View Full Version : 2004 Spring Training Updates
Just like I did last year. I'll Once again bring you the news story out of spring training camp again.
<b><font size=4>5 Things to Watch</font></b>
<b>Phoenix</b> - With a whopping 61 players invited to training camp, the Milwaukee Brewers have plenty of performance evaluations to make this spring before opening the 2004 season.
With that in mind, here are five important areas of focus over the next six weeks for general manager Doug Melvin, assistant Gord Ash, manager Ned Yost and his staff:
<b>FINDING SOME PEN PALS:</b> The Brewers used 15 pitchers out of the bullpen last season and Yost would like to find a smaller, more consistent group to get the job done. Dan Kolb earned the right to start the season as the closer by converting 21 of 23 save opportunities last year but every other spot in the pen is up for grabs. "More than anything else, the guys in the bullpen are going to be judged on performance and achievements in spring training," Yost said.
<b>LOADING THE STARTING GATE:</b> The five pitchers who finished the 2003 season in the starting rotation have the inside track to resume those roles. But other than No. 1 pitcher Ben Sheets, Yost does not plan to award spots merely on seniority. He wants Wayne Franklin and Matt Kinney to stop making the same mistakes. Wes Obermueller and Doug Davis must build on their September performances. Newcomers Chris Capuano and Adrian Hernandez will get good looks but Luis Martinez blew his chance by getting involved in a shooting in the Dominican Republic.
<b>BEN'S BOUNCE-BACK CAPABILITIES:</b> Ben Grieve's game has slipped badly in recent years but the Brewers plan to give the former first-round draft pick every chance to win the right field job. Melvin gave himself an escape clause by signing Grieve to a non-guaranteed contract. If the defensively challenged Grieve can swing the bat as he did earlier in his career, the Brewers may have another yet another steal by Melvin. Otherwise, look for Brady Clark to get a lot of playing time at the position.
<b>SPINNING A FIFTH WHEEL:</b> At the end of last season, Keith Ginter was told he would be the starting second baseman in 2004. That changed when Junior Spivey was acquired from Arizona in the Richie Sexson deal, giving the Brewers an experienced player at the position. The Brewers like Ginter's offensive potential, however, and will try to give him time at first base and the outfield. There's always the chance some team will need a second baseman by opening day and make an offer for Spivey that Melvin can't refuse.
<b>LONG LOOK AT SHORT:</b> Milwaukee native Craig Counsell has carved a very nice career out of a knack for being at the right place at the right time. Now, the Brewers are counting on him to play shortstop every day, a step up for the versatile utilityman. The Brewers want prospect J.J. Hardy to get more seasoning in the minors and are counting on Counsell to buy as much time as possible.
<b><font size=4>Springing into action</font></b>
<b>Early arrivals get the ball rolling</b>
<b>Phoenix</b> - Pitchers and catchers report to spring training Saturday.
Though it has been known to spark a surge of optimism and enthusiasm among snowbound fans suffering from winter baseball deprivation, that sentence has lost a little bit of its sizzle in recent years at Maryvale Baseball Park.
We know what you're thinking: Cynics, start your engines. Here comes a fastball down the middle. . . .
But, wait.
The change in meaning for this magical phrase has nothing to do with the Milwaukee Brewers' string of 11 straight losing seasons. It's completely unrelated to the team's shrinking payroll, the front office miniseries that created a public-relations nightmare over the winter or the fact that the franchise is currently for sale.
It's just that the notion of a "reporting date" has become, well, a little dated.
Officially speaking, Brewers pitchers and catchers are required to report to camp today. The rest of the players are to report on Thursday.
"I don't really know what that means, to report," pitching coach Mike Maddux said to reporters Friday morning. "I think it means you're supposed to come to the clubhouse, say, 'Hi' to everybody, drop your bag in your locker."
It's a little late for that.
The Brewers have invited 61 players to spring training. Roughly two-thirds of them were on hand Friday for an optional informal workout that included stretching, bullpen sessions and batting practice. By the time the players complete their physical examinations on Sunday and hit the field for the first workout on Monday, when rain is forecast, most will have worked out four times.
"I've never seen this many guys show up so early," clubhouse manager Tony Migliaccio said. "We've got quite a few guys who live here, so it's not a surprise that they'd be here. We also have a lot of young guys. It's like they can't wait to get started."
By starting their workouts, the Brewers hope to put behind them one of the more tumultuous off-seasons in franchise history, a period marked by the departure of team President Ulice Payne Jr., fan unrest, an upcoming legislative audit into the team's finances and the impending sale.
As is often the case, the shockwaves emanating from the front office were not felt by the men who work on the field.
"I was playing winter ball (in Venezuela) when a lot of that stuff went down," left-hander Wayne Franklin said. "I heard bits and pieces of it. I'd go on the Internet and read about it and it was all pretty interesting. But, as players, that stuff doesn't affect us very much. Our job is to go out and play."
That's the attitude that second-year manager Ned Yost wants his players to carry.
"It doesn't affect anything we're trying to do," Yost said of the front-office soap opera. "It doesn't change our focus in what we're trying to accomplish and what we're trying to do on the field. I really has nothing to do with us. My focus is winning baseball games on the field. That's what I concentrate on."
Over the course of the next seven weeks, Yost will be concentrating on several key tasks. He must fill out an unsettled starting rotation and bullpen, nurture promising prospects like Corey Hart, J.J. Hardy, Rickey Weeks, Prince Fielder and David Krynzel and find a way for the Brewers to build on the momentum they established during the final month of last season.
Several veteran players said camp last year was the smoothest, best organized one they had seen. Yost doesn't expect many changes this year.
"It'll be pretty much like it was," he said. "We got everything accomplished we wanted to get accomplished. We'll make minor adjustments here and there but basically it'll be the same.
"My philosophy is that anytime we step on the field, I want your full focus and attention to whatever we're doing at that time to make us a better team. How do I do that? How do I create an atmosphere so that you can give everything you've got during the time you're on the field? The No. 1 priority is that nobody stands around. When we get cranking, we'll use every field at the same time. The key is to get the pitchers to do their work, do their throwing, then they go. The hitters rotate from field to field, changing the frame.
"The key is to keep them all moving so they're all doing something, without anybody standing around."
<b>In the fold</b>
The Brewers announced contract agreements with eight players on the 40-man roster, including catcher Chad Moeller and outfielder Brady Clark. The signings, all of which were for one year, bring the number of signed players on the roster to 28.
In addition to Moeller and Clark, the Brewers signed pitchers Tim Bausher, Jeff Bennett, Jorge De La Rosa, Ben Hendrickson and Chris Saenz as well as catcher Kade Johnson.
The Brewers also signed left-handed pitcher Chris Michalak to a minor-league deal with an invitation to major-league spring training. Michalak, who turned 34 last month, made nine appearances for Class AAA Louisville and was 2-1 with a 5.13 earned run average. He made his big-league debut with Arizona in 1998 and has appeared in 53 major-league games (8-11, 4.66 earned run average).
<a href=http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/sports/brew/img/feb04/ned220.jpg><img src=http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/sports/brew/img/feb04/ned220.jpg height=250 width=250 border=1></a>
Ned Yost: "My focus is winning baseball games on the field. That's what I concentrate on."
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Eliseo Valdez of the grounds crew at the Milwaukee Brewers' spring training complex in Maryvale, Ariz., waters a practice field.
<b>At a Glance</b>
WHAT: 2004 Brewers spring training.
WHEN: Pitchers and catchers report Saturday and will undergo physical examinations Sunday with the first workout scheduled for Monday; position players report Wednesday, with the first full-squad workout scheduled for Thursday.
WHERE: Maryvale Baseball Park, 3600 N. 51st Ave., Phoenix.
<b>Brewers Roster</b>
40-MAN ROSTER
Catchers (3): Gary Bennett, Kade Johnson, Chad Moeller.
Infielders (7): Craig Counsell, Keith Ginter, Bill Hall, Wes Helms, Lyle Overbay, Junior Spivey, Rickie Weeks.
Outfielders (6): Brady Clark, Ben Grieve, Corey Hart, Geoff Jenkins, Dave Krynzel, Scott Podsednik.
Pitchers (24): Mike Adams, Tim Bausher, Jeff Bennett, Chris Capuano, Mike Crudale, Doug Davis, Jorge De La Rosa, Ben Diggins, Leo Estrella, Matt Ford, Wayne Franklin, Ben Hendrickson, Brooks Kieschnick, Matt Kinney, Danny Kolb, Pedro Liriano, Luis Martinez, Nick Neugebauer, Wes Obermueller, Travis Phelps, Chris Saenz, Dennis Sarfate, Ben Sheets, Luis Vizcaino.
NON-ROSTER INVITEES
Catchers (5): Chris Coste, Alex Delgado, Mark Johnson, Victor Santos, John Vanden Berg.
Infielders (5): Enrique Cruz, Trent Durrington, Matt Erickson, Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy.
Outfielders (3): Jeff Liefer, Chris Magruder, Jon Nunnally.
Pitchers (8): Brian Bowles, Dave Burba, Jason Childers, Matt Childers, Ben Ford, Adrian Hernandez, Chris Michalak, Matt Wise.
<b><font size=4>Drafting a health plan</font></b>
<b>Brewers hold medical summit</b>
<b>Phoenix</b> - By tradition, reputation and practically by definition, left-handed pitchers are expected to be quirky and strange compared to the rest of their baseball brethren.
Wayne Franklin is about as far from being an oddball as you can imagine, but there is one thing that definitely sets him apart from the rest of the pitchers in the Milwaukee Brewers clubhouse.
Franklin has never suffered a major injury. No elbow reconstruction. No labral reattachments. No medical file the size of a metropolitan phone directory. Other than a slight groin strain and an upper respiratory infection last year, Franklin cruised through his eighth season of professional ball unscathed.
"I don't have any of those souvenirs," Franklin said, referring to the surgical scars brandished by many of his fellow pitchers. "I was just over talking to (fellow lefty) Matt Ford and he showed me his souvenir from his elbow surgery. I don't have any of those. I've just been lucky, I guess. I really don't know how to explain it."
That explanation - why some pitchers get hurt and others don't - has eluded the baseball establishment for years. The Brewers, who have a thin roster and a tendency to take chances on high-risk players, have been hit particularly hard.
Last month, while many players and fans were taking part in the winter caravan that ended with an event at Brookfield Square mall, assistant general manager Gord Ash convened a three-day medical meeting among doctors and trainers from throughout the organization.
"Our primary objectives were to improve the communication and make sure everyone was on the same page," Ash said. "We rely so heavily on our doctors in the minor leagues, and they never get a chance to meet face to face. This meeting gave them a chance to meet and to discuss a protocol of how we want things handled in terms of diagnosing and treating injuries, and when possible preventing them in the first place.
"Everybody knows about rehab. The in phrase now is 'pre-hab,' which is preventing injuries before they happen."
Brewers trainer Roger Caplinger said the meeting, which included presentations by the team's primary radiologist, new minor-league pitching coordinator Jim Rooney - a certified trainer and strength coach - and a representative from Major League Baseball schooled in workman's compensation issues.
"It was a good meeting, definitely," Caplinger said. "Not only was everybody able to put faces with names, we were able to set protocols and have an open forum for discussion.
"In the past, the doctors in Milwaukee didn't always know what the doctors in the minor leagues were doing and vice versa. This meeting will help us establish consistency in evaluation techniques and diagnosis. Everything we do is designed to minimize risk and avoid injury."
Every team in baseball has to deal with injuries. The Brewers, however, seem to have been hit harder than most in recent years.
"When I was in Toronto, looking from the outside in, it seemed to me that Milwaukee had more than its share," Ash said.
Theories for this abound, but the most popular include: imprudent draft decisions; a reliance on players who have been injured in the past; and a general lack of depth, which magnifies injuries that do occur.
How can the trend be reversed?
Caplinger feels that consolidating the strength and conditioning program under the guidance of his assistant, trainer Dan Wright, was a positive step. Improved communication between players and trainers / doctors also will help.
"Potential injuries are identifiable in many cases because of mechanics," Ash said. "Clearly there is luck involved. We're talking about human beings. A lot of times there are no answers, but it does become a front-of-mind issue. There are going to be strains and pulls in our sport because you play every day. But if you can identify potential problems, that's got to be part of the mind-set."
Heading into camp, the Brewers have several pitchers coming back from injury: Ben Diggins had reconstructive elbow surgery in August and probably will miss most of the season. Ford had a spur removed from behind his ulnar collateral ligament and says he feels great. Nick Neugebauer will be watched closely as he comes back from reconstructive shoulder surgery.
"Injuries are part of our game," Ash said. "We just have to try to minimize them as best we can."
<b>Testing day</b>
Brewers players and coaches will undergo physical examinations today. The first official workout of the spring will be conducted Monday.
<b>Youth is served</b>
The 2004 squad will be one of the younger Brewers teams in memory. Of the 61 players invited to camp, only eight are 30 or older. Four of those players are on the 40-man roster (Craig Counsell, 33; Brooks Kieschnick, 31; Jeff Bennett, 31; and Brady Clark, 30); the four non-roster invitees include Dave Burba (37), Alex Delgado (33), Chris Michalak (33) and Chris Coste (31).
<b>Sign up</b>
Left-hander Luis Martinez and right-hander Leo Estrella agreed to contract terms Saturday. The Brewers have signed 30 players on the 40-man roster.
Martinez, the club's minor-league pitcher of the year in 2003, is being detained in the Dominican Republic while authorities investigate his role in a shooting. Brewers officials aren't sure when - or if - he will report to camp.
<b>Showing their stuff</b>
Nine players took part in a tryout session Saturday at the team's minor-league complex.
"We had some agents call and say that their clients didn't have jobs," general manager Doug Melvin said. "We told them we didn't have any room in camp, but we'd take a look at them."
Right-hander Dan Reichert, who pitched in 15 games for Toronto last season, and right-hander Jose Silva, who pitched in Class AAA for Oakland, San Diego and the Chicago Cubs, had the most impressive workouts and were offered minor-league contracts. If they accept and pass physicals today, they will be assigned to minor-league camp.
<b>Ticket sales</b>
Jim Bathey, the Brewers' vice president of ticket sales, said the team sold 36,000 tickets Saturday, the first day that single-game seats were made available.
"It was better than we expected," Bathey said.
In fact, the total represented the largest single-day sale since February 2001, when the Brewers sold 48,199 tickets for the inaugural season at Miller Park.
Bathey also said interest was brisk in the home opener April 9 against Houston and that the 10 home games against the Chicago Cubs represented roughly half of the tickets sold. Although most tickets were purchased by phone or via the Internet, Bathey said that roughly 500 people were in line when windows opened at 9 a.m. at Miller Park.
<b><font size=4>Yost offers Brewers a fresh approach</font></b>
<b>Attitude is everything for struggling team</b>
<b>Phoenix</b> - No major-league baseball team endured more negative publicity over the winter than the Milwaukee Brewers. But don't look for manager Ned Yost to wallow in self-pity or allow any of his players to engage in that pointless activity.
"There is no 'woe is me.' You don't allow it," said Yost. "You find ways to make it work."
About to begin his second year at the helm of the club, Yost is the Brewers' center of balance. With boundless optimism, enthusiasm and a never-is-heard-a-discouraging-word approach to his job, the former big-league catcher is the right man at the right time for what many consider an impossible task.
"Certain guys are made for certain situations," said general manager Doug Melvin. "Ned was made for this one."
Lest we forget, Yost was not Melvin's first choice for the job. When Ken Macha opted to remain in Oakland to inherit that managerial post from Art Howe, the Brewers quickly turned to Yost.
What's that they say about dumb luck?
It didn't take Melvin long to realize that Yost had exactly what this sagging franchise needed - a fresh voice, a bottomless well of enthusiasm and a remarkable ability to find a silver lining in even the darkest, gloomiest, most threatening of storm clouds.
Surely, this has to be an act, doesn't it? Nobody in such a daunting position can actually think everything's going to be OK, can he? What makes this guy tick?
"It's not an act," said third base coach Rich Donnelly, the club's undersecretary in the Department of Optimism.
"It's infectious. I guarantee you he talked our team into 15 or 20 wins last year just by telling the players they were better than they actually were. They believed him and went out and did it.
"He has what we call in sports instant amnesia. Whether what just happened was good or bad, he forgets about it. He's always looking forward. He's special."
<b>Looking on the bright side</b>
Yost, 48, who grew up in Eureka, Calif., can't remember a time when he didn't try to look at the bright side of things. Modest in talent as a big-league catcher, he absorbed every baseball detail with a sponge-like mind, paving the way for a long coaching stint in Atlanta and, eventually, the manager's job in Milwaukee.
"I don't allow myself to think negatively or get down," said Yost. "I fight the urge for that to happen."
Considering the current state of the franchise, fighting that urge can't be easy. As if 11 consecutive losing seasons weren't bad enough, the Brewers absorbed one body blow after another over the winter, including the exodus of team President Ulice Payne Jr. after a flap over payroll cuts; the trade of the team's best player, Richie Sexson; the decision to sell the team; and a pending review of its financial books prompted by a very skeptical public.
At the same time, National League Central rival Chicago loaded up with the likes of Derrek Lee, LaTroy Hawkins and Greg Maddux. All Houston did was add Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte to an already formidable staff. St. Louis didn't do much, other than make Albert Pujols filthy rich, but the Cardinals already owned the Brewers with a 13-3 record in 2003.
The Cubs' payroll has surpassed $90 million, the Astros are up to about $80 million and the Cardinals check in at $75 million or so. With a paltry $30 million payroll, the Brewers are expected to pose little threat to those divisional foes.
Just don't tell that to Yost.
"We can make all the excuses we want about our payroll," said Yost. "It's not at $80 million; it's at $30 million. Deal with it. That's what you've got. Make it work. People can use it as an excuse, but we won't.
"That's my attitude. And that's got to be the attitude of the players, too. You can want all you want. You get them to believe in themselves. They're the ones who are going to have to carry the load. And they have to believe that they can do it."
And no one is better at squeezing blood out of a baseball than Yost. Though obviously short on talent and unable to avoid yet another last-place finish in 2003, the Brewers displayed a fighting spirit and grittiness that emanated directly from the manager's office.
<b>Some signs of improvement</b>
The Brewers finished with 68 victories, a commendable increase of 12 from the previous season. But they did not have the cash over the winter to improve a suspect pitching staff, making another step forward more problematic. In fact, some might suggest a step backward is inevitable.
"Why would I want to think about that? We're going to get better," insisted Yost. "Our coaches are too good; our players' attitudes are right where we want them to be.
"I look at our 25 guys and all they can do is give their best effort every day. It sounds simple, but that's all you can do. When the dust clears, whatever it is, as long as they're giving their best effort, I'll accept it."
The never-say-die attitude fostered by Yost led to the Brewers' slogan for the 2004 season: "It's the way we play." But don't think Yost is satisfied merely with a team that puts forth an honest effort.
He has set the bar much higher for this season.
"Now we can move on to Step 2. That's playing .500 baseball," he said. "Once you get to .500, you're close to being able to compete for the division.
"That's our goal; that's what we strive to do, to somehow get to that .500 mark. It's a very formidable goal."
The odds are against this edition of the Brewers, who are trying to keep their heads above water until a solid crop of minor-league prospects begins to arrive in Milwaukee. But Yost doesn't want his players thinking about the future. He concentrates on the here and now, with such positive reinforcement that the players can't help but give their all.
Melvin often laughs when the subject turns to his manager's unshakable belief that everything's going to be just fine.
"He has a way of turning a negative into a positive in a hurry," said Melvin. "The other day I came into the clubhouse and said, 'Did you hear the Cubs just signed Maddux?' He said, 'Good. We'll kick his (butt).'
"He has a real passion for what he's doing. And when he does something, he focuses on it and doesn't let other things distract him. That's his style, and you can't change your style."
<b>Returning to glory</b>
Returning the franchise to a competitive mode has become an obsession for Yost, who spent much of the winter mingling with long-suffering fans yearning for better days. Yost played for the Brewers during their glory years in the early 1980s and remembers the fervent following that made it fun to play for the club.
"My personal motivation is to bring back the excitement that was generated when I was here in the '80s," he said. "I want our fans, who are great baseball fans, to be able to celebrate the success of the Milwaukee Brewers again.
"I knew before I came back how hungry they were for that. That's why I was interested in this job. You get the sense that they crave that winning excitement again. They are dying to be able to root for the Milwaukee Brewers in an enthusiastic way.
"I think our fans understand where we're at and where we're going. They know we can't win every game, but there's no excuse for not giving your very best effort. And that's what we're going to do."
Under Yost's guidance, there's simply no other way.
<b><font size=4>Brewers' brass talks, sort of</font></b>
When we promised last week that we'd ask the Milwaukee Brewers some of the questions you'd like to pose when the state reviews the team's finances, we had no idea we'd get to talk to two vice presidents on the same dime.
Rick Schlesinger, the Brewers' executive vice president of business operations, was joined on the line by Robert Quinn, senior vice president and chief financial officer. That was a good deal because it gave us twice as many people to ask, but they said they had an understanding with the state's Legislative Audit Bureau not to answer specific questions until after the report was out.
Instead they agreed to tell us what the report would and wouldn't cover, and your No. 1 question fell into the second category. No, it won't disclose the salaries of chairman of the board Wendy Selig-Prieb or her husband, vice president Laurel Prieb. It will only say whether those figures were in line with what other people who do the same job make with other clubs.
If you're wondering why, here's Schlesinger's answer:
"Whatever the number is - whether it's $1, $10, $100,000 it will be taken out of context by other people who will just say, 'Look at what they make,' and when it shows that they make less than the industry average for the position, that will never get disclosed because it's too easy to pick on the Brewers, and why should the Brewers get a fair shake? So the naked number, whatever it is, will just get disclosed without any context, and frankly, we're not in the business of trying to appeal to people's prurient interests."
You're free to look up "prurient" on your own, but we're pretty sure it doesn't cover another of your major questions, which was whether Major League Baseball revenue-sharing money went to anything but salaries and player development. Schlesinger said revenue sources weren't earmarked for specific uses.
"When we get revenue-sharing dollars, it doesn't come in a special little lock box that spills into another lock box," he said. "We have revenue from different sources, and our biggest expense obviously is baseball operations."
<b>Debt concerns</b>
You also wanted to know about the Brewers' debt. The number $110 million has been widely used, and although the vice presidents wouldn't confirm that, they did say the report would identify how much the club owes.
It could be more than $110 million, because they explained that there's bank debt, and there's "related party" debt, which means money owed to directors or shareholders. Quinn said the second kind "is not in the 110 that's been floated around," and it will be itemized in a separate disclosure.
"When the original questions were coming about how much our debt was, the 110 was tied to how much we owed to banking institutions," he said. "And of course we have many other liabilities on our books and many other receivables and assets on our books."
<b>$90 million answer</b>
On other questions, the vice presidents said the report would show how the Brewers fulfilled their $90 million commitment to help build Miller Park, that it would have a section on shareholder activity that would deal with whether any club money was spent to buy out previous owners, and that there would be a section on deals the club might have with companies owned by shareholders or directors.
On the other hand, the report won't answer your questions about which owners own what percentage of the team.
"They're going to have to just remain curious about something like that, I guess," said Schlesinger, pointing out that the Brewers are a privately held company.
<b>A common practice</b>
When we mentioned that it's a privately held company that's benefiting from about $400 million worth of tax money used to build Miller Park, Schlesinger indicated that that happened in a lot of places. Let's give him the last word on that.
"The sports landscape in this country is full of interaction, public assistance to private companies, private sports teams, in a variety of ways, and the level of disclosure the Brewers are giving is unprecedented," he said. "I am not suggesting that we're not thankful and grateful for the tremendous public assistance in building Miller Park, but I am saying that I find it somewhat ironic and suspect that the Journal Sentinel has decided that that's not a relevant piece of the story."
<b><font size=4>Ginter will be a busy man</font></b>
<b>With Spivey at second, he assumes utility role</b>
<b>Phoenix</b> - <b>Keith Ginter</b> should get good use from his equipment bag this spring.
Ginter will attempt to become a jack of all trades in the Milwaukee Brewers' training camp after suffering the disappointment of seeing the second-base job yanked away from him over the winter. Instead, the Brewers plan to go with <b>Junior Spivey</b>, acquired from Arizona in the <b>Richie Sexson</b> trade.
Thus, Ginter will work out in the outfield and nearly every infield position during camp, requiring a sackful of fielding gloves. In that process, water breaks will be at a minimum.
"I haven't been in a camp where they asked me to do all that but I've done a little bit of it in the minor leagues," said Ginter, who played 53 games at second base last season, 40 at third and two at shortstop and the outfield.
"We're going to have to find time to do it all. It's going to be up to me to get out there in the morning and take my fly balls, then in the afternoon take all my ground balls at all the different positions.
"It'll be tough but I think we'll figure out a way to get on a schedule and routine where we can bang it all out without running me into the ground."
General manager <b>Doug Melvin</b> and manager <b>Ned Yost</b> realize they are asking a lot of Ginter. But they think Ginter can help the club in several areas while getting enough at-bats to take advantage of his offensive potential.
"He was obviously disappointed. He wants to compete for the second-base position," Melvin said.
"I think it's about time on our ballclub that we have competition within our own ranks. The sign of a bad ballclub is when you don't have competition within your ranks.
"You've got to like the fire Keith showed (last year). When it's all said and done, Keith will be on the team. Can we get him 450 or 500 at-bats? That could be tough."
Ginter made sure he let Melvin and Yost know how unhappy he was with being supplanted by Spivey. But he's ready to move on and do whatever is asked of him this spring.
"It's all behind us and I'm going to go out and perform now and do the best I can," Ginter said. "They told me where I stand and what they look for me to do. If they live up to their side of it and get me 400 at-bats, I've got to be happy with it."
<b>The doc is in</b>
Brewers broadcaster <b>Bob Uecker</b> checked in to take his physical along with the players and club staff. Uecker then donned a doctor's smock and pretended to be helping with the blood tests.
Uecker told one young player to bring back the Band-Aid that was placed on his arm after blood was drawn.
"We're using them twice," Uecker told the confused player. "We're trying to keep the nut down."
<b>Signing</b>
The Brewers signed right-hander <b>Dan Reichert</b> to a minor-league contract. Reichert, who posted a 6.06 ERA in 15 games for Toronto last season, passed a physical Sunday and will report to minor-league camp in a few weeks.
Right-hander <b>Jose Silva</b>, who joined Reichert and a handful of other players at a tryout Saturday, was offered a minor-league contract but declined.
<b>Stormin' Gorman</b>
Former Brewers outfielder <b>Gorman Thomas</b> will visit camp for about a week to work with outfielders and hitters.
"I talked to Gorman on the winter caravan and asked if he'd ever been down to spring training," Melvin said. "I asked him why and he said, 'Because nobody has ever asked.' I told him to come on down for a week. He can work with <b>Davey Nelson</b> and the outfielders and mostly just come down and have a good time. He's part of what we want to get back to here."
Former Brewers infielder <b>Jim Gantner</b>, who was a teammate of Thomas' and Yost's on the Brewers' pennant-winning team in 1982, also will visit camp to work with the infielders.
<b><font size=4>Sheets bears burden</font></b>
<b>Team's hopes rest on young shoulders</b>
<b>Phoenix</b> - It doesn't seem fair to ask a guy with a bad back to do all the heavy lifting but that's what the Milwaukee Brewers demanded of Ben Sheets during his first three seasons in the big leagues.
Sheets, who arrived in the majors in 2001 with much fanfare as a first-round draft pick and Olympic hero, did not have the luxury of a break-in period. With the franchise mired in a long losing streak, dependable starters in short supply and fans clamoring for somebody to cheer for, the Louisiana native quickly became the staff ace.
Thus, at the age of 25, Sheets already has made 93 major-league starts and pitched 5882/3 innings. By comparison, Roger Clemens made 68 starts and pitched 4852/3 innings in his first three years in the majors, and Pedro Martinez made 86 starts and pitched 556 innings in his first three seasons as a regular.
"It does seem like I've been around a long time," said Sheets, who made only 35 minor-league starts before being rushed to Milwaukee.
"I look around and a lot of these guys seem a lot younger than me. But I still think I'm a young guy."
Although few young pitchers are consistent winners immediately upon arriving in the majors, big things were expected of Sheets after he shut out mighty Cuba in the gold-medal game of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Australia. Instead, he has struggled to a 33-39 mark with the Brewers, getting stuck on 11 victories in each of his three seasons.
Not exactly what Sheets expected but he never figured on pitching for three bad teams, either. The Brewers lost 94, 106 and 94 games in his first three seasons, going an astounding 102 games below .500 (192-294) over that stretch.
In other words, Sheets hasn't had a lot of help at the start of his big-league career.
"Victories have been precious for us," Sheets said. "I felt my 11 victories here were every bit as good as other pitchers' 14 or 15 on different teams.
"Maybe if I get better, I can take some of the other guys with me. I do think it's time I stepped up. In the overall picture, I'm disappointed with a lot of things but not to the point of being discouraged."
Sheets is well aware that his best stretch of good outings came during his first season in 2001. He recorded 10 victories by midseason and became the first Brewers rookie to make the All-Star Game.
But Sheets' shoulder broke down in the second half, forcing him to the sideline for five weeks, and he stumbled to an 11-10 record.
"Ben, in a lot of different organizations, wouldn't be thrust into learning on the job at the major-league level," manager Ned Yost said. "He has not had an easy task, and he has handled it very well."
Because of the immediate pressure to produce, Sheets has experienced little breathing room in the majors. It didn't help that he arrived in the Milwaukee as a two-pitch pitcher for the most part, relying on a live fastball and sharp-breaking curve.
He has worked hard to develop a changeup, and also throws both a four-seam and two-seam fastball to mix it up. Sheets throws strikes (161 career walks, 421 strikeouts), sometimes to a fault, resulting in damaging home runs (29 in 2202/3 innings in 2003).
More often than not, however, he has given the Brewers an opportunity to win, something no other starting pitcher can claim over that stretch. Making that task more difficult has been a balky lower back, courtesy of two bulging discs.
"It nagged me all last year and I still feel it," said Sheets, who gets treatment on the back before and after every start. "It never really feels good. It's something you deal with."
Said pitching coach Mike Maddux: "He was a pretty reliable guy when he was not 100%. I look forward to Ben being 100% so we can work on things and improve ourselves as opposed to just getting the Purple Heart for showing up."
Very little has come easy for Sheets during his time with the Brewers. But thanks to a new management team and a fighting spirit fostered by Yost, he began to see things turn for the better last season.
Now, if he could just get past that 11-victory barrier.
"It would be nice to win 15 instead of 11 one year," he said. "I don't want to be riding on potential. That's no fun. It's about time to reach it."
Sheets assumes his usual No. 1 spot in the starting rotation this spring but what happens after that is anybody's guess. Left-hander Doug Davis, impressive during a late-season trial in 2003 (3-2, 2.58 earned run average in eight starts), tentatively has been penciled in as the second starter.
Wayne Franklin and Matt Kinney, who took regular turns last season and each won 10 games, also are back. And the Brewers hope for big things from Wes Obermueller, who had more ups than downs after joining the rotation in late July.
But Yost insists that every pitcher not named Sheets must prove he belongs in the rotation this spring. He plans to keep an open mind in selecting his other four starters, with newcomers such as Chris Capuano, Adrian Hernandez and Travis Phelps and Ben Ford getting good looks.
"There's plenty of competition there," Yost said. "One of the left-handers might be bumped to the bullpen if they don't make the rotation. We've definitely got options out there.
"We've got to find out exactly where some of these guys are. I think they all know that. It's going to be interesting to mold this staff and see exactly what we have because I like what we've got."
A look at the other returning starters from last season:
<b>LHP Doug Davis (3-2, 2.58 ERA last season)</b>
Maddux helped Davis make an adjustment in his delivery last season that improved the command of his fastball. Maddux and Yost think he is primed for a breakthrough season.
"I always felt if I got the ball every five days I'd be OK. From what I hear, I'm penciled in. It can be erased. I know I'm coming out to try to win a job. There's a lot of young guys here wanting to take one of these jobs."
<b>LHP Wayne Franklin (10-13, 5.58)</b>
Franklin's a fierce competitor who sometimes challenges hitters with his fastball too much. Last year, that resulted in 36 home runs by the opposition, tops in the majors. He also needs to cut down on his walks (team-high 94).
"I rehashed everything in my mind over the off-season," Franklin said. "I learned you can't keep the ball in the strike zone too much. You can't keep throwing to the same spot. That's what they call learning the hard way, especially at our park."
<b>RHP Matt Kinney (10-13, 5.30)</b>
Kinney was hurt too many times by big innings, often the result of multi-run homers. But he has a good sinker and struck out 147 hitters in 1862/3 innings. The Brewers would like to see him stay away from mistake pitches more often this spring and improve on holding runners.
"I want to throw my off-speed pitches more for strikes, particularly my changeup," he said. "I need to get a lot more consistent in the strike zone. I want to concentrate on throwing more quality pitches."
<b>RHP Wes Obermueller (2-5, 5.14)</b>
Maddux calls Obermueller the "dark horse" of the staff. The former outfielder has improved with each season on the mound and is an aggressive pitcher who comes right at hitters. His numbers were skewed last year by a couple of bad starts.
"I feel like I belong on this squad and I want to prove that to them," Obermueller said. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to solidify a spot coming out of camp. I want to show them right away, from the get-go."
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Ben Sheets has been a workhorse since he arived in the Major Leagues.
<b><font size=4>Winter of turmoil ending for Brewers</font></b>
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers are more eager than usual to break out the bats and gloves at spring training. It's been a turbulent winter.
Since the Brewers completed their 11th straight losing season, the team has lost its popular president and its best player, and it's also been put up for sale.
Ulice Payne Jr. resigned as team president after going public with the club's plan to spend only about $30 million on payroll this season, a decision that forced the trade of slugger Richie Sexson and caused such an outcry that the Brewers agreed to a public review of its finances.
Then, left-hander Luis Martinez was arrested in a shooting in the Dominican Republic, throwing his career into question.
And general manager Doug Melvin said during a conference call with reporters this week that he was flustered that he hadn't heard from All-Star outfielder Geoff Jenkins' representatives for a couple of weeks. His agent called him later that day with a counterproposal for a contract extension that the club is mulling over.
Neither side is commenting on the negotiations but it's believed the Brewers' initial offer was for three years and about $18 million. Jenkins is thought to be seeking a four-year deal for around $30 million.
It's easy to see why Melvin arrived in Phoenix bright and early Thursday. Pitchers and catchers are due to arrive in camp this weekend, followed by position players next week.
``I don't think there's any doubt that we're ready to focus on baseball,'' Melvin said. ``The players, I'm not sure if they know or even care what's all going on back home. But as GM, it's my job to make sure the staff focuses on the game and does not get distracted by all this other stuff. We were here before 7 o'clock, so that shows how eager we are to get going.''
The Brewers, who had a 12-game improvement last year under new manager Ned Yost, have a lot of work to do thanks to their revamped roster, a product of the nine-player trade that sent Sexson to Arizona.
On Dec. 2, the Brewers acquired infielders Craig Counsell, Junior Spivey and Lyle Overbay, catcher Chad Moeller and left-handed pitchers Chris Capuano and Jorge De La Rosa for Sexson, who was due $8.6 million this year, and two others.
Counsell will play shortstop and Overbay first base. Spivey will challenge Keith Ginter for the second base job, the first full-fledged fight for a position in several seasons.
``I think it's about time that we on our ballclub have competition within our own ranks,'' Melvin said. ``The sign of a bad ballclub is when you don't have any.''
Spivey had an off year last season after making the All-Star team in 2002. Counsell is 33 but has never been a full-time starter. Neither has Overbay nor Moeller.
Free agents Ben Grieve and Gary Bennett also signed with Milwaukee.
Grieve expects to join Jenkins and Scott Podsednik in the outfield, and Bennett will back up Moeller. Prospect Corey Hart was moved from third base to outfield, where he hopes to hone his game at Triple-A this season.
Overbay will face plenty of scrutiny replacing Sexson, probably the team's most popular player.
``We've told Lyle, I don't think the expectations are that he's going to replace Richie,'' Melvin said. ``There wasn't anybody on the trade that will replace Richie. ... Lyle will hit more doubles. He's not a home run hitter like Richie was.''
The only prospect that Melvin expects to challenge for a spot on the 25-man roster coming out of camp is shortstop J.J. Hardy.
Before his arrest, Martinez was expected to make a bid for a spot in the Brewers' rotation after soaring through the minor leagues last season.
Martinez was 0-3 with a 9.92 ERA in four September starts for Milwaukee last season.
``He's still being held by authorities and I believe he's trying to negotiate his way out of not being charged,'' Melvin said. ``We're still talking in-house about what to do. We don't condone what he did, but we also don't know all the details.''
<b><font size=4>Hardy set for big-league experience</font></b>
<b>Shortstop hopes to learn from first Major League camp</b>
PHOENIX -- The guy who might be the top prospect in what might be baseball's best farm system arrived in his first Major League Spring Training with a new batting stance and a new idea of what's in store for 2004.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy, the Brewers' second-round draft pick in 2001, is only 21 years old but has already been a high school All-American, a minor league All-Star, a participant in the All-Star Futures Game and a member of a U.S. Olympic qualifying team. Now, he is looking to make a mark with Brewers coaches.
"I'm excited," Hardy said. "Whatever comes of this experience, I'm ready."
After the Brewers declined shortstop Royce Clayton's option after last season, it looked like Hardy's shot could come as early as 2004. Then the team traded Richie Sexson for a six-player package that included Craig Counsell, who later was anointed the likely starter at shortstop.
Hardy is probably headed for Triple-A Indianapolis, where he will be one of the International League's youngest players. In 114 games last year, he batted .279 with a career-high 12 home runs and 62 RBIs while playing his usual Major League-caliber defense.
Hardy was named to the Southern League's midseason and postseason All-Star teams.
"We're talking about how good he did last year, and I think we haven't seen anything yet," said Dave Krynzel, Huntsville's center fielder last year. "He's so good defensively. He's one guy I love to play behind."
Krynzel will probably be playing behind Hardy again. On Feb. 17, Hardy was working out with some teammates at the Brewers’ minor league complex when manager Ned Yost stopped by to explain the shortstop situation. Milwaukee is expected to go with Counsell and backup Bill Hall.
"He told me to come over here [to big-league camp] and just relax," Hardy said. "He said, 'We know what you can do. Don't stress, don't press. Just go out and play.'"
Easier said than done?
"Yes and no," Hardy said. "It helps when someone says that sometimes. You remember that you can go 0-for-5 and it's not the end of the world. They know what I've done before, and those five at-bats are not going to make or break it for me.
"What can I do but play well here, do the same at Triple-A and try and move on?"
Hardy is working on a new batting stance and will get a good, long look this spring. Barring injury, he is a good bet to make his Major League debut sometime this season.
He will work this spring with Brewers hitting coach Butch Wynegar on tweaks to his swing. During a workout in January, Frank Kremblas, who managed Hardy and the rest of Double-A Huntsville to the Southern League Championship Series last season, suggested that Hardy bring his hands closer to his body. Hardy also repositioned his feet closer together.
The result is a more compact swing that Hardy says feels more powerful.
"I couldn't get to the inside pitch," Hardy said. "I felt myself getting jammed all the time, all last year. Now I'm able to stay inside the ball. I just feel like I can be more consistent."
While pitchers and catchers begin their formal workouts this week, Hardy and the hitters will spend the bulk of their time in one of Maryvale Baseball Park's batting cages, taking thousands of swings.
"It's getting there," Hardy said. "I still find myself thinking about it, but I think in a week or so, as Spring Training really kicks in, it will be there."
He will have plenty of workout partners. Milwaukee's spring training roster includes a handful of Hardy's teammates including Krynzel, Corey Hart, a Richie Sexson clone working on a move from third base to the outfield and Ben Hendrickson, a curveball specialist who could jump to the big leagues later this season.
"It's so much more fun," Krynzel said. "I feel a little more relaxed around the clubhouse. Last year, it took me about a week just to get comfortable."
Krynzel was one of two former first-round draft picks in his first big-league camp last year. The other was Prince Fielder, who grew up around Major Leaguers with his dad, former slugger Cecil Fielder.
This time, Krynzel is the grizzled veteran.
"Got my boys here," he says with a laugh.
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J.J. Hardy batted .279 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs in 114 games at Double-A Huntsville.
<b><font size=4>Ned's notes: Time to get to work</font></b>
<b>Physicals out of the way, but rain could limit workouts</b>
PHOENIX -- Brewers manager Ned Yost played with some of Milwaukee's best players in the early 1980s. Now in his second season at the helm, he is working to get the team back to prominence. Yost agreed to share his take on camp until the Cactus League schedule kicks in on March 4.
Today was an important day because we went through physicals. Everybody gets to see all of the doctors to determine everyone's health. That's an important thing before we get started to make sure everyone is physically ready to go.
Guys that had injuries last year, we check the status of their injuries and where they are and that they are clear to start full workouts.
The weather is bit of a concern right now. The most important days for us in Spring Training are these first 10 days. We're not really equipped to handle rain here in Phoenix. We don't have any real covered cages or tunnels. Rain in the first 10 days can set you back some.
It won't be something that we can't recover from, but you've got your guys here and they are excited and ready to go. You want to take full advantage of those 10 days before you start playing ballgames to get your players ready. They are talking about rain on Monday and really about all of next week so it is a bit of a concern. We'll have to adjust, if it does rain, to get our work in.
I think we're all anxious to get started. Our coaches are anxious. Our players are anxious. They've been doing their side work. They are ready to go, and they are excited to start the season.
I think and I am fairly convinced that we've got, if not the best coaching staff, one of the best coaching staffs in all of the Major Leagues. These are guys that are hard workers and that are experienced. They are smart guys that really want the best for our team. They work hard to see that every player gets what they need to be the best player they can be. You can't ask for anything more than that.
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Manager Ned Yost is anxious to get his players on the field.
<b><font size=4>A new day for closer Kolb</font>
He looks forward to fruitful spring
Phoenix</b> - Dan Kolb entered spring training expecting a change.
Make that two changes.
Kolb, the hard-throwing reliever whose pitches routinely rocked the radar gun at close to 100 mph last summer, is adding a changeup to the fastball-slider repertoire that helped him secure the Milwaukee Brewers' closer position.
He's also planning to change his luck.
The past few springs, you see, have been nightmarish for Kolb, a soft-spoken 29-year-old from the tiny town of Sterling, Ill.
In 2001, he reported to the Texas Rangers' camp in Florida and promptly strained a muscle in his right elbow, which had been surgically reconstructed the previous year. He made it to the big leagues in late August that year, appeared in 17 games and felt good about his prospects heading into 2002.
That spring was shortened, however, when Kolb suffered pain in his right shoulder during camp. Doctors diagnosed a slight tear in the rotator cuff and prescribed several weeks of rehab.
Once again, Kolb worked his way to the big leagues, appearing in 34 games and building momentum toward the 2003 camp, the Rangers' first in Arizona.
Again, things went downhill quickly.
"The first week I came down here (to Arizona), someone broke into my truck," Kolb said before taking the field for the Brewers' workout Monday morning at Maryvale Baseball Park. "That rubbed me wrong. The third week, someone broke into my apartment."
A few weeks later, the off-field dilemmas were replaced by a different kind of crisis. After a string of mostly uneventful outings in exhibition games, Kolb was released by the Rangers on March 26.
He signed with the Brewers a week later, dominated hitters at Class AAA Indianapolis and was called up to the big leagues in mid-June. A month later, he was given the closer's role when Mike DeJean struggled. He reeled off 18 saves in a row on his way to 21 for the season.
"Dan Kolb came in and sealed the deal," Brewers pitching coach Mike Maddux said. "We knew if we played eight solid frames that the ninth was going to be ours. This year, we're going to try some things as far as expanding what he can do."
That brings us to the changeup.
Kolb began experimenting with the pitch late last season, but didn't get many opportunities to work on it during games.
"Sometimes it's tough to field test things between the lines when it counts on your baseball card," Maddux said.
That won't be a problem this spring.
"I'm going to be a different pitcher this spring than you'll see during the season," Kolb said. "The first outing or two will be normal. I'll establish my fastball, get comfortable with it again. After that, it's going to be a lot of off-speed stuff."
The changeup is regarded as a "feel" pitch that takes a deft touch and a fair amount of confidence. That can only be gained through repetition.
"I worked on it all off-season," Kolb said. "Now I need a hitter in there. And I need to trust it.
"Right now, out of every 10 I throw, I probably throw three or four that come out good and feel right. The other ones, I'm babying a bit. That's what spring training is for."
Kolb, whose slider clocks in at about 88-90 mph, is hoping that his changeup - thrown at about 85 or 86 mph - will keep hitters from "cheating" on his fastball.
"Most of the hitters in the division have seen me now and they know what to expect," he said. "That doesn't bother me. I'm still confident in my fastball. They still have to hit it. But having a changeup will just make my fastball better."
While Kolb experiments with his new pitch, general manager Doug Melvin, manager Ned Yost and Maddux will try to build the bullpen around him.
While veteran Dave Burba seems likely to reprise his long relief role, candidates for the setup job include holdovers - Luis Vizcaino, who struggled much of last season after a stellar 2002 campaign, Leo Estrella, Mike Crudale and Matt Ford - as well a handful of newcomers such as Chris Michalak and Jeff Bennett.
"Last year at this time we had (Mike) DeJean, (Curtis) Leskanic and (Valerio) De Los Santos," Melvin said. "I was told not to tinker with the bullpen because that was an area that was our strength. It turned out that it didn't perform the way we thought.
"What we have to count on is guys we have improving."
One thing Melvin would like to see out of his relievers is more distance.
"Last year, we left spring training with a bullpen of players who couldn't go more than one inning," he said. "Using guys that can only go one inning at a time really took a toll on our overall pitching.
"This year, we may carry two or three long guys and let them pitch."
At this point, the identities of those pitchers are unknown.
"It's going to be interesting," Yost said.
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Closer Dan Kolb is adding a changeup this season to go with his fastball and slider.
<b><font size=4>Ned's notes: Desert rains</font>
Coaches keep close watch on pitchers early in camp</b>
PHOENIX -- Brewers manager Ned Yost played with some of Milwaukee's best players in the early 1980s. Now in his second season at the helm, he is working to get the team back to prominence. Yost agreed to share his take on camp until the Cactus League schedule kicks in on March 4.
One thing we really make a point of is that we don't worry about things that we can't control. We just adjust. We came in today and it was pouring rain with no covered fields and no covered batting cages. We had to go to plan B.
The important thing was that the pitchers got out, did their throwing on the side and got their conditioning work in, so it didn't really set us back. Ideally, we would have liked them to throw to hitters today in batting practice but we couldn't accomplish that. But we got the main bit of work that we needed to get in done. All in all, it was a good day.
We're really hoping that the sun comes out tomorrow. We've moved our workouts from 10 a.m. to noon so that the grounds crew has two extra hours to get the field ready. We're hoping that we'll have at least one field available and if we have two or three that will even be better. Depending on the weather, we should be OK.
We have called Seattle (in nearby Peoria) and they do have covered tunnels that they have made available to us. So, we could get a bus and do our hitting under covered tunnels. You still would much rather do it outdoors but if we can't we'll still have that option available to us. It would not be until about 2 p.m., so [new Mariners hitting coach and former Brewers great] Paul Molitor will probably be gone from there by then.
Today was the first official workout, and the guys are always real excited to get back out there. A good thing about having the optional camp a week early is that guys can get all of that excitement out of them. A lot of the guys that were throwing today were throwing for the fourth time since they've been down here.
That's the importance of guys getting here early optionally and getting their work done. As always, guys feel good and they want to hump up. The key to this is conditioning and guys getting to exercise their arm and getting acclimated to the mound with a controlled effort.
It's real important that every time a pitcher throws, no matter where he is, that he has a pitching coach behind him. We were working off of four mounds today but we had four pitching coaches standing right behind them to make sure they guard their effort and they are working to command their fastball.
It's not a performance deal. We tell them that we don't want to know how hard they can throw the ball. We want to see how well they can control their effort. We want to see how smart they are and how much they trust their ability, can control their effort and exercise their arms in a proper fashion. Today, they did that very well. We were very pleased with how well they did.
<b><font size=4>Right man for lefty job?</font>
Southpaw Michalak is competing for a bullpen job</b>
PHOENIX -- Chris Michalak was in the right place at the right time, and he could be the right guy for the Brewers bullpen.
Or rather, the left guy.
Milwaukee will likely feature the National League Central's only left-handed heavy starting rotation with as many as three southpaws (Doug Davis, Chris Capuano and Wayne Franklin are all candidates). But the team is still looking for a left-hander to pitch out of the bullpen, an area of relative strength in the past half-dozen seasons thanks to pitchers like Mike Myers, Ray King and Valerio De Los Santos.
Enter Michalak, a left-hander with 53 games of Major League experience who arrived at Maryvale Baseball Park late last week after a whirlwind courtship with the Brewers.
It started a few weeks ago, when Brewers general manager Doug Melvin happened by a baseball facility in Dallas owned by a friend. Michalak, a 33-year-old whom Melvin claimed off waivers during the 2001 season when he was GM of the Rangers, was working out there. Melvin was surprised to hear that Michalak was still looking for work.
"We talked a little bit and he said there might be some opportunities up here," Michalak said. "He told me that there were some left-handers in the starting rotation, but they were thin in the bullpen. So I told him that I could maybe help."
Melvin was also surprised to hear about Michalak's new delivery. After years of competing but failing to make the starting rotation in places like Oakland, Arizona, Anaheim, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles and Texas, Michalak turned his focus to relief work and shifted from overhand to a sidearm motion.
Michalak saw it as a way to finally stick in the Majors. Melvin saw it as a possible solution to his lefty shortage.
"Every once in a while you try to do something different," said Melvin.
The Brewers GM had some success with reclamation projects in 2003. He found surprising gems with players like outfielder Scott Podsednik (the NL's rookie runner-up), Davis (a 2.58 ERA in eight late-season starts) and closer Dan Kolb (21 second-half saves). Podsednik, Davis and Kolb all played at one point for Texas.
So the men stayed in contact, and Melvin invited Michalak to a showcase at Maryvale Baseball Park scheduled for Feb. 21, the day pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training.
But, in another coincidence, one of Michalak's workout partners also works with Ned Yost IV, an aspiring collegiate catcher and the son of the Brewers manager. Michalak's name came up over dinner one night and a bullpen session was arranged which the younger Ned caught. Four days later, the Brewers made a contract offer.
"My son liked what he saw," Yost joked. "[Michalak] is a kid with some experience, a high-quality makeup kid. He has that deception in his delivery, so he's a kid that we're going to look at."
Michalak accepted a minor league contract with a Spring Training invitation and is once again competing for a roster spot. This time, he is aiming for the bullpen.
He is looking to follow in the footsteps of Myers, a submarine-throwing left-hander who pitched 141 games for the Brewers from 1998-1999 and has made a career facing the toughest left-handed hitters in the game, usually in close-and-late situations.
Other left-handers have tried it too, including former first-round Brewers draft pick Kelly Wunch, Mike Venafro and, most recently, Colorado's Javier Lopez.
Why is the submarine style so effective?
"The biggest thing is that the hitters just don't see it much," Michalak said. "How many lefties are there that do it? If you can drop down and get a little better angle, it makes it that much more difficult for them."
Michalak's arsenal of pitches is basically the same as what he brought as an overhand-throwing starter -- he brings a sinker, curveball, change-up and cut-fastball.
"I don't have anything that special, I'm just able to place it," he said.
Said Yost: "Some guys can make the adjustment to go from a starter to a reliever to a situational guy. That's what it's like to be a Major League pitcher. He's an interesting guy. I saw him and, right away, I liked what I saw."
Michalak is especially interesting because of his versatility. He has been focused on honing his skills as a sidearmer but could still surprise a hitter with an overhand pitch. And he went 8-11 with a 4.41 ERA in 18 starts for Toronto in 2002, leaving open the door for an emergency start or two if necessary.
"I'm used to facing right-handers," Michalak said. "I know how to get them out, and I can still throw all my pitches from that low angle."
Even with a solid spring, Michalak may still be edged out. The team has one open spot on the 40-man roster but could give it to veteran right-hander Dave Burba, who was valuable in long relief last season. The team will also take a long look at non-roster starters Adrian Hernandez and Brian Bowles and infielder/catcher Trent Durrington, among others. Plus, Franklin has big league bullpen experience and could see relief action for the Brewers if he fails to win a spot in the rotation.
Michalak is just happy that circumstance put him in position to compete.
"You know what? If I have a chance to be in the bullpen, then I'll be in the bullpen and do that as well as I can," he said. "That's where we are right now."
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Chris Michalak, pictured here in a Chatham All-Stars tribute jersey with Toronto in 2001, has 53 games of Major League experience.
<b><font size=4>Brewers revising menu behind plate</font>
Moeller, Bennett will be featured
Phoenix</b> - Chad Moeller wasn't particularly surprised this winter to find out that he had been traded from Arizona to Milwaukee.
By the time the phone call came on Dec. 1, he had been hearing the rumors and reading the speculative reports in the newspapers and on the Internet for several weeks.
Though the reasons remain a mystery, he was also aware that he'd fallen out of favor with his now-previous manager, Bob Brenly of the Diamondbacks. After opening the season as Arizona's primary catcher, Moeller fell behind Rod Barajas and Robby Hammock on the depth chart. He collected just 51 at-bats in the second-half of the season, including just three in the final month.
"I can't say I was surprised to be traded," Moeller said. "But when it finally happens, it is kind of a surprise."
As is the case in such instances, Moeller's mind raced in a million directions at once. Who should I call? Where will I live. Who do I know with the Brewers? Will I get a chance to start? Who are their other catchers? Spring training is in Phoenix, which is more convenient than Tucson.
The more time passed, the more comfortable Moeller became with the opportunity unfolding before him. Joining the Brewers meant reuniting with his former college roommate and close friend, Geoff Jenkins, and his former minor-league teammate, Matt Kinney. Moeller started daydreaming about swinging for the inviting power alleys at his new home stadium, Miller Park.
Then, the catcher in him took over.
"I started thinking about it and I realized that Milwaukee is kind of a bad ballpark for pitchers," he said. "It's one of the bigger bandboxes in baseball. If pitchers don't keep the ball down, they can get in trouble in a hurry."
The task of steering Brewers pitchers clear of trouble this season will fall to Moeller, who turned 29 last month, and Gary Bennett, a 31-year-old native of Waukegan, Ill., who played for San Diego last season and chose to sign with the Brewers in part because Milwaukee is close to his home in Libertyville, Ill.
"I did a test drive after I signed and it was about 45 minutes, door to door," he said. "I think I might try commuting, at least for a while."
Veteran Mark Johnson, who spent last season with Oakland after playing parts of five seasons with the Chicago White Sox, also is in camp along with Kade Johnson, utility men Trent Durrington and Scott Sheldon and former UW-Milwaukee standout John Vanden Berg.
A year ago, the Brewers entered spring training with a huge question mark behind the plate and broke camp with Eddie Perez and Keith Osik, who entered camp as non-roster players and turned into somewhat pleasant surprises.
Perez, who signed as a free agent with Atlanta, and Osik, now in Baltimore's camp, combined to hit .263 with 13 homers and 63 RBI. That represented a vast improvement over the Brewers' 2002 catching corps (Paul Bako, Raul Casanova, Jorge Fabregas, Marcus Jensen and Robert Machado), which combined for a .218 batting average and a league-worst .599 OPS (on base plus slugging).
"I didn't think either one of those guys was going to make our team last year," general manager Doug Melvin said of Perez and Osik. "They ended up playing pretty well for us, but we knew we wanted to upgrade that area during the off-season and I think we did.
"We feel a lot better with our catching this year. Last year, went into spring training with two catchers who were non-roster players. We didn't have that comfort level that we do now. You look at Chad Moeller and he's been around a little bit. He's young in terms of big-league experience, but he's 28 and he's been around. He's a pretty good offensive catcher and Bennett was a front-line catcher last year. We expect the offense from our catching to be a bit more consistent this year."
Over the next six weeks or so, Moeller will try to learn as much as possible about his new teammates. His previous association with Kinney gives him a head start in that regard.
"Matty has to use his fastball more," Moeller said. "He can strike guys out with his breaking ball, but he's a guy that can strike out 10 guys in five innings,"
In time, Moeller expects to have a feel for the rest of the staff: What pitches do they like to throw to get ahead in the count? What pitches should they avoid in tight situations? The education won't happen over night, but Moeller knows it will happen.
"By the time we leave here, I will have caught everybody," he said. "That's mandatory. I'll skip catching a ball game if it means I can stay back and work with somebody. It's unacceptable to go into the season and not have caught somebody.
"That won't be an issue here."
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Catcher Chad Moeller is happy to be reunited with former college roommate Geoff Jenkins and former minor-league teammate, Matt Kinney.
<b><font size=4>Hart seeks show in outfield</font>
Phoenix</b> - When <b>Corey Hart</b> heard the reasoning behind the Milwaukee Brewers' plans to switch him from third base to the outfield, it was difficult to argue.
"They said this might be a quicker way for me to get to the big leagues," Hart said. "It's nice to know they think that way."
Hart, 22, the most valuable player of the Class AA Southern League last season, was moved to third base two years ago to try to ease a first-base glut in the system that included <b>Brad Nelson</b> and <b>Prince Fielder</b>. Nelson moved to the outfield, paving the way for Fielder to advance as the organization's "first baseman of the future."
At 6 feet 6 inches and accustomed to playing on the other side of the diamond, Hart struggled at third base, committing 32 errors in each of the last two seasons. But he continued to progress at the plate, batting .302 with 40 doubles, 13 home runs and 94 runs batted in last year at Huntsville.
"I think this is going to be easier for me," said Hart, who has good speed for a big man (25 steals in 2003). "I can concentrate more on hitting and not have to worry about making an error at third base.
"I think I progressed at third base and would have been pretty good if I stayed there. But this is probably a better way to get to the big leagues. I should be fine out there."
Hart will work every day in camp with Brewers outfield instructor <b>Davey Nelson</b>. He also is getting pointers from centerfielder <b>Dave Krynzel</b>, considered the best farm system outfielder.
"He's going to be a heck of an outfielder," Krynzel said. "He's a good athlete. He just needs to work on getting longer with his throws after being used to snapping them across in the infield."
Hart is expected to start the season in right field at Class AAA Indianapolis.
<b>Signing</b>
Right-hander <b>Brooks Kieschnick</b> reached agreement on a one-year contract with the Brewers on Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Kieschnick, 31, split the 2003 season between Class AAA Indianapolis and Milwaukee and split his duties between the bullpen and a pinch-hitting role. In 42 relief appearances in the major leagues, he was 1-1 with a 5.26 earned run average. He also hit .300 with seven homers and 12 RBI in 80 at-bats as a pinch hitter and outfielder. He became the first player in major-league history to hit a home run as a pitcher, pinch hitter and a designated hitter in the same season.
The Brewers have agreed to terms with 31 of 39 players on their 40-man roster.
<b>No-show</b>
Catcher <b>Alex Delgado</b>, a non-roster invitee from Venezuela, has not reported to camp.
"He was supposed to be here Monday," said general manager <b>Doug Melvin</b>, who is guessing that Delgado is having visa or personal problems.
In order to pick up some of the catching slack, the Brewers invited minor-leaguer <b>Scott Sheldon</b> to camp. Sheldon is an infielder and has caught in the past.
<b><font size=4>Yost betting Grieve can come back</font>
Outfielder struggled in recent seasons
Phoenix</b> - On the scale of desirability, established major-league players rank non-guaranteed contracts somewhere between food poisoning and rotator-cuff surgery.
Yet, rightfielder Ben Grieve agreed to report to the Milwaukee Brewers' spring camp with a non-guaranteed deal for $700,000, giving the club the right to cut him before opening day and pay only one-sixth of his salary.
Why would a 27-year-old player, supposedly in his prime and only six years removed from being American League rookie of the year, agree to such a deal? A look at his recent stint with Tampa Bay provides the answer.
"I didn't have any room to bargain after the three years I had there," Grieve said. "That's the way I looked at it. I couldn't demand anything.
"Certain guys might, but I'd rather get something because I deserve it than have it given to me."
It was quite a comedown for a player who made $5.5 million last season at the end of a four-year, $13 million deal originally signed with Oakland. After two mediocre seasons with the Devil Rays, Grieve experienced a complete nightmare in 2003, playing only 55 games because of injuries.
Having already spent time on the disabled list with an infected thumb, Grieve began experiencing swelling in his right arm in mid-July. Doctors discovered a blood clot in the upper arm that could be relieved only by removing the first rib on the right side.
That procedure shelved Grieve for the remainder of the season, leaving him with a .230 batting average, four home runs, 17 RBI and a one-way ticket out of Tampa.
Enter Brewers general manager Doug Melvin.
Needing to replace the departed John Vander Wal and unable to afford the going rate of two years, $6 million for established corner outfielders on the free-agent market, Melvin decided to take a run at Grieve with a non-guaranteed offer.
Grieve, whose father, Tom, once was GM with Texas and now is a television broadcaster for that club, was kept on hold in December by the Rangers while they worked on the Alex Rodriguez-Manny Ramirez deal that never materialized. Antsy to latch on with a club, Grieve opted to take Melvin's offer.
"One of my main interests was getting a chance to play a lot," Grieve said. "I thought this would be a good chance for me to play and get my career back going the right way. That was a big part of the situation here that appealed to me."
Now, if only the Brewers can help Grieve retrieve the game that made him the AL's top rookie in 1998 in Oakland. The second overall pick in the 1994 draft batted .288 that year with 18 homers and 89 RBI.
Grieve boosted his home-run output to 28 the next season and really hit it big in 2000, socking 27 homers and driving in 104 runs. But he also struck out 130 times and turned in below-average defensive work, prompting the A's to send him to Tampa Bay for pitches Cory Lidle and Roberto Hernandez.
Grieve's play continued to deteriorate with the Devil Rays, including a 159-strikeout season in 2001. Before making his offer, Melvin did some investigative work and discovered the left-handed hitter had become inexplicably passive at the plate.
"He was not as aggressive; he took a lot of pitches," Melvin said. "One year, 63% of his strikeouts were called strikeouts.
"He was a disciplined hitter in Oakland and then he ended up not being as aggressive. We've talked to him about it. He can still be selective at the plate but be more aggressive."
Grieve concedes that he was taking more pitches in recent years but isn't certain that was the cause of his slide. In fact, he's still somewhat puzzled as to what exactly happened to his game there.
"I had three pretty crummy years in Tampa," he said. "Before that, I had three pretty good years. I can't put my finger on any one reason for it. It's not like I'm wearing down or anything.
"It's been frustrating. It wasn't for a lack of work. For whatever reason, it never clicked there on a consistent basis like it did before. . . .
"I'm not ready to give up."
Restricted to picking through the scraps of other clubs by his $30 million payroll, Melvin hopes to hit the jackpot with Grieve as he did last year with centerfielder Scott Podsednik and closer Dan Kolb. If Grieve rediscovers his swing, it will be a master stroke by Melvin, who doesn't have over-the-moon expectations.
"I think, on the high side, we'd be pleased if he knocked in 80 runs," Melvin said. "It depends on how much he plays. I'd like to see him be able to hit in the middle of the order."
"This is a fresh start for him. It gives him a chance to come over to a new league. He's got some power, which might fit in our ballpark. It's somewhat of a low risk (because of the non-guaranteed contract)."
One thing on Grieve's side is the blank-slate approach of manager Ned Yost, who doesn't care how much a player struggled in his pre-Milwaukee life. Yost is more than willing to give Grieve every opportunity to win the starting job in right.
"I don't put a lot of stock in what I hear," Yost said. "I need to get to know him."
Should Grieve remain lost in space, or need a righty-hitting platoon mate, Brady Clark waits in the wings. Clark, who began the 2003 season as a backup outfielder and played regularly in September after Geoff Jenkins suffered a broken thumb, batted .272 with six homers and 40 RBI.
"Brady's extremely valuable," Yost said. "He was one of the bright spots for me last year."
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The Brewers hope rightfielder Ben Grieve can retrieve the game that made him the American League's top rookie in 1998 in Oakland.
<b><font size=4>Jenkins doesn't fit into puzzle for Brewers</font></b>
In the awkward and potentially irresolvable case of Geoff Jenkins vs. the Milwaukee Brewers, the question you must ask yourself is which party is gambling more in this low-grade game of chicken.
Certainly, Jenkins, one of the few players left on a $30 million roster with anything more than negligible name recognition, has the public-relations upper hand. While there is no need here to recount the organization's recent troubles, it is enough to say that even Richard III never had a winter of discontent quite like the folks on Miller Park Way.
So does that mean the Brewers, at the risk of alienating even more customers after trading Richie Sexson, must capitulate to the contract demands of their remaining 2003 all-star?
Not necessarily, because Jenkins is hardly immune from risk as the clock speeds toward the player-imposed March 4 deadline.
For argument's sake, let's say the Brewers' reported offer of about $20 million for three years is fair and reasonable, given the depressed market. Let's also say that Jenkins, who is said to want $32 million over four years, rejects the Brewers to test free agency after this season.
Let's also say that Jenkins, who has a medical chart longer than the women's bathroom lines at old County Stadium, gets hurt again. Then how sorry would he be to have turned down nearly $7 million a season?
Sure, Jenkins is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $8.55 million this year, but that deal represented another time and place for the industry and the organization. But is it fair for a player of Jenkins' quality to accept a pay cut?
Players take so-called home-team discounts all the time to remain in familiar surroundings, but the Brewers have forfeited that chip with 11 consecutive losing seasons. No one, then, could fault Jenkins for wanting to leave because he is weary of repeated failure.
Since Sexson had no intention of re-signing, the hole-filling trade with Arizona was a no-brainer. The Jenkins situation is a little more ambiguous because he has said he wants to stay with the only organization he has ever known - but only at a price and if team does everything necessary to regain a competitive stance.
Yet with his public comments, Jenkins has given himself a polite way to play out his existing contract. He also may have tipped his hand with his unusual deadline squeeze play.
While not questioning Jenkins' competitiveness, isn't it peculiar that he would say that negotiations must end by the start of exhibition season so he could concentrate on games that don't count, especially when a veteran of his stature usually plays only an inning or so at the start?
I'd hate to be the Brewers on this one, especially the way Jenkins runs into left-field walls and knocks down right-field fences with his bat. You want to tell your dwindling fan base you can't afford him?
At the same time, how much sense would it make to give one guy a quarter of the payroll at a time when the future is predicated on rebuilding through a promising farm system?
The impression here is that neither side will submit in the next week, which means the Brewers must begin preparations to trade Jenkins before losing him without compensation at the end of the season.
It won't be a popular course of action for the battered franchise, but it may be the only sensible resolution for a team that needs pieces more than one star.
<b><font size=4>Brewers' dirty laundry aired on national report</font></b>
A report about the Milwaukee Brewers' financial problems that aired on national television Tuesday night said three members of the Selig family were drawing more than $2 million in salary at the time the club was seeking public funds to build Miller Park.
Titled "Milwaukee's Best?" and airing on HBO's "Real Sports with <b>Bryant Gumbel</b>," the report also said the Brewers, compared to other teams in baseball, contributed the least to the construction of a new ballpark and that the team is to receive $20 million this season from baseball's revenue sharing plan.
<b>James Brown</b> served as correspondent on the piece. Advance publicity said <b>Armen Keteyian</b> was to be the correspondent, but Brown wound up with the assignment. Brown is best known for his role as co-host of "Fox NFL Sunday." He also has a syndicated radio show on The Sporting News network.
Brown, citing an unidentified "senior state official who worked on the Miller Park project," said that at the time the Brewers were seeking tax money for Miller Park, the team was paying <b>Bud Selig</b>, daughter <b>Wendy Selig-Prieb</b> and son-in-law <b>Laurel Prieb</b> over $2 million a year.
Brown, citing an unidentified "industry analyst," said those salaries were "well above the norm."
The Brewers dispute those sources, Brown said.
According to the report, the Brewers said those numbers "are outrageously inaccurate" and that the salaries for the Seligs "were below league averages."
Those who came on camera to discuss the Brewers' problems were former state senator <b>George Petak</b> (R-Racine), state representatives <b>Mike Ellis</b> (R-Neenah) and <b>Bob Ziegelbauer</b> (D-Manitowoc) and Cleveland State sports economist <b>Mark Rosentraub</b>. The only Brewers official to appear on camera in the report was <b>Rick Schlesinger</b>, the team's executive vice president of business operations.
Commissioner Selig declined to be interviewed on camera.
Two assertions about the Brewers' finances made by Rosentraub are new.
"This particular ownership group has the least amount of capital invested in the physical facility, their stage, their platform, their store, than any comparable owner," Rosentraub told Brown.
Rosentraub said the Brewers are to receive $20 million under baseball's new revenue sharing plan, which would cover two-thirds of their 2004 payroll, which is around $30 million.
Rosentraub contended that because of the questions about how the club spent the revenue it generated from Miller Park, the team whose leaders championed revenue sharing are subverting its intent.
"You would have to look really hard to find another example that is as perverse to the concept of revenue sharing as is occurring right now," Rosentraub said.
"Rather than fulfill the promise of revenue sharing, what he (Selig) has done is to underscore the concerns, the fears, the objections, that every large market team has. So the argument, eloquently articulated for several years, was then simply trampled on by the very family that made the argument."
Ellis hammered Selig throughout the report.
"Selig from day one when he was in my office said, 'Build me the stadium that will enable me to get more revenue and I will use that new revenue to buy new players,' " Ellis said. " 'I will be a competitor.' Now what happened in the three years? We've gotten worse, not better. . . . "
Brewers owners recently announced their intent to sell the team, a team whose value increased significantly because Miller Park was built and has been in use since April 2001.
Schlesinger expressed indignation about contentions of critics who have called into question the integrity of the Seligs.
"You can bust the Brewers' chops for not winning games on the field," Schlesinger said. "But don't ever equate wins and losses with integrity. And the mistake that some of these politicians have made is that they have assumed that because the team hasn't performed well on the field that the Brewers ownership are bad guys, they have no integrity and are dishonest. That's unacceptable behavior and I will not tolerate it."
The Brewers have reached agreements with the Metro Association of Commerce and the state's Legislative Audit Bureau, which are currently reviewing the team's finances.
<b><font size=4>Neugebauer faces hitters</font>
He hopes shoulder woes are behind him
Phoenix</b> - Wednesday was a landmark day for right-hander <b>Nick Neugebauer</b>.
Once considered the Milwaukee Brewers' top pitching prospect, Neugebauer continued his comeback from multiple shoulder surgeries by facing hitters for the first time in more than a year during a batting practice session at Maryvale Baseball Park.
"It was a good first step for him," said manager <b>Ned Yost</b>. "It's a big hurdle to face hitters for the first time. He feels good; that's the key."
Neugebauer, 23, missed the entire 2003 season after having a second operation on his pitching shoulder to repair a frayed labrum and rotator cuff. The first surgery was in September 2001, and when the shoulder did not respond properly in 2002, he was shut down after 12 appearances with the Brewers.
The shoulder miseries sidetracked what once was a promising career, but Neugebauer is encouraged about progress made in recent months.
"It felt good to mix it up and see some hitters up there," said Neugebauer, a second-round draft pick in 1998. "We're working on my mechanics a lot. When I get my mechanics right, I feel real free and easy.
"My arm feels good. I'm a little bit behind (other pitchers) here but in about a month I should get it going full-go. I just want to stay healthy and be ready for the start of the season."
Neugebauer hopes to be ready to pitch somewhere in the minor leagues at the end of camp. Otherwise, he'll remain in extended spring training until he's ready.
"I don't care where they send me. I just want to pitch," he said.
<b>Extra incentive</b>
Yost was not pleased with the way his pitchers performed with a bat last season (.132 batting average, 126 strikeouts in 318 at-bats, 14 RBI), so he has a plan to get them more interested in 2004.
Yost has devised a point system to reward pitchers for getting hits, executing sacrifice bunts, driving in runs, etc. He plans to keep a running tally and reward the pitcher with the most points for the season with a trophy of some kind.
"We're going to make a little competition out of it," Yost said. "Hopefully, that will get them to really focus on it. We've got to find ways to get better in that area."
<b>Ben Sheets</b>, a notoriously poor hitter (.080 career average) who nevertheless loves to brag about his prowess at the plate, immediately proclaimed himself the favorite to win the competition.
"Just go ahead and put the trophy in my locker," Sheets said. "I'm going to dominate. It's embarrassing to even put these guys in my category."
<b>Matt Kinney</b>, who batted .036 last year (2 for 55), called Sheets' bluff.
"I won't guarantee I'll win the trophy but I will guarantee that Ben won't," Kinney said. "He has no chance."
<b>Four empty lockers</b>
Everyday players are not required to report until Friday, but all but four already are in camp. Those yet to arrive include the club's last two first-round picks, <b>Prince Fielder</b> and <b>Rickie Weeks</b>.
The only AWOL player is journeyman catcher <b>Alex Delgado</b>, who is several days late.
Asked whether it bothered him that Weeks and Fielder hadn't joined the other prospects to work out early, Yost, said, "Not a bit. . . . I know those kids are busting their butts, getting ready at home."
<b>Name game</b>
The Brewers have five players in camp with the first name Ben: Sheets, Grieve, Hendrickson, Ford and Diggins.
"I don't think I've ever played with anyone named Ben before," Sheets said to Grieve, who uses an adjacent locker.
Said Grieve: "This might be a major-league record."
<b>Name game, Part II</b>
According to Brewers media relations director <b>Jon Greenberg</b>, right-hander <b>Ben Ford's</b> parents are named Gerald and Betty.
<b>Name game, Part III</b>
The Elias Sports Bureau reports that <b>Trent Durrington</b>, an Australian who is vying to make the club as a utility player, is the only player named Trent to appear in a major-league game (Anaheim, 1999, 2000, 2003).
<b><font size=4>Rotation hopes to take flight in 2004</font></b>
PHOENIX -- A big Iowan who looks like he couldn't stop smiling even if he tried, Wes Obermueller does not exactly fit the bill as a boxing aficionado.
So why is he quoting Roy Jones, Jr?
"He says, 'It's either he or me,'" Obermueller said. "When he gets in the ring, that's his outlook. 'I'm gonna attack you. I'm gonna dominate you. You are not gonna beat me out there.'"
A relatively inexperienced Brewers pitching rotation will try to take that philosophy to the mound in 2003.
The team is counting on some of its young pitchers to step up in order to climb out of the National League Central cellar. Last year, Milwaukee's starters ranked 14th of 16 NL teams with a 5.48 ERA, 15th with 39 wins and last with 1,061 hits allowed and 144 home runs allowed.
"It was like when you walk out of your SATs," said left-hander Wayne Franklin. "It can be humbling."
Ben Sheets, barring injury, is on track to tie a franchise record with his third consecutive Opening Day start. Manager Ned Yost said he likes 28-year-old left-hander Doug Davis, who sparkled for the Brewers in eight late-season starts, for the second spot.
That leaves at least six others with a real shot at one of the three remaining jobs. With pitchers such as Obermueller, Franklin and Matt Kinney coming off their first season of Major League starts and newcomers such as Chris Capuano, Adrian Hernandez and Travis Phelps providing some competition, the stakes are higher this year for the staff.
"I think everybody knows that coming in there is a lot of competition for this rotation," Yost said. "We're going to find ways to get better."
One of the ways, Sheets hopes, is consistency. This marks the first season of Sheets' brief Brewers career that he did not have to introduce himself to a new pitching coach. Mike Maddux, whose brother, Greg, joined the National League Central when he signed with the Chicago Cubs, returns for his second season guiding the Brewers staff.
"And it's going to be nice, maybe next season, to have the same catchers back," said Sheets, who spent the first days of camp getting to know newcomers Chad Moeller and Gary Bennett. "We've never had the same pitching coach back and the same catchers back. I think that could make a huge difference. Instead of doing the groundwork, you're starting where you ended last year."
Sheets, 25, was thrust into the role of Brewers ace as a rookie in 2001 and will have to lead the way again. He has won 11 games in all three of his seasons and has worked more than 215 innings in each of the last two, but has never posted a sub-3.00 ERA and has given up more hits than innings pitched all three years.
He avoided salary arbitration this winter by agreeing to a one-year, $2.425 million contract, making him the only starting candidate earning significantly more than the league minimum.
"I can't speak for everybody else, but I know it's time for me to turn a corner," Sheets said. "I just want throw the ball good for one whole year and have better results in the end. I'm good for months and then bad for a couple."
For the rest of the returning starters, 2003 was all about confidence.
"Before last year, I never had the confidence to throw my curveball or my change-up behind in the count," said Davis. "This year, that is going to change. I'm going to be throwing those 3-2 curveballs."
Davis was one of general manager Doug Melvin's best finds in 2003. After moving through five different Major and minor-league clubhouses, including Texas' and Toronto's, Davis found a home at Miller Park. He went 3-2 with a 2.58 ERA in eight Brewers starts and was the only starter with a winning record.
He is also an unlikely veteran. Davis reported to Spring Training last season with the Rangers and was one of the youngest pitchers in the clubhouse. Now, only 29-year-old Franklin has him in years, and Davis' two years and 138 days of Major League service time makes him second in seniority among starters only to Sheets. Davis was one day shy of being arbitration-eligible.
"I think maturity has a lot to do with it, and I think that I matured a lot over the last two or three years," Davis said. "If you can't keep your composure out there when the bases are loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, they're not going to want you out there. I want to be that guy out there."
The final three spots are up for grabs.
"I know that, for myself, it's definitely time to step up," said Obermueller, a right-hander who finished strong but still went 2-5 with a 5.07 ERA after being traded to Milwaukee from Kansas City. "As far as our group, I completely think that we are ready for that challenge and that we can do it. We all believe in each other and believe in ourselves."
That was not always the case in 2003, when Franklin, Kinney and Obermueller all got their first extended taste of life as big-league starters. Franklin and Kinney combined to make 64 starts, and Yost said he will expect more out of both this season.
"I come in this clubhouse, look around and say, 'This is my team now,'" said Franklin, who went 10-13 with a 5.50 ERA. "I'm not sitting here beating my brain out, wondering if I can play here. I know I can play here. That was a big question for everybody."
Franklin finished the year on a down note, going 3-3 with a 6.09 ERA in August and 0-3 with a 7.99 ERA in September. He traveled to Venezuela for winter ball and worked on a sinking fastball, which he hopes can become an out pitch alongside his slider.
Kinney also slumped to the finish, following a 3-1, 3.55 ERA August performance with an 0-4 record and an 8.72 ERA in September. He may have the best pure "stuff" on the staff besides Sheets, highlighted by a great slider, but Kinney was often the victim of big innings.
The Brewers are very high on Capuano, a 25-year-old lefty and the final piece of the nine-player Richie Sexson trade with Arizona. Phelps, who pitched relief for Tampa Bay in 2001 and 2002 and Hernandez, a Cuban defector with Major League experience with the Yankees who turns 29 on March 25 are also in the mix.
"He's a lot like Livan Hernandez and El Duque [the Yankees' Orlando Hernandez]," Yost said, referring to fellow Cubans. "He's funky, throwing from two or three different arm slots. His ball sinks, his ball runs, his ball cuts. He has a nice change-up. He's a kid that could fit in."
But where will he fit?
"It's going to be interesting to mold this staff and see exactly what we have," Yost said. "I like this staff a lot."
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Ben Sheets led the Brewers with 11 victories last season but is hoping for more wins in 2004.
<b><font size=4>Ned's notes: Fundamentals</font>
Former Brewers keep Brewers past alive and well</b>
PHOENIX -- Brewers manager Ned Yost played alongside some of Milwaukee's best in the early 1980s. Now in his second season at the helm of the Brewers, he is working to lead the team back to prominence. Yost agreed to share his take on camp until the Cactus League schedule kicks in on March 4.
Today was similar to yesterday. In our first five days, we are getting our guys in the habit of working on our fundamental stuff and throwing batting practice. We incorporated batting practice for the pitchers today for the guys that didn't throw today. We worked on our bunting and our hitting, but all in all it was a great day.
Our infielders got a bunch of ground balls. We worked on the defensive fundamentals with the pitchers. Our outfielders worked on their defense as well for about 40 minutes. We got a bunch of hitting in. The sun was out and it was beautiful. The pitchers did great so it was a good day.
My old teammate Moose Haas stopped by today. Moose was a close friend of mine when we played together in Milwaukee. It was great to see him again. We would spend a lot of time together. We'd go out to dinner and spend time together away from the ballpark. I hadn't seen him for a while. I saw him last year for one day right before Spring Training started so it was nice that he could come out and spend the day together with us. It was great to see him.
We've got Cecil Cooper here with Ed Romero and Jim Gantner and Gorman Thomas coming down soon. That is important to me and to our fans. Those are the guys that they remember from our heyday and those were the players that were involved when it was a great time to be a Milwaukee Brewer and our fans were excited about it.
We all have the same bond because that was a real special team during a special time. We all had that closeness. It's important to me to keep those guys involved because those guys feel like they've got a heart for the Brewers and they feel like they truly are Milwaukee Brewers. It's a good thing to keep that cultivated between everyone in the organization and the players.
We've got our pitching for the exhibition games set up for the first two weeks. We'll play a pair of intra-squad games on the last two days before we start our Cactus League season to get everyone a chance to throw an inning before they get into the games, so we'll work ourselves up into that.
<b><font size=4>Notes: Overbay goes to 11</font>
Versatile Kieschnick agrees to one-year deal</b>
MILWAUKEE -- His big-league resume is short, but new Brewers first baseman Lyle Overbay is apparently long on confidence.
When Overbay made his first appearance in camp on Tuesday, a new No. 11 Brewers jersey was waiting for him. It was a bold choice given that his predecessor put up some serious numbers wearing the same jersey.
"Everybody's going to be talking about me filling Richie Sexson's shoes anyway, so I might as well go for it," Overbay said with a smile.
Overbay originally selected No. 37, but second baseman Junior Spivey, who came form the Diamondbacks in the same December trade that sent Sexson to Arizona, called to see if he could have it. Overbay immediately agreed.
Did he know the significance of No. 11?
"Oh yeah," Overbay said.
Several other projected starters including third baseman Wes Helms and outfielder Ben Grieve appeared in camp on Tuesday, several days before position players are required to show.
<b>Signing day:</b> Pitcher/outfielder/first baseman/pinch-hitter Brooks Kieschnick agreed to terms on a one-year contract Tuesday.
Kieschnick was one of the Cactus League's most intriguing stories last year, even earning a weekly feature in Sports Illustrated. He was among the final roster cuts but made his way to Milwaukee by the end of April and stuck, going 1-1 with a 5.26 ERA in 42 relief appearances while batting .300 with seven home runs in 70 at-bats, mostly off the bench.
"What he did increased his value as a baseball player," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "So he's always got this on his side. If you get into a situation where it gets into a numbers game, like it did last year, that little bit of value ups his ante."
To make the team this year, Yost said Kieschnick will have to be improved on the mound. He batted .381 as a pinch-hitter, but the Brewers expect to have a deeper bench in 2004 if they can avoid injuries.
Only eight of the 39 players on Milwaukee's spring roster have yet to agree to terms, most notably outfielder Scott Podsednik.
<b>Going live:</b> The weather cleared up on Tuesday allowing pitchers, catchers and the position players on hand to take the fields for three hours in the team's first official workout of spring.
Like last year, Yost's first at the helm, pitchers threw live batting practice to hitters on four separate diamonds.
"In other places, we would throw a few bullpens before we ever saw hitters," said pitcher Matt Kinney, who spent eight seasons with the Red Sox and Twins before coming to Milwaukee prior to 2003. "But this is nice. Everybody is just working on things. We're working on pitches and [the hitters] are working out their swings. No one cares much where the ball goes after it leaves the bat."
<b>Missing in action:</b> Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said he had not heard from non-roster catcher Alex Delgado, who was to travel to the United States from his home in Venezuela. Melvin said he spoke to Delgado on the phone last week but was disconnected; when Melvin called back no one answered.
Delgado, 33, batted .298 in 41 games for Triple-A Indianapolis at the end of last year. Utilityman Scott Sheldon, 35 and coming off two seasons in Japan after 141 Major League games for Texas and Oakland, took Delgado's place in camp. Sheldon signed a minor league contract on Jan. 26.
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Lyle Overbay, who hit .276 last season, will start at first base for Milwaukee this season.
<b><font size=4>Ned's Notes: Weather shapes up</font>
Catchers do more than their share in Spring Training</b>
PHOENIX -- Brewers manager Ned Yost played alongside some of Milwaukee's best in the early 1980s. Now in his second season at the helm of the Brewers, he is working to get the team back to prominence. Yost agreed to share his take on camp until the Cactus League schedule kicks in on March 4.
It was a regular day today. The fields dried up and the grounds crew here in Maryvale did a phenomenal job. They were working on the fields at six this morning. We were lucky and got some sun and we were able to get on the fields at noon. We had every field available to us so we did our work on four fields and we did everything that we needed to do.
We took ground balls. We had our pitcher's fielding practice with our pitchers. That encompasses fielding bunts, fielding comebackers to the mound, pickoffs at first base and covering first base.
Then, we went into our live batting practice where our pitchers throw five minutes on the side and then five minutes of batting practice. Then we had our coaches throw batting practice for our position players that were here. So, it was a good day.
The players did a nice job. You're trying to exercise in moderation. You are trying to get yourself in baseball shape and you do that by doing baseball things. We do a lot of covering bases and a lot of throwing batting practice. We also take a lot of ground balls and do outfield work. The players did a great job and the pitchers did a phenomenal job of throwing batting practice.
They were out there working on their command and their feel and touch. They all did a real good job of that.
The catchers really get the short end of the stick. You set your workouts up so that there is a balance where you get your baserunning accomplished, you get your defensive work accomplished and you get to hit. But catchers never really get to enjoy that balance because they're catching pitchers all the time so they hit whenever they can. If they are not catching a certain pitcher during a certain part of the day, they'll run over to a field and try and get some hitting in.
We can schedule everybody in and out but when you're a catcher it's hit and miss. They hit whenever they can. They get the short end of the stick in that respect but they enjoy it because they've got an important job to do. They have to learn our pitching staff. It's a learning process for them. We've got catchers that take pride in their defense and they are enjoying that part of the game.
The spring is so long that they will catch all of the pitchers at some time during the spring. We have our pitchers throwing at 80 percent effort right now. So we're not seeing the full extent of their repertoire but it's a personality thing. They are getting to know guys and getting to know their faces. These catchers are checking out the command of the pitchers during this stuff. They are seeing if, when they are throwing at 80 percent, can they throw a strike? They want to see if they can throw a strike eight times out of 10.
It's a long spring though so they will catch them four or five times each with the games and workouts.
Wednesday will be about the same as today with the weather hopefully holding up. The reports look favorable. The first five days are mirror images of each other with the exception of tomorrow where only half of the group will throw where the other half will work on fielding fundamentals and then go hit and bunt. Then we'll rotate those guys every other day.
It was a great day. Everyone feels good. Everyone got their work in. It doesn't matter how well you prepare for spring training. It's totally different. You're going to get a little bit stiff and sore from doing so much baseball stuff. I think everyone is little stiff and sore but it's a real good stiff and sore.
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Ned Yost says the catchers barely get enough time to work on their own games after they're done with the pitchers.
<b><font size=4>Future uncertain, Jenkins arrives</font>
Outfielder, Brewers working on contract extension</b>
PHOENIX -- Richie Sexson was the center of attention in Tucson when he showed up for the start of his Diamondbacks career. The Chicago Cubs are already planning for the media surge expected for Sammy Sosa's arrival in Mesa, Ariz. Similar large gatherings will surely greet other Cactus League stars like San Francisco's Barry Bonds and Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero.
As for Geoff Jenkins' arrival in Brewers camp? It included slightly less fanfare.
On a dreary morning at Maryvale Baseball Park, the Brewers biggest star and longest-tenured player made his first appearance. He said some hellos, dressed for the day's rain-shortened workout and munched on a bagel smothered with peanut butter (chunky, for those keeping track).
Finally, he held court with the media, a "throng" populated by two writers. He later spoke with a Milwaukee television crew.
The small turnout was more about Milwaukee's small-market status than a lack of interest in Jenkins. In fact, the Brewers left fielder could prove one of the more interesting stories of the Cactus League, as his agents and the team continue negotiating a deal to keep him in a Brewers uniform after his four-year contract expires following the season.
"I signed that contract three years ago, and it seems like you're going to play baseball forever," Jenkins said. "And then, all of a sudden, boom! It's here. So yeah, you deal with it."
Talks between Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and agents Ken Felder and Tommy Tanzer resumed earlier in the week after a lull, and Jenkins insists he wants to remain a Brewer. Jenkins says both sides have until March 4, when the team starts its Cactus League schedule against Oakland, to work something out.
If that loose deadline comes and goes without a contract, Jenkins will become one of the bigger names on baseball's trading block.
"I just want to be focused on playing baseball and concentrate on the team, and not really worry about my status," Jenkins said. "I owe it to these guys, to Ned [Yost, the Brewers manager], to the coaching staff, to myself, to have a clear head."
Melvin has made two formal contract offers and said he last spoke to Felder, who lives in the Phoenix area, via telephone late last week. No face-to-face meetings are scheduled.
"You'd like to get it done and we'll make our best efforts to get it done," Melvin said. "I know we're serious from our end, as to where we're at and where we're headed to."
Barring some spring surprises, Jenkins and backup infielder Bill Hall will be the only position players originally drafted by the Brewers on the 25-man roster. Jenkins was the ninth overall pick in the 1995 First-Year Player Draft and made his Brewers debut in 1998.
Beginning in 1999, when Jenkins batted .313 with 21 homers and 83 RBIs in his first full season, the Brewers are 339-470 (.419) and have finished at least 20 games out of first place every year.
After making some strides in 2003 under new manager Yost and a new baseball brain trust headed by Melvin and assistant GM Gord Ash, the team pulled the trigger on a tough trade, sending Richie Sexson, Jenkins' best friend on the team, and two others to the D-Backs for a six-player package.
Jenkins watched with skepticism from his home in Scottsdale, Ariz.
"At first, I have to admit, I was a little mad about losing him as a player and as a guy in the clubhouse," Jenkins said. "But, when I took a look at it I was excited about the guys we got. It made sense to me that we could be a better ballclub, I guess, as a whole. We might have more players who can help out.
"With that being said, you can't keep doing that every year. Eventually, we're going to have to step up as an organization, as a franchise, and go out and get players. ... For us to take it to the next level, you're going to have to get some names and then along the way you have to have the young guys do their job, too, to help out."
Melvin, Ash and Yost, Jenkins said, are on the right track.
"Hopefully they'll want to keep some players around, because I don't see a ton of guys knocking on our door to [sign as] free agents," Jenkins said. "The way you do get that to happen is you have a core group of players and you have some young players, and you have a little bit of success now. Then you'll have some veteran guys wanting to join that success be