Florida Spring Break

I was really excited to come back here, and it wasn't just to get this picture with Manny, the Brevard County mascot. Last year, when Jenny and I came here in March, it was a spring training game between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers. This time it was April, and I could watch the Manatees, which are the minor league single A team of my Milwaukee Brewers.

The main reason that I came here was to see the Brewers' minor league team in action. Thirsty Thursdays was a close second. Every Thursday home game, they had 24 ounce beers for only $2.00. I recommend the Manatees Red, its a great lager beer. I was double fisting it hardcore throughout the entire game.

Mike Jones was taken by the Brewers in the 1st round of the 2001 draft, but 7 years later he is still pitching in single A. Since then, other 1st rounders like Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun are flourishing on the major league team. That just goes to show you how tough it is to draft pitchers and move them through your system. 9 out of 10 of them don't pan out, like Mike Jones.

By the 4th inning, I could no longer stew in my seat and watch this minor league hooey. I decided to leave the nest and venture out into the big outdoors. While investigating the nooks and crannies of this ballpark, I stumbled upon the home team's bullpen. I was surprised to see that the Manatees players wear the colors and logos of their parent team - the one and only hometown Milwaukee Brewers. I gave a little "what's up" nod to these kids in the bullpen, and they responded by staring blankly back at me. That is a fabrication of the truth, and I only wish that these minor league athletes were assholes, but in fact, there were normal human beings just like myself. Only they get paid more.

I've been to a few stadiums outside of Wisconsin, and they always make me miss home because no one else tailgates like we do. Kansas City was as close as it could be to home, but here at Space Coast Stadium (home to the Brevard County Manatees) Dad and I were the only people drinking in the parking lot. We were also the only ones approaching the ticket window with a beer in hand.

I thought that this place was a little empty for the Spring Training game, but that was a sellout compared to the crowd on hand tonight. There was this old guy in front of me heckling the players, and I know that the ones on the field heard it because when he made jokes, everyone in the stadium laughed. I'm pretty sure that I even heard the announcers up in the booth chuckling inappropriately

I was super excited for the game, but once that beer started flowing through me, I couldn't care less about what was happening on the field. Sure, I still watched the game, and it was exciting, but I was consumed with downing as many beers as possible in the 7 innings that they allow alcohol sales. It was all that I cared about.