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Some things to read while changing the station.
Yesterday might have been 2012's quietest off day, but the Brewers are in Cincinnati and ready to resume action tonight when Marco Estrada takes the mound against Homer Bailey at 6:10. Mike Vassallo notes that the Brewers haven't lost a series since they visited Cincinnati in late June.
Looking ahead, Michael Fiers will take the mound in the final game of this series on Sunday. You can add Jesse Sakstrup of The Hardball Times to the list of writers who have taken a look at Fiers' remarkable 2012 success despite his low velocity. Here's his conclusion:
The history of major league baseball suggests that this can't continue, but everything in Fiers' track record-velocity aside-suggests that maybe it can.
He hasn't always drawn attention for it, but Corey Hart is hitting .262/.319/.504 in 2012 and quietly having a very productive season. Brewers Mix turns the spotlight on one of the Brewers' less-heralded stars.
Of course, John Axford's exploits this season have been well-publicized. Miller Park Drunk took a shot at making sense of Axford's struggles and, like many others, is still optimistic he can turn it back around. This week's BCB Tracking Poll showed pretty widespread approval for the decision to remove Ax from the closer role.
Yesterday's biggest Brewer news may have come from Appleton, where Jonathan Lucroy went 2-for-3 with a double and a throwing error in the first game of his rehab assignment with the Timber Rattlers. I was there and have a full recap in the Timber Rattlers Notebook. Rattler Radio has video highlights from Wisconsin's 4-3 loss to Great Lakes.
Elsewhere in the minors:
- The affiliates went 3-3 last night, with Taylor Green hitting a walkoff home run in Nashville's 4-3 win over Round Rock. You can read about that and more in today's Minor League Notes.
- The Brewers have three minor leaguers among the youngest players in their respective leagues, according to Baseball America. Eighteen-year-old outfielder Tyrone Taylor is the eighth youngest player in the Rookie Pioneer League, 22-year-old pitcher Nick Bucci is 19th youngest in the AA Southern League and Wily Peralta, who is 23, is 20th in the AAA Pacific Coast League.
- Nashville broadcaster Jeff Hem has an interview with Tim Dillard.
- It sounds like the Huntsville Stars had some trouble with their team hotel in Jackson, Tennessee. Apparently it's happened before.
If you'd like more Brewer coverage today but you're sick of reading, my weekly appearance on The Home Stretch with Justin Hull on AM 1570/95.3 FM The Score in Appleton has been archived in two parts (Part 1, Part 2).
Finally, congratulations are due out this morning to arails4, yesterday's winner in our SB Nation Pick 6 contest. Here's the full leaderboard:
| Rank | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | arails4 | 77.1 |
| 2 | drugstorecowboy6 | 71.0 |
| 3 | baldywi | 68.0 |
| 4 | TheGZus | 66.0 |
| 5 | Hendrik | 56.7 |
| 6 | Ashcampbell | 56.0 |
| 7 | sauveb | 53.1 |
| 8 | Kid19 | 50.6 |
| 9 | jllyons | 45.8 |
| 10 | Jahiegel | 42.9 |
Tonight's action starts at 6:05, so there's still plenty of time to make your picks for today.
Around baseball:
Cubs: Acquired pitcher Justin Germano from the Red Sox for cash.
Padres: Designated pitcher Mark Hamburger for assignment.
Royals: Signed catcher Jason Kendall to a minor league deal.
A few times this season (although not as often as I expected), I've found myself really missing getting to watch Prince Fielder everyday. I've bookmarked this link for those days, and I'd recommend you do the same: Big League Stew has 25 photos of Fielder sliding.
This morning's edition of Today In Brewer History marks the 36th anniversary of Hank Aaron's 755th and final major league home run as the Brewers won 6-2 over the Angels in 1976. Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times notes that it's also the fifth anniversary of longtime Brewer Jose Valentin's final major league appearance.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find my surfboard.
Drink up.