Unless the Brewers make the playoffs, they'll continue to have trouble becoming household words. That has its compensations, too. The Yankees boast only one AL starter, and they won the World Series. It's one thing to be anonymous, and something else entirely to have everybody know who you are and just not like you. Which brings up Roberto Alomar, a landslide winner at second base despite the celebrated spitting incident that was supposed to brand him for the rest of his career.
Negative attention seems to be just as valuable as the other kind in the minds of the voters.
Put Mike Tyson on the ballot next year, and he might be elected as a whole infield. What's more, Garner could probably teach Iron Mike to turn a double play. The Brewers' ability to hover around .500 most years with a bunch of guys who need name tags is a testimonial to his talent and their tenacity. Overachieving is still a virtue in these parts, regardless of how it's seen elsewhere. Still, you have to be ready for anything when you trust the franchise to the rabble.