An A-Z visitors guide to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Sponsored by Key Magazine Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/27987
KEY COVER FEATURE 2011 Brewers DIE-HARD fans of every Major League Baseball team start each season saying, “This will be the year.” But in 2011, the tailgate-loving followers of the Milwaukee Brewers have plenty of reasons for their optimism. The Brewers made more than a few headlines this offseason: • New pitchers were brought on board to fill one of the major holes in last year’s lineup. General manager Doug Melvin’s trades to bring former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke from Kansas City and Shaun Marcum from the Toronto Blue Jays were considered some of baseball’s best offseason moves. • The Brewers maintained their strong offensive lineup with young hitters like All-Stars Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and Corey Hart and speedy leadoff hitter Rickie Weeks. • New manager Ron Roenicke promises an aggressive style, in contrast to the more conser- vative approach of the 2010 season. While spring training injuries may affect the first month of the season for the Brewers, nothing will 8 dampen the enthusiasm of the fans. For Milwaukee, opening day is the ultimate sports experience, dat- ing back to the Milwaukee Braves, who brought the only world championship to the city in 1957. Fans with and without tickets for the home opener break out their grills, pack their coolers and fill every inch of the sprawling parking area that extends on both sides of I-94. Rain or shine, you’ll find brats grilled and the brews downed by fun-lov- ing groups of every size, from friends gathered around cars to crowds in tented corporate events. Once inside Miller Park, the enthusiasm gains momentum. During his first six years as owner of the Brewers, Mark Attanasio and his staff made many improvements to the facility, which has been recognized by writers and broadcasters as one of the top three in baseball. The retractable roof, an essential for a team in the upper Midwest, even resulted in the Cleveland Indians shifting their home opener to Brew City two years ago.