Milwaukee Brewers in the News (3/27)

Today’s Game: Brewers 11, Rangers 10
Record: 14-9-3

Thursday’s Game

Braden Looper was far from sharp in his Cactus League debut, surrendering five ER in just two frames of work. But a 3-for-4 day and a homer from J.J. Hardy, along with dingers by Mike Lamb and Mike Cameron, was enough to push the Brewers past the Rangers. Casey McGehee went 0-for-1. 

Brewers News

• Ryan Braun’s MRI revealed no damage to his right side.

• Between the Green Pillars ponders life without Braun: Personally, I find it’s best not to do that. 
• They also make a case for why trading for Jake Peavy isn’t a good idea for Milwaukee.
• Brewers season preview: Finally! I’ve been waiting for one of these. 
• FOX Sports’ Dayn Perry explains why the Brewers (and every other team) will win the World Series in a single sentence…and several modifiers. What does he say about the Brewers, and do you even care? Hint: you don’t care. 
• What some guy expects out of Bill Hall.
• B.B.K.T.U.T.H doesn’t like the idea of Jason Kendall leading off.
• The Hardball Times asks five questions about the Brewers. 

Minor Leagues

Rattler-Radio gives us an early look at the T-Rats’ new video board: For many of us, this will be the least blurry we’ll ever see it. I can’t wait for dollar beer nights.

• Here’s a short article about Brad Nelson from his hometown newspaper.
• 3:10 to Joba introduces its readers to Alcides Escobar.
• Escobar versus Rangers prospect Elvis Andrus: I think Escobar takes it. 
• Appleton Post-Crescent wonders whether Brett Lawrie will don a Rattlers uni come April 9th. 
• Lawrie is laying down the Lawrie at his new blog… there goes a potential post title I would’ve probably used in 2014.

NL Central

• MLB has a NL Central preview, also just in time. 
• Carlos Zambrano hates little kids.
• Has Kosuke Fukudome’s shittiness single-handedly ended racism? Damn right, you crackers. 
  
• Tony La Russa won’t hit a pitcher eighth every day: Nor should he.

• Cardinals offseason review: To summarize – they lost everyone, and gained Spicoli. “Awesome! Totally Awesome!” 

• Pittsburgh is interested in Will Ohman: By waiting this long, they might get a good arm for not much money. I don’t see how Ohman has any leverage.

• Miguel Tejada was sentenced to probation and community service after lying to Congress about PEDs: He seems to have turned things around since being traded. I consider playing for a team with only one starting pitcher a service to his community. 

• CubBLOG! Predicts the Brewers to finish fourth in the Central, using the tired no CC, no Sheets reasoning.

Other News

• Brewers/bacon blogger, Al at Al’s Ramblings is auctioning off the naming rights to his blog to help a charitable cause of the winners’ (and his) choosing.

• CC Sabathia will start both the Yankees home and road openers: I can’t stress it enough, I wish Carsten the best of luck with his new team.
•  It’s Photoshop Friday over at Bugs & Cranks! This one is especially meaningful, as I tried to make our own Jared’s dream of seeing Ginter/Dunn side by side a reality…though not how he’d like.

Lastly, I know many other Web sites have touch on this, but we hadn’t yet and I wanted to make mention of baseball writer John Brattain’s untimely death.

I’d never met or interacted with John, but through my brief stint at Baseball Digest Daily (now Baseball Daily Digest), one of the many site’s he wrote for, I became exposed to his work. I won’t pretend to know him enough (or at all) to have been personally impacted by his passing, but I can be sure his wife and two daughters are going through a very difficult time right now.

The Hardball Times has established a memorial fund in John’s honor. All proceeds will go to his family.