Milwaukee Brewers News Clips

Thursday, May 7, 2015

2

Journal Sentinel

Big first inning is all Peralta needs

Bob Uecker, Brewers radio crew briefly

held hostage by faulty door

Craig Counsell focused on winning, not

possible rebuild

Craig Counsell no stranger to Bob

Uecker, or his antics

Brewers vs. Dodgers: Wednesday game

report

Brewers.com

First-inning outburst leads Crew over

Dodgers

Peralta a model of consistency in first

win

Counsell focused on winning, not

rebuilding

Bob Uecker got trapped in his own radio

booth on Wednesday night

Frias, Fiers up for finale of four-game

series

Fox Sports Wisconsin

Brewers double up Dodgers, 6-3

Brewers back Peralta, attack Dodgers

early

ESPN.com

John Farrell's late-inning moves did not

work in club's favor

Dodgers' Joc Pederson brings the power

Bob Uecker among broadcasters locked

in booth at Miller Park

Rapid Reaction: Brewers 6, Dodgers 3

Madison.com

Brewers: Wily Peralta gets run support,

1st victory

Brewers: Broken door handle locks Bob

Uecker, other broadcasters in booth

Sports Illustrated

Which players are most likely to be

traded in a Brewers firesale?

My News 13

Brevard County Manatees to rock space-

themed uniforms for weekend series

3

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/brewers

-vs-dodgers-b99495030z1-302843481.html

Big first inning is all Peralta needs By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel

May 6, 2015

After facing the likes of Clayton Kershaw and Zack

Greinke the previous two games, the Milwaukee

Brewers took out their offensive frustrations on Joe

Wieland.

Immediately.

Breaking through for five first-inning runs, the

Brewers held on Wednesday night for a 6-3 victory

over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Miller Park, their

second victory in three games under new manager

Craig Counsell.

How unusual was that early outburst for the Brewers?

They had scored a total of five first-inning runs over

their previous 27 games.

"It was a good first inning," Counsell said. "Our guys

jumped on him. We had good at-bats that whole

inning, real good at-bats. Sometimes, you jump on him

with a big inning, and it's that big inning that wins you

the game."

The recipient of the early support was right-hander

Wily Peralta, who entered the game with a 0-4 record

through five starts. A lot of that had to do with a lack

of support, including just four runs from his teammates

over his previous three outings. Peralta had pitched

with a lead just once previously.

"It felt great to get five runs right away in the first

inning," said Peralta, who went eight innings, allowing

seven hits and two earned runs with no walks and six

strikeouts.

"You go out there and try to attack hitters, and that's

what I tried to do tonight. I've been working on my

mechanics in the bullpen, and I've felt better the last

few starts."

Acquired from San Diego over the winter in the Matt

Kemp trade, Wieland was summoned from the minors

as the latest fill-in for a Dodgers rotation missing

injured starters Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

He was rudely welcomed as the Brewers scored four

runs before he recorded an out.

The Brewers' outburst started with Carlos Gomez

punching an 0-2 pitch from Wieland into right field for

a single.

Scooter Gennett, playing his second game after

returning from a hand injury, then crushed a 3-1

fastball out to right-center for his first home run of the

season.

Ryan Braun, who homered twice in a game against

Wieland in 2012 when he pitched for San Diego, drew

a walk and Adam Lind followed with another two-run

homer. Lind got enough of a breaking ball to hit a

towering fly to right that dropped over the fence for his

fifth home run of the season.

The damage should have ended there, but Dodgers

second baseman Howie Kendrick made a bad throw

trying to turn a double play on a grounder by Jean

Segura, who then stole second base and scored on a

single by Martin Maldonado.

"It was awesome to throw up a crooked number like

that, for Wily especially," Gennett said. "It seems like

4

he goes out there and shuts them down, and we only

score one or two. It was nice to give him some

breathing room early."

Now, if the Brewers could only figure out what to do

with Joc Pederson and Adrian Gonzalez. Pederson, the

Dodgers' promising rookie centerfielder, ripped two

home runs to center off Peralta and rubbed it in further

by making a leaping catch against the wall to rob the

Brewers' pitcher of an extra-base hit in the sixth

inning.

"That guy's a good hitter," Counsell said. "He's got

quality, quality plate discipline and he's got power.

Those are two pretty good traits."

Gonzalez, a veteran first baseman on the other end of

the experience spectrum, has been strong at the plate

all season but always kicks it up a notch at Miller Park.

He collected three more hits, including a double, to

boost his career batting average to .417 in his home

away from home.

Gonzalez has reached base in 10 of 13 plate

appearances in the series.

After the first inning, the only real drama came in the

Brewers' radio booth. The entrance door became

jammed between the fifth and sixth innings, trapping

announcers Bob Uecker and Joe Block and their crew.

A ladder had to be placed against the front window and

a worker climbed through to remove the door from its

hinges, with Uecker assuring the listening audience

that everyone would make it out alive.

As for on-field activity, the Brewers — with five wins

in seven games, including three before the managerial

change — are trying to erase from their memory banks

how awful they were over the first month.

"This team is very confident and talented," Gennett

said. "Now that things are turning around, we're

starting to get some higher energy and some 'swag' out

there, like we like to call it. It's nice to see."

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/30286223

1.html

Bob Uecker, Brewers radio crew briefly held

hostage by faulty door By Matt Velazquez of the Journal Sentinel

May 6, 2015

Bob Uecker has famously had countless experiences

during his 50-plus years in baseball. Wednesday night

brought something even he hadn't seen or been a part

of before.

During the sixth inning, it became apparent that there

was an issue with the door to the Brewers radio booth.

The handle was broken on the outside and the door was

locked, which meant no one could get in or out.

The only way to fix the door would be to take it off its

hinges — a simple solution, right? Not when the

hinges are on the inside of the door.

Desperate times called for desperate measures and a

ladder was brought in to facilitate the rescue.

It appears as if Bob Uecker and @joe_block are

currently trapped in the #Brewers radio booth. Looks

like the handle to the door broke off.

— Andrew Gruman (@AndrewGruman) May 7, 2015

Looks like Uecker & Co. are indeed locked in the radio

booth. Help appears to be on the

way.pic.twitter.com/Ii3isuuBqI

5

— Matt Velazquez (@Matt_Velazquez) May 7, 2015

We are getting saved in the

booth.pic.twitter.com/3GInvWOm6s

— Jeff Levering (@JLevering4) May 7, 2015

Uecker took being trapped in stride. He continued the

broadcast, saying, "A man just came up the ladder

right in front of us. I'm serious. You're the next

contestant on Brewers Hits!"

After the door was down and the crisis averted, Uecker

stuck around between innings to monitor the

developments and chat with passersby. He said that the

door had similarly malfunctioned in the past, but this

was the first time those in the booth weren't able to

force it back open.

Bob Uecker and the rest of the crew in the Brewers

radio booth are free. pic.twitter.com/cT9TkkYKMz

— Matt Velazquez (@Matt_Velazquez) May 7, 2015

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/30283889

1.html

Craig Counsell focused on winning, not

possible rebuild By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel

May 6, 2015

In recent days, both Brewers principal owner Mark

Attanasio and general manager Doug Melvin have

expressed a willingness to rebuild the team’s roster if

necessary in the wake of the worst start to a season in

franchise history.

New manager Craig Counsell certainly was aware of

that possibility before accepting a three-year deal but

he made it clear Wednesday he can’t be worried about

such things as he tries to get the Brewers back on track.

“I’ve seen Doug’s comments,” said Counsell.

“Everybody knows the spot we’re in. It’s been put out

there. Doug said it’s a possibility but I feel like you

focus on winning games.

“That’s something for the future and you’re aware of

it, but it’s not something you focus on right now. The

way I see it, there’s nothing I would do differently, no

matter what the statement is. I’m trying to win games.

I don’t see how it would affect what I’m doing.

“If that’s something we have to do, if that’s a direction,

then I understand that.”

While Counsell is sure to keep that focus, it often is a

different story with players on the team. If trade

rumors start percolating involving various names, it

often can be a distraction.

Part of Counsell’s job will be to try tomake sure, as

best he can, that doesn’t happen.

“Players all have things to worry about,” he said. “The

biggest thing they worry about is the game the next

day. That’s the great thing about the game (of baseball)

is that there’s a game the next day that really grabs

most of your attention.

“It’s easy for that to grab most of your attention. It’s

not a distraction. It’s THE thing. That’s how I’m going

to approach it. Whatever is going on around you, we

can still give a great effort and play a great game

tonight.”

Counsell said it wasn’t important to get a three-year

deal in the event a rebuilding plan is put in place.

6

“I don’t think that had anything to do with it,” he said.

“Whoever the manager is, you’re evaluated on how

you’re doing your job. I feel like I’m accountable for

certain things, and then certain things are out of my

control. You have to accept that.

“As long as you feel like you’ve put sound rationale,

sound logic, sound preparation into everything that

I’m going to do, you have to live with results. That’s

how I have to treat it.”

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/craig-

counsell-no-stranger-to-bob-uecker-or-his-

antics-b99495772z1-302856051.html

Craig Counsell no stranger to Bob Uecker, or

his antics By Matt Velazquez of the Journal Sentinel

May 6, 2015

There are innumerable changes that come with being

named a big-league manager, especially when that

shift comes during a season. Among the special things

to look forward to as Milwaukee's manager is the daily

radio interview and opportunity to form a relationship

with Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker.

New Brewers manager Craig Counsell didn't have to

start from scratch with Uecker on Monday. The two

already had a long history.

Counsell grew up in Whitefish Bay and was around

the Brewers for much of his childhood because of his

father John's roles in the front office. As a player for

the Brewers in 2004 and 2007-'11, one of Counsell's

favorite things was to get up early and listen to Uecker

tell stories at breakfast.

Even before Counsell was formally hired, his first

interview with Uecker as Milwaukee's manager was

something he consciously anticipated.

"I think it's one of the things that go through your head

before the first day," Counsell said before

Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"It's one of the things that went through my head

because you've listened to that. You picture the

summer nights throwing the ball on the roof, and I'm

starting to sound corny and nostalgic here, but I can

see it.

"You know that's going to happen every day. I was

looking forward to it. I said let's have fun with this

every day. It doesn't have to be serious every day."

The opening interview of the Counsell era wasn't

serious from the start. Uecker, who remembers

Counsell running around the clubhouse and field at

County Stadium as young as 8 or 9 years old, decided

to have some fun with the new skipper.

The first question out of Uecker's mouth came loaded

with expletives, catching Counsell by surprise. Once

the manager caught on to the prank, the two shared a

laugh. The audio was then scrapped and they started

fresh.

"We had fun," Counsell said. "He got me a little bit.

With Ueck, you better expect anything. That's how I

approach it."

Uecker admitted that the managerial change was

difficult for him after spending five seasons working

with Ron Roenicke on a daily basis. He still is trying

to wrap his head around saying, "The Craig Counsell

Show."

7

Though the transition is never easy, Uecker thinks

highly of Counsell. He's followed him through much

of his life and appreciates how Counsell has always

stayed close to his roots, mentioning that the friends

Counsell made growing up in Whitefish Bay are still

among his friends now.

"I had chances to go other places," Uecker said. "I

never wanted to go anywhere. This was where I was

born and raised. For him, raised here. He was raised in

a big-league environment with his dad working here.

He was around this all the time."

Over Uecker's more than half century in baseball, he's

seen a shift in managerial styles. The tough

disciplinarians have been phased out for younger

former players who relate well with their players.

Counsell may be coming into a tough situation with

the Brewers holding the worst record in the majors, but

Uecker believes he has a personality that resonates

with today's players. He also has experience in the

front office and as a scout that Uecker thinks gives him

an important understanding of the whole organization.

"Bottom line is what (the players) think about him,"

Uecker said. "They have to respect him. Here's a guy

that has two World Series rings. I think that's really

meaningful. You don't have to harp on it, but he's been

there. He's been a hero in the World Series. When you

see stuff like that — some guys can't handle it.

"Guys who were really good players sometimes can't

be good managers, because they expect everybody to

play the game as easy as they did it. It is not that easy.

Any guy that has come the way he has, he's not a big

guy, right? He's not a big power guy. He's just steady.

He's just one of those guys that beats you."

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/brewers

-vs-dodgers-wednesday-game-report-

b99495035z1-302871911.html

Brewers vs. Dodgers: Wednesday game report By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel

May 6, 2015

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE

■ Craig Counsell's first two games as manager couldn't

have been more different. There was the exhilarating

comeback victory against Clayton Kershaw, and the

Dodgers followed by what became a lopsided loss

asZack Greinkeshut down the Brewers' offense. "Let's

ride the roller coaster," Counsell said."

■ Only home plate umpire Jordan Baker knows why

he didn't eject Los Angeles leftfielder Scott Van

Slyke after a called third strike in the fourth inning.

Van Slyke flipped the bat over his head and held both

arms out in complaint, then came back to get some

extra words in without getting the thumb.

STATITUDES

■ Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who had

five walks, a HBP and two-run homer in the first two

games of the series, ranked second all time among

visiting players (minimum 75 at-bats) with a .808

slugging percentage. He trailed another Dodgers first

baseman, Shawn Green, whose .816 slugging

percentage was aided greatly by a four-homer game at

Miller Park in 2002. Gonzalez added three more hits,

including a double, in four at-bats.

■ Each of Dodgers rookie centerfielder Joc Pederson's

last seven hits have been home runs. He hit two

off Wily Peraltaand has three in the series.

8

RECORD

THIS YEAR: 9-19

LAST YEAR: 20-8

HOME: 5-11 (roof open, 0-0; roof closed, 5-11)

ROAD: 4-8

ATTENDANCE

WEDNESDAY: 22,708

OVERALL (16 dates):465,717 (29,107 avg.)

SELLOUTS: 1

COMING UP

Thursday: 12:40 p.m. at Miller Park. Milwaukee

RHP Mike Fiers (1-3, 4.74) vs. Los Angeles

RHP Carlos Frias (2-0, 0.00). No TV. Radio — AM-

620.

Friday: 7:10 p.m. at Miller Park. Milwaukee

RHP Jimmy Nelson (1-2, 4.03) vs. Chicago Cubs

RHP Jason Hammel (2-1, 3.73). TV — FS Wisconsin.

Radio — AM-620.

Saturday: 6:10 p.m. at Miller Park. Milwaukee

RHP Kyle Lohse (1-4, 7.01) vs. Chicago Cubs

LHP Travis Wood (2-1, 4.40). TV — FS Wisconsin.

Radio — AM-620.

Sunday: 1:10 p.m. at Miller Park. Milwaukee

RHP Matt Garza (2-4, 4.58) vs. Chicago Cubs

RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 5.61). TV — FS

Wisconsin. Radio — AM-620.

IN THE MINORS

COLORADO SPRINGS (AAA): Pete Orr put the Sky

Sox ahead in the top of the ninth with an RBI double,

but the Memphis Sounds scored three times in the

bottom of the inning to rally for a 6-5 win.

BILOXI (AA): Yadiel Riverahad four of the Shuckers'

16 hits and also drove in two runs in an 8-7 win over

the Mississippi Braves.

BREVARD COUNTY (A):Clint Coulterhit a three-

run bomb but that's all the offense the Manatees would

get in a 7-3 loss to the Clearwater Threshers.

WISCONSIN (A): Catcher Carlos Leal continued his

hot hitting (.385) with a pair of singles, but the Timber

Rattlers took it on the chin, 8-2, against the Cedar

Rapids Kernels.

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/1227686

78/milwaukee-brewers-beat-los-angeles-

dodgers-with-five-run-first-inning

First-inning outburst leads Crew over

Dodgers

By Ken Gurnick and Adam

McCalvy / MLB.com | 12:31 AM ET

MILWAUKEE -- After tangling with Dodgers

aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in the first

two games of this series, the Brewers showed off a

pretty good pitcher of their own Wednesday night.

Wily Peralta hit 96 mph in the first inning and was still

there in the eighth as the big right-hander, a 17-game

winner last season, benefited from the Brewers' five-

run first inning on the way to a 6-3 win at Miller Park

on Wednesday.

9

"Give Wily a lead like that on a night he was throwing

pretty darn good, and you feel pretty good," Brewers

manager Craig Counsell said. "We did a great job.

Sometimes, it's that big inning that wins you the

game."

Peralta (1-4) won for the first time this season after

allowing three runs on seven hits in a season-high

eight innings, matching the deepest outing for a

Brewers starter this season. His only obstacle came in

the form of Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson, who

hit a pair of solo home runs and made a highlight-reel

catch to rob what would have been Peralta's first hit

this season.

"Just trying to put a quality at-bat out there, put a good

swing and keep it simple," said Pederson.

Brewers batters jumped all over Dodgers starter Joe

Wieland, a right-hander called up from Triple-A

Oklahoma City before the game. Milwaukee's first

four hitters went single, home run, walk, home run,

with Scooter Gennett andAdam Lind each connecting

for a two-run homer and a quick, 4-0 Brewers

lead. Martin Maldonado added an RBI single later in

the inning.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Five-spot in first: In their first 27 games combined, the

Brewers had scored five runs in the first inning. They

matched that total against Wieland, as Gennett and

Lind homered to right field and Maldonado added

insurance with two outs. The five runs matched the

Brewers' biggest single-inning outburst this season,

which they've equaled three times.

"It was awesome to throw up a crooked number like

that for Wily, especially," said Gennett. "It seems like

he goes out there and shuts them down and we only

score one or two. It was nice to give him some

breathing room early."

Joc with the bat: In Pederson's first 14 plate

appearances of this series, 11 have ended in a home

run (three), walk (three) or strikeout (five). Joc with

the glove: Pederson made a circus catch of Peralta's

booming shot to the deepest part of center field leading

off the bottom of the sixth, gloving the ball just before

he hit the wall. go out. I'm going to keep trying."

QUOTABLE

"I've always had hope. This team has been very

confident, and now that things are turning around

we're starting to get some higher energy and some

'swag' out there, like we like to call it." -- Gennett, on

the Brewers winning five of their last seven games

after a 5-17 start

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

A Brewers run came off the board in the fifth inning

after Dodgers manager Don Mattingly successfully

challenged a call at first base. With two outs, the bases

loaded and a run already in, Dodgers third

baseman Justin Turnerthrew a Maldonado grounder

wide of first base, pulling Adrian Gonzalez off the bag

as a run scored -- at least according to the initial ruling.

Upon review, the umpires decided Gonzalez held the

bag with the tip of his toe, and overturned the call.

WHAT'S NEXT

Dodgers: Swingman Carlos Frias, 2-0 without

allowing a run, gets his second start in the series finale

coming off 5 1/3 scoreless innings against Arizona. In

three relief appearances against Milwaukee last year,

Frias allowed five runs in six innings. The game starts

at 10:40 a.m. PT.

10

Brewers: Mike Fiers will seek to build on his best start

of the season when he faces the Dodgers. Fiers struck

out 12 Cubs batters while allowing only a run on three

hits in six innings at Wrigley Field on Sunday.

Watch every out-of-market regular season game live

on MLB.TV.

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/1228852

66/milwaukee-brewers-wily-peralta-gets-first-

win-of-season

Peralta a model of consistency in first win

Brewers starter gets plenty of early help from

offense

By Adam

McCalvy / MLB.com | @AdamMcCalvy | May 6,

2015

MILWAUKEE -- Wily Peralta's first pitch Wednesday

was a 95-mph fastball. In the eighth inning, his final

fastball was 96 mph. This was the Peralta the Brewers

had been longing to see.

The big right-hander logged his first win in his sixth

2015 start, a 6-3 Brewers victory. Peralta worked a

season-high eight innings and held the Dodgers to

three runs on seven hits. Just as important as the six

strikeouts, Peralta didn't walk a batter.

"To me, it was just easy, effortless," said Brewers

manager Craig Counsell. "And great life in the zone.

It was a really easy effort how he pitched tonight. He

was in control. No walks was great. He just did it with

ease tonight. That was encouraging to me."

Peralta's first five starts were different, in part,

perhaps, because Brewers hitters struggled to help out.

They had scored 10 total runs in the games Peralta

pitched, including just six runs in the previous four

starts.

Against Dodgers right-hander Joe Wieland on

Wednesday, the Brewers had a 4-0 lead before hitting

into an out. Scooter Gennett and Adam Lind hit two-

run home runs in a five-run first inning.

"Oh man, it feels great to get five runs right away in

the first inning," Peralta said. "I think it was the second

time this season I've had the lead. You then go out

there and attack hitters. That's what I did tonight."

The only major damage was caused by Dodgers

outfielder Joc Pederson, who hit a pair of solo home

runs.

Did Peralta's outing feel as easy as it looked to

Counsell?

"I've been working on my mechanics in the bullpen,"

Peralta said. "They are feeling better the last few starts.

Tonight I got into a good rhythm. I didn't try to throw

it too hard, and the life with the fastball was there.

When I'm going good, that's the thing that I do. I don't

try to do too much. That's when I locate my pitches

better. Tonight I was able to do that."

Said Counsell: "I hope he just kind of took a deep

breath and relaxed a little bit and found something to

go on moving forward."

Peralta was the Brewers' most valuable pitcher last

season, going 17-11 with a 3.53 ERA and leading the

team with 198 2/3 innings and 154 strikeouts. He also

led the way with 22 quality starts, an area in which the

Brewers struggled to begin the season. But

Wednesday marked Peralta's third straight quality start

after missing the cutoff in his first three outings.

11

The Brewers had two quality starts in their first 14

games. Now they have 10 quality starts in their last 14

games. They also have won five of seven games after

starting the season 5-17.

"We've been putting a lot of things together," Peralta

said. "We've been hitting better, and our starters have

been stepping up and pitching a good game."

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/1227933

68/milwaukee-brewers-manager-craig-counsell-

not-worried-about-rebuilding

Counsell focused on winning, not rebuilding

New Brewers manager's priorities have changed

now that he's in dugout

By Adam

McCalvy / MLB.com | @AdamMcCalvy | May 6,

2015

MILWAUKEE -- The potential for a Brewers rebuild

might have occupied Craig Counsell in his old job as

a special assistant to general manager Doug Melvin.

Now that he's in the dugout, Counsell said he has more

immediate matters on his mind.

"Look, I've seen Doug's comments so it's -- everybody

knows the spot we're in," said Counsell, who was

named manager on Monday. "It's been put out there,

Doug's put it out there, and really, it's what Doug has

said. It's a possibility, but I feel like you focus on

winning games. [A rebuild] is something for the

future. You're aware of it but it's not what you focus

on right now and the way I see it, there's nothing I

would do differently [as manager].

"I'm just trying to win games. I don't see how it would

affect how I do what I'm doing. If that's the direction

then, you know, I understand that."

Melvin's comments Iabout the possibility of a "reset"

have been public for several weeks. On Tuesday,

Brewers owner Mark Attanasio addressed the idea and

said he was "ready to make the hard decision to do

what's best for the organization, whatever that will be."

If that entails trading away established players for

young ones, it will be Counsell's job to maintain focus

among players.

Could that be a challenge?

"The biggest thing they worry about is the game the

next day," Counsell said. "That's what really grabs

most of your attention and that's easy to grab most of

your attention, I think. It's not a distraction,

it's the thing and that's how I'm going to approach it,

you know? Whatever is going on around us, we can

give a great effort and play a great game tonight."

Counsell said the potential for a long-term rebuild had

nothing to do with his getting a three-year contract. It

covers this season and each of the next two.

"I feel like whoever the manager is, you're evaluated

on how you're doing your job," Counsell said. "I feel

like I'm accountable for certain things, and certain

things are out of my control, and you have to accept

that. But I feel like if I put sound rationale, sound logic

and sound preparation into everything I do, then you

have to live with the results. That's how I have to treat

it."

12

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/05/07/12288142

4/bob-uecker-got-trapped-in-his-own-radio-

booth-on-wednesday-night

Bob Uecker got trapped in his own radio booth

on Wednesday night

By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com

If you're going to be locked in a room with anybody,

it might as well be Mr. Baseball.

Bob Uecker made sure nobody lost their cool in the

Brewers radio booth Wednesday when a group that

included fellow broadcasters Joe Block and Jeff

Levering, longtime engineer Kent Summerfeld and

Uecker's assistant, Mary Burns, found themselves

trapped for several innings by a broken lock on the

door.

"People who are listening to the ballgame, I know

what you're thinking," Uecker said. "'He's ready for the

home. He's cooked. It's finally happened. He's seeing

ladders and doors without handles.'"

As the game rolled along, fans were treated to dueling

play-by-play of the Brewers and Dodgers on the field,

and the crew of handymen who stationed a ladder on

the loge level at Miller Park and climbed into the booth

to remove the door from its hinges.

fter the Dodgers made their final out in the seventh,

Block told listeners, "We're not going anywhere. You

do the same."

Eventually, help arrived and Uecker & Co. were free.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid

=2015_05_07_lanmlb_milmlb_1&mode=previe

w&vkey=preview_web_home&c_id=mil

Frias, Fiers up for finale of four-game series

By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com | 5/6/2015 11:32 PM ET

An indication of the Dodgers' position depth is that

Juan Uribe, who has a 13-game hitting streak, will be

back in the lineup Thursday after sitting two games

while hot-hitting Justin Turner started at third base.

And a lack of their pitching depth is in evidence as

swingman Carlos Frias gets his second start in the

series finale against the Brewers and Mike Fiers.

Fiers is coming off a 12-strikeout, six-inning win over

the Cubs and he beat the Dodgers handily in his only

start against them last year, allowing one run in eight

innings.

The Dodgers want innings from Frias after Joe

Wieland's short start Wednesday night.

What to watch for in this game:

• With the day game after a night game, the Dodgers

will rest shortstop Jimmy Rollins, and catcher

Yasmani Grandal is expected to return to the lineup

after A.J. Ellis started Wednesday night.

• The Dodgers lead the Majors with 44 homers this

season. The last time the Dodgers led the Majors in

home runs for a season was 1974 when Jimmy Wynn

paced the club with 32 homers.

• A win Thursday would give the Brewers their second

consecutive series win.

13

http://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/milw

aukee-brewers-double-up-los-angeles-dodgers-

6-3-050615

Brewers double up Dodgers, 6-3

AP

MAY 07, 2015 12:41a ET

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers scored a

total of 10 runs in Wily Peralta's first five starts this

season.

They scored five runs in the first inning Wednesday

night and the big right-hander was able to cruise to his

first victory of the year.

Adam Lind homered and doubled and the Brewers

battered Joe Wieland in the first inning for a 6-3

victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Peralta (1-4) pitched eight solid innings. It was just the

second time this season he had pitched with the lead,

a sharp contrast after earning 17 victories last season.

"It was awesome to throw up a crooked number up

there like that for Wily," said Scooter Gennett, who hit

a two-run homer in the first to start the Brewers'

scoring.

"He goes out there and shuts them down, and we've

(been) scoring one or two," Gennett said. "He did a

great job. Unbelievable."

Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth inning for his

sixth save in as many chances.

Milwaukee has won four of five, but still has the worst

record in the majors at 9-19.

Wieland (0-1), recalled from the minor leagues earlier

Wednesday, allowed two-run homers to Gennett and

Lind in the first inning, and an RBI single to Martin

Maldonado as Milwaukee took a 5-0 lead. It was

Gennett's first home run of the season in just his

second game after returning from the disabled list

while recovering from a cut on his hand.

Peralta allowed three runs, two earned, seven hits and

six strikeouts in eight innings. His four-game losing

streak to start the season matched his career high for

consecutive losses.

"To me, it was just easy, effortless and great life in the

zone," new Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.

"It was a really easy effort how he pitched tonight. He

was in control. No walks was great. He just did it with

ease tonight."

Obtained from San Diego in an offseason trade that

sent outfielder Matt Kemp to the Padres, Wieland

allowed six runs, six hits and four walks with two

strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

"I'm not sure what exactly was giving him trouble,"

Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly said.

"Obviously, they were seeing him pretty good."

Adrian Gonzalez of the Dodgers went 3-for-4 and is 4-

for-6 with five walks, a home run, a double and was

hit by a pitch in the first three games of the series.

14

http://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/milw

aukee-brewers-back-wily-peralta-attack-los-

angeles-dodgers-early-050615

Brewers back Peralta, attack Dodgers early

Andrew Gruman

FOX Sports Wisconsin

MAY 07, 2015 12:30a ET

MILWAUKEE -- Wily Peralta hasn't been

consistently sharp early in 2015, but the young right-

hander has also been victim to a complete lack of run

support during his starts.

So it must have felt as if a huge weight was lifted off

his shoulders when theMilwaukee

Brewers jumped Dodgers spot starter Joe Wieland for

five runs in the first inning Wednesday.

Peralta took things from there, allowing just two

earned runs over eight innings in Milwaukee's 6-3

victory over Los Angeles at Miller Park.

"Oh man, it feels great to get five runs right away in

the first inning," Peralta said. "I think it was the second

time this season I've had the lead. You then go out

there and attack hitters. That's what I did tonight."

After Carlos Gomez led off with a single, Scooter

Gennett blasted his first home run of the season to put

the Brewers up 2-0. Ryan Braun then drew a walk in

front of Adam Lind, who hit a towering two-run blast

to right.

Four batters into the game, the Brewers led, 4-0. Later

in the inning, Jean Segura stole second base and scored

on a two-out RBI single from Martin Maldonado.

"It was a good first inning. I think guys jumped on

him," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We had

good at-bats that whole first inning -- real good at-bats.

To give Wily a lead like that on a night where he was

pretty darn good you feel pretty good. We did a great

job. You jump on them, big inning, and it's that big

inning that wins you the game."

Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner hit consecutive

singles to start the second, but Peralta worked out of

trouble by fanningAndre Ethier looking and inducing

Scott Van Slyke to hit into a double play.

The Dodgers scored an unearned run on a throwing

error by Segura in the fourth and cut Milwaukee's lead

to 5-2 on a solo home run from rookie center fielder

Joc Pederson in the fifth.

Peralta then settled in to retire 10 of the final 11 he

faced, with the only blemish being another Pederson

solo home run in the eighth.

"To me it was just easy, effortless and great life in the

zone," Counsell said of Peralta. "It was a really easy

effort for me, how he pitched tonight. He was really in

control -- no walks was great. He just did it was ease

tonight and that was what was encouraging for me to

see."

With a 2.25 ERA over his last three starts, Peralta

seems to be getting into a stretch in which he's locked

in. The 25-year-old was sitting consistently at 96 mph

with his fastball the entire night, while he had good

command of his slider.

"I've been working on my mechanics in the bullpen,"

Peralta said. "They are feeling better the last few starts.

Tonight I got into a good rhythm. I didn't try to throw

it too hard, and the life with the fastball was there.

15

"When I'm going good, that's the thing that I do. I don't

try to do too much. That's when I locate my pitches

better. Tonight I was able to do that."

Peralta entered Wednesday tied for the second-worst

run support in baseball at 1.67 runs per start. The

Brewers had scored a grand total of 10 runs in the five

games he's started, with four of those having come

during his first start of the season.

The young right-hander surrendered just two earned

runs over six innings against St. Louis on April 25 and

just one run over six innings in Chicago on May 1 but

took the loss in both outings.

"It was awesome to throw up a crooked number like

that, especially for Wily," Gennett said. "It seems like

he goes out there and shuts them down and we throw

up one run for him. It was nice to give him some

breathing room early."

The Brewers have now won five of their last seven

games and have a chance Thursday to take three of

four from the National League West-leading Dodgers.

"This team is very confident," Gennett said. "Now that

things are turning around we are starting to get some

higher energy and some swag out there. It is nice to

see."

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-

sox/post/_/id/43654/john-farrells-late-inning-

moves-did-not-work-in-clubs-favor

John Farrell's late-inning moves did not work

in club's favor

By Gordon Edes

BOSTON -- This hardly helps to clarify why Luis

Jimenez, who had just one hit in 15 at-bats before

being released by the team with the worst record in

baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers, is on the Red Sox

roster.

Picked up off waivers on Sunday, Jimenez made his

first appearance in a game for the Red Sox Wednesday

night, entering in the eighth inning to run for David

Ortiz at second, one out, and the Sox down a run to

the Tampa Bay Rays. The move, while certainly

defensible at the time, might have wound up costing

the Sox a game.

Not only did Jimenez fail to score -- he was retired on

a force play at the plate when Daniel Nava grounded

weakly to first -- but he came to the plate instead of

Ortiz in the bottom of the ninth as Boston’s last hope,

the tying runs on first and second. Jimenez hit a little

squibber in front of the plate and was easily thrown out

at first.

“With [Ortiz’s] run being the tying run, if we get a base

hit and he’s thrown out at the plate, you’re damned if

you do, damned if you don’t,’’ Red Sox manager John

Farrell said.

That wasn't the only move that didn't work out for the

Sox. With the team playing short-handed because of

16

Hanley Ramirez’s injury, the only other position

player Farrell had on the bench when it was Jimenez’s

turn to bat was backup catcher, Sandy Leon. He had

one other pinch-hitter available when the eighth inning

began in Nava, but chose to use him to hit for Allen

Craig rather than saving him in case Ortiz’s place in

the order came around again.

Nava had two hits in four previous at-bats off Rays

reliever Kevin Jepsen, and with Jepsen walking the

two left-handed batters he’d faced earlier in the inning,

Ortiz and Pablo Sandoval, Farrell liked the Sox's

chances better with the left-handed hitting Nava at the

plate, but Nava swung at a 1-and-1 curveball and

grounded to first baseman James Loney, who threw to

the plate to retire Jimenez.

Nava is hitless in his last 18 at-bats and was 0-for-10

on the homestand. He’s batting .143 overall.

What made the decision to hit for Craig a little

surprising was Farrell’s declaration that in Ramirez’s

absence, he was going to give Craig a chance to “run

with it,” in hopes that regular at-bats might jump-start

his bat. Craig struck out, grounded to short and walked

before being lifted.

“I’m not going to make an issue about that,’’ Craig

said. “It was a great chance for us. I was ready to hit,

but it’s John’s decision and I’m just part of the team.

I’m not going to get worked up about that.’’

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/dodger-

report/post/_/id/14154/dodgers-joc-pederson-

brings-the-power-in-loss-to-brewers

Dodgers' Joc Pederson brings the power

By Andrew Wagner, Special to ESPN.com

MILWAUKEE -- After hitting his seventh home run

of the season in an 8-2 Los Angeles Dodgers victory

over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, center

fielder Joc Pederson was unwinding when his phone

started buzzing.

"It's kind of funny,” Pederson said. “I was playing

video games last night with Scott [Van Slyke]

and Bryce Harper just sent me a text and said, 'Keep it

up, keep going,' and I turned the TV on today, and he

had three home runs. I guess you could say I was just

trying to keep up with him.” Pederson just missed

Harper’s pace Wednesday, hitting two more in a 6-3

loss to the Brewers. Here's a stat that'll raise some

eyebrows: Pederson’s last seven hits all have been

home runs.

While Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig draw most of

the attention -- and the payroll -- Pederson is very

quietly establishing himself as a key component of the

Dodgers’ offense.

For the season, Pederson is batting .272 with five

doubles, 18 RBIs and a team-high 21 walks. His .423

on-base percentage is second among qualified NL

rookies behind Cubs phenom Kris Bryant, and he’s

fourth among all NL players with a 1.090 OPS.

"Just trying to put a quality at-bat on it,” Pederson said.

“Just put a good swing on a good pitch. Try to keep it

17

simple.”

Strikeouts (34) are Pederson’s biggest weakness right

now, but manager Don Mattingly attributes some of

that to getting adjusted to major league pitching.

“I really like seeing him hit balls to center because I

know the bat's staying in the strike zone,” Mattingly

said. “I think as he stays with that plan more and more,

I think the strikeouts come down and we see hits all

over the field. Obviously he's either walking or hitting

a homer right now, but I do like the ball going to

center.”

The manager also isn’t worried that Pederson’s recent

power surge might affect his swing negatively for the

long term.

“I think we've got enough people around here to keep

him thinking the right way,” Mattingly said. “He’s a

baseball player from the standpoint of he's trying to put

the ball in play hard. I don't think he's necessarily

trying to hit homers, but his swing kind of fits into that.

But he's a guy that's basically trying to hit the ball hard

somewhere, and when he hits it, it usually goes.”

Pederson also has shown a flair for the dramatic

defensively and Wednesday robbed Brewers

starter Wily Peralta of a home run with an over-the-

railing grab in left center.

“[Pederson] made a really nice play,” Brewers

manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s a good, young

player. He’s a dangerous young player. He’s got

quality plate discipline and he’s got power -- those are

two pretty good traits.”

Pederson was the Dodgers' 11th-round selection in the

2010 MLB draft. He was rated the eighth-best prospect

in baseball by Baseball America coming into the

season after batting .303 with 33 home runs and 78

RBIs for Triple-A Albuquerque last season.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12837846/bob

-uecker-broadcasters-locked-booth-miller-park

Bob Uecker among broadcasters locked in

booth at Miller Park

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE -- Brewers broadcaster and funnyman

Bob Uecker was locked in the radio booth at Miller

Park when the door handle broke during the sixth

inning against the Dodgers Wednesday night.

The 80-year-old known for his wit was trapped and, of

course, made a joke out of it.

"People who are listening to the ballgame, I know

what you're thinking: 'He's ready for the (nursing)

home. He's cooked. It's finally happened. He's seeing

ladders and doors without handles.' "

When the door wouldn't open from the outside, a long,

red ladder was brought to the walkway on the Loge

level and an employee climbed through the large front

windowless opening of the booth to remove the hinges

in the seventh inning.

"Anyone, really, from the concourse could just walk

up our ladder," joked Joe Block, Uecker's broadcast

partner, who was also locked in.

18

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/dodger-

report/post/_/id/14145/rapid-reaction-brewers-6-

dodgers-3-2

Rapid Reaction: Brewers 6, Dodgers 3

By Andrew Wagner, Special to ESPN.com

MILWAUKEE -- Joc Pederson hit two solo home

runs, but the Milwaukee Brewers hit a pair of two-run

shots in the first inning and knocked off the Los

Angeles Dodgers Wednesday night, 6-3, at Miller

Park.

How it happened: In his first big league

start this season, right-hander Joe

Wieland was roughed up in the first

inning, giving up two-run home runs to

second baseman Scooter Gennett and first

baseman Adam Lind.

In all, the Brewers put five on the board in the first.

Wieland settled down after that but gave way to the

Dodgers’ bullpen with two out in the fifth, having been

charged with six runs on six hits and four walks while

striking out a pair.

The Dodgers got a run in the fourth and then made it a

5-2 game in the fifth on center fielder Pederson’s

eighth home run of the season. But Los Angeles

couldn’t cash in against Milwaukee right-hander Wily

Peralta, who went eight innings and scattered seven

hits while striking out six. Pederson added another

home run in the eighth, marking his first career multi-

homer game.

Replay winner: Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has

had his issues with baseball’s replay this spring, but

his team caught a big break from a review

Wednesday.

Wieland gave way to right-hander Sergio Santos with

two on and two out in the fifth. Santos walked left

fielder Khris Davis to load the bases and then walked

shortstop Jean Segura to make it a 6-2 game. That

brought up catcher Martin Maldonado, who smacked

Santos’ first offering to third baseman Justin Turner.

But Turner was slow and wide with his throw to first.

Gonzalez snared the throw, but fell off the bag and

first-base umpire Andy Fletcher ruled Maldonado

safe. Mattingly challenged the play and it was

overturned, ending the inning with no further

damage.

The Dodgers are 2-for-6 on challenges this

season.

Gonzalez strikes again: First baseman Adrian

Gonzalez had two hits Wednesday. In three games

against the Brewers, Gonzalez is 4-for-6 with five

walks, three runs scored, a double, a home run and was

hit by a pitch. In 27 career games at Miller Park,

Gonzalez is 43-for-103 (.417) with 11 doubles, 10

home runs and 27 RBIs.

Up next: The Dodgers will try for a split of this four-

game series in Milwaukee Thursday afternoon with

right-hander Carlos Frias (2-0, 0.00 ERA) taking on

Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers (1-3, 4.74 ERA).

19

http://host.madison.com/sports/baseball/professi

onal/brewers-wily-peralta-gets-run-support-st-

victory/article_26478604-3d8d-57b7-a12e-

51ed5b9e9c3d.html

Brewers: Wily Peralta gets run support, 1st

victory

5 HOURS AGO • JOE DIGIOVANNI

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers needed

Wily Peralta to pick them up Wednesday night.

The right-hander needed his teammates to pick him up.

Everyone was happy after Peralta and his teammates

each enjoyed some mutual support.

Peralta (1-4) was solid in eight innings and the

Brewers staked him to a 5-0 first-inning lead en route

to a 6-3 win at Miller Park.

The Brewers bounced back from a loss to the Dodgers

Tuesday and improved to 2-1 under new manager

Craig Counsell.

Peralta entered with the lowest run support (0.87) per

start this season, but the Brewers matched his season

total of run support in the first inning alone.

"It was awesome to throw up a crooked number up

there like that for Wily," said Scooter Gennett, who hit

a two-run homer in the first off Joe Wieland to start

the Brewers' scoring. "He goes out there and shuts

them down, and we've (been) scoring one or two. He

did a great job. Unbelievable."

It was Gennett’s first home run of the season in just his

second game after returning from the disabled list

while recovering from a cut on his hand.

Peralta won for the first time in six starts after earning

17 wins last season.

Peralta allowed three runs, two earned, seven hits and

six strikeouts in eight innings. His four-game losing

streak to start the season matched his career high for

consecutive losses.

“He was really in control. No walks, that was great,”

Counsell said. “He just pitched with ease tonight.”

Peralta said his first win was a long time coming.

“Yes, absolutely. It was like a month and a half (into

the season),” Peralta said. “Always good get that first

one.”

Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth inning for his

sixth save in as many chances. Milwaukee has won

four of five, but still has the worst record in the majors

at 9-19.

Wieland (0-1), recalled from the minor leagues earlier

Wednesday, allowed two-run homers to Gennett and

Adam Lind in the first inning, and an RBI single to

Martin Maldonado as Milwaukee took a 5-0 lead.

Joc Pederson hit two home runs for the Dodgers. Each

of his past seven hits have been home runs and he has

nine for the season.

“That’s a good hitter, a dangerous young player,”

Counsell said of Pederson.

20

Obtained from San Diego in an offseason trade that

sent Matt Kemp to the Padres, Wieland allowed six

runs, six hits and four walks with two strikeouts in 4

2/3 innings.

Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-4 and is 4-for-6 with five

walks, a home run, a double and was hit by a pitch in

the first three games of the series.

Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth inning for his

sixth save in as many chances.

Milwaukee has won four of five, but still has the worst

record in the majors at 9-19.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: OF Yasiel Puig, on the 15-day DL with a

hamstring injury, is expected to be the DH for Single-

A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday when the team

hosts Visalia. Closer Kenley Jansen, on the DL

recovering from foot surgery, allowed three runs in

just 2/3 of an inning during a rehab outing Wednesday

for Rancho Cucamonga. He is expected to pitch in

another rehab game Saturday.

Brewers: Reliever Jim Henderson allowed three runs,

two hits and five walks in just 1 1/3 inning during a

rehab start for Triple-A Colorado Springs at Memphis

on Wednesday night. He has pitched in eight rehab

games while recovering from right shoulder

inflammation.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: Mattingly said he likely would rest some of

his starters, including SS Jimmy Rollins, during the

finale of the four-game series on Thursday. Carlos

Frias is scheduled to start for the Dodgers.

Brewers: RHP Mike Fiers will start Thursday. He is 3-

0 with a 1.08 ERA in three games against the Dodgers

in his career.

http://host.madison.com/sports/baseball/professi

onal/brewers-broken-door-handle-locks-bob-

uecker-other-broadcasters-in/article_d2982ac5-

b895-5c4c-b676-4ce1aa46e84d.html

Brewers: Broken door handle locks Bob

Uecker, other broadcasters in booth

5 HOURS AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILWAUKEE — Brewers broadcaster and funnyman

Bob Uecker was locked in the radio booth at Miller

Park when the door handle broke during the sixth

inning against the Dodgers Wednesday night.

The 80-year-old known for his wit was trapped and, of

course, made a joke out of it.

"People who are listening to the ballgame, I know

what you're thinking: 'He's ready for the (nursing)

home. He's cooked. It's finally happened. He's seeing

ladders and doors without handles.'"

When the door wouldn't open from the outside, a long,

red ladder was brought to the walkway on the Loge

level and an employee climbed through the large front

windowless opening of the booth to remove the hinges

in the seventh inning.

"Anyone, really, from the concourse could just walk

up our ladder," joked Joe Block, Uecker's broadcast

partner, who was also locked in.

21

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/05/04/milwaukee-

brewers-trade-candidates-kyle-lohse-adam-lind-

aramis-ramirez

Which players are most likely to be traded in

a Brewers firesale?

BY JAY JAFFE SI.com

Even before they fired manager Ron Roenicke on

Sunday, the Brewers let other teams know that they are

open for business in the form of trade proposals. While

Milwaukee's 7–18 record may not be the best

advertisement for those involved, the roster does

contain many players who could help other teams, and

the Brewers are in need of both salary relief and help

for their farm system.

Jonathan Lucroy—a National League MVP candidate

in 2014 who's under club control through '17 via a

$5.25 million club option—is almost certainly

untouchable. He's also injured; via a broken toe, he

could be out until later this month. Also likely

unavailable is Carlos Gomez, who's making $8 million

this year and $9 million next year. While he's already

drawn heavy interest, it's difficult to see general

manager Doug Melvin moving him unless the package

of players the Brewers receive is exceptional. At the

other end of the scale is Ryan Braun, owed a minimum

of $105 million from '16 to '20 and hitting just

.229/.273/.410. He’s probably immovable, though

given the recent trades of Josh Hamilton andMelvin

Upton Jr., it's clear that just about any contractual

albatross can be shed with the right combination of

circumstances.

Braun, Lucroy and Gomez are likely staying put, but

over the past few days, several national writershave

reported the names of a number of Brewers who could

interest other teams, including pending free

agentsKyle Lohse, Adam Lind, Aramis

Ramirez, Gerardo Parra,Jonathan Broxton and Neal

Cotts, all of whom could provide short-term help for a

contender. Given that Milwaukee is going nowhere,

paring down payroll from a club-record $104.2 million

would help the franchise, as would restocking a farm

system that was ranked 19th by Baseball America and

26th by Baseball Prospectus before the season.

The 36-year-old Lohse, who is making $11 million

this year, has been roughed up for a 7.28 ERA through

his first five starts, but since his injury-marred 2010,

he's enjoyed by far the best stretch of his career. From

'11 to '14, he delivered a 3.28 ERA (116 ERA+) and

averaged 199 innings and 3.1 WAR per year. His 5.9

strikeouts per nine and 3.80 FIP across that span aren't

very sexy, and he's had trouble keeping the ball in the

park, serving up 2.4 homers per nine this year, and 1.2

per nine as a Brewer overall. That's not just a matter of

pitching at Miller Park, as his home/road splits since

joining the club are essentially even in that

department.

Still, Lohse shown he can work around that thanks to

a microscopic 1.8 walks per nine, which ranks ninth

among the 90 pitchers with at least 500 innings from

2011 to '14. If the Brewers are willing to deal within

the division, a return to St. Louis—where he pitched

from '08 to '11—makes sense. His ability to eat innings

in bulk could also appeal to the Dodgers, who have

cycled through Scott Baker, Mike Bolsinger, David

Huff and Carlos Frias in the absence of Hyun-jin

Ryuand who need a more substantial solution after

losing Brandon McCarthy to Tommy John surgery.

Acquired in November in an effort to shore up the

team's longstanding first base problem, the 31-year-

22

old Lind has been the team's only above-average hitter

in terms of OPS+; his 159 mark (on a .318/.392/.553

line) is 64 points better than the second-ranked

Brewer, Jean Segura. Lind has his limitations, both as

a defender who's best suited to being a designated

hitter and as a lefty who struggles to hit same-siders

(.214/.259/.331 career), but he's hit a combined

.302/.369/.496 for a 138 OPS+ since the start of the

2013 season. He's affordable, too, making $7.5 million

this year, with an $8 million club option for next. An

AL team getting little from its DH or first base spot,

such as the Mariners or Angels, makes some sense,

though Seattle's lineup already tilts heavily to the left.

The Rays could use help at both spots, but for a team

that's burning more than $12 million on James

Loneyand David DeJesus, even Lind's modest salary

could prove too much.

The 37-year-old Ramirez, who has already said

that this will be his final season, is making $14 million

this year and hitting just .233/.263/.411 with three

homers in 76 plate appearances thus far. He did,

however, put up a solid .285/.330/.427 line with 15

homers and a 109 OPS+ last year and has produced a

123 OPS+ in three-plus seasons in Milwaukee. His

defense at third has been lousy (-13 DRS as a Brewer,

a prorated -5 per 1,200 inning "season"), and he does

have limited no-trade protection, but there are a few

teams currently receiving subpar play at the hot corner

who could use Ramirez's help. The Giants, for

example, are currently suffering

through Casey McGehee's .188/.243/.275 start;

the Padres are receiving an NL-worst .194/.252/.337 at

third, primarily from Will Middlebrooks; and the

Angels are getting a miserable .216/.252/.392 line

fromDavid Freese. But moving to the West Coast

could be a tough sell for a veteran on his last lap,

particularly one with a preference for the east coast.

On the other hand, the 27-year-old Parra

(.262/.274/.426 in 61 PA) is a useful fourth outfielder

known for his outstanding defense. He owns two Gold

Gloves, a Fielding Bible award and a Wilson

Defensive Player of the Year award, and has averaged

a prorated +14 DRS per year for his time at all three

outfield positions, with rightfield (+23) his strongest.

On the other hand, his bat (.274/.325/.395 for a career

94 OPS+) is a bit light for an everyday player unless

it’s in centerfield, and he owns an unplayable .587

career OPS against lefties. In a market where several

teams such as the Padres, Red Sox and Dodgers have

gluts of outfield inventory (even if it's not all currently

healthy), his low cost ($6.24 million this year) will

almost certainly appeal to some contender.

Broxton, the setup man in front of Francisco

Rodriguez, has been all over the map both literally and

figuratively over the past few years, passing though

the Dodgers, Royals, Reds and now Brewers since

2011, with ERAs ranging from 2.30 to 5.68 in that

span. The 30-year-old behemoth can still pump it into

the high 90s velocity-wise, but he's no longer a

strikeout machine, instead becoming more reliant on a

two-seamer with which he can generate ground balls.

He was effective last year, with a 2.30 ERA and 3.37

FIP in 58 2/3 innings and 7.5 strikeouts per nine, but

he doesn’t come cheap. Broxton is making $9 million

this year with a $1 million buyout on a $9 million club

option for next year, so the Brewers would likely have

to eat some of that.

The same is true for Rodriguez, who's owed a

minimum of $9.5 million beyond this year including a

2017 club option, and who seems to have found a

home in Milwaukee, having closed deals with them—

ranging from minor league to multi-year—in each of

the past four years. More affordable is Cotts, a 35-

23

year-old lefty making $3 million. He's been roughed

up for a 4.30 ERA in 82 appearances since the start of

last year, and has struggled to get lefties out in that

span, though he posted a microscopic 1.11 ERA in 58

appearances for the Rangers in '13.

Beyond Braun, one pricey player who could prove

tough to move is Matt Garza, who's owed $12.5

million this year as well as each of the next two, with

either a $13 million vesting option or a $5 million club

option at the end of the rainbow. The 31-year-old

righty has been ineffective thus far with a 4.60 ERA

and 5.48 FIP through five starts, and while he was

solid last year, posting a 3.64 ERA in 27 starts over

163 1/3 innings, he’s averaged just 23 starts and 141

innings from 2012 to '14, with last year’s workload (27

starts, 163 1/3 IP) the only time he qualified for the

ERA title.

One young player who could be on the move is Segura.

The 25-year-old shortstop is coming off a nightmare

season in which he endured the sudden death of his

nine-month-old son and slipped to an injury-fueled

.246/.289/.326 line with five homers and 20 steals after

earning All-Star honors in 2013. He's currently hitting

.289/.324/.381 and making just $534,000, with three

years of arbitration eligibility ahead of him. He’d be a

good fit for the Mets, who are off to a hot start but

gritting their teeth as Wilmer Flores illustrates what

everybody else already knew: He’s not a big-league

shortstop.

What makes Segura expendable is the presence of a

pair of prospects. The first,Luis Sardinas, was

acquired from the Rangers in the trade that

sent Yovani Gallardo to Texas. The 21-year-old

switch-hitter was rushed to the majors last year due to

injuries in Texas' infield and hit a thin .261/.303/.313

in 125 PA, but he placed in the lower reaches of

MLB.com's and Baseball Prospectus' top 100 prospect

lists in 2013 and '14 (topping out at No. 72 on the latter

last year).

Sardinas may be more suited to a utility role in the long

run, with 20-year-old–Double-A shortstop Orlando

Arcia (brother of Twins outfielder Oswaldo) as the

heir apparent. ESPN's Keith Law, who ranked Arcia

54th on his Top 100 Prospects list, wrote, "He projects

as a clear everyday shortstop, the kind of high-contact

player who can develop into a .300 hitter in time, with

15-homer peaks once he fills out." In February,

Brewers farm director Reid Nicholseven mentioned

Arcia as a potential contributor in 2015, though his 23

games at Biloxi (where he's red hot at .375/.429/.500)

represent the extent of his experience above Class A.

The point stands, however: This is the rare area where

the Brewers have some organizational depth, which

marks Segura as a trade candidate.

It’s unlikely the Brewers will move all of the players

named here, and they may take some time to start

swapping, given that general managers tend to spend

the first couple months of the season evaluating

exactly where their top needs are. Still, Melvin will

probably be a busy man this summer as he embarks on

an overhaul that few saw coming prior to the team’s

dreadful start.

24

http://www.mynews13.com/content/news/cfnew

s13/sports/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/

2015/5/7/manatees_space_weeke.html

Brevard County Manatees to rock space-

themed uniforms for weekend series

MyNews 13

VIERA -- The Brevard County ... Space Explorers?

Yes, that's the baseball team — at least for this

weekend's three-game series.

The Brevard County Manatees, the Single-A affiliate

of the Milwaukee Brewers, partnered with the

Kennedy Space Center to host Kennedy Space Center

Weekend at Space Coast Stadium.

That means the Brevard County Manatees will be

donning new uniforms and a different name for its

weekend series against the Tampa Yankees. The series

begins Thursday and goes through Saturday.

The team's jersey features the Comet ISON against a

backdrop of galaxies and stars. The hat design is an

image of Jupiter taken by the Hubble Telescope.

The uniforms were designed by Angela Krenn, who is

a cryogenics engineer for NASA and focuses on

propellant systems.

The space-themed jerseys will be available for

purchase via auction at manateesbaseball.com. The

auction starts Thursday, May 7.

The hats can be purchased in the Manatees official

team store, The Lagoon, located at Space Coast

Stadium.

Saturday's game will feature postgame fireworks,

NASA and Kennedy Space Center exhibits and other

family activities.

All three games on Thursday through Saturday begin

at 6:35 p.m. Tickets start at $6 and can be purchased

by calling 321-633-9200 or online

at manateesbaseball.com.