Oh, I forgot to mention…I wrote a song. I grew up in an era where many of my favorite teams had their own song. Remember “Turnin Up The Heat?” Well, I was just messing around with some lyrics with my pals from The Figureheads (www.figureheadsinc.org) and they turned it into something catchy. What do you think? If you like it, feel free to download it free of charge. It’s for you. If you don’t, play nice

-BA

Today, my “off-season” ends. It’s my final day in Wisconsin until Opening Day. As mild as the winter has been here this year, I’m still eager to get to sunny, 70 degrees and some baseball!

It was an off-season that got off to a late start (thank goodness) as the Brew Crew played through the third week of October. It’s an honor to have been able to call the Brewers recent playoff runs (’08 and ’11). I’m even more proud that Miller Park and Milwaukee, Wisconsin was exposed to the country in all it’s glory. Milwaukee is a baseball hotbed and everywhere I go, people ask me about it.

Soon after the NLCS, the Brewers approached me about an extension. What a blessing. I love living and working here. My family and I didn’t know a soul when we moved here in ’07. We have made a life here an I’m excited to plant deeper roots. Having spent nine years in the Minor Leagues, I know how rare job security is in this business and it’s not something I take for granted. I lived on Denny’s and Days Inn’s for way too long. I gladly accepted the offer (4 year extension). Rock is signed long-term as well so you’re stuck with us for a while.

The new deal will allow me to continue working for Turner Sports during the MLB season and postseason. I’ll continue working for Big Ten Network as long as they’ll have me and recently, I accepted an offer to join Turner/CBS Sports. I’ll be covering NCAA basketball the next two weekends along with the 2nd/3rd rounds of the NCAA Tournament next month. I enjoy calling games on a national stage and I enjoy calling games for the Brew Crew. I’m glad my bosses allow me to do both. Thank you, bosses.

I enjoyed the On Deck event this past January along with my normal appearances with Doug Melvin. I also helped put together a non-profit called The Point www.whatsthepoint.net.

-BA

First off, let’s get this out of the way…I have no idea how the Ryan Braun situation will play out. I have been asked that question everyday since December 10th and I know nothing.

Roenicke’s sporting the shades – must be Spring Training time again.

Regardless, I do think the Brewers are going to be very good in 2012. The game is trending back to it’s beautiful roots, pitching and defense reign. The Crew returns a deep, balanced pitching staff and an improved defense. I believe the Reds will present the biggest challenge in the Central Division. The Cardinals will be in the picture if Adam Wainwright returns healthy.

I spoke to Ron Roenicke yesterday and he seems as confident as ever. He’s a man of few words but a master communicator. Nothing phases him and nothing gets by him. To that point, last year, Rock and I were hosting a ”thank you” dinner for the TV crew before a September home game. Ron seemed intrigued so I flippantly suggested he stop by, never dreaming he would. He responded, very seriously, that he’d like to. So here is a big league manager, in the heat of a pennant race, wanting to address our crew of 50 or so in the South Dock service entrance at Miller Park. He thanked them for their contributions to the organization and spoke about teamwork and embracing your role for the betterment of the group. I do not have the hard data, but I can say with 99.9% certainty that this was the first time in the history of baseball that a manager addressed a TV crew in this manner. It was jaw-dropping impressive and it left a mark on a group of men and women who work very hard, with very little credit, to be great bringing the Brewers into your living room.

Ron and the rest of the coaching staff report to Maryvale today. Ed Sedar is in charge of camp for the second consecutive season and what happens in Arizona will set the tone for the rest of the season. Players want to know if they can trust the manager and coaches and believe it or not, Spring Training organization speaks volumes.

Here are some key dates for Spring Training:

• February 17: All coaches/staff report
• February 18: Pitchers and Catchers report
• February 20: First workout
• February 24: Position players report
• February 25: First full squad workout
• March 3: Intra-squad game
• March 4: Cactus League Opener
• March 5: First brewers.com webcast
• March 6: First FS Wisconsin Telecast
• March 16: Minor League games begin
• March 17: FS Wi Telecast
• March 20: FS Wi Telecast
• March 30: FS Wi Telecast
• March 31: FS Wi Telecast
• April 4: FS Wi Telecast, Final Exhibition game

Happy camping!

BA

Here is the "speed bump" that caused the fall.

A chalk outline of Ryan Braun at the “scene of the crime” between third and home at Miller Park. Hilarious!

I spoke to Braun this morning. The good news? All that is injured is his pride.

A loose team is a good team!

BA

A triple play and four double plays behind shutout pitching from Randy Wolf and John Axford. There are 27 defensive outs in a 9-inning game. The Crew was able to secure 11 of those 27 outs…on FIVE pitches!!!Click to view slideshow.

The Brewers now own a six game lead,  their largest at this point of season since they led the AL East on August 27, 1982 by 6 ½ games, a lead that would evaporate yet saved by a division clinching win on the final day of season. The only division title in franchise history to date.

After the game, the Brewers fortunes continued as they signed their top two first-round draft picks (Texas RHP Taylor Jungman and Georgia Tech LHP Jed Bradley).

…And then there is this from Elias:

The Brewers continued to roll with a 3-0 victory over the Dodgers on Monday night, as we wondered, how many good things can happen to one team in one game? The Brewers’ pitching, batting and fielding all excelled:

Randy Wolf and John Axford combined for the shutout; Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy and Corey Hart homered; and the Brewers made a triple play. There have been nearly 200,000 games played in major-league history, but the Brewers became the first team in major-league history – yes, the first – to earn a shutout win, hit at least three home runs, and execute a triple play in the same game.

The victory lifted the Brewers’ record to 71-51, marking the first time that they have gone 20 games above .500 this early in a season since 1982, when it took them only 110 games (65-45). And the win lifted Milwaukee’s home record to 45-15; you have to go back to 1998 to find the last time that a major-league team won 45 of its first 60 home games. (In that 1998 season, the Yankees started out 48-12 and the Padres started out 46-14 at home.)

Finally, the one-time Wall-Bangers have become Zero-Hangers. Milwaukee has won its last three games by scores of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-0 – the first time in franchise history that the team has won three straight games without scoring as many as four runs in any of them!

-BA

‘Rillo is still a star!

Jerry Narron’s lineup card…a work of art. Notice the two names written in Japanese: Takashi Saito in the Brewers bullpen and Tsuyoshi Nishioka in the Twins lineup. Narron said Saito’s name is the hardest name he’s ever had to write in Japanese.

-BA

The Rock on the 4 train after Brewers/Yankees game Wednesday…with our travel planner, Chris!

-BA

The best billion dollar ballpark in the world!

-BA