Brewers Fever

I love the K-Rod trade. If adults can put their egos aside for 3 and a half months, we can make a run at a world championship. Everyone's saying, "but we don't need another closer". Enough with the labels, we traded for a great relief pitcher, regardless of what inning he's throwing in. He'll get his chance to close games, which will be great, especially if Axford goes 2 or 3 days in a row. You want quality arms coming out of that pen. This is a much better option than Kameron Loe or Latroy Hawkins. You have to love a franchise that goes out and gets a player that can have an immediate impact.

Now, on to the J.J. Hardy rumors. Do it. Do it now. It the Orioles don't extend him, again, this improves the team. They traded Hardy because they were high on Escobar, but they traded Escobar after one year, so that is the best evidence that they regret the deal. If you have a chance to get him back, even for the rest of this season, do it now.

The Brewers are the talk of baseball, just like they were in 2008. Prince Fielder hits the first Brewers homer in All Star history, takes MVP honors, we trade for K-Rod, and we get Braun back tomorrow night, with the 22 game hitting streak in tact.

The next 11 games are key. All on the road, all against decent teams. If we want to show the baseball world that we are contenders, we have to take 6 of 11 on this trip. Take 3 of 4 in Colorado, split the 4 games with Arizona, and steal 1 in San Francisco. That would be an acceptable trip, for the team that has the worst road record in baseball.

I'm excited for the second half of the season.

My love of Gracie and baseball

You can mark 2011 down officially as the year my daughter, Gracie, became a Brewers fan. She is very attentive during the game, sings during home runs, has a handful of favorites (Randy Wolf, Tony Plush, Prince Fielder), and cheered when Braun, Weeks and Fielder were introduced at the All Star Game tonight.

With the Francisco Rodriguez acquisition for the Brewers tonight, it may be realize that the Brewers are making a run at a World Series this year, but it also made me realize that Gracie will most likely have to say goodbye to one of her favorites in the same calendar year that she became a fan. I remember how heartbroken I was when Gorman Thomas was traded to Cleveland in 1983, and I am now starting to prepare to have the Prince Fielder conversation with her this winter.

In an honest moment tonight, Gracie mistook Jose Reyes for Rickie Weeks, and looked genuinely sad to see what she thought was Rickie Weeks wearing anything but a Brewers jersey. She exclaimed, "Daddy, Rickie Weeks is a Met?"

Her favorite Brewer is Randy Wolf. We will be getting his bobblehead on September 25th, and I will buy her his t-shirt on the way to our seats. I'm sure this will be a huge thrill for her. It will be hard to tell her that Randy Wolf is no longer a Brewer, if and when he ever leaves for the next town on his journey, but I guess that's baseball. It may be hard, but in a way, it will be a bonding moment for father and daughter.

Just a few things I'm thinking about tonight. I love that Gracie has embraced baseball, like her father. What a thrill ....

My "Swine Flu" DVD list

Giving full credit to Jamie Armata for coining the phrase. One day, we're having dinner, and he said, "I kinda hope I get the swine flu, cuz I got a bunch of DVD's I need to catch up on". I've been using it ever since ...

Here is my current "Swine Flu" DVD list ....

Elton John (Live from Madison Square Garden, October of 2000)

Elton John (60th Birthday show from MSG, March of 2007)

Guided By Voices (Final show, From Chicago, December of 2004)

Modern Family (season one)

Curb Your Enthusiasm (season seven)

The Dark Knight

The Deer Hunter

Godfather Trilogy

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concerts

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame box set

The Rise and Fall of ECW

Car 54 Where are You (season one)

The League (season one)

30 for 30 (first 15 documentaries)

Baseball (Ken Burns documentary)

The History of the Cleveland Browns

30 Day Song Challenge (in one night)

Day One - My Favorite Song ...

Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (Billy Joel)

Day Two- My Least Favorite Song ...

That piece of shit Nickelback song featured in Spider Man, or some shit (Nickelback)

Day Three - A Song That Makes Me Happy ...

Gracie (Ben Folds)

Day Four - A Song That Makes Me Sad ...

Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) (Billy Joel) ....

Day Five - A Song That Reminds Me of Someone ...

The Beauty of Who You Are (Marc Broussard)

Day Six - A Song That Reminds Me of Somewhere ...

I Love Rock n Roll (Joan Jett)

Day Seven - A Song That Reminds Me of a Certain Event ...

Cadillac Ranch (Bruce Springsteen)

Day Eight - A Song That I Know All the Words To ...

Buddy Holly (Weezer)

Day Nine - A Song That I Can Dance To ...

(none)

Day Ten - A Song That Makes Me Fall Asleep ...

(none come to mind)

Day Eleven - A Song From My Favorite Band ...

Diecast Aeroplane (Union Pulse)

Day Twelve - A Song From a Band I Hate ...

Photograph (Nickelback)

Day Thirteen - A Song That is a Guilty Pleasure ...

Mambo #5 (Lou Bega)

Day Fourteen - A Song That Nobody Would Expect Me To Love ...

Long Gone Lonesome Blues (Hank Williams)

Day Fifteen - A Song That Describes Me ...

Summer, Highland Falls (Billy Joel)

Day Sixteen - A Song That I Used to Love, But Now Hate ...

(honestly can't think of one right now)

Day Seventeen - A Song That I Hear Often on the Radio ...

Since You Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson)

Day Eighteen - A Song That I Wish I Heard on the Radio ...

Do You Wanna Be Right, or Do You Wanna Be Happy (Union Pulse)

Day Nineteen - A Song From My Favorite Album ...

My Valuable Hunting Knife (Guided By Voices, Alien Lanes)

Day Twenty - A Song That I Listen to When I'm Angry ...

Chop Suey! (System of a Down)

Day Twenty One - A Song That I Listen to When I'm Happy ...

Uptown Girl (Billy Joel)

Day Twenty Two - A Song That I Listen to When I'm Sad ...

Take the Long Way Home (Supertramp)

Day Twenty Three - A Song That I Want to Play at My Wedding ...

Flutter and Wow (Elvis Costello)

Day Twenty Four - A Song That I Want Played at My Funeral ...

Souvenir (Billy Joel)

Day Twenty Five - A Song That Makes Me Laugh ...

Jizz In My Pants (The Lonely Island)

Day Twenty Six - A Song That I Can Play on an Instrument ...

Lean On Me (Bill Withers)

Day Twenty Seven - A Song That I Wish I Could Play ...

Prelude/Angry Young Man (Billy Joel)

Day Twenty Eight - A Song That Makes Me Feel Guilty ...

of what ? I DIDN'T DO IT !!

Day Twenty Nine - A Song From My Childhood ...

Being With You (Smokey Robinson)

Day Thirty - My Favorite Song From This Time Last Year ...

Mind Eraser/No Chaser (Them Crooked Vultures)

Writer's Block ... here's a goofy photo