Milwaukee Brewers News ClipsSaturday, February 21, 2015

Brewers head into spring training with many

questions

Tom Haudricourt Journal Sentinel

Feb. 20, 2015

Phoenix — Spring training provides six weeks for major-

league clubs to find answers to questions that will

determine whether they are competitive for the

postseason or destined to struggle.

And, make no mistake about it — every team has

question marks as they open camp. There is no such

thing as a perfect team. Some just have more questions

than others.

The Brewers, who devolved from a seemingly sure-fire

playoff team in 2014 to an 82-80 finish with a

horrendous late-season collapse, have many questions to

be answered over the next six weeks, such as:

■Will Ryan Braun's medically treated thumb hold up

over the long haul and allow him to once again be one of

the top offensive players in the National League?

■Can third baseman Aramis Ramirez, now in his mid-

30s, avoid the leg and knee issues that plagued him in

recent seasons and recover from his late-season fade in

2014?

■Which shortstop will show up this spring — the Jean

Segura who became a first-year all-star in 2013 or the

one who struggled for most of last season?

■With Yovani Gallardo now playing for Texas, how will

a thin starting rotation hold up? Is Mike Fiers ready to

put his up-and down past behind him and prosper over

the long term? Will Jimmy Nelson fulfill his potential as

the organization's top pitching prospect?

■Will anyone emerge as the primary bullpen closer?

Jonathan Broxton once filled that role for the Dodgers

but has been primarily a setup man in recent years. Will

the Brewers finally pull off a trade for Philadelphia's

Jonathan Papelbon or return Francisco Rodriguez to the

fold?

■Are second baseman Scooter Gennett and leftfielder

Khris Davis ready to be everyday, consistent

contributors? They have been productive over stretches

but their inexperience also has come forward at times.

■Can Jonathan Lucroy get ready for opening day while

being limited by a hamstring strain that will prevent him

from playing in games for several weeks? Does he have

time to show he's the best right-handed alternative to

Adam Lind at first base?

If Brewers fans are suitably nervous after contemplating

those questions, no one can blame them. As with most

teams in mid-markets with stretched payroll budgets, the

margin for error is slight. The line between competing

and stumbling is razor-thin.

But if most if not all of those questions result in positive

answers, the outlook for the 2015 Brewers will brighten

considerably. There is a lot of talent on this team, and if

things break right there is no reason it can't be

competitive for a playoff berth.

It's difficult to call a 150-day stay in first place last

season a fluke, no matter how ugly the finish. But major-

league baseball is a six-month gantlet, and no satisfaction

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was derived from the Brewers leading the pack for most

of 2014, only to fall flat on their faces at the end.

"Hopefully, we have a group of guys that are pissed off

about the way things ended last year," veteran starter

Kyle Lohse said Friday as pitchers and catchers reported

to camp. "We had an excellent 4½ months. I'm pissed.

You don't get that many opportunities to get to the

playoffs.

"Only a select few get that invite. We kind of let that one

slip through our hands. There are so many things that can

happen over 162 games. You don't know if you're going

to get in that position again. When you have it that close,

it should help drive you. Let's learn from it and not let

that happen again."

If that collapse keeps a chip on the Brewers' shoulders

throughout this season, the lesson learned could be

beneficial. But manager Ron Roenicke, whose fate relies

on the team shaking off that nightmare and bouncing

back, doesn't intend to challenge his players to use it as

motivation.

"I'll say something about it, but it's in the past," he said.

"We need to learn from it, but we need to move on.

Whether you start well or finish well, you've got to be

consistent in what you do. Hopefully, things change a

little bit this year."

Team principal owner Mark Attanasio and general

manager Doug Melvin rolled the dice in a big way with

their decision to keep the team mostly intact. They

decided the five-month stay in first place was no mirage

and attributed the late collapse solely to a team-wide

offensive slump that won't be repeated.

If that calculated gamble fails, critics will emerge from

all corners and the decision-makers will face the

possibility that it's time to step back and reload. A half-

dozen players on the final years of their contracts will

become trade bait.

If things come together, Attanasio and Melvin will look

like geniuses for not overreacting to the collapse. We

should start getting the answers soon.

Kyle Lohse: Brewers' 2014 collapse should be

motivation

By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel

Feb. 20, 2015

Phoenix - Veteran starting pitcher Kyle Lohse says the

Brewers should use their epic 2014 late-season collapse

as motivation as they prepare for this season.

“Hopefully, we have a group of guys that are (ticked) off

about the way things ended last year,” Lohse said Friday

as pitchers and catchers reported to spring camp at

Maryale Baseball Park. “We had an excellent 4 ½

months. I’m (ticked). You don’t get that many

opportunities to get to the playoffs.

“Only a select few get that invite. We kind of let that one

slip through our hands. There are so many things that can

happen over 162 games. You don’t know if you’re going

to get in that position again. When you have it that close,

it should help drive you. Let’s learn from it and not let

that happen again.”

The Brewers led the NL Central for 150 days last season

before falling apart down the stretch. A 9-22 finish, tied

mostly to a team-wide offensive slump, left them with an

82-80 record and out of the playoffs.

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If that collapse keeps a chip on the Brewers’ shoulders

throughout this season, the lesson learned could be

beneficial. But manager Ron Roenicke, whose fate relies

on the team shaking off that nightmare and bouncing

back, doesn’t intend to challenge his players to use it as

motivation.

“I’ll say something about it but it’s in the past,” he said.

“We need to learn from it but we need to move on.

Whether you start well or finish well, you’ve got to be

consistent in what you do. Hopefully, things change a

little bit this year.”

Brewers react to MLB's pace-of-play rules

changes

By Todd Rosiak of the Journal Sentinel

Feb. 20, 2015

Phoenix – Major League Baseball along with the

MLB Players Association on Friday announced several

rules changes designed to speed up the pace of play.

Beginning in spring training batters must now keep one

foot in the batter's box, except in certain circumstances,

and there will also be timers measuring non-game action,

break time between innings and pitching changes.

MLB began last fall looking at ways to speed up games,

which averaged 3 hours 2 minutes this past season.

There were also a series of changes made to the instant

replay system, most notably managers now being able to

challenge a play from the dugout rather than approaching

the umpire.

“These changes represent a step forward in our efforts to

streamline the pace of play," commissioner Rob Manfred

said. "The most fundamental starting point for improving

the pace of the average game involves getting into and

out of breaks seamlessly.

"In addition, the batter’s box rule will help speed up a

basic action of the game.”

Batters were required to keep one foot in the box

beginning in 2014 in the minor leagues, and the rule was

also utilized in the Arizona Fall League. Swinging at a

pitch, being forced out by a pitch, time out being granted

by the umpire and wild pitches and passed balls are all

acceptable reasons for batters to leave the box.

Jonathan Lucroy, who's no stranger to recent rules

changes as the Milwaukee Brewers' catcher, isn't in favor

of keeping batters in the box.

"It bothers me to see that because as a hitter when you

rush in the game of baseball, it's not going to work out,"

he said. "I like taking my time, relaxing, gathering my

thoughts. This game is tough enough without being up

there rushing."

With regard to breaks, there now will be timers – one on

the outfield scoreboard and the other behind home plate

near the pressbox – that will count down from 2 minutes

25 seconds for locally televised games and 2:45 for

nationally televised games immediately following the

third out of each half-inning.

Pitchers will continue to be given at least eight warm-up

pitches per inning, but now must forfeit any of those not

thrown prior to 30 seconds remaining on the clock.

A clock timing pitchers between throws in games will be

instituted in both Class AA and Class AAA beginning

this season, but that measure has not yet been enacted in

the major leagues.

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"I understand trying to speed up the game," pitcher Kyle

Lohse. "I mean, I don’t like sitting through a 3-, 3½-hour

game on the bench. I get on some of our younger

pitchers when they take too much time in between

because you should already have an idea of what you

want to do.

"There’s certain times in the game where you’ve got to

slow it down, but still it shouldn’t take a minute between

pitches. And there’s going to be situations where you

have to slow the game down, where it’s going a little too

quick and Billy Hamilton’s on base. The best way to

slow him down is to hold the ball."

The changes will be enforced through a warning and fine

system, with discipline resulting for flagrant violators.

No fines will be issued in spring training or April of the

regular season.

"They always tell you when you're struggling you need

to slow the game down," Lucroy said. "This is not a fast-

paced game. When you try to speed the game up, it

makes it 20 times as hard. If a pitcher is rushed, I

guarantee he won't make a good pitch. If a hitter is

rushed, I guarantee you they won't have a good at-bat.

"We'll see how they enforce it."

Managers can now challenge plays from the dugout or

top step of the dugout verbally or with a hand signal,

although they'll have to leave the dugout to challenge an

inning-ending call.

Additionally, a manager will retain his challenge after

every call that is overturned. Last year, a manager

retained his challenge after only the first overturned call.

A manager now must challenge plays at home plate to

determine whether the rule governing collisions was

violated, but now they can also review whether a runner

left base early or properly touched a base while tagging

up.

Also, during postseason games, regular-season tiebreaker

games and the All-Star Game, managers will have two

challenges.

Jonathan Lucroy encouraged by hamstring

progress

By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel

Feb. 20, 2015

Phoenix - The plan is still for Jonathan Lucroy to take it

easy in the early stages of spring camp but the Brewers

catcher said Friday he is encouraged by the early

progress with his strained right hamstring.

"The pain already has gone away," said Lucroy, who

credited a platelet-enriched plasma infusion into the

injury site for accelerating the healing. "Before, just

standing around I would feel it. Now, it's already feeling

a lot better. I think we're definitely making improvement.

It's been a week and a half since I had (the infusion). I

feel good.

"But we're just going to take it slow. There's no rush.

You don't want to go out and test it right away. These

things can be nagging. You've got to knock it out of

there. We have time. I'll have plenty of time (to catch)

bullpens."

When Lucroy's upper right hamstring continued to bother

him during the offseason, he had an MRI performed a

couple of weeks ago that revealed a slight tear in the

hamstring tendon where it attaches to the hip. Officially,

it's being called a mild hamstring strain.

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Lucroy, who reported to camp Sunday to get in some

early rehab work with his hamstring, still plans to

participate regularly in batting practice and fielding

drills, and eventually catch pitchers in bullpen sessions.

He just won't play in games for some time because of the

no-running edict.

"I can do everything except for sprinting, and I couldn't

really sprint to begin with," Lucroy joked. "I played with

it last year. I just have to cut down on my stolen bags.

"People are saying, 'Oh, you can't play.' Actually, I

can. I'll just go over to the minor-league side and

probably get three times as many at-bats as I will here. I

actually like doing that because I can lead off every

inning and just do a 75% jog (to first base)."

Pitchers and catchers reported to camp Friday. They will

undergo physicals Saturday and have their first workout

Sunday morning at Maryvale Baseball Park.

Remade rotation gets to work as Brewers report

With Gallardo gone, Lohse and Garza lead

veterans to open spring

By Adam

McCalvy / MLB.com | @AdamMcCalvy | February 20,

2015 

PHOENIX -- It was 8 degrees below zero when a large

contingent of Brewers front-office officials lifted off the

runway in Milwaukee on Thursday morning. A little

more than 24 hours later, many of those same men

stepped onto the freshly cut grass at Maryvale Baseball

Park, where the temperature soared into the 80s.

Winter, your time is almost up. On Friday, Brewers

pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training.

It will be another six days before manager Ron

Roenicke's full squad takes the field for its first official

workout, but Friday marked a ceremonial start to the

Brewers' 47th season as a franchise. MLB.com will have

it covered from the first warmup toss to the final

exhibition pitch. The Brewers open the season on April 6

against the Rockies at Miller Park.

Among the storylines this spring:

• A post-Yovani Gallardo starting rotation that is part

veteran (Kyle Lohseand Matt Garza) and part up-and-

comer (Wily Peralta, Mike Fiers and Jimmy Nelson).

Keeping that group healthy will be critical, since with the

departure of Gallardo and swingman Marco Estrada, the

Brewers appear to have less depth than in recent years.

"We've got five guys," Lohse said. "That's not something

I really want to get into. We've got what we got here, and

I feel good about what we've got. … We need these guys

-- Fiers, Nelson, Wily -- just to do their part. If we stay

healthy, I like our chances."

• An offense that returns almost entirely intact, but with a

new boss in hitting coach Darnell Coles. He has history

as a Minor League instructor and manager, so most

Brewers hitters have already worked with Coles before.

• Key players coming back from injuries, including

catcher Jonathan Lucroy(hamstring), Ryan

Braun (hand), Jim Henderson (shoulder) and Tyler

Thornburg (elbow).

• The usual position battles on the bench and in the

bullpen, where Henderson and Thornburg are bidding to

return to previously significant roles. Early reports on

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each right-hander have been positive. Thornburg said

Friday that he expects to take the field Sunday for the

team's first official workout under no physical

restrictions, though the final decision belongs to Brewers

medical officials.

• Ongoing chatter about a trade for Phillies

closer Jonathan Papelbon or the signing of free-agent

closer Francisco Rodriguez, both of whom remain

available as camps open in Arizona and Florida. The

Brewers have been linked to both, but so far have balked

at the prices.

• Roenicke and GM Doug Melvin entering the final

seasons of their contracts, working under owner Mark

Attanasio, who expects the team to compete for a spot in

the postseason.

Asked whether he could prognosticate what kind of team

the Brewers would be this season, Lucroy said, "I wish.

It's hard to say. We don't know about injuries. I think our

pitching staff is going to be solid if guys pitch to their

ability. I totally believe that."

Said Lohse: "I think we're going to be good. I think we're

going to compete. We have a lot of guys with an ability

to grind, and hopefully we have a group of guys who are

ticked off about the way things ended last year."

The grind began Friday, when Maryvale Baseball Park

came back to life.

Despite injury, Lucroy expects busy spring

By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com | February 20, 2015 

PHOENIX -- Encouraged by his progress since

undergoing treatment for a right hamstring injury 10

days earlier, Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroymade the

case Friday that he might actually get more work than

usual this spring, despite being sidelined for a chunk of

Cactus League games.

The prognosis calls for Lucroy to miss 4-6 weeks of

Spring Training, but he has been working out at

Maryvale Baseball Park since Sunday and participated

all week in baseball drills that did not involve running.

Lucroy expects to catch pitchers' bullpen sessions and

take part in defensive drills as usual. He will refrain from

running until cleared by the athletic training staff.

"There's no rush," Lucroy said. "I can do everything but

sprint, which I couldn't really [do] to begin with."

Lucroy suffered a similar injury last August that flared

up last month when he ramped-up his running. After an

MRI scan and visits with two physicians, he was

diagnosed with what the Brewers called a "mild strain"

(technically, according to Lucroy, a slight tear to one of

his hamstring tendons) and prescribed a platelet-rich

plasma injection on Feb. 10.

As pitchers and catchers reported to camp Friday, Lucroy

reported significant improvement.

"I've seen a lot of people say, 'Oh my God, he can't play.'

Well, actually, I can," Lucroy said. "I'll just go on the

Minor League side and probably get three times as many

at-bats as I could over here. I actually like doing that. It's

fun, because I can lead off or hit second every inning and

to a 70 percent jog."

Even at the long end of his projected rehabilitation,

Lucroy should be back to full health in plenty of time for

the Brewers' April 6 season opener. In the meantime, the

Brewers have two other catchers on the 40-man roster

(Martin Maldonadi and Juan Centeno) plus four non-

roster invitees Nevin Ashley,Parker Berberet, Cameron

Garfield and Adam Weisenburger). Bullpen catcher

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Marcus Hanel also helps handle the workload during the

busy early days of Spring Training.

Brewers give mixed reaction on new pace of game rules

Brewers give mixed reaction on new pace of

game rules

By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com | February 20, 2015 

PHOENIX -- Brewers players offered mixed reactions

Friday after Major League Baseball announced a series

of new rules intended to speed the pace of game.

Beginning this spring, league officials will enforce time

limits between innings and pitching changes, and

umpires will mandate that managers remain in the

dugout to challenge a call, and that hitters keep at least

one foot in the batter's box between pitches.

"Those measures are fine. I don't have an issue with

that," said Brewers right-hander Kyle Lohse, a

traditionally fast worked. "I thought they were going to

do something with a pitch clock, which -- the game's not

on a clock."

Lohse added, "I understand trying to speed up the games.

I don't like sitting there through a three and a half hour

game on the bench. I get on some of our younger

pitchers when they take too much time, because you

should already have a good idea of what you want to do.

There are certain times in a game where you have to

slow it down, but it still shouldn't take a minute in

between every pitch."

A handful of hitters surveyed were less enthusiastic

about the batter's box rule, which has been enforced in

the Minor Leagues in 2014.

"My thing is, if people are rushed, [the pitcher] is rushed,

hitters are rushed, I think you're going to see a decline in

the quality of play," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. "I

like to relax and gather my thoughts. This game is tough

enough already."

Lucroy did not buy the argument that longer game times

were equally a threat to the quality of the game.

"I think there's a lot more strategy in the game nowadays,

and information," Lucroy said. "Back then, they would

drink two beers and eat three hot dogs and they were

ready to go. They'd go up there and hit and hack. Guys

threw two pitches; a fastball and a curveball. That was

it."

According to Fangraphs.com, Lucroy took the longest

between pitches (25.8 seconds) among Brewers regulars,

tied with Atlanta's Justin Upton for the sixth-most time

in the Majors among batting title qualifiers. But it's a

tricky stat, since that leaderboard is dotted with excellent

hitters, including runaway "leader" Hanley

Ramirez (28.1 seconds) and runner-up Victor

Martinez (27.2 seconds) against whom pitchers would be

understandably deliberate. Lucroy was that sort of hitter

in 2014, when he batted .301 and finished fourth in

National League MVP balloting.

Among Brewers, Carlos Gomez took the least time

between pitches, averaging 22.4 seconds.

"No one wants the game to be slower," said second

baseman Scooter Gennett (24.3 seconds). "But at the

same time, there are things that we have to do as players,

and my mind is not going to be on whether I'm taking too

much time. My mind is going to be on the game."

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Thornburg ready to pick up where he left off in

2014 Brewers righty feeling healthy after elbow

issues derailed a promising start last yearBy Adam

McCalvy / MLB.com | @AdamMcCalvy | February 20,

2015 

PHOENIX -- Tyler Thornburg, whose sensational start

last season in the Brewers' bullpen was derailed by an

alarming right elbow injury, felt like one of the guys as

pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training on

Friday.

When the team takes the field Sunday for its first formal

workout, Thornburg does not expect to be under any

physical restrictions.

"As far as I know," the right-hander said. "They haven't

told me any different."

Though the final call still belongs to the Brewers'

medical department. Players will undergo physicals off-

site on Saturday, though Thornburg said he's undergone

most of the necessary tests already, with "no red flags."

Thornburg was shut down last June with elbow pain and

feared he was headed for Tommy John surgery in July,

after the first of what would be two setbacks in his

recovery from what was eventually diagnosed as a

partially torn ulnar collateral ligament.

He had already successfully rehabbed a similar injury

during his freshman year of high school, and again,

doctors advised against surgery and what would have

been a year-long rehabilitation.

By August, it was clear that Thornburg would not be able

to return before the end of the season. He was prescribed

a platelet-rich plasma injection and more rest. In

November, he resumed a comeback that Thornburg

hopes will carry him to Milwaukee's Opening Day roster.

"It wasn't until about 10 weeks after the PRP that I was

able to move it around and started feeling like, 'OK, this

may be OK,'" Thornburg said. "I feel incredibly blessed

to have had that time."

A look at non-roster invitees: NL Central

By David Schoenfield ESPN.com

We continue our scroll through some of the

interesting non-roster names invited to spring

training. In case you missed 'em, here are

the AL East, AL Central, AL West and NL East. 

Chicago Cubs 

Kris Bryant will be added to the 40-man roster

once he gets called up, probably a few weeks

into April to save a season on his service

time. ... Addison Russellreached Double-A last

year, so don't be surprised if he also surfaces

this season, especially if he plays well and

Javier Baez struggles again. ... Daniel Bard has

ties to Theo Epstein going back to their Red

Sox days, but this is kind of a sad story. Bard

pitched two-thirds of an inning in the minors

last year and walked nine guys and hit seven

(that's not a misprint). ... Reliever Gonzalez

Germen was with the Mets the past two

seasons. ... Pierce Johnson is another good

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prospect, lower on the radar than Bryant and

Russell. The right-hander allowed just 60 hits

in 91.2 innings in Double-A. He needs to

improve his control to get a chance at a call-up.

... Outfielder Mike Baxter looks like Triple-A

insurance. 

Cincinnati Reds 

Jason Marquis is still pitching? Yes he is. He had

72 strikeouts and 68 walks when he was last in

the majors with the Padres in 2013. That ratio

barely cut it in 1975, let alone 2015. ... Kevin

Gregg is still pitching? Yes he is. He threw nine

innings with the Marlins last year. He somehow

has racked up 177 career saves despite never

having an ERA below 3.40 in a full

season. ... Neftali Soto was once a prospect of

some note after hitting 30 homers at Double-A

in 2011 at age 22, but now he's down to non-

roster status. ... Outfielder Brennan Boesch raked

at Salt Lake last season. ... Felix Perez is a Cuban

outfielder you've never heard of. He

hit .280/.325/.450 at Louisville. ... Hard-

throwing Robert Stephenson is the club's top

prospect and could surface in the rotation later

in the season if he starts throwing more strikes. 

Milwaukee Brewers 

It has been nine years since Dontrelle Willis was

last an effective major league pitcher but he's

still hanging around, playing the sport he loves.

He was last seen in the majors in 2011. ... Chris

Perez has gone from All-Star closer to non-

roster status in just a couple of years. He had a

4.27 ERA with the Dodgers in 2014 and has

been plagued with home run issues in recent

seasons. The lack of depth in the Milwaukee

pen gives him a chance to make the

team. ... Hunter Morris is a first baseman who hit

28 home runs in Double-A in 2012 and 24 in

Triple-A in 2013, but just 11 last year in 330 at-

bats. He also doesn't walk much or hit for a

high enough average. Where have all the first-

base prospects gone? ... The Dodgers acquired

outfielder/second baseman/third baseman Matt

Long from the Angels and then traded him to the

Brewers. He hit .249/.340/.384 between

Double-A and Triple-A and he's 28, so I'm not

quite sure what the attraction is other than the

positional flexibility. 

Pittsburgh Pirates 

Remember when the Pirates signed Jose

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Tabata to that long-term extension? They're still

on the hook for $4 million this year and $4.5

million next year. He's theoretically fighting

Corey Hart for a job as a right-handed bat off

the bench, but Hart is on the 40-man roster so

he'll probably win the job out of spring

training. ...Tyler Glasnow is one of the top

pitching prospects in the minors. He's only 21,

hasn't pitched yet above Class A and the Pirates

don't like to rush their pitchers -- but the

rotation depth isn't all that great so don't be

shocked to see him reach the majors if he

dominates Double-A. ... Clayton Richard twice

won 14 games for the Padres. ... Steve

Lombardozzi got a lot of playing time with the

Nationals in 2012-13 but didn't hit much at

Norfolk in 2014. 

St. Louis Cardinals 

Carlos Villanueva hasn't had an ERA under 4.00

since ... 2007. He's the only major leaguer who

can claim that feat while pitching in each of the

past seven seasons. ... Stephen Piscotty is regarded

as a top-100 prospect, but he looks like a fourth

outfielder to me. He does make good contact

but doesn't do much with it, hitting .288 with

nine home runs at Triple-A. ... Minor league

vet Scott Moore is now 31 and didn't hit much at

Memphis in 2014. I always thought he

deserved a better chance, but he's too old

now. ... Lefty Tim Cooney is a back-end rotation

candidate but could stick in the bullpen as

well. 

More bobbleheads to nod at ballparks

By Darren Rovell

ESPN.com

The bobblehead will continue its run as baseball's

greatest promotional item, as Major League Baseball

teams will hand out at least 121 different bobbleheads

this year.

It has been 16 years since the San Francisco

Giants sparked the giveaway craze, handing out a Willie

Mays bobblehead in 1999. But the wobbly creatures

show no sign of slowing down. In 2010, only 80

different bobbleheads were handed out at MLB ballparks

across the country.

"We give away a bobblehead, it automatically becomes a

sellout," said Rick Schlesinger, chief operating officer of

the Milwaukee Brewers, who will give out an MLB-high

12 bobbleheads this year, two of which need to be

purchased with a special ticket.

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"Every year we think we might have exhausted the

bobblehead craze here in Wisconsin, and it doesn't

happen," Schlesinger said.

To weigh the effectiveness of a bobblehead promotion,

the team has taken all the factors that affect game

attendance -- from record to opponent to weather to day

of the week -- and determined that a bobblehead

promotion, on average, puts 7,000 more people in the

seats at Miller Park. They've also been able to prove to

their sponsors who put their names on the statuettes that

it more than pays for itself in exposure.

Bobbleheads have evolved greatly since the days of the

Mays giveaway. Not only do they look more like whom

they're supposed to resemble, but the designs have gotten

more intricate. So, too, has technology.

The bobblehead of Harry Doyle -- Bob Uecker's

character from "Major League" -- has a chip in it that

will feature three phrases from the movie. The Brewers

announced the promotion earlier this week, and the 4,000

special tickets were snapped up so quickly the team put

another 4,000 on sale, Schlesinger said.

There were 6,000 special tickets that enabled fans to pick

up a bobblehead of catcher Jonathan Lucroy with a

green light saber in his hand on "Star Wars" night. That

sold out in its first 30 hours on sale.

"Bobbleheads appeal to a wide range of ages and

demographics," Schlesinger said. "It's loved by kids and

adults."

Other teams in love with the bobblehead are

the Cincinnati Reds, who will give out nine

bobbleheads, including three bobbleheads on one stand

of the "Nasty Boys" -- relievers Norm Charlton, Rob

Dibble and Randy Myers, who helped the team win the

1990 World Series.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will give out eight

bobbleheads. So will the St. Louis Cardinals, including a

talking one of Harry Caray for a home game against

theChicago Cubs and a bobblehead that has Cardinals

catcher Yadier Molina holding seven Gold Gloves and

three platinum gloves.

"Our fans collect them year after year," said Megan

Sommer, the team's manager of promotions and events.

"They expect us to have them."

Other popular promotions, besides the usual cap and T-

shirt, include the garden gnome. Teams will give out 12

gnomes this year, including the Dodgers, whose gnome

promises to look like Tommy Lasorda. Nine replica rings

-- commemorating either World Series titles or league

championships -- will be given to fans who come

through the turnstiles. Seven teams will give out fedoras.

Teams that have new Hall of Famers are not surprisingly

promoting their proud past. No one is doing more than

the Houston Astros, who are having four giveaway

nights to honor Craig Biggio. Fans can get a replica Hall

of Fame plaque, a jersey, a bobblehead and a T-shirt.

Baseball: MLB makes small pace of game

changes, passes on bigger steps3 hours ago  •  RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball is slowly

addressing the lagging pace of games.

MLB and the players' association announced an

agreement Friday to enforce the rule requiring a hitter to

keep at least one foot in the batter's box in many cases.

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MLB also will post stadium clocks timing pitching

changes and between-inning breaks starting in spring

training, and it no longer will require managers to always

come onto the field when they request video reviews by

umpires.

But the sides limited penalties to warnings and fines, and

not automatic balls and strikes. The fines don't start until

May 1 and are capped at $500 per offense.

Many of the more radical ideas experimented with

during the Arizona Fall League were not adopted, such

as a 20-second clock between pitches, a limitation of

pitcher's mound conferences involving catchers and

managers, and no-pitch intentional walks.

Still, even the modest changes are too much for players,

used to their routines and reluctant to alter them.

"If you rush a hamburger, it's not going to be completely

done. There are going to be too many mistakes. You're

going to rush the game. It would just be terrible. I don't

think there needs to be a time limit," Miami Marlins

pitcher Mat Latos said.

Said Chicago White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton: "I'm not

a big fan. There's a lot of thinking involved. When a

pitcher steps on the rubber, there's a lot going on. There's

thinking in the dugout, the coaches, everyone. Why

speed that up?"

Baseball has been contemplating the issue for nearly a

decade. In February 2005, the batter's box rule was

announced as an experiment in the minor leagues.

Still, the average time of nine-inning games as increased

to a record 3 hours, 2 minutes last year, up from 2:33 in

1981.

Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander says the change will

be tougher on batters than pitchers.

"I hope it screws up their whole rhythm and everything,"

he said, jokingly.

MLB cannot make unilateral changes to playing rules

without the consent of the players' union unless it gives

one year prior notice, so an agreement was necessary for

any 2015 alterations. The World Umpires Association

also approved.

"The players believe that enforcing the rules that

currently exist regarding between-inning breaks and

plate appearances is the best way to address the issue of

pace of play," union head Tony Clark said in a statement.

"We're confident that today's announcements will have a

positive impact on the pace of the game without

jeopardizing the integrity of the competition."

The pitch clock will be used in the minor leagues at

Double-A and Triple-A, where union approval isn't

needed.

MLB said it is likely to announce only fines involving

repeat flagrant violators. In the AFL, strikes and balls

were called as penalties, and the average game time was

reduced by 10 minutes.

The rule requiring hitter's keep a foot in the box contains

many exceptions, including swinging at a pitch, getting

forced out by a pitch, calling time, faking a bunt and wild

pitches and passed balls.

"I think it's something that's going to take some time,"

San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris said. "You've got

guys playing for seven, eight years that have always

stepped out of the box and taken a practice swing."

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Clocks will be installed on or near outfield scoreboards

and on facades behind home plate, near most press

boxes. Inning breaks will be counted down from 2:25 for

locally televised games and 2:45 for nationally televised

games. Pitchers must throw their last warmup pitches

before 30 seconds remaining, with exceptions if the

pitcher or catcher is on base when the previous half-

inning ends.

"These changes represent a step forward in our efforts to

streamline the pace of play," said Rob Manfred, who

took over from Bud Selig as commissioner last month.

"The most fundamental starting point for improving the

pace of the average game involves getting into and out of

breaks seamlessly."

MLB will make a donation to the union's charitable

foundation based on compliance with the new rules.

The sides also announced changes for the second season

of expanded video review by umpires.

Managers no longer will have to leave their dugouts to

call for replays, unless the play in question ends an

inning and the defensive team must be kept on the field.

"I didn't like to run out there and as soon as I turn

around, people are yelling from the dugout to go back,"

Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It's a waste

of time. It's embarrassing. Nobody really wants to do it.

If we can just hold the game and tell the umpires we

want to just take a look at it. We only have 30 seconds to

look at it, who cares if you're on the field or not?"

In addition, plays involving whether a runner left a base

early or touched a base on a tag-up play will be subject

to video review for the first time.

Managers also will retain the challenge for every

overturned call, not just the first, and managers will have

two challenges during tiebreaker and postseason games

and the All-Star Game. A manager will be required to

use a challenge to review violations of the home-plate

collision rule, but the crew chief may call for a review

from the seventh inning on if a manager is out of

challenges.

Milwaukee Brewers add IF Donnie Murphy on

minor-league deal

 by Phil Watson 6h ago

The Milwaukee Brewers announced Friday the signing

of two minor-league free agents, infielder Donnie

Murphy and catcher Beau Bishop.

CBSSports.com was reporting Murphy also received an

invitation to spring training, the club’s player

development office clarified that was not the case.

Murphy, who will be 32 next month, played in 45 games

for the Texas Rangers last season, hitting.196/.268/.330

in 128 plate appearances with four home runs and 14

RBI.

He actually spent time in 2014 with four organizations.

The Rangers claimed Murphy off waivers from the

Chicago Cubs near the end of spring training and

released him in early July. He was with the Cincinnati

Reds organization for less than a month before he was

released and signed by the Atlanta Braves organization.

He became a free agent in early November.

In parts of nine major league seasons, dating to 2004,

Murphy is a lifetime .212/.279/.395 hitter with 33 home

runs and 119 RBI in 335 games. At the big league level,

he has played with the Kansas City Royals, Oakland

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Athletics, Florida/Miami Marlins and Cubs as well as

with the Rangers last season.

He is a big strikeout/big swing sort of hitter, with 264

career punchouts against just 178 hits.

Murphy was a fifth-round pick by the Royals in 2002 out

of Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Bishop, a native of New Zealand, spent two seasons in

the Boston Red Sox organization and played last season

in Australia. The 21-year-old hit .172/.213/.190 with six

RBI in 18 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League

in 2012-13.

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