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Brewers rebuilding right way

If there is a major league baseball franchise out there looking for a way to rebuild without spending the equivalent of the national debt, it would be advised to follow the way the Milwaukee Brewers are doing it.

Now, the Brewers are not like the money-rich New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, or even the Detroit Tigers.

Those teams just go out and spend what is required to put a winning team on the field.

Milwaukee is in what is commonly known as a “small market,” meaning they do not have a large base of fans to draw from.

Yet, the Brewers have managed to make themselves into a legitimate contender. Had it not been for a major fundamental error in Game 4 of the series against the Dodgers, they would likely be in the World Series. More on that later.

Milwaukee has managed to put together a solid lineup with sound front office judgement, including making trades that were of great benefit to them.

Take the move that brought prospective MVP Christian Yelich over from the Florida Marlins last winter.

Yelich put together a monster year (.326 average, 46 homers and 110 RBI) and all the Brewers had to do was give up four prospects. And he’s just 26 years old.

The Brewers were also fortunate to land a lights-out closer in Josh Hader, who was nearly unhittable in the postseason.

They already had a residing, if slightly fading, star in Ryan Braun, who has provided the leadership on a young club.

In Craig Counsell, they have one of the upcoming managers in the league.

And they’re among the youngest teams in the major leagues with an average age of 27.

The Tigers, on the other hand, tried to buy a World Series in the past decade. They brought in some noteworthy talent (Miguel Cabrera, Pudge Rodriguez, Max Scherzer, etc.) But they also rolled the dice – and lost big – on mercurial Prince Fielder.

All the spending netted Detroit exactly one win in two disappointing World Series appearances. Now, after a fire sale on the talent left, the Tigers face a rebuilding job that will take many years.

They would be wise to follow the Brewers blueprint for success ….

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