Kuzul

If the Milwaukee Brewers decide to sell before the trade deadline, they will call upon their young prospects to replace the departed.

The Brewers may decide to call up their young talent, even if they aren’t active in the trade market. Their farm system, however, is relatively thin. They traded their top prospects, Brett Lawrie and Alcides Escobar, in return for Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke.

Still, the Crew has a handful of up-and-comers. Mat Gamel was one of the few thought to explode with the Brewers in 2012, but a knee injury destroyed that. Most of their prospects have had a taste of the major leagues but haven’t stayed long enough to make an impact, and some are already making an impact this year.

But if the Brewers want to be competitive for years to come, trading for high-level talent will be the priority. Until then, they will have to make do with the talent they have.

Here are three prospects that could make an impact in the second half.

Begin Slideshow

Ryan Braun had a pair of home runs in the Brewers‘ 10-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates last night.

It was Braun’s 16th career multi-HR game and the fourth this season. The Brewers are 4-0 this season in games during which Braun hits two or more home runs, and they have won the last seven games in which Braun has had multiple home runs. It is also the third multiple-home-run game for Braun in his last 21 games.

For those of you wondering if Braun’s 16 multi-HR games is a team record, the answer is no. Braun’s 16 ranks him third in team history behind Prince Fielder with 22 and Gorman Thomas with 19 multi-HR games.

Following is a look at Brewers players who have hit two or more home runs in five or more games with the Brewers.

22: Prince Fielder

19: Gorman Thomas

16: Ryan Braun

14: Robin Yount, Cecil Cooper, Greg Vaughn, Jeromy Burnitz

13: Corey Hart

12: Rob Deer, Richie Sexson

11: Dave Nilsson

10: Geoff Jenkins, Ben Oglivie

9: Don Money

7: George Scott

6: John Jaha, Johnny Briggs

5: Paul Molitor, Rickie Weeks, Sixto Lezcano

The Brewers have won 12 and lost four in the 16 games in which Braun has hit multiple home runs. Of those players who have five or more multi-HR games as a Brewer, following is a look at the team record in the games in which those players hit two or more homers.

Lezcano: 5-0, 1.000

Fielder: 19-3, .864

Scott: 6-1, .857

Briggs: 5-1, .833

Nilsson: 9-2, .818

Jenkins: 8-2, .800

Molitor: 4-1, .800

Cooper: 11-3, .786

Burnitz: 11-3, .786

Braun: 12-4, .750

Deer: 9-3, .750

Sexson: 9-3, .750

Oglivie: 7-3, .700

Thomas: 13-6, .684

Money: 5-4, .556

Vaughn: 7-7, .500

Jaha: 3-3, .500

Hart: 6-7, .462

Yount: 6-8, .429

Weeks: 1-4, .200

Braun’s four multi-HR games in 2012 puts him within reach of the team record for most multiple-home-run games in a season. Brewers Hall of Famer Robin Yount holds that record with seven in 1982. In fact, Yount had 14 career multi-HR games, with half of them coming in the ’82 season.

Here’s a look at the players who hit two or more home runs in five or more games in a season for the Brewers.

7: Robin Yount, 1982

6: Gorman Thomas, 1982; Richie Sexson, 2001

5: Prince Fielder, 2007; Prince Fielder, 2009; Jeromy Burnitz, 2001

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

If history has anything to say about the chances of the Brewers making the playoffs this year, there is a slim to none chance it is going to happen. In the two recent years that the Brewers did make the playoffs (2008 and 2011) both teams were above .500 at the All-Star break.

The Brewers are currently 34-42, eight games under .500. They have nine more games on the schedule until the All-Star break and could run off a streak of nine straight wins to get above .500 before the break. But even then, the chances of a playoff run are not looking good…again, based on history.

Since 1995, the Brewers have been at least one game above .500 at the All-Star break in six seasons and at .500 in one other season. They have been at least one game under .500 in the other ten seasons. Here are the six seasons when they were above .500 at the All-Star break and how they finished that season.

Year, games above .500 at the break, end of season

2007: +10 (finished in second place, did not make playoffs)

2008: +9 (finished in second place, made playoffs as the Wild Card)

2011: +6 (finished in first place, made playoffs)

2004: +4 (finished in sixth place, did not make playoffs)

2009: +2 (finished in third place, did not make playoffs)

1998: +1 (finished in fifth place, did not make playoffs)

In the 10 seasons where the Brewers were under .500 at the All-Star break, the team finished third four times, finished in fourth place three times, finished fifth on one occasion and was sixth at the end of the year twice.

If we look at all of Major League Baseball since 2000, we discover that of the 96 teams that made the playoffs in the last 12 years, only two teams made the playoffs in a season where they were under .500 at the All-Star break. The two: the Dodgers in 2008, who were three games under .500, and the 2003 Twins, who were five games under .500 that year.

There were six other playoff teams since 2000 that were at .500 at the All-Star break. That means that 88 of the 96 playoff teams (91.7 percent) were above .500 at the All-Star break. Taking it a step further, 56 of those 96 playoff teams (58.3 percent) were at least 10 games above .500 at the break.

Here’s a quick look at the teams since 2000 that were either at or below .500 at the All-Star break yet made the playoffs that year.

Team, year, All-Star break

Minnesota, 2003: Five games under .500

L.A. Dodgers, 2008: Three games under .500

N.Y. Yankees, 2007: At .500

Colorado, 2007: At .500

Philadelphia, 2007: At .500

Houston, 2004: At .500

Chicago Cubs, 2003: At .500

St. Louis, 2001: At .500

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Last night, Zack Greinke got the win in the Brewers’ 1-0 extra-inning win over the Chicago White Sox by tossing nine innings of three-hit ball.

Greinke improved his record to 8-2 and lowered his ERA to 2.81 for the season. With the All-Star Game a little over two weeks away, there is a distinct possibility that Greinke will represent the Brewers at this year’s game.

Brewers pitchers have actually had a great deal of success at the All-Star Game in the franchise’s 43-year history. Twenty-three Brewers pitchers have been selected to an All-Star team since 1969 with 16 of them getting a chance to pitch in the game. Brewers hurlers have a combined 0-1 record (Rollie Fingers took the loss in the 1981 contest), but they have a 1.50 ERA with 14 hits allowed and nine strikeouts in 18 innings of work.

Here’s a look at my 10 greatest pitching performances by Brewers pitchers in the All-Star Game.

10. Ben Sheets, 2007 (1.0 IP, 2 H): Sheets came on in relief during the third inning with the N.L. holding a 1-0 lead. He gave up two-out hits to Ichiro Suzuki and Derek Jeter, but retired David Ortiz to end the inning. He was credited with a hold in the game.

9. Danny Kolb, 2004 (1.0 IP, 1 H): Relieved N.L. starter Roger Clemens in the second inning after the A.L. had scored six runs in the first. Kolb retired three of the four batters he faced, giving up only a single to Ivan Rodriguez.

8. Trevor Hoffman, 2009 (1.0 IP, 1 H): Entered the game in the sixth inning with the score tied 3-3. He gave up a one-out single to Josh Hamilton, but then got Michael Young to ground into a double play to end the inning.

7. Ben Sheets, 2004 (1.0 IP, 1 K): This was the first time that two Brewers pitchers had pitched in the same All-Star Game (see Kolb above). Sheets came into the game with the N.L. down 9-4. He had a one-two-three inning.

6. Derrick Turnbow, 2006 (1.0 IP, 1 H): Turnbow entered the game with the N.L. holding a 2-1 lead. After giving up a leadoff single to Paul Konerko, Turnbow got Troy Glaus to hit into a double play. He then retired Michael Young to end the inning. He was credited with a hold in the game.

5. Ben Sheets, 2008 (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K): The only time a Brewers pitcher was the starter of an All-Star Game. Sheets left the game with the score tied at 0-0. He gave up a one-out single to Jeter in the first inning, but retired Hamilton and Rodriguez to end the first. He had two walks and two strikeouts in the second inning.

4. Bob Wickman, 2000 (1.0 IP, 1 K): With the N.L. losing 3-2, Wickman had a one-two-three inning in the eighth, striking out Tony Batista sandwiched around retiring Fred McGriff and Edgar Martinez.

3. Dan Plesac, 1987 (1.0 IP, 1 K): Pitching for the A.L., Plesac entered the game in the eighth inning with the score tied 0-0. Plesac had a one-two-three inning, striking out Hubie Brooks to end the inning.

2. Teddy Higuera, 1986 (3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K): The first pitcher out of the A.L. bullpen, Higuera entered the game in the fourth inning with the A.L. ahead 2-0. He had one-two-three innings in the fourth and the sixth, and got out of a one-out, two-on jam in the fifth by retiring Dale Murphy and Hubie Brooks. He left the game with the A.L. leading 2-0.

1. Lary Sorensen, 1978 (3.0 IP, 1 H): With the score tied 3-3, Sorensen gave up a leadoff single to Larry Bowa to start the fourth inning. He then retired nine straight, sitting down Reggie Smith, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, George Foster, Greg Luzinski, Steve Garvey, Ted Simmons, Dave Winfield and Bowa. He left the game with the score still tied at 3-3.

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Fans of the Milwaukee Brewers have watched many of their favorite players on the All-Star Game stage since the team came to Milwaukee in 1970. Players like Cecil Cooper, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount and Ryan Braun have made multiple appearances in the midseason classic over the past 40-plus years.

But there have also been a handful of players who have worn the Brewers uniform who had short careers in Milwaukee; for some, their stay in the Brew City was only one season. But in that season, they represented the Brewers in the All-Star Game.

Following is a look at the 10 players who represented the Brewers in the All-Star Game, yet played in Milwaukee for only three seasons or less.

Tommy Harper, Infielder, 1970 All-Star: Harper came to Milwaukee in 1970 as a member of the Seattle Pilots. He played for the Brewers two seasons before he was traded to Boston after the 1971 season. He played 454 games as a Pilot/Brewer, hitting .264 with 54 home runs.

Marty Pattin, Pitcher, 1971 All-Star: Another member of the Seattle Pilot contingent. Won 14 games in each of two seasons in Milwaukee. Pitched in 106 games as Pilot/Brewer compiling a 35-38 record with a 3.82 ERA. Was part of the trade that sent Harper to the Red Sox.

Ellie Rodriguez, Catcher, 1972 All-Star: Came to the Brewers in a 1971 trade with the Kansas City Royals. Hit .255 in 325 games (three seasons) with the team. Hit .285 in his ’72 all-star season. Traded to the California Angels after the 1973 campaign.

Hank Aaron, Designated Hitter, 1975 All-Star: Made 11 All-Star Game appearances as a Milwaukee Brave. Spent the last two years of his career as a Brewer, serving primarily as DH. Hit 22 home runs as a Brewer, retiring after the 1976 season.

Jim Sundberg, Catcher, 1984 All-Star: Spent only one season with the Brewers, coming to the team in a trade with the Texas Rangers. Made the ’84 All-Star team in his only season with Milwaukee. Hit .261 with seven HRs and 43 RBIs. Was traded after the ’84 season to the Royals.

Dave Parker, Designated Hitter, 1990 All-Star: Another one-year stop player with the Brewers. Parker, a mainstay of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1970s, was signed as a free agent by the Brewers. He hit .289 with 21 homers and 92 RBIs in his only season with the club. Was traded to the Angels prior to the start of the 1991 season for Dante Bichette.

Danny Kolb, Relief Pitcher, 2004 All-Star: One of the many short-term relievers that had success with the Brewers. Pitched in 154 games with the team in three seasons. He had 61 saves and a 3.31 ERA with the team. Had 39 saves in his all-star season. Had two stints with the Brewers—2003-04, and 2006.

Carlos Lee, Outfielder, 2005, 2006 All-Star: Played 264 games with the Brewers in two seasons, making the NL All-Star team as a Brewer both years. Had 60 home runs as a Brewer. Was traded to Texas shortly after the 2006 All-Star Game.

Francisco Cordero, Relief Pitcher, 2007 All-Star: Had 60 saves in two seasons with the Brewers, including 44 in 2007. Left the Brewers after the 2007 season to sign as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds.

Trevor Hoffman, Relief Pitcher, 2009 All-Star: Played two years with the Brewers, and then retired after the 2010 season. Signed as a free agent by the club prior to the ’09 season. Had 47 saves with the team, including 37 in 2009.

While the above players may have only had short careers in Milwaukee, here’s a look at the players who have the most All-Star Game appearances in a Brewers uniform.

All-Star Game appearances (as a Brewer)

5: Cecil Cooper, Paul Molitor

4: Ryan Braun, Don Money, Ben Sheets

3: Prince Fielder, Ben Oglivie, Dan Plesac, Robin Yount

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s breakout season is expected to be put on hold for four to six weeks while he recovers from a “boxer’s fracture.” Bernie Augustine of The New York Daily News passed along the timetable on his recovery.

The injury occurred in his right hand. Lucroy, 25, tried to play through the injury but, as you can imagine, a fractured hand made it difficult for him to swing a bat. 

While the injury is popularly called a “boxer’s fracture,” it apparently can happen outside the ring. We don’t need to look any further than Lucroy’s injury to decipher that. 

He injured his hand while being violently assaulted by a suitcase, and the attack may have been set up by his sock. 

Augustine reported that Lucroy was reaching around for his sock under his bed when his wife moved a piece of luggage and it fell onto his hand. No charges were filled on the luggage or the sock, which still may be on the loose. Those details are not clear at this time. 

This is a disturbing trend for the sock. Their resistance to their lot in life has been well-documented, and now they have lashed out at a high-profile target. 

Lucroy is having a great season. He leads the majors with a .514 batting average with runners in scoring position. He is hitting .345 overall, which is currently fourth in the National League, and has five home runs and 30 RBI. 

The Brewers will certainly miss his presence in the lineup, but at 20-28, it’s not like they were in the thick of the pennant race.

Augustine reports that the Brewers have called up Martin Maldonado to help behind the plate while Lucroy recovers. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In the first inning of today’s New York Mets-San Diego Padres game, Vinny Rottino hit his first career major league home run, a solo shot off Clayton Richard. In doing so, Rottino, who was born in Racine, Wisconsin, became the 87th Wisconsin-born major league player to hit a home run in the majors.

Rottino spent parts of three seasons with the parent Brewers club in 2006, ’07 and ’08 after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He made his MLB debut on September 1, 2006 with the Brewers. In his three “cups of coffee” with the Brewers MLB team, he had five hits in 24 at-bats.

Last year he had an eight-game stint with the Florida Marlins. This is his second call-up with the Mets this season.

Hall of Famer Al Simmons leads all Wisconsin-born players in home runs. Simmons had 307 career four-baggers playing for seven teams in a 20-year MLB career.

Here’s a look at the players born in Wisconsin who have hit the most home runs in the majors.

Home Runs, Player (last year in majors)

307 Al Simmons (1944)

213 Andy Pafko (1959)

163 Ken Keltner (1950)

135 Eric Hinske (active)

123 Joe Randa (2006)

117 Chet Laabs (1947)

116 Rich Reichardt (1974)

90 Mark Grudzielanek (2010)

87 Harvey Kuenn (1966)

87 Damian Miller (2007)

84 Fred Luderus (1920)

80 Joe Hauser (1929)

74 Ed Konetchy (1921)

63 Scott Servais (2001)

61 Fred Merkle (1926)

Note: Rottino is one of four Wisconsin-born players currently playing in the majors. Jason Berken is a pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles; Eric Hinske is a utility player with the Atlanta Braves; and, Jordan Zimmerman is a pitcher with the Washington Nationals.

Source: www.baseball-reference.com

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

This weekend many of us will be celebrating Memorial Day and the contributions of the countless men and women who served our country and fought for our freedom.

Brewers fans also have something else to celebrate this weekend. Today, May 26, 2012, is the fifth anniversary of Ryan Braun‘s first career home run. On May 26, 2007, Braun hit a solo HR off Padres pitcher Justin Germano in the third inning in San Diego.

In honor of the fifth anniversary of Braun’s first round-tripper, here are a few stats regarding the 174 homers Braun has hit up to this point in what many Brewers fans hope will be a long career with the club.

* Braun was hitting second in the order when he hit his first career home run. It is the only time that he has hit a HR while batting second in the order. He has hit 163 from the third spot, nine from the clean-up spot and one from the eighth spot in the order.

* Braun has hit most of his home runs in the first three innings (72). He has 62 four-baggers in innings four through six, and 40 HRs from the seventh inning on.

* Braun has hit 101 home runs when he has seen three or fewer pitches. He has 73 home runs when he has seen four or more pitches in an at-bat.

* Braun has hit the most home runs (64) when the Brewers are behind in the game. He has hit 62 when the Brewers are ahead and has hit 48 when the game is tied.

* He has 92 HRs at Miller Park and 82 in away games.

* When it comes to strikes in the count, Braun’s home run stroke has been most successful with one strike. He has 68 homers with one strike in the count, 57 home runs with two strikes in the count and 49 four-baggers when there are no strikes in the count. When it comes to balls in the count, Braun has hit more HRs when there are no balls in the count (59). He has 48 home runs with one ball in the count, 47 home runs with two balls in the count and 20 long balls with three balls in the count.

* Braun has 64 home runs with no outs in the inning, 56 home runs with one out in the inning and 54 home runs with two outs in the inning.

* Braun has hit the most home runs in July (35). Other monthly HR counts: March (1), April (29), May (27), June (26), August (26), September (28), October (2).

* Braun’s 173rd home run was on May 21 when he hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning against the Giants to tie the score at 3-3. It was the 12th time in his career that he has hit a home run in the seventh inning or later to tie the score or put the Brewers ahead in the game.

* Of the 15 National League teams, Braun has hit the fewest home runs against the New York Mets (2). He has hit the most HRs against the Houston Astros (24).

Research source: baseball-reference.com

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It’s been a rough start to the season for fans of the Milwaukee Brewers. With the offseason departure of Prince Fielder and long-winded Ryan Braun saga, the start of the 2012 season appeared to be a welcome sight.

A little more than a month into the season, that hasn’t been the case.

Plagued by injuries, the Brewers are struggling to stay out of the NL Central cellar. Most recently, Fielder’s replacement at first base, Mat Gamel, was lost for the season due to an ACL tear. Not only does this delay the answer to the question of whether or not Gamel is a long-term solution at first, it also poses a major question for what options they have for the rest of 2012.

The answer is Corey Hart.

In the games since Gamel’s injury, Travis Ishikawa has seen the majority of starts at first and is listed as the starter on the depth chart. This is not an acceptable fix. Ishikawa is a fine player off of the bench but has no business being a starting first baseman. Especially not when a better option is available.

Hart has a build that would be well suited for first, but really, that’s not why he should be there. Since becoming the starting right fielder for the Brewers, Hart’s defense has been, to put it nicely, frustrating.

In 719 games in right field, he’s committed 16 errors. That number might not be high, but anyone that’s watched the Brewers play enough during Hart’s tenure can attest to the numerous times he’s misplayed balls or fumbled his handle on a ball in the corner.

Not to mention, for a guy of his stature, an awful lot of balls seem to get hit over his head. Is some of that due to positioning? Sure. That doesn’t change the fact that Hart has never really gotten good jumps on balls hit his way.

Switching to a more positive tone though, Hart has the pop in his bat that’s necessary for a first baseman. One could argue that aside from Braun, Hart is the best power hitter the team has. Putting him at first would give the Brewers a legit bat at one of baseball’s power positions.

When asked recently about possibility pursuing free-agent first baseman Derek Lee, general manager Doug Melvin dismissed the idea. This likely means that the Brewers are content on looking for help within the organization. If that’s the case, Hart presents the best possible solution.

The one thing preventing this move from happening is the injury to Carlos Gomez. Upon his return, Gomez would return to center field, sending Nyjer Morgan to an everyday position in right. Morgan has spent all or part of 33 games in right during his career and has yet to commit an error. Morgan’s bat as been dreadful this season, but with more consistent playing time, that might change.

Even if Morgan isn’t a solution in right field, corner outfielders are a dime a dozen and the free-agent market would likely yield more options at a lesser cost than bringing in a first baseman would.

Going forward, something needs to be done with first base. Platooning Brooks Conrad, Taylor Green and Ishikawa is not going to propel the Brewers to the postseason. They need a legit bat at the position, and if they’re staying within the organization, Hart is the only answer.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Milwaukee Brewers have 21 stolen bases this season, which is right at the National League average. Carlos Gomez leads the team with five steals.

Over the course of the Brewers’ 43-plus year history, the team has not really been known as base-stealers.

There were, however, pockets of time in their history when stolen bases were a major part of their offensive arsenal. They led the league in steals in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots and then did not lead the league in stolen bases until 1987. It was that period from 1987-92 where the Brewers led the league five out of six seasons in stolen bases.

Since their move to the National League in 1998, stolen bases have not been a significant focus for the team. They did lead the N.L. in steals in 2004 led by outfielder Scott Podsednik’s 70 swipes. That year and a third-place spot in steals in 2003 are the only times the Brewers have finished in the top three in the N.L. in steals since 1998.

Here’s a look at what an all-time Brewers stolen bases team might look like…by position.

First Base

Cecil Cooper (77 stolen bases). Cooper had only 12 stolen bases in his first six seasons with the Red Sox. As a Brewer, “Coop” stole 48 bases in his first four seasons with the team. His career-high was 17 steals in 1980. Reserve: George Scott (40 stolen bases).

Second Base

Jim Gantner (137 stolen bases). He will likely be supplanted by Rickie Weeks in the next couple of years in this category. Gantner averaged nearly 15 steals per season from 1985-90. His year-high was 20 in both 1988 and ’89. Reserve: Rickie Weeks (102 stolen bases).

Shortstop

Pat Listach (112 stolen bases). The 1992 A.L. Rookie of the Year stole 54 bases in his award-winning season. Reserve: Jose Valentin (78 stolen bases).

Third Base

Paul Molitor (412 stolen bases). The Brewers’ career leader in stolen bases. He finished his career with 504 steals. He has four of the top 10 best single-seasons for steals in team history. Reserve: Don Money (66 stolen bases).

Outfield

Robin Yount (271 stolen bases). Had 10 or more steals in 16 of his 20 seasons with the Brewers. The only Brewers player in history to have over 200 career home runs and over 200 career steals.

Tommy Harper (136 stolen bases). More than half of his steals as a Brewer came in 1969 when he led the league with 73 bases with the Seattle Pilots. His 73 steals is the Brewers single-season record.

Scott Podsednik (113 stolen bases). Spent only two seasons with the Brewers. Had 70 steals in 2004 that led the National League. He and Harper are the only two Brewers to have 70-plus steals in a season.

Outfield Reserves

Darryl Hamilton (109 stolen bases); Mike Felder (108 stolen bases); Ryan Braun (100 stolen bases).

Catcher

B.J. Surhoff (102 stolen bases). Had a career-high 21 steals in 1988 with the Brewers. Reserve: Charlie Moore (51 stolen bases)

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com