Wednesday's Frosty Mug

Some things to read while helping Dan get his farm started.

Yesterday was a tough day for the Brewers, but at least this explains part of it: The team didn't get home until after 4 am Tuesday morning after a situation at the airport in Milwaukee kept their flight back from Florida grounded for several hours. Some of these problems probably could have been avoided if they hadn't had to play a getaway-day night game in Florida, but that's too much to ask for.

Once they finally got home the Brewers managed just six hits last night against Chris Capuano and three Mets relievers, and went down in order in the seventh, eighth and ninth in a 2-1 loss. Casey McGehee, still batting fifth, went 0-for-4 and is now hitless in his last 25 at bats. Ron Roenicke said he's considering moving McGehee down in the lineup until he gets back on his feet.

Carlos Gomez was also hitless last night, and all three of his plate appearances came with runners in scoring position and two outs. Gomez said he was "embarrassed" by his work at the plate. Before last night, Gomez hadn't started or made a plate appearance since May 30.

Other notes from the field:

• John Axford wasn't with the team last night, but his son (John Brian Axford) was born early Tuesday morning. He's expected to rejoin the team today.
• Here's a transcript of Ron Roenicke's postgame comments.
• Shaun Marcum, Jose Reyes and Chris Capuano are leading FanGraphs' Star of the Game voting.

The Brewers and Mets continue the series tonight, with Randy Wolf facing off against Mike Pelfrey. Joey Nowak of MLB.com has the preview. I helped out with part of the series preview at Amazin' Avenue, where they also have this excellent graphic showing the teams' statistical differences.

Prince Fielder scored the only Brewer run last night with his 15th home run of the season. I haven't seen the time from that trot yet, but his three run shot against the Marlins on Monday clocked in at 22.67 seconds.

Ryan Braun was held hitless last night but entered the game with 29 RBI in 28 home games, the most in the majors this season.

If you missed Monday's game then you missed a relatively bizarre play at first involving Nyjer Morgan, who was pushed off the base and then tagged out by Marlins catcher John Buck. Jack Moore of Disciples of Uecker has a gif of the play, and was surprised to discover he couldn't find a rule against it. Meanwhile, this week's edition of A Simple Kind of Fan has a proposal to solve MLB's umpiring problem.

In the minors:

• The affiliates went 0-3 yesterday, with Taylor Green going 2-for-4 with a home run while starting at second base in Nashville's 5-4 loss to New Orleans. You can read about that and more in today's Minor League Notes.
• Three members of the Huntsvile Stars have been selected to the Southern League All Star Game: outfielders Erik Komatsu and Steffan Wilson and pitcher Daniel Meadows. (H/t @brewerfandotnet)
• Brevard County first baseman/outfielder Brock Kjeldgaard is staying hot, and was named the Florida State League Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. Kjeldgaard led the Manatees with 17 home runs last season (no one else had more than ten), and already has 14 in 2011.

In a related note, the MLB Draft continued yesterday with rounds 2-30. Here are some notes on the Brewers' selections:

• Keith Law has a promotional suggestion for first round pick Taylor Jungmann.
• MLB Bonus Baby lists second round pick Jorge Lopez as the Brewers' best high school pick, seventh round pick David Goforth as their best college pick, and eleventh round pick Tommy Toledo as their best sleeper. All three are pitchers.
• Audrey Snyder of MLB.com has much more on Lopez, who is a high schooler but doesn't appear to have plans to go to college. He was the top Puerto Rican prospect in this class.
• The Austin Statesman has the hometown story on fifth round pick Michael Reed.
• KTUL of Tulsa has a story on 10th round pick Mike Strong.
• The Wilmington Star has a story on 12th round pick Andrew Cain.
• FGCUAthletics.com has a story on 14th round pick Jacob Barnes.
• 29th round pick David Lucroy, a pitcher, is Jonathan Lucroy's younger brother. He's committed to go to college at Eastern Carolina.
• Brewer 30th round pick Trent Boras is the son of agent Scott Boras. He's committed to go to college at USC.
• All told, 16 of the 31 players the Brewers have drafted thus far have been pitchers, as were six of their first eight.

The top Wisconsin player selected this year was UW-Stevens Point outfielder Cody Koback, drafted in the tenth round by the Red Sox.

The Brewers are involved in a relatively minor land swap around Miller Park, trading some land they currently use as overflow parking for a former Water Works facility near the east parking lots. The deal isn't really all that interesting or newsworthy, but one Alderman is accusing the Brewers of "intransigence" forcing the city to give up its real estate (which, by the way, it's no longer using and getting $300,000 for).

Around baseball:

Athletics: Placed pitcher Brett Anderson (sore elbow) and infielder Mark Ellis (hamstring strain) on the DL.
Diamondbacks: Pitcher Esmerling Vasquez has been suspended three games for intentionally throwing at a batter on Sunday, and will appeal.
Nationals: Pitcher Jason Marquis has been suspended five games for intentionally throwing at a batter on Sunday, and will appeal.
Pirates: Designated pitcher Jose Ascanio for assignment.
Red Sox: Closer Jonathan Papelbon has been suspended three games for making contact with an umpire, and appealed the decision.
Rockies: Released infielder Jose Lopez.
White Sox: Are expected to place pitcher Jake Peavy on the DL with a groin strain.

While the Brewers were sleepwalking through the late innings of a loss to the Mets, the Cardinals picked up a win over the Astros to reopen a 2.5 game lead in the division. You already knew that and much more if you've read this morning's edition of Around the NL Central.

Today in former Brewers:

• J.J. Hardy led off the game for the Orioles last night for the first time in his career. He went 1-for-4 with a solo home run.
• Carson Cistulli of FanGraphs has a gif of Todd Coffey's slider, currently ranked as the fifth best in baseball.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to help pay for the Olympics.

Drink up.