Jim Goulart

Through Wednesday's Games: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 4 3 .571 - 4-3 0-0 L2 Omaha 4 3 .571 - 4-3 0-0 L2 [b]Nashville 3 4 .429 1.0 0-0 3-4 W2[/b] Memphis 0 7 .000 4.0 0-0 0-7 L7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 5 2 .714 - 2-0 3-2 W2 West Tenn 5 2 .714 - 0-0 5-2 L1 Carolina 3 4 .429 2.0 0-0 3-4 L2 [b]Huntsville 3 4 .429 2.0 0-2 3-2 L2[/b] Tennessee 2 5 .286 3.0 1-1 1-4 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 6 1 .857 - 2-1 4-0 W1[/b] St. Lucie 5 2 .714 1.0 4-1 1-1 L1 Jupiter 4 3 .571 2.0 3-2 1-1 W3 Palm Beach 4 3 .571 2.0 1-1 3-2 L1 Daytona 1 6 .143 5.0 0-4 1-2 W1 Vero Beach 1 6 .143 5.0 1-1 0-5 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 6 1 .857 - 6-1 0-0 W1 Delmarva 5 2 .714 1.0 2-1 3-1 W2 Greensboro 5 2 .714 1.0 5-2 0-0 L1 Lake County 4 3 .571 2.0 0-0 4-3 L2 Hagerstown 3 4 .429 3.0 3-0 0-4 W3 [b]West Virginia 3 4 .429 3.0 1-3 2-1 W1[/b] Hickory 2 5 .286 4.0 1-3 1-2 L1 Lakewood 0 7 .000 6.0 0-0 0-7 L7

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated an hour or two prior to gametime: Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf Following Nashville's lead, Huntsville now makes its media notes available as well, nice: www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

Follow Thursday's action as it happens: Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Activate the Nashville Gameday. For the other links, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often. It's sweet! Nashville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1 Huntsville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Brevard County: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

Thursday's Daily Menu: Three choices for night baseball, considering the Brewer game is a matinee... All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at Iowa (Cubs), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:05 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Nashville Game Day Feature from MILB.com: Please note that GameDay links will not become active until approximately 1-2 hours before game time www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1 Huntsville: RHP Corey Thurman at home vs. Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime Audio link: www.espn1450.com/ Brevard County: RHP Yo Gallardo at home vs. Vero Beach (Dodgers), 6:00 PM Audio link (opponent's): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp West Virginia: RHP Will Inman at Greensboro (Marlins), 6:00 PM Audio link: www.sportsjuice.com/provi...e=wvpower.

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Final: Brevard County 4, Palm Beach (Cardinals) 3, regularly scheduled game, scheduled for seven innings Brevard County Game Two Box Score: Cardinals strand 10 in the shortened game; Mark Rogers surrenders four hits and issues five free passes, mixes in two wild pitches, yet only allows two runs in his three innings -- still, ugh; LHP Jeremy Lewis strikes out the side in the 9th... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 Brevard County Game Two Game Log: Yay Brendan Katin... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

This game really mirrored tonight's Brewer game -- check out the summary... Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 8, Huntsville 4 It's painful to see Carlos Villanueva and Tim Dillard struggle in back-to-back games... Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, then text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=781 Barons Bats Stay Hot in Win Over Stars Mark Quinn hit the tie-breaking home run and Fraser Dizard tossed three scoreless innings in relief to earn the save in Birmingham?s 8-4 win over the Stars Wednesday night at Joe Davis Stadium. The Barons have taken the first two games of the five-game set to improve to 3-4 on the season, while the Stars dropped a second straight game for a second time this year and fell to 3-4. Birmingham has totaled 16 runs on 27 hits in the first two games of the set after being held to seven runs in the first five games of the season. Chris Getz, Robert Valido and Quinn opened the game with successive singles to load the bases for Tom Collaro, who singled to right field to knock in two runs. Gustavo Molina hit his first long ball of the year with two outs in the third to push the visitors lead to 3-0. An Ozzie Chavez single, a Kennard Bibbs double and a walk to Callix Crabbe loaded the bases with one out for the home team in the third inning before Drew Anderson fanned for the second out of the frame. Huntsville designated hitter Greg Sain then launched a 3-2 offering from Barons? starter Lance Broadway over the wall in left field for a grand slam to tie the game. It was his first hit of the season and his 34th home run in the Southern League. The Stars did not hit a grand slam during the 2005 season. Stars? starter Tim Dillard hit Valido with one out in the fourth and Quinn followed with a two-run blast to left field, his first of the year. Dillard was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs on 11 hits and a pair of walks in 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander had allowed only one run on two hits in his first outing of the year Friday nigh in Mississippi. Trailing 8-4 in the seventh inning, the Stars loaded the bases with nobody out against Jeff Little, who was replaced by Dizard. The Birmingham southpaw retired Crabbe on a shallow pop out to right field and induced Anderson to bounce into an inning-ending double play, the third the Stars hit into in the game. Dizard allowed one hit and fanned one to register his first save of the year. The Stars will send right-hander Corey Thurman to the mound in the third game of the series on Thursday night and he will opposed Birmingham left-hander Tyler Lumsden. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 AM locally and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Huntsville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

West Virginia Site Game Summary: Holmberg homers twice in Power victory Kenny Holmberg homered in the first and last innings of Wednesday night?s twelve-inning game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers. His second home run, a two-run blast in the top of the twelfth inning was the difference maker in the Power?s 5-3 victory. Holmberg hit his first home run of the season in the first inning; the solo shot gave the Power a 1-0 lead. In the top of the second inning the Power scored again on Nate Yoho?s two-out RBI single to go up 2-0. Kris Harvey hit a solo home run for Greensboro in the bottom of the second inning to cut the lead in half. Ryan Crew?s RBI double in the top of the sixth inning provided the Power with a 3-1 lead. Kris Harvey struck again in the bottom of the eighth inning with an RBI single, and Greensboro tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth on a run-scoring single from Agustin Septimo. In the top of the twelfth inning, Holmberg came through for the Power, hitting a two-run opposite field home run to give the Power the lead for good. Dane Renkert (1-1) earned the victory, and Rafael Galbizo (0-1) obtained the loss. The Power are 3-4 after the victory and the Grasshoppers fall to 5-2 with the loss. The Power will finish the series against the Grasshoppers at First Horizon Park in Greensboro, North Carolina on Thursday night. Right hander Will Inman (0-0, 6.00) will start for the Power and Greensboro will counter with right hander Ryan Tucker (0-0, 3.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM (6:00 PM Central).

Final: Nashville 2, Iowa (Cubs) 0 Nashville Pre-Game Audio from Tuesday with Manager Frank Kremblas: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-11.wma Nashville Pre-Game Audio from Tuesday with Ben Sheets: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-12.wma Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for archived Ben Hendrickson photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1899 Hendrickson, Sounds Blank I-Cubs, 2-0 DES MOINES ? Three Nashville pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout as the Sounds blanked the Iowa Cubs, 2-0, on Wednesday evening at Principal Park in the third game of a four-game series. Ben Hendrickson threw six scoreless innings, Brett Evert followed with a pair of goose eggs, and Jason Kershner added a perfect ninth to notch his first save. Nashville registered a season-high 12 hits in the game and every Sounds position player recorded at least one knock except Vinny Rottino (0-for-5), who is hitless in his last 12 at-bats. With their first shutout win of the year, the Sounds (3-4) have recorded victories in consecutive games for the first time this season and pulled within a game of first place in the PCL American Conference Northern Division. It was a pitcher?s duel early as both starters were on their ?A? games. Hendrickson (1-0) allowed only two hits ? a pair of Mike Fontenot singles ? over six scoreless frames to earn his first victory of the year. He has tossed 11 scoreless innings and allowed only those two hits during his two starts this season. Veteran Iowa southpaw Les Walrond also hurled five scoreless innings in the contest, giving up five hits while striking out four. The Sounds broke a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning when Chris Barnwell opened the frame with a single against Cubs reliever Bobby Brownlie and later scored the game?s first run on an Enrique Cruz sacrifice fly to center off Ryan O?Malley. Nashville doubled the lead to 2-0 in the eighth on back-to-back one-out doubles by Mike Rivera (2-for-4) and Brent Abernathy (3-for-4) off Iowa reliever Andy Shipman. Manager Frank Kremblas had the Sounds active on the basepaths. Nashville runners swiped a season-high six bags, including two each by Barnwell and Dave Krynzel, but were also caught stealing twice and had another runner picked off. The six thefts were one shy of the Nashville single-game record. The Nashville defense backed up its pitchers by recording four double plays, including three inning-ending deuces. One included strong-armed rightfielder Nelson Cruz gunning down Cubs baserunner Geovany Soto at third base to end the third inning for his first assist of the year. AUDIO: Nelson Cruz Throws Out Runner -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-12.wma Brownlie (0-2) allowed one run in his lone inning of work and took the loss. The teams wrap up the four-game set with a 12:05 p.m. matinee on Thursday afternoon. Left-hander Zach Jackson (0-1, 3.18) takes the hill for the Sounds looking for his first win as a member of the Brewers organization. Iowa will counter with southpaw Raul Valdes (1-0, 0.00). Nashville Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1

Final: West Virginia 5, Greensboro (Marlins) 3, 12 innings Had to sweat things out in the 12th... West Virginia Box Score: Darren Ford nine K's in 32 AB's with no walks -- speed only does so much out of that leadoff spot, also all seven of his hits are singles; OK, back to the positive -- five Power batters with multiple hits; Mat Gamel with some stellar defense tonight, listening to the call; Dane Renkert with a big-time bounce-back relief performance... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1 West Virginia Game Log: Power opportunity in the 11th -- should have ended it then... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

LHP Brandon Parillo has been placed on the West Virginia disabled list with an undisclosed injury. He wasn't himself in his last relief outing, uncharacteristically wild. LHP Joe Thatcher joins the Power.

West Virginia's Kenny Holmberg cranks his second HR of the game, a two-out, two-run shot, to put the Power up 5-3, with West Virginia hopefully about to close it out in the bottom of the 12th inning. You have to love Andy Barch's "Jack-Jackety-Jack!" home run calls...

Frustrated with the Brewers tonight? Nashville and Iowa are scoreless in the 7th in a game available via MiLB.com -- watch this one wrap up; Ben Hendrickson (two hits, three walks, two K's through six innings). www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../video.jsp

In progress: West Virginia 3, Greensboro (Marlins) 3, after nine innings Shoddy defense cost the Power the tying run in the 9th; LHP Derek Miller (8 K's in 5 IP) and RHP Ronny Malave (3 IP, 1 ER) with strong outings...

Why is there no box score for BC game two? Postponed again? Box score link is fine; they just posted pre-game lineups. First game, the high-scoring affair, ran long. Hoping for a nice Mark Rogers performance tonight. Small crowd at Space Coast tonight. The Palm Beach audio link hasn't worked all week, to my knowledge...

Final, Completion of Tuesday's Suspended Game: Palm Beach (Cardinals) 11, Brevard County 9 Brevard County Game One Box Score: No linescore, no game log on suspended games; LHP Steve Hammond was back on the mound after starting last night -- he, Bo Hall and Dave Johnson were all hit hard; it was 8-8 when Johnson gave up a three-spot in the 7th; Charlie Fermaint 0-for-5; Alcides Escobar heating up... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

The Brewers have signed LHP Russ Rohlicek to a minor league deal. The one-time 40-man roster Cub was released by Chicago in spring training. The 26-year-old spent all of 2005 at AAA Iowa. Baseball America has noted that Rohlicek is a big-bodied power lefty reliever, featuring a low-90s fastball, slider and changeup from a three-quarters delivery. Rohlicek is on the temporary inactive list until he is ready to perform in games...should not be too long. It hasn't been announced if he'll be assigned to Nashville or Huntsville. Rohlicek's profile and control history remind me of another current Brewer and former Cub southpaw, Andy Pratt. LHP Russ Rohlicek Brewerfan Player Index Page: www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=934

Some very familiar names here: Chicago White Sox 1B released Travis Hinton (Lee / Podsednik trade). Cincinnati Reds released LHP Tommy Phelps. Colorado Rockies released LHP's Derrin Ebert and Matt Hammons, and RHP Fernando Rijo. Detroit Tigers released Tim Crabtree. Houston Astros signed RHP Roberto Giron. Released RHP Steve Sparks. New York Mets released RHP David Manning. Tampa Bay Devil Rays released RHP Calvin Carpenter and LHP Wayne Franklin. Toronto Blue Jays released IF / C Jeremy Frost and RHP Brian Tollberg. Washington Nationals released OF Jason Belcher.

Fixed, thanks.

Link to the Vince Perkins thread on the Major League Forum: p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...1366.topic

Did we ever determine what became of Tatsuya Ozeki? According to the Brewers, they did not sign the Japanese player nor was he in their minor league spring training camp. Pretty odd how Yahoo ran the original story -- perhaps an agent supplied some false information. The original source is listed below: "Update: Ozeki announced that he's reached terms with the Brewers on a minor league contract with a spring training NRI, JapanBall.com reports. Ozeki, who turns 30 in July, is an eight-year vet of the Japanese leagues and won rookie of the year honors there in 1998. Recommendation: According to the report, Ozeki took part in a tryout for multiple MLB teams in Los Angeles last week and evidently impressed the Brewers with his outfield defense. Good thing, because his numbers at the plate were awful last year. Playing for Seibu, Ozeki hit just .198/.256/.296 with no homers in 47 games (86 at-bats). He has had success in Japan in the past, hitting .314 as recently as 2002, but his forte is speed, not power (80 career stolen bases in Japan against just 16 homers). He may compete for a fourth outfielder role in Milwaukee's camp, but it's hard to see Ozeki winning that job." Darn, and I had always trusted JapanBall.com, too... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

Standings as of 12:45 Central Wednesday: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 4 2 .667 - 4-2 0-0 L1 Omaha 4 2 .667 - 4-2 0-0 L1 [b]Nashville 2 4 .333 2.0 0-0 2-4 W1[/b] Memphis 0 6 .000 4.0 0-0 0-6 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 5 1 .833 - 0-0 5-1 W3 Chattanooga 4 2 .667 1.0 1-0 3-2 W1 Carolina 3 3 .500 2.0 0-0 3-3 L1 [b]Huntsville 3 3 .500 2.0 0-1 3-2 L1[/b] Tennessee 1 5 .167 4.0 0-1 1-4 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 5 0 1.000 - 1-0 4-0 W5[/b] St. Lucie 5 1 .833 0.5 4-0 1-1 W2 Palm Beach 3 2 .600 2.0 1-1 2-1 L1 Jupiter 4 3 .571 2.0 3-2 1-1 W3 Vero Beach 1 6 .143 5.0 1-1 0-5 L3 Daytona 0 6 .000 5.5 0-4 0-2 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 6 1 .857 - 6-1 0-0 W1 Greensboro 5 1 .833 0.5 5-1 0-0 W1 Delmarva 4 2 .667 1.5 1-1 3-1 W1 Lake County 4 2 .667 1.5 0-0 4-2 L1 Hagerstown 2 4 .333 3.5 2-0 0-4 W2 [b]West Virginia 2 4 .333 3.5 1-3 1-1 L1[/b] Hickory 2 5 .286 4.0 1-3 1-2 L1 Lakewood 0 6 .000 5.5 0-0 0-6 L6

Link while active, text follows: www.news-record.com/apps/.../604120307 Hoppers off to a 5-1 start By Rob Daniels Greensboro News-Record Staff Writer GREENSBORO -- You're not supposed to affix nicknames to baseball teams after six games, but then, minor-league clubs aren't supposed to start hitting the long ball until the weather heats up. So without further ado, please welcome the Bellemeade Bombers. Formally known as the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the tenants of First Horizon Park are off to a 5-1 start and became the first affiliated American minor-league team with 11 home runs this season Tuesday afternoon in dispatching West Virginia, 4-2, before a crowd of 4,898 fans. And the visitors were known as the Power. "People talk about the park, but you still have to hit it," hitting coach Joe Espada said. "We've got some pretty good hitters here." Jeff Van Houten, Jonathan Fulton and Agustin Septimo hit balls that cleared the fence in the first two innings, and none of the three was cheap or wind-aided, as they say in track. Septimo's shot gave Greensboro at least temporary supremacy in team homers over three Triple-A clubs that played later Tuesday. (The Indianapolis Indians of the International League and the Portland Beavers and the Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League entered Tuesday's play with 10.) Gaby Sanchez didn't go deep, but he still went 2-for-4 and is hitting .522 in six games. "It's one of the nicest parks to hit in because of the layout," Van Houten said. "Field's kind of short and there's wind. But the wind was light today." After the long balls had staked the Hoppers to the lead, the preservation job fell to starter Chris Volstad, who struggled in his 2006 debut. Tuesday, that seemed like something out of Ancient History class, which Volstad probably attended not long ago. The 19-year-old right-hander out of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., kept Septimo, his shortstop, perpetually busy. Only six of the 23 West Virginians faced by Volstad hit the ball in the air. "That's when you know the sinker is on," pitching coach Steve Foster said. "It was good to see Volstad with that command." Volstad gave up three hits in seven innings and didn't walk anybody. The Hoppers' past three starters have allowed one earned run and nine hits in more than 16 innings. "I just went at the hitters today," Volstad said. "And it helps when you have an infield like we have."

Link for another Ben Sheets photo while active, text follows: desmoinesregister.com/app...4/SPORTS03 Brewer pitching coach keeps an eye on Sheets Mike Maddux in Des Moines to follow Milwaukee all-star's injury rehab Rob Gray, Des Moines Register Milwaukee pitching coach Mike Maddux strode to the Principal Park visitor's clubhouse incognito ? decked out in Nashville red, black and white instead of Brewers blue and yellow. "I'm flying under the radar," said Maddux, whose brother, Greg Maddux, pitched at Iowa in 1986 and 1987 before starring in the major leagues for the Cubs, Braves and Cubs again. Maddux eyed the radar gun as well as rehabbing pitcher Ben Sheets' mechanics during Tuesday's Sounds win, and liked what he saw. "A step in the right direction," he said. And when asked about Greg and his time at Iowa, Maddux stepped back, turned, and glanced at the spot he'd been watching all day. "That's the mound right there he excelled on in triple-A," said Maddux, who pitched 15 seasons in the big leagues and faced his brother when both were rookies in 1986. "There's good memories for everyone at this ballpark." Ben on Felix: Facing Ben Sheets finally cooled off Cubs center fielder Felix Pie . Chicago's top prospect entered Tuesday's game batting .478, but went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, with three of the at-bats coming against Sheets. "He looks like he has a good swing; aggressive at the plate," Sheets said of the 6-foot-2, 170-pound Pie. "A big kid." Where'd Sheets eat? After arriving in Des Moines Monday night, Sheets dined at Johnny's Italian Steakhouse. His entree? "I had the filet. Pretty solid." His hurried impression of Des Moines? "Nice to see this ballpark. A quiet town."

Link for Ben Sheets photo while active, text follows: desmoinesregister.com/app...4/SPORTS03 Cubs whiff Sheets' smoke ROB GRAY DES MOINES REGISTER STAFF WRITER Strong, precise and pain-free. That's how Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Ben Sheets pronounced himself Tuesday after striking out nine batters in 5 2/3 shutout innings as Nashville beat Iowa 4-1 in a Pacific Coast League game before an announced crowd of 3,957 at Principal Park. "I finally located some balls, which helps you get outs," said Sheets, who threw 75 pitches, 52 for strikes, and allowed three singles. The two-time all-star who strained an upper right back muscle in a March 8 spring training game against Oakland hopes the impressive outing will get him back into the big leagues soon. How soon? "I'd like to pitch Sunday in New York," he said. "I don't make the rules, but it's a good possibility." Sheets, who tore a back muscle behind his right shoulder last August, blended a lively fastball consistently in the low- to mid-90s with a spot-on curveball. He allowed one runner beyond first base, walked none, and the Sounds staked him to a 3-0 first-inning lead. "He mixed it up well; he showed good command, and that's what we're looking for is performance," said Milwaukee pitching coach Mike Maddux, in town to observe Sheets' progress. "His stuff's there, and now it's just a matter of getting game-ready. (Tuesday) was a step in the right direction." The Sounds (4-2) snapped a four-game win streak for Iowa (4-2). "Obviously, you don't look forward to a guy like that beating you, but it's a great experience, whether people have come to see Kerry Wood or Mark Prior pitch here, and it's fun to play behind them, or the challenge of facing a guy like that," Cubs manager Mike Quade said. "To me, he's not a guy just starting his rehab. That was pretty damn good. My sense is, he's on the verge of going back there." Iowa's Ryan Theriot went 2-for-4 and Augie Ojeda smacked a run-scoring double in the seventh inning after Sheets (1-0) exited the game. Jae-Kuk Ryu (0-1) took the loss. "I'd be really happy if we didn't see (Sheets) pitching against us in Nashville again," Quade said. Maddux said "it wasn't his place" to confirm whether Sheets may be back in a Brewers uniform by Sunday's 12:10 p.m. game against the Mets. "Today was very encouraging and he seems to be on target for the master plan," he said. "So we'll see what goes on from here, how he feels (this week)." Sheets, cut from colorful Louisiana cloth, spoke in a jocular tone with reporters in the visiting clubhouse after he left the game. Reporter: "You probably felt pretty good?" Sheets: "I'm a good-looking kid." Reporter, smiling: "Not that . Pitching." Sheets: "Oh, oh. No, it felt good." Also good are the Brewers, who enter today's game at St. Louis with a 5-2 record. "I don't want to ruin anything at all," Sheets said in reference to his eventual return. "But I want to contribute, no doubt about it. It would be nice to be back out there. You're so not part of the team when you're hurt." The latter arrangement, judging by Tuesday's performance, soon should cease to be a concern for Sheets. "If that's not close to being ready, I'd hate to see him when he's ready," Quade said.