In the News (5/18)

Sunday’s Game: Brewers 8, Cardinals 2
Record: 23-14, First Place

Sunday’s Game

- The Brewers beat the Cardinals behind a fast start for the offense and a good outing by Parra.

- The team has won five games in a row and suddenly has a 1.5-game cushion in their NL Central lead. They are 19-5 over their last 24 games. Stay hot, Brew Crew.

- They can sweep the former division leaders today in the make-up game from Friday.

- The Brewers scored four runs in the first inning on Todd Wellemeyer.

- Craig Counsell went 2-for-3 in the game with two walks, two runs and an RBI. He continues to produce.

- Prince Fielder hit a big three-run home run to put the game out of reach in the seventh. He went 3-for-4 on the day.

- Jason Kendall went 2-for-4 on the day and is one hit away from 2,000 in his career.

- Parra pitched six innings and gave up two runs for the win. He is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in May after going 0-4 with a 6.52 ERA in April.

- Todd Coffey pitched two scoreless innings and McClung finished the game with a scoreless frame.

- Rickie Weeks left Sunday’s game after his first inning at bat with a sore wrist and was replaced by Craig Counsell, who shifted over from third to make room for Bill Hall. Fortunately, the injury is in Weeks’ left wrist, not the right wrist, which needed surgery in 2006. Unfortunately, it appears pretty serious as Weeks is off to see a wrist specialist. More HERE and HERE. If Weeks is headed to the DL (which seems pretty likely at this point), the Brewers could call up infielder Hernan Iribarren or shortstop Alcides Escobar from Nashville. In the short term, Counsell would likely play for Weeks at second if Weeks misses time.

- The injury is especially unfortunate since Weeks was hitting his stride.

Brewers News

- Ken Macha has been outstanding so far, in my opinion. The signs of his influences on the team are all over the place, namely in the much better plate discipline (The Brewers have the fourth best OBP in the NL), intense confidence he instills in the team and a much better grasp on how to handle the bullpen. FanHouse has a great article on Macha’s first month and a half with the team. Needless to say, it’s been great for the Brewers and the fans. It’s also been great for Macha, who appreciates being able to work without a GM hovering over him at all times.

- The Brewers beat the Cardinals on Saturday behind a Corey Hart home run and a gem by Jeff Suppan. More HERE.

- Turns out Suppan loves facing the Cards.

- Since his first two starts, Suppan is 3-1 with a 2.92 ERA and has thrown quality starts in five of his six games, missing a sixth quality start by just one out.

- Winks at The Bucky Channel says, “Stop Making Me Like You, Jeff Suppan.”

- The Brewers and Cardinals were rained out Friday and will make up the game today.

- Braden Looper will look to take it to his former team in the rain game make-up. The Cardinals didn’t pursue Looper and he came to Milwaukee via free agency.

- Should the Brewers try to lock Dave Bush up to a long-term deal?

- Andrew Wagner at OnMilwaukee.com says if teams don’t like the Brewers swagger, they should beat them.

- Trevor Hoffman has not allowed a run or thrown more than 17 pitches in 10 Brewers appearances and is 9-for-9 in save chances. He’s only given up three hits and has walked none. Wow. He obviously won’t keep this pace up, it’s impossible, but how refreshing is it to have a lock-down closer that just comes in, throws strikes and sits hitters down?

- Jesse Motiff at Bleacher Report says Hoffman is as good as ever.

- Hoffman is a prankster. Not much I don’t love about this guy so far.

- Is third base turning into a platoon with Counsell and Hall? Not yet, but it’s starting to trend that way.

- Could the Brewers target Cliff Lee in a trade this summer? It seems more plausible than a Jake Peavy deal.

- The Brewers don’t panic when they fall behind because they knew they can come back to win.

- Brewers reliever David Riske is recovering from his elbow injury. Previously, it sounded like the Brewers shouldn’t count on Riske for much this season and possibly not even next. Now, it sounds like Riske could be back in a few weeks. This is certainly good news. Hopefully he really is getting healthy and can contribute to this team this year.

- Steve Berg at Brewers Baseball Blog takes a look at the Brewers wOBA so far this season.

- The Brewers might switch to road unis with Milwaukee on them in the “reasonably near future.” I’d be in full support of this change.

- wisblue on the Sports Bubbler message board makes a good point: If Braun is chastised by every talking head for taking a look at a home run after nearly getting hit in the face, why can A-Rod pose to watch his home run, toss his bat in the air while staring at the Yankee dugout, raise both his arms over his head, trot slowly around the bases and toss his helmet in the air as he hops towards home plate without a single word from the TV analyst “baseball purists” out there? 

- The Marlins TV guys give a history on the sausage race.

- Al at Al’s Ramblings points out that there are still some nice tickets available for the Twins series in Minnesota next weekend.

Minor Leagues

- Cutter Dykstra is a Timber Rattler no more. The highly regarded prospect has turned in his centerfield glove for a second baseman glove and is going to play for Helena to work on his new position. The move is a bit surprising, but by most accounts, Cutter did not look comfortable in the outfield. Hopefully he can progress quickly as a second baseman and follow Brett Lawrie up the system ladder. More HERE.

- Third baseman Taylor Green, who is rehabbing from injury, took Dykstra’s spot on the T-Rats. Green, one of the Brewers’ top prospects, wasted no time in making his presence felt, collecting four hits and four RBI in Wisconsin’s 8-3 win over the Clinton LumberKings on Saturday. He likely won’t be in Appleton long.

- The Timber Rattlers took two from Clinton on Sunday behind five no-hit innings from Cody Scarpetta in one game and Daniel Meadows’ sixth win (with zero losses) in the second game.

- More on Scarpetta’s outing HERE.

- Outfielder Cole Gillespie started out very slowly this season, but is now heating up for Nashville.

- Nashville starter Mike Burns continued his impressive start to the season Sunday. He went 6.2 innings and gave up one run to earn the win and run his record to 6-0 on the season.

- Huntsville Stars third baseman Adam Heether was promoted to Nashville and pitcher Josh Wahpepah was promoted to the Stars from Helena.

- The Huntsville Stars attempted to set a world record for the longest wiffle ball game this weekend. No word yet on if they succeeded.

- Casey Baron of the Stars is developing into a crafty, lefty specialist reliever (who is also able to get out righties).

NL Central

- The Reds have lost three in a row and the young team is facing its first test of adversity this season. I don’t think the Reds have what it takes to hang around the top of the division all year (especially with Dusty Baker managing them). We’ll see how they bounce back from this.

- Carlos Zambrano struggled a bit in his rehab outing Sunday, but says he’s ready to join the Cubs again.

- The Cubs are sticking with Kevin Gregg as their closer.

- Chris Carpenter will return to pitch for the Cardinals on Wednesday. That’s a big addition for St. Louis if he can stay healthy. But what are the odds of him staying healthy?

- MLB&id=2639" target="_blank">Troy Glaus continues to make progress toward his return to the Cardinals. It’ll be several weeks before he’s able to play though.

- Is Cecil Cooper losing the Astros?

- The Pirates put reliever Tyler Yates on the DL and called up Tom Gorzelanny.

- Pittsburgh also traded for two prospects.

Other News

- Former Brewer reserve Brad Nelson will have a new team by Monday or Tuesday, according to his agent.

- Ghost of Harry Caray (Will Ferrell) on Manny Ramirez:

- Former Brewers reliever Greg Aquino has been called up by the Indians.