A little less than a month ago, I wrote this post on the 2009 bullpen. Since then the following things have changed:

1) Jorge Julio and R.J. Swindle are Brewers now.
2) Todd Coffey re-signed for 2009.
3) Lots of 2009 projections came out.
4) Two-Fisted Slopper got me thinking about it again.

So, with that said, we have a new pitcher to add and projections to consider, so we're in a pretty good spot to take another look at the 2009 bullpen.

ASSUMPTIONS:

Before we start, I should note that I'm operating under the assumption that the Brewers will carry 12 pitchers and none of the bullpen arms listed below will be the fifth starter. Even with Sabathia and Sheets gone, I don't think there's anyone on this list the team would be comfortable using as a full-time starter.

Potential closers:

Seth McClung

The past:
2008, as a reliever: 25 G, 41.2 IP, 3.67 ERA, 26 BB, 37 K
Career, as a reliever: 87 G, 109.1 IP, 5.19 ERA, 80 BB, 93 K

The projections:
Marcels: 89 IP, 4.35 ERA, 44 BB, 70 K
Bill James: 85 IP, 4.69 ERA, 49 BB, 73 K
ZiPS: 90 IP, 4.80 ERA, 61 BB, 72 K
Average: 88 IP, 4.61 ERA, 51.3 BB, 71.7 K

All of the projections seem to point towards a return to previous form for McClung, with the average projection coming out much closer to his 5.19 career ERA than his 3.67 ERA as a reliever in 2008. So, is the real Seth McClung the 2008 version, who emerged as one of the Brewers most reliable relievers, or will McClung's high walk totals drive his ERA up over 4.50 in 2009? Only time will tell.

Carlos Villanueva

The past:
2008, as a reliever: 38 G, 59.1 IP, 2.12 ERA, 14 BB, 62 K
Career, as a reliever: 95 G, 155.2 IP, 3.58 ERA, 52 BB, 149 K

The projections:
Marcels: 96 IP, 4.03 ERA, 34 BB, 82 K
Bill James: 92 IP, 3.85 ERA, 32 BB, 79 K
ZiPS: 94 IP, 4.60 ERA, 31 BB, 77 K
Average: 94 IP, 4.16 ERA, 32.3 BB, 79.3 K

Like McClung, Villanueva's rough outings as a starter in 2009 probably had a larger-than-warranted effect on his projections as a reliever in 2009. All three of his projections seem to think he won't be able to keep up the 3:1 K:BB ratio he's put up as a reliever throughout his career.

David Riske

The past:
2008, as a reliever: 45 G, 42.1 IP, 5.31 ERA, 25 BB, 27 K
Career, as a reliever: 438 G, 473.1 IP, 3.57 ERA, 204 BB, 425 K

The projections:
Marcels: 53 IP, 4.25 ERA, 23 BB, 39 K
Bill James: 33 IP, 3.95 ERA, 15 BB, 27 K
ZiPS: 56 IP, 4.34 ERA, 27 BB, 48 K
Average: 47.1 IP, 4.22 ERA, 21.7 BB, 38 K

Well, the good news is that everyone seems to think Riske's 2009 ERA will be closer to his career figure than his disastrous 2008 numbers. The bad news is no one seems sold on him as a workhorse: Bill James only has him appearing in 38 games, which would be his least appearances since 2001.

The second tier:

Jorge Julio

The past:
2008, as a reliever: 27 G, 30 IP, 3.60 ERA, 19 BB, 34 K
Career, as a reliever: 438 G, 449.2 IP, 4.30 ERA, 218 BB, 435 K

The projections:
Marcels: 46 IP, 4.40 ERA, 22 BB, 44 K
Bill James: 34 IP, 4.50 ERA, 17 BB, 33 K
ZiPS: 67 IP, 4.43 ERA, 39 BB, 73 K
Average: 49 IP, 4.44 ERA, 26 BB, 50 K

I guess it's within the realm of possibility that Julio could close in 2009, but I wouldn't call it likely. All of his 2009 projections are worse than both his 2008 numbers and his career numbers, which is puzzling since he'll only be 30 on Opening Day. All told, I think the projections are missing something here and Julio will exceed expectations in 2009.

Todd Coffey

The past:
2008 as a reliever: 26 G, 26.2 IP, 4.39 ERA, 8 BB, 15 K
Career as a reliever: 222 G, 213.2 IP, 4.46 ERA, 65 BB, 144 K

The projections:
Marcels: 43 IP, 4.71 ERA, 16 BB, 33 K
ZiPS: 76 IP, 4.62 ERA, 29 BB, 55 K
Average: 59.2 IP, 4.65 ERA, 22.5 BB, 44 K

Bill James doesn't have a prediction for Coffey, I'm not sure why. Here's another puzzling prediction, as Coffey is only 28 but his ERA is projected to go up and his K:BB ratio down from both his 2008 season and his career numbers. Even if he only performs at his projected level, though, he'd be a pretty nice bargain at $800k for 2009.

Mitch Stetter

The past:
2008, as a reliever: 30 G, 25.1 IP, 3.20 ERA, 19 BB, 31 K
Career, as a reliever: 36 G, 30.1 IP, 3.26 ERA, 21 BB, 35 K

The projections:
Marcels: 38 IP, 4.03 ERA, 18 BB, 33 K
ZiPS: 40 IP, 3.82 ERA, 20 BB, 38 K
Average: 39 IP, 3.92 ERA, 19 BB, 35.5 K

Again, no Bill James projection for Stetter. 39 innings as a LOOGY probably translates to about 50 appearances, and if Stetter can perform that way in 50 games, I think the Brewers will be pretty happy with his performance. And, as mentioned in seemingly every Brewer on this list, his ceiling is significantly higher than the projections would suggest.

R.J. Swindle

The past:
2008 (and career) as a reliever: 3 G, 4.2 IP, 7.71 ERA, 2 BB, 4 K

The projections:
Marcels: 27 IP, 4.33 ERA, 10 BB, 22 K

Again, no Bill James projection for Swindle, and I couldn't find his ZiPS either (Dan Szymborski hasn't released the Phillies yet), so the Marcels are what we have to work from. The major league stats aren't bright and shiny, but Swindle has posted an ERA under 2 in four minor league stops over the last three seasons, and posted an ERA under 1 in three of those four. All told, he's posted a 1.58 ERA in 194 innings over 104 minor league games. He is left-handed, but could potentially pitch to righties as well: lefties hit .135 off of him in the minors in 2008, but righties only hit .261.

Others that could be called upon:

Tim Dillard

The past:
2008 (and career) as a reliever: 13 G, 14.1 IP, 4.40 ERA, 6 BB, 5 K

The projections:
Marcels: 32 IP, 4.22 ERA, 12 BB, 43 K

I threw out the ZiPS projection because I think there was a mistake: ZiPS had Dillard posting a 5.12 ERA in 123 innings of work. The ERA could happen, but Dillard hasn't started a game since 2007, so I'm not sure where 123 innings came from. The Marcel projection is much closer to being a full-season version of his 2008 performance, but with more strikeouts.

Mark DiFelice

The past:
2008 (and career) as a reliever: 15 G, 19 IP, 2.84 ERA, 4 BB, 20 K

The projections:
Marcels: 35 IP, 4.24 ERA, 12 BB, 28 K
ZiPS: 79 IP, 4.33 ERA, 14 BB, 59 K
Average: 57 IP, 4.30 ERA, 13 BB, 43.5 K

I still think most people would be surprised by the numbers DiFelice put up in his limited opportunity last season. While neither of the projections here would live up to that opening act, either would make him a pretty solid middle reliever, and maybe even give him enough time in the big leagues for me to remember his name is Mark, not Mike.

Joe Bateman

The Projections:
ZiPS: 69 IP, 4.83 ERA, 29 BB, 47 K

Bateman doesn't have any MLB experience, and as such he doesn't have Marcels or a Bill James projection. What he does have, however, is an ERA under 3 over each of the last two seasons, and an ERA under 2 in 33.2 innings in AAA last season. It's also worth noting that Bateman isn't on the 40 man roster, so he's eligible for the Rule 5 Draft.

Long shots:

Chris Narveson

The projections:
Marcels: 32 IP, 4.22 ERA, 12 BB, 26 K
ZiPS: 91 IP, 6.03 ERA, 41 BB, 60 K
Average: 61.2 IP, 5.56 ERA, 26.5 BB, 43 K

Narveson's ZiPS projection is as a starter, so that explains some of the difference, but Narveson hasn't had an ERA that low since he was a Cardinals prospect in 2006, so I'm not sure why the Marcels are so optimistic. Narveson might have had a chance of making the team as a second lefty, but now that Stetter and Swindle are both on the team and Shouse still could return, that seems less likely.

Luis Pena:

The projection:
ZiPS: 59 IP, 5.03 ERA, 40 BB, 38 K

Pena's projections for 2009 are almost certainly lower than they were for 2008, but not as bad as they could be, since he posted a disappointing 6.93 ERA in 49.1 innings in AAA.

Sam Narron:

The projection:
ZiPS: 123 IP, 5.41 ERA, 36 BB, 48 K

Narron's projections are also as a starter. Again, Narron is a lefty and in some organizations that might help him, but the Brewers seem to have plenty of lefties to go around.

So what do you think? Are you ready to go into 2009 with this pen? Who are you concerned about?

In Mexico: Jason Bourgeois went 4-for-14 over the weekend (all singles) and stole two bases. He's hitting .342/.402/.392 for Mochis.

In Venezuela:

• Alcides Escobar went 0-for-2 with a walk Saturday, his first appearance in a week.
• Brendan Katin went 2-for-9 over the weekend with a walk and a double, drove in three runs and struck out five times.
• Luis Pena had a rough outing Sunday, giving up three runs on a hit and a walk without recording an out.
• The newest Brewer, R.J. Swindle, has already made 17 appearances in Venezuela and is posting a 3.32 ERA. Over the weekend, he threw a scoreless inning on Friday and retired the only batter he faced Sunday.

In the Dominican Republic:

• Joe Bateman gave up a run on a hit in one inning Saturday. He has a 3.66 ERA in 19.2 innings (17 appearances) for Este.
• Juan Sandoval gave up a hit to the only batter he faced Friday, then pitched a scoreless inning Sunday.

In Puerto Rico:

• Charlie Fermaint went 2-for-8 over the weekend with two walks and was caught stealing. Overall, he's hitting .333/.412/.400 in his first 30 ABs for Ponce.
• Mike Rivera went 4-for-7 over the weekend with a walk and a run scored.
• Steve Bray pitched two thirds of a scoreless inning Sunday, to bring his ERA down to 1.98 in 13.2 innings.
• Richie Gardner pitched 1.2 scoreless innings Sunday with a walk and a strikeout. His PWL ERA is 7.98, but it's 2.08 as a reliever.
• Efrain Nieves made his debut for Arecibo Sunday, allowing two hits in a scoreless inning of work, striking out one.

Finally, in the comments on Friday's Update TheJay noticed the following:

• Brad Nelson, who hasn't appeared in the Dominican since November 14, is back in the US getting married.
• Chris Narveson left his Mexican team, citing fatigue, and has been replaced on their roster.
• Casey McGehee returned to the US to deal with a family issue.

Since I've been gone for a week, all stats are from 11/21 to today, unless noted otherwise.

In Mexico: New Brewer Jason Bourgeois is hitting 10-for-29 over the last week for Mochis, with ten singles. All told, Bourgeois is hitting .354/.425/.415 in Mexico, with just two extra base hits in 65 ABs.

In Venezuela:

• Alcides Escobar went 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts last Friday, and hasn't had a plate appearance since.
• Tony Gwynn went 2-for-8 with an RBI last Friday and Saturday.
• Hernan Iribarren has only had two plate appearances in the last week, and went 0-for-1 with a walk and was caught stealing.
• Brendan Katin went 2-for-6 with a walk and scored a run.
• Luis Pena threw two thirds of a scoreless inning Tuesday, his first outing since November 11 and only his fourth in two months of VWL play.

In the Dominican Republic:

• Joe Bateman gave up a run on a hit in an inning of work Saturday, then pitched 1.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts on Monday.
• Juan Sandoval had a rough outing last Friday, giving up four runs on three hits and a walk in one third of an inning, but rebounded to throw a scoreless inning Saturday and another 1.2 scoreless on Wednesday for his first DWL win.

In Puerto Rico:

• Carlos Corporan went 0-for-7 for Caguas and is 0-for his last 15 overall. He's hitting just .100/.100/.300 in his first 20 PWL ABs.
• Charlie Fermaint went 6-for-18 for Ponce with two doubles, and if you don't count a game where he entered as a pinch runner, he has a seven game hitting streak.
• Martin Maldonado went 0-for-1 in his only plate appearance last Friday.
• Mike Rivera went 4-for-15 with a walk, a double and an RBI for Santurce.
• Steve Bray has given up two runs on four hits and a walk over four outings spanning 3.2 innings of work. All told, he has a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings of work in Puerto Rico.
• Richie Gardner gave up a run on a hit and a walk in 2.2 innings of work over three appearances.

Also worth noting: Casey McGehee hasn't played since November 19, Chris Narveson hasn't pitched since November 17, and Brad Nelson hasn't played since November 14, but I haven't seen any reports on why. All were playing well prior to this gap. If you know something I don't, be sure to leave a note in the comments.

In Arizona: Brent Brewer went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, Lorenzo Cain went 0-for-3, and Omar Aguilar gave up two runs on a hit and two walks in 1.1 innings of work as the Javelinas lost to Mesa, 10-4. The two runs Aguilar allowed were his first in Arizona, ending a 10 game, 10.1 inning scoreless streak in AFL play.

The Javelinas travel to Scottsdale for their final AFL home game tonight at 8:35.

In Mexico:

• Casey McGehee went 1-for-4 with a single to stretch his hitting streak to seventeen games for Culiacan.
• Chris Narveson pitched 6.1 innings, allowing just two runs on two hits, two walks and striking out six, but he picked up a no-decision for Hermosillo. He has a 3.54 ERA in Mexico in 40.2 IP, with 42 K and 9 BB in that time.

In Venezuela:

• Alcides Escobar went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run for Lara. He has a hit in seven straight games.
• Tony Gwynn went 1-for-3 with a walk and scored a run for Magallanes.
• Hernan Iribarren went 1-for-5 and was caught stealing for Lara.
• Brendan Katin went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts for Zulia. He's 2-for his last 18 with seven strikeouts.
• Guilder Rodriguez had hits on back to back days for Lara, going 1-for-5 on Sunday and 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored Monday.

In the Dominican Republic: Juan Sandoval appears to have switched teams from Licey to Oriente, and pitched 1.2 perfect innings in his first two appearances for Oriente on Sunday and Monday.

In Puerto Rico:

• Martin Maldonado struck out in his only plate appearance for Mayaguez.
• Mike Rivera went 0-for-4 with a strikeout for Santurce. Maybe playing everyday isn't his thing after all: He's 0-for his last 10 with five strikeouts.

So, barring a change of plans, Salomon Torres is gone and the Brewers are not planning to pursue a high-profile free agent reliever like Francisco Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes.

Salomon Torres, who saved 28 games for the Crew last season, retired yesterday. Brian Shouse, Eric Gagne and Guillermo Mota are free agents and might not be back.

Assuming Doug Melvin's comments linked above mean he also won't want to risk big money on Kerry Wood, Japanese import Koji Uehara or Trevor Hoffman, that might mean the Brewers are headed into 2009 with a bullpen that's tweaked around the edges, if it gets modified at all. Let's take a look at what that might mean for the Brewers in 2009:

CANDIDATES FOR CLOSER:

Seth McClung: I'm not sure if all Brewer fans love Seth McClung or if the infatuation is limited to this corner of the internet. But when Grant Balfour was 0-2 with a 20.25 ERA in his first three outings as a Brewer, if Doug Melvin had publicly said, "I'm going to flip him to Tampa for a guy that'll throw 105 slightly above average innings next season," we might have thrown the Mustache a parade. McClung has the stuff to make hitters look overmatched when he's on. If he's not needed in the rotation, he might be the best fit to close.

2008, as a reliever: 25 G, 41.2 IP, 3.67 ERA, 26 BB, 37 K
Career, as a reliever: 87 G, 109.1 IP, 5.19 ERA, 80 BB, 93 K

Carlos Villanueva: Got an opportunity to start in 2008, but did not perform well. When reverted to the bullpen he showed improvement the rest of the way. Villy has said in the past that he'd prefer to start, but he's much more valuable to the Crew in the bullpen, and one would suspect that getting high profile innings as the closer of a good team might be exciting for him too.

2008, as a reliever: 38 G, 59.1 IP, 2.12 ERA, 14 BB, 62 K
Career, as a reliever: 95 G, 155.2 IP, 3.58 ERA, 52 BB, 149 K

David Riske:  After getting a long-term deal after the 2007 season, Riske had an injury riddled and ineffective 2008 season that I'm sure most of you will remember. A lot can change in a year...a year ago at this time we were talking about David Riske as the setup man for Derrick Turnbow. 2008 aside, though, Riske had been very consistent throughout most of his eight year career before coming to Milwaukee, posting an ERA+ over 115 in six of his last seven seasons, over 190 in three of the same seven. If he comes into spring training healthy, he could be ready to bounce back in a big way.

2008, as a reliever: 45 G, 42.1 IP, 5.31 ERA, 25 BB, 27 K
Career, as a reliever: 438 G, 473.1 IP, 3.57 ERA, 204 BB, 425 K

OTHERS THAT WILL LIKELY CONTRIBUTE:

Mitch Stetter: As things stand right now, he's the only lefty I see with a guaranteed spot in the bullpen, and even that guarantee isn't 100%. I don't think one can hope for Stetter to be as effective as Shouse was, but if Shouse returns, having Stetter and Shouse in the bullpen could give Ken Macha lots of opportunity to play matchups late in games. Stetter's walk numbers from 2008 are inflated by three outings in May where he was left out to hang and walked 8 batters in an inning.

2008, as a reliever: 30 G, 25.1 IP, 3.20 ERA, 19 BB, 31 K
Career, as a reliever: 36 G, 30.1 IP, 3.26 ERA, 21 BB, 35 K

Tim Dillard: The Brewers didn't use Tim Dillard a lot in 2008 (just 14.1 innings), and they didn't use him often in wins (3-10 record in his appearances), but when they did use him he didn't embarrass himself. Dillard led off his big league career with five scoreless outings where he only allowed one hit and two walks in 5.2 innings, and he only had one outing all season where he gave up more than one earned run. Not once in my life have I said "Oh good, Tim Dillard's coming in." But with that said, he was only slightly below league average (ERA+ of 98) in his games this season, and if the Brewers released him he could be on about 15-20 teams' rosters on Opening Day.

2008 (and career) as a reliever: 13 G, 14.1 IP, 4.40 ERA, 6 BB, 5 K

Todd Coffey: Seemingly an afterthought when Doug Melvin picked him up, Coffey threw 7.1 scoreless innings over nine appearances as a Brewer in 2008, dropping his 2008 ERA from 6.05 as a Red to 4.39 overall, which is close to his career mark of 4.46. For some reason, I thought he was much older: Coffey turned 28 in September. He's had two above average and two below average seasons in his career, but even the below average seasons were disappointments, not implosions. He can contribute to a staff somewhere, if not in Milwaukee.

2008 as a reliever: 26 G, 26.2 IP, 4.39 ERA, 8 BB, 15 K
Career as a reliever: 222 G, 213.2 IP, 4.46 ERA, 65 BB, 144 K

Mark DiFelice: DiFelice made his big league debut at age 31 in May, and his debut didn't suggest he'd stay long: DiFelice gave up three runs on five hits in an inning in one of the losses during the Brewers' disastrous sweep in Boston that was supposed to cost Ned Yost his job. After that, all DiFelice did was post a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings over his next 14 appearances. Like Dillard, he didn't pitch in a lot of Brewer wins (the team was 4-11 in his appearances), but he pitched effectively when called upon. And while he made his debut at 31 and turned 32 in August, he's still likely got a few seasons in the tank, if not more.

2008 (and career) as a reliever: 15 G, 19 IP, 2.84 ERA, 4 BB, 20 K

OTHERS THAT COULD BE CALLED UPON:

It's worth noting that at this point, without re-signing Shouse, Gagne or Mota, without Torres unretiring and without any free agent additions to the bullpen, the Brewers have 7 relievers and, assuming a five-man rotation, 12 pitchers overall. But if they need more, these guys are waiting for a shot:

Joe Bateman: A 28-year-old righty, Bateman tripped somewhere on the ladder to the big leagues and spent 2 years in AA with the Giants before splitting this season between AA and AAA with the Brewers, despite the fact that he's posted an ERA under 3 each of the last two seasons and posted a 1.60 ERA in 33.2 innings in half a season in Nashville in 2008. He's struck out 200 and only walked 66 over 175.2 innings over the last three seasons. This winter, he's pitching for Este in the Dominican Winter League, and is 3-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 14 innings.

Chris Narveson: Last spring, he didn't miss making the Brewer roster by all that much, and made Doug Melvin comfortable enough to cut the cord on Claudio Vargas. Narveson will come into camp at 27 years old and, despite having a disappointing season in AAA (6-13, 5.43 ERA in 136 innings, primarily as a starter), he could get a shot to reinvent himself as a lefty who throws strikes out of the bullpen. Narveson has walked just 168 hitters over his last 406.2 innings over four seasons in AAA, and struck out 311 in that time. And did I mention he's left handed? Narveson is spending the winter pitching for Hermosillo in Mexico, where he recently picked up his second straight win, and is 2-2 with a 3.67 ERA in 34.1 innings (6 starts).

Luis Pena: In 2007, Pena climbed the ladder quickly, going 5-4 with a 2.63 ERA and 18 saves between Brevard County and Huntsville and earning himself a promotion to Nashville for 2008. He struggled with the Pacific Coast League, though, going 2-3 with a 6.93 ERA in 49.1 innings in 2008. Pena's meteoric rise in 2007 followed two seasons with an ERA over 4 in Brevard County, so it's possible his 2007 season was an aberration and not a trend. But it's also possible he could put it back together in 2008 and emerge as a contributor. He's spending the winter pitching for La Guaira in Venezuela, but has only appeared in three of the team's 23 games.

Sam Narron: Stop me if you've heard this one before: Narron is a 27-year-old lefty who has taken a little longer to develop than expected. He had a meteoric rise through the Rangers' organization, culminating in a 2004 season in which he went 6-0 in AA, 8-2 in AAA and made one start for the Rangers. After the season, the Brewers picked him up off waivers and Tommy John surgery cost him the entire 2005 season. Narron has worked his way back up the ladder and spent much of 2008 in AAA, where he struggled a bit to adjust and posted a 4.80 ERA in 120 innings. Like Joe Bateman, Narron is pitching for Este in the Dominican Winter League (Narron is starting, Bateman is relieving). So far he hasn't had much success in winter ball, going 0-3 with a 7.82 ERA in 12.2 innings, but again: he's still only 27, and he's lefthanded.

With those four, the Brewers will bring 11 potential bullpen arms to spring training, plus any free agents they may sign or re-sign. I don't think this bullpen is going to be as bad as some are saying it will be. What do you think?

In Arizona: No Brewers appeared in the Javelinas' 3-2 loss to the Saguaros.

The Javelinas host the Saguaros at 8:05 tonight.

In Hawai'i: Caleb Gindl went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the CaneFires' 5-1 win over Honolulu.

All of Thursday's HWB action has already been canceled, leaving just two games left in the HWB schedule and clinching the West division for the CaneFires.

In Mexico:

• Casey McGehee went 1-for-4 with a home run for Culiacan. This was his twelfth consecutive game with a hit and his third consecutive with a home run.
• Chris Narveson picked up his second consecutive win for Hermosillo, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk and striking out five in seven innings.

In Venezuela:

• Alcides Escobar went 3-for-5 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI for Lara. He's now 5-for his last-8 with two stolen bases and two runs scored.
• Tony Gwynn went 1-for-3 for Magallanes.
• Hernan Iribarren went 0-for-2 with four walks for Lara, and scored two runs. Those four walks were a third of his season total.

In the Dominican Republic: Brad Nelson went 1-for-4 with a two-run double, walked and struck out twice.

In Puerto Rico:

• Carlos Corporan went 0-for-1 in his only AB for Caguas.
• Charlie Fermaint entered the game as a pinch runner and stole a base for Ponce. He's now played in three games but only gotten one at bat, a single.
• Martin Maldonado went 1-for-3 with an RBI for Mayaguez.
• Mike Rivera went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run, driving in three runs in his debut for Santurce.
• Steve Bray pitched his fourth consecutive scoreless outing for Carolina, giving up a hit and a walk in 1.2 innings.

In Arizona: Lou Palmisano went 1-for-3 with a sac fly and drove in two runs, and Brent Brewer went 2-for-4 with a single and a double as the Javelinas shut out Surprise, 7-0, their first win in ten games.

The Javelinas play the Peoria Saguaros today at 1:35.

In Mexico:

• Casey McGehee extended his hitting streak to 7 games, going 1-for-3 with a walk.
• Chris Woodward, who had gone 1-for-4 in each of his first three games for Mazatlan, mixed it up yesterday and went 1-for-3 with a double.
• Chris Narveson picked up his first win for Hermosillo, giving up one run on four hits and a walk in seven innings and striking out five.

In Venezuela:

• Alcides Escobar went 0-for-2, but did walk and steal a base. He's 1-for his last 19 for Lara.
• Hernan Iribarren went 2-for-5 with a stolen base for Lara.

In the Dominican Republic: Ozzie Chavez went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Este.

Finally, for the first time, In Puerto Rico: Steve Bray pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowed only one unearned run on one hit, and struck out two.

In Arizona: On Friday, Lorenzo Cain entered the game in the 9th inning as a pinch runner but did not score and the Javelinas fell to Mesa, 3-2.

Then, on Saturday, Brent Brewer went 0-for-2 in his AFL debut, Lou Palmisano went 2-for-2 with an RBI, David Welch allowed two hits and a walk but struck out two in a scoreless inning of work and Omar Aguilar pitched his sixth consecutive scoreless inning in the Javelinas' 13-3 loss to Mesa.

The AFL was off Sunday so the players would have the full day to learn why Arizona doesn't participate in Daylight Savings Time. The Javelinas host Surprise at 8:05 tonight.

In Hawai'i: No Brewer activity on Friday and the CaneFires lost 3-2 to Waikiki.

On Saturday, Logan Schafer went 1-for-4 with a walk and drove in a run as the CaneFires won a wild one, 13-8.

Then, on Sunday, Caleb Gindl went 2-for-4 with a double, scored twice and drove in a run, and Logan Schafer went 2-for-4 with a run but it wasn't enough as Chris Cody gave up four runs on six hits with six strikeouts in five innings of work and Waikiki came from behind to win 6-5.

Hawaii Winter Baseball is off on Monday so the players can canvass for their favorite presidential candidates, but the CaneFires host Honolulu on Tuesday.

In Mexico:

• New Brewer Casey McGehee has been spending his fall playing third base for Culiacan. He went 4-for-16 over the weekend and is hitting .284/.303/.365 overall down there.
• Chris Narveson started for the fourth time for Hermosillo on Friday and picked up a tough luck loss, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out eight in seven innings. He has a 4.87 ERA in Mexico in 20.1 innings of work.
• Erasmo Ramirez pitched a full scoreless inning for Guasave for only the second time in nine appearances. He has a 6.00 ERA and has allowed ten hits in six innings in Mexican Pacific League play.
• Chris Woodward made his Mexican debut Sunday, going 1-for-4 with a run scored for Mazatlan.

In Venezuela:

• Alcides Escobar went 1-for-6 over the weekend and is 1-for his last 14 for Lara. He's hitting .176/.232/.235 in 51 ABs in Venezuela.
• Jay Gibbons went 3-for-4 with a double and a walk on Friday, but went 0-for-5 over Saturday and Sunday for Magallanes. He's hitting .204/.338/.463 in Venezuela, largely because he's only hitting .130/.310/.261 against lefties.
• Tony Gwynn went 6-for-13 over the weekend with a double, a walk and four strikeouts for Magallanes. He's hitting .339/.391/.403 in VWL play.
• Hernan Iribarren is on fire, going 7-for-14 with three triples, six runs scored, a stolen base and a caught stealing for Lara. He's hitting .362/.433/.586 in 66 plate appearances.
• Brendan Katin is also staying hot, going 5-for-10 over the weekend, including a 4-for-6 performance with a double and two home runs for Zulia Sunday. He's hitting .254/.338/.695 in Venezuela and leads the league in home runs with 8.

Both Katin and Iribarren are in the top 10 in the VWL in OPS.

In the Dominican Republic: From Thursday-Saturday's action:

• Ozzie Chavez went 1-for-4 with a walk over three appearances for Este. He's hitting .269/.424/.385 in DWL play.
• Brad Nelson must be seeing the ball pretty well. On Thursday he went 4-for-4 with a double, a triple and two home runs, driving in seven. He also went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double Saturday. He's hitting .326/.383/.814 in the Dominican, and ranks in the top three in HR, RBI and OPS.
• Joe Bateman pitched in back to back games Friday and Saturday for Este, pitching a scoreless inning and a third with a walk on Friday and another scoreless two thirds on Saturday despite a hit and two walks.
• Sam Narron had a rough start Friday, giving up six runs on seven hits in just 1.1 innings for Este.

In Arizona: Omar Aguilar was the only Brewer to appear in Friday's AFL Rising Stars Game. He pitched the ninth, gave up a run on two hits, and was credited with both a blown save and the win as the National Rising Stars came out on top, 7-6.

Then on Saturday, Lou Palmisano entered the game late and went 0-for-1, Lorenzo Cain went 0-for-4, Alexandre Periard walked three and allowed two runs in one inning of work, and Brae Wright allowed a run on two hits and two walks in two innings as the Javelinas got blown out by the Saguaros, 15-4.

The AFL was off on Sunday, but returns to action today with the Javelinas hosting Scottsdale at 2:35.

In Hawai'i: No Brewers appeared on Friday in the CaneFires' 8-2 win over Honolulu.

Saturday and Sunday's games were rained out, and Hawai'i Winter Baseball is off today. The CaneFires could return to action tomorrow night at North Shore.

In Mexico: Chris Narveson started Saturday for Hermosillo and took the loss, giving up 4 runs on 9 hits and a walk in just 3.1 innings while striking out 4. Erasmo Ramirez pitched another scoreless outing on Sunday, although it was only one third of an inning. He's pitched 6 consecutive scoreless outings, spanning 3 innings.

In Venezuela:

• Alcides Escobar went 2-for-13 over the weekend with a stolen base and scored a run for Lara. He's hitting .216/.268/.297 in Venezuela.
• Jay Gibbons went 3-for-11 over the weekend for Magallanes, but two of those hits were home runs hit on Sunday. He's hitting .150/.277/.375 in winter ball.
• Tony Gwynn went 4-for-10 over the weekend with a triple, stole a base and scored twice. He's hitting .302/.362/.372 for Magallanes.
• Hernan Iribarren went 4-for-10 over the weekend with a stolen base, extending his VWL hitting streak to eight games. He's hitting .324/.432/.432 for Lara.
• Brendan Katin went 2-for-7 over the weekend with a double and a home run, driving in two and scoring twice. He's hitting .152/.293/.455 for Zulia.
• Guilder Rodriguez went 0-for-1 in his VWL debut for Lara (his hometown team) on Friday.

In the Dominican Republic:

• Ozzie Chavez went 1-for-5 over the weekend but walked three times and scored a run for Este. He's hitting .176/.364/.294 in DWL play.
• Brad Nelson went 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts, driving in a run and scoring for Cibao on Saturday. He's hitting .357/.438/.714 in winter ball.
• Joe Bateman pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings for Este on Saturday, lowering his DWL ERA to 6.35.
• Rafael Lluberes gave up a hit and got a strikeout in a third of an inning of work on Friday for Cibao. He's now pitched one full inning over three appearances.
• Sam Narron pitched five scoreless innings on Saturday for Este, giving up three hits and a walk.

So we've decided to separate the winter league roundup, which I usually have done early, and the actual Mug, which will still be up around 9-10. Enjoy.

In Arizona: Lorenzo Cain and Taylor Green batted 1-2 for the Javelinas, with Cain going 3-for-4 with a double and his second stolen base, and Green going 1-for-4 with a walk. Lou Palmisano made his first appearance with the Javelinas and went 0-for-2 after entering the game as a pinch hitter. Alexandre Periard struck out the side in his one inning of work and the Javelinas fell to Scottsdale, 7-3.

On Saturday, Lou Palmisano went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Brae Wright pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief as the Javelinas won a shootout over Scottsdale, 14-11.

The AFL was off Sunday, but the Javelinas return to action today against the AFL's best team, the Peoria Saguaros, at 2:35.

In Hawai'i: Logan Schafer scored a run as a pinch runner and was the only Brewer to appear in Friday's 6-5 win over North Shore.

Saturday, Caleb Gindl went 2-4 with a walk, an error, and got picked off first base. Mike Ramlow pitched a third of an inning of scoreless relief despite giving up 3 walks as West Oahu defeated North Shore again, 7-6.

Sunday, Logan Schafer went 3-for-4 with a double, his first HWB home run and 4 RBI, and Caleb Gindl went 0-for-3 but walked twice and stole a base as the CaneFires defeated North Shore for the third straight day, 7-5.

The CaneFires are off today.

In Mexico: Chris Narveson pitched for Hermosillo on Saturday, giving up 3 ER on 6 hits and striking out 6 in 5.1 innings. Erasmo Ramirez pitched a scoreless third of an inning for Guasave on Friday.

In Venezuela: Brewer performances since Thursday:

• Alcides Escobar went 2-for-13 with a walk and two runs scored in his debut for Lara.
• Hernan Iribarren went 3-for-7 with a double, 3 walks and 3 runs scored for Lara.
• Jay Gibbons is 0-for his last 8 with a walk and is currently hitting .056 for Magellanes.
• He's being outhit, but only slightly, by Tony Gwynn, who is 3-for-11 with a walk and 4 K's since Thursday, and is hitting .200/.273/.200.
• Brendan Katin is 0-for his last 14 with 6 K's for Zulia.

In the Dominican Republic: Again, the stats from the Dominican League are a day behind, so here's Thursday-Saturday:

• Joe Bateman pitched a scoreless inning Friday for his first DWL win for Este.
• Also for Este, Sam Narron started on Saturday and gave up 1 run on 5 hits in 3 innings and picked up the loss.
• Rafael Lluberes, who spent the regular season in Brevard County, gave up a run on two hits and a walk in two thirds of an inning Saturday in his debut for Cibao.
• Juan Sandoval, who pitched for Huntsville during the season, walked the only batter he faced for Licey on Friday.
• Ozzie Chavez went 2-for-8 with a triple and 3 RBI over the weekend for Este.
• Brad Nelson made his debut for Cibao on Thursday, and since then he's 3-for-9 with 2 doubles and a HR, giving him an early .333/.400/.889 line.