News
Hoffman thinks club has pieces in place
Milwaukee (49-51) vs. Washington (32-68), 7:05 p.m. CT
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
07/28/09 11:56 PM ET
MILWAUKEE -- Trevor Hoffman thinks the Brewers have enough to win a spot in the postseason, even if general manager Doug Melvin isn't able to add an arm ahead of Friday's nonwaiver Trade Deadline. That puts the Brewers closer in a very exclusive group. "It's getting to that point where you can see the deadline, but I think we have enough in the clubhouse to not have to worry about going out and getting anybody," Hoffman said. "You have to believe in what you've got." What the Brewers have is a spot in fourth place in the National League Central, though they are only four games behind the division-leading Cubs. They also have a couple of holes in the starting rotation, with Dave Bush on the disabled list with a triceps injury and Jeff Suppan's status uncertain after an MRI scan on Tuesday confirmed a rib-cage strain. Manny Parra will try to provide some needed innings on Wednesday when he works the third of Milwaukee's four games against Washington. At the same time, Melvin continues to work the phones behind the scenes. The deadline to trade players without first exposing them to waivers is 3 p.m. CT on Friday. Melvin has been holed up in his office during the current homestand, but he went public on Tuesday to say that he's still interested in buying despite the team's July side. Hoffman watched from afar as the Brewers pulled the trigger on last summer's CC Sabathia blockbuster, and didn't put it past "Mr. Melvin and Mr. Attanasio" -- that's principal owner Mark Attanasio -- to make another deal. Since Milwaukee seems unwilling to part with top prospects Mat Gamel or Alcides Escobar, the target could be a lower-tier starter like left-hander Jarrod Washburn of the Mariners. FOXSports.com on Tuesday speculated that Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik, the Brewers' former scouting director, might be interested in injured second baseman Rickie Weeks. Acknowledging only that the teams have been linked in published reports, Melvin said, "We'd like to add a starter, but Jack hasn't decided yet if he would move one or not." But if Melvin is unable find a match, or unwilling to pay the price for a pitcher, Hoffman thinks the Brewers could still compete. "I don't think we're excited about being .500, that's for sure," Hoffman said. "We just haven't been able to put it together." Hoffman has felt the team's slump as much as anybody. With save opportunities all but nonexistent, he has appeared only three times since pitching in his seventh All-Star Game. He was idle for five games before working two-thirds of an inning on Tuesday and exiting with two runners on base and two outs. After Monday's loss to the Nationals, Melvin made a rare visit to the Brewers clubhouse to once again discuss available arms with manager Ken Macha. Melvin also encouraged the coaching staff to stay positive, Macha said. Hearing that the Brewers may still be buyers would certainly help. "If you're the manager, you'd always like to be a buyer," Macha said. "But the general manager has to take into account everything. ... We had a long conversation on Saturday, we talked briefly on Sunday and then he came down [Monday]. He was on the phones all day. He's doing the best he can." Pitching matchupMIL: LHP Manny Parra (4-8, 6.42 ERA)
Parra practiced damage control on Friday against Atlanta, when he worked around 13 baserunners (10 hits and three walks) in five innings to limit the Braves to four runs. Still, it was a step back from his first two starts after returning from a demotion to the Minors. In those games, Parra limited the Cardinals and Reds to one earned run and eight hits over 13 innings of work. He didn't receive a decision in either of his two starts against the Nationals last season. WSH: RHP Garrett Mock (0-4, 7.06 ERA)
It appeared that Mock wasn't ready to pitch against the Padres on Friday night at Nationals Park. He has yet to show that he is the type of starter that he was at Triple-A Syracuse. He gave up five runs -- three earned -- in 5 1/3 innings and committed an error in the first frame. Tidbits
Mike Rivera will catch Parra's starts for the foreseeable future, Macha said. Rivera will appear as a catcher for the 17th time on Wednesday, matching his total from all of last year. He already has one more start (14 this year entering Wednesday's game vs. 13 in 2008). ... Macha is trying to rest some of his regulars, giving Craig Counsell a break on Tuesday and Jason Kendall a rest on Wednesday. Shortstop J.J. Hardy will probably be out of the lineup on Thursday, Macha said. That will be sure to spark some speculation, since Hardy's name comes up often in trade rumors. Folks in the business offices at Miller Park have been told by the baseball side that if anyone is traded before Friday, it could be Hardy. ... In this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, the Player Poll surveyed 380 Major Leaguers and asked which young player they thought will end up in the Hall of Fame. Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun finished fifth with five percent of the vote. Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria was first with 35 percent, followed by Albert Pujols of the Cardinals (nine percent), Tim Lincecum of the Giants (seven percent), Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins (six percent) and then Braun. Players could not vote for a teammate. Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio• Gameday
• Official game notes On television
• FS Wisconsin-HD On radio
• WTMJ 620 Up next
• Thursday: Brewers (Yovani Gallardo, 9-7, 3.09) vs. Nationals (J.D. Martin, 0-1, 7.50), 1:05 p.m. CT
• Friday: Brewers (Braden Looper, 9-5, 4.79) at Padres (Chad Gaudin, 4-9, 4.57), 9:05 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Brewers (Jeff Suppan, 5-8, 5.27) at Padres (Josh Geer, 1-7, 5.96), 9:05 p.m. CT
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
