What We Learned: Split squad games kick off the Cactus League schedule

Yesterday’s Results

Brewers 11, UW-Milwaukee 2

It may have only been an exhibition against a college team, but it was the first game action the Brewers have seen in months. There's not much to take from the game. Will Middlebrooks went 2-for-3 with a home run. Orladndo Arcia also had a home run. A lot of players got some action in the game. It was what you would expect for the first exhibition game of the season.

Links from BCB

• The countdown to Opening Day is at 32 days. Today's countdown post focuses on #32 David Goforth.
• With the draft order for 2016 set, the Brewers will have four picks in the top 100. Kyle breaks down what picks the Brewers have and their draft pool.
• Prior to the game yesterday, Travis decided to get mad about the first lineup that the Brewers put on the field this spring.
• Over in the FanPosts, great198 discusses three keys for the Brewers to be successful in 2016. Also, Bucky #1 looks at what trade pieces the Brewers still have.

Other Brewers News and Notes

• Two split-squad games are on the schedule for today. Adam McCalvy of Brewers.com looks at the first Cactus League games of the season for the team.
• Brett Phillips did not play in yesterday's game and could be out for a few more days. Adam McCalvy reports that Phillips has a sore left oblique and is day-to-day for now.
• Could the best trade chip on the Brewers roster not be Jonathan Lucroy? Matt Goldman of Beyond the Box Score argues that the top trade chip for the Brewers might be Will Smith.
• Center fielder Keon Broxton has had a unique set of skills coming from skateboarding that have got him to this point. Adam McCalvy of Brewers.com spoke with Broxton about his skateboarding career and his thoughts on being traded to Milwaukee.
• Corey Knebel did not report to camp in the best shape of his life. Tom Haudricourt of the M ilwaukee Journal-Sentinel notes that Knebel is trying to lose some weight after putting on a little in the offseason as he works to make the bullpen.
• Even though Yadiel Rivera is a natural shortstop, he will have to find another position if he wants to have a spot on the Brewers in the future. Tom Haudricourt looks at Rivera's camp so far and how he wants to get more experience at other positions.
• Brad Johnson of Yahoo Sports has a fantasy breakdown of all of the bullpens in the National League, including the Brewers.
• Brad Krause of Miller Park Prospects looks at the organizational depth that the team has at the shortstop position.
• It has been a better offseason for Brewers prospect Dave Denson since he came out as the first openly gay professional baseball player last year. Scott Miller of Bleacher Report spoke with Denson about how the last several months have gone for him.
• While the starting rotation is mostly set for this season, players may be competing to avoid the #5 spot in the rotation. Seth Victor of BP Milwaukee argues that there are only four true rotation spots and players will be fighting to avoid the fifth spot.
• It was an important offseason for a few players off the field. Cait Covers the Bases writes that one Brewer got married and two got engaged during the offseason.

Around Baseball

• In the wake of the suspension of Aroldis Chapman, the first under the new domestic violence policy, there are implications for the players, the union, and the league. Nathaniel Grow of FanGraphs discusses how this ruling will affect other cases under the policy.
• The Rockies are going to raise the fences at Coors Field in an attempt to prevent so many home runs from leaving the park. David Schoenfield breaks down the implications this will have for games at Coors Field.
• The Cardinals signed second baseman Kolten Wong to a five-year, $25.5 million contract extension.
• Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson is expected to miss two weeks with a strained right oblique.
• The Yankees signed outfielder Chris Denorfia to a minor-league contract.