The Jays' old rivals from Wisconsin come to town in an interleague series that won't really feel like one. Milwaukee comes in as disheartened as any team would after dropping two of three to the D-Rays, but there is a sizeable contingent of young talent and good-to-quite-good pitching on the Brewer roster.
* General: The pesky Milwaukee franchise is back in town. They're 29-28 all-time at the Rogers Centre, and were 46-34 all-time at Exhibition Stadium ... After a respectable April and May, the Brewers have gone just 5-13 over their last eighteen games. Ned Yost on the June swoon: "It's not acceptable to me and it shouldn't be acceptable to them" ... Second in the NL in doubles but dead last in triples, with just 4 on the season as a team ... Second-best ERA in the National League, despite subpar walk totals. They've allowed the fewest hits in baseball, a testament to defence ... Oddly, while the Brewers are 10-8 in one-run games, they're 1-13 in two-run games ... The team's attempt to convert prospect Jose Capellan to starter seems to have failed, and the booty from the Danny Kolb trade is headed back to the bullpen at AAA Nashville ... Catcher Damian Miller returned this week from a groin strain ... Jeff Cirillo is out with a sprained left wrist ... Cool promotion coming up on Friday, where fans will have the option of choosing a t-shirt with either the new Brewers logo or the classic "mb glove" logo. The club will gauge its future uniform direction by how the fans make their selections ...
* Wes Helms: Long swing but good power to all fields ... Has never been remotely patient at the plate, but he's capable of spoiling good pitches, even off the plate away ... Difficulties with good heat ... Prefers the ball down and can sometimes get under pitches up in the zone ...
* J.J. Hardy: Tall, lanky shortstop who looks like he's got plenty of room to fill out ... Took Randy Wolf deep -- very deep -- for his first big league homer last weekend ... Another long swing, and he seems to have a pull mentality ... Good strike zone judgment but hasn't made consistent, hard contact ... Changing speeds can fool him ... Struggles badly on fastballs away ... Good range over his head on bloops ... Pillow-soft hands at short, where he's committed just two errors as a rookie ...
* Ricky Bottalico: Flat low-80s slider with lateral, rather than sinking, movement. It gets him into trouble when it's up in the zone ... Flat low-90s fastball, but thrown with a good downward arm action ... Not really a grounball guy out of the pen ...
* Doug Davis: Old friend has an excellent slide step from the stretch position with a runner on first and second base empty ... Mid-to-high 80s cutter that he must keep down, because it doesn't have tremendous movement ... Needs to keep cutter in on righties' fists, and well away from lefties ... Employs a hitch in his full windup delivery where his leg seems to freeze in mid-air; it can be disruptive to a hitter's timing ... Tossed 20 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings from May 16 through June 1 ... A flyball guy that relies on his location. The peskier Jays should be able to work him for walks ...
* Rickie Weeks: Emulates ex-Brewer Gary Sheffield with his stance, swing and bat-waggling propensity. I mean, his mechanics look exactly like Sheff's ... Second-overall pick in the 2003 draft, out of Southern University ... Was hitting .320 in AAA with 12 homers ... Can be lured onto his front foot if his timing's not right, and his swing isn't always lightning-quick ... Will chase breaking stuff down and away ... Does not like heaters in on his fists ... Alert baserunner ...
* Bill Hall: Hitting well enough to get some playing at time at third, even as the Brewers take Rickie Weeks out for a spin ... Has a squat, open stance very reminiscent of Vernon Wells ... Stronger, more powerful hitter than his reputation would indicate ... Going the opposite way more regularly this season ... Pulls his head off pitches with sinking action ... Chases lefty breaking stuff down and away ... Very good speed and takes intelligent risks on the basepaths ... Still adapting to third base as a defensive position. He'll have to keep adapting, with Cirillo hurt and Russell Branyan still sidelined with a broken finger ...
* Carlos Lee: Dangerous hitter that our own Coach would love to see in a Jays uniform if the budget-minded Brew Crew passes on his $8.5 million club option for 2006 ... In a three-way tie for the big-league lead in RBI, with Derrek Lee and A-Rod ... Drove in an impressive 30 runs in May ... High-ball hitter who pulverizes breaking stuff if it's left up in the zone ... Yet another Brewer with a long swing ... Surprisingly agile in left field ... Will roll over outside pitches in attempts to pull them ...
* Ben Sheets: Has yet to recapture his 2004 brilliance, although he's still just 26 ... Suffers from vestibular neuritis, an inner-ear condition that causes dizziness and disorientation. He sometimes needs to stare at the ground to calm himself, and he's undergone a stint on the DL ... Still has good mid-90s velocity on his fastball, but with less movement. He has a habit of leaving high, straight fastballs up in the zone -- such that while he was once susceptible to the longball, he's particularly susceptible to the longball this year ... Good extension on his throwing arm ... Sensational 12-to-6 curve that hitters need to respect. It breaks a little earlier than that of Doc, his opponent on Saturday ...
* Brady Clark: Will take his share of pitches and seldom swings at the first pitch ... Good-looking power stroke to left, especially when the ball is up (where his wheelhouse is) ... Swivels on his heels like a righthanded Shawn Green ... Pitch him down and in, where he takes his head off it ... Doesn't always take the best routes to flies in centre ... A sorry 6-for-14 on the basepaths ...
* Prince Fielder: Similar build to his father, but the 21-year-old Prince hits lefty ... Good-looking swing that makes him resemble David Ortiz from the left side ... Swing is apparently level, but he's popped up a bunch of pitches since his call-up ... Stays down on pitches well and seems to use the entire field ... The plan is to send Fielder back to the minors after this weekend's series (where he can DH). Fielder: "That's OK with me...Either way, just getting here is exciting" ... Sadly, Prince is estranged from Cecil, who let his family slip away in the throes of his gambling problems ...
* Chris Capuano: Part of the six-for-three deal involving Richie Sexson that has to be considered a steal for Milwaukee ... Was enjoying a solid season, but has been roughed up in each of his last two starts -- both losses ... Comes from a sidearm delivery, similar to Chacin's arm angle ... Big, looping slurve that he throws around 80 mph. When he starts it belt-high, it's tough and ends up in the dirt ... Does not have the heat (88-89 mph) to leave fastballs up ...
* Lyle Overbay: Another of the "Arizona 6" ... Terrific batting eye, and he mashes righties ... Open stance, but he closes up as the pitch approaches ... Stays back very effectively and drives the ball with authority to all fields ... Struggles badly with low strikes from lefthanders. He doesn't seem to pick those pitches up very early ... Waves at lefty breaking stuff down and away ... Competitive type who has publicly complained about not getting more starts against lefties ... Slow, slow, slow baserunner that might lose a footrace to Fielder ...
* Geoff Jenkins: Bears an insanely uncanny facial resemblance to fellow Wisconsin-based sports hero Brett Favre ... In a deep funk and is 0 for his last 23 ... Can be tied up down and in, where he winds way out on his front foot ... Gun-shy up and in of late ... Despite his severe offensive struggles, he remains an athletic and determined right fielder with a flair for the dramatic ...
Fans should be in for an absolute treat on Saturday when Doc trades devastating curves with the talented, but ailing, Ben Sheets. Gustavo Chacin should have an easier time with the Brew Crew's lefty-heavy lineup than should Josh Towers.
This week's Scout features a Gary Sheffield doppelganger (really!), some injury news, and the gift that keeps on giving, courtesy of the Diamondbacks.
On to the Advance Scout!* General: The pesky Milwaukee franchise is back in town. They're 29-28 all-time at the Rogers Centre, and were 46-34 all-time at Exhibition Stadium ... After a respectable April and May, the Brewers have gone just 5-13 over their last eighteen games. Ned Yost on the June swoon: "It's not acceptable to me and it shouldn't be acceptable to them" ... Second in the NL in doubles but dead last in triples, with just 4 on the season as a team ... Second-best ERA in the National League, despite subpar walk totals. They've allowed the fewest hits in baseball, a testament to defence ... Oddly, while the Brewers are 10-8 in one-run games, they're 1-13 in two-run games ... The team's attempt to convert prospect Jose Capellan to starter seems to have failed, and the booty from the Danny Kolb trade is headed back to the bullpen at AAA Nashville ... Catcher Damian Miller returned this week from a groin strain ... Jeff Cirillo is out with a sprained left wrist ... Cool promotion coming up on Friday, where fans will have the option of choosing a t-shirt with either the new Brewers logo or the classic "mb glove" logo. The club will gauge its future uniform direction by how the fans make their selections ...
* Wes Helms: Long swing but good power to all fields ... Has never been remotely patient at the plate, but he's capable of spoiling good pitches, even off the plate away ... Difficulties with good heat ... Prefers the ball down and can sometimes get under pitches up in the zone ...
* J.J. Hardy: Tall, lanky shortstop who looks like he's got plenty of room to fill out ... Took Randy Wolf deep -- very deep -- for his first big league homer last weekend ... Another long swing, and he seems to have a pull mentality ... Good strike zone judgment but hasn't made consistent, hard contact ... Changing speeds can fool him ... Struggles badly on fastballs away ... Good range over his head on bloops ... Pillow-soft hands at short, where he's committed just two errors as a rookie ...
* Ricky Bottalico: Flat low-80s slider with lateral, rather than sinking, movement. It gets him into trouble when it's up in the zone ... Flat low-90s fastball, but thrown with a good downward arm action ... Not really a grounball guy out of the pen ...
* Doug Davis: Old friend has an excellent slide step from the stretch position with a runner on first and second base empty ... Mid-to-high 80s cutter that he must keep down, because it doesn't have tremendous movement ... Needs to keep cutter in on righties' fists, and well away from lefties ... Employs a hitch in his full windup delivery where his leg seems to freeze in mid-air; it can be disruptive to a hitter's timing ... Tossed 20 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings from May 16 through June 1 ... A flyball guy that relies on his location. The peskier Jays should be able to work him for walks ...
* Rickie Weeks: Emulates ex-Brewer Gary Sheffield with his stance, swing and bat-waggling propensity. I mean, his mechanics look exactly like Sheff's ... Second-overall pick in the 2003 draft, out of Southern University ... Was hitting .320 in AAA with 12 homers ... Can be lured onto his front foot if his timing's not right, and his swing isn't always lightning-quick ... Will chase breaking stuff down and away ... Does not like heaters in on his fists ... Alert baserunner ...
* Bill Hall: Hitting well enough to get some playing at time at third, even as the Brewers take Rickie Weeks out for a spin ... Has a squat, open stance very reminiscent of Vernon Wells ... Stronger, more powerful hitter than his reputation would indicate ... Going the opposite way more regularly this season ... Pulls his head off pitches with sinking action ... Chases lefty breaking stuff down and away ... Very good speed and takes intelligent risks on the basepaths ... Still adapting to third base as a defensive position. He'll have to keep adapting, with Cirillo hurt and Russell Branyan still sidelined with a broken finger ...
* Carlos Lee: Dangerous hitter that our own Coach would love to see in a Jays uniform if the budget-minded Brew Crew passes on his $8.5 million club option for 2006 ... In a three-way tie for the big-league lead in RBI, with Derrek Lee and A-Rod ... Drove in an impressive 30 runs in May ... High-ball hitter who pulverizes breaking stuff if it's left up in the zone ... Yet another Brewer with a long swing ... Surprisingly agile in left field ... Will roll over outside pitches in attempts to pull them ...
* Ben Sheets: Has yet to recapture his 2004 brilliance, although he's still just 26 ... Suffers from vestibular neuritis, an inner-ear condition that causes dizziness and disorientation. He sometimes needs to stare at the ground to calm himself, and he's undergone a stint on the DL ... Still has good mid-90s velocity on his fastball, but with less movement. He has a habit of leaving high, straight fastballs up in the zone -- such that while he was once susceptible to the longball, he's particularly susceptible to the longball this year ... Good extension on his throwing arm ... Sensational 12-to-6 curve that hitters need to respect. It breaks a little earlier than that of Doc, his opponent on Saturday ...
* Brady Clark: Will take his share of pitches and seldom swings at the first pitch ... Good-looking power stroke to left, especially when the ball is up (where his wheelhouse is) ... Swivels on his heels like a righthanded Shawn Green ... Pitch him down and in, where he takes his head off it ... Doesn't always take the best routes to flies in centre ... A sorry 6-for-14 on the basepaths ...
* Prince Fielder: Similar build to his father, but the 21-year-old Prince hits lefty ... Good-looking swing that makes him resemble David Ortiz from the left side ... Swing is apparently level, but he's popped up a bunch of pitches since his call-up ... Stays down on pitches well and seems to use the entire field ... The plan is to send Fielder back to the minors after this weekend's series (where he can DH). Fielder: "That's OK with me...Either way, just getting here is exciting" ... Sadly, Prince is estranged from Cecil, who let his family slip away in the throes of his gambling problems ...
* Chris Capuano: Part of the six-for-three deal involving Richie Sexson that has to be considered a steal for Milwaukee ... Was enjoying a solid season, but has been roughed up in each of his last two starts -- both losses ... Comes from a sidearm delivery, similar to Chacin's arm angle ... Big, looping slurve that he throws around 80 mph. When he starts it belt-high, it's tough and ends up in the dirt ... Does not have the heat (88-89 mph) to leave fastballs up ...
* Lyle Overbay: Another of the "Arizona 6" ... Terrific batting eye, and he mashes righties ... Open stance, but he closes up as the pitch approaches ... Stays back very effectively and drives the ball with authority to all fields ... Struggles badly with low strikes from lefthanders. He doesn't seem to pick those pitches up very early ... Waves at lefty breaking stuff down and away ... Competitive type who has publicly complained about not getting more starts against lefties ... Slow, slow, slow baserunner that might lose a footrace to Fielder ...
* Geoff Jenkins: Bears an insanely uncanny facial resemblance to fellow Wisconsin-based sports hero Brett Favre ... In a deep funk and is 0 for his last 23 ... Can be tied up down and in, where he winds way out on his front foot ... Gun-shy up and in of late ... Despite his severe offensive struggles, he remains an athletic and determined right fielder with a flair for the dramatic ...
