Attanasio describes 'expectancy,' 'anxiety' ahead of Cubs matchup

MILWAUKEE -- Brewers owner Mark Attanasio watched Thursday's Game 3 of the Padres-Cubs National League Wild Card Series finale with club founder and MLB Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig, and when the rival Cubs clinched a date with the Brewers in the NL Division Series, Attanasio felt mixed emotions.

“We're so used to hoping that the Cubs don't win, and likewise, I'm sure they feel that way about us,” Attanasio said. “Yet this is a great matchup for our fans and all the fans of baseball. These playoffs [in the] National League, you have the four teams with the most wins in it. That's special. And here you have two teams who know each other really well, so it should be great baseball. We look forward to the challenge and the opportunity, and I'm sure they do, too.

“Look, you have an expectancy, and you also have anxiety, and on both sides. That should make a very good series.”

It’s also a tough ticket. Brewers-Cubs games typically take place in front of mixed crowds, particularly in Milwaukee with Chicago fans making the 90-mile drive north. The Brewers could not limit postseason ticket purchases by zip code, but the good news is that the vast majority of those tickets were sold to Brewers fans long before this matchup materialized.

There’s always the secondary market, of course. There’s no mechanism for clubs to patrol that. But Attanasio and Brewers players expressed optimism on the eve of Game 1 that their fans will hold these tickets tight.

“It's two passionate fan bases that are pretty familiar with each other over the years, and we've had some big games against each other,” said longtime Brewer Christian Yelich. “It’s surprising that we haven't really met in the postseason before, but I kind of had a feeling this would shape up this way at some point this season.

“Look, they're a great team. We're a good team. We played each other really close throughout the season. I'd anticipate a lot of the same here in the postseason, and it will be a fun week for sure. It'll be a great atmosphere and two fun environments, when we're here and when we're at Wrigley.”

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Said Attanasio: “We expect our fans will bring the energy. They always do, and [they are] very supportive. If Cubs fans want to come see their team, I'm sure they'll figure out how to do that. And I'm sure how fans will figure out how to go to Wrigley Field.”

The Brewers are helping on that front. They announced a partnership with Amtrak on Friday to send a “Brewers Express” train from the Milwaukee Intermodal Station to Chicago for Game 3 on Tuesday, with the schedule to be determined once the game time is set. The first 300 fans will even get a bratwurst.

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Attanasio hopes his team’s destination goes far beyond Chicago’s Union Station, however. He wants a trip to the World Series.

“When I bought the club 21 seasons ago, I laid out four mandates or things that we looked to build on, and one was to always be sustainably competitive,” he said. “That was the first one. If you're not competitive, you can't be there. …

“Of course that's the goal for the organization, for the community. Nothing would be more special.”

Rotation plan beyond Game 1? TBD
Brewers manager Pat Murphy was not ready to announce a pitching rotation beyond Freddy Peralta in Game 1, but he said both right-hander Quinn Priester and left-hander Jose Quintana would be ready to start as early as Game 2 on Monday night. With Brandon Woodruff ruled out for the NLDS, the other would presumably then start Game 3 at Wrigley Field on Wednesday before Peralta comes back around for a Game 4 on Thursday, if necessary.

That Quintana is in that conversation represented another positive development for the former Cub, who was 11-7 with a 3.96 ERA in 24 regular-season starts for Milwaukee but finished on the 15-day injured list with a strained right calf.

He’s been facing hitters in recent weeks in live batting practices, including a session on Wednesday that simulated three innings, according to Murphy.

Megill’s meeting with Murphy
There’s no closer controversy in Milwaukee thanks to All-Star Trevor Megill, who reiterated his availability for the NLDS after missing the final month of the regular season with a right flexor strain. Megill said he told Murphy he has no problem if Abner Uribe, the young right-hander who closed games in the meantime remained in that role.

“He can close out games. I told Murph the other day, I really don’t give a [care],” Megill said. “We’re here to win games. There’s leverage in the fourth and fifth innings. It really doesn’t matter to me. I’ll get my three outs or however many batters they ask me to face, and hopefully get a win.”

The most important thing, Megill said, is that he is healthy enough to pitch. He threw a scoreless inning against the Reds in the regular-season finale and said he bounced back with only the usual soreness, then pitched to the middle of the Brewers' order this week during one of the team’s workouts.

“A little sore, but nothing that’s not manageable,” Megill said. “We’ve got a couple more innings here throughout October and possibly into November, and we’ll do everything we can to get through.”

Last call
• Murphy got some new ink since reporters saw him last. He has one new tattoo on his left upper arm of the Bob Uecker uniform patch that Brewers coaches and players have worn with pride all season to honor their late broadcaster, and another new tattoo on his left wrist that reads “3:19.10,” which is his daughter, Keli’s, top time in the Boston Marathon. Murphy said he likes the latter because it’s visible enough that people ask about it, and it gives him a chance to talk about his daughter.

• The club released some pregame details about Game 1. Parking lots will open 3 1/2 hours before the 1:08 p.m. CT scheduled first pitch, and the stadium gates will open 2 1/2 hours prior. And the teams will be on the foul lines 30 minutes ahead of the first pitch for pregame introductions.

• Ceremonial first pitches were announced, too. Former Brewers closer Salomón Torres, whose pre-NLDS speech in 2008 further fired up a Milwaukee fan base ready for the franchise’s first postseason berth in 26 years, gets the honor for Game 1. And Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman, former All-Star first baseman Cecil Cooper and Bob Uecker Jr. will all throw first pitches prior to Game 2.