Brewers Owner Mark Attanasio yesterday said that "these days are an uncomfortable time because it’s unclear if his team can play itself into relevance," according to Bob Wolfley of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Through yesterday, the Brewers are 7.5 games behind the NL Central-leading Reds, and Attanasio said, "We have to make an assessment, kind of go, no-go on this season." Attanasio also "talked about upping the team’s payroll this season to the highest it’s ever been, but mentioned there was more risk in increasing the payroll" than when he first took over the team in '05. He said, "It was as much as a financial risk the first year to go from the $27 million payroll to the $40 million payroll, as it is this year to go from $90 to $106 million. ... What do we do if we lose it? It helps to have a supportive group of deep-pocketed investors who are willing to take those risks."
CULTURE CHANGE: Attanasio said, "Milwaukee is now a free agent destination. It was anything but back in '05. We probably were on more no-trade lists than any other organization. Banished to Milwaukee. ... It goes to the fact that [the Brewers] play in front of a full house all of the time, the fact that they play in a covered ballpark ... the fact that they are treated by the organization in an absolutely top notch way, soup to nuts." Attanasio said that he is "proud all of his players have contributed to the Brewers Community Foundation in the last few years." He said, "It’s actually against the collective bargaining agreement to ask your players to take money from their contracts and contribute to charity. And I just don’t care" (JSONLINE.com, 6/27).
