Olympians to help Crew open regular season

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- A musical tradition and an Olympics trio will highlight pregame festivities on Opening Day at Miller Park.

The 46th season in Brewers franchise history and 45th in Milwaukee begins Monday, when the team hosts the Braves at 1:10 p.m. CT. Miller Park lots open at 10 a.m., and the stadium gates open at 11 a.m.

Three Wisconsin-born athletes from last month's Winter Olympics in Sochi will throw ceremonial first pitches. Matt Antoine of Prairie du Chien was a bronze medalist in the Skeleton competition, and Brianna Decker of Dousman and Jessica Vetter from Cottage Grove were members of the silver-medal-winning U.S. women's ice hockey team. Decker is on the University of Wisconsin women's ice hockey team, and Vetter is an alumna of the university.

For the 10th consecutive year, Joseph Attanasio, the father of principal owner Mark Attanasio, will sing the National Anthem, surrounded on the field by his family.

The Brewers are advising fans to plan ahead for parking and to leave extra time to enter the ballpark this season because of enhanced security measures mandated by Major League Baseball. There will not be overflow parking at Wisconsin State Fair Park this year.