REPORTING FROM ... BREWERS SPRING TRAINING CAMP

by Molly Knight

The problem with trying to talk to Milwaukee's big names is that most guys on the roster only play a few outs of each game then bolt before the 7th inning sausage race. Fortunately, that wasn't the case with Brewers skipper Ned Yost, who was holding an impromptu press conference in Bermuda shorts and flip-flops.

I'd hoped he'd discuss the hammer pants Prince Fielder has taken to wearing during scrimmages but instead he covered team basics until he was interrupted by a text message from comedian Jeff Foxworthy, who, as Yost informed us, was writing to say he's been promoting the Brewer's World Series chances on his radio show. As the manager contemplated texting him back I excused myself to explore the locker room.
     I found CF Mike Cameron plunked down at his locker in team-issued shorts and we talked about how Felix Hernandez had pitched today. Cameron asked me how fast I thought he was throwing.
      "Ninety-nine?" I said. Then out of nowhere A nearby clubhouse attendant chimed in, "First pitch, fastball, 92. Second pitch, change-up, 86. Fastball, 93. Fastball, 91 &" He continued rattling off numbers.
     Cameron talked about the Presidential election, and how he and his teammates find the race "very, very interesting." He said that when he played for the Padres, he and Chris Young would discuss universal health care, teachers salaries, inflation and unemployment rates ad nauseam. "It was pretty much just me and him debating and nobody else seemed that interested," said Cameron. "Now it's something we're all thinking about. With the job situation the way it is now, there don't seem to be many opportunities right now for people to make a good living. I feel incredibly blessed because man, it's rough out there."
     Cameron, who lives in Atlanta in the off-season, said he's most concerned about his kids' schooling. "Hopefully we'll wake up and realize that teachers are more important than any other profession and start treating them that way."
     The conversation wasn't all serious. When I told him I was waiting to see if Eric Gagne would turn up, Cameron joked that I shouldn't waste my time, because "Eric Gagne is looong gone." Little did I know that Gagne was standing right behind me making faces the whole time.
     Apparently Gagne grew up a diehard Expos fan, and he didn't even really know what the American League was when he was a kid. "I'm happy to be back in the NL," he said. As for any differences in the league's that might explain the AL's dominance of late, he said, "I think the National League is just younger. I don't know why, but I think it has something to do with having more small markets."
     Then he gave a shoutout to his favorite NL players of all-time: Tim Wallach, Gary Carter and Tim Raines.
     He said he had no plans to pitch differently to the NL this year, but added, "I do plan to pitch like I did in Texas, not how I did in Boston."
     Good things for the Brewers.

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