Monday's Frosty Mug: Heating up

Some things to read while bringing it back.

The Brewers are now winners of three consecutive games for just the second time in 2013 following what might have been their best game of the season. They beat the Phillies 9-1 yesterday and JP has the recap, if you missed it.

The Brewer offense had a big day yesterday but the bigger story may have been Kyle Lohse, who became the first Brewer to pitch eight innings in a game this season and allowed a single run on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts.

The Brewers picked up back-to-back wins over the weekend with the help of a couple of great defensive plays in the outfield. BrewGIFs captured Carlos Gomez robbing a home run on Saturday, and MLB.com has video of Norichika Aoki nailing a runner at the plate yesterday.

Gomez also homered on his bobblehead day yesterday. Michael Hunt of the JS talked to him about his hot start and being featured on a ballpark giveaway.

Ryan Braun was able to play just three innings yesterday with his sore thumb, which remains a cause of concern. Ron Roenicke told reporters they're working on a plan to get Braun healthy, and it sounds like he'll be out of the lineup today. Adding insult to injury, Braun has fallen to fourth place in the NL All Star voting.

Other notes from the field:

• Scooter Gennett's second inning triple was both his first MLB extra base hit and the source of his first RBI.
• That triple was part of a four-run second inning that gave the Brewers their first lead of four runs or more in almost a month.
• Norichika Aoki went 1-for-3 with a walk yesterday and did not strike out. He's now made 67 plate appearances since his last K.
• We've got video from Ron Roenicke's postgame comments.
• At 2 hours and 23 minutes, Sunday's game was the quickest Brewer home game of 2013.
• The Polish won Friday's sausage race, with the Chorizo taking home wins on Saturday and Sunday.

Here are the home runs and trot times from the Phillies series, with help from Hit Tracker Online and Larry Granillo of Wezen Ball:

Day	Batter	Distance	Trot Time
Thursday	No home runs
Friday	No home runs
Saturday	Jean Segura	396 feet	unknown
Sunday	Carlos Gomez	389 feet	18.07 seconds
Sunday	Martin Maldonado	402 feet	20.7 seconds

By the way, Jean Segura rounded the bases in 14.82 seconds following his triple+error on Friday night.

Following yesterday's game the Brewers headed to Miami, where they'll open a three-game set against the Marlins tonight. Yovani Gallardo takes on Tom Koehler at 6:10, and Joe Morgan (not that Joe Morgan) has the MLB.com preview.

Gallardo has been struggling this season, but he's still probably only one good start away from making history: He needs four strikeouts to reach 1000 for his career, becoming just the third Brewer ever to reach that mark. He'd become baseball's 56th active pitcher in the 1000 K club. Jess Lemont of The Brewers Bar has a look at Gallardo's two-seam fastball, and wonders if he should stop throwing it.

Gallardo and the Brewers may be catching the Marlins at the wrong time. Adam McCalvy noted that Giancarlo Stanton, who has been on the shelf with a hamstring strain since April 30, is expected to return today.

Jim Henderson pitched a scoreless ninth inning yesterday in his first outing after being activated from the DL earlier in the day. Tyler Thornburg, who picked up his first MLB win on Saturday, was returned to Nashville to make room for him. Henderson has a sub-1.00 ERA this season but isn't going back to the closer role for now because the team is trying to get Francisco Rodriguez his 300th save.

Despite the fact that both teams won yesterday, the Marlins and Brewers enter play today a combined 38 games under .500 and 35.5 games back in their respective divisions. Ken Rosenthal has them both on his list of teams that could be sellers at the trade deadline.

Wily Peralta is scheduled to pitch tomorrow as part of his ongoing struggle to find consistency this season. During his last start, though, he did elicit the week's worst swing according to Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs.

The Brewers' unlikely three-game winning streak started on Friday, when they had to beat Cliff Lee and the Phillies while also overcoming some questionable tactics from their own manager. Ron Roenicke Stole My Baseball has a look at the late-game decision to pinch hit for Rickie Weeks, only to have the pinch hitter bunt with Carlos Gomez on second base.

Jonathan Lucroy sat out yesterday's game but is still hitting .350/.391/.583 in his last 17 contests. He's also our reigning Brewer of the Week.

In the minors:

• The Brewers have wasted no time reaching agreements with many of their 2013 draft picks, having reportedly come to terms with ten of their 40 selections (including seven of their first nine). We're keeping you posted on the latest in our signing thread.
• Two of those likely signees are second round picks Devin Williams and Tucker Neuhaus. John Steinmiller has interviews with both of them.
• Neuhaus is believed to have agreed to a deal around slot value for his pick, but Williams is expected to seek more. Slot money for the #54 overall pick is $1.017 million but Williams' agent told reporters "the Brewers and other clubs were aware going into the Draft that Williams sought a bonus above that figure."
• Elsewhere in interviews, The Brewer Nation talked to Lee University head coach Mark Brew. The Brewers selected three of his pitchers this weekend.
• Steve Wilmoth of TriCitiesSports.com has a profile of 21st round pick Tristan Archer.
• 26th round pick Kyren Gilmore-Parrott hasn't agreed to terms yet (as far as we know), but Value Over Replacement Grit notes that he has the draft's longest last name.
• Back on the field, the affiliates went 3-2 yesterday and Taylor Jungmann stayed hot, allowing a single unearned run on four hits over seven innings in Huntsville's 7-1 win over Montgomery. You can read about that and more in today's Minor League Notes.
• Grading on the Curve has more on Jungmann, who has a 1.79 ERA over seven starts since May 1.
• Wisconsin was one of yesterday's winners, picking up an 11-9 win over Clinton. Rattler Radio has more from the game.
• On the rehab front, Chris Narveson pitched yesterday for Nashville and allowed three runs on five hits over 4.1 innings. Assuming the Brewers still intend to get him four rehab starts, he'll pitch once more for the Sounds.
• Meanwhile, the news is not as good for Hiram Burgos. He was supposed to make a rehab start for Wisconsin today but was scratched after reporting discomfort. I'll still be at tonight's game and will have a full report in the Timber Rattlers Notebook.
• Nashville broadcaster Jeff Hem has interviews with Sounds pitchers Mike Fiers and Jimmy Nelson and infielder Hainley Statia.

Back in Milwaukee, it's time for our annual look at ballpark "convenience fees." Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times notes that an average set of four seats at Miller Park carries $11 in extra charges, which puts the Brewers near the middle of the pack. In other news, tomorrow's Mug will be "free to read" after you pay your $11 "production fee."

Around baseball:

Astros: Claimed pitcher Wade LeBlanc off waivers from the Marlins.
Athletics: Acquired infielder Vinnie Catricala from the Mariners for a PTBNL or cash.
Blue Jays: Designated catcher Henry Blanco and pitcher Evan Crawford for assignment.
Dodgers: Placed pitcher Ted Lilly on the DL with a neck sprain.
Indians: Signed reliever J.C. Romero to a minor league deal.
Marlins: Placed outfielder Chris Coghlan on the DL with calf nerve irritation.
Mets: Designated outfielder Rick Ankiel for assignment.
Nationals: Claimed pitcher Tyler Robertson off waivers from the Twins.
Phillies: Placed catcher Erik Kratz on the DL with a knee injury.
Pirates: Placed pitcher Jared Hughes on the DL with shoulder inflammation.
Rangers: Placed pitchers Alexi Ogando (shoulder inflammation) and Michael Kirkman (skin cancer) on the DL.
Rockies: Designated pitcher Jon Garland for assignment.
Royals: Claimed infielder Edinson Rincon off waivers from the Padres and designated pitcher Nate Adcock for assignment.
Yankees: Released pitcher Chien-Ming Wang.

The weekend's scariest story around baseball comes from Arizona, where Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon McCarthy suffered a seizure in a restaurant last week. McCarthy, you'll likely recall, was hit in the head by a line drive last season. He's expected to be ok. (h/t BBTF)

Let's go around the NL Central:

• The Cardinals put an exclamation point on a divisional win by scoring seven runs in the tenth inning to beat the Reds 11-4.
• The Pirates have lost six of their last nine games following Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Cubs. Former Brewer Cody Ransom's seventh inning homer was the difference in this game.
• The Brewers, of course, beat the Phillies 9-1.

Here are today's standings and probables:

Team	W	L	GB	Today	Time	Matchup
Cardinals	41	22	--	OFF
Reds	37	26	4	@ CHC	7:05p	Homer Bailey v Scott Feldman
Pirates	37	26	4	OFF
Cubs	25	35	14.5	v CIN	7:05p
Brewers	25	37	15.5	@ MIA	6:10p	Yovani Gallardo v Tom Koehler

The Pirates are cooling off a bit following their hot start, which has to feel familiar to fans who watched the team careen into mediocrity last year. David Manel of Bucs Dugout looks at the likely fate of a team that starts 37-26.

In case you missed it, Joe Mauer may have a sixth sense for catching unseen baseballs. In video I had to see twice to believe, he caught a foul ball on the carom off a stone wall without turning around over the weekend.

Finally, today in history: Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times notes that it's been two years since a popcorn machine on the right field loge level at Miller Park caught fire during a Brewers/Cardinals game.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've lost my clothes.

Drink up.