Francisco Rodriquez Reports To Maryvale For Work

Veteran reliever Francisco Rodriguez is back in the Brewers minor league system. The organization announced via social media on Wednesday that negotiations with their former pitcher were finalized, and that he would report to Maryvale for training immediately. Pending the outcome of a physical, the team now has a month to decide if they will retain the thirty-one year old, or if they will again release him to free agency.

Such a fate was Rodriguez’s last November, when he was refused a renewal of contract after playing the 2012 season in Milwaukee. Along with Shaun Marcum, he was part of the first wave of purges to that year’s bullpen, which was responsible for the most blown saves of the entire league.

The cuts came as a surprise to some, despite a tough year for Rodriguez, because the Brewers were risking the loss of compensation for the two free-agents if the signed elsewhere. Others weren’t so taken off guard, citing the reliever’s poor stats for the year, and his domestic abuse scandal.

Indeed Rodriguez did put-up his worst ERA and lowest strike-out totals with the Brewers in 2012, making some wonder why bring him back now. Officials with the organization are characterizing the move as a low-risk deal for the team, meaning that they are open to exercising him as added help in the current lackluster bullpen if he improves in Arizona, but are also willing to release him again if a better option opens up.

The timing of the decision is also telling as to why the Brewers are interested in the Venezuelan native. Entering the first round of in-season free-agent signings, teams from around the league are looking to bolster bullpens that haven’t been up to par thus far. In Rodriguez’s case, it is known that the Marlins and Angels were also in talks with his agent, likely concerning Brewers staff who didn’t want to pay more than they had to. A quick offer, reportedly worth two-million dollars, was enough bait to forego the other negotiations that would have taken valuable time.

Assuming Rodriguez does don a Brewers uniform before the thirty-day deadline, he would join a young bullpen that has had mixedresults in 2013. John Axford, once expected to be the primary closer, has had his struggles carry over from last season, and that has shaken up the pecking order considerably. Manager Ron Roenicke said that he is still trying to find the right fits for everybody now that it is clear Axford won’t be an anchor, and he hopes free-agent signings like Rodriguez’s will provide some progress to that endeavor.     

Brewers Win On Opening Day | Axford Still Can't Find Comfort Zone

The Brewers won their first opening day game since 2008 on Monday, edging-out the Rockies in extra innings in-front of a sellout crowd. Over 45,000 fans attended the game at Miller Park, the fifth most in stadium history, some forgoing work and school for the experience. Most stayed when Colorado's Dexter Fowler sent the game into the tenth inning with a tying solo-home run, overcoming an earlier Brewers offensive that put up three-runs in the eighth. Prior to that explosive inning, Ron Roenicke's team struggled. With just a handful of hits through the first seven, and only outfielder Norichika Aoki managing a run, Miller Park was quiet most of the day. Even Brewers ace starter Yovani Gallardo had trouble in his first outing of 2013, giving up ten hits and three runs. He left the game in the fifth, now with 0-2 record in four consecutive opening day starts.

Gallardo owned up to the damage he caused following the game, but told reporters that the important part was a victory. He says he will use the confidence from the win to prepare for his next start on Sunday against the Diamondbacks. The 27 year old Mexico native wasn't the only pitcher to succumb to nerves on the mound Monday, however. Storied closer John Axford also busted the team's momentum, giving up a late two-out home run to Fowler to spoil a one-run lead. He struck-out three other batters during his inning out, but was not happy with his performance in the dugout.

Brewers Surge In Eighth Inning

Neither were 2012's leading RBI-duo Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez. The pair of Milwaukee sluggers fueled the eighth inning surge, putting a combined three runners through home. Ramirez took a seven pitch at-bat before knocking a floater down the left field line, just out of reach if the Rockies outfielder, allowing Braun time to round second and third for the go-ahead run. Fowler's answer just four batters later once again deflated the atmosphere inside Miller Park. The second-year righty Jim Henderson survived a scoreless top-of-the-tenth at-bat from Colorado, however, setting up a fresh Brewers lineup for a chance at the win.

Adam Ottavino faced Aoki for his first turn out of the bullpen in the bottom-of-the-tenth. Aoki struck-out swinging, but that would be Ottavino's only highlight of the day. He would hit second basemen Rickie Weeks in the leg with a wild-pitch, and then intentionally walk Braun after allowing Weeks to steal second. An unintentional walk of Ramirez loaded the bases with two-outs remaining, pitting Ottavino against Brewers catcher Johnathan Lucroy for an anti-climatic final at-bat. Taking a strike on the first pitch, Lucory took a stab at a slow slider that sailed off the end of his bat. Ready at third to make the sprint for home following the sacrifice fly, Weeks easily outran the long throw from Dexter in center field to put in the winning run.

Brewers Cactus League Pitchers Struggle To Make The Roster

The Brewers began their first round of options and releases at pitcher this week. Releasing Kelvim Escobar, and optioning a pair of starters to Nashville, the team made the first moves in a heated battle for a spot in the rotation in 2013.
After playing twelve seasons with two teams, Escobar was invited to Arizona with the Brewers to attend spring training. At thirty-six, the aging starter was a long-shot to make the mound, but with over one-hundred wins since debuting with the Blue Jays in 1997, he was worth the look. A nagging shoulder injury suffered in 2009 continued to impede his performance during camp, however, and MRIs showed the tear wasn't likely to improve any further.

The veteran has no hard feelings about the decision. Talking with reporters after the news broke; Escobar said he understands that the younger generation of pitchers is stepping into his place, and that he never had any illusions about his chances. He followed up by admitting that he does still hope to make a major league squad before the season begins, though he also would be happy with guaranteed starts in Mexico's leagues. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke also revealed this week that prospects Tyler Thornburg and Johnny Hellweg would be optioned to the team's Triple-A affiliate in Nashville. The right-handed pair came into camp as the Brewers second and fourth ranked prospects, respectively, and are expected to debut as starters during the season after stretching in the minors.

Hellweg was acquired from the Angels bullpen last summer in the Zack Greinke trade. He managed a 4.15 ERA with seven strikeouts in two starts and five reliefs with Huntsville after the deal, earning an invitation to Maryvale for 2013. The twenty-four year-old entered camp as an expected bullpen candidate, but was deemed better fit at starter.

Tyler Thornburg Struggles In Cactus Leage Play

Thornburg, second to just Wily Peralta in the team's prospect ranking, is a tried and true minor league starter. At twenty-four, he had a poor debut performance in his first Cactus League start this year, giving-up four runs on four hits over four innings. He was slotted to start Wednesday against Colorado, but with aces Yovani Gallardo and Marco Estrada returning from the World Baseball Classic, Gallardo will take his place.

Alex Gonzalez Takes His Base

He’s played 1,559 games as a shortstop and one as first basemen. There needs to be a first time for everything, and on Sunday Alex Gonzalez had his first taste of a season that will see him playing a number of positions around the field.

Agreeing to a $1.5 million dollar contract this year, following an exhaustive search for something more lucrative, the thirty-six year-old Venezuelan native will spend his fifteenth season in the league coming off the bench. It is an unfamiliar predicament for Gonzalez, who has started more than 10,000 innings since the late nineties, but one that had no alternative.

Forced to sit out the remainder of 2012 with a knee injury after just twenty-four starts in Milwaukee, the natural shortstop was replaced by the young Jean Segura soon after. Hoping to find another starting spot elsewhere, Gonzalez spent most of the early months of the off-season in negotiations around the country before finally settling in his home country to play winter ball. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke never broke contact, however, and with good words from South America about his progress, the manager made an offer.

The agreement was not a conventional one for an aging star. A comparatively low salary, and no guarantee of ample playing time, Gonzalez will be expected to fill as many as four positions off the bench in 2013. And, while precedents are few regarding the contract, the parties involved are confident in his abilities.

Gonzalez Happy To Be Playing For The Brewers

Gonzalez was the first to speak about his excitement to be back with the Brewers, regardless of the role. Speaking to reporters following a day of camp earlier this week, Gonzalez said that he appreciates that chance Roenicke has extended, and he intends to do everything he can to help the team succeed. Acknowledging that he has taken a backseat to a younger generation, Gonzalez said he would be healthy and ready to step into any position that he is needed.

For his part, Roenicke admitted that the hire was a calculated gamble, but he considers Gonzalez's experience and character invaluable. Looking for the veteran to help guide Segura through the motions of becoming a major league starter, the manager said he is sure Gonzalez will be excellent insurance for any unexpected injuries or shortcomings from starting infielders. He even foreshadowed the likelihood that Gonzalez takes turns stepping into his old starting position for the twenty-three year-old Segura, who, with less than fifty outings in the majors, won't be asked to play daily.

Despite the confidence, Gonzalez's first assignment at first base on Sunday was not a welcome one. Losing starter Mat Gamal to injury early in camp, Roenicke was forced to play Gonzalez in his place. The outing went well, though the manager will not settle for a near forty year-old starter at the key base.

Beyond the temporary assignment at first, and the occasional start at shortstop, most of Gonzalez's time will be spent in the dugout. Barring any mishaps with third basemen Aramis Ramirez or second basemen Rickie Weeks, his role will be mainly as a veteran adviser. 

Brewers Send Fifteen To World Baseball Classic

The Brewers announced over the weekend that they would be breaking the fourteen player cap, and sending a fifteenth player to the World Baseball Classic in March. Right-hander Nick Bucci will be on the mound for team Canada during the tournament, getting the go-ahead nod from Brewers officials late last week. With Bucci now committed to attend, Milwaukee boasts the most presence at the Classic of any major league organization.

Scott Richmond, of the Korean Baseball Organization, was originally slated to start for Canada, but an unexpected injury forced him to decline the invitation, opening the spot for Bucci. The twenty-two year old joins fellow pitchers John Axford and Jim Henderson on the Canadian roster, as well as third-basemen Taylor Green and outfielder René Tosoni. Those five represent the most Brewers on any single-country's roster for the event, more than doubling the number of team personnel on any other squad.

Bucci, born in Ontario, was drafted in 2008 out of high school. Seen as a promising talent on the mound, he was forced to sit out nearly all of the 2012 season with a shoulder injury suffered during Spring Training. Returning late in the year for six starts with Class A Brevard County, he put up an impressive two-and-two record with just under a 2.00ERA and thirty-seven strikeouts in thirty-two innings. He was added to the Brewers forty-man roster in mid-November, and is expected to make a number of appearances in 2013.

Ryan Braun To Play In Classic

Among other active Brewers joining their home nation's teams at the Classic are Ryan Braun and Johnathan Lucroy for the United States. Marco Estrada and Yovanni Gallardo will be representing the mound for Mexico. Martín Maldonado for Puerto Rico. Carlos Gomez for the Dominican Republic, and Jeff Bianchi for Italy.  Non-active players Mike Walker, Hainley Statia, and Hiram Burgos will also attend the tournament.

Brewers Uniforms | Who Likes The Current Logo?

The second annual Brewers Design A YOUniform contest reached a climax on Tuesday, as three finalists were selected from a group of over 700 entries. Nicholas Foust's, Ben Peters, and Ron Verrrecchio's designs were chosen by the club to compete in a week-long online fan vote, as well as a industry panel comprised of players, coaches, managers, and sponsors. The winning design will be revealed on January twenty-seventh at the Brewers On Deck ceremony, which all three finalists have been invited to. Closer John Axford will announce the winner at the event.

The winner will have the opportunity to see their design in action at a March twenty-second exhibition game against the Cubs in Maryvale. The club will pay all expenses up to 1,500 dollars for two people to make the trip, as well as airfare. The team will again wear the design a week later for their final pre-season game at Miller Park, though as Foust is the only Wisconsin resident of the trio, the Brewers decided that the winner would be invited to the Arizona game instead.

The three final designs can be viewed on the Brewers website, and will be available for purchase on team merchandise at the Brewers Clubhouse in Miller Park.

The Design A YOUniform contest is something unique the Brewers organization, according to chief operating officer Rick Schlesinger. The team was the first to hold a design contest in 1977, when the iconic ball and glove logo was created by a then University of Wisconsin Eau Claire student. 

Who Was Up For MLB Hall Of Fame in 2013?

For just the eighth time in history, no player was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. Results of the voting were released on Wednesday, revealing that not a single individual managed the required seventy-five percent of votes to be admitted. With close to six hundred ballots cast by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, long-time Astro Craig Biggio was the closest to breaking the three-quarters mark, finishing thirty-nine votes short. Jeff Bagwell, Jack Morris, Mike Piazza, and Tim Raines rounded out the top five.

A number of headline makers in the recent past were also included in this year's voting, including Curt Schilling, Rodger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa. Schilling, Clemens, and Bonds did the best of the bunch, earning seventh, eighth, and ninth, respectively. Between themselves, the three were only separated by less than twenty votes.

Meanwhile, McGwire and Sosa, famous for their duel in the 1998 homerun chase, each finished unexpectedly low in the poll. McGwire, winner of the chase fourteen years ago, again bested Sosa with ninety-six votes. Sosa ended-up with seventy-one, though both achieved the needed five percent of the overall vote to stay on the ballot for next year.

Theree Brewers were on the ballot for the first time this year, as well. Though none managed the five percent to be eligible again next January, former infielder Julio Franco topped out the group with six votes. Jeff Cirillo and Royce Clayton both earned no votes.

The inability to select a hall of famer this year is just the second time since 1971 that such an event has happened. 1996 was the most recent incidence, until Wednesday. 

Idelson Explains Reasons For Snubbing Everyone

Jeff Idelson, president of the Hall of Fame, admitted that there were likely many reasons that no player could muster the near four hundred votes required to be inducted this year, though he thinks the prevalence of players active during the turn of the century was the main factor. Idelson explained that the late nineties and early two-thousands were the heyday of supposed steroid use in major league baseball. Evidenced by McGwire's and Bonds lowly conclusions in the poll, Idelson reasons that voters strayed from any one player because of possible tarnishes to his performance.

The president also touched on the fears of some older players on the ballot, many who have just one year left of eligibility. Morris, the most storied of these unfortunate souls, saw his fourteenth try at the Hall of Fame end with disappointment on Wednesday, leaving him with just one more go at a coveted place in sporting history. Players have just fifteen years that they can remain on the ballot, and nineteen candidates this year either succumbed to that fate or did not receive five percent of the vote after multiple years of eligibility.

For Morris, his is an uphill battle. Finishing second this time-around, he will be joined by a wave a next generation players who will be up for selection in 2014.