Something's Brewing

Brewers take the field. 4/23/2023 dwm

 My first in-person game of the season was Sunday when Milwaukee hosted the Boston Red Sox.

 This will become a regular event under baseball's new schedule which has teams playing teams in the other league each year alternating one year to the next whether it's a home or road game.  In 2022, we flew to Boston to see the Brewers play the Sox in Fenway because it was the first time that happened in eight years.  

 The new schedule means a die-hard fan could see every major league team over the course of two full seasons.

The Brewers lost Sunday.  They were up a run in the 8th inning, then allowed 9 runs to cross the plate.  Ugh.  

I met Bernie & Barrelman before the game. dwm

In spite of the score, my oldest son and I had a good time.  We sat in the club seats (third level) of
American Family Field, enjoying our view and the amenities that came with the location.  Fewer people fit on this level; so there is less congestion at concession stands; nicer bathrooms; and padded seats.

When we got off the escalator, a minute later I saw a guy with a huge mustache followed by another guy with barrel chest.  They are the current and former mascots of the Brewers, Bernie and Barrelman, who were kind enough to pose for a photo.

The biggest change this season is introducing a clock into the heart of the game.  

9 seconds left on the pitch clock. 4/23/2023

 For the first time, there is a limited amount of time for a batter to get into the box ready for a pitch and for the pitcher to be ready to throw.  

 If no one is on base, the pitcher is supposed to throw the ball in under 15 seconds; if a runner is on the pitcher has 20 seconds.  If the batter isn't ready to go with 8 seconds on the clock, he is assessed a strike; if the clock goes to zero before the pitcher starts his motion, it's a ball.

 So far the clock has made the average game 30 minutes quicker.  It's noticeable on TV; in person, it means there is something to see.

The last several years, an average game took longer than three hours and a four-hour game was routine.  While the Brewers lost 12 - 5 Sunday; if that game was last year we would have been there at least four hours.  The time missing is the constant adjustments by batters and pitchers taking long pauses between every pitch.  That's not baseball, it's dawdling. 

Former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. dwm

While the game we saw was a clunker, Milwaukee is off to a good start in 2023.  They have solid starting pitching; surprisingly good relief pitching; better hitting; and speed thanks to several rookies and new players on the field.

Another change this year is the bases are physically bigger reducing by inches the distance between them and making it easier to steal, especially with speed on the base paths.

Most surprising is a fan-friendly change at concession stands with some items priced as low as $4!  In the team shop, a number of Brewer hats were as low as $20, I recall seeing higher prices last season.

Brian Anderson gets a cheesehead after a HR.

 In the dugout, Milwaukee is celebrating home runs by crowning the hitter with a wedge of foam cheese.  

 The cheese head was invented in 1987 by Ralph Bruno using stuffing from a couch.  It's become an iconic symbol with Wisconsinites and a common site at almost every game.  

 Most of the players on the Brewers were born after its creation, it's a fun way to acknowledge fans around the state.

 There is a lot of season to play.  The morning this blog posted, Milwaukee has won 64% of their games.  

Christian Yelich steps in the box.

There are several injuries the team is battling.  Top pitcher Brandon Woodruff is expected to miss at least another week or two.  Rookie center fielder Garrett Mitchell, who started the season strong, may miss the rest of the year with an injured shoulder.  Injuries happen, the measure of the team and its organization is how it responds to adversity and find ways to win.

Young, exciting players like Brice Turang and Joey Wiemer are injecting energy and athleticism into the team.  Starting pitchers Corbin Burnes, who wasn't on the top of his game Sunday, Freddy Peralta, and Brandon Woodruff, when he returns from the injured list need to lead this team which has the best defensive line-up its had in years.  Relief pitching was a question mark in the off-season.  After nearly a month's worth of games, it is more than pulling its weight.

Ultimately, this team needs to win the games they're 'supposed' to win and get their share of wins over teams with larger payrolls and star-studded line-ups.  

This team is exciting to watch - I'm looking for them to keep it up throughout the season.  Go Brewers!