Tuesday's Frosty Mug

Some things to read while dropping off a blank envelope.

The Brewers kept us up late and sent us to bed unhappy again last night, losing 4-3 to the Giants in 14 innings. -JP- has the recap, if you missed it.

The Brewers got into trouble early last night as Randy Wolf walked two of the first three batters he faced, then allowed a massive home run to Buster Posey to fall behind 3-0 before the Brewers had even come to the plate. After that blast, however, the Brewers held the Giants scoreless for 12.2 innings before Juan Perez allowed a solo home run in the 14th.

Speaking of Perez, he's been called upon to pitch in each of the three games since he was added to the roster and continues to struggle. His home run and pair of walks (one intentional) last night gave him three hits, four walks and an HBP in just 1.2 innings as a Brewer.

The Brewers lost last night despite a long, game-tying eighth inning home run for Ryan Braun. The Brewers estimated the distance of the blast at 459 feet, but Hit Tracker Online has it at 437. Either way, it was another classic clutch shot for Braun, and Stat of the Night added it to the list.

Unfortunately, the news isn't all good for Braun. He left the game after grounding out in the tenth inning with what Ron Roenicke categorized as a "slight" groin strain. Braun told reporters he's not sure if he'll be able to play tonight.

Meanwhile, Corey Hart went 0-for-6 with a walk last night while starting at first base for the first time since 2006 and becoming the first Brewer first baseman to bat leadoff since Mark Loretta in 1999. Ron Roenicke had previously said he didn't want to move Hart back and forth from the outfield to first base, but told reporters after the game that Hart's move to first is not permanent.

Other notes from the field:

• Corey Hart and Cesar Izturis are the first Brewer teammates to each go 0-for-6 in a game since Rickie Weeks and Bill Hall did it in April of 2007.
• Kudos to -JP- for staying up extra late to bring us a transcript of Ron Roenicke's postgame comments and a look at the game's turning points.
• The Chorizo won both the first and second sausage races.

The Brewers and Giants continue the series tonight when Shaun Marcum and Matt Cain face off at 7:10. Anthony Odoardi of MLB.com has the preview.

The Brewers continue to try out new options at first base, including Corey Hart last night. They still haven't tried one obvious-seeming answer, though, and View From Bernie's Chalet says they're missing the real solution at first base by not giving George Kottaras a shot there.

Speaking of Kottaras, he caught all 14 innings last night and went 0-for-4 with two walks while Jonathan Lucroy was limited to one at bat off the bench, a ninth inning pinch-hit flyout. J.P. Breen of Disciples of Uecker has spray charts showing that Lucroy is getting most of his hits in right and center field.

Lucroy, by the way, rounded the bases in 19.64 seconds on his first home run Sunday, the fastest time in baseball that day. He circled in 20.21 seconds following his grand slam and Hart trotted in 21.21 seconds following his leadoff shot.

Zack Greinke's recent performance can only help raise interest in acquiring his services as a free agent this winter. Twins Daily makes the case that Minnesota should go all in for Greinke.

Meanwhile, Yovani Gallardo is also working on something special: Baseball In-Depth notes that he's one of just six pitchers ever to make 100 or more starts, 9.2 or more strikeouts per nine innings and 2.5 or more walks per strikeout before their 26th birthday.

Speaking of Gallardo, he was one of several Brewers to visit one of five local schools during the day yesterday as part of the S.C.O.R.E. program.

He probably had more fun yesterday than Mat Gamel will have today: Gamel is having surgery to repair his torn ACL this morning.

In the minors:

• The affiliates went 1-3 yesterday and Caleb Gindl was on base five times with two hits and three walks, but it was not enough as Nashville lost 10-8 in Las Vegas. You can read about that and more in today's Minor League Notes.
• Wisconsin had the organization's only win yesterday, and Rattler Radio has highlights of their 7-4 victory over Kane County.
• I was also in the press box for Wisconsin's game yesterday and have a game recap, several features and all kinds of audio in the Timber Rattlers Notebook.
• Congratulations are due out this morning to Wisconsin pitcher Mark Williams, the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week. Williams pitched nine shutout innings and allowed just one hit last week.
• Elsewhere in honors, Baseball America listed Huntsville second baseman Scooter Gennett and Brevard County pitcher Jimmy Nelson among this weekend's top performers.
• Nelson is also Disciples of Uecker's prospect of the week.
• Wisconsin's Fang, Brevard County's Manny the Manatee and Nashville's Ozzie all need your vote to advance in MiLB.com's Mascot Mania.

If you're heading out to tonight or tomorrow's games and you're looking for some new food to try, John Steinmiller and Caitlin Moyer have a look at the "Chinatown Banh Mi" sandwich being served at the Chef's Table stand on the loge level.

In power rankings:

• Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune has the Brewers 25th, down two spots.
• ESPN has the Brewers 26th, down four spots.

Finally, congratulations are due out this morning to mls4, yesterday's winner in our SB Nation Pick 6 contest. Here's the full leaderboard:

As of this posting you still have more than seven hours to make your picks for today. And while you're predicting, of course, don't forget about Prognostikeggers.

Around baseball:

Astros: Signed pitcher Armando Galarraga to a minor league deal.
Diamondbacks: Designated infielder Cody Ransom for assignment.
Rangers: Placed pitcher Neftali Feliz on the DL with elbow discomfort.
Rays: Placed infielder Jeff Keppinger on the DL with a broken big toe, acquired infielder Drew Sutton from the Pirates for cash or a PTBNL and designated pitcher John Gaub for assignment.
Red Sox: Placed outfielder Cody Ross on the DL with a broken foot.
Twins: Are expected to designate pitcher Jason Marquis for assignment.

Today in former (and current) Brewers: High Heat Stats wants your help selecting four faces for the Brewers' Mount Rushmore. As of this writing Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and Ryan Braun have a significant lead on the field, but the fourth spot is still up in the air.

This morning's edition of Today In Brewer History marks the 12th anniversary of a game where the Brewers trailed the Astros 9-2 in the bottom of the ninth but came all the way back to win in 10 innings. Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times notes that it's also the 58th anniversary of the only game-ending bases loaded strikeout of Hank Aaron's career. Finally, today is former Brewer outfielder Mark Brouhard's 56th birthday and Plunk Everyone notes that his ten career HBP are the fourth most ever for a player born on May 22.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm feeling my approaching mortality.

Drink up.