Ok Brewers fans, can you guess who this tatoo belongs too?  Please leave a comment and let me know your best guess!  Does it belong to:

a.  Craig Counsell  b.Ben Sheets  c. Eric Gagne d.  Corey Hart e. Gabe Kapler

Mother’s Day is upon us, and it’s the opportunity for us to honor mom and tell her how much we love her.  While people celebrate in different ways, here’s how some of the Brewers will be honoring their moms this year.  Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there and a big shout out to my mom, who does so much for me.  Love you Mom!

Mike Cameron

I’m not sure yet for this year.  Before, I took out a full page ad in the newspaper to let her know how much I appreciated her, and one time I was playing a Sunday night game and I got a chance to do it on a national telecast. 

Craig Counsell

I will get to see my mom this week, so we’ll celebrate then. 

I try to put some thought to it, and it’s the thought that matters.

Rickie Weeks

I have my mom coming to town for the weekend so I will be able to see her and I’ve also got my aunts and a couple of cousins.  Maybe we’ll do a dinner and a movie, something special, and just spend time with her. (A couple of years ago he bought her a car).

Mike Rivera

With a day off coming up, I am going to go back home to Orlando and visit my wife and send something to my mom back in Puerto Rico.  I will probably take my wife to dinner and spend time with the kids and just relax.   The routine is usually flowers and dinner.

Tony Gwynn

I think my mom is supposed to be coming out to Milwaukee for Mothers Day.  Hopefully we can show her a good time while she is there.  She gets to see her granddaughter.  She is only six-months old, so that will be fun. 

 

It’s weird, but this spring it was eight years ago that my brothers and I got to go and see the Marlins (as Counsell’s guests) at spring training in Viera.  For those of you that read my blog, you know that Craig Counsell is my brother Zach’s ultimate favorite player of all time.  Their relationship developed when Craig was beaned in the jaw by a CJ Nitkowski fastball, and went on the DL with a wired shut jaw.  Zach wrote him tons of letters, and believe it or not, Counsell HAND WROTE a note back to Zach.  They became friends, and to this day the friendship remains.

So, here we are eight years later, and Craig is in town with the Brewers.  He still remembers us, and my brother still goes to visit him every time he is in town.  It’s strange, because, he has seen my brother grow up and it has to be weird for him.  This little kid who wore Counsell shirts and decorated his room with everything Counsell is now a teen ager – all grown up. 

We are heading out to the ballpark tomorrow to see Craig, and he will be really surprised to see how tall Zach has gotten.

There seems to be so much bad publicity lately with baseball players, and I write this just to remind everyone that there are some really great players out there.  Ones who remember their fans, and play the game because they truly love the game. 

Counsell is a guy who always becomes a fan favorite, no matter where he plays.  I don’t know how much longer he’ll continue, but I am glad he, and others like him, are in the game.  THEY are what baseball is all about, and worthy of looking up to!  Thanks Craig!