With the settlement between players and owners, the economic playing field in baseball will move closer to even, starting next season.

That means the Brewers will soon have no excuses for not building a better ballclub. For years, the small market franchise legitimately cited the imbalance in finances in baseball.

But, the Brewers should get at least a few million more in shared revenue under the new arrangement. So, they have to use it wisely.

First, the Brewers should use most, if not all, of their additional revenue directly for acquisition of talent. No amount of additional marketing schemes will bring fans to Miller Park like a better ballclub will. Spend the money on players.

Second, the Brewers need to get a solid baseball man as GM, and let him run the baseball operation independent of interference from the owners. Give the guy a budget and let him run with it.

Dean Taylor does not seem to be this man. Can you really tell me that Tyler Houston, Jamey Wright, Alex Ochoa and Mark Loretta could get you no better than a handful of minor leaguers, one or two who might make the team in years to come?

That's all Taylor got in individual deals for those four veteran players. You have to believe he could have gotten more if he had packaged two or three of these players before the July 31 waiver deadline.

One of the acquired players, Shane Nance, already has undergone surgery. Ben Diggins was shelled in his first start last Monday, against the Cubs. Some of the other minor leaguers acquired are years away from making it to the majors.

If Taylor was going to put the Brewers into a youth movement, he should have done it three years ago by acquiring young players rather than the likes of Wright, Henry Blanco, Juan Acevedo and other veterans who have since been sent away. The young players would have been ready to blossom in the majors now. Instead, the team is starting a youth movement three years too late.

The Brewers are likely to keep Taylor until his contract expires at the end of next season, but this writer would hire an experienced GM, a modern day version of Harry Dalton, and let him run the show. It's time the Brewers stop providing on-the-job training for GMs and managers.

Finally, if the Seligs can find additional investors, add them, even if it means giving up some of the control over the franchise. I am not one who blames the Selig family for the 10 years of losing. In fact, I give them credit for keeping baseball in Milwaukee.

But, they could use some additional resources beyond the current investors, and the added revenue sharing. It's only natural that those new investors also will want some control over how their money is spent. Incorporate some of the new blood into the management structure.

Fans have shown just how impatient they are with losing this season. Until last Friday, the Brewers could attribute some of that discontent to talk of a strike. But, that is behind us now. The fans are primarily fed up with watching a loser on the field. The Brewers have to do something about that now. They no longer have their prime excuse.

The timing of the Mark Loretta deal was very interesting. Loretta was one of the players' reps for the Brewers and served as the union spokesman to the Milwaukee media.

He ended up being traded only hours after the settlement was reached between the union and owners. He also had to clear waivers for the deal to go down. You have to wonder if the Brewers sat on the deal until something happened on the labor front.

Lenny Harris continued his hot hitting to earn a share of the honor. Catcher Jorge Fabregas also gets a share for a power surge and some good work behind the plate.

Give it to 28-year-old rookie Jim Rushford for a diving catch at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. Rushford also dropped a fly ball in the same game, but this guy deserves some special mention after playing in two or three independent leagues before finally working his way to the majors.

Then Rushford, a Chicago native, gets to make his major league debut in Wrigley Field, where he watched many games as a kid.

You hate to hang this label on a young kid in his first start, but Diggins really was atrocious in his start against the Cubs. Let's hope the young righthander ends up earning Player of the Week honors many times as his career progresses.