Monday's Frosty Mug: Brewer News, Links And Notes From The Weekend

Some things to read while making some revisions.

The Brewers picked up a series win in the first of three potential season-defining series with a 4-1 win yesterday behind a strong outing for Yovani Gallardo. Noah has the recap, if you missed it.

Gallardo was the big story yesterday as he struck out a career-high 14 over seven innings (tied for the second highest total in franchise history) and did not walk a batter for the first time this season. Noah notes that he's the first pitcher in Brewer franchise history to have 14 strikeouts and no walks in a game

Gallardo's big start yesterday continued an interesting trend for Brewer pitchers: They've already struck out 774 opposing batters (8.7 per nine innings as a team), and Ryan Kartje of FS Wisconsin notes that they're on pace to crush the single season franchise record set in 2007.

Martin Maldonado was this weekend's other top story, as he had eight hits over three days. On Friday he became the first Brewer rookie with four hits in a game since Lorenzo Cain in 2010, and the first rookie catcher since Dave Nilsson in 1992.

Ryan Braun also had a pretty solid weekend, hitting .500/.615/1.100 over three games with a pair of home runs and three walks. He's our reigning Brewer of the Week, and I'd say he's got a pretty good shot at defending that crown. He's also locked down in the #1 spot in Justin Hull's Brewer Power Rankings.

Other notes from the field:

• The "K" board in right field at Miller Park only goes to 15, so the team had to bust out some extra K's for the 16th and 17th strikeouts yesterday.
• Aramis Ramirez stole two bases this weekend and now has four on the season. He had seven total steals over the eight previous seasons.
• Norichika Aoki went 0-for-3 Friday night to snap his hitting streak at 15 games. He drew two walks, though, so he's now reached base safely in 18 straight.
• Corey Hart and Aramis Ramirez have hits in nine straight games, the Brewers' longest current streaks.
• Ryan Braun rounded the bases in 19.89 and 22.27 seconds following his pair of home runs Friday night, and Cody Ransom went around in 21.86 seconds following his grand slam.
• Friday night's loss was the Pirates' tenth in a row on Friday the 13th.
• The Italian swept the sausage races according to @Bernie_Brewer, although from my vantage point it looked like Chorizo won on Friday.
  

Andrew McCutchen and the Pirates have vacated the visitors' clubhouse to make room for the Cardinals, who will open a three game set at Miller Park tonight. Mike Still has the MLB.com preview, and noted leisured gentleman Carson Cistulli of FanGraphs gave tonight's Lance Lynn/Michael Fiers matchup an eight out of ten on his NERD scale.

John Sickels of Minor League Ball, by the way, has another look at Fiers in his Rookie Report. Sickels may have been one of the first people onto the Fiers bandwagon. Here's this week's full set of pitching matchups:

The Mug wouldn't be complete without a fresh batch of Zack Greinke notes:

• Jon Heyman says the Brewers are willing to offer Greinke $100 million. Now we can split hairs about the difference between offering and being "willing to offer" again.
• Tim Brown of Yahoo says extension negotiations with Greinke are complicating the trade possibilities.
• The Rangers and Angels had scouts in attendance to watch Greinke on Friday.
• Ryan Smith of Cream City Cables ranked Greinke's four most likely destinations.
• MLB Trade Rumors reiterated that the Yankees are not expected to be interested.
• Ari Berkowitz of Beyond the Box Score has Greinke on a list of four pitchers that could be traded.

Whether Greinke moves or not, Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports says we should expect a frenzy of activity before the trade deadline. I'm not so sure, but reasonable people can disagree.

Meanwhile, rumors that the Dodgers are interested in Aramis Ramirez continue to swirl. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com says Ramirez is at the top of their wish list, but they've also scouted Corey Hart.

The Brewers got some good news on the injury front over the weekend when Jonathan Lucroy took live BP for the first time and showed enough to get the team to accelerate the plans for his return. Jordan Schelling is reporting overhearing Lucroy say he'll go on a rehab assignment with Wisconsin on Thursday.

Unfortunately, there's also some bad news: Shaun Marcum is making progress in his rehab but Ron Roenicke says it's unlikely he'll pitch again before August. That makes it roughly impossible for the Brewers to trade him before the non-waiver deadline.

In the minors:

• Friday's signing deadline for 2012 draft picks passed with no news from the Brewers, who still signed 18 of their top 19 picks. The lone exception is 15th round pick Buck Farmer, who will return to Georgia Tech for his senior season.
• Brewerfan.net reports the Brewers have released pitcher Victor Garate and outfielder Scott Krieger. Garate was a veteran journeyman who had posted a 7.78 ERA in 29 relief appearances, while Krieger was a 2009 19th round pick who hit .260/.324/.373 in 54 games between Brevard County and Huntsville in 2012.
• Garate might have become expendable when Tim Dillard accepted an outright assignment to Nashville.
• The affiliates went 3-3 yesterday and 2012 draftees Adam Giacalone and Tyrone Taylor combined for six hits in Helena's 9-8 win over Ogden. You can read about that and more in today's Minor League Notes.
• Marc Hulet of FanGraphs has Tyler Thornburg 49th on his midseason top prospect list.
• Nashville broadcaster Jeff Hem has an interview with Brewer minor league hitting coordinator Sandy Guerrero.

Finally, congratulations are due out this morning to Jesse7124, yesterday's winner in our SB Nation Pick 6 contest. Here's the full leaderboard:

Tonight's action doesn't start until 6:05, so you've got plenty of time to make your picks for today. And, of course, with a new series comes a new set of Prognostikeggers.

Around baseball:

Angels: Placed reliever Jordan Walden on the DL with a bicep strain.
Astros: Placed shortstop Jed Lowrie (ankle) and catcher Jason Castro (knee) on the DL.
Athletics: Signed reliever Chris Ray to a minor league deal.
Braves: Acquired shortstop Paul Janish from the Reds for a minor league pitcher.
Cardinals: Signed reliever Brian Fuentes to a minor league deal.
Orioles: Designated pitcher Dana Eveland for assignment and placed pitcher Jason Hammel on the DL with a knee injury.
Red Sox: Placed pitcher Scott Atchison on the DL with forearm tightness and designated pitcher Justin Germano for assignment.
Rockies: Placed first baseman Todd Helton on the DL with hip inflammation.
Tigers: Placed pitcher Drew Smyly on the DL with an intercostal strain.
Yankees: Signed outfielder Kosuke Fukudome to a minor league deal.

While the Brewers were playing yesterday many of us were also keeping an eye on the Braves game, where Ben Sheets pitched six shutout innings and allowed just two hits in his first major league game since 2010.

This morning's edition of Today In Brewer History marks the 35th anniversary of infielder Ed Romero's major league debut, making him the second youngest player in franchise history. Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times notes that it's also the 26th anniversary of Gorman Thomas' return to Milwaukee as a free agent in 1986. Today is also 1970 Brewer Bob Burda's 74th birthday, and Plunk Everyone notes that his five career HBP are tied for the fourth most ever for a player born on July 16.

Now, if you'll excuse me, it's time for lunch.

Drink up.