Arziona Spring Break

As you saw in the previous page, I participated in the MLB Network's interactive studio program that they had set up. You've seen the finished product, now you get a glimpse behind the scenes to see that I am not hanging out with Harold Reynolds at the MLB Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. In fact, I am sitting in the parking lot at Goodyear Stadium with a green blanket draped behind me so that the background could be added later. It really is amazing what they can do with computers these days, but it is unfortunate that no amount of CGI green screen technology could make me look attractive on camera. Only George Lucas and the touch up artists at Playboy magazine can do that. And although I have appeared in an article on Playboy.com, Lucas still won't return my phone calls. C'mon George!

Some of the Brewers players were stretching in left field, so I went over towards the dugout with some baseballs hoping to get some autographs. Only a few players stopped on their way to the dugout, but a couple of them poked their heads out to sign for some of the kids. I didn't see anyone that I was dying to get, so I hung out a little longer. The game was just about to start, so the old usher told me to go back to my seat. I didn't appreciate her tone, but I didn't really have a choice. Our seats were about 3 sections closer to home plate from where these pictures were taken, and when I saw Prince Fielder and my man Craig Counsell signing autographs, my Dad told me to run over there to get them to sign my baseball even though the mean old lady usher yelled at me. So I sprinted like the kids let loose in Wonka's Candy room, and within moments, I had both of their autographs. Craig Counsell's was especially important to me, for I planned to give it to my Brother James as a going away present. Within weeks he was moving to Columbia, South Carolina, and I wanted him to have a Brewers keepsake to take with him while he would be away from his favorite team. And why Craig Counsell? That's a great story, and I'll explain that at the bottom of the page.

Our seats were on the 3rd base side a few rows back from the Brewers dugout. I bought them on StubHub so I was able to pick the exact seats that I wanted. As you'll see later, the on deck circle was right in front of us. A blast from the past in the form of Chris Bosio (Brewers pitcher from 1986-1992) was standing in the Brewers dugout. I later found out that he recently signed on as the pitching coach for the Brewers AAA affiliate the Nashville Sounds.

My Dad was still feeling like crap, but he still made it out to the ballpark to catch the baseball game. He was all jacked up on medicine, so he was a little absent, but he still chatted with me. Brewers GM Doug Melvin and assistant GM Gord Ash were in the section next to ours, so I went and talked with them for a minute and got their autographs. Spring Training is an incredible time to get autographs of your favorite players/executives.

Now I'll tell you why my brother James and I love Craig Counsell so much. James and I have been going to Brewers games since we were little kids. Heck, we were even members of the Coca-Cola Kids Club. There's no telling how many games that we have been going to between Milwaukee County Stadium, Miller Park and all the various stadiums on the road. Even though we sat in virtually every area of those ballparks and brought our gloves with us, we never ever caught a homerun or a foul ball. After 20-some odd years of dismal failure, Marcus Hanel (the Brewers bullpen catcher) tossed me a ball at the Brewers/Reds game at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati in September of 2007. Earlier that year, James got a foul ball from the ball girl that was hit off the bat of Craig Counsell. His was more special since it was an actual game ball, so he kind of rubbed in my face (and also because he got his first). So I started to make fun of him saying that Craig Counsell was his best friend and neighbor. Why neighbor you ask? That is because Craig Counsell lives in Whitefish Bay, and until recently, James lived in Fox Point. In fact, Counsell would sometimes come into the Home Depot store that James worked at (on Capital + Port Washington in Milwaukee) to pick up some drywall or other random home improvement products. And that is why we adore Craig Counsell.