JimH5

I'm not sure what's to be gained by ripping the deceased. The toxicology reports don't tell me anything about his character, only the condition of his body at the time of death. Should this serve as a lesson for us on the dangers of drink and drugs? Sure. But I'm not going to cast aspersions about him because of cocaine and alcohol. Let him rest in peace. His is a story of unfulfilled promise and deadly risk.

John Lackey has 80-grade teeth.

I would be happy for Lucroy if he won. And I recognize that it's for his work in the NL as a Brewer. But it would just be an individual award at this point, as far as the Brewers are concerned. It's not like they can market Lucroy's accomplishment in any way. No bobblehead, no t-shirt, no on-field ceremony. Still, it would be cool, since he is a cool guy.

Hang the L flag. Just 3 more to go..

With that hooded winter coat, Joe Maddon looks like a guy working at a downtown newsstand.

But I'm in it for the cruelty. Like if Wrigley Field has a power outage or plumbing issue that forces a postponement. That would add to my glee. I'm in it for maximum schadenfreude. The baseball is most of it, but there's room for so much more. What if Schwarber is added to the roster and then immediately suspended for PEDs? I want the same stunned disbelief/bitterness that was seen at the pep rally when Chicago was certain they were going to host the Olympics, but then were denied.

The Cubs appear on the verge of activating Kyle Schwarber to play DH in the World Series. I'm very surprised, as he hasn't faced major league pitching in months, and it means the Cubs will have to deactivate someone who was part of the NLCS team, and presumably, much more of the 2016 season. If he takes an 0-for-the-WS and the Cubs lose, that could be something that drives Cubs fans crazy.

Something like a 4 -0 series sweep where they lose every game by double digit runs? Yes, that would be fine--if the sweep leads to a public display of anger on the team. Like if outfielders call off each other and the ball drops between them. Or if, down by several runs, Javier Baez gets caught stealing to end an important inning. It has to be more than just a series of losses. I want Cubs fans to be calling for someone's head. I want to see fans with face paint looking blankly into space. I want to see a tv crowd shot of a woman wearing a bunch of sparkly Cubs-themed accessories, in tears as the reality of the series loss is apparent, but there are still a few outs to go. I like watching crushed fans wearing excessive teamwear.

I really want this defeat to accomplish many things. Of course I want the Cubs to lose, but I want the fans to turn on the team or something iconic. I don't want fan interference, unless it's someone famous, like if Bill Murray were to become the new Bartman. Or if a fan in the bleachers is wearing an Ernie Banks jersey, AND Harry Caray glasses, while holding a Ron Santo sign, and an Indians homer knocks that guy down--that would be good. Or if lightning would strike the W flagpole. I want more than defeated sadness at the end of this series. I want Cubs fans to be embittered against someone on the team, and a defeat so deflating that the NL pennant is hardly remembered.

I would like to see Joe Maddon do a bunch of multi-position switches and have them result in a depleted bench so that Jason Heyward has to bat for himself against Andrew Miller with the series on the line. Then a strikeout or comebacker to the pitcher to end it.

I think the giveaways are a part of the Sunday family experience. It's weekend day baseball with a Kids eat free promotion. They run the sausage race with little kids running in costume. Kids can run the bases after the game. I think the giveaway promotions fit in nicely with that experience, as you get your item the minute you walk in the front door. Unless you're among the thousands of people who don't.

I would rather that the Brewers be upset that they end up with extras than a family be upset that they ended up being #25,001 in line. Once the Brewers decided to do All Fan giveaways for bobbleheads, I think they're locked in on that promotion, otherwise they end up looking cheap. The fact that it comes just days after Rick Schlesinger tells us how they cherish the fans makes him look disingenuous in my eyes.

And it's not that hard to understand the basic math. They had more than 25,000 fans at every Sunday home game this past year. If they draw the same crowds, then someone goes home empty handed next year. It doesn't matter if it's me or you or whoever. The Brewers don't need to alienate fans, and by shorting their bobblehead promotion--when they have proven that they can afford to give one to everyone--they're alienating the people they say they cherish. This isn't about me getting a bobblehead. It's about the Brewers treating fans differently this year than they treated them the past several years.

I'm pretty sure when they first started doing bobbleheads they were only for the first whatever number of people. That sounds about right. I remember promo items being for the first x number of kids, or adults (when it was sponsored by a beer company). But once they changed to All Fan Giveaways, that set the new expectation. Now we recognize that they could afford to buy and giveaway 40,000 bobbleheads, but they have chosen to cut back by 15,000. Rick Schlesinger just told us in his concession stand video that the Brewers "cherish the fans". How does this new bobble policy demonstrate that I'm being cherished? They're making me rush to the stadium 45 minutes before I otherwise would have, just so I can quickly get in line ahead of the 15,000 others who won't get their trinket? His words ring hollow.

You're talking on a micro, intra-family level. I'm talking about the whole of the stadium. 25,000 will get something and the other 5,000-15,000 won't--and that's built into the promotion. The Brewers have declared that a percentage of people who used to get a bobblehead on bobblehead day are no longer going to get one. Instead of a fun day at the old ball yard, they have added an element of stress, to make sure you don't get left out. If they were interested in cutting costs on the promotion, I'd rather that they make bobbleheads a kid-only item, and make sure that every kid got one. Then if a kid didn't want it (or if a family got multiples) they could sell it or give it to someone else.

hmmm, that will be different, hopefully those who normally show up to games late or at the start of the game will get the message... It's a terrible decision by the Brewers. On every one of those days, a number of kids will be disappointed that someone sitting near them got something for free while they didn't. And they will have staffers who have to deliver the news to thousands of people that they have run out of the giveaways. Boo!!

The hood makes it look casual and the old polartec pullovers look like a pajama top. I like the Buck Showalter jacketed look.

I don't like the hooded sweatshirt being worn as approved baseball dugout wear. I prefer the baseball jersey or jacket on top. To me, something that needs to be slipped on and off, over one's head is too casual.

Technically is the Barrie Burger - Nueske's bacon, American cheese, and natural chunky pnut butter. A bacon peanut butter cheeseburger. If that's wrong, I don't want to be right. By chance if I ever find myself in line ahead of you, I promise to not take the last one. My go to choice that always satisfies is a polish sausage with secret stadium sauce and chopped raw onions. Great stuff!

You are not allowed to make that statement unless you have had the pnut butter burger. Speaking of AJ Bombers and the pnut butter burger, that reminded me of Summerfest. I went with a few friends this year for the first time since the early 2000's. One of the guys commented about how he couldn't believe the quality and "big names" of the bands we were seeing "for free". I held up one of the many $8.50 16oz cans of Leinies that we had been drinking and said, "we're not seeing them for free". Part of the reason that beer is expensive is to reduce excessive consumption, DUIs, and unruly fan behavior. It won't stop it, but you don't see ads for the Two Fisted Slopper between innings anymore either. Pnut butter burger?!? That sounds like an unnecessary pairing. Though I think part of my reluctance to try one has to do with the busy-ness and slow service at the Miller Park AJ Bombers. Whenever I went there, it felt like it was their first day in business with all new employees who hadn't quite figured things out yet. And that was a consistent experience with me. It sounds like they'll have a bigger presence going forward, so maybe I'll see them in a different light and will try their menu again. Though if someone thinks they're creating Millenial Haute Cuisine by scooping some mac & cheese onto a Pop Tart and topping it off with Cap'n Crunch, that's the kind of junk that turns me away.

Why you have to hate on the Bratchos? I did literally lol on your comment though. Chef version of DFA. Nice ... I am with you. I love me some good ballpark food. There is so much variety and some really good options. When I go with my kids, they don't want to tailgate. They just want to get into the game and watch BP and go to the kid zone. I am with you and the small few who say they will appreciate the change. I do agree that it is a little underwhelming with the hype, but I never really thought a lambeau / Busch stadium experience was going to happen. I was just hoping for a big tent outside for an official Brewers tailgate zone with a band, beer and some limited food options. I had my one and only Bratchos experience this year and honestly thought I was doing damage to my organs with the amount of fat and sodium. It was just so over the top. A big basket of potato chips with ground bratwurst, cheese, sour cream & chopped onions, etc. Plus, potato chips aren't strong enough to scoop up the toppings, so 5 minutes in, the center of your basket is a big soggy mess...if you last that long before they bring the defibrillator. The whole Frankenfood experience is lost on me. Ice cream or custard pinched between two donuts? Blechh. As for the big capital expenditure...I'm fine with it, though a little ho hum. Zaffiro's pizza is fine. I'm not a fan of AJ Bombers. I'm not going to partake in the craft beer selection. I'm not really sure how the changes will affect me, if at all. I'm a Loge Level guy, and I never really had a problem with waiting in super long lines. You can watch the game on the monitors at the concession stands anyway. Like everything, it's really on the Brewers to make it a good experience. If it's too expensive or if the menu options are too limiting, or if they didn't guess right on foot traffic and bottlenecks, we aren't forced to buy into their grand vision. I hope it's great, but won't get all worked up if it's not.

I buy food almost every time I go there, and I'll continue to do so. Except for Bratchos. Whoever came up with that deserves the chef version of DFA.

If they want to show they cherish fans, maybe lower the prices on concessions. You make a good point, and I do wonder how much more they can squeeze out of the food buying experience. I reached my own breaking point a couple of years ago when the price for bottled water reached $5. I go to games with my wife and daughter and it was stupid to spend $15 or $20 every time for water, when anyone can buy a case for $6. The Brewers priced us out of water so we brought our own and no longer buy any from the team. I have to imagine this new food & beverage experience will include prices that are the same or marginally higher. In an effort to cherishing us, will they push more of us away?

Until they show us menus, prices and locations, it's not really much to get worked up about either way. The artist renderings of the new concession stands look very sterile. I hope they don't discontinue the chef stand with food items from the visiting city.

Domingo Santana might be the worst defensive OF in baseball.