Bernie Brewer Will Be 40 Years Old This Weekend | Party With Bernie At Miller Park

The Brewers are inviting fans to enjoy their version of Weekend at Bernie's starting on August 16^th. In honor of the team's famed mascot's 40^th birthday, Miller Park will play host to the Birthday Weekend at Bernie the Brewer's celebration through Sunday, August 18^th. Patrons can enjoy a number of family friendly attractions exclusive to the event in addition to all of the regular favorites at the ballpark, as well as a three-game home-stand for the Brewers against the Reds.

Bernie the Brewer made his first official appearance in 1973. Modeled after the eccentric Milt Mason, an early fan of the Brewers who sat atop the team's scoreboard for 40 days in 1970 to attract 40,000 people to an August game against the Indians, Bernie has been a staple-sight for Brewers fans for two generations. A nine-year hiatus starting in the mid-80s marks the only time the mascot has spent in retirement.

Southwest Airlines in the premier sponsor of the Birthday Weekend at Bernie's. The airline plans to provide thousands of dollars in free give-a-ways over the three days, including beer cozies and plane tickets.

Saturday, August 17^th is slated as the official birth day for Bernie in 2013. Free round-trip domestic tickets will be announced during every inning of the game that night, and a special singing of Happy Birthday will take place.

Another chorus of Happy Birthday will be held Sunday during Bernie's Party on the Plaza. The Klements Racing Sausages will be on-hand for the party, as will other mascots from Milwaukee sports teams.

Fans that can't make it to the three-day event still have a chance to show their appreciation for Bernie's four decades of service. A public card is set up on Miller Park's field level for fans to sign, and Bernie's popular Twitter account is already a-buzz with birthday wishes and photos. The Milwaukee Brewers official website is even taking part in the fun, offering fans a virtual mustache to place on an uploaded photo that they can then share on Integra or Twitter.

Zack Greinke Loves Miller Park

Miller Park has been Zack Greinke's haven since he began pitching at the venue in 2010. With a win on Wednesday, the right handed pitcher became just the fourth ace since 1900 to win his first fifteen starts at a home venue. He is now 15-0 in Milwaukee, and should he win his next start in the city, the "righty" will tie Johnny Allen and LaMarr Hoyt for the major league record of straight home wins. Indeed, a new league record is not unfathomable this season, as Greinke's throws from the mound have only been improving. In his latest win against the Cubs, he managed a season high twelve strikeouts, and gave up just two hits over seven innings.

The pitcher's success hasn't been vaulted by the team's lackluster performances. With Greinke throwing the ball, the Brewers are a whopping 20-1 at Miller Park. He was a major part of the team's outstanding home-stands last year, immediately making an impact following his trade from Kansas City. Though, the pitcher is humble. When asked recently what his secret to success was, Greinke answered that it was the team's productive (debatable) offense that has created the necessary balance between the sides of the mound.
However, Greinke, as well as the Brewers, are painfully aware that the ace's time in Milwaukee could be running out. His contract with the team will expire following this season, and the courtship will likely be strong from big money squads on the coasts. Manager Ron Roenicke and general manager Doug Melvin are going to have a similar situation to the Prince Fielder fiasco of 2011, facing the prospect of losing an irreplaceable asset to a larger contract with a historically better team. The pair had better be prepared to open the wallet wide this off-season.

Brewers Recap of First Three Weeks of 2012 Season

We are three weeks into the new Brewers season, and I thought that I would check the current stats.  Let's see if anything pops out at us, shall we?  The Brewers are one game under .500, and have the day off.  They are on the road for a while, and I would like to use this "quiet time" to reflect. 

Who has the hot bat right now?  Carlos Gomez.  Gomez is batting .371 right now.  His at bats number 35, but you still have to say that he's seeing the ball very well.  Corey Hart has been playing well for the past three games.  During the series against Houston, he had five hits, and five RBI's.  His batting average jumped 36 points in three days.  He hit a home run in each of the past two games.  Good job Mr. Hart!

Matt Gamel is swinging the bat well.  His batting average is currently .281, with nine runs on the books.  All eyes have been on the first baseman, as we look to see if he can fill Fielder's shoes.  With just one single home run on the books, we have to say that he's more of a "get on base" guy, when compared to Prince. 

Finally, Ryan Braun is putting up fair numbers.  He's hit four home runs, and is batting .275.  He had a pretty nasty flu bug last week, but got five hits of Houston's pitchers.  He hit a pair of home runs during the series, and scored four RBI's.  Braun has just one stolen base so far this season.  The Brewers need Braun to keep up the pace, and peform.  They hit the road tomorrow, and play at St. Louis.  Brewers fans will have to wait until May 7th before the team comes home to Miller Park. 

Milwaukee Brewers Tickets for April Games

If you put aside the Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day game, the demand for Brewers tickets in April is a bit low. We have a great team to watch in 2012, but there are so many home games to choose from, that many fans skip the first month of action. For me, it's one of the best times to go, as the ticket prices are very reasonable. Everyone makes a big effort to go to the opener, but rarely do they come back again in the same month. I'm not saying that there aren't die hard fans that go all year, I'm just saying that price for the games right after the opener are usually the lowest all season.

The Brewers started their home games against the St. Louis Cardinals. The first series also began over the Easter weekend. Many folks had the weekend off, and it showed at the ballpark. The Saturday game on April 7, had a solid attendance, one thing that you normally don't see. As for now, the team is at Chicago. The Brewers head back home on April 17. They play at Atlanta this weekend, and have off on April 16. One of the best opportunity for a Brewers bargain would be on 4/19, when the team plays at 1:10pm. It's a weekday opportunity to have some fun at Miller Park.

Brewers 2012 Standings

As it stands right now, the Brewers are just one game behind the Cardinals in the NL Central. Should the team win the upcoming series, they stand a chance at grabbing first place. The Cardinals go up against the Cubs, and one would guess that Chicago is feeling the pressure to win.

Prince Fielder Hit's First All Star Home Run for Brewers

It's been way too long, but Prince Fielder hit the first home run for a Milwaukee Brewer in an All Star game. He slapped that homer in the fourth inning, and it sailed over the left field wall. It's as if these great things are all coming in his final season.

Fielder came out hot, right from the start of the season. There was no April slump for him this time. He really hasn't had a bad month so far in 2011. In 92 games, he has hit a total of 22 home runs, and only 58 strikeouts. It's looking good for Prince as the season rolls along. Where will he play next year? For now, let's just focus on his work here in Milwaukee.

Miller Park Twins Versus Brewers Weekend

I'm sitting down the left field line for the Twins versus Brewers Miller Park series this weekend. I'm not betting on it, but the weather is supposed to be sunny and warm. Will I have to wear sunblock, or a hat? I can't wait for this horrid weather to pass. With the complaining out of the way, I have to say that I'm looking forward to seeing the Brewers destroy the Twins. Let's see a sweep.

Twins Sitting Near Basement of AL Central

Minnesota is eight games out of first place in the AL Central, with three teams under .500 in their division. They have been playing pretty good ball as of late, winning eight of the past ten. They are the hottest team in the AL right now, and need to keep that up if they want to right the ship. Milwaukee has struggled as of late, winning only three of their past ten. Still, they share first place with the Cardinals, as they have been sucking just as badly. The hottest team in the NL right now is Washington, having won nine of their past ten. Still, the Nationals are 8.5 games out of first. It's time for the Brewers to go on a run.

Brewers Start Road Trip On A High Note

I was looking at the Brewers road trip stats for 2011, and I noticed that they suck on the road. Okay, perhaps the word "suck" is a bit much, but the road is where they falter. If they had just played .500 ball on the road up until this current Brewers series, they would be tied for first place with the Reds.

The Brewers play one more game on the West Coast, then catch the red eye for Milwaukee in time to play at Miller Park tomorrow night. The Rockies are in town for a three game home stand, then the Nationals come for three. The Brew Crew will take next Thursday off, and then host the Giants for four games. Will it finally hit 70 degrees in Milwaukee before the Giants come to town? Don't bet on it.

Farm Aid 25th Year Celebration at Miller Park Milwaukee

Farm Aid will celebrate its 25th year at Miller Park in Milwaukee. The announcement was made live, via webcast. John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson will be among the yet to be announced musical stars of the day. Farm Aid 25 will be on October 5. The roof may or may not be open.

Milwaukee Brewers At Miller Park Lose All Three VS Phillies

The Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park have been struggling. They lost three in a row, VS the Phillies. I realize that Philadelphia is a great team but to get swept at home is not cool. Why didn't Ken Macha just use up the bullpen in an effort to pick up a win on Saturday? The team had a chance that night, but Ken was thinking too much about Sunday.

Rickie Weeks is Mr. Hot and Cold. Right now, he's Mr. Cold. I think Rickie is having trouble seeing the ball right now. Perhaps he's got to get back to basics. Learn to love the ball Rickie, and hits will follow.

Corey Hart doesn't want to take a walk. You won't see that guy at the plate with a 2-2 count on the jumbo tron. He's just swinging away. Meanwhile, Macha is thinking way too far ahead. Sometimes you have to do what it takes and use up the pitching staff. We're going down in flames here Kenny.

If I'm going to spread a bit of blame, let's talk about Ryan Braun. He went 2-12 on this home stand. Yes, he was hit by a pitch last week. I'm sure that hurts. He's gutsy to stay with it, and get in there to play against the Phillies. But Ryan, if you need some time to heal, take a seat. The pitching staff will probably blow any lead you help create. You might as well let that elbow ge back into shape. Prince Fielder didn't do much better, going 3-12, but he hit two home runs in the series. In his past ten games he bat .350. That's great, but Prince had only four RBI's in those ten games. Guess who's not getting on base?

Milwaukee Brewers Face Pittsburgh Pirates in April, Houston Astros in May

April 26-28 is when the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates come to Miller Park. Opening day is always a sell out for the Brewers. The April games that follow are usually low attendance events. Consider trying to sell Pittsburgh Pirates tickets, for an April series for Milwaukee. That's when you sneak into the lower level and enjoy the view.

A better bet is to buy Houston Astros tickets at Miller Park for May 25, 2010. Houston comes to Milwaukee in May, and the attendance starts to pick up right around that time. College kids are finished with school, and looking to have some fun. By the first week of June, school's out for summer, and the ballpark is filling up nicely.