Brewers' starting rotation rattled

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It's probably a bit strong to say the Milwaukee Brewers' starting rotation is in disarray.

Let's just say they're regrouping a bit.

Manager Ned Yost not only scratched scheduled starting pitcher Chris Capuano before the game Friday night vs. Florida, he also scratched Matt Wise from his start tonight. Right-hander Wes Obermueller took over for Capuano and rookie Jorge De La Rosa was tabbed to make his major-league debut tonight against the Marlins.

Capuano, who tossed six shutout innings against Florida in his last start, was diagnosed with fluid in his left elbow upon being examined Friday morning. Capuano had experienced soreness in his forearm after that start in Miami.

"We think he'll only miss one turn," Yost said. "He should be back in there for the last game against the Cubs (on Thursday). We don't think it's anything serious."

Wise also underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with a strained biceps. His availability is being determined daily and he does not appear to be a candidate for the disabled list.

"It feels a little better," Wise said. "I'm going to try to throw (today) and see how it feels. The good news is that there are no tears or anything wrong with the bone."

The situation allows the Brewers to take a look at De La Rosa, one of six players obtained from Arizona over the winter in the Richie Sexson trade. The 23-year-old lefty, who was in Boston's system last year, struggled for the most part this season at Class AAA Indianapolis, going 3-5 with a 5.21 earned run average in 17 starts.

But De La Rosa had pitched much better of late, going 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his last three starts. In his last outing against Charlotte, he allowed five hits and three runs in six innings and struck out a season-high 10 hitters.

"His command has been better," Yost said. "He's a young kid who has quality stuff. He's got a chance to be a good pitcher. He just lacks experience."

De La Rosa filled the roster spot vacated when reliever Brooks Kieschnick was placed on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. Kieschnick had not pitched since July 2 but the Brewers kept him on the active roster to use him as a pinch hitter.

"We needed a pitcher more," Yost said. "Brooks had become one-dimensional. We needed the extra arm."

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<b><font size=4>Weekend staff in limbo</font></b>

ATLANTA -- The Brewers' weekend pitching picture became clouded on Wednesday when right-hander Matt Wise suffered what he hopes is a minor injury in a tune-up against the Braves.
Wise, scheduled to make a spot start against the Marlins at Miller Park on Saturday, left an eventual 10-3 Brewers loss after six pitches with cramping in his right biceps. An X-ray ruled out damage to the bone in his arm.

Wise will be evaluated again on Thursday.

"It just kind of startled me," said Wise, 28, who underwent a Tommy John elbow reconstruction on March 25, 2003. "As I went to throw the ball it said, 'You're not throwing this ball.'"

Wise, a changeup specialist, has been a pleasant addition to the Brewers' bullpen since arriving from Triple-A Indianapolis on May 11. In 18 games, including three starts, he has a 4.00 ERA.

"Hopefully, it's a one-day thing," he said. "Hopefully, I'll wake up tomorrow and it's OK."

If Wise is unable to start, the Brewers may be forced to turn back to right-hander Wes Obermueller, who was recalled last week and recorded only three outs in a disastrous start at Florida.

"I've been fighting myself between the ears," Obermueller said. "It's been an ongoing battle and I'm trying to figure it out. Sometimes I feel like I'm forcing myself to figure it out, over-trying. I'm trying to get back to the basics of one pitch at a time."

Obermueller began the season with the Brewers, but was demoted to Triple-A after going 3-5 with a 6.69 ERA and never establishing himself in the rotation. But after sending rookie Ben Hendrickson back to Triple-A to get regular work, the team was forced to recall Obermueller for a spot start last weekend.

It did not go well. He surrendered a first-inning grand slam to Jeff Conine and could not record an out in the second. Obermueller admitted that he is fighting doubt.

"Every player runs into doubt," he said. "It's really easy when things are going good and the confidence is there. But when things are going rough -- and this is the roughest stretch I've had in a while, maybe in my whole career -- you just have to keep the negative thoughts out. They can build up real fast and I feel like I'm carrying them out to the mound lately."

Obermueller was leading the Pacific Coast League in wins last August when the Brewers acquired him in a trade that sent veteran reliever Curtis Leskanic to Kansas City. No one doubts Obermueller's stuff; he throws a low-90s mph fastball and a good slider, and is one of the better athletes on an otherwise weak-hitting Brewers pitching staff.

But when he failed to pitch with any consistency, the Brewers were forced to send him down.

"Everything felt good and it still does," Obermueller said. "We're not really working on anything mechanical. We're just working to keep me from fighting myself, to keep things free and easy instead of always trying to force a pitch."