Results tagged ‘ Lorenzo Cain ’
Gomez can cash in with regular play
The Zack Greinke trade was potentially lucrative to Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez, who can earn up to $100,000 in incentives if he’s the regular center fielder.
The contract Gomez signed Friday pays a $1.5 million base salary, plus $25,000 each for 450, 475, 500 and 525 plate appearances. His chances of reaching those marks improved dramatically over the weekend when the Brewers traded Lorenzo Cain in a package to the Royals for Greinke. Gomez and Chris Dickerson are now the favorites to man center in 2011.
Last season, Gomez batted .247 in 318 plate appearances. He was the Opening Day center fielder, but later lost playing time to the rookie Cain.
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Report says Brewers would move Cain
The Brewers already have one new pitcher for their rotation, but aren’t done shopping at the Winter Meetings.
The deal for Toronto right-hander Shaun Marcum was not yet official on Monday when AOL Fanhouse, citing a Major League source, reported that the Brewers were “interested in moving” 24-year-old center fielder Lorenzo Cain, who had a successful second-half-stint with the Brewers in 2010.
That’s not surprising. General manager Doug Melvin has made it clear that almost anybody is available in trades, given the Brewers’ need for pitching. The team could conceivably part with Cain because they have other options in center field, albeit some questionable ones. Carlos Gomez has been slow to reach his potential, but he’s an excellent defender and just turned 25 on Saturday. Chris Dickerson and Brandon Boggs are on the roster as backups, and, in the Minors, the team remains very high on center fielders Logan Schafer and Caleb Gindl, though Schafer’s 2010 season was marred by a groin injury.
Cain missed time in 2009 with a knee injury but bounced-back in a big way in 2010, hitting .317 with a .402 on-base percentage and 26 stolen bases in 84 games at the Double-A and Triple-A levels and then .306 with seven steals 43 games in the big leagues.
He was Milwaukee’s 17th round Draft choice in 2004 and did not play baseball until high school. Cain will turn 25 shortly after Opening Day.
As of Monday morning, the Brewers and Blue Jays were still putting the finishing touches on a trade that would send Marcum, Toronto’s Opening Day starter, to Milwaukee for infield prospect Brett Lawrie. The deal was expected to be official by the end of the day.
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Braun out of Brewers lineup
Left fielder Ryan Braun is not in the lineup for the opener of a four-game series of the Marlins that will mark the end of Milwaukee’s home season. Braun was struck near the left elbow with a pitch in Wednesday’s rout of the Reds, a plunking that conjured memories of the Tommy Hanson pitch that hit Braun’s elbow in May and sapped the All-Star’s power.
With Braun out and the Brewers facing the non-contending Marlins, manager Ken Macha got creative with his lineup. Rickie Weeks is making his third start in the three-hole (the Brewers have lost the other two), Lorenzo Cain is making his second start as the leadoff man (0-1) and Mat Gamel will play his first career innings in the outfield. He’s replacing Braun in left field.
Here’s the full lineup:
Lorenzo Cain CF
Corey Hart RF
Rickie Weeks 2B
Prince Fielder 1B
Casey McGehee 3B
Mat Gamel LF
Jonathan Lucroy C
Luis Cruz SS
Yovani Gallardo RHP
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Cain gets start in series finale
For the third straight day against the Reds, the Brewers lineup featured a different starter in center field. After Carlos Gomez and Chris Dickerson started the first two games, manager Ken Macha had rookie Lorenzo Cain in the lineup Wednesday.
At shortstop, rookie Alcides Escobar got a second straight day off, with veteran Craig Counsell in the lineup once again. When asked Tuesday about starting September callup Luis Cruz instead of Counsell, Macha said he would not do it against a contender like the Reds.
The only other change to the usual lineup featured George Kottaras behind the plate, as he typically is when veteran lefty Randy Wolf is on the mound.
Here’s the rest of the lineup:
Weeks 2B
Hart RF
Braun LF
Fielder 1B
McGehee 3B
Counsell SS
Cain CF
Kottaras C
Wolf P
– Jordan Schelling, Associate Reporter
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Cain back in CF for finale
Lorenzo Cain is making his first start since he was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup for being tardy to Minute Maid Park. The Brewers are aiming for a three-game sweep of the pennant-hungry Giants.
Rickie Weeks 2B
Corey Hart RF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Casey McGehee 3B
Lorenzo Cain CF
Lorenzo Cain CF
Alcides Escobar SS
Jonathan Lucroy C
Chris Narveson LHP
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Rookies making impact
It seems to me that the silver lining of an otherwise lost Brewers season is the slew of rookies who have proven they fit at the Major League level. With that in mind, here’s a preview of a feature set to hit Brewers.com later today:
The Brewers broke camp with one rookie on the Opening Day roster — shortstop Alcides Escobar. Now, they’re everywhere.
“It feels like half the team!” Escobar said.
Not quite, but the Brewers have certainly skewed younger since the start of the season. On a given day in August the Brewers could start Escobar at shortstop, Jonathan Lucroy behind the plate and Lorenzo Cain in center field, with Zach Braddock ready in relief to face the opponent’s toughest left-handed hitter and John Axford on hand for a save opportunity.
When rosters expanded on Wednesday, right-hander Jeremy Jeffress joined the group. He’s only 22, and when he trotted in for the bottom of the eighth inning against the Reds, he threw his first pitch above Double-A.
This is not necessarily the way general manager Doug Melvin drew it up in Spring Training. Cain and Lucroy, in particular, probably could have used more Minor League seasoning considering they both began the year in Double-A. But as needs arose, Melvin reacted.
And the kids responded.
“When we came up, we knew we had a job to do,” Braddock said. “There was going to be a learning period, but we also needed to do the job that was asked of us.”
Braddock and Axford — along with non-rookie Kameron Loe — were crucial in the Brewers’ midseason makeover of a bullpen that cost them dearly in April. Braddock has a 2.76 ERA in 36 games and, while he allowed a couple of inherited runners to score on Wednesday, is unscored upon in all but four of his outings. Axford claimed the closer’s role brilliantly from Trevor Hoffman, going 19-for-21 in save chances including seven saves of four or more outs.
Lucroy was summoned in May after the Brewers lost starting catcher Gregg Zaun to a season-ending shoulder and top catching prospect Angel Salome to personal issues. Lucroy has proven serviceable, hitting .265 with four home runs and showing improvement in his game-calling and defense.
The Brewers promoted Cain briefly in July and then recalled him for good in early August when center fielder Carlos Gomez went on the disabled list with a concussion. Cain has taken hold of the position, flashing some surprisingly spectacular defense while hitting .300 with a .351 on-base percentage in 70 at-bats.
Escobar has had the ups and downs the Brewers expected during his rookie season. He’s hitting .251.
It will take some time for them to really settle in.
“They’re coming along,” manager Ken Macha said. “But my experience is that normally it takes about three years for guys really to settle into the Major Leagues. You know who’s pitching, how they pitched you, you start to learn the hitters, what they do, all that kind of stuff.
“You’re comfortable with your surroundings. You know what to expect when you come to the ballpark. It takes some time for guys to make that leap forward to being a Major League player.”
Which Brewers rookie do you think will end up being the best Major Leaguer?
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Cain still in CF for finale
Standard stuff today as the Brewers try to avoid getting swept by the Dodgers:
Rickie Weeks 2B
Corey Hart RF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Casey McGehee 3B
Lorenzo Cain CF
Alcides Escobar SS
Jonathan Lucroy C
Yovani Gallardo RHP
Cain has been “better than expected” defensively, manager Ken Macha said Wednesday night after Cain showed off his arm strength. He ranged into right-center field for Matt Kemp’s sacrifice fly and somehow halted his momentum long enough to fire a throw home that nearly beat Ryan Theriot to the plate.
“Oh, man, what a throw,” Macha said. “is defense has been better than expected.”
Macha didn’t know Cain had such a strong arm. He had few chances to show it off in Spring Training games.
“It’s pretty darn accurate, too,” Macha said. “When you’re running like he was running on that sacrifice fly, and then you put the brakes on and make a fairly accurate throw and get a close play … I didn’t even think he had a chance.”
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Hart back in lineup, Gomez back to bench
Corey Hart returns to regular action for the Brewers tonight in Game 2 of their series against the Dodgers after missing three starts because of a tight right hamstring. Hart’s return means that Carlos Gomez, activated on Tuesday, is back on the bench. Manager Ken Macha kept his word by leaving Lorenzo Cain in center field.
Here’s the full lineup:
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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Gomez wants CF job back
Carlos Gomez was back at Miller Park on Saturday, anxious to reclaim his role as the Brewers’ starting center fielder.
Not so fast.
Gomez took batting practice with the team and said he had no effects at all from the Aug. 3 beaning that sent him to the disabled list, but the Brewers did not immediately make a place for him on the 25-man roster. So Gomez remained in limbo while the team continued its series against the Padres.
“The best I can tell you is he’s eligible to come off, and when we figure out if he’s ready to go or our corresponding move, we’ll let you know,” manager Ken Macha said.
Gomez was anxious to return to active duty, saying. “They know I’m ready.” He was even more anxious to take back his spot as the regular center fielder, a role that went to rookie Lorenzo Cain in Gomez’s absence. Cain entered Saturday’s start batting .375 with a .422 on-base percentage in his first 14 games.
In his 75 games with the Brewers, Gomez is batting .228 with a .286 on-base mark.
Asked about the logjam, Gomez said, “I don’t have any opinion. The only opinion I have is that when I get my time, I’m going to show [the Brewers] that I’m not a backup. I’m 24 years old. I’m the center fielder, and I have to take my job again.”
Gomez played eight games for Triple-A Nashville on a rehabilitation stint and batted .286 (8-for-28) with a .412 on-base percentage thanks to five walks. He worked one-on-one daily with Sounds hitting coach Sandy Guerrero.
“I didn’t go there for vacation,” Gomez said. “I went there to come [back] here ready to finish the last month and a half of the season really good. The season is not done yet. I only have [246] at-bats, and when you get a couple games of two, three base hits, then you’re hitting .260. I’m not going to say I’ve had a bad year because you can go two, three games 2-for-4, 3-for-4, and then you’re hitting .260 and that’s not a bad year. You have to finish hard. Right now, the only thing I need is a little more time to play and show them I’m the center fielder, not a backup.”
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Gallardo looks for win No. 12
Nothing out of the ordinary in the Brewers lineup Friday night as they open a three-game series with the Padres.
With left-handed starter Wade LeBlanc on the mound for the National League West leaders, Brewers manager Ken Macha has rookie Lorenzo Cain in center field, leaving Chris Dickerson on the bench for the third straight game.
Here’s the rest of the lineup:
Weeks 2B
Hart RF
Braun LF
Fielder 1B
McGehee 3B
Cain CF
Escobar SS
Lucroy C
Gallardo P
– Jordan Schelling, Associate Reporter
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