September 2010
Braun, McGehee bump up in order
Interesting Brewers lineup for the finale of a series of Citi Field, where it’s windy but still dry at the moment. The onset of these awful storms keeps getting pushed back, so perhaps we’ll get a window.
Casey McGehee, stuck on 99 RBIs for his past seven games, is up to third in the order, ahead of Prince Fielder. I remember twice in this span that McGehee doubled with Fielder at first base and the big fella couldn’t score. But how Fielder is hitting in front of Corey Hart, who also has 99 RBIs.
We’ll see what Ken Macha has to say about it. In the meantime, here’s the lineup:
Rickie Weeks 2B
Ryan Braun LF
Casey McGehee 3B
Casey McGehee 3B
Prince Fielder 1B
Corey Hart RF
Lorenzo Cain CF
Alcides Escobar SS
Jonathan Lucroy C
Chris Narveson LHP
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Good day for the Brewers
The Brewers had not enjoyed this good a day in more than seven years, since they last faced the Mets in a doubleheader.
Dave Bush outdueled former Brewers farmhand R.A. Dickey on the mound and at the plate, too, driving home the only run in the first seven innings of a 3-1 Brewers win on Wednesday night that finished Milwaukee’s twinbill sweep of New York.
In the early game, Yovani Gallardo squandered a six-run lead but the Brewers rallied late for an 8-7 win. Milwaukee had not won both ends of a doubleheader since June 5, 2003 at Shea Stadium, and there were similarities — they beat the Mets, 8-7, in the first game that day and scored a two-run win in the second.
“That’s a long day, especially the way the first one started,” said Ryan Braun, whose two-run double in the second game provided some key insurance runs. “For us to come back is a sign of our resiliency, especially this time of year when we’re obviously not playing for a lot.”
Bush’s final scheduled start of the season was a good one. He pitched six-plus scoreless innings before exiting what may have been his final outing in a Brewers uniform. He’s a free agent after the season. <p/>
He came to the Brewers in the December 2005 trade that opened first base for Prince Fielder and on Wednesday he made his 144th Milwaukee start.
“It was definitely a nice way to end,” Bush said. “It’s been a difficult year, a disappointing year, a long year. There’s a lot of adjectives I could say that are unflattering, as far as the whole year goes. It’s nice to go out on a good note. I’m aware that it may be the last time I pitch in this uniform.” <p/>
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Braun back for doubleheader
Ryan Braun, a late scratch Tuesday because of a stomach virus, is back in action for Game 1 of a doubleheader on Wednesday. The first pitch of the opener is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. CT, with the second game to follow soon thereafter. Both games will air on FS Wisconsin, with full pre- and postgame coverage.
Rickie Weeks 2B
Corey Hart RF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Casey McGehee 3B
Lorenzo Cain CF
Jonathan Lucroy C
Luis Cruz SS
Yovani Gallardo RHP
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Brewers, Mets try again
The Brewers are running out the same lineup, weather-permitting, of course, as they planned to use Monday before that game was rained out. The teams are scheduled for one game tonight, two tomorrow and one more on Thursday if we can dodge Mother Nature the rest of the way.
Here you go for Tuesday:
Rickie Weeks 2B
Corey Hart RF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Casey McGehee 3B
Lorenzo Cain CF
Alcides Escobar SS
George Kottaras C
Randy Wolf LHP
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Brewers-Mets postponed
Steady rain fell in New York on Monday and the radar showed more of it coming, so the Mets decided more than an hour before the scheduled first pitch to postpone the series opener. Since the weather report is ominous for Tuesday, the teams are to play a doubleheader on Wednesday beginning at 4:10 p.m. ET.
Randy Wolf will start Tuesday, weather-permitting. Yovani Gallardo and Dave Bush are scheduled to work Wednesday’s doubleheader, though the order is to be determined. Chris Narveson will start Thursday.
That means rookie Mark Rogers, originally slated to pitch Thursday’s series finale, will start a game in Cincinnati instead. Manager Ken Macha didn’t want to throw Rogers, who will once again be on a pitch count, the day after a doubleheader.
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Recapping a busy home finale
The Brewers beat the Marlins in a 7-1 rout in Sunday’s home finale, but the result was secondary on an emotional afternoon at Miller Park. For those who have yet to sift through the links on Brewers.com, here’s a bit of a recap:
– Their 2010 season was a dud, so Brewers fans instead made the team’s home finale a celebration of individual milestones and sendoffs for players who are likely moving on. They turned a win over the Marlins into a series of standing ovations and almost made everyone forget that the team still has a week to play.
Ryan Braun came from behind to win the Brewers’ three-man race to 100 RBIs, Prince Fielder homered in what could be his final home game with the Brewers and Trevor Hoffman made one last entrance to AC/DC’s “Hells Bells.” All three players were showered with love from the 29,059 fans, who pushed the Brewers’ season attendance over 2.75 million.
– On more note on Hoffman: Sunday marked his 35th game finished, a milestone that pushed the cost of the buyout of his 2011 club option from $500,000 to $750,000. That financial boost aside, Hoffman once more thanked his supporters for never giving up on him.
“I can’t begin to say thanks enough,” Hoffman said. “For a guy sitting on a six-ERA and part of a big problem, to get treated like I did by the fans here — I appreciate their support.”
– Hoffman was offered a standing ovation and so was Fielder, who might just have played his final home game for the Brewers. Fielder commented before the game to me and after the game to me and 30 of my closest microphone-wielding friends about his uncertain future.
He didn’t offer much in the way of insight, saying that he’s under contract for 2011 and planning to be back. Whether he departs this winter, Fielder said, “is not up to me,” once again glossing over the point that he reportedly turned down a significant contract offer earlier this year.
– The only blemish of the Brewers’ win over the Marlins came in the seventh inning, when starter Chris Capuano exited with a groin injury. He downplayed its significance and talked instead about his inspiring comeback season from a second Tommy John surgery, and touched briefly on his own uncertain future. Capuano is a free agent for the first time.
– Staying on the “uncertain future” theme, manager Ken Macha made sure to get Craig Counsell into the lineup for Sunday’s finale. Counsell, too, is a free agent, and said he’s going to take the best available offer this winter. He’s earned that right.
– Then there’s Macha himself, who was asked by reporters after the game about his own contract status. Here are Doug Melvin’s brief comments on that situation, saying that the team will wait until after the season to announce any personnel decisions.
And while we’re at it, here are a couple of other links you may have missed over the weekend:
– Mark DiFelice is coming back to the Brewers in 2011. I learned subsequently that catchers Patrick Arlis and Anderson Delarosa, infielder Anderson Machado and left-hander Chase Wright have also already signed Minor League deals for next season.
– Our report about the Brewers’ Minor League player and pitcher of the year includes video of both Erik Komatsu and Jake Odorizzi, not to mention amateur scouting director Bruce Seid.
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DiFelice re-signs with Brewers
Chris Capuano and Mark Rogers returned to the Brewers this season after long layoffs caused by injury. Could right-hander Mark DiFelice follow next year?
DiFelice has missed all of 2010 following shoulder surgery, but has already re-signed with the Brewers for 2011 and is pitching at the team’s instructional league program in Phoenix. He may continue his comeback in winter ball, and his Minor League contract calls for an invitation to Major League camp next spring.
“He should be good to go for next spring,” assistant general manager Gord Ash said.
DiFelice made 59 appearances for the Brewers in 2009 with a 3.66 ERA and, with his signature cut fastball, was deadly against right-handed hitters. But he developed shoulder soreness late in the season and underwent surgery on Dec. 3 to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff.
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Odorizzi, Komatsu named top farmhands
Hot off the presses from the Brewers. Jake Odorizzi is a no-brainer, but I’m probably not the only one surprised that Erik Komatsu got the nod over a higher-profile prospect like Brett Lawrie or Scooter Gennett:
The Milwaukee Brewers today announced the recipients of the 2010 Robin Yount Performance Awards which recognizes the Brewers Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year. Outfielder Erik Komatsu was selected as the club’s Minor League Player of the Year and right-handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi was named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year.Komatsu, 22, spent the entire season with Class-A Brevard County, where he batted .323 with 5 HR, 63 RBI and 28 stolen bases in 130 games with more walks (68) than strikeouts (61). Komatsu led the Florida State League in runs scored (90), on-base percentage (.413) and walks and ranked second in the league in batting average and hits (157). He was selected to the Florida State League Midseason and Postseason All-Star teams.Komatsu played all three outfield positions, making 73 starts in center field, 30 starts in right field and 22 starts in left field. He had a 13-game hitting streak from July 15-30 and reached base safely in 23 straight games from May 3-27. Komatsu was drafted by the Brewers in the eighth round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Cal-State Fullerton and was signed by area scout Josh Belovsky.Odorizzi, 20, spent the entire season with Class-A Wisconsin, where he went 7-3 with a 3.43 ERA (120.2ip, 46er) in 23 games (20 starts). His ERA ranked ninth-best in the Midwest League. He was selected to the Midwest League All-Star team and was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for August 23-30.As a starter, Odorizzi went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA (112.2ip, 40er). He made three relief appearances, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA (8ip, 6er) and one save. Odorizzi was drafted by the Brewers in the supplemental first round (32nd overall) of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Highland (IL) High School. He was signed by area scout Harvey Kuenn Jr.
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Brewers on a double-digit strikeout streak
After a two-day absence, shortstop Alcides Escobar is back in action for the Brewers tonight behind left-hander Chris Narveson, who will try to extend a club record the club quietly set Friday night. Brewers pitchers have combined for at least 10 strikeouts in five straight games, matching a mark set by Chris Capuano, Derrick Turnbow & Co. from Sept. 26-30 in 2005.
The current five game streak includes 63 strikeouts. The ’05 club struck out 63 batters in its five-game span, and Turnbow notched four saves.
Here’s the lineup as the current crop of Brewers try to make it four wins in a row and improve to .500 at home (39-40 entering tonight):
Rickie Weeks 2B
Corey Hart RF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Casey McGehee 3B
Lorenzo Cain CF
Alcides Escobar SS
George Kottaras C
Chris Narveson LHP
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Adam McCalvy
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