Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee (AP) - Some thought there was snow in Milwaukee this June, but
instead it was uncountable flakes of dandruff after Brewers fans were left
scratching their heads after a series of moves made by Brewer management
before, during and after the amateur draft.

Prior to the amateur draft, the Brewers traded 2B stalwart Fernando Vina
and outfield prospects Torii Hunter and Miguel Mejia to the Chicago White
Sox in exchange for speedy 2B Ray Durham and young pitcher Tom Fordham.

"Nothing against Vina, but Durham is a young player and has more speed -
a great top of the order guy. Fordham has great control and poise for a
young guy," said GM Rene Wong.

The next day, the Brewers used its six picks in the 3 round amateur draft
to select 3B Scott Rolen, SS Mike Caruso, CF Todd Dunwoody, LF David
Dellucci, SS Miguel Tejado and 2B Placido Polanco.  Says Wong : "In the
first round, we got three players who were in the top 5 players on our
list. Rolen is a future star and will probably go right to the big
leagues. Caruso & Dunwoody are our SS and CF of the future. Delluci,
Tejado and Polanco are solid players who will start in the minors and
hopefully contribute in a few years."

To further add change, the Brewers then acquired 2B Todd Walker from the
Oakland A's for their 1st round free agent pick, RF phenom Richard
Hidalgo, and young SS star Edgar Renteria. Hidalgo and Renteria had been
acquired earlier this season from Houston and Florida. 

Fans were left wondering why the team would pass up an opportunity to get
better quickly.  Said Hugh Jass of the Milwaukee Times : "You look at a
team like Oakland who makes deals to get better now, I don't see how our
Brewers can't do the same. We keep making deals for tommorrow, but we'll
all be dead before tommorrow comes. And now we've got two second basemen!"

Wong defended his philosophy of building for 2 years in the future. "We
were having trouble locking Renteria to a long term deal, and you can't
pass up an opportunity to sign a player like Walker who we can lock up to
a long term contract. Our core players : Floyd, Cox, Walker, Durham,
Rolen, Cirillo, Drews, Rigby, D'Amico are here to stay."

Rumors are swirling that Durham may actually be traded again, and also,  
with the signing of Rolen, Jeff Cirillo may be
the next to go. Cirillo, one of 15 remaining players left from the Brewer
team Wong started with two years ago and the team captain, remained stoic.
"Mr Wong wants to sign me until at least next year. If I get traded after
that, there's nothing I can do. But I do wish I knew what was in store for
me."