This writer first started writing about it over the winter: if the Brewers did not provide more on the field for their paying customers, they could expect to suffer at the box office.
After only 28,000 turned out to watch Randy Johnson vs. Nick Neugebauer last Saturday, and 23,000 to see Curt Schilling match up against Ben Sheets Sunday, others have started writing and talking about the same thing.
Charlie Sykes, who usually saves his comments on WTMJ for politics, called for the Brewers to roll back their ticket prices to last season. Some on his call-in show, and elsewhere, questioned the Brewers lack of public relations sense. Yet others said Milwaukee was no longer a good baseball town.
While hiking ticket prices shortly after they were declared one of the few profitable teams in baseball in 2001 will not go down as a great promotional stunt, the real reason the Brewers can expect a big decline in attendance this season is that their team gives the fans very little hope of being much better or more entertaining.
You can't blame the fans for being impatient. The Brewers' last winning season came in 1992, when Phil Garner, who was fired this week as the Tigers' manager, was in his first season in Milwaukee. The last pennant came in 1982.
That's a long time to watch losing baseball. And, even though Miller Park is a world class ballpark, and the All Star Game will indeed provide Milwaukee with a "mid-summer dream," the fans just are not going to come out like they did last season.
Glendon Rusch looked great in his first outing. Alex Ochoa is hitting like he is Roberto Clemente reincarnated. The pair shares the first BCR Player of the Week honors for this season.
But, neither have the names to get fans all excited, especially since one of the few name players with the Brewers, Jeromy Burnitz, was dealt for them. Takahito Nomura is not Ichiro Suzuki. Jose Cabrera and Luis Vizcaino are not Mariano Rivera. Eric Young is no longer young.
GM Dean Taylor has to do more if the Brewers are going to get better, and give the fans a reason to start packing Miller Park again. The club is still sitting with three infielders who can play third base. Trade one of them, or deal shortstop Jose Hernandez, who is in the last year of his contract, and move Mark Loretta back to shortstop.
Jeffrey Hammonds probably is unmarketable right now, but if he is healthy later in the season deal him and put Alex Sanchez in center. Ochoa can be moved there if necessary too. That should have been done after the 1999 season, and the Brewers would never have had to sign the often-injured Hammonds for more than $7 million per season.
You might even think about dealing Geoff Jenkins for the right return. Ideally, he and Richie Sexson will provide the core of the team for three more years. But, if the Brewers continue to lose, Taylor might have to look for another core. Jenkins would bring quality in the marketplace.
Taylor also might have to fire manager Davey Lopes. The Tigers gave Garner only six games this season. Lopes deserves more than that, but if the Brewers don't improve he doesn't deserve to last the whole season.
The changes over the winter made the team different, but not necessarily any better. The players acquired did not excite fans. The team overall does not excite fans.
If you thought the turnouts at the two Arizona games were bad, wait until the Pirates come to town next week. More changes have to be made to improve the team, or Miller Park will start to look more like County Stadium a lot quicker than many anticipated.
Gar A Goner
I have to admit to a lack of objectivity when it comes to Phil Garner. He will always go down as one of the nicest and classiest guys I ever dealt with in a sports writing career that is approaching three decades.
Who knows? Gar might not be able to manage. But, he didn't have much to work with in Detroit, and results here since he was fired show that was pretty much the case in Milwaukee too.
In the only year he did have some material, 1992, he brought the Brewers to the last week of the season still in the wild card hunt.
We need not feel too bad for him though. He has invested well in Houston and can afford to take some time before returning to baseball if he wants.
Players of the Week
Glendon Rusch, who pitched, hit and fielded the Brewers to a win in the home opener last Friday. Alex Ochoa, who was hitting .412 with three homers after the first week of action.
Play of the Week
Rusch made a great play on a tapper by former Whitefish Bay resident Craig Counsell in the Brewers' home opener win over the Arizona D-Backs.
Goats of the Week
Young, who was hitting .083 after the first week. It's hard to use your speed if you can't get on base. Richie Sexson, who was hitting only .160. The Brewers can't afford to have Sexson get off to one of his traditional slow starts again this season.
Gregg Hoffmann writes The Brew Crew Review on Thursdays and The Milwaukee Sports Buzz on Mondays for OMC.
