News
Crew's Catalanotto steps into larger role
Milwaukee (53-54) at Los Angeles (66-41), 9:10 p.m. CT
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
08/05/09 1:49 AM ET
LOS ANGELES -- Frank Catalanotto picked the Brewers three months ago because he figured they had the best chance of all his suitors to go to the postseason. Now, Catalanotto stands to play a more important role in helping them get there. The veteran started in right field on Tuesday and was on base three times and could be there again Wednesday against right-hander Jason Schmidt and the Dodgers. It's the beginning of a higher-profile role for Catalanotto in the wake of Corey Hart's trip to the disabled list. Hart underwent an appendectomy on Sunday night in San Diego. He's expected to be released from the hospital on Wednesday but won't travel with the Brewers to Houston, and general manager Doug Melvin does not expect Hart back until September. Catalanotto, Jody Gerut and Bill Hall will man right field in the meantime. "At this point in my career, I'm not all that worried about the playing time as much as being on a good team," Catalanotto said. "I've been in the league for 12 years and I've never gone to the postseason, and that was my No. 1 concern. That's the thing that drives me." Released by the Rangers at the end of Spring Training, Catalanotto fielded interest from a handful of teams who wanted to stash him in the Minor League until a need arose. The Brewers had a more immediate opening after their two bench outfielders -- Chris Duffy and Brad Nelson -- combined to go 4-for-53. Catalanotto inked a Minor League deal and reported to Double-A Huntsville for three games to sharpen up. Then it was on to Milwaulkee. "My role was going to be the same with any team that I signed with -- come off the bench, getting some odd starts here and there," Catalanotto said. "If there's a freak injury, you're thrust into a new role. You never know where that's going to be." Catalanotto and Gerut are both left-handed hitters, and manager Ken Macha has said he intends to use both despite the fact Gerut owns a .163 batting average in limited duty since a May trade from the Padres. The matchup against Schmidt doesn't offer much for Macha to choose on Wednesday; Gerut is 2-for-4 against the righty and Catalanotto is 1-for-5. Macha is wary of burning Catalanotto out. "If you're talking about a guy going from not playing every day to all of a sudden playing 60 games in a row, that's not going to happen," Macha said. That was fine with Catalanotto. "The playing time is bonus," he said. "I want to go to the postseason." Pitching matchupMIL: RHP Braden Looper (9-5, 5.03 ERA)
Looper's two-run single sparked a two-out, seven-run rally in the second inning of Friday's game in San Diego, but he slowly squandered away the lead he helped build. Looper surrendered four runs in the fourth inning -- the second straight outing in which he's allowed a four-spot -- and another run in the fifth before the Brewers were forced to go to the bullpen with a 7-6 lead that slipped away. The Brewers are 13-9 in Looper's starts, but have lost two straight, and he's allowed 11 runs in 11 innings in those games. "I'm going to have to pitch better and we're going to have to play better if we want to win," Looper said. LAD: RHP Jason Schmidt (2-1, 4.50 ERA)
Jason Schmidt pitched six innings of one-hit, shutout ball against the Braves on Friday. In what might have been his last chance to show he belonged in the rotation, Schmidt pitched the way he now must against his original team in Atlanta. He kept his 87-mph fastball down, mixed in breaking balls and wasn't afraid to let hitters put the ball in play. He overcame first-inning wildness and an error-aided jam to earn another start. Tidbits
Schmidt, coming back from prolonged problems in his right shoulder, is a different pitcher today but nonetheless owns some impressive numbers against the Brewers. Five Milwaukee hitters have at least 10 career at-bats against him, and that group is a combined 19-for-131 (.145). Center fielder Mike Cameron is 3-for-26 (.115). ... Brewers general manager Doug Melvin was pleased to see that outfielder Corey Patterson was off to a good start for Triple-A Nashville after signing with Milwaukee on Friday. Patterson went 1-for-3 in his first start on Monday, then went 3-for-4 on Tuesday afternoon in a 6-5 win over Albuquerque. Patterson had a pair of doubles, a walk and a run scored. ... The Brewers signed another young pitcher from the Dominican Republic this week. Leonard Lorenzo, 18, is a 6-foot-3, 196-pound right-hander who will report to the Dominican Summer League team that the Brewers co-op with the Orioles. Tickets
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• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Brewers (Carlos Villanueva, 2-8, 5.98) at Astros (Wandy Rodriguez, 10-6, 2.63), 7:05 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Brewers (Manny Parra, 6-8, 6.33) at Astros (Roy Oswalt, 6-4, 3.61), 6:05 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.
