Brewers not resting on quick start
Milwaukee (5-1) vs. Cincinnati (4-3), Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.

CT
By JR Radcliffe / Special to MLB. com

The Brewers opened 2007 with a now-infamous 24-10 mark before
surrendering their 8 1/2-game lead in the National League Central, so
a 5-1 start to the season won't lead to much self-congratulation.



But it sure is a start.



The Brewers enjoyed Opening Week, taking two of three at Wrigley Field
in Chicago before sweeping the San Francisco Giants at Miller Park,
with superb pitching performances dotting the early-season landscape.
Jeff Suppan, who delivered one of those outings with 6 1/3 strong
innings at Chicago on April 1, will toe the mound when the club opens
up against Cincinnati on Tuesday.



"Anytime you win a baseball game, get off to a great start, that's
nice," manager Ned Yost said. "We just have to take it day-by-day.
[Monday] is an off-day, so we get to sit back and enjoy this one for
two days and then it all starts over. You forget it and take Tuesday
for Tuesday.

"

The Reds employ new manager Dusty Baker and closer Francisco Cordero,
who left Milwaukee in free agency when he signed a four-year, $46
million deal in the offseason. Cordero saved 60 games for the Brewers
over the past season and a half.



Some pundits -- notably Sports Illustrated -- think the Reds have
enough young talent to finish ahead of the Brewers in the Central
standings, with most outlets viewing the Cubs as the team to beat and
Milwaukee second.



"They're a good team, definitely some good young pitching," said
Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun, who has home runs in two straight
games. "Hopefully, we continue to play good defense and continue to
get good starting pitching. We should be in good shape.

"

The Reds had their own fast start, a 4-3 showing that included strong
performances from young pitchers Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto. The
latter pitcher will start the opener after a dazzling debut, in which
he threw five perfect innings.



As for the Brewers' fast start, Yost senses something different than
last year's run.



"I just think this year, we're more experienced," Yost said. "Some of
the things that I see us doing are products of that experience, which
is a really good sign.

"

Pitching matchup
MIL: RHP Jeff Suppan (1-0, 2.

84 ERA)
Suppan got off to a nice start against the Cubs last week, holding
Chicago to a pair of solo home runs in 6 1/3 innings of work. Now he
returns home to Miller Park, where he was 9-3 last season with a 3.87
ERA (versus 3-9 with a 5.38 ERA on the road). Suppan also continued a
trend of starting the season sharp; his career 4.08 ERA in April was
better than any other month.



CIN: RHP Johnny Cueto (1-0, 1.

29 ERA)
Major League debuts don't get much better than what Cueto did in a 3-2
win over Arizona on Thursday at Great American Ball Park. The
right-hander retired 21 of his 22 batters, including the first 15 in a
row. In his seven-inning, 10-strikeout effort, the only hit allowed
was a Justin Upton leadoff homer in the sixth inning. Cueto did not
walk any batters, nor did he even reach a three-ball count at any time
vs. the D-backs. The right-hander blew hitters away with a fastball
that ran inside, often at 96 mph. He also showed effective command of
his hard slider and a changeup.



Tidbits
The Brewers' 25-man roster includes three players who had retired at
one point in their careers -- Gabe Kapler, Joe Dillon and Salomon
Torres -- and all three were coaches in some capacity during their
layoff. Kapler kept his comeback story fresh with his second home run
in as many days Sunday. ... The Brewers have scored first in every
game this season. ... Three different pitchers achieved saves for the
Brewers in the first five games of the year -- the first such
occurrence in club history. ... The Brewers set an attendance record
for an opening series, with 119,800 fans through the turnstiles. The
mark eclipses the 116,752 drawn in 2001 -- the first three games ever
at Miller Park.



On television
• WMLW 41

On radio
• WTMJ 620

Up next
• Wednesday: Brewers (Dave Bush, 0-1, 10.13) vs. Reds (Josh Fogg, 0-1,
13.50), 7:05 p.m.

CT
• Thursday: Brewers (Carlos Villanueva, 1-0, 3.38) vs. Reds (Aaron
Harang, 0-1, 2.77), 12:05 p.m.

CT
• Friday: Brewers (Manny Parra, 1-0, 3.38) at Mets (John Maine, 0-1,
9.00), 6:10 p.m.

CT

JR Radcliffe is a contributor to MLB. com.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or
its clubs.

In 2007 the Brewers got off to a fabulous 24-10 start, only to finish
two games shy of the division title. This year, after one week, the
Brewers are off to a 5-1 start. Will this be a repeat of last season
or are the Brewers for real this time?

In April there were several Brewers playing over their heads (*ahem*
J.J. Hardy), leading to a record that they just couldn't maintain all
season long. So this is my assessment of the guys so far (excluding
starting pitchers, as all but Sheets have only made one start) Some of
them won't maintain this pace, some need to pick it up.

Playing over his head:

Jason Kendall- I'm not quite expecting him to be hitting .467 all
season long. But the way he's handled our pitchers I would be happy
with a .267 average. I expect his play behind the dish to stay about
the same throughout the season, but I'm certainly not counting on
getting as much production out of our #9 hitter as we have so far.

Gabe Kapler- Come on. Nobody expected this out of Kapler. Two homers
already in only sixteen ABs. If he kept playing like he is now, we
wouldn't even want Mike Cameron back. Nevertheless, I expect him to
remain a solid bench player when Cameron returns.

Let's get it going:

Eric Gagne- I'm not expecting a 45 save season from Gagne. I know, I
know, he's past his prime, no more HGH, blah blah blah. But HGH
doesn't create ability that wasn't there in the first place. Barry
Bonds would still have been a great player even without "help." Gagne
is better than what he's shown us so far, although he has only shown
us 2 innings.

Prince Fielder- Don't let the .364 average through week 1 fool you.
He's gotten really lucky with dribblers sneaking through the infield.
Prince has put together some less than fabulous at bats over this
week, and he clearly has yet to find his power stroke. Prince isn't
locked in yet. He'll be better over the course of the season, even
though the average will obviously go down.

J.J. Hardy- Okay, the "I've been sick" excuse will only fly for so
long. He slugged a fabulous .158 over week 1. At this rate, Ben Sheets
will have more RBIs at season's end than J.J. will. He just looks lost
at the plate. I'm not expecting the start he had last season or even
the final numbers he had, but this is not the J.J. Hardy that Brewers
fans expect.

Right where they should be:

Ryan J. Braun- Picked up right where he left off last season. Still
waiting for the steals to come, though.

Corey C. Hart- I continue to maintain that he should be hitting in the
5 spot. Still excelling with runners in scoring position (limited ABs,
I know), very aggressive on the base paths and great instincts.

Who knows?

Bill Hall- Was 2006 a fluke, or was 2007? Personally, I think he
should be somewhere in the middle. He struggled last year because of
his switch to the outfield, where he was clearly not comfortable. Now
that he's back in the infield, I think it's definitely possible for
him to put up numbers similar to his '06 season.

Rickie Weeks- Yeah yeah, potential potential. Still waiting for that
to actually show up. I know Rickie can be great. I just want to see
him show it for an extended period of time. So far he's been doing a
pretty good job getting on base, he just needs to bring that average
up to be a leadoff hitter. Way way up.



Gallardo is supposed to come back mid-late April, Cameron the end of
the month. My prediction: with Gallardo's return, Mota is gone, Bush
to the bullpen. With Cameron's return, Gabe Gross is outta here.

To Damien Miller?  What's his status with the team or did he retire???

standings, player of the game, transactions all up to date. if there
is anything else that you guys want me to add let me know. or toss
some ideas. im always open to new things! go brewers!

The following taken from SPORTS ILLUSTRATED



Less than a week after being told he probably would need surgery on his ailing
pitching
elbow, Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Chris Capuano has decided to try rehabilitation
that
would allow him to play this season.

The Brewers placed the left-hander on the 15-day disabled list Thursday,
retroactive to
March 21. He will try rehabbing his left elbow for the next three to four weeks.

The decision came after Capuano visited with Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham,
Ala., on
Wednesday and underwent a second MRI. Andrews performed Capuano's first elbow
ligament replacement surgery in 2002, when he was pitching in Arizona's farm
system.

Capuano was told Sunday that he has a torn ligament in his pitching elbow and
would
probably need Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career.

The 29-year-old Capuano injured his elbow in an exhibition game last week. He
had an
MRI last Thursday, and team physician William Raasch confirmed the diagnosis of
a torn
ulnar collateral ligament.

Righty parts ways with organization; rotation now set for '08
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com

PHOENIX -- In making the surprising decision to release veteran
right-hander Claudio Vargas on Tuesday, the Brewers set their starting
rotation for Opening Day.

Vargas was 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five Spring Training starts and was
thought to be a favorite for one of the three unsettled spots because
he was out of Minor League options. Instead, Dave Bush, Carlos
Villanueva and Manny Parra will round out the starting rotation, in
that order, behind Opening Day starter Ben Sheets and No. 2 man Jeff
Suppan.

Manager Ned Yost announced his rotation as "95 percent" set, though he
said left-hander Chris Narveson drew some votes during a Tuesday
morning meeting of club officials, and that an injury over the final
four Spring Training games could change things. Villanueva's selection
as the No. 4 starter was of particular interest, since his debut will
come in the sold-out, April 4 Miller Park opener against the Giants.

The Brewers tried but were unable to find a team interested in trading
for Vargas, who turns 30 in June and was due $3.6 million in 2008. He
already cleared outright waivers, meaning all 30 teams could have had
him for $20,000, and will be on release waivers until Thursday,
meaning a team could claim him for $1 but would be on the hook for his
full salary. Assuming he clears, Vargas will be a free agent free to
sign a new contract with any club.

There was a financial component to the timing of the move. Wednesday
is the deadline to request release waivers on a player and owe only a
quarter of his salary, so the Brewers will owe Vargas only $900,000.

But Yost and general manager Doug Melvin billed it as a baseball
decision, not a financial one. Club officials ranked Vargas seventh on
the depth chart among the starting pitchers, behind the five who will
break camp in the starting rotation plus right-hander Yovani Gallardo,
who is rehabbing a knee injury and is expected back in the big leagues
in mid-April. Keeping Vargas would have limited the team's options
when Gallardo returned to action.

"It was very, very heavily debated," Yost said. "But it always came
back to [the fact] that [Vargas] was the seventh guy on our staff, in
all of our discussions and all the things that we talked about."

Yost had preached depth all spring but now the team is gambling that
its starters will stay healthy. With left-hander Chris Capuano likely
out for the year with a torn elbow ligament, the top backup options at
Triple-A will be Narveson and Zach Jackson, both left-handers with
little Major League experience.

As he packed his locker and said goodbyes just before noon on Tuesday,
Vargas had already spoken with his agent, Bean Stringfellow, about
what comes next. Stringfellow also represents former Brewers closer
Francisco Cordero, who spurned an offer from the Brewers last winter
for a richer deal with Cincinnati.

"I feel bad, a little bit," Vargas said. "I've pitched well in Spring
Training, and they signed me, too. They should have thought before
they signed me about how many pitchers they have here in Spring
Training fighting for a job.

"But, you know, everything in life happens for a reason. I am not
going to put my head down because I know I did good and a lot of teams
need pitching in the big leagues. This was one of the best springs I
had in my whole career."

The numbers were not particularly pretty last season, but it was
difficult to quibble with Vargas' results. He went 11-9 in his first
season with the Brewers, and the team was 16-7 in his starts despite
his 5.09 ERA. Still, Vargas pitched only 134 1/3 innings in 29 games,
including six relief appearances, and missed time with a back injury.

"I know my ERA was a little high last year and I got hurt, but I was
winning a lot of games for the team," Vargas said. "I feel bad they
didn't see that, but what can you do? Somebody will see."

Vargas' release stunned some of his teammates, including Villanueva,
who hit an RBI single and pitched six strong innings of an eventual
3-3 tie to the Dodgers at Maryvale Baseball Park. When informed by
reporters that he had won a spot on the team, Villanueva had a
surprising response.

"It's a sad day for us and for me," Villanueva said. "Claudio was a
mentor and a very good friend. But at the same time, I'm excited
because it opens it up for me and Manny. ... I really didn't want to
see Claudio go, but I understand that it's a business, too."

Parra, whose candidacy was in question after two poor spring starts,
was equally surprised.

"I didn't see that coming," Parra said. "I guess it goes to show you
never know what's going to happen. I'm just glad to be given the
opportunity. I'm excited."

Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to
the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Thats really too bad about Cappy. I still don't get what happened to
him last year, then this year he wasn't doing well in ST. Well atleast
we have depth in our rotation since he was battling for the last spot

PHOENIX -- Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Chris Capuano was told
Sunday that he has a torn ligament in his pitching elbow and will
probably need Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career.

The 29-year-old Capuano injured his elbow in an exhibition game Monday
against Seattle. He had an MRI on Thursday and team physician William
Raasch confirmed the diagnosis of a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

"I composed myself mentally for it," Capuano said. "It's very daunting
to consider going through a rehab considering I just rehabbed all
winter, trying to get my (right) shoulder strong (after labrum surgery).

"We're weighing our options and trying to figure out the likelihood if
I rehab it, what are the chances of coming back and performing at this
level. If the chances are 25 percent or less than 25 percent, there's
no doubt I can come back from surgery to about 100 percent. It's just
going to take more time, about a year or so," he said.

Capuano will get a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews in
Birmingham, Ala., in the next couple of days. Andrews performed
Capuano's first elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2002, when he
was pitching in Arizona's farm system.

It took Capuano 11 months to come back from that first Tommy John
surgery. He was acquired by the Brewers as part of the Richie Sexson
trade in December 2003.

Capuano won 18 games in 2005 and made the National League All-Star
team in 2006. He bolted to a 5-0 record last season but lost his last
12 decisions and pitched in 18 consecutive losing games by the team
before being moved to the bullpen.

Capuano is the second candidate for the Brewers' starting rotation to
get injured since the start of camp. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo had
arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and is
expected back some time in April.

"This is why you have seven or eight (candidates) instead of five,"
assistant general manager Gord Ash said.

Brewers manager Ned Yost already announced that righthanders Ben
Sheets and Jeff Suppan will be the first two pitchers in the rotation.
Right-handers Dave Bush, Claudio Vargas and Carlos Villanueva, and
left-hander Manny Parra, are competing for the remaining three spots.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Right-hander Ben Sheets will be the Milwaukee
Brewers' opening day starter in Chicago on March 31, manager Ned Yost
said Saturday.

It will be the sixth opening day assignment for Sheets in seven years.
Sheets did not start on opening day in 2006 because he was on the
disabled list following shoulder surgery.

"It's still a rush (to pitch on opening day)," said Sheets. "Believe
it."

Yost also said he would follow Sheets with veteran right-hander Jeff
Suppan in the second game against the Cubs. Yost said he had not
decided how the rest of the rotation would work out.

Closer Eric Gagne is going at his own pace in spring training, which
is fine with manager Ned Yost.

"These are special type of individuals," said Yost, referring to
closers in general. "They know what it takes to be successful.

"The main thing that kicks in for them is adrenalin. And they don't
get adrenalin in spring training. So, you're not going to see the true
Gagne until the season starts."

Gagne wasn't his old, dominant self Tuesday, allowing three hits and
two runs in one inning against a bunch of Angels reserves. He has an
11.25 spring ERA.

Gagne no longer throws his fastball in the mid to high-90 mph range,
as he did before arm injuries and back problems sidelined him for most
of the 2005 and 2006 seasons. But Yost said he's comfortable with the
88-90 mph range Gagne has been throwing his fastball.

"He's going to be all right," Yost said, "because, when the season
starts, with his adrenalin and focus and intensity, he's going to be
up to 93 (mph).

"He's just working on spotting his fastball, getting the spin on his
breaking ball right now, and getting ready for crunch time, when it
matters. These guys just do not get themselves all 'geeked up' in
spring training. That's a quality they have."

Yost noted that former Brewers closer Francisco Cordero paced himself
last spring, then went out and set the club record with 44 saves. He
said Gagne is using a similar approach to getting ready for the season.

"He's getting ready to pitch," Yost said. "He's not going to expend a
lot of energy in spring training. He paces himself in a professional
way. It's very interesting for me to sit back and watch him do that.

"Last year, when he threw well against us, it was at 93, with
fastballs down and away consistently and a very nice changeup. That's
what we're looking for. You don't have to light up the radar gun to be
a very effective closer."

Yost still discounts the struggles Gagne experienced in Boston at the
end of last year (6.75 ERA in 20 games) because he was used in an
unfamiliar setup role in the bullpen. And, despite Gagne's unusual
approach to camp, Yost said it doesn't take "blind faith" to count on
him when the bell rings.

"It's solid faith," Yost said. "I know he's going to be ready to go."

--LHP Manny Parra, hoping to land a spot in the Brewers rotation, took
a step backward Thursday against the Royals. Parra allowed eight runs
on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings, leaving his spring ERA at 4.58.

--LHP Randy Choate, out since hurting his left hand March 12, learned
Thursday that he has a broken left ring finger. He will open the
season on the disabled list, and he'll be re-evaluated April 1.

--LHP Chris Capuano left his start Monday against Seattle with
soreness in his elbow, and he has been shut down for a few days. He is
not expected to make his next start, which jeopardizes any chance he
had of making the rotation at the start of the season.

--RHP Yovani Gallardo, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left
knee at the start of camp, is scheduled to pitch in a game Friday for
the first time this spring. Gallardo will pitch on the minor league
side until his readiness is gauged for the season. He is likely to
start the season on the disabled list.

--2B Rickie Weeks sat out the past two exhibition games with a swollen
right hand, the result of a hard, headfirst slide into second base
Sunday. Weeks is expected back in the lineup either Thursday or Friday.

--LF Ryan Braun has been hobbled by tightness in his right Achilles
tendon. The Brewers believe the problem resulted from Braun switching
to new baseball cleats in his move from third base to left field.
Orthotics were ordered to put in the shoes and hopefully alleviate the
tightness.

--RHP Salomon Torres pitched in his first exhibition game Tuesday
against the Angels. The veteran reliever had been held back at the
outset of camp due to "general soreness." Torres is expected to be
ready to pitch by Opening Day.

BY THE NUMBERS
.484 -- Batting average by Craig Counsell through the Brewers' first
18 exhibition games.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"What makes it so important is, who can we keep? And who do we have to
lose to get there?" -- Manager Ned Yost, on whether the club will keep
12 or 13 pitchers.

The Brewers had some work to do in the offseason, in particular,
rebuilding the bullpen after the free agent losses of setup man Scott
Linebrink and closer Francisco Cordero. General manager Doug Melvin
brought in four veteran arms for the bullpen, including closer Eric
Gagne. Improving a porous defense was another priority, so Melvin
brought in a couple of proven veterans in C Jason Kendall and CF Mike
Cameron.

ARRIVALS: RHP Eric Gagne (free agent from Red Sox), RHP David Riske
(free agent from Royals), RHP Salomon Torres (trade with Pirates), RHP
Guillermo Mota (trade with Mets), C Jason Kendall (free agent from
Cubs), CF Mike Cameron (free agent from Padres), C Eric Munson (waiver
claim from Astros), OF Gabe Kapler (free agent, came out of
retirement), INF Abraham Nunez (minor league free agent from
Phillies), LHP Randy Choate (free agent from Diamondbacks), INF
Russell Branyan (minor league free agent from Cardinals).

DEPARTURES: RHP Scott Linebrink (free agent, signed with White Sox),
RHP Francisco Cordero (free agent, signed with Reds), LF Geoff Jenkins
(free agent, signed with Phillies), C Johnny Estrada (traded to Mets,
then non-tendered; signed as free agent with Nationals), RHP Greg
Aquino (claimed off waivers by Orioles), OF Kevin Mench (non-tendered
free agent, signed minor league deal with Rangers), INF Tony
Graffanino (free agent, unsigned), 3B Corey Koskie (free agent,
unsigned), LHP Ray King (free agent, signed minor league deal with
Nationals), RHP Matt Wise (non-tendered, signed with Mets), C Damian
Miller (free agent, unsigned).

PROJECTED ROTATION:

1. RHP Ben Sheets

2. RHP Jeff Suppan

3. RHP Carlos Villanueva

4. RHP Dave Bush

5. LHP Chris Capuano

RHP Yovani Gallardo was expected to be in the rotation at season's
start but now probably will go on the disabled list with torn
cartilage in his left knee. Gallardo's injury gives Capuano a better
shot at reclaiming his spot in the rotation after a tough 2007 season.

RHP Claudio Vargas, who won 11 games last year despite a 5.09 ERA,
also is in the equation, as is young LHP Manny Parra. One or two
pitchers could be shifted into middle-relief roles in the bullpen if
necessary.

PROJECTED BULLPEN:

RHP Eric Gagne (closer)

RHP Derrick Turnbow

RHP David Riske

RHP Salomon Torres

RHP Guillermo Mota

LHP Brian Shouse

Assuming either Villanueva, Bush or Vargas -- and perhaps two of the
three -- are shifted to bullpen duty, there are too many arms for
roles in the bullpen, also. Again, barring injuries, look for somebody
to get traded.

There are others in camp hoping to win a spot in the bullpen, such as
RHP Seth McClung and LHP Mitch Stetter. One thing the Brewers like
about most of these guys is that they can pitch multiple innings,
preventing Yost from going through his entire bullpen every game.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

1. 2B Rickie Weeks

2. CF Mike Cameron

3. 1B Prince Fielder

4. LF Ryan Braun

5. RF Corey Hart

6. 3B Bill Hall

7. SS J.J. Hardy

8. Pitcher

9. C Jason Kendall

Manager Ned Yost will play around with different variations of his
lineup in spring training. He likes what Hardy brings to the No. 2
spot in the lineup but hasn't forgotten how productive Hardy was when
batting eighth last season. Braun batted ahead of Fielder last year,
but Yost wants protection for Fielder, who could be the only
left-handed hitter in the lineup much of the time.

Cameron must sit out the first 25 games of the season after being
suspended for testing positive for a banned stimulant last year. Thus,
somebody else will be playing center in those games, giving Yost
another variable in forming his batting order.

PROJECTED RESERVES:

INF Craig Counsell

C Eric Munson

OF Tony Gwynn Jr.

OF Gabe Gross

INF/OF Joe Dillon

The backup catcher competition will include Munson, Mike Rivera and
Vinny Rottino. Munson gets the edge because he's a left-handed hitter
and the Brewers are predominantly right-handed.

OF Gabe Kapler, who is coming off a one-year retirement, also is in
the picture in the outfield, while INF Russell Branyan could battle
Dillon. INF Abraham Nunez, who signed a minor league deal, also has a
good shot if the Brewers decide to carry two reserve infielders.

TOP ROOKIES: There might not be a spot for LHP Manny Parra in spring
training, but at some point he figures to be a prominent part of the
starting rotation. Parra bounced back from a couple of years of
shoulder problems and served noticed by pitching a perfect game for
Class AAA Nashville last season. He got his feet wet for the Brewers
(0-1, 3.78 ERA in nine games) before a thumb injury cut short that
audition. LHP Mitch Stetter, coming off a solid Arizona Fall League
season, should eventually work his way into a bullpen role.

MEDICAL WATCH:

LHP Chris Capuano (sore left elbow) left his March 17 start. He is not
expected to make his next start, which jeopardizes any chance he had
of making the rotation at the start of the season.

LHP Randy Choate (broken left ring finger) was injured March 12. He
will open the season on the disabled list.

LF Ryan Braun (stiff right Achilles tendon) has been ailing since
March 12. He is day-to-day.

2B Rickie Weeks (sprained right hand) sat out March 17-19. He is
day-to-day.

RHP Yovani Gallardo (left knee surgery in February 2008) was hurt in a
pre-camp throwing session. He will open the season on the disabled
list, but he could be back by mid-April.

C Lou Palmisano (left knee surgery in March 2008) will be sidelined
for three to four months.

MARYVALE, Ariz. -- So there was this book on the kitchen counter when
Prince Fielder happened to walk through his house one day this winter.

Not unusual. His wife, Chanel, is an avid reader, and anyone who has
seen Prince, at 5-11 and a solid 270 pounds, knows he's probably no
stranger to the kitchen.

This book, though? Listen. Here's betting that if something called
Skinny Bitch, the best-seller written by Rory Freedman and Kim
Barnouin, was sitting on your kitchen counter, you'd page through it, too.

"I'll be honest," Fielder says. "If that wasn't the title, I probably
wouldn't have looked at it. I was like, 'What is this?'

"I picked it up and I read the first chapter. And I was like, 'Wow,
this makes sense.'"

Say hello to Milwaukee's Fresh Prince, baseball's most unlikely
vegetarian.

He smashed a National League-leading 50 home runs last season,
finished third in the NL Most Valuable Player voting and established
himself as a perennial MVP candidate.

Now, he enters 2008 as the leading candidate for the PETA Player of
the Year award.

Uh, that's People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

As opposed to PECOTA -- acronym for Player Empirical Comparison and
Optimization Test Algorithm -- the cutting-edge system for projecting
player performances devised by the brains at Baseball Prospectus.
Which, by the way, projects 38 homers and 111 RBI from Fielder this
summer.

"I always watch different channels," Fielder says. "But when I read
something, it sticks with me differently.

"The way they treat animals, in the book it says, 'You are what you
eat.' And I thought, 'Wow, if I am what I eat' ...

"I love meat, but it grossed me out," he says.

This is an outgoing, funny and sensitive young man -- he turns 24 on
May 9 -- who thinks about a whole array of things besides hitting a
curve ball and which brand of cleats to wear. A red bag, for example,
hangs from his locker here. And when most of the Brewers finish their
water or Gatorade this spring, well ...

"He has everyone in here recycling bottles," Brewers third baseman
Bill Hall says.

That idea came not only from the Discovery Channel, but also from
viewing Al Gore's Academy Award-winning movie, An Inconvenient Truth.

"I just looked in the trash and saw so much plastic, it made me feel
bad," Fielder says. "I figured, at least I can start with myself.
Because I crush water. I drink it all the time.

"You watch the Discovery Channel, and especially with the movies
coming out ... it scares me a little."

It's a testament to the respect Fielder commands both as a player and
as a person that the Brewers aren't treating his beliefs lightly.
Clubhouse manager Tony Migliaccio already quietly has told Fielder
that he will make sure to stock more than just salad for Fielder to
eat after games this season. Traveling secretary Dan Larrea
volunteered that he will provide vegetarian options on team charter
flights.

Fielder, who no longer eats fish, either, is greatly appreciative.

"I don't want to be a burden," he says.

Says Hall: "You can't argue with a guy who is trying to better
himself, better his way of living."

The betterment carries wide-ranging implications, especially for a man
who last season, at 23, supplanted Hall of Famer Willie Mays as the
youngest player to hit 50 or more homers.

For one thing, in a fan base closely associated with bratwurst and
world-class tailgating, you can already sense the trepidation: How's
Fielder going to go deep as often fueled by tofu and wheat grass? The
man is going to need his red meat!

More importantly, Fielder can sense it, too. Though truth be told,
when he belted his first spring home run last week, his reaction
ranged far more toward amusement than relief.

"Everyone was saying how many home runs would I hit as a vegetarian,"
Fielder says. "I told the guys when I got back to the dugout, 'Hey,
guys, I'm OK! I'm still hitting home runs even if I'm not eating meat!'"

Trainer Roger Caplinger and strength coach Chris Joyner have spoken
with him, emphasizing the danger of protein and iron deficiencies in a
non-meat diet.

Nothing, by the way, he hadn't heard this winter from the nutritionist
employed through his agent, Scott Boras, and, um, from the owner of
the book that started it all.

"My wife told me, 'I know you don't want to eat meat, but that doesn't
mean you eat 10 pounds of bread,'" Fielder says. "I mean, when you're
eating meat all of your life and then you don't, you're like, 'What is
there to eat?'

"I grew up with meals of meat and something else. Some of these
restaurant dishes, though, are pretty good. I don't want to just eat
pasta all night."

His preferences run from black beans and rice to Boca burgers, the
soy-based, meatless patties that substitute for his once-beloved
cheeseburgers. What he's noticed so far is that he seems to have more
energy and that his skin feels a better.

"I don't preach to people," Fielder says. "I don't want to make them
uncomfortable. When people who don't know offer me meat, I just say,
'No thanks.'"

The irony of a young star -- and this young star in particular --
going vegetarian in this city isn't quite as entertaining as Fielder's
spot-on imitations of dozens of batting stances (Mo Vaughn and David
Ortiz are two of his finest that keep the Brewers' clubhouse in
stitches). But it's certainly different.

In the land of the seventh-inning Sausage Races, here's a guy who, as
a 10-year-old, starred with his father in a television ad for
McDonalds triple cheeseburgers, of all things.

"I just remember it took all day," says Fielder, chuckling, who struck
out his father, Cecil, in the commercial. "As a kid, your attention
span is all over the place."

Fielder has honed that over the years and, his curiosity is
wide-ranging. Mixed in with his offensive production in 2007 were 14
errors, most of any NL first baseman. This spring, in addition to
watching what he eats, he's logging many more hours on the back fields
with infield coach Dale Sveum.

"He's asked more questions than any young player I've ever been
around," says Sveum, who is especially working with Fielder on
improving the big man's footwork.

"On a scale of one to 10, he's a 10," Brewers manager Ned Yost says.
"I've met very few players who are a 10, but he's a 10. He's very special.

"I heard that he was a vegetarian now. Someone mentioned that. Prince
Fielder is not a guy I worry about.

"Whatever he's doing, he's doing it for the betterment of his
teammates and for himself."

Be it powering tape-measure home runs, re-evaluating his eating habits
or urging his teammates to recycle.

It's a fresh, new world in Milwaukee with the Brewers as contenders,
and as long as Fielder continues to produce as part of the meat of the
order, the club could care less about the lack of meat on his plate.

MARYVALE, Ariz. -- Five things to know about the Milwaukee Brewers:

1. The Brewers, remember, will be without newly signed center fielder
Mike Cameron for the season's first 25 games as he serves a suspension
for testing positive for amphetamines twice in three months. "We're
really going to miss Cameron," manager Ned Yost says. "He's been
really great this spring." Aside from hitting .367 with three home
runs and seven RBI in his first 13 games, Cameron has blended into the
clubhouse exceptionally well. Until he returns, though, you'll likely
see Tony Gwynn Jr., Gabe Gross and Gabe Kapler in center field during
April. "I'm very OK mixing and matching," Yost says.

2. Newcomers Cameron and Jason Kendall have tagged a new nickname on
the affable Prince Fielder: Big Friendly.

3. Behind Fielder (50) and Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun (34), the
Brewers led the majors with 231 home runs in 2007. It's the fourth
time in franchise history the club has led the majors in home runs,
and the first since 1982 -- the year the Brewers played in their only
World Series.

4. Improved defense is a big mission this season for a club that
struggled too often last year, especially at third base, where Braun
seemed to have a perennial case of soapy hands, and at first, where
Fielder led NL first basemen in errors. The club has moved Braun to
left field this season, Billy Hall to third (he played center last
year) and Cameron will be a plus in center once he returns from
suspension. The Brewers are very excited about the Braun-to-left move.
"He's so much better than I anticipated," Yost says. "It's worked out
so much better than we dreamed. He's been very good out there."

5. That won't be a mistake in the box scores when you see Kendall
hitting ninth and the Brewers' starting pitcher eighth on any given
night this season. Yost isn't always going to bat the catcher position
ninth, but he will when Kendall is the receiver -- which will be the
case on most nights. "There are a lot of good reasons for it," Yost
says. "You've got to have a special player to make it work, someone
with a high on-base percentage, low slugging percentage and a
groundball hitter. He's a guy who puts the ball in play all the time,
often on the ground -- which is conducive to double plays. With the
pitcher hitting ahead of him, moving runners into scoring position, it
could cut his double-play potential in half and increase production.
That could mean 30 more run-scoring opportunities for us this year.
It's worked wonderfully so far this spring."

Starter No. 5, Bullpen

Yovani Gallardo was slated to be in the middle of the rotation but
recent news that he will start the season on the DL and miss four
weeks opens an extra slot in the rotation, for now. Righty Carlos
Villanueva is a favorite for a spot; lefty Chris Capuano and righty
Claudio Vargas are hoping to rebound; and Manny Parra is the young
lefty with promise. The Brewers signed Eric Gagne to close, figuring
that his flop in Boston (6.75 ERA in 20 games) was because the Sox
switched him to a setup role. Derrick Turnbow could also close and new
additions David Riske, Salomon Torres and Guillermo Mota will pitch
out of the pen. Others vying for a spot in the bullpen are RHP Seth
McClung, LHP Randy Choate and LHP Mitch Stetter. With all these extra
arms, someone who doesn't make the grade could eventually be trade
bait. Don't forget that Mike Cameron is slotted for center field but
Gabe Gross and Tony Gwynn will battle for playing time until Cameron's
25-game suspension is served.

This spring will be all about Ryan Braun's adjustment to left field
and Billy Hall regaining his balance at third base after playing
center a year ago. Smart move by the Brewers, who may have been able
to hang on and win the NL Central last year if not for Braun's
butchery at third. Still, you can't blame the kid too much because his
offensive numbers were sensational. Those two moves -- especially
Braun battling the desert's high sky while learning left -- plus
installing Eric Gagne as closer, will keep things interesting in
Arizona. Mike Cameron will be a good fit in center and in the
clubhouse, but remember, he essentially can't play until May because
he's suspended for 25 games following a failed performance-enhancing
drug test. And as much a tradition as the breweries in Milwaukee is
this: What's the status of pitcher Ben Sheets' health? He's about
reached the point of no return, and the Brewers' best bet may be to
consider trading him.

The  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel speculates the elbow problem incurred
by LHP Chris Capuano might sidetrack any notion the Brewers had of
trading a pitcher to ease their logjam. But, in the same report, GM
Doug Melvin said the telephones had been quiet in any event. (updated:
03/18/2008)

hey everyone,

I have updated some of the stuff thru spring training, and I will try
to update the site daily as the season starts. i will be going to Las
Vegas though March 29 through april 5. so i wont be able to update it
that week. just 10 days away from opening day!! we're almost there!


Thanks,

Andy

Go Brew Crew!

Thursday-Feb. 28th
Brewers 7 Athletics 1

Friday-Feb. 29th
Athletics 11 Brewers 4

Saturday-March 1st
Rockies 6 Brewers 3

Sunday-March 2nd
Brewers 4 Angels 2

Monday-March 3rd
Padres 12 Brewers 4

Tuesday-March 4th
Brewers 10 Cubs 6 in 10 innings

Wednesday-March 5th
Brewers 12 Rangers 6


Thursday-March 6th

Brewers vs. Mariners 3:05 pm est/2:05 pm cst/12:05 pm pst

Go Brewers!!!!

Milwaukee Brewers 89-73
Chicago Cubs      88-74
Cincinatti Reds   81-81
Houston Astros    78-84
St Louis Cardinals 75-87
Pittsburgh Pirates 71-91

Yeah I would rather have Bruan in the 3rd or 4th spot, more run
producing role, then I dont know how I feel about the 8th and 9th
spots. Overall our pitchers hit pretty well last year so you never
know, that could have just been a fluke though we will see.

Brewers manager Ned Yost cautioned the room not to "go crazy with it,"
but he revealed Saturday the potential of an extremely interesting
starting lineup.

It's certainly not set in stone, but Yost is considering batting
catcher Jason Kendall ninth, behind the pitcher's spot. If that's the
way Yost does it, leadoff man Rickie Weeks would be followed by
two-hole hitter Ryan Braun, then Prince Fielder in the third spot.
Last season, Braun mostly batted third and Fielder hit fourth.

The idea is to get Braun and Fielder as many plate appearances
throughout the season as possible, while still maximizing their RBI
potential.

"I'm not ruling it out," Yost said. "But there's other things that
have to play into this, and to make a big deal or a big story out of
this, it's not yet. We're still in the thinking process, and trying to
figure it all out, put it all together, and just take your time. When
you have time, the best thing to do is take it, think through it. You
don't have to make a rush decision right now."

According to the Brewers' numbers, their No. 2 hitters compiled 745
plate appearances last season, compared to 730 for the No. 3 hitter
and 706 for the No. 4 spot.


http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080223&content_id=238571\
6&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil

--- In milwaukeebrewersbaseball@yahoogroups.com, bar15arb
<no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> --- In milwaukeebrewersbaseball@yahoogroups.com, "mike h."
> <sportsguymike@> wrote:
> >
> > I am so pumped for the season. I hope we can do as well as we did last
> > year except this year we will finish first in the division. Spring
> > training has begun I feel like its summer already. Let's go Brew
> > Crew!!!!!!
> >
>
> yeah i know i cant wait either. tickets go on sale tommorrow! but what
> kind of summer in wisconsin has snow...hahah lol. go brewers!
>
  Yea I just created a mlb.com account i get e-mail alerts for all the
teams. I pretty much keep up to date on all things sports. Looking
foward to the 31st of March when we open against the Cubbies. Great
atmosphere at Wrigley. My cousins and brother and grandparents and
aunt and uncle are Cubbies fans. I can't wait to get revenge on them
this year lol

I live in the Hoosier State I listen to the games on my radio on 620
WTMJ. But I know you can't listen to the games on the WTMJ online
stream. If you guys wanna real cool free website to watch almost any
sporting event go to www.channelsurfing.net it's 100 percent free.
They don't ask for any of your personal info. You just go to the
website and look for the sporting event you want and you are there.
If they don't have live video of the game they have an audio feed.
It's so cool. If you are a big sports fan you will love this website.
















--- In milwaukeebrewersbaseball@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Richards"
<crichar3@...> wrote:
>
> For me the season will begin with the first spring training game
> during the coming week.  I bought the MLB audio package, so I will
be
> listening at work.  Even with the record snowfall in Madison this
> year, hearing baseball will make those persistent six-foot high snow
> piles seem less daunting.
>
>
> Chris
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 8:22 PM, Anya Herron <capuanofan@...> wrote:
> >
> >  I will see their workout on Sunday.  I will take pictures.
> >
> > "mike h." <sportsguymike@...> wrote:
> >
> >
> > I am so pumped for the season. I hope we can do as well as we did
last
> > year except this year we will finish first in the division. Spring
> > training has begun I feel like its summer already. Let's go Brew
> > Crew!!!!!!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >  ________________________________
> > Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with
Yahoo! Search.
> >
>
>
>
> --
> I can't remember all the times I've tried to tell myself to hold on
to
> these moments as they pass...
>

For me the season will begin with the first spring training game
during the coming week.  I bought the MLB audio package, so I will be
listening at work.  Even with the record snowfall in Madison this
year, hearing baseball will make those persistent six-foot high snow
piles seem less daunting.


Chris


On Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 8:22 PM, Anya Herron <capuanofan@...> wrote:
>
>  I will see their workout on Sunday.  I will take pictures.
>
> "mike h." <sportsguymike@...> wrote:
>
>
> I am so pumped for the season. I hope we can do as well as we did last
> year except this year we will finish first in the division. Spring
> training has begun I feel like its summer already. Let's go Brew
> Crew!!!!!!
>
>
>
>
>  ________________________________
> Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
>



--
I can't remember all the times I've tried to tell myself to hold on to
these moments as they pass...

I am so pumped for the season. I hope we can do as well as we did last
year except this year we will finish first in the division. Spring
training has begun I feel like its summer already. Let's go Brew
Crew!!!!!!

--- In milwaukeebrewersbaseball@yahoogroups.com, "mike h."
<sportsguymike@...> wrote:
>
> I am so pumped for the season. I hope we can do as well as we did last
> year except this year we will finish first in the division. Spring
> training has begun I feel like its summer already. Let's go Brew
> Crew!!!!!!
>

yeah i know i cant wait either. tickets go on sale tommorrow! but what
kind of summer in wisconsin has snow...hahah lol. go brewers!

I am so pumped for the season. I hope we can do as well as we did last
year except this year we will finish first in the division. Spring
training has begun I feel like its summer already. Let's go Brew
Crew!!!!!!

--- In milwaukeebrewersbaseball@yahoogroups.com, bar15arb
<no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> Cbs sportsline has projected lineups...
>
> http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/spring/lineups/nl
> http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/spring/lineups/al
>
> lets take a closer look @ the NL Central.
>
> Chicago Cubs
> 1. Alfonso Soriano LF
> 2. Kosuke Fukudome RF
> 3. Derrek Lee 1B
> 4. Aramis Ramirez 3B
> 5. Mark DeRosa 2B
> 6. Felix Pie CF
> 7. Ryan Theriot SS
> 8.Geovany Soto C
>
> Cincinnati Reds
> 1. Ryan Freel CF
> 2. Brandon Phillips 2B
> 3. Ken Griffey Jr. RF
> 4. Adam Dunn LF
> 5. Edwin Encarnacion 3B
> 6. Joey Votto 1B
> 7. David Ross C
> 8. Alex Gonzalez SS
>
> Houston Astros
> 1. Michael Bourn CF
> 2. Kaz Matsui 2B
> 3. Miguel Tejada SS
> 4. Lance Berkman 1B
> 5. Carlos Lee LF
> 6. Hunter Pence RF
> 7. Ty Wigginton 3B
> 8. J.R. Towles C
>
> Milwaukee Brewers
> 1. Rickie Weeks 2B
> 2. J.J. Hardy SS
> 3. Ryan Braun LF
> 4. Prince Fielder 1B
> 5. Corey Hart RF
> 6. Mike Cameron CF
> 7. Bill Hall 3B
> 8. Jason Kendall C
>
> Pittsburgh Pirates
> 1. Nate McLouth CF
> 2. Freddy Sanchez 2B
> 3. Adam LaRoche 1B
> 4. Jason Bay LF
> 5. Xavier Nady RF
> 6. Jose Bautista 3B
> 7. Ronny Paulino C
> 8. Jack Wilson SS
>
> St. Louis Cardinals
> 1. Cesar Izturis SS
> 2. Rick Ankiel RF
> 3. Albert Pujols 1B
> 4. Chris Duncan LF
> 5. Troy Glaus 3B
> 6. Yadier Molina C
> 7. Brian Barton CF
> 8. Adam Kennedy 2B
>
> What does everyone think about these predictions?
>

I really don't like the lineup they put together.

its hard to say what it will look like with cameron not in there. but
heres what id say for the first 25 games:

1. Rickie Weeks 2B
  2. Jason Kendall C
  3. Prince Fielder 1B
  4. Ryan Braun LF
  5. Corey Hart RF
  6. Tony Gwynn Jr/Gabe Gross CF
  7. Bill Hall 3B
  8. J.J. Hardy SS

I think this should be the lineup once Cameron gets back from his
suspension:

  1. Rickie Weeks 2B
  2. Jason Kendall C
  3. Prince Fielder 1B
  4. Ryan Braun LF
  5. Mike Cameron CF
  6. Corey Hart RF
  7. Bill Hall 3B
  8. J.J. Hardy SS

To me it makes sense to have weeks leadoff. i think hes going to have
a breakout year this year. Fielder has to bat 3rd otherwise they'll
just walk around him if he bats 4th. Braun will have a killer year
batting cleanup. having braun, cameron, hart 4, 5, 6 gives us the
threat of base stealing and letting them run. Hall makes sense at 7 i
think thats the only spot he should really be in. Hardy just hits
great in the 8 spot. the only thing maybe is Hardy would bat 2nd and
kendall 8th. what does everyone else think??