hawing

There are no particular sodium restrictions in my household (knock on wood), but my S.O. is diabetic, and for him carbs are the big deal. One source we've found useful, especially when eating away from home, is Calorie King (http://www.calorieking.com/, available online, or in book/Kindle form. It gives nutritional information for all kinds of foods and restaurant menu items - and it's not limited to national brands (Milio's Sandwiches is included, and I think they are just regional). We consult it for carb counts, but sodium content is there too. I downloaded the Kindle version to an older iPod touch that we don't use for anything else, just to have it when we need it.

I wonder if Scooter even got back to Nashville. Who gets his frequent flyer miles?

I've got to agree with this. Their fanbase is so overdue for some genuine excitement. This does not mean I'll be rooting for the Pirates during their last two series with the Brewers, but I'll go right back to rooting for them after September 4. (It's not just that the alternative is STL, either.)

My personal plan (subject to change) for the six vouchers I should have by the end of August is to case out the team store for something that I'd normally consider outside my price range, and apply the vouchers in September, when crowds should be smaller. We so often eat on the way to the park that I can't particularly think of what food on which to use the vouchers.

The expiration date printed on the vouchers is 9/22/2013, the date of the last home game. On Friday we ate before entering the park, so we didn't visit any concession stands. I did briefly visit the terrace level team store during the game and it was more crowded than what seems usual to me.

Frankly, I'm surprised this was the first time the Brewers were shut out since April.

Jose Bautista (@JoeyBats19) started following me this morning. He may wind up disappointed. We'll see how long this lasts!

Those were my initial thoughts as well as the Yankees keep trying to manufacture reasons to get from under that contract and baseball seems hellbent on helping their big marquee team any way they can. I also tire of the sanctimonious nature of commentators and fans regarding Braun and ARod while ignoring that Andy Pettite is on the team and they have had plenty of history with PED's from Giambi and others along with rumors they don't like to mention about Cano. I can't remember which blogger/Twitter judge, maybe Quinn, posted something along the lines of how could ARod get along with his teammates knowing he took PED's. I though maybe room him with Pettite on the road? Quicker answer: No. I don't think it's completely crazy to wonder about these issues. Especially the "baseball seems hellbent on helping their big marquee team any way they can" part.

Someone on my Twitter feed linked this story, from a PR perspective: Link I found it interesting that this story cites the current situation as the most challenging for the Brewers since the 1995 debate over whether to build Miller Park. While Braungate is definitely not a good thing, and the Miller Park debate of '95 was an anxious and unpleasant time, for me both situations were overshadowed by the fall 2003 breakup between the Brewers and Ulice Payne. In the aftermath of his departure was when the future of the franchise felt hopeless to me.

SAME GAME AS ROBIN YOUNT! Link! Now I'm that much more glad we exchanged tickets for this game. (1) Didn't eat the tickets (2) $20 in vouchers (3) Yount ceremony (4) RFCoder on the bump! Win win win win!

That's awesome. Did you have a necklace made of second basemen's teeth?

Well, the first vouchers should be issued on Friday 8/2, so fans attending that night will find out.

I quote the Simpsons much more than any movie ever, but I would like to use this thread to say that I understood Brewerfan posters so much more once I'd finally seen Anchorman from beginning to end. So. Much. More.

I'm going to go out on a limb and declare that the Brewers may eventually regard today's game action as a season highlight...which says a lot about 2013. Hated rival, never gave up, clutchiness, grit. That hit of Bianchi's was so Cubs. Oh, man. Kudos to those of you who attended these games, or even just one.

A double dose of ex-Brewers, if you count former farmhand Cole Gillespie. [sarcasm]Sweet.[/sarcasm]

The plain old Brewers fan in me still misses Carlos Villanueva.

Another step in the "give back" process is Mark Attanasio's open letter: LINK Here's the text as well: July 30, 2013 Dear Brewers Fans: This past week has been an admittedly difficult time for everyone who loves the Milwaukee Brewers, including our fans, our corporate and community partners, and employees. We share your frustration and disappointment with the news of Ryan Braun’s suspension and the mistakes that Ryan has made. We want you to know that we take this matter very seriously. We recognize that Ryan has many steps ahead of him to regain your trust and respect. This process will take time, and the road to redemption for Ryan will not be easy. Our responsibility as an organization is to help Ryan appreciate the difficult task ahead of him and to assist in the healing process. At the same time, during this frustrating season, we want to reaffirm what the Brewers stand for as an organization. We believe everyone at the Brewers is accountable to each of you every day, and it is a team effort to meet that responsibility. We have an obligation to ensure that our players give maximum effort at all times. We also remain committed to providing you with the best experience at Miller Park. And we appreciate the tremendous loyalty and support you continue to demonstrate to the team. We never take your passion and our strong relationship with you for granted. Starting this week, we will be introducing a series of initiatives to reaffirm our commitment to you and all of our fans throughout Wisconsin. We know that these initiatives are not a substitute for success on the field, and our primary mission remains to have a perennially competitive team. As we have previously stated, no single player defines the Milwaukee Brewers, and the success or failure of our organization is not tied to the performance or behavior of any single player. Within the clubhouse walls reside many talented players who will be the centerpieces of what we hope are the next great Milwaukee Brewers teams. This abiding belief is reflected on the cover of our 2013 Media Guide where six players are pictured. We have always maintained that any success the team experiences on the field is not possible without our fans, and we ask you to continue to be a part of the success of our organization. We deeply appreciate your loyalty, patience, and understanding. On behalf of the entire Brewers organization, you have my pledge that we will overcome these current challenges, and we will reward the best fans in baseball with a team that truly represents our community. Go Brewers! Mark Attanasio Chairman and Principal Owner

Yeah, I was thinking in terms of gear that would normally be out of my price range.

I can get behind this. We have tickets to six games in August. Though part of me would rather see the Braun "savings" reinvested into the roster somehow.

Have you done the batting practice for season seat holders? I am doing that next month, that seems even better than just playing catch on the field. I think in prior years at least, the BP has been just for full season customers. The playing catch opportunity was fun when we did it in like 2004. It was rather hot the day we went, so we didn't literally play catch for that long. But since there was no one rushing us off the field/out of the park, we spent some time wandering around. Another fan offered to photograph me calling the bullpen from the dugout. (Fun fact: the phone rings immediately when you pick it up.) I also used the bullpen restroom, mostly just to say I did. It's unisex!

I'll take the 1984 calendar off your hands. Let me know via PM whether it's still available. 1984 was a bad season, but it was the year I realized I was following the Brewers for the long haul. Edit 7/31: Thanks! I'd forgotten we'd done business previously and you'd have my address. Nice surprise, and I love the calendar. It takes me to a bygone era.

Over the 20 years that we have been season ticket customers, there have been plenty of individual games during which I wished the Brewers would do something extra and nice for the fans who sat through the entirety of a clunker game, or (at County) really crappy weather or the like. I've long figured that our 'fan cred' has got to be through the roof, but sometimes I'd like something a little more tangible than fan cred. So I appreciate that the Brewers are contemplating some type of tangible reward, even if it's likely to be small.

Ah, geez. Guess I'd better break the news to the relatives. Thanks for letting me know, and for the cheer.

Yup, and after that super enthusiastic junior announcer said Yuni's name correctly and proudly.

With today's issue, The Onion is ceasing print publication in Madison. Capital Newspapers (who brings you the Wisconsin State Journal) decided not to extend/renew the contract they had to print it. The Onion has been a Thursday tradition in my life for almost 25 years. The online content continues, but it won't be the same. I get the business decision (as all CN and its parent company seem to do anymore is relentlessly cut costs), but still, another internet commenter put it best: Area Woman Pissed Off.