PHOENIX -- Another day, another tweak to the Brewers' infield defense courtesy of the newest additions to the coaching staff.

Bench coach Robin Yount and third base coach Dale Sveum, tabbed as co-infield coaches this season by manager Ned Yost, on Tuesday worked with Brewers infielders on covering second base on pickoff plays. It was the latest installment in a series of daily fundamental drills.

"He's pretty much letting us do whatever we think should be done," Yount said of Yost, his former teammate. "We talk it over with Ned, and if he agrees with it then we do it. We're basically just teaching fundamentals the way we were taught them.

"Nothing we're putting in is really new; it's all things we've done in the past," Yount said. "A lot of infield people have different ideas about the best ways to do things and what we're doing this spring are things that we feel comfortable with."

Sveum later worked with young utility men Brad Nelson and Corey Hart on fielding one-hoppers at first base. Hart started at first in Tuesday's game against the Mariners at Maryvale Baseball Park and hit one of three Milwaukee home runs.

Yount played all 20 of his Hall of Fame seasons in Milwaukee, first as the team's shortstop and then its center fielder. Sveum played a number of infield positions with Milwaukee from 1986-1991.

"This is a unique circumstance where you have two quality defensive educators," Yost said earlier this spring. "Not only are they top notch, but they are best friends who are exactly on the same page in everything that they do. It's why it works."

Convincing Yount to return to the organization was a major coup for Yost, who first asked Yount to join the Brewers' staff in 2003.

"I'm real happy with the way things are going," Yount said.

Puckett honored: Yount was among the contemporaries of Hall of Famer, Kirby Puckett who expressed sadness at the news of Puckett's death Monday in Phoenix. Puckett, 45, a former Minnesota Twins outfielder, suffered a stroke on Sunday at his home in nearby Scottsdale.

"That guy never had a bad day at the field," said former Brewers catcher Bill Schroeder, who is teaming with television partner Daron Sutton on Brewers webcasts this spring. "He was always smiling, laughing, having a good time. He'd beat your butt and smile at you the whole time."

Schroeder was the Brewers catcher on Aug. 30, 1987, when Puckett went 6-for-6 with two home runs in Minnesota's 10-6 win over the Brewers at County Stadium. Puckett also robbed Yount of a home run with a leaping catch.

Yount was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999, two years before Puckett.

"I was obviously in a lot of games, but that stands out as one of the best single performances I ever saw," Yount said. "He was an all-around player, and he was a winner. I don't want to say that I knew him well, but I was around him enough to know that he was a very fun-loving guy, and he was the kind of guy where when he came into a room, everyone knows he's there, you know? He was competitive, but everybody liked him."

Wish granted: Nine-year-old Tyler Hendricks visited Maryvale Baseball Park on Tuesday and was treated to a tour from "his hometown hero," outfielder Geoff Jenkins. Hendricks is terminally ill and his visit was coordinated by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin.

"It's pretty touching that a kid in that situation wants to meet," said Jenkins, who ushered Hendricks around the clubhouse so he could meet and get autographs from Brewers players. "I'm glad that we were able to make his dream come true, and hopefully he is able just to have a good, fun day at the ballpark to take his mind off things. I think he really enjoyed meeting all of the guys in here."

According to the foundation, more than 125 Wisconsin youngsters are in the process of having their "one special wish" granted.

Open house: The Brewers will host a "Select-A-Seat" open house for prospective season ticket buyers this Sunday from noon-4 p.m. CT at Miller Park.

Club representatives will tag available seat locations and answer questions about the team's nine-, 20- and full-season ticket packages. There will be free food and promotional items, and the Brewers-Cubs Spring Training game will be shown on the stadium video board.

Talk turkey: After playing all nine innings Tuesday in the outfield, Bill Hall was to meet with his agent in the Phoenix area. Hall is under contract for 2006, but the team would like to discuss a deal through 2008 that would buy out his first two years of arbitration.

"I haven't been into it very much," Hall said. "I'm concentrating on baseball right now."

Hall started in left field but played the final innings in center and was only twice tested. He made a routine catch of Corky Miller's fly ball in the fourth inning and also had to chase down a hit.

"It was pretty easy," said Hall, who did need a bit of help from the dugout when he lined up too shallow at the start of the game.

"He looked like he was playing in for the bunt," Yost quipped.

Last call: Shortstop J.J. Hardy, who held back at times last season until he learned to trust his surgically-repaired left shoulder, crushed a long home run in the Brewers' 11-run seventh inning Tuesday. "It's not new news," Yost said of Hardy's power. "If he gets hold of one he can hit it as good as anybody." ... Outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run, his second homer in as many at-bats. Gwynn said Minor League hitting coordinator Jim Skaalen suggested Gwynn stand a bit more upright in the batter's box. "I've only had two at-bats [since the adjustment]," Gwynn said, "so I can't say it's not working... Tomo Ohka, who pitched two scoreless innings, said he does not plan to attend Friday night's exhibition game against the Japanese National League team. He says he was never asked by Team Japan to play in the World Baseball Classic. "I don't know why they never asked me," Ohka said.

On deck: Right-hander Dave Bush is scheduled to throw three innings or 50 pitches when the Brewers host the Royals on Wednesday at Maryvale Baseball Park. Right-hander Rick Helling, who is competing with Bush and Dana Eveland for the No. 5 starter's spot, was scratched because of minor elbow soreness.