Some things to read while trying out new games with your cats.
So, with yesterday's loss to the debuting Ryan Sadowski, the Brewers dropped to 0-4 when facing a pitcher making his major league debut. As if that wasn't enough, Sadowski was the first Giant to win his major league debut since Joe Nathan did it in 1999. Afterwards, he received a pie to the face.
Was Sadowski aided by the sun? Ryan Braun has some suggestions for improving the environment for hitters during day games at Miller Park. Prince Fielder, as you may recall, also complained about the glare through the outfield panels last week. The glare wasn't strong enough to prevent the Giants from going to town on Jeff Suppan, though.
Elsewhere in the Brewer rotation:
- Seth McClung will get another shot to prove he belongs in the rotation full time. He'll start against the Cubs this weekend.
- Keep Turning Up The Heat worries the Brewers are putting too much strain on Yovani Gallardo, who exceeded 110 pitches in his outing Saturday, the fifth time this season he's reached that mark.
- Tyler Maas of Bugs & Cranks prefers the Brewers' internal options for the starting rotation.
Now that the Giants are out of town, the Mets will stop by today to open a three game series. Some Mets, though, don't want to stay in the Pfister Hotel, fearing paranormal activity. Sounds like we're going to have a story about the Pfister during every homestand for the rest of the season.
Of course, not all unusual activity in Milwaukee happens at the Pfister: Bengie Molina nearly had a close encounter of the sausage kind during his visit.
Craig Counsell is hoping to be back in the lineup for tonight's game with the Mets. Counsell sat out yesterday's game with a mild hamstring strain, but was available to pinch hit.
If Counsell isn't ready to go today, it'll probably mean more playing time for Casey McGehee, who has almost certainly been the most pleasant surprise of the first half of the season. Miller Park Drunk says McGehee has something in common with Pauly Shore and Kirk Cameron.
The Brewers appear to have gotten a pretty good deal on Trevor Hoffman, who Jon Heyman ranks as the second best free agent signing of the offseason. If the season ended right now Hoffman would be a Type A free agent, according to MLB Trade Rumors' Elias Rankings. The Brewers would also have three Type B free agents: Jason Kendall, Braden Looper and Mike Cameron.
Tom H. laments the Brewers lack of upper-level pitching prospects this morning, and lists the organization's top ten arms, with quick profiles and projected major league debuts. With the recent suspension of Jeremy Jeffress the ranks have become thinner than ever. Elsewhere in the minors:
- Around 1 o'clock this morning, Eric Arnett tweeted that he'll be making his first big league start "tomorrow." I'm assuming he means tonight, but covering my bases in case he really meant tomorrow.
- Alex Periard, who has missed most of the season after suffering shoulder soreness in spring training, has been promoted from Wisconsin to Brevard County. He was expected to spend 2009 in Huntsville, and could be there soon.
- Taylor Green, meanwhile, is back on the DL, most likely with some kind of ribcage issue. Green is having a pretty forgettable 2009: He's been hitting very well when he's played (1.138 OPS in A, .833 in AA), but has appeared in just 39 games between Wisconsin and Huntsville.
- John Sickels of Minor League Ball listed Cody Scarpetta as a potential sleeper before the season, and continues to project a bright future for him.
- 19th round pick Scott Krieger got his pro career off to a nice start, hitting three home runs last night in Helena's 15-10 win over Missoula.
- Perhaps we already knew this, but it's new info to me: Brock Kjeldgaard's 113 strikeouts in 75 Pioneer League games last season set a new league record.
It's widely acknowledged that J.J. Hardy's early season struggles can be at least partially attributed to bad luck, but is it possible his skills are also declining at the plate? Brewed Sports noticed that Hardy's line drive percentage has decreased in each of the last four seasons, and a much smaller percentage of his fly balls are becoming home runs.
On power rankings:
- The Hardball Times' Dartboard has the Brewers at #14.
- Beyond the Box Score's Poor Man's Projected Standings have the Brewers finishing second in the Central.
Also, I'm not sure how the Racing Sausages missed the cut, but Bernie Brewer gets an early chapter in 30 Year Old Cardboard's latest book idea.
Around the majors:
Astros: Designated Brandon Backe for assignment.
Blue Jays: Placed catcher Rod Barajas on the DL with a hamstring strain.
Cardinals: Acquired Mark DeRosa from the Indians for pitcher Chris Perez and a PTBNL, and are expected to place Khalil Greene on the DL as he continues to deal with anxiety issues.
Mariners: Designated catcher Jamie Burke for assignment for the third time this season, and acquired Ryan Langerhans from the Nationals for infielder Mike Morse.
Orioles: Placed Koji Uehara on the DL with elbow tendinitis.
Rangers: Placed pitcher Matt Harrison on the DL with shoulder soreness.
Rays: Designated reliever Winston Abreu for assignment.
Tigers: Placed Nate Robertson on the DL with a mass in his left elbow.
Manny Parra had a rough outing in AAA last night, allowing seven runs (six earned) on five hits and five walks in just 4.2 innings. Meanwhile, Pirates starter Ian Snell reacted to his demotion the way we'd hoped Parra would react to his. Snell struck out 17 in his AAA debut, including 13 in a row at one point.
Not everyone was having a hard time making contact, though: in the California League, Lake Elsinore defeated (former Brewer affiliate) High Desert 33-18.
Oh, and happy birthday to Hernan Iribarren (25) and Cutter Dykstra (20).
Drink up.