With pitchers & catchers reporting next week, the snow continuing to melt here in Milwaukee, and Serie del Caribe playing in the background on my TV, all are sure signs that another spring and another baseball season are rapidly approaching. After three consecutive years affected by Covid and a lockout, I'm feeling more rejuvenated than I've felt in a long time for a new season. And with that rejuvenation comes one of the more exciting days on our early baseball calendar - the announcement of our 2023 ball trip slate! This year, Erik and I have decided to cross off an item that has been on our list for probably the entire existence of "The List" - the Arizona Fall League. I've probably mentioned this league as our "backup plan" at least 10 times over the years, so to say it's long overdue would be an understatement. The AFL is primarily an instructional/showcase league for top prospects, and each of the 30 MLB teams send representatives that are dispersed into 6 teams in the league, who play roughly a 6-week schedule that begins at the conclusion of the MLB regular season. So it's basically like a spring training vibe, except it is entirely made up of prospects and much smaller crowds. They don't use all of the parks that the Cactus League uses - only the 6 - but there are a number of them that Erik and I have not yet been to, and I'm excited to cross some more off of my list.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that, while for MLB and the baseball world it might be a "normal" offseason," it certainly is not in the E & P world, as Erik is preparing to welcome his second child in March. While obviously very exciting, it does inherently make anything we plan this year far less than a guarantee, as you can never really plan too far ahead with small children. We originally toyed around with the idea of doing a trip closer to home, centered around the new Beloit ballpark and the Wrigley renovations, just to give Erik an opportunity to visit his family here with the baby, but the summer just proved to be too difficult to count on, understandably. So, we're pushing our chips in on the AFL, and we're cautiously optimistic that we will be parked behind the dugout, frosty beverage in hand, heckling players and shoving children out of the way for foul balls in 8 months. The AFL also allows us to not have to commit to any sort of flights or accommodations until August or September when the schedule is normally released, so we shouldn't have to scramble to cancel anything like we did in 2020 and 2021 for Texas.
I mentioned Beloit and Wrigley Field in the last paragraph, and I do still fully intend on going to those ballparks this year. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this on the blog before, but my family and I are planning to move to Minnesota in 2024 to be closer to my wife's family, so these are a couple of ballparks I'd like to get to before we move, possibly for the last time in a very long time if not ever. I swore after we stumbled out of Wrigley in 2014 when we were there for its 100th Anniversary celebration that I would not be setting foot back there until all of the renovations were complete, and I have held true to that, and am eager to see what the remodeled ballpark looks like (and if there are still pee troughs). As for Beloit, I have not been there since 2016 and it's still hard for me to even fathom that they actually got a new ballpark built in Beloit. ABC Supply Stadium looks like a gorgeous addition to the stateline area and I can't wait to see it.
My other major trip for 2023 will be my annual trip with my daughter Molly. This will be our 3rd installment of "Tour Molly" and I'm likely taking her to either Lansing, Michigan or Lafayette, Indiana for a weekend. Again, after we move to Minnesota, it will be very impractical to get back to Indiana or Michigan anytime soon, so I'm heading out that way one last time this year. As always, stay tuned throughout the year for ballpark reviews and visits, Brewers news, and general stadium news. T-minus 50 days until Opening Day!
touch with baseball when his childhood heroes Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Jim Gantner retired but the Great Home Run Chase of 1998 reignited his passion. As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Erik became involved with the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. With this group Erik traveled to Portland, OR and Baltimore, MD to work on construction projects and help the group raise $25,000 to partially sponsor a house in Milwaukee. Also at UWM, Erik met Peter Nagel. The two attended their first Brewers game together during Opening Weekend 2003. Despite their failure to ignite the coals at their first tailgate, the two had a blast and were soon making weekly trips to the ballpark. Erik has gone on to several colleges and changed careers several times, and has moved all the way out to New Hampshire, but has always stayed true to his baseball roots by holding part-time stadium usher jobs. To this day he looks back fondly on his incredible cross-country journey.