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04-12-2004, 05:06 AM
<b>Miller Park's playing surface improved from past years</b>
MILWAUKEE -- Sooner or later, Lyle Overbay will feel at home in the batter's box and around first base at Miller Park.
Overbay is the Brewers' new first baseman, and he was back there Saturday for his second home game against the Houston Astros. If Day 1 was a learning experience, Overbay got an 'A' for his performance in Friday's home opener.
He made a nice catch of Craig Biggio's foul popup along the railing in the fifth inning, and hit a solo home run in the seventh, Overbay's second this season.
"You go out there and basically get the feel for it," Overbay said. "It's just like any other ballpark. It takes time."
Miller Park is one of the league's tougher ballparks for players to adjust to, especially for day games. Huge translucent panels on either side of the center field batter's eye makes it difficult for hitters to pick up the ball out of pitchers' hands, and the massive glass-paneled wall above the grandstands make for some funky shadows during the afternoon, especially when the roof is open.
Third baseman Wes Helms warned Overbay about a day last season when Richie Sexson was manning first base and the Brewers pitcher fired a pickoff attempt right by him. Sexson never saw the ball.
The same thing happened to Overbay in 2002, when he played first base for the U.S. team in the All-Star Futures Game at Miller Park. The pitcher fired a one-hopper to first and Overbay managed to catch it.
"It was scary," he said. "I couldn't see it."
He looked more comfortable under a closed dome in Friday's 13-7 loss. Biggio's popup drifted toward the stands, but Overbay had room to make the catch a few steps from the railing.
"We go to so many different ballparks you get used to that," Overbay said. "Once you hit the warning track, you know it's time to take a look and see where you're at. I had plenty of time to do that."
As far as hitting amid the glare?
"I don't know if I'll ever totally get used to that," Overbay said.
<b>Turf talk:</b> Maintaining the Miller Park turf has been a constant challenge for grounds chief Gary Vanden Berg. The outfield has been particularly problematic, with divots and lumps dotting the turf.
Left fielder Geoff Jenkins said conditions have improved every year.
"You have to know how to play it," Jenkins said. "You have to charge the ball hard. Even when a ball is really well hit, sometimes if you stay back, it won't get to you."
<b>On the infield:</b> The infield has also improved since 2001, when crews were forced to rip up the grass and entirely re-sod it during one long road trip.
Helms was at third base for his usual fielding work Saturday and fielded ground balls from manager Ned Yost, who fired balls at Helms as hard as he could hit them.
"No one ever hits them hard enough," said Helms.
When Helms played in Atlanta and Yost coached there, Yost had a carbon fiber fungo bat and smacked balls Helms' way at 120 mph and harder.
"I would just blow balls by him," Yost said. "Just undress him."
<b>Pitching in:</b> Boston's David McCarty made his Major League pitching debut Friday night in a 10-5 loss to Toronto, and Milwaukee's Brooks Kieschnick was interested to hear how it went.
McCarty is attempting to do this season what Kieschnick did in 2003, make it as a pitcher/pinch-hitter and occasional position player. He allowed a run on one hit in 2/3 of an inning.
"I talked to him about it right before we left Spring Training," Kieschnick said. "He had a really good spring swinging the bat, and we talked about that. I told him that you really have to watch out for that. You can wear yourself out.
"I'll have to give him a call, see how he feels today."
Kieschnick cut way back on the number of swings he took this spring, and made the Brewers' Opening Day roster as a relief pitcher who just happens to swing a big bat. He singled in Friday's game after surrendering a grand slam to Jeff Bagwell in Houston's nine-run sixth inning.
<b>In the minors:</b> Prospects Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks both enjoyed four-hit nights in victories Friday night for Brewers minor league affiliates.
Hart's ninth-inning home run forced extra innings and his hard line drive -- ruled an outfield error -- won it in Triple-A Indianapolis' 4-3 win over Norfolk. Weeks was 4-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and a stolen base as Double-A Huntsville beat Montgomery, 5-3.
MILWAUKEE -- Sooner or later, Lyle Overbay will feel at home in the batter's box and around first base at Miller Park.
Overbay is the Brewers' new first baseman, and he was back there Saturday for his second home game against the Houston Astros. If Day 1 was a learning experience, Overbay got an 'A' for his performance in Friday's home opener.
He made a nice catch of Craig Biggio's foul popup along the railing in the fifth inning, and hit a solo home run in the seventh, Overbay's second this season.
"You go out there and basically get the feel for it," Overbay said. "It's just like any other ballpark. It takes time."
Miller Park is one of the league's tougher ballparks for players to adjust to, especially for day games. Huge translucent panels on either side of the center field batter's eye makes it difficult for hitters to pick up the ball out of pitchers' hands, and the massive glass-paneled wall above the grandstands make for some funky shadows during the afternoon, especially when the roof is open.
Third baseman Wes Helms warned Overbay about a day last season when Richie Sexson was manning first base and the Brewers pitcher fired a pickoff attempt right by him. Sexson never saw the ball.
The same thing happened to Overbay in 2002, when he played first base for the U.S. team in the All-Star Futures Game at Miller Park. The pitcher fired a one-hopper to first and Overbay managed to catch it.
"It was scary," he said. "I couldn't see it."
He looked more comfortable under a closed dome in Friday's 13-7 loss. Biggio's popup drifted toward the stands, but Overbay had room to make the catch a few steps from the railing.
"We go to so many different ballparks you get used to that," Overbay said. "Once you hit the warning track, you know it's time to take a look and see where you're at. I had plenty of time to do that."
As far as hitting amid the glare?
"I don't know if I'll ever totally get used to that," Overbay said.
<b>Turf talk:</b> Maintaining the Miller Park turf has been a constant challenge for grounds chief Gary Vanden Berg. The outfield has been particularly problematic, with divots and lumps dotting the turf.
Left fielder Geoff Jenkins said conditions have improved every year.
"You have to know how to play it," Jenkins said. "You have to charge the ball hard. Even when a ball is really well hit, sometimes if you stay back, it won't get to you."
<b>On the infield:</b> The infield has also improved since 2001, when crews were forced to rip up the grass and entirely re-sod it during one long road trip.
Helms was at third base for his usual fielding work Saturday and fielded ground balls from manager Ned Yost, who fired balls at Helms as hard as he could hit them.
"No one ever hits them hard enough," said Helms.
When Helms played in Atlanta and Yost coached there, Yost had a carbon fiber fungo bat and smacked balls Helms' way at 120 mph and harder.
"I would just blow balls by him," Yost said. "Just undress him."
<b>Pitching in:</b> Boston's David McCarty made his Major League pitching debut Friday night in a 10-5 loss to Toronto, and Milwaukee's Brooks Kieschnick was interested to hear how it went.
McCarty is attempting to do this season what Kieschnick did in 2003, make it as a pitcher/pinch-hitter and occasional position player. He allowed a run on one hit in 2/3 of an inning.
"I talked to him about it right before we left Spring Training," Kieschnick said. "He had a really good spring swinging the bat, and we talked about that. I told him that you really have to watch out for that. You can wear yourself out.
"I'll have to give him a call, see how he feels today."
Kieschnick cut way back on the number of swings he took this spring, and made the Brewers' Opening Day roster as a relief pitcher who just happens to swing a big bat. He singled in Friday's game after surrendering a grand slam to Jeff Bagwell in Houston's nine-run sixth inning.
<b>In the minors:</b> Prospects Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks both enjoyed four-hit nights in victories Friday night for Brewers minor league affiliates.
Hart's ninth-inning home run forced extra innings and his hard line drive -- ruled an outfield error -- won it in Triple-A Indianapolis' 4-3 win over Norfolk. Weeks was 4-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and a stolen base as Double-A Huntsville beat Montgomery, 5-3.