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Friday's Frosty Mug: Brewers Links And Notes From A Slow News Day

Here's an awkward scene from a victory celebration in Cincinnati in September of 2011.
Here's an awkward scene from a victory celebration in Cincinnati in September of 2011.

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:

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sick of reading, my weekly appearance on The Home Stretch with Justin Hull on AM 1570/95.3 FM The Score in Appleton has been archived in two parts (Part 1, Part 2).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.