2009 Brewers On Deck Event

[bobbledude25]

Paying for autos LOL. Save your money and go to spring training and get them for FREE

[PeaveyFury]

Paying for autos LOL. Save your money and go to spring training and get them for FREE

 

In the grand scheme of things, wouldn't you actually be paying considerably MORE when you factor in the cost of the trip?

[decktard]

So I can't quite figure out the wording... is it 1 autograph per fan for the entire event... or 1 autograph for any given time slot?

 

I'd like to get both Gallardo and Bush...

[Bikeage77]

I'm pretty sure they are referring to one per player. I'm just hoping you can get tickets for each guy at the same location. It'll be chaos if there's a ticket line for Braun, Fielder, Hoffman, etc. Then you might as well just plan on getting one guy.

[billyhallfan]

billyhallfan wrote:

it seems like every time there are threads like this in the MLB forum it turns into a discussion of how stupid autographs are...

Well, up to and including this post, the only mention of said topic was yours. A couple folks have said that they wouldn't pay for autographs, which I don't believe means they think autographs are stupid, just that they won't pay someone to write their name on something. For free? Sure.

 

This is not in the trading post because nothing is being traded.

haha, that didn't last very long

[PeaveyFury]

haha, that didn't last very long

 

One guy said that it'd be better to get autos in spring training for free, not that getting autos was bad or stupid.

[billyhallfan]

the 2 page argument on fielder is what i was talking about, stuff like that happened last year too, i don't remember the thread, but it was on uecker and it ended up being an argument about "autographs..." maybe i didn't use the right word when i was describing it

[Bikeage77]

So what did everyone think? I thought it was way more organized than anything at Miller Park. Having one entrance made things run a lot smoother from the get go. It was also nice to be in a heated building as opposed to a freezing Miller Park.

 

Braun personalized everything, BUT I got my sig on the Helena Brewers bobble, and there wasn't much room to begin with, and after politely asking him if he had to, and showing him my Brewers tattoo to help confirm I'm not selling anything, he gave me a pass.

 

Was able to get Svuem on my team bat, and asked him to put Wild Card 08 under it. As soon as that was said, Sedar goes "How fast is this gonna be on eBay?" He was somewhat joking, I think, but was still turned off by it. I managed to get Gallardo, Salome, and Gamel as well.

 

Pretty crowded around 11-2 but it cooled down after the first tier players were done signing. The Rummage sale had most of the 82 bobbles and a few bigger ones for 2 or 3 bucks. Former player signed balls were in pretty slim supply. They had a buncha stuff, but not as much variety as I remember from years past. I managed to get a Braun Huntsville bobble for 30 at the Farm Club table, which is way cheaper than what eBay is getting for em.

 

All and all I enjoyed this a lot more, even though we had to pay for autographs, it went to a good cause, and you get a free ticket to a game in mid april, so that's worth it. I'd definately take this set up over the Miller Park On Deck's.

 

One last thing, for the Fielder bashers, as soon as he was done signing, he took off his jersey, signed it and handed it off to a girl, something he probably didn't have to do. Nice gesture, I'm thinking Braun did the same thing, as I saw him leaving his table minus his jersey.

[hawing]

We had to pass this time - the S.O.'s just getting over a cold and I appear to be just starting one. That made the notion of driving from Madison in pretty cold weather unappealing.

 

Bikeage77, did you notice if the rummage sale had any jerseys?

[AJAY]

I attended the On Deck Event with my little nephew. We got there well before the event was supposed to start. However, the lines were so long that we weren't able to enter until near the end of Trevor Hoffman's press conference. We were VERY disappointed to have missed the press conference even though we got there early. I think they need to learn from this and give fans more time to enter before starting the scheduled events.

 

Overall, I liked the event. There seemed to be a good variety of activities for families, kids, and autograph / memorabilia collectors. It was also nice to see several former Brewers mingling with fans and playing baseball with little kids.

 

I do wish they would have held the event in the nicer convention rooms (the ones with carpeting). The room they selected was very cold and sterile. I would have rather had the event in April in Miller Park instead of in that room.

 

On a side note, it was weird not having Jim Powell there. But it was nice to see Trenni Kusnieriek again.

[foster1887]

I got there at 10 am and the place was packed. We stood in line until about 10:20 until the line started moving, went up one escalator only to realize we had to wait in line to go up another escalator. When we got there, we waited in the Bob Uecker line. Braun's line was filled up as well as Fielders. The lines were well organized I must say. Well we were about a hundred people back when Uecker came out and with him was Attanasio. Nice little treat since he wasn't on the schedule.

 

Well they started signing autographs and word got to the back of the line that Uecker would not sign ANYTHING except his own provided picture. People were outraged and I saw a couple of people go off on Mark about it. I don't blame them because if they are paying $25 for an autograph, they should be able to get it on something they have. I was about ready to leave the line because I don't want to pay $25 for something that isn't personal(he was pre-autographing the pictures and leaving them on the table for people to pick up). Well I couldn't get out so I stayed to get a picture. Well about 50 people went through when I guess enough people complained to Mark and Bob about it when they changed the rule.

 

I tried to talk to Uecker but he was being very grouchy. I asked him how he was doing and he didn't answer. He wouldn't even look at me. I ended up getting my pink Louisvill slugger signed by him. Then I asked if it was alright if I got a picture with me and him. Again, he didn't answer so I just went in and had my friend take a picture(which didn't turn out). It kind of sucks how cold the guy was to not even say anything. Mark signed a picture of him for me and I thanked him.

 

I ended up getting a couple bobbleheads, getting a picture with Mitch Stetter and the best of all: another pink bat autographed by Angel Salome, Mat Gamel, and Taylor Green!!! They were all very nice and mingled with me. I told Salome I hope to see him in Milwaukee very soon and he said I can't wait. Except for my frustration with Uecker, it went very smoothly. There was a lot to do for kids and adults.

[bobbledude25]

You met the real Bob Uecker! Thats how he is, it wasn't you personally. Nice autos though

 

Edit: Please follow rules about lengthy quotes by others...

[MickeyDavis]

Yeah Uecker isn't a very personable guy with the public. It's not like he does a bunch of signings a year. He doesn't do any. So for the one time he signs for BREWER fans he should at least make eye contact.

[billyhallfan]

uecker is not a freindly person, completely different on the radio...

[BREWCREW5]

Yea, from everything I have heard, Uecker is far from friendly. It's kind of sad really.

[Paul77]

Bikeage77, did you notice if the rummage sale had any jerseys?

Yep, there were jerseys. $75 each, limit of two.

[hawing]

Bikeage77, did you notice if the rummage sale had any jerseys?

Yep, there were jerseys. $75 each, limit of two.

Ah, nuts. Were there any decent names, or just the parade of early 2000's has-beens/never-weres that they have been offering for several On Deck sales?

[Bikeage77]

yup, for the most part that's what they were. Turnbow was probably the biggest name there. I didn't go straight over there, so there could have been a few bigger names. I went to the Braun line, got my voucher, then ran over there. In that short time all the 07 team balls were gone and most of the single player balls too. Gagne was the biggest name I remember from the single signed baseballs.

[BrewCrewForever]

I was all about getting Bush signed on a ball. But then since my friends and I got there early enough I went for the Braun line and got Braun on a ball. Couldn't resist. But I think my highlight was getting my picture with Doug Melvin. Also just by luck passing by Willie Randolph and saying hello and welcoming him to Milwaukee for which he was thankful.

 

For some reason they had Braun personalize everything. Not sure why and I didn't complain since I have no intention of selling my Braun ball. He did sweet spot it though. Braun's line went really slow and it seems mostly because he is so personal with everyone chit chatting and posing for pictures. Braun is such a class act.

 

Edit: Here are some pictures.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3420/3224305306_356dc7dd3c.jpg?v=0 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3223447891_6eeb27615b.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3223448027_1d13df21bb.jpg?v=0

[AJAY]

Interesting comments about Bob Uecker. Like many of you, I have also heard that he isn't the friendliest person when he is off the air. It's kind of sad. How hard is it to just smile and say hello? I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that once Uecker is retired from broadcasting, you are going to hear a lot more stories come out about what he was really like.

 

Anyway, I did notice that guys like Mike Cameron and Trevor Hoffman were having a lot of fun talking with fans while posing for photos and signing autogrpahs. They seemed genuinely excited to be meeting everyone. I can easily see how these two have the reputation of being very popular with teammates.

[decktard]

I'll have to disagree with the comment that things were organized... I came in on the bottom floor of the center. Nothing was really marked saying where the main entrance was... where to get in line, etc. The people behind me were pretty upset when they realized we had to go up 3 escalators to the 3rd floor. They had come down from the second where there was another line. Long story short... they had a chance to get in line upstairs and could've cut their wait down by 20-30 minutes.

 

Luckily enough I got in and waited in the line for Gallardo... the only signature I wanted. I got my locker room nameplate signed by him... it'll be a nice, one-of-a-kind piece that is going to go up somewhere in the house.

 

The one downside to the autographs here was since there were far less autograph stations than past years. I think it cut down on the chances to get multiple autographs. A few years back I was able to get Sheets as my main autograph and I could've gotten a handful more from players signing down by the field level.

 

In the end... it seemed like an ok event. It seemed like there were more kids events. I spoke with a couple players and coaches briefly and everyone seemed in a good mood.

[patrickgpe]

i really liked it this year, even though it didn't get off to a good start in the beginning with the crazy busy line. I got Macha's autograph and he seems like a very nice guy for the minute i spent with him. The photo stations were really great, i got to meet hardy, coffee, bush, nelson, dillard, and rogers (didn't expect he'd be there and took me a second to figure out who he was but noone around me had any idea so i had to fill them in). Never waited for more than 20 minutes for any pic which i would rather have than an autograph anyway.

 

as for the rummage sale i got there right at 10 and there were some jerseys. I was tempted to get a turnbow game worn. All were 75 and had the likes of yost, machado, gross, estrada lehr, etc. Game used bats were 25. I got a gabe gross autographed one. They had the i heart new york tshirts for 2. Also i kept the bobblehead collection moving with gantner and a yount one for 2 each.

[1992casey]

For some reason they had Braun personalize everything. Not sure why and I didn't complain since I have no intention of selling my Braun ball.

 

It makes the autographed item less attractive for resale.

[Patrick425]

Yeah, I'm not really surprised at all about the Uecker comments. I grew up enjoying listening to him call games and I'll be sad when it's time for him to hang it up. However, I always viewed him as having quite a big ego.

 

My dad can't stand him. My dad's a retired Milwaukee school teacher. During the summer he would take odd jobs. One thing he did was manage and sell apartment units. One time Ueker came in with a couple of other friends to look at the model apartment. He sat on the couch and put his feet up and really treated my Dad like a peon.

[patrickgpe]

i never met uecker but have heard similar stories, i would wonder why the brewers would put him out there as a premium autograph if he was like that. The players i met today couldn't of been nicer. I think situations like the one foster had could put a sour face on the fans. There were alot of fans that i'd consider bandwagon jumpers from overhearing their conversations throughout the day and that may be something to keep them away form miller park this summer.