Tuesday's Frosty Mug: An intrasquad opener

Some things to read while buying another bottle.

Today is the eleventh day of spring training 2014 and the Brewers will take the field for their first game...against themselves. David Goforth, Brooks Hall, Kevin Shackelford and Wei-Chung Wang are expected to be among the pitchers used as the Brewers play a three inning intrasquad game in Maryvale this afternoon.

Once that contest is out of the way, all eyes will turn to the Cactus League opener against the A's on Thursday. @AndrewGruman reports that Marco Estrada and Wily Peralta are both expected to pitch in that game.

The Brewers still haven't unveiled their Opening Day rotation, but when they do their April schedule will be a factor in the decision. The team has an off day following their opening series against the Braves and another between the Red Sox and Phillies series, freeing the team up to play matchups a bit.

Other notes from camp:

• Adam McCalvy talked to Jean Segura about spending the winter doing track workouts with his uncle Oscar.
• McCalvy also talked to Jonathan Lucroy and Martin Maldonado to get their thoughts on new MLB rules designed to reduce collisions at home plate.
• Andrew Gruman of FS Wisconsin has a story on Hunter Morris as a long shot candidate to win the first base job this spring.
• ASU student Ryan Hill of the JS has a video interview with Rickie Weeks where he discusses the longtime Brewer's efforts to give back in the community.
• Fellow ASU student Brendan Capria talked to Matt Garza about getting #22 as a Brewer, and to Logan Schafer about giving up his former number. Schafer is wearing #1 this spring.
• Speaking of Garza, Bruce Miles of the Chicago Daily Herald has a story on his reunion with former Cubs teammate Aramis Ramirez this spring.
• Elsewhere in new Brewers, Jose De La Torre will receive a championship ring for his brief tenure with the Red Sox in 2013. If he makes the Opening Day roster he'll probably get it when the Brewers visit Fenway Park in April.
• Kyle Burger of WVTM-TV in Birmingham, Alabama, has a video story on how Donovan Hand spent the winter decompressing while driving a tractor. (h/t @Mass_Haas)
• John Steinmiller and Caitlin Moyer have video from a camera Jonathan Lucroy wore while catching a 90 mph fastball from Kyle Lohse.
• Big League Stew had some fun with a photo of Tyler Thornburg wearing an enormous game hat on photo day.
• @MikeVassallo13 has a picture of Hank asleep on his couch.

Hank the dog continues to make the rounds, both in Maryvale and on the web. Yesterday Deadspin became the latest entity to run a story on him.

In the minors:

• As of this writing David Goforth leads by two votes in the balloting to determine the #10 spot in our BCB Community Prospect Rankings. Voting will remain open until noon today, and you can stop by after 1 to cast your vote for #11.
• Last week we reported that the Blue Jays, Nationals and Astros had all potentially expressed interest in moving their spring training facilities to Palm Beach County, Florida. The Blue Jays have since decided to remain in Dunedin. The Nationals' facility in Viera is also home to the Brevard County Manatees.

Today in previews, projections, power rankings and whatnot: Jacob R. Misener of Call To The Pen listed Ryan Braun as the Brewers' player to watch, X-factor and biggest question mark in his preview of the 2014 Brewers season.

Around baseball:

Orioles: Designated pitcher Chris Jones for assignment.
Pirates: Claimed third baseman Brent Morel off waivers from the Blue Jays and designated infielder Chase D'Arnaud for assignment.
Rangers: Signed manager Ron Washington to a one-year contract extension for 2015.

Today in former Brewers:

• Carrie Muskat of MLB.com has a story on Jose Veras adjusting to his new role as a closer and clubhouse leader for the Cubs.
• Tim Dillard, meanwhile, is settling into a less luxurious setting: He'll be playing independent ball in Lancaster, Pennsylvania if another team doesn't come calling before their season opens. (h/t @Mass_Haas)
• The Dugout Perspective has a guide to appreciating Norichika Aoki.
• @joe_block found an old Damian Miller card.

Today's quintessential spring training story comes from Port St. Lucie, where MetsBlog caught the very essence of a Grapefruit League pop up drill.

Finally, with help from the B-Ref Play Index, we'd like to wish a happy birthday today to:

• 1995-96 Brewer David Hulse, who turns 46.
• 1962-65 Milwaukee Brave Denny Lemaster, who turns 75. We covered his birthday in Today In Brewer History last year.
• Jerry Reinsdorf, 2006 inductee into the Appleton Baseball Hall of Fame, who turns 78.
• Boyceville, Wisconsin native and 1953-59 Milwaukee Brave Andy Pafko, who would have turned 93. We covered his space in Today In Brewer History two years ago, and last year Chris Jensen of Baseball State by State named him Wisconsin's best February-born player.

Plunk Everyone notes that Pafko's 76 career HBP are the most ever for a position player born on February 25, and Lemaster's 24 hit batsmen are the most ever for a pitcher born on this date.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I forgot something at home.

Drink up.