Road Trip to Miller Park

This past weekend was one I had marked on the calender since Christmas. At Laura's family Christmas, baseball came up in conversation. Quinn, a cousin of Laura's mom, revealed that he had four season tickets to the Milwaukee Brewers. I was envious. He went on to explain that they were in the lower level only ten rows behind the visiting dugout. I became resentful. Than he gave us an impromptu Christmas gift of his four tickets to see the Twins play the Brewers at Miller Park. Quinn, what an outstanding man. After almost six months of waiting, June 13th arrived and we were on our way to Appleton and Miller Park the next day.

As much as I love the food at Miller Park, I wanted to eat at a nearby bar before the game. When I was younger, my father would take my brother and I to a couple Bucks games a year and we would usually eat dinner before the game. The Fourth Base was often the place we would eat at. My recollection was that the food was amazing, which always surprised me as it looks like a dive. Walking into the Fourth Base on Saturday was no different then ten years ago. It's still the dive bar with great food. Most importantly, the onion rings and french fries are the same as I remember. The onion rings are thinly sliced, lightly breaded, and topped with parmesan cheese and other spices. Between four people the basket of rings was gone in approximately 17.86 seconds. I regret not buying a couple baskets to take home with me. What amazes me most about the Fourth Base is the high quality food they serve. My father and step-mother split a portobello mushroom topped with blue cheese and crab meat. Not an item I would expect to see at most bars. It was also delicious, as was the chicken sandwich Laura and I split. It was a trip down memory lane and a perfect prelude to the baseball game.

Rolling into the game about forty five minutes before the first pitch, I was floored by the number of Twins fans at the game. Whether they made the trip from Minnesota or they were locals, I was pleased with the support shown at an opposing teams ballpark. Miller Park is a beautiful place to watch a game and it makes me hopeful that the new Twins ballpark will be equally as great. Unfortunately, the Twins weren't willing to add a retractable roof to their new ballpark. I plan on wearing a parka and snow pants to most of the games in April. The only bad part about the whole trip was that the ten percent chance of rain for the day showed up about fifteen minutes before the first pitch. I believe this is my fault, as my sports jinx came through once again. All day I had marveled at the beautiful weather and numerous times commented that I could not wait to watch a game outside. Once again, I need to talk less.

For the third game in a row, Laura and I saw Glen Perkins pitch in person for the Twins. Were planning on going to the Twins game this Friday and I think Perkins is pitching that game. If we see him pitch in New York City or Kansas City, something strange is certainly going on. He pitched a decent six innings and the game was close throughout. The seats were better than I had expected, a completely different vantage point from the top row of the upper deck at the Metrodome. I think were about two miles from the field when we sit up there. The Italian sausage with fried onions and secret stadium sauce was superb. Even the Miller Lite was tasty. I have a hard time finding any faults with Miller Park and it is a pleasure every time I go there. Perhaps the best part of the game was how pleasant all the fans around us were to each other. I saw no one come to blows, heard no one yelling obscenities at one another, and saw no beers spilled on any heads. How nice that Minnesotans and Wisconsinites can co-exist.

As usual, we headed out a little early and missed the late inning dramatics. After the top of the ninth, the Twins were winning 4-3. Having full faith in Joe Nathan, we took off to beat the traffic. Sure enough, Nathan blew the save. Thankfully, the Twins pulled it out in extras and we had the pleasure of listening to Bob Uecker calling the game on the ride home. Better stadium, better food, better radio announcer? The Brewers have the Twins beat in a lot of areas. But they don't have the witty banter and wisdom of Bert Blyleven. Advantage, Twins.

The Twins ended up taking two of the three games in Milwaukee, an important end to a brutal road trip. Currently two games under five hundred, the Twins have a favorable schedule with the Nationals and D'Backs coming to the Dome. Were planning on attending the Friday night game. It will be a great time, but I can't help but expect to be a little disappointed when I walk into the sterile hefty bag. No stadium sauce, no polish, chorizo, or italian sausage, no retractable roof, no seats ten rows behind the dugout. Miller Park, you always spoil me.