hawing

There you go! My greatest day was when the Brewers released the no-postseason monkey off their backs. Though actually, I think I was happier overall for the NLDS game 3 than I was for the wild-card clincher. I was completely relaxed and happy for every minute of the former and pretty nervous (until the end) for the latter.

Well, what do I have to go on, besides you're a guy who works at the west Madison Woodman's? That only narrows it down so far. Getting back to what's not bugging me...duh, the season begins tomorrow. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

I've noticed that date before and wondered about it too. Without consulting a 2008 schedule, I'd generally assumed that 5/13/2008 fell around the time of the busted badgerblogger rumor about Ned Yost's firing - but that story didn't break until May 19, after the series in Boston. So I poked around the Major Leagues forum for that time period and came up with a few possibilities: Capuano decided to have TJ surgery Barry Bonds faces indictment on 14 perjury counts, plus obstruction These two developments both broke on May 13 in our forums. Other things going on in May 2008 included continuing reaction to Gallardo's ACL injury and the changes to the starting rotation that resulted; Ryan Braun signed his big deal (though not until after the 13th), and Eric Gagne said he shouldn't be the closer. If the other forums remind me of something more obvious, I'll edit this post. You'd think that traffic must have been close to a record on May 15 (Braun contract), May 19 (Badgerblogger story), or, I don't know, September 28, 2008 or thereabouts.

I thought the guy was from Switzerland. But OWBC's serious note is valid: it's hard to imagine where else they would put a new scoreboard. Also, thanks Invader, for indirectly reminding me that I can relive Saturday's game through the magic of my audio subscription.

So, pretty soon I won't have to wonder every time I go to Woodman's West which of the male employees I see there is you?

Here's an item from the recap of Saturday's exhibition game. I added the italics: So to those of us keeping track at home, replacing the scoreboard/videoboard is still on the MP radar.

Yes, the hawing party was delighted to see bensheeps' son on the videoboard, and I only regret not having my camera in position in time to record the moment. We had the best seats of our lives today (rows 2-3 of section 115, and the only people in front of me were short kids) for this classic wacky slugfest, and while it would have been interesting to see a Brewers home run launched from that near angle, we got plenty of other closeup views to make up for the lack of home team dingers. I was working with a new camera and I already feel like the investment was worthwhile. Up close, Gregg Zaun just oozes grit and scruff. He popped his head out of the dugout before the game and the S.O. got some eye contact with him. I am concerned about Mitch Stetter. I was really pleased with Chris Narveson's appearance and share the dismay of many here that Soup apparently remains ahead of him in the pecking order. The scoreboard conked out in the latter innings, but before the Brewers gave up entirely on showing lineups, a weird lineup from the past appeared for less than a minute. I didn't notice the opponent information but the Brewers' lineup included Mench and Graffanino. That was entertaining. I love being back at the park and can't wait for Tuesday, and Friday, and next Sunday, and the rest of our games.

Ouch. Burn.

I'm burned out on hoops but I might watch just on principle. I'd like to do my bit to shore up the ratings.

Today we brought the nephews and nieces (and their parents) from my side of the family to the exhibition game. It was the first MLB game for three of the four youngsters. Just after we got in the park, I had this conversation with the youngest nephew, who just turned 4 in March: Me: So, what do you think so far? Nephew: I could live here every day. Me: So could I. Sigh.

It's also on WIBA AM in Madison.

We're leaving for this game in about an hour, and I'm super excited. I've missed you, Brewers, Miller Park and baseball-in-person.

I don't know if it was my greatest day, but I was pleased when the Brewers traded Jose Capellan, about a week after I requested his departure here on Brewerfan. I was vehemently against the reacquisition of Jaime Navarro (I believe I characterized the transaction as "fool me twice, shame on me"), and was accordingly happy when he was released. Possibly my single happiest moment involving an ex-Brewer was finding out of Mike DeJean's trade to St. Louis in 2003. For a year or two prior, I had been keeping a "DeJeanometer" rating system which gave Mike positive points for a save and negative points for a blown save. The number of points depended on whether I was at the game, watching or listening to it live, or hearing about the game after the fact, and it had a Cubs multiplier (so the worst score Mustard Man could get would be if he blew a save against the Cubs at a game I attended - which I believe happened a few times, and was probably what prompted me to adopt the system.) Anyway, a friend of mine who is an STL fan enjoyed my DeJeanometer updates. We each heard about the trade at the same moment, and the resulting phone call was very satisfying. It involved much laughter from me. After Guillermo Mota got the ball rolling on blowing that 5-run lead at Arizona in July 2008, I actually stopped riding the route 58 bus here in Madison for over a month, because I was mad at him. I called it my Motatorium. Had he been released then, I would have been happy. But Mota did eventually right the ship enough to gain some of my respect, specifically when he got the Brewers out of a bases-loaded jam in the extra-innings win over Pittsburgh in August 2008. So, not all releases, but I think these examples maintain the spirit of the original post.

Listening to Gameday Audio, I thought I heard some boos before Corey's first at-bat, but not the second. Fingers crossed.

That would be my guess. It makes me wonder all the more how season ticket sales are doing.

I made my first red velvet cake for my birthday in February. It was really good. I think blue cake is a great idea.

I'm wondering how much sleep I'll get tonight, given that we will be at Saturday's game. I'm only half believing that the off season is finally ending.

That first inning is my fault. I was eating supper and Sharpie tends to do better when I can pay attention. Anyway - Yuku may not make it clear, but the chat room is occupied. Come on in!

The model linked to by burnie above features "paint flecks" on the front and under the visor. Of the fans who want their new cap to come pre-distressed, I wonder how many want the cap to be pre-distressed by paint flecks.

I'm not a fan of expanding to 96 teams either (honestly, unless Wisconsin goes deep, I lose interest in the college game after Championship Week), but early games played on a participant's home court would probably draw better than early games played on a neutral court.

Yeah, "Limelight" seemed like a pretty safe choice to already add to the Brewers playlist on my iPod. I've been wanting a Cactus League taco salad since about mid-October.

Like a few others who have responded, I'm just excited for baseball. Christmas Eve-level excitement. The six months of off-season go by so much more slowly than the six months of "the season."

Ah, sweet Lou. That guy was a gonna be the future hopefullly

I might enjoy it more if I weren't stuck inside while my student employees are all on spring break...or if the AC in our building was available and it weren't 81 degrees in my workspace. But yeah, 80 degrees in Madison, tying the record high for April 1. That's all right. Edit: It got up to 81 in Madison, setting a new record high for April 1.

I was going to say, as long as the Cactus League Nachos (and taco salad) stand returns, that's enough for me. That and the potato bar. Now my meager student union lunch seems especially lacking. Edit after Saturday's exhibition game: Cactus League Nachos/taco salad prices have gone up .25. Potatoes are up a quarter too, to $6.25. Same potato ladies at the loge stand, though, which is excellent news.