Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jeff Suppan has been at this a long time. He’s pitched in the American and National leagues, the playoffs and the World Series.

But unlike some, Suppan still has the same enthusiasm for baseball that he had as a child during his daily game of catch with his father.

A smile comes across the face of Suppan, 33, when asked to recall his Major League debut in 1995.

"I remember thinking I wasn’t nervous and then realizing I couldn’t feel my arms and legs," he recalls.

Suppan, a Lake Country resident in his second year with the Brewers, still gets a rush when he takes the mound at Miller Park.

"It’s an incredible feeling," says Suppan, who last year won the Michael Harrison Award for Community Service. "The fans are so much a part of the game and I can definitely feel their energy. Pitching at Miller Park is a great experience."

The road to Miller Park and the Brewers did not happen overnight. For as long as he can remember, Suppan went to bed dreaming of playing Major League baseball.

How much did Suppan want it? Let’s just say when he was asked in school to write about what he wanted to be when he grew up, he didn’t pick fireman. Suppan made it a point not to let the southern California lifestyle seduce him away from baseball.

"When his games were over and the rest of the kids went surfing, he came home," says Larry Suppan, Jeff’s dad. "He put his skateboard away when he was 12. He was disciplined and just locked in on baseball."

Larry Suppan was able to catch for his son until he went to high school. "He would always throw to me in the backyard," Larry Suppan remembers. "I kept lengthening the mound as he got older, but when he got to high school I stepped down. There wasn’t enough property in the backyard."

After starring for Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, Calif., he was selected in the second round of the 1993 First-Year Player Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He alternated time between the minors and majors before finding a home in Kansas City.

In 1999, he won 10 games for the Royals. From 1999 through 2002, he won a total of 39 games. After one season split between Pittsburgh and Boston in 2003, he began the most successful part of his career in St. Louis.

Suppan, who had a career record of 118-113 going into the 2008 season, was 44-26 in three years as a Cardinal. In 2006, he was St. Louis’ best pitcher after the All-Star Break. He was selected MVP of the NLCS after posting a 0.60 ERA in 15 innings. St. Louis went on to defeat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

He will never forget the on-field celebration when the last out was recorded against the Tigers. "The two or three minutes where we were running around out there like kids was pretty awesome," he says.

Suppan was a prime free agent following the World Series, and the Brewers signed him through the 2010 season with a club option for 2011. In his first year with the Brewers, he went 12-12 with a 4.62 ERA, to become one of seven NL pitchers to win at least 12 games for four consecutive years.

His demeanor and professionalism made a big impression on the Brewers and manager Ned Yost. "He does everything well," Yost says. "And Soup’s a great guy to have in the clubhouse."

Suppan is a quiet leader to the rest of the pitching staff. "I think experience does a lot for every player," he says.

Suppan pitched a team-high 206 and 2/3 innings and made 30 plus starts for the ninth consecutive season. The only active pitchers with longer streaks are Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Livan Hernandez.

In a sport where some pitchers struggle to stay off the Disabled List, Suppan has earned a well-deserved reputation as an innings eater. "I had a coach at one time who said the best ability is availability," Suppan says. "I always liked that saying."

Suppan and his wife, Dana, who reside in Porter Ranch, Calif. in the offseason, like the Lake Country area and the city of Milwaukee.

"Living along a lake is pretty incredible," he says. "I wouldn’t really consider myself an outdoorsman, but I’ve enjoyed learning about boating. I got my (boating) license and it’s peaceful and fun to take people out there."

On the rare times he does fish, what is a typical experience like? "Everyone catches fish except for me," he says with a smile.

He also enjoys spending time exploring the greater Milwaukee area. "Once I signed here I found some great things," he says. "A lot of little treasures. I really enjoy going to Holy Hill and just think it’s a tremendous place. I enjoy driving the country roads and eating at a couple of great country restaurants."

Off the field, Suppan stays extremely busy with his charity work and Soup’s Grill, a restaurant he co-owns with his wife, in Woodland Hills, Calif. Suppan was the Brewers’ 2007 nominee for the Robert Clemente Award, which honors players committed to community involvement and sportsmanship.

He donates $100,000 each year to Brewers’ charities. In addition, each time he strikes out a batter, Suppan donates $100 to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The fund supports severely-wounded military personnel and veterans and provides support for families of military personnel lost in service.

Suppan’s father, one of his oldest brothers and several friends served the country, so this is a cause that really hits home for him.

"Soldiers do so much for us," he says. "I was talking with my brother-in-law about (ways) to help the troops, and he told me about this fund."

Suppan’s Catholic faith is extremely important to him. He appeared on the DVD "Champions of Faith," and in 2005 on a trip to Rome, he had the honor of briefly meeting Pope Benedict XVI. "That was a life-changing experience," Suppan says. "There were no guarantees I would meet him with 40,000 people there. He came to our side and it was a real quick meeting. I kissed his ring and my wife shook his hand twice. He didn’t speak any words, but when he looked me in the eye I could feel his holiness."

As for his restaurant, the name Soup’s Grill was a natural. "Because of our last name I’ve always been Soup or Soupy," he says. "I hear Soup so much that sometimes when people call me Jeff I’m not sure who they’re talking about."

The goal of Soup’s Grill is to provide great food in a welcoming, family environment. "It’s a very challenging business, and in the offseason I’m pretty much there every day," he says. "I (enjoy) learning about the day-to-day operations and mingling with the customers."

The menu features his favorite food, Philadelphia-influenced cheese steak. Suppan’s father grew up in Philadelphia and he passed on his love for the city’s most famous sandwich. He also hopes to add some of Milwaukee’s favorite foods this year. "I think fish fries are great and I want to bring brats to the restaurant," he says.

When Suppan has the chance to enjoy some free time, he likes to relax with music. His favorite musicians are Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and U2. Other hobbies include golf and reading.

His favorite movie is "Without Limits," a 1998 theme about the iconic runner Steve Prefontaine, was a promising distance runner who died in a car accident at age 24.

"I didn’t know much about his life until watching that movie," says Suppan. "He believed that to give anything less than your best was to sacrifice the gift. That really connected with me."

And on and off the field, those are certainly words Suppan has lived by.