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Welcome into the Winklerverse. Today it's Vinny Retino of Brewers TV. He is here with us to talk about the best team in baseball. For now, Dodger's nipping on the heels. Vinny.
In New York City, where the Brewers are about to take on the Nine Mets. How are you doing, Vinny? I'm doing great. Thanks for having me on, Bert.
So let me start with the Little League game. The Brewers lost. They failed to sweep the Braves, but that's fine. They're playing very well. Anything pop out for you when you think Little League in your life?
I never made it that far. I I got bounced after second grade. In baseball, it wasn't for me. Um Uh, well, that's surprising. You really, it really is, Bart.
Um, so for me, just you know, I remember playing Little League Baseball, and now it's it's changed quite a bit just in terms of how everything is. kind of run through these uh you know High-end, you know, hitting facilities and programs around the state.
So, for me back then, though, it was. You know, it was still like Little League Baseball. And now, I don't know, just seeing the game at Williamsport was really cool. And, you know, seeing the guys interact with all the players. It's just cool because you know this is I mean the game What it showed to me is the game is still really healthy.
It's alive and well, especially among the youth. It's crazy the amount of talent that actually is coming out of the state of Wisconsin right now. It's absolutely crazy, especially at that younger level.
So the game is in a really healthy spot. And obviously, the popularity of the game is really high right now.
So you love to see that, and it is among the youth. And you wouldn't necessarily think that because. You know, kids are on their iPads all day long and doing, you know, things that you wouldn't think that we were doing when we were kids, playing sandlock baseball all the time. But it is in a healthy spot. And that's what that game showed me last night.
I've noticed something. My kid's seven. Um He had like a buddy over last night. And all they did was play video games. I mean, whatever.
But whenever he's going to like Whenever he's going to a friend's house or a friend's coming over here. They always bring their binder now. They always they are trading cards. at an unbelievable rate. We've got one kid down the street that will just randomly, and he's seven years old, he will set up a table and try to sell cards in front of his house.
And it just had me realize like.
Something that I love so much is cards, cards, you know, baseball. Um, and now this generation, but then they're also. They know everybody. They know Sal Freelich. They know Jackson Churio.
They know Christian Yelich, obviously, but they know Joey Ortiz. They know all these guys. And this group that the Brewers have right now, that's been the best team in the big leagues, at least. In the regular season, that's got an incredible manager that has a new young guy come up like every two months. For me, you know, growing up, I guess it was like.
Well, growing up, it was Molliter and Young and these guys. Me too. That's who they are having. Is Churio and Yalich and Michael?
Now that I can look at this team. Through my eyes, like back then, it's just really great to see how the Brewers' lineage. Continues to spit out these, not just these teams that you can be proud of at whatever age. But really, to captivate the kids' imagination. And I just think that the Little League game was a good representation of that, too.
And the Brewers do a good job, Bart, of marketing their players. They really do. I mean, I wouldn't say baseball does a really good job of that on the whole, of marketing their players on a national scale, but the Brewers locally have done a great job of that. And I think the Brewers just have a little bit of a niche in terms of. How popular this team is and the players are for the state of Wisconsin, any Brewer fans around the country.
They really do. If you think about it down south, it's more about college athletics and college sports where the Brewers culture is pretty unique and we have a really good thing going. And yes, they market their players really well. They're young players. They do that really well.
And they've adapted, right? Because it is the baseball cards, it is the video games that is growing the popularity of the players. And it's even the social media aspect of it. It just is what it is. They've adapted to this new age way to kind of market players.
Whereas we did what? We did buy the baseball cards, but we also, you know, we would get a glimpse of this week in baseball of seeing, oh, I just saw a highlight of Paul Mowder.
Now you can get it on your phone anytime you want it.
So yeah, it's a little bit different, but they've done a good job of adapting. Oh, yeah. And I like I. I liked the Cubs growing up because they were on TV, you know, and the Brewers were on once every. Couple of weeks, but now they're on all the time and they're very accessible.
And again, they do a lot of great stuff, especially with promotions, including the guess who game, which you are the only one of Brewers TV in that game. Congratulations! I don't know how that happened. I'll take it. Um, my girls, uh, I have three young daughters, and they were really excited.
And usually, so there's kids around the ballpark, they say, Oh, there's Vinny, and I'm and I'm thinking to myself, you know what? The kids know who I am because of that guess who game, but the parents are probably like, Who is that guy? Did they tell you you're gonna be in the game or not? Did you just? Uh, but I, you know, when they were reading the promotions for during the games about the game, about the guess who game on TV, I noticed the little picture of me was in the game.
I'm thinking, Am I going to be actually in that game along with guys like Cecil Cooper and Jacob Mazarowski? Hey, I'll take it. You know what? Uh, it's quite the honor, but uh, not sure I'm deserving, but that's okay.
Well, we'll call you to. Deserving, you know, as a fellow UW lacrosse man, whatever we can get, we will take. That's kind of our philosophy there. The Brewers, best record in baseball, as I'm talking to you now. They have a one-game lead over the Dodgers.
I was just talking the other day. I'm not scoreboard watching on nights the Brewers win. If the Brewers win, I don't care if the Cubs get walked off or if they put up 19. I'm not trying to do any of that. Is that like Something that you guys are intensely doing.
And then the follow-up, the question is. I'm just kind of wondering like. What Is obviously the best thing for the Brewers is to continue to win. Get a buy, win the division, do all that kind of stuff. I do hope that along the way, if they're going to have another.
Postseason like last year. I think looking back on last year, getting the buy was great. Beating the Cubs was great. But I do think that took out a lot of energy. From the team, from the fans.
Crowd was wiped. You know, game one, game two of the NLCS. You don't want to Like, you can't save energy for the Dodgers or whoever you're going to face. But, what is the most important thing for the Brewers to do? Over the next Month before the postseason kicks off.
It's a great question. The points are well taken just about the energy. I think that series with the Dodgers, it's not really talked about all that often, is going to be different last year if they go ahead and win that game one. And remember, you know, they had an opportunity with the bases loaded, and Bryce Terrain just didn't get hit by that pitch. It would have been a normal reaction from anybody to get out of the way of that pitch.
And if they do go ahead and win that game one, I think that series is a lot different. But since they lost that game one, I think then the Dodgers had this crazy run of starting pitching that just kind of shut down the Brewers offense. And I just felt like the team just. Because the Dodgers played so well in that series. It just felt like the team felt like, okay, this team is playing on another planet right now.
And they just went ahead and wiped us out and swept us. But did you notice that the Dodgers also didn't play all that well in the World Series and just almost got beat? I was hoping that they would. And they almost got beat in that game seven. And it went seven games against the Blue Jays.
What is the most important thing for the Brewers to go ahead and actually get to the World Series and hopefully win it? Look, I think it's going to be, they have to have their guys, their horses. They're starting horses, and they really are at this point. And I'm talking about Jacob Mizarowski, I'm talking about Kyle Harrison, and I'm talking about Logan Henderson. Those three guys in particular have to be at their best.
We've seen Logan Henderson and Jacob Mizarowski basically be at their best all year long. Logan Henderson went healthy. But Kyle Harrison has had a couple of blips on the radar. He's throwing tomorrow in New York, and it's going to be interesting to see how he bounces back. In terms of he had a great start last time, but not a great start against the Padres.
And so we need to see consistency from him. And part of that is making sure that he is at full strength. I'm not talking about limiting his innings. I'm just talking about. I'm just talking about he has to somehow find a way.
To pitch at his best all the way through the end of October. And that's a long gauntlet yet. Right. I mean, these guys are probably looking ahead to the finish line and thinking. We got a long way to go still.
So, somehow, how do you get those guys? And I'm not really worried about Miz because the stuff is just like we've never seen this stuff before. I'm not really worried about Logan Henderson just because his stuff doesn't require him to throw 99 miles per hour in order to get outs, he's just got to be 92, 94. But Harrison's a guy that you kind of need him to be 94, 96 in order for him to be at his best.
So, so that's one thing, and then the other thing, Bart. You gotta have You gotta have Christian swing the bat. Yeah, that's that it just flat out. You know, so he's shown flashes here these last this last week or so. Um And I've noticed during batting practice that he's trying to make adjustments, he's trying to catch up to the fastball.
He almost, it seems like he almost forgot how to get the head out, get the bad head out in order to pull the baseball. And I think that's, you know, you don't really want to try to pull the baseball. Usually, guys that try to pull the baseball are get in big trouble. But for him, I think it's important for him to remember how to do that and then continue to spray the ball all over the field. But the timing for him is important.
The timing at the plate, he's shown flashes. He hit a couple of balls hard last night in that little league game.
So I think his consistency with the bat is going to be vitally important. We've seen William just kind of snap out of it now, right?
So he almost walked it off with a shot to right center field last night, but he has been swinging the bat really well.
So it's going to be those two things: William and Christian swinging the bats and then making sure those starting pitchers are healthy and strong going all the way through to the end of October. Meet Keith, Loving Dev, board game champ, bus driving pro. I drive 65,000 miles in my bus each year. If people knew what I know, lives could be saved. Like how there are some things I simply can't see.
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Visit www.sharetheroadsafely.gov. You know, baseball is such an interesting game, especially at the pro level where you're playing pretty much every day and it's 100 and. 62 games, and the Brewers are going to make the postseason. They'll probably. We're in the central.
So in this next month, like. The Brewers have had, they can think about last year, and the Dodgers got us, and maybe game one goes different. They can think about I remember some years, 2011 was a year for me where They were really good. And then I just felt like they got tired. Like Braun wasn't hitting, and Fielder wasn't hitting in that series against the Cardinals.
Can you how do you And I have this question with like... The Milwaukee Panthers basketball team. Because They have to prepare all season. For the Horizon League tournament. Where maybe they'll get the one bid.
So how are you playing in November? If It doesn't get going until March. How are the brewers? What are they thinking? What are they trying to do in this last month?
so that they're not tired. In the postseason, so that they are hitting sharp. You almost. Don't want to go on a 10-game hitting streak now because then it might mean you might cool off at the end of the season. What is the focus?
What is the mindset? Last week of August. It's tough. It is tough because baseball is a game where there are so many ebbs and flows to it, right?
So you can get out of your hot hitting streak if all of a sudden you are squaring up the ball all over the baseball field, but you're not getting results.
So, that can kind of mess with your head a little bit. And all of a sudden, you start changing things a little bit.
So, there's so many different things, and it's so fickle, this game of baseball, that where if you try too hard, or if you just don't let the game come to you, and you try to force something, then you can get out of your approach. You can get out of the kind of the thing that's been working for you as of late. But I get your question, just in terms of how do they hit their stride? In October. It's a valid question.
It's a really important question. Last year, remember, the Brewers, they finally made it past. A series, right? They finally made it past the NLDS. They got the first round by last year.
Was that the first time they got the first round by? I think it is. And they made it past a series after a number of years where they got bounced in the first round of the playoffs. And so that just in and of itself was super successful for the Brews. I thought that game five last year, that LDS was top five most important games in franchise history.
The fact that they were able to kind of get past the Cubs, and it was Cubs to boot.
So that's, you know, a double benefit, right? Just in terms of what that did for the organization. And so, how do you get them to hit on all cylinders? And then get all the way through. If I had an answer to that question, I would be running an organization and getting paid handsomely to do so.
So it's a very difficult question to answer. I would say that the thing. That you You can try to get guys to um To be playing well and to have that good kind of feel in the batters box is to, you know, just to really just. What Pat Murphy gets these guys to understand is that it's not about an individual at bat that's going to make a difference in a ballgame. It's not.
It's about the guy you're passing the baton to. Do what you can in the moment. And it sounds super simple. It sounds a little bit cliche, just passing that baton mentality. If you have that mentality, up and down the lineup, all nine guys, it does wear on a pitcher.
And that's kind of what the Brewers are really good at. They just wear down opposing pitching stabs. Where all of a sudden, and I've heard guys talk about this, where all of a sudden they feel like I'm tapping out. I can't continue to have these stressful pitches over and over and over. And that's when the Brewers' offense is at their best.
They get more mistakes over the middle of the plate and then they take advantage of them. And they do have enough talent. And that's the thing. Like, people don't understand how talented up and down this lineup that the Brewers really are, especially with a Christian Yellich hitting. That's kind of going back to my old point of he has to hit in order to, you know, just feel how long and lengthened that lineup is when you have that many talented bats doing damage against pitchers who, again, are tapping out or want to tap out because it's so stressful.
That's what it is. There's no real answer to your question, just in terms of how do you get them to be hot at the right time. That's how they got to do it, and they got to let it come to them. And that's the answer to that. I assume you're in the booth tonight in this series?
I'm in the booth for New York, yeah, against the Mets. Is there like... Do you are your days totally different when you're preparing just like doing the The pre and post, and the during, and then in the booth. How different are your days when you do that?
So, the first game of the series, when I'm in the booth, it takes a quite a bit of, I'm pretty, it's pretty intense in terms of my preparation, uh, just in terms of how much I'm working on the opposing team. You know, I was a scout after I got done playing, and so I basically scout every single player in the roster, try to have.
Some interesting tidbits and information on some guys. Just have it ready to go. I'm learning how to kind of implement that in games and stuff like that. But yeah, that's kind of my prep. And then pre and post, we have a rundown and topics that we talk about.
And I just kind of get prepared on those specific topics.
So it's a little bit less. Intense just in terms of the prep, but you got to be ready to go in any direction when you're in the booth. And so that's kind of how I do it. How did you end up even in TV? Was that something you wanted to do?
Bart, look, I don't even know. I was brutal when I first started. I think I've gotten to a point where I'm at least comfortable on air. And my job. I appreciate it.
I appreciate it. I feel like I've got something interesting to talk about. You know, Brian Anderson.
So after I got done playing, I scouted with Mike Anderson, who for the Texas Rangers, who is Brian Anderson's brother. Mike and I got to be good friends. After I got out of scouting, it was way too much travel. I had three young daughters at home, like I said before, and I was, it was not good for our family.
So got out of scouting. That was during COVID. And I just got a regular job and it was, I was miserable.
So I was talking to Mike. I said, I want to get back into the game somehow. But I don't want to do all the travel. And he goes, Well, my brother Brian thinks he'd be pretty good at the broadcast. I was like, Absolutely not, not going on T V.
And I was really uncomfortable for the first probably whole year or two doing it. And then I've gotten more comfortable. That's kind of how it all happened. They've given me more opportunities and. You know, kind of, you know, just feel honored to do games with guys like Brian Anderson and Jeff Levering and hopefully following in the footsteps of Rock, the legend.
So, you know, I've been blessed to do it. I've been having a lot of fun doing it.
Well, if you thought you were no good at the start, I mean, B.A. saw something in you. He must have, what did he see? Was he just in talking to you and. The hallways like this guy's gonna be a good broadcaster.
You know, so I would always go up to the booth whenever I scouted games in Milwaukee. And because I would go quite a bit because it was a drive for me. I wouldn't have to leave town and live out of a hotel for five days. Um Anytime there was a team that was in my coverage, uh, at playing at Milwaukee, I would just drive do the drive. And so, um, I would go up to the booth quite a bit and talk to Rock and BA.
And then, and for some reason, I don't know, I think BA understood that, like, having the playing career that I did, not a ton of time in the big leagues, parts of five seasons, but I did play for 14 years professionally. I played overseas, so I was a catcher. And the fact that I was a scout for four years, it kind of gives me that unique perspective.
So, I think he knew that I had some knowledge of the game and knowledge of scouting and how the front office works, players. Played in Asia, like I said. I think he kind of understood: like, there's a wealth of knowledge here. And if we can just get him. Kind of comfortable in front of the camera, which he helped me with.
He has been a mentor to me big time. And once I did get comfortable, I think that's you kind of learn how to just stay present, just like you, Bart, right? Doing the show, like you just learn how to stay present. You have something to say and you just let it fly. That's what BA taught me to do.
You let it fly and sometimes it lands, sometimes it doesn't. You trust your vocabulary. You just kind of trust what you're saying and you go from there. But That's kind of the advice that he gave me. And then also, like, be interested in the game in order to be interesting.
That's the other thing he taught me. Like, so I really am, I really do love the game. I'm really passionate about the game. And so that's kind of what has helped me as well.
So I've always loved it ever since I was a little leaguer and before that.
So I just try to dive in as much as I can, and hopefully it comes off as interesting and something that fans like. What do you think is the reason, like, because you caught, and now so. There's a lot of catchers that are managers. And I'm thinking back to.
So I did not go down the baseball path, but I went down the soccer route and I was a goalie. And I feel like one of the reasons. I can understand the game of soccer so well, is. Being the goalie, you're seeing. The whole game.
And when you're a catcher. You have like The opposite vantage point of everybody else in the field for your team. Is it the vantage point? Is it the calling of the game? Like, why are catchers so.
Much smarter at baseball than everybody else. I don't know.
Well, Rock's a great. I think Rock's a great analyst, and because he was a catcher, right, for so many years. And I think, yes, I think the idea is. That because you are dealing, well, first of all, you're dealing with half of your team, which are pitchers, right?
So there's 13 pitchers, 13 position players, and you're basically guiding a pitcher through a game. And you have to gain that trust with them and you have to learn how to serve them.
Okay. That's the idea. If they understand that you are actually in it for them and you're serving them, they will trust you because honestly, the catchers are smarter than pitchers for the majority of them. Pitchers are out there. It's a really difficult thing to do to execute your pitch when you want to, where you want to, and it's the right pitch.
And all of a sudden, a guy hits it off the scoreboard. It's the only sport where that can happen, really, right? Where you do everything right and nothing works out for you at times.
Okay. And so, um, and then the opposite is true. You could be terrible one day and they hit. 20 rockets right at guys, and all of a sudden you think like you have a great outing. It's gotta be just.
Mm-hmm. really hard on guys psychologically at times.
So With being a catcher, you kind of understand that this is your job to trick these guys almost, that you're the one serving them, but really you're guiding them through this outing, this appearance, and you're in it with them. And once you gain that trust, and it's not a trick, it has to be authentic. Yeah.
Okay. So, once they understand that, then now all of a sudden you are the leader in that role. And so now.
So, so you understand how they think. And at times, like, I feel, and then.
So at times I feel like, or when I was a catcher, I feel like, okay, I actually know a little bit more than what they're. They think they know about. The pitching craft.
Now, I'll never know what it's actually like to experience what it's like to be on a professional mount because I wasn't a pitcher. It just that dynamic of being just in the trenches with pitchers is a big thing. When I was, I was a converted catcher as well.
So I had no idea what it was like when I was playing shortstop in college or when I got the pro ball and I was kind of bouncing around all the different positions besides catcher. But once you really get Into the nitty-gritty of what it's like to guide a pitcher through an appearance, then you really understand what they're going through.
Okay, and then so I think that's it in a nutshell. I mean, the game is won and lost on the mound, and just to understand how to get through games, what pitchers are going through, kind of the psychological aspect of it. And then learning as a scout, the pitch mechanics side of it is really, really interesting as well.
So, you see some of the hickeys that guys have, some of the warts that they have in terms of what they're doing wrong and why they can't repeat their delivery. Maybe it's something innate in their biomechanics where they have poor lead leg stability or they can't really externally rotate their shoulder. Guys like that are going to spray the ball over all over the place.
So, knowing and understanding some little nuanced things like that, you can kind of key on and look for.
So that's why I think catchers really are probably the better analysts, just because they kind of understand the pitching side of it and they do. They pay attention to everything. You have to pay attention. I always kind of was a scout when I was even playing. Like, I was always paying attention to the little nuances about, you know, what made.
Players good, what made them successful? The psychological part of it, the confidence part of it. When you see a guy like Ryan Braun, who right away in Pro Ball calls the GM and says, This is a waste of my time to be in the minor leagues, get me in the big leagues right now, type of things that actually happened. Called Doug Melvin.
So, like, Like that is on another level, type of confidence where that usually bores out a player that's going to be really, really good. And I'm kind of bouncing all around right here, but this is this is these are the kinds of things I paid attention to as a player and still do now as an analyst.
So I think that's part of. the reason why it can bring something something interesting to it. Is that, do we know that Ryan Braun's story? I've never heard that. He 100% called Doug Melvin when he was an A-ball and said, This is a waste of my time to be in the minor leagues.
I need to be helping the big league team, which is, again, the reason why part of the obviously is very talented physically, but I don't think I ever remember a player being that confident between the ears. It was really kind of interesting and fun to watch. All right, one more. It's a take of mine in baseball, but you've played our home runs rally killers. Yeah.
I used to think that, but no, now I used to think that just in terms of a pitcher that was struggling. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Move the bases. And once the home run happens. Whew, the bases are clear.
I don't have to worry about that anymore. Yeah, yeah, but it also 3-0 at that point. You know what I mean?
So that's kind of a demoralizing. For a pitcher to get behind, you know, and especially Bart.
Okay, this is my last. Camera. take on why the brewers are so good.
Okay. Yes.
So for pitching and defense. Being a key to winning baseball.
Well, that's been an idea for the last 150 years, right? Pitching and defense. If you can keep it close. then you're going to have an opportunity to win. And that's why the brewers are so good.
It's a very simple idea. They don't get behind 3-0 in a lot of games, or 4-0 or 5-0. And so, their brand of baseball of not hitting the 3-run home run works for this team. And it's worked for this team for the last three years or so with Pat Murphy at the helm because they can play their brand of baseball where they can put pressure on. Opposing defenses, opposing pitchers, wear them down, have them tap out, all that idea because the games are usually really close for a long.
stretch of the game and then all of a sudden the brewers You'll break it open or get ahead late, and then their bullpen shuts the door. And that's just a really simple thought that, you know, that. Yeah, 150 last 150 years of the game, everyone's been talking about well, you have to have good pitching and defense.
Well, the Brewers are just the epitome of that brand. And the reason why their brand of baseball, where they are last in home runs, works, is because. They don't need to. They just need to keep the game close. And then eventually, you know, you almost saw it last night.
You know, the game was close enough where. They eventually score. late And then the bullpen shuts the door. And again, simple thought, simple idea, but that's the reason why they have the best record of baseball. And I keep waiting, and I don't know about you, but I keep waiting for: okay, the Dodgers, are they going to overtake the Brewers for the best record of baseball?
Are the Cubs coming? It feels like that they are, but again, the brewers just continue to. you know, kind of dig themselves out of any kind of momentum shift. And get back to the best record.
So I'm just kind of expecting that. They lose it to the Padres, and you're like, okay, here it comes. And then they turn around and they're just exactly, exactly. And I think everyone was worried at that point when they got swept by the Padres. But now, again, yeah, they're just fine.
They have a six-game lead on the Cubs. Don't rest on those laurels. And that's why Pat Murphy's so good because he won't allow that and he'll keep the guys sharp.
So I expect them to. Probably have the best record of baseball when all said and done, but it's not going to be easy because they have a long, tough stretch here coming here. What do they got? Another month of baseball left to play.
Well, let's get some win against the Mets. Vinny Retino will be in the booth. Vinny, thank you for stopping into the Winklerverse. Yeah, anytime. Yep.
Thanks, Bart. Support is available 24-7 with VerboCare. We're here day or night. ready whenever you need help. because a great trip starts with the right support.
How about that? Vinny Retino joining us. He'll be on the call as the Brewers take on the Mets here. The Brewers. 81 and 50.
They've got the Mets. Tomorrow I may have said tonight, but they've got the Mets. Starting on Tuesday and then night series all week. No day games in this one: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, before they come back home and take on the Rangers, and then they're right back on the road. Chicago and the Reds.
Then they come home and have Chicago and the Reds. And why don't I just tell you the rest of their schedule? West or East Coast trip, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Philly, and then home against St. Louis, and that's it. It's August 24th, season end September 27th.
of the wild card week and then we get into the playoffs. The Brewers will make the playoffs. They haven't officially clinched yet, but... It's just about what seed they're going to get and will they, in fact, Bring home the division no matter what lead they have, like we saw. Didn't the Guardians make up an 18-game lead on the Tigers or something?
Last year or the year before.
So you never know. But again, as long as the Brewers win, I don't check the scoreboard. They lost last night, so I was like, how'd the Cubs do? Oh, they won 19-2. Great.
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BART B-A-R-T. Also brought to you by Carl's Place and Dan Shaney. insurance Just to add on here, I wanted to talk a little bit about the Timber Rattlers. I'm wearing the hat today. I actually went to the game on Saturday night.
Went to the Timber Rattlers game, took my boy. We were up in Appleton for the weekend. There was a game, perfect timing. They lost six to one. They did win on Sunday.
We should have gone on Sunday, but we got to see the fireworks after, and then kids are on the bases after. And it was a good time. I have not been to a Timber Rattlers game in 100 years. And I think the last time I was at Fox City Stadium was. for a Packer softball scrimmage, but it was like the Donald driver era.
It's It's been a long time since I've been in that building. Um A couple of points to make. One, on minor league sports. We have to protect. minor league sports as much as we can.
Like Buy more than you want when you go to these places. Cause It's really hard for these places to turn a buck. You know? It costs so much money. For them.
And I don't want to like. Be on the side of big business, but It costs a lot of money. For them to put these events on. And You notice how much money it costs. When you walk around the stadium, and everyone that is working there has a name tag that says intern on it.
There was one guy walking around. He is. His take said head of security, I don't think he was more than 22 years old. But he was going to be the top guy. Should something go down so I will say this though, regarding price at the Timber Rattlers game.
We sat five rows from home plate. $19. $19. Grass seeds are twelve. If you want to sit in the grass, buy the $19 seats and go there when you can.
19 bucks for a seat. That would be 300. At Miller Park. I almost said county stadium. But it's always cool.
You like I think part of getting kids into baseball Having them sit in different places. Eventually, I think you all like to sit I like to sit close, why not? But sometimes you like to sit high so that you can see the whole game.
So I think it's good to. But you got to have some sit close in there. And sometimes the only way to do that might be. the brewers have a scrimmage or A Timber Rattlers game. or a Milkmen game.
I mean, the the cost to put these on is. I don't think they're making a ton of money. But the Timber Rattlers, great organization, of course, part of the Brewers, and they do a good job. They did lose, they're about a couple of games over 500. They have um Brady Ebel, who they just drafted, he is only hitting like 170.
But he's only been in. I think he only played, this was his first week. Up with the Rattlers. He was in there. We saw that Strauss Nyder guy.
He had that home run that his dad caught. Otherwise, a lot of the brewers that like the future brewers that you know are going to be stars. are already up. They've got some boppers. Eric Battoni.
He's got 22 home runs on the year. They played Lake Country. A Guardians team. Welbon Francisca is the guy I'm watching. He's got 15 home runs.
He's hitting 290. That's the guy I'm watching. They also had a guy that was like Bartolo Colonesque. He looked, I don't know, he's at the plate. I don't know if Single A might be where he tops up, but It was fun.
I mean, it's fun. It's a great time. If I lived in the Fox Cities, I would go there so much. I would go there so much. Because it's just so affordable.
And you're still getting a baseball game. And their kid zone. is impeccable.
Now you do have to pay.
So, you can do these little things. You can go in a bouncy house. It's like one of these church fairs they kind of set up. There's a bouncy house, there's a bouncy slide, there's a hitting thing like the brewers have. But you can pay like two bucks for a thing or seven dollars, get you a wristband.
And you see it all. And that was a good deal too. And then Here's the best part financially. They don't In most like I bought a Kona ice for my kid. And I bought a I bought a beverage.
And we bought peanuts. And every time I went to the concessions. I just tapped the card and moved on with my life. They didn't spin it around. and ask me for a tip.
Also. When you spin it around and say, Can you just spin it around and say? If you want to leave a tip. Why can't they say that? Why does everyone spin it around and go?
Just going to ask you a couple questions. Just say. Here it is, if you want to tip me or not. Just going to ask you a couple questions. I feel like that's worse.
I feel like that's worse. But anyway. I digress. Timber Rattler game was fun. Uh I'm wearing a hat that my kid won.
So we got there. He wanted something right away. I thought he was going to want a shit toy. He wanted a hat. Great.
$27. And then there was some. There's some weird thing they have where it's like spin a wheel, one spin for a dollar. Six spins for $5. And it's like tied in with McDonald's.
It's just a wheel. It's just a wheel. So he spun the wheel, won a baseball card, spun it again, won a hat, spun it again. One uh Happy meal, spun it again, won a McCafe. Drink, spun it again.
Won a pizza cutter bobblehead from earlier in the year, spun it again, won another hat.
So I buy him a $27 hat, and then he wins two hats. Later on. One of which I'm rocking. on the Dan Shaney YouTube stream. But all in all, great time at the game.
Bum that they lost. But we will carry on. My kid did say something like. These are fun because it doesn't matter if they win or not. It's like the Brewers.
Yes.
Pretty much. But you will have your diehards. It's weird to be a diehard of a minor league team because guys are leaving and coming and going and. You're still trying to win. And then at the end of the season.
Like it's weird in hockey where if the Admirals are out Or if the Admirals are continuing and the Predators are out, they just send half their team to the Admirals and they're like, let's try to win. It's just the concept of winning in the minor leagues is. Yeah, I mean, you're rooting for a win, but Like, have you ever gone to a Milkman game? Did they win? Did they lose?
Do you remember? Do you care? Big week ahead. A second podcast coming out yet today with Carlos. But I wanted to talk to Vinny and talk some brewers.
As well. Appreciate all of the support as always. Thanks for stopping into the Winklerverse.
