Gameday: March 20 at Mariners

Rickie Weeks returns to the leadoff hole and Casey McGehee makes his first appearance at first base for the Brewers today, when the team travels to Peoria to face the Mariners. McGehee has played extensively this spring at third base and second base, but first is a first.

“If he shows he can play there,” manager Ken Macha said, “it’s another mark in his column.”

Here’s the lineup:

Rickie Weeks  2B
Craig Counsell  3B
J.J. Hardy  SS
Casey McGehee  1B
Mike Rivera  C
Brad Nelson  RF
Jason Bourgeois LF
Mat Gamel  DH

Seth McClung gets the start and is scheduled to be followed by lefties Mitch Stetter and Lindsay Gulin.

Couple of injury notes to pass along:

- Closer Trevor Hoffman is still getting treatment for an oblique injury, but he played catch on Thursday and “it’s very encouraging,” Macha said. Hoffman was to play catch again on Friday.

- Braden Looper, also sidelined by the dreaded oblique strain, is scheduled to throw 45 pitches in a Minor League scrimmage on Saturday morning. If he passes that test successfully, he should be slotted into an “A” game next week.

- Didn’t see Chris Duffy in the clubhouse this morning, and I am guessing that the medical staff told him to stay away. Duffy exited Thursday’s game complaining of stomach cramping, and if he’s sick the Brewers would want to prevent the illness from spreading through the clubhouse.