Catch baseball all over Wisconsin this summer, from the Brewers to the Northwoods League
The Brewers' rebuilding movement, stocking its team and minor-league system with young talent, is a good reminder that it can be fun to watch the future take the field.
And when it comes to baseball in Wisconsin, there's a lot of future to watch.
In addition to the Brewers, the state is home to two Class A minor-league teams — the level where all those stars of tomorrow are playing today — and nine more in the Northwoods League, a developmental league designed to help college players get to that level.
Here's a lineup of options if you're looking for the national pastime this summer.
Milwaukee Brewers
Craig Counsell and company weren't expected to make a lot of noise this season, but tell that to off-season pickups Eric Thames and Travis Shaw, who both supplied power to a still-in-development lineup. Anticipating another season of challenges on the field, Brewers management added a lot of promotions to the 2017 schedule at Miller Park.
Theme nights: Nearly two months into the season, there are still 19 theme nights on the calendar, from the first-ever Bark at the Park Night (June 6), to which people can bring their dogs (they need a ticket, though) and will receive a collapsible dog dish; to Saturday Night Fever Night (Sept. 23), a disco-themed night with an appropriate (sort of) giveaway for special ticket holders — a limited-edition Bill Schroeder Disco Pose Bobblehead. See mlb.com/brewers/tickets/theme-tickets for more.
RELATED: Guide to beer, craft and otherwise, at Miller Park
Giveaways: The Brewers schedule still has four of the popular Free T-Shirt Fridays on it — May 26, June 16, July 14 and Aug. 11 — but the best is yet to come, freebie-wise at Miller Park. Other summer giveaways include a replica 1982 American League Championship ring (July 16) and a Bob Uecker 8-Ball (Aug.13). And of course, there's the slew of bobbleheads, including one with Robin Yount riding a motorcycle (May 28). See brewers.com/promotions for more.
Ticket deals: In addition to a bullpen full of discount offers during the season, the Brewers have something called Dynamic Deals, evolving discount pricing for upcoming games, meaning deals can be had especially for last-minute ticket-buyers. See mlb.com/brewers/tickets/fan-value/dynamic-deals for details.
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Based in Appleton, the Timber Rattlers have been a Class A affiliate of the Brewers since 2009. Like most minor-league franchises, the Timber Rattlers tap their connection to past players who made it to the big leagues (this year's bobblehead schedule includes Domingo Santana, David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez), and have family-friendly promotions every night. The team plays its games at Fox Cities Stadium, 2400 N. Casaloma Drive.
Info: timberrattlers.com
Beloit Snappers
Like the Timber Rattlers, the Snappers are in the Class A Midwest League, part of the Oakland A's system. Beloit used to be a Brewers farm team, so those connections remain (one of this year's giveaways is a Chris Bosio bobblehead, depicting the former Brewers pitcher and current Cubs pitching coach). The Snappers play at Pohlman Field in Telfer Park, 2301 Skyline Drive.
Info: SnappersBaseball.com
Northwoods League and Lakeshore Chinooks
Founded in 1994, the Northwoods League now has 20 teams across the Midwest, stocked with college-level players looking to hone their skills. And some do: Each team's website celebrates past players who have made it to the MLB, such as two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, 2016 World Series MVP Ben Zobrist and several current Milwaukee Brewers, including slugger Eric Thames, who played with the La Crosse Loggers in 2007.
Wisconsin has nine teams in the league: the Lakeshore Chinooks, who play at Kapco Field in Mequon on the Concordia University campus, 12800 N. Lake Shore Drive; the Eau Claire Express; the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders; the Green Bay Bullfrogs; the Kenosha Kingfish; the La Crosse Loggers; the Madison Mallards; the Wisconsin Woodchucks, who play in Wausau; and the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters.
The 2017 season runs from May 30 through Aug. 13 and, like their minor-league brethren, most franchises fill their schedules with family-friendly promotions.
In the case of the Chinooks, a number of them are tied to the Brewers — not least because two of the Chinooks' owners, including Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Bob Uecker, are tied to the Brewers. Giveaways at Chinooks games this season include "tailgating bobbleheads" of Uecker (June 3), Yount (June 11) and former Brewers fan favorite Gorman Thomas (June 24). Single-game tickets for Chinooks games are priced family-friendly, too: $13 for reserved box seats, $10 for reserved grandstand and $7 for general admission.
Info: northwoodsleague.com and lakeshorechinooks.com