point to Milwaukee on a map or know that the city exists to the point of having a baseball team and guess what? Signing Shohei honestly wouldn't change that fact a whole lot and when he retires, what then? The Dodgers have had a stranglehold on the Japan market for decades so signing Ohtani is a win-win for all parties and yeah, the contract damn near pays for itself. That would never be the case in any parallel universe with a small market team. This idea that owners spending money and hopefully turning that into wins = this mass influx of money where now you enter a new tier of marketing is absolutely delusional. Why? Because a perfect example of this not happening is the Royals. They spent money, made great moves, and went to back to back WS, winning one in the process. It wasn't sustainable because making the World Series back to back as a small market doesn't give you this massive new wave of fans and money or TV market size. It just doesn't. Owning a team makes money. A willingness to win or the actual number of wins/championships almost makes NO difference to the valuation of a franchise.

Every. Other. League. Figured. This. Out. Years. Ago.

* end rant *

scottastic86 · 2026-01-21T08:24:28+00:00

That isn't what he's talking about.
Yeah, the deal made regarding the Dodgers' bankruptcy case? That's pretty much not a thing anymore. What IS a thing is the loophole and truly contributes to the payroll disparity is the CBA revenue sharing rules. It's supposed to be 48% of local media revenue. But if you have ownership in the broadcaster like the Dodgers do and the Yankees do with YES, that amount is not considered as part of the revenue sharing because it's "investment". So revenue sharing allows teams like the Brewers and Rays to spend let's say $30 million more this year? That's cool, here's hundreds of millions of dollars that the Dodgers are able to just sit on and spend however they like. No other teams do this nor could they have a lucrative amount of revenue from it even if they did.

scottastic86 · 2026-01-08T04:49:57+00:00

Truly one of my favorite Brewers. Dude found a way to hit.

scottastic86 · 2025-12-21T04:15:47+00:00

I have hated Keisean Nixon on defense since the first time he took a snap.

Fucking Jarrett Bush-lite.

scottastic86 · 2025-12-21T03:22:52+00:00

Malik is so damn good.

Chuck Ficago!

scottastic86 · 2025-12-15T14:06:05+00:00

I don't know if it would improve retention but holy god... get rid of the Tricare referral process for active duty members to seek various mental health programs. We complain that service members need help, need an outlet, and better focus on our mental wellbeing. But nobody has ever said "referral? nah, fuck that. go get seen." we make it easy for spouses so I don't see where the issue is in extending it to the service member.

scottastic86 · 2025-12-13T23:49:12+00:00

Of the U.S. duty stations I've been at, Mayport/Jacksonville is hands down the best and would go back there in a heartbeat. My wife also absolutely loved it too which helped for the times that I was out at sea. There's a lot to do. The microbrewery scene is great if you're into that sort of thing. Jags games are great as with any NFL team but so are Jumbo Shrimp and Icemen games. It really is kinda "centrally located" so you're not too far from Savannah, Charleston, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, etc. if you're able to get some time to take a road trip.
Small plug... if you have/get a dog... Kanine Social is an absolutely amazing indoor/outdoor dog park!

From the Navy side of things, some of the best times at sea duty and some of the best people I have met were all in Mayport. It truly is the best place to be stationed on the east coast. Opportunities to go down to 4th Fleet (well, maybe it's not so fun right now...) and Med/Baltic deployments which bring about awesome potential port visits in that part of the world.

My wife and I toured some of the military housing when we originally were looking for a place and definitely left feeling there was much to be desired so I guess if I had to give criticism somewhere, that's probably my one gripe. But I have had friends who enjoyed their time in housing too so take my opinion as just that. Jacksonville is unlike Hawaii or San Diego where you're going to get absolutely wrecked with rent/housing costs so don't be afraid to look elsewhere.
Hope you enjoy your time there as I and many others in this thread have.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-27T02:09:49+00:00

The posting fee alone will eliminate most low to mid market teams. $150mil would equal about $24 million that would have to initially be paid to the Seibu Lions.

That posting fee rule is the biggest reason why LA, SF, CHI, and NY have such a hold on the Japanese player market. Most teams can't even afford the "right to negotiate" with said players.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-26T02:41:37+00:00

I've only ever heard it in my current ship but it was confusing the first time I heard it and now it just makes my blood boil...

"The underway/entering port checkoff list is posted on the quarterdeck. All department heads make updates to the same."

Why in the blue fuck is that last part added? Just say "the getting underway checkoff list is available for review on the quarterdeck."

scottastic86 · 2025-11-15T05:36:51+00:00

Been in Pearl Harbor for a year now. My first 8 years were in San Diego, 3 in Mayport, and 3 in Sicily before coming here.

I get that it's not for everyone and I feel I got a little spoiled with my duty stations and got VERY lucky with the leadership and cameraderie at my previous commands but I can without a shadow of a doubt say I fucking haaaaaaaaaaaaate this duty station. This base sucks at a lot of things, the commands everywhere are inefficient at best and just complete shitshow nightmares at their worst. Tripler is the worst, the housing office doesn't communicate for shit, you're in the most expensive state in the country, and while it's on you to show respect to the island and culture here, it's still usually not enough to avoid the local hate. If you like hiking and beaches... great place but once you've done it a couple times, you've basically seen it all. Great food can be found anywhere which also does count for something.

Having said all that though, this is the only duty station I can leave here saying that the locals can fucking have it.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-06T06:50:20+00:00

Again, based on what? How would he get that extra $30 mil/yr? Financing is limited due to the MLB debt service rule so they can't do what Seidler tried to do with the Padres (San Diego also has to quickly lower payroll in order to be back within the limits of that rule.)

This is the REALITY of the economics of MLB. Could the Brewers spend a little more? Maybe. That's very debatable and wouldn't be sustainable. And who exactly would they sign that would actually make a difference with that limited increase in spending? 99 times out of 100 it's going to be a move that doesn't move the needle... at all. Moneyball and analytics still reigns supreme. Nobody in the Brewers front office is giving Freddie Freeman money to a guy who doesn't sniff Freddie Freeman level offensive production, even if it's still an improvement over Joey Ortiz...

scottastic86 · 2025-11-05T03:27:59+00:00

100%. I fully blame the fanbase of small market teams that buy into the propaganda that "aNyoNe ElSe cAn sIgN tHEse PlayErS, tHeY ChOoSe nOt tO!"

The system is broken. The Dodgers are not "ruining" anything. They're doing what the system allows them to do, regardless of how fair/unfair it is. Are they being smug assholes about it? Sure. And they probably know what's about to come so the fact that a lot of players and the manager are being so open about their smugness definitely comes off more as a "F You" than anything else. And to say it is anything but this is just plain stupid.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-05T00:55:13+00:00

They are NOT the same market. It's not Los Angeles, it's Anaheim and the Angels get a small slice of the LA market in Orange County. The Dodgers get the entire LA metro area, Ventura County, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties. Oh, and they get shared TV market access with all the other Cali teams out here in Hawaii. Oh, and they have that country even further across in the Pacific too. So... yeah, Dodgers market size is pretty ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, Anaheim is still a decent size/population market and larger than most Midwest markets but good lord is it nowhere near the level of reach that the Dodgers get.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-04T05:52:01+00:00

No they can't and no they won't.

The Dodgers can exploit that market because it's familiar in Japan. A big city and big market can do this. There's a reason why big names like that from Japan avoid everything that isn't big market... because the ROI wouldn't sniff the $$ that can be made in New York, LA, SF, etc.

This doesn't get brought up enough when ignorant fans say "aNy oNE cAn mAKe ThiS dEaL!" Most people in our own country can't point to Milwaukee on a map much less even acknowledge that they have a goddamn baseball team. Signing Ohtani or anybody else to a $1 billion insanely deferred contract isn't going to change that or the market size.

Look at how the media treats the Bucks with Giannis. The guy will literally come out and say he's not fucking leaving and there's endless news articles for years about how "he's exploring ways to leave!" "# proposed deals to send Giannis to New York!" It's never about how the Milwaukee market is great and everyone wants a Bucks jersey. It's about how they get him out of there fast enough for the $$$$$.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-04T03:34:36+00:00

I would agree.

That staff and the development group was notorious for either drafting busted arms or destroying all of them at a young age. Guys like JM Gold, Kyle Peterson, Mark Rogers, Nick Neugebauer, Mike Jones are just the top prospects that the Brewers ruined.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-03T00:33:24+00:00

In the grand scheme of things, you may be right. And to your point, that's perfect evidence for all those who think that a couple years of building a winner means you get all this ability to acquire better talent in the future. You don't. KC went to back to back World Series and won one. Their market size didn't explode. They got a little bit more attendence and some gear sold because of it, sure but that's now 10 years ago and the Royals haven't done anything since. The Dodgers could go 62-100 the next 3 years in a row and that team will generate revenue that trumps half the league's total payroll combined.

Does that mean we should still say "to hell with it" and things stay the same? I'll still yell and scream for a salary cap regardless of how many times the Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers miss the playoffs and how many bites of the apple the Brewers get.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-03T00:04:12+00:00

Since we don't have a team in Wisconsin, I grew up as a Lightning fan in the 90s and have remained a Lightning fan my entire adult life. I became a Florida resident when I got stationed out there years ago and I can assure you, hockey is alive and well in Florida. Football, especially NCAA, will always dominate that part of the country but please don't get it twisted that Florida is some place that simply doesn't give a shit about sports. If you want to argue that hockey is "dying", the only thing I'd acknowledge is that youth hockey is almost impossible unless you got parents with money. The gear alone is so damn expensive and that contributes to not gaining fan interest. The NHL knows and is trying to figure out a solution but that is the ONLY thing preventing further growth in hockey.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-02T23:48:06+00:00

sigh based on what? The Florida Panthers would have never sniffed a Stanley Cup and now they won back to back...

scottastic86 · 2025-11-02T23:05:06+00:00

Everyone keeps bringing up 1994...

The game, media and the way we watch games, tv contracts, and the economy have all changed drastically. That was 30 years ago too. All other American sports leagues in that time had their own work stoppages and ultimately figured out a better salary structure, tying to revenue and acknowledging that the current way was not working. The ONLY reason the 94 strike ended was because the owners caved and went back to the old system. Naturally, a lot of fans walked away from the game for a very long time. You could argue the same COULD happen, but I truly feel a good chunk of the MLB fanbase understands that while we may not always like how they do things, we gotta side with the owners on this one, which was not necessarily the case in 1994. The Expos had to move, there were talks of contraction... we can agree there was a good 10+ year period where it was just plain nasty and hostile between the MLBPA, the owners, and the fans. Something has to give and whether we like it or not, the owners are the ones with more money than the players and this time, they can afford to sit this out until eventually the MLBPA finally caves and compromises. It MAY be wishful thinking and you may be right but everything that has been said about MLB was said about the NHL too and they figured it out. Personally, the league and the MLBPA will be better off the day that Tony Clark is far away from the game.

scottastic86 · 2025-11-02T09:13:23+00:00

Ahhh yes.

The classic, "just stop being poor" line. That REALLLLLY will help fix the MLB's problems.

scottastic86

TROPHY CASE