With Adam McCalvy on vacation this week, MLB.com's Ryan Herrera subbed in to write this newsletter. |
Daz Cameron got a very special gift just in time for Father’s Day. The 28-year-old Brewers outfielder and his wife, Jasmine, welcomed a daughter just less an hour before midnight heading into Sunday. Halo Bodhi Genevieve Cameron, his second child -- he also has a one-year-old son, Yazwohali -- came out at seven pounds, 13 ounces, and 19 inches long. “It's beautiful, man,” Cameron said. “Just to be there, and be around family, and then see my wife give birth was amazing.” Milwaukee placed Cameron on the paternity list, which lets a player take a leave of absence up to three days, on June 13. It isn’t easy for players to leave their families, especially after the birth of a child. Cameron acknowledged it was tough, but he also said being a father and a professional baseball player -- especially at the big league level -- is all about balance. He was activated from the paternity list on Monday, and he knows he’s there to help the Brewers win ballgames whenever his name is called. |
Learning how to balance it all is a process. Fortunately, Cameron already has a lot of experience with it. He’s the son of Mike Cameron, who played 17 seasons in the Majors -- including 2008-09 with Milwaukee -- collected three Gold Glove Awards and was an All-Star in 2001. The majority of Mike’s big league career came after Daz was born on Jan. 15, 1997. Growing up with a professional baseball-playing dad taught Cameron some things about how to manage it with his children. “I think it's just understanding the life,” he said. “A lot of the guys who have kids know that the time spent away from home when you go to the stadium is the balancing part that we all balance as players to continue to make [the] best for our families. Understanding the lifestyle is a lot of patience. |
“We're gone away from home sometimes. Sometimes, the family comes with us. But the most important part is when you're here as an athlete versus when you're at home as a father. You prepare for your job to help the team win a ballgame that day, and then when you go home, of course, it's family. It's everyday life living there, so the balanced experience part of it is important. “And planning, making sure that you plan ahead of time. We wake up early, eat breakfast, and get everything going for that day to start the day, and then go on from then and there. So, I think it's just a lot of planning.” Cameron’s family just got bigger, and he’s cherishing the newest blessing in his life. “It's just amazing,” Cameron said. “Of course, there's always just those experiences that you go through as a father, and to see that I have a daughter now, you kind of look at life a little differently from that perspective. … Overall, it's just one of those things that we're living and learning through the experience. I'm glad that we experienced it.” |
|
|
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
|
|
On Wednesday, the Brewers announced a special (and sure to be competitive) addition to their 25th Season of American Family Field celebration. Milwaukee will host an alumni Home Run Derby following the conclusion of its game against Miami on July 25. First pitch for that contest is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. CT. The Derby will feature Ryan Braun and Carlos Gómez as team captains, and they’ll draft their teams “school-yard pick” style from a group consisting of Yovani Gallardo, Bill Hall, Corey Hart, Casey McGehee, Nyjer Morgan and Eric Thames. Longtime Brewers coach Ed Sedar and former Crew catcher George Kottaras will be the pitcher/catcher duo. Each batter will have two minutes to hit as many homers as possible. The last 30 seconds of their rounds will feature golden baseballs, with each one hit over the fence contributing three runs to the teams’ total score. After a winning team is crowned, the two players with the highest individual totals will compete in the final round. Brewers broadcasters Lane Grindle and Jeff Levering will emcee the Home Run Derby. All fans in attendance at that day’s game are invited to stay and watch the Derby, with concession stands reopening for the event. |
BREWERS' DOMINICAN ACADEMY DRAWS PRAISE |
Sports Illustrated recently did a deep dive on the Brewers' success as a small-market team, noting their six postseason appearances since 2018. But what might be the ingredient for even more success -- perhaps even a World Series title, the outlet suggests -- is Milwaukee's focus on Latin America, which includes a new state-of-the-art baseball academy in the Dominican Republic. While every MLB team has an interest and presence in the Dominican Republic, the size and scope of the Brewers' new academy symbolize their commitment to the baseball-rich country and could help them lure more top-end talent to the organization. The $20 million academy, which can house 106 players, was completed in 2024 and boasts 1.3 million square feet of space that includes a 22-room dorm, a clubhouse, a kitchen, a 3,400-square-foot gym and classrooms where players can finish high school while also studying English. The gym alone is five times the size of the one at the Brewers' previous Dominican facility. |
|
|
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW |
|
|
To subscribe to Brewers Beat, visit this page and mark "Brewers Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Brewers or that they're checked as your favorite team. |
|
|
|
