TooLiveBrew

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 29 | 9:15 P.M.[/h1][h2]Brewers (73-60) | Giants (71-62)[/h2][h3]FSWI | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/giants.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://i.imgur.com/iuNMXEN.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/VMFpjJX.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][pitcher]Wily Peralta[/pitcher][h2]15-8, 3.56 ERA, 1.24 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Giants | Game Log[/h3][h3]After 3 2/3 hitless innings Saturday, Peralta's night unraveled against the Pirates as he lasted only five innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits and three walks. He allowed three home runs for the first time in his career.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][pitcher]Ryan Vogelsong[/pitcher][h2]7-9, 3.78 ERA, 1.26 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]The last time the Giants won a game Vogelsong started at AT&T Park? Seven home starts ago, back on May 24. That's despite his 3.22 home ERA, which is 1.21 lower than his road ERA. Overall, they've lost each of his last three starts.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away] CF Carlos Gómez 2B Scooter Gennett RF Ryan Braun 3B Aramis Ramírez C Jonathan Lucroy LF Gerardo Parra 1B Lyle Overbay SS Elián Herrera RHP Wily Peralta[/divclass][divclass=home] CF Ángel Pagán 2B Joe Panik C Buster Posey 3B Pablo Sandoval RF Hunter Pence 1B Mike Morse LF Gregor Blanco SS Brandon Crawford RHP Ryan Vogelsong[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

That's a pretty bad loss.

Really, Francisco? Rene Rivera? I have no words.

Glad that Smith survived that frame. Tack-on time!

K-Rod should be used here against the righty. Smith has had pretty bad results from July on.

NL-Central leading Brewers looking for series win Gallardo hopes to continue road success vs. Despaigne in finale By Will Laws / MLB.com | 8/27/2014 2:58 AM ET Odrisamer Despaigne has had a roller coaster of a first season in the Majors. The Cuban defector has gone from nearly throwing a no-hitter in his fifth big league start to largely scuffling in his six outings since then. Despaigne and the Padres are hoping that a return to Petco Park, where that near no-hitter occurred, will do the right-hander some good. His ERA is a full two runs better when pitching in San Diego. At Petco Park, he's compiled a 2.45 ERA and a .205 batting average against in five home starts compared with a 4.45 ERA and a .277 batting average against on the road, where he's had to pitch his last two outings. Despaigne has lasted just a combined nine innings in those starts against St. Louis and Arizona, giving up eight earned runs and 11 hits with just five strikeouts. The Brewers are hoping they can extend Despaigne's struggles a little longer and notch a series win to stave off their competitors in the tight National League Central race. They'll send Yovani Gallardo to the hill, an eight-year veteran who has quietly put together the best season of his career in 2014. Though his strikeout rate is down from his career numbers, Gallardo has a career-best 3.38 ERA and is nearly on pace to top 200 innings for the third time in the last four seasons. Gallardo has been even better on the road, posting a 6-2 record with a 2.57 ERA in 12 outings away from hitter-friendly Miller Park. He did struggle his last time out, though, taking the loss against division rival Pittsburgh after giving up six runs on eight hits and three walks in five innings. If the Brewers are to keep a multi-game lead on St. Louis in the NL Central, their longest-tenured starter will have to get back to his winning ways. Padres: Rivera's defense paying dividends Despite appearing in just 75 games this season, Rene Rivera leads the National League with 23 baserunners thrown out. That defensive prowess, coupled with his excellent pitch-framing skills, is exactly what the Padres were hoping for when they brought in the 31-year-old journeyman over the offseason. "Rene I think is one of the best in baseball as far as pure footwork and arm strength on stolen base attempts," said Padres manager Bud Black. "I think he's always had the ability to catch and throw, receive and control the running game from his end." As a result, Rivera has received much more playing time this season than a usual backup catcher, occasionally even pushing regular starter Yasmani Grandal -- no defensive slouch himself -- to first base. "Anytime you have a catcher like Rene, who's not only a good receiver but is also good at throwing out runners, it kind of takes the pressure off me a little bit," said Tyson Ross, who benefitted from two runners being thrown out by Rivera on the basepaths Tuesday. Brewers: Garza ready to face hitters Rehabbing starter Matt Garza threw what pitching coach Rick Kranitz described as a "superb" bullpen session on Tuesday, and Kranitz says Garza will soon take the next step in his rehabilitation -- facing live hitters. Whether those hitters are stepping to the plate in a simulated game, a Minor League game or a Major League game remained to be revealed, but the bottom line for Garza was another big step toward the end of his stint on the disabled list for a rib-cage strain. Garza has been sidelined since feeling a muscle grab along his left side during an Aug. 3 start in St. Louis. He took two weeks off from throwing before beginning an accelerated program that brought him to Tuesday's 35-40 pitch mound session. "I've done it before so I know when not to push and when you can push it," said Garza, who was on the DL at the start of last season with a similar injury. "Right now, we're not at a time where we have to push it, so that's a positive thing. The guys [athletic trainers] are doing a great job, and it's just, come back healthy and strong and ready to go."

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 27 | 8:10 P.M.[/h1][h2]Brewers (73-59) | Padres (61-70)[/h2][h3]FSWI | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/padres.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://i.imgur.com/NLUtLl0.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/3MoIGuC.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][pitcher]Yovani Gallardo[/pitcher][h2]8-7, 3.38 ERA, 1.25 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Padres | Game Log[/h3][h3]Historically dominant against the Pirates, Gallardo struggled against them on Friday, lasting only five innings while allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits and three walks. Only 57 of his 99 pitches were strikes.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][pitcher]Odrisamer Despaigne[/pitcher][h2]3-5, 3.44 ERA, 1.27 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]Despaigne will continue his fight against regression vs. the Brewers. In his first five starts, he was 2-1 with a 1.31 ERA. In his last six, he's 1-4 with a 5.81 ERA. He's allowed a combined seven runs in the first inning of his past two starts.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away] Carlos Gómez CF Jonathan Lucroy C Ryan Braun RF Aramis Ramírez 3B Scooter Gennett 2B Gerardo Parra LF Lyle Overbay 1B Elián Herrera SS Yovani Gallardo RHP[/divclass][divclass=home] Yangervis Solarte 3B Abraham Almonte CF Seth Smith LF Yasmani Grandal Jedd Gyorko 2B Will Venable RF René Rivera C Alexi Amarista SS Odrisamer Despaigne RHP[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

Brewers call on Nelson in San Diego Padres turn to ace Ross against NL Central leaders By Cody Ulm / MLB.com | 8/26/2014 2:36 AM ET Brewers right-hander Jimmy Nelson has a knack for drawing opposing pitchers with lengthy resumes. And just when he thought his luck couldn't get any worse, he's now facing an ace who will be looking to take his recent frustrations out on the Brewers. After dueling against Cy Young Award winners Tim Lincecum, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw and R.A. Dickey in his last four starts, Nelson will be matched against right-hander Tyson Ross Tuesday, who just set the Padres record with his 12th consecutive quality start. Where Ross' frustrations stem from is the fact that he's been handed the loss in his last two outings despite allowing just five runs in 14 innings. Most recently, he looked to have gotten the best of the Dodgers' Kershaw before Justin Turner's two-run homer in the eighth innings solidified a 2-1 defeat. "I'll try to focus on the good things," Ross said. "The focus moves to the next start." Of course, Nelson certainly doesn't feel bad for him. The rookie righty has turned in a quality start in six of his eight nods this season but only has a 2-4 record to show for it. As for drawing the opposition's best arm, he doesn't try to get too discouraged by it. "I'm still going to pitch against the same lineup, no matter who's pitching for them," Nelson said. "There's nothing I can do about it. It's one of those things you can't control. I'm trying to control what I can do." Brewers: Slumping Segura returns to lineup He certainly didn't light the world on fire Monday, but the Brewers will take any sign of life they can get from shortstop Jean Segura. In his return to the starting lineup after two days off, Segura finished 1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored in the Brewers' 10-1 rout of the Padres. Manager Ron Roenicke gave Segura a mental break after the normally sound defender committed two errors in Friday's 8-3 loss to the Pirates. Segura didn't start either weekend game but ended up coming on as part of a double switch in the sixth inning on Saturday. Entering Monday with a .233 batting average, Segura seemed to respond with a renewed focus. "Anytime I take a guy out for a couple of games, a starter, I'll talk to him," Roenicke said. "He understood. They may not be happy all the time, but they understand." Padres: Gyorko, Cabrera progressing The Padres are hoping to get both of their regular starting middle infielders back from hamstring injuries soon. Jedd Gyorko was out of the starting lineup for the third straight game on Monday, but manager Bud Black called on him to pinch-hit in the ninth inning. He grounded out to the pitcher. Black said Gyorko may start on Tuesday. "He's getting real close. We talked today about whether to start him, but we decided to give him another day," Black said before the series opener. "I think medically, the trainers and the doctors are saying to be just a little more patient." Everth Cabrera, meanwhile, was given a tentative return date of Sept. 1. Cabrera has been out since Aug. 10 with a strained left hamstring that also kept him out for most of July. "He's gonna run and pick up the intensity as far as what he's doing with his legs," Black said. "He's turned the corner on this and his activity level is picking up." Worth noting • Carlos Gomez, Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez each finished with three on Monday. • Braun sustained a bruised left quad in the first inning Monday and exited the game in the seventh. He is hopeful he will be able to start Tuesday.

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 26 | 9:10 P.M.[/h1][h2]Brewers (73-58) | Padres (60-70)[/h2][h3]FSWI | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/padres.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://i.imgur.com/6uyQDaj.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/bUspzLi.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][pitcher]Jimmy Nelson[/pitcher][h2]2-4, 4.15 ERA, 1.34 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Padres | Game Log[/h3][h3]Nelson was not sharp in his last start against Toronto, allowing four runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. It snapped a streak of five straight quality starts, and afterward Nelson acknowledged he needs to mix up pitches better.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][pitcher]Tyson Ross[/pitcher][h2]11-12, 2.68 ERA, 1.17 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]Ross was a hard-luck loser his last time out against the Dodgers. After taking a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning, he allowed a two-run home run in a 2-1 loss. He did establish the club record for most consecutive quality starts (12).[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away] CF Carlos Gómez C Jonathan Lucroy RF Ryan Braun 3B Aramis Ramírez 2B Scooter Gennett LF Khris Davis 1B Mark Reynolds SS Jean Segura RHP Jimmy Nelson[/divclass][divclass=home] 3B Yangervis Solarte CF Abraham Almonte LF Seth Smith 1B Yasmani Grandal 2B Jedd Gyrko C René Rivera RF Rymer Liriano SS Alexi Amarista RHP Tyson Ross[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

At the T-Rats game tonight. Just have to say... Denson's two hits have been absolutely mashed. Crushed. His double was hit about as hard as a human can hit a baseball.

Nelson out of the bullpen will probably mean a heavy sinking fastball around 98-99, with a nasty slider to go with it. That's exactly the kind of power arm you want in a late-game role. I think he's the ideal candidate out of the 5-6 starters to move to the 'pen.

Lohse, Crew open nine-game road trip in San Diego Padres counter with Stults against the National League Central leaders By Matthew DeFranks / MLB.com | 8/24/2014 6:26 PM ET Both the Brewers and Padres will welcome a change of scenery. The Padres are coming off a rough road trip to St. Louis, Los Angeles and Arizona, while the Brewers closed a disappointing 2-3 homestand with a finale win over the Pirates on Sunday. San Diego and Milwaukee open a three-game set Monday that will kick off a 10-game homestand for the Padres and a nine-game road trip for the Brewers. The Brewers are nine games above .500 on the road this season and just five games above .500 at home. "What am I going to do differently?" Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. "If one year, we play well on the road, and the next year we do the same things and we play poorly, why would I be concerned about it? If I spent all my time on stuff that I can't do anything about, it's wasted time." The Brewers will look to Kyle Lohse to begin the first of their two remaining road trips. Lohse will be making his first start since Aug. 13 after missing his last turn with a sore right ankle. He left after three innings on Aug. 13, giving up four runs on seven hits in taking the loss against the Cubs. Since winning back-to-back starts in late July, Lohse has struggled to find a rhythm in his last four starts, recording a 6.63 ERA and an 0-3 record. He has given up five home runs in that span and walked nine batters in 19 innings. Eric Stults hopes to continue his resurgent second half as he gets the call for the Padres. Stults held the Dodgers to one run over five innings his last time out. Stults has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his four August starts, during which he's 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA. On a wider view, he's 4-5 over his last 11 starts with a 3.18 ERA, with seven of those starts coming away from pitcher-friendly Petco Park. "The last few years he's learned how to feed off our hitters' aggressiveness," said Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis, who was a teammate of Stults coming through Los Angeles' Minor League system. "He never gives in. He's not afraid to throw any pitch in any count. "I'm impressed with the way he controls his tempo. He used to be maximum effort every pitch. Now he's free and easy, so he can reach back when he wants to throw a fastball. He's pitching with a lot of confidence." After his early-season struggles -- Stults was 2-8 with a 5.79 ERA in his first 14 starts and in jeopardy of losing his spot in the rotation -- he huddled with pitching coach Darren Balsley to work on mechanics. They tweaked his delivery in the windup and used a higher leg kick to create momentum. He picked up a tick of velocity. His secondary pitches became sharper. He started allowing fewer home runs and his command improved. "Things are starting to turn his way," said Padres manager Bud Black. Brewers: Crew still in first place With Sunday's win and St. Louis' loss, Milwaukee extended its small lead to 1 1/2 games in the National League Central. The Brewers have been in first place since April 5. Does Roenicke think this has been good for his club? "Depends on your team," Roenicke said. "I think we're a confident group, I think we get over losses, but it's not a team that's going to run away. We have other teams in this division we know are good teams." The Brewers face the Cardinals six more times this season, next when they host St. Louis on Sept. 4. "I think it's tough," Roenicke said. "I think it's got its pluses, no doubt because of the confidence that it gives guys, because when we're playing good ball, we know where we can be. The negatives are, you do have teams that are after you. You're always being chased by somebody." Padres: Still no Cabby Shortstop Everth Cabrera, on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain since Aug. 10, has been working out with the team since Thursday. But don't look for him on the active roster anytime soon, Black said. "Probably not until Sept. 1," Black said Sunday. Cabrera is on the DL for the second time this season with a left hamstring injury. This one is comparable in terms of severity to the one that caused him to miss 21 games in July, though the strain is in a different spot. The Padres have used Alexi Amarista at shortstop in Cabrera's place and occasionally Yangervis Solarte, and they will continue to do so until Cabrera returns to the active roster. Worth noting The Brewers are 52-7 when outhitting their opponent, the best mark in the Majors.

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 25 | 9:10 P.M.[/h1][h2]Brewers (72-58) | Padres (60-69)[/h2][h3]FSWI | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/padres.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://i.imgur.com/IH4fted.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/g9Rir5N.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][pitcher]Kyle Lohse[/pitcher][h2]11-7, 3.49 ERA, 1.18 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Padres | Game Log[/h3][h3]Lohse skipped his last turn through the rotation due to a sore ankle that was hampering his mechanics, especially in his last three-inning outing. He threw a full bullpen session Friday and said he felt ready to go.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][pitcher]Eric Stults[/pitcher][h2]6-13, 4.53 ERA, 1.36 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]Stults will attempt to remain undefeated in August, as he's 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA in four starts this month heading into this start against the Brewers. He has a 3.18 ERA in his last 11 starts, seven on the road.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away] Carlos Gómez CF Jonathan Lucroy 1B Ryan Braun RF Aramis Ramírez 3B Khris Davis LF Rickie Weeks 2B Martín Maldonado C Jean Segura SS Kyle Lohse RHP[/divclass][divclass=home] Yangervis Solarte 2B Will Venable RF Seth Smith LF Yasmani Grandal C Jake Goebbert 1B Cameron Maybin CF Alexi Amarista SS Chris Nelson 3B Eric Stults LHP[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

Ron. It's time to pull the plug on Wily. For the love of...

Bases loaded w 1 out, no runs plated... that's got 'come back & haunt you' written all over it.

Alright! Let's keep this chain movin'!

C'mon Carlos... we need ya

Peralta seeks MLB-best 16th win facing Pirates Volquez looks to help Bucs climb within four games of first-place Crew By Jackson Alexander / MLB.com | 8/23/2014 12:43 AM ET Wily Peralta looks to separate himself atop the MLB leaderboard in wins on Saturday night against the Pirates. Peralta is currently tied with Adam Wainwright, Clayton Kershaw and Johnny Cueto for the Major League lead in wins with 15. Wainwright lost on Friday, and Kershaw and Cueto don't pitch until next week, meaning Peralta can temporarily reign supreme if he can top Pittsburgh. Win No. 15 came Sunday, when he tossed six scoreless innings against the Dodgers. Milwaukee won, 7-2, as Peralta allowed five hits and three walks and struck out five. "Sooner or later, you have to pay attention to him," Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy said when asked about Peralta's modest national profile. "I think it's a byproduct of playing in the Milwaukee market. We're not looked at as much, which is fine. That's the way I like it, personally. But he definitely deserves a lot more credit than he's getting." Peralta, who makes his fourth road start in his last five outings, is 11-2 since starting the season 4-5 through May. Peralta has not allowed more than three runs in a start since July 8. He squares off with the Pirates for the third time this season. Peralta allowed one earned run in seven innings in both of his previous outings against Pittsburgh at Miller Park. The right-hander followed an April 11 victory with a no-decision on May 14. Edinson Volquez receives the task of trying to outduel Peralta. Volquez sports a 1.40 ERA in his last three starts and he's allowed more than two earned runs just twice in his last 10 starts. He comes off a no-decision on Sunday against the Nationals when he pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed four runs, but only one was earned. Volquez faces the Brewers for the fourth time this season. He has allowed six earned runs in 19 1/3 innings in his first three outings against Milwaukee. Pirates: McCutchen shaking off rust Andrew McCutchen collected his first hit and home run since returning from injury in Friday night's 8-3 win over the Brewers. McCutchen finished 2-for-5 and clobbered a solo home run to right-center field off Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo. McCutchen was 0-for-8 in his first two games back from a fractured rib suffered earlier this month during a series with the D-backs. Brewers: Division foes on the docket Milwaukee will be seeing quite a lot of the National League Central as the season winds down. Starting with Friday's loss to the Pirates, the Brewers will play 25 of their final 35 games against NL Central teams. "I think it's always important, especially the last month, to play most of your games against your division. That's the way the schedule should be," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. With the Cardinals also losing Friday, Milwaukee maintained its 1 1/2-game lead, while the third-place Pirates are five games back. The Brewers dropped their second straight game after winning their five previous. They've held at least a share of the NL Central lead since early April. "The starting and the relief pitching has been good, we've been playing better defense and offensively we're starting to swing the bats again," Roenicke said. "We've got it all working well. We know if we're going to get this done, it's got to continue." Worth noting • The Pirates' Josh Harrison collected a career-high five RBIs from the leadoff spot on Friday. • After enduring a 19-game homerless drought, the Brewers' Ryan Braun now has two in his last five games, raising his season total to 16. • The Brewers' Aramis Ramirez reached base all four times and drew three walks on Friday. He hadn't registered a multi-walk game all season and it was his first three-walk game since 2008.

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/pirates.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 23 | 6:10 P.M.[/h1][h2]Pirates (66-62) | Brewers (71-57)[/h2][h3]FSWI | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://i.imgur.com/TlfFtOY.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/o6AFsvb.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][pitcher]Edinson Volquez[/pitcher][h2]10-7, 3.58 ERA, 1.27 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]The veteran sports a 2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio -- something he hasn't had for a full season since 2008. Volquez has a 25-12 vs. NL Central teams over his career, including a 4-1 record in eight starts in Miller Park.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][pitcher]Wily Peralta[/pitcher][h2]15-7, 3.27 ERA, 1.28 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Pirates | Game Log[/h3][h3]By beating the Dodgers on Sunday, Peralta joined NL Central foes Johnny Cueto and Adam Wainwright with an MLB-best 15 wins. No Brewer has led his league in victories since Pete Vuckovich in strike-shortened 1981.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away] 3B Josh Harrison RF Travis Snider CF Andrew McCutchen 2B Neil Walker C Russell Martin 1B Pedro Álvarez LF Starling Marte SS Jordy Mercer RHP Edinson Volquez[/divclass][divclass=home] CF Carlos Gómez C Jonathan Lucroy RF Ryan Braun 3B Aramis Ramírez 2B Scooter Gennett LF Khris Davis 1B Lyle Overbay SS Elián Herrera RHP Wily Peralta[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

His swing is just so technically sound-looking. He was so balanced even on a hanging change up & away that he pulled out to LF!

AMEN! I'm pumped. Weekend's starting... Packers playing their final preseason game (with Wood coming home to Lambeau!)... & playoff race baseball! Only the 3rd preseason game, one more left. You would know that if the Brewers were terrible. Ok. I thought the NFL had gone to a 3-game preseason schedule.

AMEN! I'm pumped. Weekend's starting... Packers playing their final preseason game (with Wood coming home to Lambeau!)... & playoff race baseball!

MLBTR story Reported to be a 7-yr, $72MM deal with the Red Sox. Final, pending his physical tomorrow.

He's too short for the position, & iirc Khris has said he tried it & doesn't like/doesn't feel comfortable playing there.

Bucs try to make up ground during visit to Milwaukee Pirates nemesis Gallardo starts opener for first-place Crew vs. Locke By Caitlin Swieca / MLB.com | 8/20/2014 11:16 PM ET As recently as Aug. 7, the Pirates were breathing down the Brewers' necks, sitting a single game behind them in the National League Central and looking ready to take over at any moment. But a seven-game losing streak has put some serious space between the two contenders, and this weekend's series in Milwaukee could be pivotal for Pittsburgh's chances to stay in the division race. The Pirates snapped a seven-game losing streak Wednesday and sit six games behind the Brewers, who have held first place since April 5. "The Pirates are looking to rebound right now, so we need to come out and still do our thing and make sure we stay on top," said Brewers reliever Zach Duke. "This is where everybody wants to be. You want to be in contention when this time of year comes around. That's what makes it fun." Recent history doesn't bode well for Pittsburgh: Since the start of 2007, Milwaukee is 86-39 against Pittsburgh for its best winning percentage (.688) against any regular opponent (the Crew is 3-0 against the Indians). Not counting the Astros, who just moved to the American League West last season, the Brewers' winning percentage against the Pirates over the past eight seasons is the best of any team over a division opponent. The series is even more lopsided at Miller Park, where the Brewers have won 53 of 66 matchups since the start of '07, while averaging six runs per game and 1.6 home runs per game. The Brewers are 10-3 against Pittsburgh this season, including a 5-1 mark at Miller Park. Despite the statistics, the Brewers certainly don't seem to be taking their divisional rivals lightly. "Baseball's just one of those games where you never look at a team and say, 'They lost their last five or six games, we'll go in with a different attitude,'" said Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett. "They're a good team. We know that every time we play them; they battle. It's going to be important to get ahead early and keep chipping away." Starting with this series, the Brewers will play 25 of their final 35 games within the National League Central, meaning that they'll have plenty more critical games down the stretch. While the division was a four-team race at the All-Star break, a good series for Milwaukee this weekend could mean that only St. Louis is particularly close to the top. "Obviously, in September, we have all those teams again," Gennett said. "It's definitely important. They're battling too. It's important for us to take as many games as possible when we're playing teams from our division." On Friday, the Brewers will turn to right-hander Yovani Gallardo, who is 12-4 with a 2.57 ERA in 24 career games against the Pirates. He's 1-0 with a 2.49 ERA against them this season. His opponent, Jeff Locke, has struggled against Milwaukee, putting up a 1-2 record and a 4.55 ERA in five starts against the Crew. He's coming off a no-decision against Washington in which he pitched 5 2/3 innings and didn't allow a run. Brewers: Ramirez back to his old self For Aramis Ramirez, healthy numbers have gone hand-in-hand with a healthy hamstring since his June return from the disabled list. Ramirez was batting .129/.233/.274 in the 19 games before being placed on the DL on May 13. Since returning from the injury on June 4, Ramirez has raised his season batting average nearly 50 points by hitting .325/.358/.494. In the National League, only Ben Revere has a better batting average over that span. "This is what I expect from him," said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. "He's that consistent guy. He's starting to drive in the runs again. Saw him drive a couple balls over people's heads to the opposite field, which I think, when he's really swinging the bat well, that's what he does. This is what I expect him to do." Long known as an RBI machine, Ramirez has driven in 57 runs this year after totaling only 49 RBIs in an injury-plagued 2013. Though he's only had 13 home runs, Roenicke said he's happy as long as Ramirez is driving runners in. Sitting in the cleanup spot of an aggressive lineup, Ramirez is valuable in that he rarely strikes out. Ramirez has put the ball in play in 76 percent of his at-bats this season, and he has only a 14.5 percent strikeout rate, third lowest of the Brewers' regulars. "When he's right, he's a doubles guy," Roenicke said. "He doesn't punch out a lot. He's an early swinger, but he's never had high strikeouts. You see him sometimes take an awkward swing and just flick the bat out there and it's a base hit. Those guys are important to have." Pirates: Morton has sports hernia Pirates starter Charlie Morton disclosed the injury he has in his right hip is a sports hernia on Wednesday. Morton went on the disabled list Sunday with "right hip inflammation" and noted the injury has been bothering him since a June 2 start in San Diego. The right-hander sinkerballer met with Dr. Thomas Byrd in Nashville on Sunday and is going to take some time away from starts to let his hip calm down. Morton said the issue has not improved since it first flared up. The Pirates will continue to assess Morton, but for now, the future of his 2014 season is unclear. "I'm still playing catch, I plan on throwing some bullpens," Morton said. "We'll see where I'm at and come back and try to contribute down the stretch." Worth noting • Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy leads the National League with 42 doubles. He is vying to become the first primary catcher in modern MLB history to lead his league in doubles. • With a win Wednesday, the Pirates avoided an eight-game losing streak, which would've been their longest since dropping 10 consecutive contests from July 29-Aug. 7, 2011.