Results tagged ‘ Bill Hall ’
As promised, Hall back at third base
Brewers manager Ken Macha stayed true to his word and is starting Bill Hall tonight against right-hander Roy Oswalt, leaving Mat Gamel’s left bat on the bench. Macha promised Hall regular playing time in the series in Houston to see if Hall could get his own bat going against right-handed hitters.
We’ll ask Macha for some further thoughts in a few hours, but I wonder if Hall might continue to play in Minnesota this weekend against a trio of Twins righty starters. Craig Counsell will presumably play second base, and I imagine Macha will use Gamel as the DH. That leaves two right-handed hitters — Hall and Casey McGehee — for third base. Hall has played tremendous defense, and that might give him the nod.
Anyway, here is tonight’s lineups:
BREWERS
Craig Counsell 2B
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Mike Cameron CF
Corey Hart RF
Bill Hall 3B
Jason Kendall C
Jeff Suppan RHP
ASTROS
Michael Bourn CF
Jeff Keppinger 2B
Lance Berkman 1B
Carlos Lee LF
Hunter Pence RF
Miguel Tejada SS
Geoff Blum 3B
Ivan Rodriguez C
Roy Oswalt RHP
Hall getting a (last?) shot against RHPs
Brewers manager Ken Macha is giving Bill Hall one last chance to show he can hit right-handed pitching.
Hall is trying to make the most of it.
“It shows he has confidence in me and knows I’m going to right this thing,” Hall said. “Everybody in here knows what kind of player I am and what kind of damage I can do, whether it’s against right-handers or left-handers.
“It’s just one little thing that’s going to make it click. I’m trying to find it.”
Macha’s promise the other day in St. Louis is why Hall batted against Astros right-hander Chris Sampson with two outs in the ninth inning Wednesday, representing the tying run. Hall, whose struggles against righties last season cost him regular playing time, hit against Sampson even though the Brewers had lefty hitter Craig Counsell available on the bench.
“I don’t read the paper [don't forget the Internet, skip!] but I’m sure I was getting killed for sending Brad Nelson up there to hit,” Macha said, referring to the outfielder who was 0-for-21 before the Brewers cut him loose. “I was giving Brad Nelson every opportunity to be successful in the role he was given here. I’m trying to do that with everybody.”
Hall will start again Thursday against Houston right-hander Roy Oswalt. Hall is 14-for-41 against the Astros ace.
“Here’s a guy who hit 35 home runs for this club [in 2006],” Macha said. “Could we use that power right now? Absolutely. I don’t think we’re going to be able to use that power if, every time you turn around, you’re pinch-hitting for that guy.”
Braun has numbers vs. Wellemeyer
Ryan Braun has been pretty quiet since he homered on back-to-back nights against the Cubs on May 8-9, going 3-for-19 with no RBIs in five games since then. Maybe today is his day; he’s 6-for-8 in his career against St. Louis starter Todd Wellemeyer with a home run and two walks.
Craig Counsell starts at third today over Bill Hall. Counsell is 2-for-4 against the St. Louis right-hander, Hall is 0-for-8.
Rickie Weeks 2B
Craig Counsell 3B
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Mike Cameron CF
J.J. Hardy SS
Corey Hart RF
Jason Kendall C
Manny Parra LHP
Hardy exits with alarming symptoms
Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy hopes he made a preemptive strike against a looming migraine headache.
Hardy exited Wednesday’s win over the Marlins in the seventh inning after experiencing some alarming symptoms. He said he played his final half-inning with very little vision in his left eye and numbness in his left hand, which doctors said were precursors to a headache.
“I’m hoping I took the medicine before the migraine kicks in,” Hardy said.
He hit an RBI triple in the second inning, and made the second and third outs in Milwaukee’s 11-batter, five-run fourth. Hardy exited the game in the top of the seventh as part of a Brewers double-switch, with Craig Counsell moving from third base to shortstop and Bill Hall entering the game to play third.
The Brewers will have additional coverage beginning Thursday should Hardy miss a game or two. Third base prospect Mat Gamel was promoted from Triple-A Nashville, and while he’s likely to be limited to pinch-hitter or designated-hitter duties, he also could play third in a pinch to free Counsell for shortstop.
Hall should be back Wednesday
Bill Hall was out of the Brewers lineup on Tuesday, but that was the only day he intended to spend on the bench.
Hall suffered cramping in his right hamstring after making a diving catch in left field Monday night. It was his first career start at that position, and it didn’t last long.
“I’m available if I’m needed today,” Hall said before the Brewers finished a quick, two-game series against the Pirates. “[On Wednesday], I should be all good.”
The Brewers begin another two-game series in Cincinnati on Wednesday.
Hall out with hamstring cramp
Bill Hall’s first-ever start in left field didn’t last long.
Hall, the Brewers’ regular third baseman who made a surprise start in left on Monday for the injured Ryan Braun, recorded two putouts including one on a dive in the first inning but left the game an inning later with cramping in his right hamstring.
It was unclear whether Hall was hurt in the field or at the plate. He hit a deep fly out to center field in the second inning before Chris Duffy took over in left field.
So much for a feel-good story about Hall taking one for the team.
Braun undergoes MRI; Hall playing LF
Ryan Braun and his ailing back didn’t travel with the team to Pittsburgh last night. last night. Instead, he underwent an MRI scan today in Milwaukee that did not reveal any structural damage, according to a Brewers spokesperson.
Braun was traveling to Pittsburgh as we got that news and it appears he won’t be here in time for the game. Bill Hall, surprisingly, will play in Braun’s place, with Casey McGehee filling in at third. That’s a bit of a shocker if you ask me, considering how well Hall has played defensively so far this season and the fact that McGehee can play the outfield.
Hall said he hasn’t played left field since touring Japan with a U.S. all-star team in 2006, and he has never played that position in a Major League game. He manned center field for the Brewers in 2007.
Here’s the lineup that did not get posted in the clubhouse until about 15 minutes ago, with Rickie Weeks batting third for the second straight game:
Corey Hart RF
J.J. Hardy SS
Rickie Weeks 2B
Prince Fielder 1B
Mike Cameron CF
Bill Hall LF
Casey McGehee 3B
Jason Kendall C
Yovani Gallardo RHP
The Brewers say Braun is day-to-day.
Gameday: April 2 vs. White Sox
Crushed my last pork chop last night at Frasher’s (2122 N. Scottsdale Rd. for the transplants living in the Valley — go there, order the chop, the gooey butter cake and a Miller Lite and tell George, Kevin, Tim, Derek and the rest of the guys I sent you. You’ll thank me later). That means I am officially ready for the Brewers’ final Cactus League game.
Ryan Braun and Bill Hall are back in what looks like an Opening Day lineup against the White Sox. Braun missed Wednesday’s game with a bruised thumb but told manager Ken Macha on Thursday morning that he wanted to start today, and Hall missed the last two games after having a tooth pulled. Jeff Suppan is on the hill for his final time before Opening Day, though Macha was still hesitant to make it official.
“If Suppan comes through this fine, you can put him down as the Opening Day starter,” the skipper told beat writers this morning.
Here’s the lineup:
Rickie Weeks 2B
Corey Hart RF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
J.J. Hardy SS
Mike Cameron CF
Bill Hall 3B
Jason Kendall C
Jeff Suppan RHP
Mark DiFelice, Mitch Stetter and Carlos Villanueva are scheduled to follow Suppan.
Hall homers off Riske in simulated game
While the rest of the Brewers worked out Sunday morning, reliever David Riske and third baseman Bill Hall together took a step forward in their return from injuries.
Riske threw a simulated game on a Minor League field against a group of hitters that included the rehabbing Hall, who followed J.R. Hopf’s leadoff single with a two-run home run. In all, Riske faced six hitters — Hall batted three times — and threw precisely 20 pitches, which was his target. After Hall’s long homer to right, Riske retired the next four hitters in order and drew raves from Hall about the deception on his fastball.
It was Riske’s first action since undergoing right elbow surgery last September, and he has not had any setbacks. Hall is cautiously working back from a slight tear to his left calf.
Adam McCalvy
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