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Brewers set catching rotation

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Craig Counsell

Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell unveiled his catching rotation plans for the upcoming season and barring injury, veteran Erik Kratz is the odd man out.

The Brewers aren’t expected to break spring training camp with more than two catchers, but the 38-year-old Kratz gives them insurance if something were to happen with either starter Yasmani Grandal or his top backup Manny Pina.

“It’s a tough spot for Erik; we understand that,” Counsell said on Wednesday.  “He made a very meaningful contribution. Acquiring Yasmani kind of put us in that spot.

Grandal started 110 games and played in 135 games for the Dodgers last season.  Manny Pina made 84 starts for the Brewers while Kratz started 54.

The Brewers first official workout with pitchers and catchers was cut short on Thursday by rain.  There is more precipitation in the forecast today.

Brewers get Free Agent Grandal on a one-year deal

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The Milwaukee Brewers got some offensive catching help when they agreed to a one-year free agent deal with free agent Yasmani Grandal on Wednesday.

The deal is for one season and will pay the former Dodger $18.25 million, which makes him the highest-paid player on the Brewers roster in 2019.

Grandal struggled against the Brewers in the NLCS last season, but is still considered one of the top players at his position in the game.  It’s also an offensive upgrade after the Brewers split catching duties last season between Manny Pina and Erik Kratz.

Grandal hit .241 with 24 home runs and 68 RBI in 140 games last season.  In seven seasons, he’s a .240 lifetime hitter with 113 home runs and 339 RBI.

Grandal is considered one of the better catchers at framing pitches, but he’s committed 43 passed balls over the last four seasons.  That tops the majors.  He hit .139 in 14 postseason games last year.  He was 2 for 11 with six strikeouts and committed three passed balls against the Brewers in the NLCS.

The Brewers will surrender their third-highest draft pick as compensation for Grandal.  The Brewers have already given up a Competitive Balance Round A pick to Texas for reliever Alex Claudio.

 

Brewers meet with catcher at winter meetings

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The Milwaukee Brewers have both of their catchers back for the upcoming season, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reported the Brewers met Monday with free-agent Wilson Ramos at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.

The 31-year-old Ramos was named to the American League all-star team before being traded from Tampa Bay to Philadelphia.  He hit .306 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI in 382 at bats.  He’s considered a better offensive catcher than Manny Pina and Erik Kratz.

Ramos also reportedly met with the New York Mets.

The Brewers don’t have as much flexibility in their budget, but GM David Stearns said principal owner Mark Attanasio is open to expand the payroll if the right opportunity comes along.

Quintana continues his dominance of Milwaukee

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Jose Quintana’s dominance of the Milwaukee Brewers continued on Tuesday night when he blanked the Brewers for six-plus innings on three hits in a 3-0 Cubs victory.

In nine attempts since Quintana came to the Cubs in the middle of last season, the Brewers have managed to win just once, a 7-0 win back on Aug. 14 at Wrigley Field.  Take that game away and Quintana is 7-0 with a 0.81 earned run average in the other eight outings.

What’s puzzling for the Brewers is that Quintana has a 4.54 ERA for the season.  He earned his 13th win overall.

Victor Caratini had a RBI single in the second and a run scoring double in the 7th as the Cubs extended their lead over the Brewers to two games in the National League Central. [Read more…]

Brewers overcome slow start to finish off Reds (AUDIO)

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Chase Anderson File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

The Milwaukee Brewers started slow, falling behind Cincinnati 2-0 but they eventually rallied to beat the Reds 5-2 in their series opener at Miller Park on Monday night.

Chase Anderson coughed up a pair of solo home runs but settled down to pitch six-innings and earn his 8th win (8-7) of the season.

Christian Yelich and Travis Shaw homered in the fifth and sixth innings, while Josh Hader and Jeremy Jeffress tossed three innings of scoreless relief.  Brewers pitchers allowed the Reds just three hits.

Eugenio Suarez and Phillip Ervin clubbed solo homers for the Reds.

The Brewers handed Homer Bailey (1-11) his 11th loss of the season.

Milwaukee added insurance in the 8th off of former Brewer Jared Hughes, who opened the inning by walking Ryan Braun.  Keon Broxton came on to drive home Braun with a run scoring triple.  Manny Pina’s sacrifice fly to center field ended the scoring for the Brewers.

Junior Guerra pitches game two of the series for the Brewers tonight.  Cincinnati will counter with Sal Romano.

AUDIO: Craig Counsell on the Brewers slow start :22

AUDIO: Chase Anderson said this is a confidence builder for him :20

 

Cubs return the favor to the Brewers and earn a 2-game series split

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Junior Guerra – File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

One day after being blanked by the rival Milwaukee, the Chicago Cubs responded by beating the Brewers 8-4 on Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Junior Guerra entered the game with a career 1.74 ERA against the Cubs, but he allowed seven runs and nine hits before departing in the fourth.

Ryan Braun, who clubbed two home runs just one day earlier, left Wednesday’s game with a tight right ribcage.  It comes after Braun had been swinging a hot bat.  He had been hitting .388 with four HR’s and 12 RBI over the last 16 games.

The Cubs scored four runs in the first three innings against Guerra.  Anthony Rizzo lined a two-run home run in the first.  Jason Heyward doubled in a run in the  third, followed by David Bote scoring on a Guerra wild pitch to make it 4-0. [Read more…]

Brewers walk off win over the Twins

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Brad Miller drew a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning on Monday night, sending the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins at Miller Park.

The Brewers surrendered a grand slam for the third straight game and trailed 5-1 before mounting their comeback.

Nate Orf, playing in his first major league game, was hit by a pitch from Zach Littell to lead off the 10th inning.  Manny Pina followed with a single and Keon Broxton walked.

Hernan Perez than bounced into a fielder’s choice before Miller’s walked ended the game.

Corey Knebel (2-0) pitched a scoreless 10th for the Brewers to earn the victory.  The Brewers got five scoreless innings from their bullpen.

Game two of the series is tonight at Miller Park.  Junior Guerra (4-5, 3.05) pitches for the Brewers.  Former Brewer Jake Odorizzi (3-5, 4.62) gets the start for the Twins.

 

Brewers Crush Cardinals 11-3 in Series Opener

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Brent Suter – File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Brent Suter allowed just two hits and two runs over seven innings as the Brewers drubbed the Cardinals 11-3 in Milwaukee.  Eric Thames contributed a bases-clearing triple and Manny Pina homered for Milwaukee.  The Brewers lead the Cubs by one game in the NL Central at 44-and-30, after the Cubs lost to the Cincinnati Reds Thursday night.  Carlos Martinez was the losing pitcher, giving up seven runs in four innings.  Matt Carpenter led off the game with a first-pitch home run for St. Louis, his fourth in the last five games.  This was the second consecutive start where Suter has gone seven innings, and is now 8-4 on the season.

The Cardinals are 2-and-7 in their last nine. The second game of the series is Friday at Miller Park.  Junior Guerra throws against Jack Flaherty.

Brewer bats go silent in loss to White Sox

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The Milwaukee Brewers lost the rubber match of their weekend series with the White Sox 6-1 in Chicago on Sunday.

Daniel Palka and Adam Engel clubbed back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning as the White Sox scored six unanswered runs to pull out the win.

The Brewers scored their only run when Manny Pina scored on an error to take a 1-0 lead.

Former Brewers draft pick Dylan Covey struck out seven batters over five innings, but Chris Volstad was credited with the victory.

The White Sox took two of three in the series to improve to 18-38.

Brent Suter gave up two runs in five innings and suffered the loss.  They’re 37-23 and have a two-game lead on the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

The Brewers scored just nine runs in the three games and went 0 for 16 with runners in scoring position in the series.

The Brewers are off today and open a short two-game series in Cleveland against the Indians on Tuesday night.  Junior Guerra (3-3, 2.65) will pitch for the Brewers.  Corey Kluber (8-2, 2.02) will get the series opening start for the Indians.

Brewers blank Diamondbacks 1-0 (AUDIO)

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Craig Counsell

Domingo Santana’s sixth inning sacrifice fly held up as the Milwaukee Brewers blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0 on Tuesday night at Miller Park.

Jhoulys Chacin and three relievers combined on a three-hit shutout.  Chacin allowed just two hits and walked four over five innings, while Matt Albers picked up the win in relief.  Corey Knebel worked the ninth for his third save.  Josh Hader also worked two innings of relief in between.

Arizona’s Matt Koch retired the first 11 Brewers he faced before Lorenzo Cain lined a single to left in the fourth.  Two batters later, Arizona centerfielder Jarrod Dyson took a three-run home run away from Domingo Santana.

Ji-Man Choi clubbed a leadoff double in the sixth inning and eventually scored on Santana’s sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.

Brewers manager Craig Counsell was ejected in the 9th inning for arguing balls and strikes.  But Counsell was really protecting his pitcher and catcher, Corey Knebel and Manny Pina.  Both were heated in the final inning when the home plate umpire missed multiple strike calls which had the Brewers fuming down the stretch.

The Brewers will play for the sweep this afternoon, sending Brent Suter to the mound against Arizona’s Zach Godley.

AUDIO: Craig Counsell on his ejection in the 9th :14

AUDIO: Corey Knebel on checking his emotions in the 9th :22