Yankees' success is proof Brewers are a lost cause

And there's one other thing you can add to the list of hopeless causes.

The Brewers will not make it to the playoffs next year, or the year after that, or the year after that or the year after that, or ... well you get the point.

The World Series is over. The Yankees bought it. And the gap between the rich teams and the rest of us is growing faster than Lance Armstrong pedaling downhill.

I know there's this theory that all you have to be is smart to compete in Major League Baseball. Good decisions are seen as the great leveler of the playing field. People cite the New York Mets, the second biggest payroll in baseball, as a prime example.

But what happens if you're rich and smart. Let's say you're Warren Buffett. You're a lot more powerful than some brilliant rocket scientist who works at NASA.

I know the world of sports fans is full of optimism. I want to feel like that, too. I really want to have a heart full of hope that the Brewers will be in the thick of things next season.

But my reality is a little different. There is almost no hope in my reality.

I'm like the guy who has a friend who's a down-and-out alcoholic and drug abuser. He never met a drink, a drug or a pill he didn't like. We all want him to get better. So he decides to give up beer, hoping that will do the trick. Hopeless.

My Brewers traded a matinee idol shortstop for a .229 hitter. We traded for a guy who got benched last year. Now, Carlos Gomez may well prove to be a serviceable major league baseball player. His defense and speed may make up for his lousy hitting. But you've got to admit, it's a small move.

It frees up some salary cap money so the Brewers can kind of compete for a free agent or two. They can try to find some pitching for their money; someone who might actually be better than Jeff Suppan. This may prove to be a smart move, somewhere down the line. But it does very little to make my feeling of hopelessness subside.

Suppan made over $12 million last year. He was 7-12. He had an ERA of 5.29. These are not statistics of a $12 million pitcher.

The big difference between teams like the Brewers and teams like the Yankees is that the Brewers are stuck with Suppan and his $12 million. Sadly, they need him on their roster. If the Yankees had been faced with the same Suppan situation, they would eat his contract and send him packing, signing another free agent to take his place. And they'd keep on going until they found someone who could actually pitch.

Like I said, I can only see the gap between these rich teams and the other teams growing larger by the year. As long as you have stupid moves and injuries, there will be a chance for the small market teams to make a dent.

But it's a slim chance. Very slim. The kind of chance that makes me feel sad and hopeless at a time when I ought to be vibrantly playing in the hot stove league.

14 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by DT on Nov. 11, 2009 at 12:00 p.m. (report)

As always, Begel, you get us thinking. I like the Yankees and love to see winners win. Go back in time, the Yanks have always been committed to winning. Money helps, but small markets and payroles have proven that they also can win. Milwaukee draws more baseball fans per capita than any other city. We support, we love and we now expect winning. The Bucks are on the path back and I hope the Brewers continue to commit too. This, yes, means spending money. One more thing, if something needs to be "fixed" in baseball it's the draft. Agents have too much clout and steer clients to winners/bigger markets. Happens a lot, I hear. Work hard. Play hard.

Posted by TeflonMan on Nov. 11, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. (report)

If the Twins can contend every year, no excuse for the Brewers' franchise. Yeah margin for error is slimmer (a mistake like Suppan costs you dearly) but its do-able. Once you get into the post season, its a crap shoot (see Marlins 2003); anyone can win. Build a farm system and make smart acquisitions and you can contend frequently.

Posted by stollsez on Nov. 11, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. (report)

Baseball's economic structure does NOT guarantee a Yankee championship or even a playoff berth every year. Seems to me they missed the playoffs just a year ago. It also doesn't mean the Brewers will never win the big prize. Surprising young stars, injuries and boneheaded front office decisions give the "have-nots" hope. What we DO have to tolerate is the fact that rich teams like the Yanks, Angels & Red Sox will almost always be pretty good, while teams like the Brewers will have to settle for waves of success, followed by years of reconstruction.

Posted by mikeb on Nov. 10, 2009 at 6:12 p.m. (report)

The Brewers are hardly a lost cause. They did make the playoffs last year and still maintain a very good nucleus of players. What they can't do is spend $20,000,000+ on the combination of Jeff Suppan, Bill Hall and David Riske. None of those guys will be key contributors next year, but they will be being paid as if they are.

Posted by sandstorm on Nov. 10, 2009 at 1:33 p.m. (report)

BrewCity, you're sky high on the NBA??? i really hate to keep hanging my hat on this, but the Brewers were one of just 8 teams in major league baseball to make the playoffs just last year. the Bucks play in the NBA where half the teams make the playoffs and yet still have been unable to put it together to simply stumble into the post season. but what do i know with my matinee idol looks and boyish grin?

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