By Jim Owczarski Sports Editor Published Apr 19, 2013 at 6:01 PM

The Chicago Cubs make their first trip to Milwaukee this weekend, a little over a week after the Brewers’ first visit to the "Friendly Confines" of Wrigley Field. Over the years, such games have become must-see for fans on both sides of the border.

Invariably, discussion about the two franchises turns toward the differences between the two venues.

In Milwaukee, you’ve got baseball every day it’s scheduled, climate controlled or open to the sun and warmth of mid-summer. You’ve got multiple levels, bathrooms, lots of concession options, and plenty of affordable parking.

In Chicago, well, you have history.

Is it a fair trade? Would Milwaukeeans rather have one of the country’s two iconic ballparks, warts, cracks, smells and all? Or do you like having a modern venue without any historical significance?

I visited Wrigley Field last weekend as a spectator for the first time in over a decade for a friend’s bachelor party, and I forgot just how bad that ballpark really is for fans. I don’t mind the small seats and little leg room, though it’s inconvenient, but looking up consistently at the netting protecting my head from dislodged concrete was somewhat disconcerting.

There are more electronic information boards and televisions available, but depending on where you sit, you can’t see many of them very well, if at all. Then, of course, you’ve got bathroom and concessions issues.

While I sympathize with the Ricketts family as they fight with the city of Chicago over renovations, the "improvements" within the ballpark look forced and frankly, tacky. Right now, it looks historic and … cheap.

Before joining OnMilwaukee.com I visited Miller Park as a spectator several times, and enjoyed the experience immensely.

Where Wrigley gained an "advantage" in my eyes is that as a working professional, I had the privilege of sitting in the dugout. Doing so at Wrigley Field for the first time literally gave me goosebumps as I looked out at the ivy and scoreboard and allowed that century of historical significance wash over me. But frankly, that went away the first time I conked my head on a pipe or spend a day with wet socks because I stepped in a pool of cruddy water collecting in the bowels of that place.

As far as a working environment goes, Miller Park tops Wrigley, too.

You can’t replace history, but you can make it, and, in doing so, I’d rather be covering it at a place that’s far more comfortable.

Jim Owczarski is an award-winning sports journalist and comes to Milwaukee by way of the Chicago Sun-Times Media Network.

A three-year Wisconsin resident who has considered Milwaukee a second home for the better part of seven years, he brings to the market experience covering nearly all major and college sports.

To this point in his career, he has been awarded six national Associated Press Sports Editors awards for investigative reporting, feature writing, breaking news and projects. He is also a four-time nominee for the prestigious Peter J. Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism, presented by the Chicago Headline Club, and is a two-time winner for Best Sports Story. He has also won numerous other Illinois Press Association, Illinois Associated Press and Northern Illinois Newspaper Association awards.

Jim's career started in earnest as a North Central College (Naperville, Ill.) senior in 2002 when he received a Richter Fellowship to cover the Chicago White Sox in spring training. He was hired by the Naperville Sun in 2003 and moved on to the Aurora Beacon News in 2007 before joining OnMilwaukee.com.

In that time, he has covered the events, news and personalities that make up the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, NCAA football, baseball and men's and women's basketball as well as boxing, mixed martial arts and various U.S. Olympic teams.

Golf aficionados who venture into Illinois have also read Jim in GOLF Chicago Magazine as well as the Chicago District Golfer and Illinois Golfer magazines.