The Bucks demise

[ccbrew]

I think the difference is that Matsuzaka would never have been released from his contract in Japan if he was simply going to enter a draft. His original team would essentially get nothing for him.

 

I do think it would be interesting though if other international players that are pure free agents were subject to the regular MLB draft. In the NBA, many teams have the tendency to pick for potential over say, 4 year seniors. Would teams picking high in this hypothetical MLB draft select the young phenom out of high school, or an older player that has already established himself in Cuba and can possibly contribute immediately?

[Invader3K]

That is a big flaw in MLB right now...only the teams with the deepest pockets and connections can realistically sign the top international players. They really need an international draft.

[Mike2k33]

None of the stadium revenue from concessions goes to the Bucks

 

Are you sure? I know the Admirals don't get any of the concession money at their games and that most concessions for most events goes to the Bucks.

[dadofandrew]

The team pays no rent at the Bradley Center and gets a share of concession and suite revenue from all Bradley Center events. The team's lease expires Sept. 30, 2004.--JS

 

I have to believe the Bucks got a better deal, not a worse one.

 

They do need a new arena, however, or they'll be gone in a decade. I don't think the Pettits are going to cut another check, and the city is clueless, as they watch empty warehouses and industrial buildings and yearn for a return to 1950.

[endaround]

Of course Al knows Milwaukee's terrible plight by living 500 miles away. The fact that Milwaukee houses the world headquarters to three insanely profitable firms in Northwestern Mutual, Harley Davidson, and Manpower must mean nothing.

[dadofandrew]

So, are you saving all the abandoned buildings for those 3 firms?

 

Times have changed in the last 50 years, but the broken windows and grafitti covered buildings you see from 94 are what most folks think of...hardly a selling point.

 

A major renovation should be well underway, but other than what the casino has pushed, Milwaukee still looks the same as it did decades ago.

 

Meanwhile, you can't even recognize much of the Twin Cities if you were there 5 years ago.

[endaround]

Al it is underway, but you would have actually have to get off the freeway to see it. I know thats scary and all, but its true. The entire Third Ward has been remade and works is now starting on the 5th. Milwaukee's problems aren't downtown. They are on the northside of town, the westside of town and on the southside of town.

[Invader3K]

Or how about the old Pabst building that's just rotting away, and was going to get redeveloped, but then that got voted down for some reason?

[qrk10000]

There is a ton of work that is going into 94 and once that is complete, I expect some new business interest to follow Then you have the renovation of the Third Ward and the lakefront, two areas that have been down in the dump but are starting to look mighty nice. Plus, we're still waiting for a decision to be made on all the old Pabst buildings. Once that is done, downtown Milwaukee really is going to look different.

[qrk10000]

A major renovation should be well underway, but other than what the casino has pushed, Milwaukee still looks the same as it did decades ago.

 

Try visiting the lakefront or Third Ward sometime, Al, and then let's talk I find it interesting that despite the monumential changes to the Twin Cities, they have become some of those most crime-ridden cities in the U.S.

[chuckcrim]

To touch on qrk's point, here are the violent crime statistics from the FBI website for Minneapolis and Milwaukee:

 

Minneapolis population: 376,277

# of violent crimes: 5,472

 

Milwaukee population: 586,500

# of violent crimes: 6,010

 

Violent crimes as a percentage of the population are as follows:

 

Minneapolis: 1.45%

Milwaukee: 1.02%

 

Go Mil-town!!!! Milwaukee is one of the most underrated cities in the country. People come here thinking it's garbage at which point they realize it's a great city combining a beautiful lakefront, great restaurants and the Brew Crew, to name a few.

[foamboy1]

They do need a new arena, however, or they'll be gone in a decade. I don't think the Pettits are going to cut another check, and the city is clueless, as they watch empty warehouses and industrial buildings and yearn for a return to 1950.

 

The Pettit's are dead. Neither will be cutting checks.

 

The Bradley Center will be selling the naming rights.

 

The answer is for the BC to merge with the WI Center District and use their taxing authority to make the infrastructure improvements....it will happen when things go on "code red." Nothing stops it from happening now but the egos involved. It's an absolute no-brainer.

[Diskono]

Quote:

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I do think it would be interesting though if other international players that are pure free agents were subject to the regular MLB draft. In the NBA, many teams have the tendency to pick for potential over say, 4 year seniors. Would teams picking high in this hypothetical MLB draft select the young phenom out of high school, or an older player that has already established himself in Cuba and can possibly contribute immediately?

---

Most international players aren't free agents. In most countries other than the US, players are rarely traded, and most of the better players don't ever make it to free agency. When a player changes teams, the teams agree to a transfer fee (cost to buy player's contract/negotiating rights), and then the new team has to agree to terms with the player.

 

This is what happened with Matsuzaka, and that's just the way things work overseas. Like you said, he wouldn't have been released to enter a draft, and he probably wouldn't have been released without a substantial transfer fee.

[PKBadger]

Diskono, that wouldn't necessarily prevent a draft for the rights to pursue a contract with the player.

 

The example that comes to mind is Evgeni Malkin. He was under contract with a team in Russia and there was a big controversy about him reneging on the deal. But the Penguins didn't have to outbid the Rangers or Red Wings for his services......they were the only NHL team that could sign him. It's pretty much the same way with every Euro player that gets drafted in the NBA.

[LouisEly]

This is China we are talking about and they historically been control freaks.

 

This is a country that just executed their equivalent of the head of the Food & Drug administration for taking bribes to allow dangerous drugs and food ingredients to come to market. Not a country that I would mess around with what the government tells me to do.