Brewers preparing for different atmosphere
Craig Counsell grew up in Whitefish Bay, played several seasons for the Brewers and now serves as their manager, so he is quite familiar with the “state holiday” atmosphere normally associated with the first home game of a baseball season in Milwaukee.
He also knows how different it will be this season with no fans attending the
opener.
“Every day is different (in 2020) so every game we play is different,” said Counsell, whose team will play its first game at Miller Park this season Friday at 1:10 p.m. against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“If you guys were in Chicago (for the season opener against the Cubs last Friday), you felt it on their opening day. It's different. I think the players are starting to settle into that, but I think they're still a little shocked by how different it all is.
“I'll stress this again. There are very few times that you don't realize that this is different. Certainly, on opening day, it feels odd standing on the (foul) line and getting announced when there's nobody there. It was a strange experience in Chicago.”
To show how different the home opener will be, the Brewers announced a series of changes in ceremonial festivities. Instead of someone throwing out a ceremonial first pitch, former owner and commissioner Bud Selig and Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Bob Uecker will lead a "first cheer" on the video board.
The tradition of owner Mark Attanasio's sons, Dan and Mike, singing the National Anthem as a tribute to their late grandfather Joe also will be tabled this year, with 11-year-old Liamani Segura doing the honors. She has performed the anthem in the past at Miller Park and comes from a family of health care workers, an appropriate gesture.
And, with no children (or adults) in attendance, the "play ball" kid will come in the form of videos from the players' families, with their children issuing the traditional call to start the game.
Those changes aside, the Brewers figure to feel more comfortable playing at home for several reasons.
After holding a three-week summer camp at Miller Park, the players became familiar with all of the changes made to adhere to comprehensive COVID-19 protocols designed to help them stay safe.
The players and staff also will enjoy the comfort of being in their own living spaces in and around Milwaukee after spending the first week on the road in Chicago and Pittsburgh, worrying about different travel factors that might be dangerous. It certainly didn't help that the Miami Marlins had a major coronavirus outbreak in their very first road series in Philadelphia.
With that backdrop, Counsell said his players are looking forward to donning their brand-new home uniforms for the first time in this delayed 60-game season.
“I would say from the limited experience I have so far just that level of fear and anxiety I felt on the road is far greater than it was at home,” Counsell said.
“When we're on the road, I think for all of us, it's like you don't want to leave the hotel. You don't want to take many chances. You know you show up to a ballpark, you don't know what to expect. So, I think from that perspective, just mentally and emotionally, I think all of us feel better about the health and safety protocols when we're at home.”