Brewers News

"The last time the Marlins were in first place this late in the season was 2002, and players stars such as Josh Beckett, Derrek Lee and Mike Lowell were leading the charge to the top of the National League East standings. On Thursday night, it was unheralded players such as Jorge Cantu, Matt Treanor and Logan Kensing who sparked Florida to a 7-2 victory over Milwaukee and into first place alone in the NL East."

"The game was long, but the result was quick. It took the Marlins 3 hours, 19 minutes to do it, but in completing a three-game sweep of the Brewers with a 7-2 win at Dolphin Stadium on Thursday, the 2008 Marlins joined the 2004 club as the quickest to 20 wins (34 games)."

"Marlins starters held the Brewers to a .174 average in the six-game season series. The relievers held them to a .145 mark, yet after Thursday's 7-2 win at Dolphin Stadium it was the Marlins who were glad to see them go. "I'm glad we don't play them again the rest of the year," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "That's a good lineup they run at you.""

"When the Milwaukee Brewers summoned left-hander Mitch Stetter from Class AAA Nashville in mid-April, there was no guarantee his stay would be an extended one. At the time, the Brewers were carrying an unheard-of 14 pitchers, leaving them quite thin on the bench. It was up to Stetter to prove he belonged in the Brewers' bullpen when the pitching staff was pared. In that regard, it has been mission accomplished."

"Joe Dillon batted third because manager Ned Yost did not want to disrupt his batting order any more than he already had by inserting Dillon, Gabe Kapler and Mike Rivera into the lineup, as well as hitting J.J. Hardy fifth and Ryan Braun fourth."

"When Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost looked at the schedule Monday and saw 29 games over the next 30 days, he figured he had to give some guys days off. He just didn't think it would be in the midst of a five-game losing streak when he scheduled Prince Fielder, Corey Hart and Jason Kendall to have days off Thursday."

"Back-to-back series sweeps as it appears the lineup is actually swinging the brooms they are being brushed away with. The second sweep was completed by the Florida Marlins, who sent the Brewers back home with a 7-2 loss, their sixth consecutive defeat, to drop them two games below .500 and leave the clubhouse baffled, dazed and utterly frustrated."

"Give Ryan Braun credit for leadership Tuesday night when he candidly told our Anthony Witrado in Miami, "It's frustrating; it's beyond frustrating. I'm (bleeping) sick of saying it's early. You can only say that for so long. You can only say, 'It's early,' you can only say, 'It's going to be all right' for so long. "It's time for us to start swinging the bats like we're capable of." It would've been nice to hear that from the manager, but that is not Ned Yost's style. Instead, Yost continues with the Kevin Bacon refrain from "Animal House" that "all is well," when everyone knows that all is not well."

"Who was the best player the Marlins received in the whopper trade that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for six prospects? How about Burke Badenhop? That's right, Badenhop, the kid Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez affectionately calls ``the Hopper.'' Badenhop might just have leaped into the lead of former Tigers helping the Marlins stay in first place in the National League East. He looked that good Wednesday night in the Marlins' 6-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers, and he felt even better after getting his first big-league victory."

"Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla made sure their home runs were free of legitimacy issues. Their back-to-back shots off Bush in the sixth inning accounted for three runs and propelled the Marlins to a 6-2 win over the Brewers at Dolphin Stadium. The Marlins' fourth set of consecutive homers this season came in support of rookie Burke Badenhop, who recorded his first major league win after allowing two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings."

"If you're looking for a sophomore jinx to bring down Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, don't bother. At least don't mention it to Braun. ''No, I don't believe it that,'' said Braun, who is in town with the Brewers for a three-game series against the Marlins. ``I guess you could say I'm off to a slow start, but it's a long season. I'm not worried about [a sophomore jinx]. I work too hard to worry about it.''"

"Q: Adam of Hartland - I don't think Coco blew five saves all of last year. At what point does Yost get legitimately concerned about his bullpen? A: Anthony Witrado - Adam, Tom and I have been trying to get an answer out of him for some time now and he continues to say it's not even a concern. So who knows?"

"It is obvious that players perform better in victories than losses, but there are some telling splits with the Milwaukee Brewers lineup. Particularly with Prince Fielder. Entering Wednesday, the team was .500 in 32 games and Fielder had played in all of them. So his numbers were evenly split. In the 16 victories, Fielder batted .322; in the 16 losses, he hit .185. His slugging percentage was .610 in victories and .222 in losses, and maybe more telling was his 1.016 on-base plus slugging percentage when the team won, as opposed to .551 when it lost, according to baseball-reference.com."

"So the Brewers had to dip back into the starting pitching well, retrieving Dave Bush, who was sent down to Class AAA Nashville, where he made one start before being recalled to the Brewers and making a relief appearance Saturday. But no one is mistaking Bush for Gallardo. And his fourth loss of the season - 6-2 to the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night at Dolphin Stadium - cemented that fact."

"The Marlins had just beaten the Brewers 3-0 and Scott Olsen was walking into the clubhouse when he spotted a group of reporters. ''So close,'' Olsen said. He didn't need to say another word. He had a no-hitter until the fourth inning, gave up two hits all game -- on a night that arguably was the best of his career -- and won his fourth game of the season."

"He came within a strike of the first Marlins complete- game, one-hitter in almost five years. A handful of pitches later he came within another strike of ending the franchise's nine-inning complete game drought at 212. "So close," starter Scott Olsen said, before disappearing into the clubhouse after his winning 8 2/3-inning, 121-pitch performance. Yet Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Brewers at Dolphin Stadium wasn't about what Olsen failed to accomplish. It was about what the Marlins succeeded in accomplishing, namely remaining one game off the best start in team history after 32 games (19-13)."

"The concern level with Eric Gagné and the job he has done as the Milwaukee Brewers' closer is at Level Zero. Manager Ned Yost isn't worried. Gagné isn't worried. After all, the $10 million door-closer was among the top three National League save leaders with nine, heading into Tuesday night's games, so the manager has no plans to replace him as the closer. The problem is that Gagné was also leading the majors with five blown saves, including three in his last six opportunities. But now is not the time to be concerned, according to Yost."

"Just a scratch past the first month of the season and the Brewers' offense isn't hiccupping. It is downright dry-heaving. Their slide continued Tuesday night at Dolphin Stadium as Florida Marlins left-hander Scott Olsen dominated for nearly nine innings and blanked the Brewers, 3-0. The loss dropped the Brewers to the .500 mark for the first time this season as they have lost four in a row. And the excuses are getting old."

"Anyone can tell you the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers infield was really good. Baseball analyst Bill James can tell you the '82 Brewers infield is tied with the 1975 Cincinnati Reds as the sixth-best infield in almost the entire history of baseball. He also can tell you those two infields are the best in baseball since 1934 to at least 2000. James recently published his summary of the best infields, outfields, starting five pitchers and top three relievers by decade since the 1870s, at his pay Web site, www.billjamesonline.net. His study ended with the 2000 season. "

"On the up side, maybe at this rate the Milwaukee Brewers won't need a closer for a long time. Maybe Eric Gagné is the least of their problems. But for a team on a four-game slide that plays an inordinate amount of close ones, hasn't had a starting victory from anyone not named Ben Sheets in more than a month, endured the devastating loss of Yovani Gallardo, the inevitable meltdown of Derrick Turnbow and doesn't hit well enough - two-hit by another lefty! - to cover its pitching mistakes, May 7 has to feel like late August. What's done is done with Gagné, and all that matters now is the stark reality that the Brewers cannot go on this way."

"Though frustrated fans might not understand the thinking, Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said Monday that there were no plans to remove Eric Gagné as the team's closer. Gagné blew his major league-high fifth save opportunity of the season Sunday in Houston, allowing two ninth-inning runs on two hits and three walks - including one with the bases loaded that forced in the tying run - in a game the Brewers lost, 8-6, in 12 innings."

"Q: Sam of Milwaukee - First month has come and gone. Who is your MVP thus far? A: Tom Haudricourt - That's a tough one. I'm not sure anyone has stood out. When he has pitched and been completely healthy, probably Ben Sheets. Q: Chad of Eau Claire - In all seriousness, how can J.J. Hardy be so slow? Typically, you would expect a young, fairly athletic shortstop to have decent speed. But watching him run reminds me of a 65 yr old, arthritic former catcher. What gives? A: Tom Haudricourt - Hardy once told me that he was fast in high school. He's not sure where that speed went. But he definitely is no speedster on the bases."

"As Hunter Pence strolled to the plate in the 12th inning, his focus was on the Astros' bullpen and finding a way to reward it for a masterful performance on a glorious Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park. Knowing one swing could decide the outcome, Pence saw no reason to dwell on his 0-for-5 collar. On a day Lance Berkman and Astros relievers stood out, Pence drilled a walk-off, two-run home run to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 in 12 innings to complete the three-game sweep that evened their record at 16-16."

"Sullivan Award winner. Elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame for his play at the University of Michigan. 1988 Olympic gold medal winner. Selected No. 8 overall by the California Angels in the 1988 baseball draft. A 10-year major-league career with four teams. A no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. Those are impressive credentials for any athlete, but for one born without a right hand they become incredible achievements. Former major-leaguer Jim Abbott is to be in Milwaukee as the keynote speaker at the IndependenceFirst Power Lunch at noon Friday at the Midwest Airlines Center, where he will be introduced by Commissioner Bud Selig. "

"Have the Milwaukee Brewers built a team that's too reliant on the home run? Last year, when the Brewers set a franchise record with 231 home runs, they rarely had trouble scoring runs. Of their total of 801 runs, 364 scored on homers, a 45.4% rate that ranked behind only Cincinnati in the major leagues. Even with a two-homer, four-RBI day on Sunday by Mike Cameron against Houston, the Brewers have scored only 42 of their 142 runs via home runs, or 29.6%. The bad news is they rank only eighth in the National League with 30 homers."

"Say what you want about close plays at first base and tight strike zones but Eric Gagné has become a crap shoot when the Milwaukee Brewers summon him to close games. Gagné blew his major league-high fifth save Sunday by surrendering two runs in the bottom of the ninth in a game the Brewers eventually lost to the Houston Astros, 8-6, on Hunter Pence's two-run homer with one out in the 12th inning."

"Brandon Backe isn't sure if his bat provided the spark the Astros needed Saturday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. He would like to think so, but he was modest enough to wonder if it was just a matter of time before his teammates got the offense rolling. This much is certain. As the hanging curveball approached in the fifth inning, Backe poked a home run into the Crawford Boxes and pushed the Astros toward their 6-2 victory at Minute Maid Park. With that home run from their starting pitcher, the Astros began a five-run rally in the fifth."

"It's safe for the Arizona Diamondbacks to start printing playoff tickets. OK, that might be stretching it a bit, but by entering May with a 5½-game lead in the National League West, the Diamondbacks put themselves in a very nice historical position. Since 1900, nine teams in major-league history have led their division by five or more games by the end of April. Every one of those teams went on to claim its division title. Five of those teams went all the way to the World Series. The Diamondbacks took a 5½-game lead into May by coming from behind Wednesday to topple Houston, 8-7, after a tying, pinch-hit home run by pitcher Micah Owings, of all things."

"No player ever complains about coming up to the big leagues. Right-hander Dave Bush just wishes the circumstances were different. Less than a week after being demoted by the Milwaukee Brewers to Class AAA Nashville to work out command issues, Bush was recalled Friday when right-hander Yovani Gallardo was lost, probably for the season, with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee."

"Manny Parra understands that baseball is a nine-inning game. It's the concept of getting through the fifth and sixth innings that has flummoxed the 25-year-old left-hander. Continuing a pattern that has plagued him throughout his six starts this season, Parra ran into a mid-game buzz saw from which he could not escape Saturday night. The Houston Astros scored five runs before making an out in the fifth inning and went on to a 6-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Minute Maid Park."

"Jacob Scott, 8, and fellow muscular dystrophy patient Jacob Richard were among the loudest fans at Minute Maid Park as the Astros put on an amazing home run display Friday night. Yet, as Miguel Tejada tried to chat with Scott after the victory, the boy stood away from his walker and struggled to formulate a word. For Richard and Scott, the Astros' five home runs were more than just the key to beating the Milwaukee Brewers 7-4 before a crowd of 39,715."

"In a span of three batters in the sixth inning, the Astros went from trailing, 4-2, to leading, 6-4. Miguel Tejada cracked a two-run homer and Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee followed with round-trippers against Carlos Villanueva."

"Derrick Turnbow might not have pitched his last game for the Milwaukee Brewers. But he certainly has pitched his last one for awhile. In a move that was hardly surprising, the Brewers designated Turnbow for assignment Friday, removing him from their roster and recalling infielder/outfielder Joe Dillon from Class AAA Nashville."

"Every fly ball to left field in Minute Maid Park doesn't drop into the short porch known as the "Crawford Boxes" for a home run. It just seems that way. In a span of 11 pitches in the sixth inning Friday night, Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Carlos Villanueva watched three baseballs land in that cozy seating section. The three-homer barrage turned the game around and allowed the Houston Astros to make off with a 7-4 victory in a game they trailed at one time by four runs."

"Ned Yost likened it to being punched between the eyes unexpectedly. "You stagger back two or three steps and try to figure out what just happened," said the Milwaukee Brewers manager. "Then it starts to sink in a little bit. Then you realize you've got to move on and keep going." That was the general reaction in the visiting clubhouse Friday at Minute Maid Park when news circulated that right-hander Yovani Gallardo had a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and might be out for the remainder of the season."

"It must have seemed like déjà vu to Kerry Wood when he allowed the Brewers three ninth-inning runs in Thursday's 4-3 loss. He did the same thing on Opening Day against the Brewers, although the Cubs came back to tie the game on Kosuke Fukudome's homer before the Brewers won in 10 innings."

"After a disheartening 4-3 loss to the Brewers on Thursday at Wrigley Field, the Cubs find themselves on a downward spiral that has seen them lose five of their last seven games and four of six to Milwaukee, which is only one game behind the North Siders."

"Ryan Braun had a monster game, going 3 for 5 and reaching base four times, once on an error. He had a home run in the sixth inning that tied the game, then a two-run double in the top of the ninth that put the Brewers ahead for good."

"The Milwaukee Brewers finished the first month of the season - throw in the last day of March because you can never start the baseball season too early - hitting less than .250... This sounds like a team that should be hovering around the bottom of the National League Central Division, but instead the Brewers finished April two games behind the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs and picked up another game on the Cubs and a half-game on the Cardinals by winning on the first day of May."

"While General Manager Doug Melvin continues to try to sign his young stars to long-term contracts, principal owner Mark Attanasio on Thursday extended the contracts of his top two front-office executives. Attanasio announced that the contracts of Rick Schlesinger, executive vice president of business operations, and Bob Quinn, executive vice president-finance and administration, had been extended five years."

"Hearts of baseball fans throughout Wisconsin sank into their shoes for about three minutes as Yovani Gallardo, one of the prized pieces of the Milwaukee Brewers' expected success, lay on his back wincing near first base in the fifth inning. Gallardo proved to be fine... Braun proceeded to rescue the game from the clutches of National League Central evil (at least, to Brewers fans). His two-run double in the ninth inning put the Brewers ahead for good, allowing Eric Gagné to close out a 4-3 victory Thursday afternoon as the Brewers took the series from the Chicago Cubs..."

"Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and manager Ned Yost spent time Thursday discussing the Derrick Turnbow situation but neither would say if any plans are in the works to remove the embattled reliever from the roster. Well aware that many fans are calling for the club to dump Turnbow, Melvin said he wasn't ready to make a decision on the right-hander."

"And the Brewers thought they had problems at the start of the workday, like what to do with the deep-fried Derrick Turnbow, who needs a change of scenery like Roger Clemens needs an image consultant... But this was no problem, escaping Wrigley Field with a series by virtue of a how'd-they-do-that 4-3 victory. The Brewers continue to learn at an accelerated pace."

"The Cubs scored 6 runs in the first on their way to a 19-5 victory over Milwaukee before 39,908. Rookie catcher Geovany Soto lined a pair of 3-run homers to fuel the franchise's biggest output since a 20-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 5, 2001. The Cubs (17-10) maintained a share of the NL Central lead with St. Louis and set a club record for wins in April."

"Bush doesn't make much sense in the pen. If you stick him there, who do you bring into the rotation if an injury happens? As I said, it's not easy to bounce guys back and forth like that, and the pitchers hate it. Even if it means losing Bush for a while, having him start in Nashville is still better than having him in the bullpen. And don't forget, the bullpen was pretty solid before this string of extra inning games."

"Now that the Brewers have concluded their April schedule, manager Ned Yost said he was glad he kept his starting pitchers in order, rather than shuffle them around because of four off days during the month. "It has worked fine," he said. "I kind of like it, as a matter of fact. The off days benefit the bullpen more than the starting pitchers.""

"It is always comforting to have a good friend, someone familiar enough with you that you cannot speak for a while but when you finally do, it's like you were never apart. Milwaukee Brewers centerfielder Mike Cameron always figured he had one of those kinds of friends in the game of baseball. But as he readied for his first at-bat of the season Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, he wasn't so sure."

"A new online fan survey of major-league ballparks ranks Miller Park the second best park in baseball. The top-rated ballpark in the SI.com survey was Progressive Park in Cleveland, home of the Cleveland Indians. "We're very pleased and as we say, the one vote that counts more than any other is the vote from the fan," said Rick Schlesinger, executive vice president of business operations."

"Ben Sheets passed the "day after" test Wednesday when he reported to the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field suffering no ill effects from his outing the previous evening against the Chicago Cubs. "I feel good," said Sheets, who returned to the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers after a 10-day absence caused by triceps soreness."

"It's technically impossible for a game to be over before it starts, but this one came close. Snatching away every ounce of momentum the Milwaukee Brewers generated with their offensive breakthrough the previous evening, the Chicago Cubs bombarded right-hander Jeff Suppan for six first-inning runs Wednesday night at Wrigley Field en route to a 19-5 embarrassment of their NL Central rivals."