Milwaukee Brewers News Clips

Monday, September 21, 2015

MLB.com

Source: Brewers pick Astros’ Stearns as GM

Brewers pounce on Reds’ errors to end slide

Herrera feels lucky day after ugly collision

Brewers call on Peralta for opener against Cubs

Journal Sentinel

Brewers select Houston’s David Stearns as new GM

Short-handed Brewers win series finale

Rash of injuries creates lineup challenge for Counsell, Brewers

Sunday game report: Brewers vs. Reds

Associated Press

Brewers end eight-game losing streak with win over Reds

Brewers vs. Cubs preview

ESPN

Brewers make Astros’ David Stearns, 30, MLBs youngest current GM

BiloxiShuckers.com

Tough sixth inning for Shuckers keeps Lookouts alive in Championship Series

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/150715602/milwaukee-brewers-hire-david-stearns-for-gm

Source: Brewers pick Astros’ Stearns as GM

Milwaukee yet to confirm hiring but schedules news conference

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

MILWAUKEE -- David Stearns hadn't been born when the Brewers went to the World Series in 1982. As the

team's next general manager, his job is to get them back.

A source confirmed to MLB.com Sunday that the Brewers were poised to hire the 30-year-old Astros assistant

general manager to replace outgoing Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin. The choice was first reported by Ken Rosenthal

of MLB Network and Fox Sports.

The Brewers did not confirm the hire, adhering to their policy of not commenting on any phase of the GM search

before it is complete, but they did call a 1 p.m. CT news conference at Miller Park, which will be streamed live on

MLB.com and Brewers.com. The Astros did not confirm Stearns' departure.

The Brewers' search began Aug. 11, when principal owner Mark Attanasio and Melvin announced Melvin's

decision to transition out of the role he has occupied since Sept. 26, 2002. Melvin is expected to retain an advisory

role in the organization.

Despite his young age, Stearns already has a long baseball resume. Since graduating from Harvard in 2007, Stearns

has worked in the baseball operations departments of the Mets, Pirates, Indians and for the Arizona Fall League and

Major League Baseball. His tenure with MLB spanned 2008-11, ending with a stint as manager of labor relations.

In that role, Stearns assisted in the arbitration process and worked on the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement.

From 2011-12, he was director of baseball operations for the Indians, then joined the Astros and GM Jeff Luhnow.

Stearns was Houston's assistant GM for the past three seasons.

"If he's the assistant GM with Luhnow, he's really smart," said Brewers outfielder Domingo Santana, one of the

players acquired from the Astros in a trade last month. "It seemed like every time you asked someone where they

went to school, they said Harvard."

Santana said he did not know Stearns particularly well, but characterized their brief interactions as pleasant.

Stearns is less than half the age of his predecessor, Melvin, who turned 63 shortly before announcing he was

stepping aside, but there have been younger GMs. Theo Epstein, formerly of the Red Sox, and Jon Daniels of the

Rangers were each 28 when first hired.

"At some point, [age] doesn't matter a tremendous amount," Stearns told the Harvard Crimson for a profile in 2012,

when he was working for the Indians. "It's more about what you can bring to the table, if your skill set matches

what is needed for the particular position."

At 30, Stearns is a year younger than Brewers right fielder Ryan Braun, one of only two players on the roster with

a guaranteed contract beyond next season (along with right-hander Matt Garza).

Braun reserved comment on Stearns until the team made a formal announcement, but was pleased to hear the

process may be coming to an end.

"I think for everybody in the organization it's better to get it done sooner rather than later," Braun said. "To let guys

know who's still going to be here, who's going to be gone, allow people as much time as possible to find new jobs,

if that happens.

"But from [players'] perspective, we know we have no control over it. They are going to put the best possible

person in that position. We're all curious to hear what his vision is, what he has to say and who he is."

The Brewers have already begun what officials have characterized as an organizational "reset" under Melvin, who

bolstered the Minor League system by making five trades involving six Major League players between July 23 and

Aug. 21. Among the players acquired in those deals was Santana, who has hit six home runs since a promotion to

the Majors on Aug. 21, and center fielder Brett Phillips, who slotted into the Brewers' top prospect list at No. 2.

Both of those players, plus pitchers Josh Hader and Adrian Houser, came in a July 30 trade with the Astros for

Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers.

Among the players who appeared in trade rumors but were not traded are first baseman Adam Lind and

closer Francisco Rodriguez, and to a lesser extent, Braun and catcher Jonathan Lucroy. It will be up to Stearns to

decide whether those players and their contracts fit the Brewers' long-term plans.

Asked whether players have wondered who their new boss will be, Lind said, "It's baseball, all we have is time, so

of course it has [come up]. Anything you can think of, we've probably talked about."

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/150656864/brewers-jump-on-errors-to-turn-away-reds

Brewers pounce on Reds’ errors to end slide

By Adam McCalvy and Andrew Gruman / MLB.com | September 20, 2015

MILWAUKEE -- Adam Lind's two-run double capped a five-run fifth inning, part of his three-hit, three-RBI

afternoon in an 8-4 Brewers win over the Reds that snapped Milwaukee's eight-game losing streak.

It took them nine tries, but the Brewers notched the victory they needed to mathematically avoid 100 losses. They

also secured a season series victory over the Reds for the first time since 2006, winning 10 of 19 matchups in 2015.

Rookie right-hander Ariel Pena earned the victory by pitching five innings before he was replaced by pinch-

hitter Khris Davis, who delivered a go-ahead infield hit in the decisive fifth.

"It's just nice to win," said Lind, who boosted his home batting average to .343. "I guess we're not going to have

100 losses, so that's kind of a big deal."

Jay Bruce went deep twice for his 17th career multihomer game in a losing effort for the Reds, who committed

three costly errors in the game -- all amid Milwaukee rallies. Both of Bruce's homers reached the second deck

beyond right field, with Statcast™ projecting the first shot to land 457 feet away and the second at 459 feet.

"He doesn't hit the cheapie here, does he?" Reds manager Bryan Price said of Bruce. "He's hit some long ones here.

He's hit the upper deck a number of times since I've been with the Reds."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Five spot: The Brewers sent 11 men to the plate, collected seven hits and scored five runs in the fifth inning against

Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani and reliever Collin Balester to take a 5-2 lead. The critical play was Nevin

Ashley's comebacker to DeSclafani, a potential double-play ball that instead gave the Brewers two runs to tie the

game, thanks to throwing errors charged to DeSclafani and center fielder Ryan LaMarre. LaMarre later redeemed

himself by throwing out Davis at the plate, but the Brewers tacked on three more runs after the errors.

"I think there was a little miscommunication there as to who I was throwing the ball to," DeSclafani said of his

errant throw. "That all comes back to me. As long as I throw the ball over second base, stuff like that doesn't

happen." More >

Back-to-back jacks: Cincinnati quickly answered Milwaukee's five-run fifth inning by hitting back-to-back home

runs to start the sixth off Brewers reliever Kyle Lohse. Bruce led off with his second home run of the game and

33rd in his career against the Brewers, third-most among active players. Eugenio Suarez followed with a solo shot

to right-center field, cutting the Brewers' lead to 5-4.

Record-setting patience: By drawing a pair of walks Sunday, Reds first baseman Joey Vottomatched the single-

season franchise record he set in 2010, when he drew 135 walks. Votto also holds the Reds record for most times

reaching base via hit, walk or hit by pitch in a season at 316 (2013). He has reached base safely 295 times in 2015.

Balanced attack: When Domingo Santana dropped an RBI single in front of diving Reds left fielder Adam

Duvall in the eighth inning, all eight of the Brewers' starting position players had a hit in the game. That was

notable, with Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy and Davis all out of the starting lineup due to injuries. Santana had a

big series, with seven hits and six RBIs against the Reds, with three of the hits and five of the RBIs coming

Saturday night.

"We needed a win," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We had kind of a different group out there today

because of injuries, and they did a nice job. We had that inning where they had a mistake and it cost them pretty

big. We took advantage of it."

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS With two more home runs allowed Sunday, Lohse has surrendered 29 homers in 22 starts plus 12 relief

appearances, at a rate of 1.80 home runs per nine innings. The only pitcher in Brewers history to make at least 22

starts with a higher home run rate was Ruben Quevedo, who allowed 1.81 home runs per nine innings in

2002. Braden Looper allowed 1.80 home runs per nine innings in 2009, when he surrendered a franchise-record

total of 39 home runs.

INJURY EXIT LaMarre left in the sixth inning with a strained right hamstring. Making just his fifth Major League start, LaMarre

was injured while running out a groundout to shortstop. More >

UPON REVIEW Price successfully challenged a play for the second consecutive game. With runners at first and second in the first

inning, Brewers left fielder Jason Rogers hit a ball in the hole between shortstop and third base. Reds shortstop

Suarez fielded the ball and made a strong throw to first, but first-base umpire D.J. Reyburn ruled Rogers safe. The

play was overturned by replay in one minute, 21 seconds.

WHAT'S NEXT Reds: Rookie John Lamb starts the series opener with the Cardinals on Monday night in St. Louis. The left-hander

worked around six walks to toss five scoreless innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cardinals on Sept. 10. First pitch

from Busch Stadium is at 8:15 ET.

Brewers: The final road trip of the season begins on Monday at Wrigley Field, where Wily Peralta will match up

against Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel at 7:05 p.m. CT. After three games in Chicago, the Brewers finish their

road slate with four games in St. Louis and three in San Diego.

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/150635666/elian-herrera-dodges-major-injury-on-collision

Herrera feels lucky day after ugly collision Brewers third baseman out with deep thigh bruise

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

MILWAUKEE -- As he lay in the grass in left field after a nasty collision Saturday night, Brewers third

baseman Elian Herrera was certain his right leg was broken.

"The pain was so hard I could not even breathe," Herrera said Sunday morning. "I tried to talk, but I couldn't. Then

I started to feel the pain from inside and I really was thinking that something was wrong, something was broken. I

thank God that it was not that."

Herrera considered himself lucky that he suffered only a deep thigh bruise. He was still in significant pain Sunday,

moving slowly in the clubhouse with a crutch, and the Brewers expect to be without his services for a few days at

least.

The teammate with whom Herrera collided, outfielder Shane Peterson, was in better shape. He suffered a bruised

right knee on the play but was not even limping on Sunday. More sore was Peterson's right wrist, which was

lacerated by Herrera's cleats on the play. Peterson said he was available for pinch-hit duty. So, too, was left

fielder Khris Davis, who'd just exited in the same inning after rolling his right ankle.

"All in all, we came out of last night pretty fortunate," manager Craig Counsell said. "Everybody, with the

exception of Elian, is day-to-day status. Elian's going to be a little longer. We dodged serious injuries, some scary-

looking plays for sure. It's been a rough week."

Herrera remembered only one other bad collision in his career, back in his Rookie-ball days with the Dodgers. He

was manning an infield position when a baserunner tried to leap over him running first to third, and kneed Herrera

in the head.

On Saturday, he never saw Peterson coming. Both players, plus shortstop Jean Segura, converged hard on a Skip

Schumaker popup that ultimately tied the game in what became a 9-7 Brewers loss to the Reds.

"I knew in the spot he hit it, I said, 'Oh, no, it's going to come down,'" Herrera said. "On a fly ball like that, I always

try to go get it, and if I hear the outfielder say, 'I got it,' then I break away. Sometimes they play deep, sometimes

they don't get it. So I always try to go get it. I didn't hear anything, so I tried to get it.

"When I started to slide, that's when I saw [Peterson], and I thought, 'Uh-oh.' It was too late."

Fortunately for Herrera, his wife, Staci, had just arrived in Milwaukee earlier in the day for a weekend visit. She

was able to help Sunday with simple tasks, like tying his right shoe.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20150920150665322?game_pk=415895

Brewers call on Peralta for opener against Cubs

By Greg Garno / MLB.com | September 20, 2015

After they had their five-game winning streak snapped against St. Louis on Sunday, the Cubs aren't worried about

losing their momentum in the last push to the postseason when they host the Brewers in a three-game series

beginning Monday.

Chicago now trails the Pirates by two games for the top Wild Card spot, but it hopes to build off its recent success

against Milwaukee. The Cubs have won their last seven games against the Brewers this season, including sweeps in

July and August.

Chicago could clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2008 in this series. But Milwaukee took four of six

games from Chicago earlier in the year, and could play spoiler if the Cubs are slow to pick themselves up from

Sunday.

The Brewers enter after dropping eight of their last nine games and now sit last in the National League Central.

They have a winning record against Chicago over the last four years, though, having posted a .571 winning

percentage since 2011.

"I really would think not, based on how we've been playing and the fact that we've been moving the lineup back

and forth," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon about a letdown. "Different guys have been getting out there.

Everybody knows what's at stake. I anticipate the same kind of baseball."

Things to know about this game

• Jason Hammel will get the nod for the Cubs, hoping to break out of his funk. The right-hander has a 6.52 ERA

over his last five starts and just two quality starts.

• Brewers starter Wily Peralta will also hope for a better outing after he posted a 5.40 ERA in his last six starts. He

had one of his best outings this season against the Cubs, allowing one run in six innings.

• Ryan Braun has been successful against Hammel over his career. The Brewers outfielder is batting .348 with two

home runs and three RBIs in his career vs. the righty.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/328435641.html

Brewers select Houston’s David Stearns as new GM

By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel

September 20, 2015

Less than six weeks after announcing they were beginning a search for a new general manager, the Milwaukee

Brewers found their man.

A Major League Baseball source confirmed Sunday night the Brewers will name Houston Astros assistant general

manager David Stearns to lead their baseball operation on Monday. The club is expected to introduce Stearns

during a media session at Miller Park.

At 30, Stearns easily will be the youngest general manager in the major leagues. By comparison, he is less than half

the age of outgoing general manager Doug Melvin, 63. And he is one year younger than Brewers rightfielder Ryan

Braun, the only player signed beyond the 2017 season.

Despite his age, Stearns has an impressive baseball résumé. An MLB executive familiar with his work said, "He

may be young but he has experience, intellect and discipline. And he has leadership qualities you want."

Stearns certainly met every criteria on the Brewers' checklist as they sought a replacement for Melvin. He is young,

an Ivy League graduate (Harvard, 2007) well-versed in baseball analytics, has been involved in a successful

rebuilding program in Houston and knows the collective bargaining agreement inside and out, having worked on it

while in the MLB central office.

Stearns also provides a link to the St. Louis Cardinals, who have ruled the roost for years in the NL Central and

regularly thump the Brewers (52-23 in the last 75 games). In Houston, he worked under general manager Jeff

Luhnow, who formerly ran the St. Louis scouting department.

Working under Luhnow, Stearns' responsibilities included player evaluations, player transactions and contract

negotiations. He also helped oversee the Astros' scouting, player development and analytics departments. In other

words, he had his hand in every facet of the team's baseball operation.

Stearns was director of baseball operations for the Cleveland Indians from 2011-'12. Before that, he worked for

three years in the MLB central office, most recently in the position of manager of labor relations. In that role, he

assisted in the salary arbitration process, player contracts and labor negotiations with the players' union.

Before taking that position with MLB, Stearns worked in the baseball operations departments of the New York

Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates as well as the Arizona Fall League.

The Brewers announced Aug. 11 that Melvin would step aside into an advisory role and the search for a new

general manager would begin immediately. The club hired the search firm Korn Ferry to assist them but principal

owner Mark Attanasio also solicited opinions from owners of other clubs.

The Brewers kept under wraps all aspects of their search but quickly put together a list of highly regarded

candidates. They then narrowed that list to a much smaller group before conducting interviews.

From outside reports, they are known to have interviewed Pittsburgh's Tyrone Brooks, Tampa Bay's Chaim Bloom

and Oakland's Dan Kantrovitz, baseball operation executives considered among the leading candidates to be general

managers one day. They also interviewed one internal candidate, Brewers amateur scouting director Ray

Montgomery.

Time was of the essence because the new general manager must hit the ground running to rebuild one of the worst

clubs in the major leagues in 2015. The Brewers suffered an epic collapse last season, losing 22 of their final 31

games to miss the playoffs after leading the NL Central for nearly five months.

Attanasio and Melvin opted to make minimal changes to the team's core, a strategy that backfired badly. The

Brewers staggered to a 5-17 record in April, resulting in the firing of manager Ron Roenicke three days later. But

they continued to founder and have the third-worst record in the majors at 63-86 with two weeks remaining in the

season.

The Brewers replaced Roenicke with Milwaukee native Craig Counsell, giving him a three-year deal. Attanasio

said in August any new general manager would be expected to keep Counsell, who at 44 is 14 years older than

Stearns.

Attanasio said at the outset he wanted a new general manager in place before the annual meeting of GMs in

November, at the latest. But the Brewers moved at a much faster pace, picking their man 40 days after announcing

their search.

Stearns is the first GM hire for Attanasio, who inherited Melvin when he bought the club in 2005 and extended his

contract three times. Melvin came on board in September 2002, hired by then team president Wendy Selig-Prieb

with the Brewers finishing the worst season in franchise history (56-106).

Under Melvin, the Brewers ended a 26-year playoff drought by claiming the NL wild-card berth in 2008. Three

years later, they captured their first and only NL Central crown before getting eliminated by eventual World Series

champion St. Louis in the NLCS.

The Brewers appeared headed back for the playoffs last season before their late-season collapse. Now, they have

lost contact with the three best teams in the division, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Chicago, all of which are headed for

the postseason.

Ironically, one of the Brewers' big moves in getting their rebuilding plan underway was a trade with Houston on

July 30 in which center fielder Carlos Gomez and pitcher Mike Fiers were sent to the Astros for four highly

regarded prospects, including outfielder Domingo Santana, already making an impact with Milwaukee.

It is unknown what role Stearns played in making that deal with the Brewers. Now, he will be making moves on

their behalf.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/brewers-vs-reds-b99578921z1-328408181.html

Short-handed Brewers win series finale

By Todd Rosiak of the Journal Sentinel

September 20, 2015

A short-handed lineup proved to be no hindrance to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon.

Playing without several regulars in the wake of an injury-filled affair the night before, the Brewers still managed to

bang out 13 hits in beating the Cincinnati Reds, 8-4, at Miller Park.

The Brewers also took advantage of three Reds errors as they won their 63rd game of the season, assuring they

won't reach triple-digit losses for the second time in franchise history.

Outfielders Ryan Braun and Khris Davis and third baseman Elian Herrera all sat with varying ailments, while

shortstop Jean Segura also was held out of the starting lineup.

But holdover Adam Lind drove in three runs, and the Brewers got at least one hit from every starting position

player.

"We needed a win," said manager Craig Counsell, whose team snapped a season-high-tying losing streak of eight

games. "We had kind of a different group out there because of the injuries, and they did a nice job. "

Added Lind: "Just nice to win. I guess we're not going to have 100 losses, so that's kind of a big deal, I guess."

Things didn't look good early for Milwaukee, as Cincinnati starter Anthony DeSclafani allowed only two first-

inning singles before mowing down 11 consecutive Milwaukee batters heading into the fifth inning.

Hernan Perez and Luis Sardiñas led off the frame with singles to bring up Nevin Ashley, who chopped a tailor-

made double-play ball back to the mound.

But DeSclafani wound up throwing the ball into center field, allowing Perez to score. Centerfielder Ryan LaMarre

then uncorked a bad throw of his own trying to cut down Sardiñas at third, allowing him to score and Ashley to

advance all the way to third.

Davis, pinch-hitting, followed with an infield single that scored Ashley to give the Brewers their first lead of the

day at 3-2. Scooter Gennett and Logan Schafer each singled, but Davis was thrown out at home on a strong

LaMarre throw.

Adam Lind, up next, laced a double to left that scored both Gennett and Schafer to make it 5-3 and chased

DeSclafani in the process.

Rogers greeted Collin Balester with a single, giving Milwaukee seven hits in the inning, and one pitch later Balester

hit Domingo Santana to load the bases before finally recording the final two outs.

"When you get extra outs, we know the old cliché," Lind said. "You can't give teams extra outs."

Ariel Peña (2-0) allowed four hits, two runs (earned) and three walks while striking out five over five innings while

again impressing Counsell.

"I think he did a nice job again," he said. "He's getting through the lineup. He got through it three times and I think

he had more pitches left this game, certainly, to get through it.

"He's certainly represented himself well. He's keeping us in ballgames, which is the big thing. He's given us a

chance to win all three games."

Peña's replacement, Kyle Lohse, was greeted by home runs from Jay Bruce and Eugenio Suarez.

The homer was Bruce's second of the day and 33rd of his career against the Brewers. Suarez's shot, meanwhile,

drew the Reds to within 5-4 before Lohse was finally able to finish out the inning.

The Brewers got one of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth, with a two-out error by Suarez on a grounder by

Gennett opening the door. Schafer followed with a walk and Lind singled to left to score Gennett and give

Milwaukee a 6-4 lead.

Milwaukee tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth against Jumbo Diaz on a Martin Maldonado pinch-hit

RBI double and a Santana RBI single.

"That extra run gives the pitcher a comfort zone," Counsell said. "The double by Maldy was a big hit. You think

about bunting him there, but we decided to let him swing and he's the guy who winds up driving the run in."

Will Smith and Jeremy Jeffress combined on a scoreless seventh and eighth innings, and Francisco Rodriguez

finished the game out in a non-save situation.

The win gave the Brewers their first season series victory (10-9) over the Reds since 2006.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/rash-of-injuries-creates-lineup-challenge-for-counsell-brewers-

b99578926z1-328454311.html

Rash of injuries creates lineup challenge for Counsell, Brewers

By Todd Rosiak of the Journal Sentinel

September 20, 2015

Piecing together a lineup proved to be quite a challenging task for Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell on

Sunday morning.

Elian Herrera was on crutches nursing a right thigh contusion and Shane Peterson wasn't 100% with a right knee

contusion, the result of their ugly collision in left field on Saturday night. Khris Davis was hobbled with a twisted

right ankle suffered earlier in that loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

Ryan Braun was also unavailable for the second straight game with a sore lower back. That left Counsell to

give Jason Rogers his first major-league start in left field with Logan Schafer in center and Domingo Santana in

right.

Then there's Jimmy Nelson, who was hit in the skull with a line drive Thursday and spent two nights in the hospital

under observation, and Jonathan Lucroy, who's been out since suffering a concussion Sept. 8. Neither has a

definite return date.

It's been a painful last few weeks for the Brewers.

"All in all, we came out of last night pretty fortunate," Counsell said, referring mostly to the collision. "We dodged

serious injuries, some scary-looking plays for sure. It's been a rough week."

Herrera, in particular, was fortunate to escape more serious injury. He had to be carted off the field after running

into Peterson while attempting to chase down Skip Schumaker's bloop hit, but X-rays later showed the utility man

had avoided any broken bones in his right leg.

Peterson, meanwhile, saw action late in the game Sunday as a defensive replacement, as the short-handed Brewers

beat the Reds, 8-4. He was also sporting a large bandage on the inside of his right forearm, the result of being cut

by Herrera's spikes.

"Last night, I felt like something was broke, because the pain was so painful," said Herrera on Sunday morning, not

long after receiving a round of treatment on his leg. "It was really, really hard. I thank God it's nothing more

serious.

"The pain was so hard I could not even breathe. I tried to talk, but I couldn't. Then I started to feel the pain from

inside and I really was thinking that something was wrong, something was broken.

"Again, I thank God that it was not that."

The play evoked some memories of Sept. 3, 1988, when shortstop Dale Sveum and leftfielder Darryl

Hamilton collided in short left field while chasing a pop fly at Tiger Stadium. Hamilton slid into Sveum, who

suffered a broken leg on the play and never was the same player afterward.

Herrera said he also came out on the wrong end of a collision with a base runner while playing in rookie ball with

the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I was trying to field a ground ball and the runner was coming from third base and he tried to jump (over) me and

he hit me with his knee in my head," he said. "I was down on the field for a long time."

Hernan Perez replaced Herrera on Sunday, and it remains to be seen when the utility man will be able to return —

if at all this season.

"I know a couple of days for sure, because it's really painful right now and I can't really stand," he said. "I can do it,

but if I try to walk, it's really sore. I think (he'll be able to play before the end of the season). I'm hoping to.

"When I woke up today, I thought it was going to be worse."

Davis contributed a pinch-hit RBI single in the Brewers' decisive five-run fifth Sunday.

New look: A one-game tryout at third base earlier this season didn't go well for Rogers.

Now, because of all the injuries, Rogers got his first opportunity in left field on Sunday. He saw some time there in

spring training, but he's played almost exclusively at first base while up with the Brewers.

"We've been kind of tossing around the idea," Counsell said. "Last night we were forced to do it and we'll see what

happens today."

At the very least, Rogers has helped himself out with a solid season at the plate. A 1-for-3 day at the plate Sunday

left him with a .288 average to go along with three home runs and 11 runs batted in over 78 games (23 starts).

Rogers, who didn't make a putout in left before being replaced by Peterson in the sixth, also leads the Brewers with

11 pinch hits.

"I think Jason's really shown us all year long very professional at-bats," Counsell said. "It's a quality at-bat versus

right-handers, versus left-handers. There's been a real consistency to it."

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/sunday-game-report-brewers-vs-reds-b99578930z1-328448241.html

Sunday game report: Brewers vs. Reds

By Todd Rosiak of the Journal Sentinel

September 20, 2015

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE

■ All manager Craig Counsell knows at this point is he's going to cover Jimmy Nelson's start Tuesday in Chicago

with his bullpen. Who gets the start and who follows remains to be seen. "We'll know tomorrow," he said.

■ Counsell said it's also wait and see on outfielders Ryan Braun and Khris Davis as the Brewers open a three-

game series with the Cubs Monday. Braun has been out recently with a sore lower back, and Davis was held out of

the lineup Sunday with a twisted right ankle, though Davis did have an at-bat as a pinch-hitter Sunday.

"I'm not going to say for sure (on Braun)," Counsell said. "I think Khris has got a good chance to be in there, but

we're going to wait until tomorrow."

STATITUDES

■ Logan Schafer has hit safely in three of his last four games, and is hitting .360 (9 for 25) with a home run, two

RBI, four runs scored and three walks in September. He was on base four times Sunday, and recorded his fifth

multi-hit game of the season.

■ Reds first baseman Joey Votto drew a pair of walks, tying his club record of 135 set in 2013. He has now

reached base in 37 consecutive games.

RECORD

THIS YEAR: 63-86

LAST YEAR: 77-72

HOME: 34-44 (roof open, 20-18; roof closed, 14-26)

ROAD: 29-42

ATTENDANCE

SUNDAY: 29,479

OVERALL (78 dates): 2,444,264 (31,337 avg.)

SELLOUTS: 3

COMING UP

Monday: 7:05 p.m. at Wrigley Field. RHP Wily Peralta (5-9, 4.41) vs. Chicago RHP Jason Hammel (8-6, 3.73).

TV — FS Wisconsin. Radio — AM-620.

Tuesday: 7:05 p.m. at Wrigley Field. Milwaukee TBA vs. Chicago RHP Jake Arrieta (19-6, 1.96). TV — FS

Wisconsin. Radio — AM-620.

Wednesday: 7:05 p.m. at Wrigley Field. Milwaukee RHP Zach Davies (1-2, 6.00) vs. Chicago RHP Kyle

Hendricks (7-6, 4.22). TV — FS Wisconsin. Radio — AM-620.

IN THE MINORS

BILOXI (AA): Yadiel Rivera had three of the Shuckers' six hits, but the Chattanooga Lookouts scored all their

runs in the sixth inning for a 4-2 victory, forcing a decisive Game 5 in the Southern League championship series.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/sunday-game-report-brewers-vs-reds-b99578930z1-328448241.html

Brewers end eight-game losing streak with win over Reds

By Associated Press

September 20, 2015

MILWAUKEE -- In a lineup depleted by injuries and trades, steady veteran Adam Lind served as the offensive

spark for the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

Lind drove in three runs, and the Brewers capitalized on two Cincinnati errors to score five runs in the fifth inning

in beating the Reds 8-4 to end an eight-game losing streak.

Lind smacked a two-run double in the big fifth and added a run-scoring single in the sixth.

"Adam had a big game today. Especially on a day like today when he's definitely the anchor in that lineup,"

Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.

The first nine Brewers batters reached base in the fifth, aided by throwing errors from Cincinnati starter Anthony

DeSclafani (9-11) and outfielder Ryan LaMarre that allowed two runs to score.

"We needed a win. We had a different group out there because of the injuries and they did a nice job," Counsell

said. "They made a mistake that cost them pretty big, and we took advantage of it. We got some breaks today, that's

for sure."

Jay Bruce homered twice for the Reds.

Milwaukee starter Ariel Pena (2-0) picked up the win, surrendering two runs and four hits over five innings.

"He's keeping us in ball games," Counsell said.

Bruce hit a leadoff homer in the second. Cincinnati extended its lead to 2-0 in the fourth on Tucker

Barnhart's run-scoring single.

The Brewers sent 11 men to the plate during the fifth, collecting seven hits.

DeSclafani and LaMarre made their errors on the same play, with DeSclafani fielding a chopper and whipping his

throw to second into center field. That allowed one run to score, and another came home when LaMarre's throw to

third skipped into the Reds dugout.

An infield single by pinch-hitter Khris Davis gave the Brewers a 3-2 lead, then Lind added his two-run double.

DeSclafani gave up five runs (four earned) and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Bruce and Eugenio Suarez connected for back-to-back homers to start the sixth off Milwaukee reliever Kyle

Lohse.

Lind's run-scoring single in the sixth put the Brewers up 6-4.

The Brewers added a pair of runs in the eighth.

LIND REFLECTS

Lind, who rarely speaks to the media, said he didn't expect the Brewers to be battling to stay out of the NL Central

cellar when he signed with the team last off season.

"It wasn't what I was hoping for coming over, but you've got to make the best of the situation," he said. "I guess we

aren't going to have a hundred losses, so that's kind of a big deal, I guess."

Lind, who has been on the field for most of the season despite dealing with a balky back, said his health is the most

crucial factor. "My No. 1 goal at this point in my career is not going on the DL."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Reds: OF Billy Hamilton, who returned to Cincinnati on Thursday to have a MRI on his ailing right shoulder, is

expected to join the team in St. Louis on Monday. . . . LaMarre left Sunday's game with a strained right hamstring.

Brewers: 3B Elian Herrera, who was taken off the field on a backboard and stretcher after a collision with

teammate Shane Peterson on Saturday, was on crutches Sunday after being diagnosed with a deep thigh bruise.

Herrera isn't sure when he'll return to the lineup. "I know a couple of days for sure, because it's really painful right

now and I can't really stand," he said. . . . OF Davis, who left Saturday's game with a sprained right ankle, didn't

start on Sunday but appeared as a pinch hitter.

UP NEXT

Reds: John Lamb (1-3, 5.35) will get the start as Cincinnati opens a three-game series at St. Louis. The rookie

notched his first career win against the Cardinals on Sept. 15, pitching five shutout innings.

Brewers: Wily Peralta (5-9, 4.41) will be on the mound as the Brewers take on the Chicago Cubs to begin their

final road trip of the season. Peralta is 3-6 with a 3.52 ERA in 10 career starts against the Cubs. Peralta took the

loss in a 1-0 game on May 1 in his only other start against the Cubs this season.

http://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/milwaukee-brewers-vs-chicago-cubs-preview-092115

Brewers vs. Cubs preview

By Associated Press

September 21, 2015

The Chicago Cubs' overall winning streak came to an end a game shy of sweeping the top team in baseball, but

another one could begin if they're able to keep a run against the Milwaukee Brewers going.

The Cubs will try for an eighth straight win in the series Monday night as the clubs begin a three-game series at

Wrigley Field.

After the Cubs (87-62) won the first two games against St. Louis over the weekend to extend their streak to five, the

Cardinals won 4-3 Sunday to pull back to six games ahead of Chicago.

Pittsburgh won to extend its lead to two games over the Cubs for the top wild card, but Chicago manager Joe

Maddon has the bigger picture in mind with all three NL Central clubs having all but secured playoff spots. The

Cardinals and Pirates have the top two records in baseball and the Cubs are tied with Kansas City for third.

"I could not be more proud of our guys," said Maddon, whose team has seven games remaining on a 10-game

homestand with Pittsburgh coming to town Friday. "It's obvious we're playing on the same level as they are right

now."

His team's second-half surge has been highlighted by a 19-5 home record dating to July 29 while scoring 6.0 runs

per game.

Chicago lost the first two series against the Brewers but has since won seven straight with some impressive

pitching, posting a 1.83 ERA and .203 opponent batting average. Jason Hammel has struggled lately but been in

line with those numbers against the Brewers.

In eight starts since the start of August, Hammel (8-6, 3.73 ERA) is 2-1 with a 5.59 ERA and three starts in which

he failed to make it beyond four innings. The right-hander gave up four runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings of

Tuesday's 5-4 loss in Pittsburgh and wasn't making any excuses.

"There were too many uncompetitive pitches today," Hammel told MLB's official website. "It was unacceptable."

The only outing among the eight in which he hasn't allowed more than a run was a 10-inning 3-2 win over

Milwaukee on Aug. 12 as Hammel surrendered a run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He's 7-0 with a 2.13 ERA in 10

career starts against the Brewers and 4-0 with a 1.64 mark in six starts against them while with the Cubs.

Jean Segura is 1 for 12 against Hammel, but Ryan Braun (8 for 23) and Adam Lind (7 for 27) have both

homered off him twice.

Milwaukee (63-86) ended an eight-game losing streak with Sunday's 8-4 home win over Cincinnati. Lind was 3 for

4 with three RBI and is 7 for 12 in his last four games, while Braun has missed two games with a bad back.

The Brewers are a half game back of the Reds for fourth place in the Central, which isn't the kind of September race

Lind had in mind when signing with the club.

"It wasn't what I was hoping for coming over, but you've got to make the best of the situation," he said. "I guess we

aren't going to have a hundred losses, so that's kind of a big deal, I guess."

Over the nine-game span, the starting rotation has a 7.34 ERA, which in part falls on Wily Peralta.

Peralta (5-9, 4.41), a 17-game winner a season ago, gave up five runs and six hits in four innings of Wednesday's 5-

4 home loss to St. Louis. The right-hander is 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA in his last six starts and 1-4 with a 3.94 mark in

his last five against the Cubs.

Anthony Rizzo (12 for 26 with five home runs) and Starlin Castro (12 for 27 with two homers) have hit him best.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/13706564/milwaukee-brewers-tap-david-stearns-30-new-gm-source-says

Brewers make Astros’ David Stearns, 30, MLB’s youngest current GM

By Jerry Crasnick, ESPN

September 21, 2015

The Milwaukee Brewers have hired David Stearns, assistant general manager of the Houston Astros for the past

three seasons, as their new general manager.

Stearns, 30, will replace Doug Melvin, who is transitioning to an advisory role with the Brewers after serving as the

team's GM since 2002.

At a news conference Monday, Stearns said his initial impression was that manager Craig Counsell is "an

impressive guy" and he will take his time evaluating Counsell and the baseball operations department.

He was steadfast in his belief the Brewers could return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011, though he

stopped short of offering a specific timeline.

"I would have not have come here if I didn't think it was possible to win a World Series in Milwaukee," Stearns

said.

Stearns, a 2007 Harvard graduate, worked for the commissioner's office from 2008 to 2011 and spent two years as

director of baseball operations for the Cleveland Indians before joining the Astros as the top assistant to GM Jeff

Luhnow.

His duties in Houston included player evaluations and contract negotiations, and he also helped oversee the Astros'

scouting, player-development and analytics departments.

"His experience is quite impressive," Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said Monday. "The fact that he was able

achieve all that at a comparatively young age is ... testament to his work ethic and his drive."

Stearns will be the youngest current general manager in baseball, and he is one year younger than Milwaukee's

most high-profile player, outfielder Ryan Braun.

"Trust me, I've had plenty of text messages over the last 24 hours that I will age tremendously," Stearns said with a

smile Monday.

Theo Epstein (2002) and Jon Daniels (2005) were both 28 years old when they assumed general manager roles with

the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers, respectively.

The Brewers, who faded badly down the stretch last year to miss out on a postseason berth, are 63-86 this season

and last in the NL Central with two weeks to play.

Stearns' hiring in Milwaukee leaves the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels and Seattle

Mariners as MLB teams still in the market for a GM.

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150920&content_id=150721054&fext=.jsp&vkey=recap&sid=t501

5

Tough sixth inning for Shuckers keeps Lookouts alive in Championship Series

By Biloxi Shuckers

September 20, 2015

CHATTANOOGA, TN - The 2015 Southern League season will come down to a decisive game five in the BC

Powder's Championship Series between the Biloxi Shuckers and Chattanooga Lookouts, after Biloxi let a 2-0 lead

slip away, falling 4-2 at AT&T Field on Sunday afternoon. The Shuckers struggled again with runners in scoring

position, going 1-for-7 in that category and have combined to go 2-for-20 in the two games in Chattanooga.

Biloxi (2-2) wasted an opportunity to put a run on the board in the first after Yadiel Rivera (3x5, R) and Nick

Shaw (1x3, 2 BB) singled to open up the game, but Orlando Arcia (1x3, RBI, BB) bounced into a double play

and Michael Reed (0x4) grounded out to third to end the Shuckers' threat.

Rivera is 9-for-17 during the Championship Series (.529) with two doubles, a triple, three RBI and four runs scored

in the first four games. As a club, the Shuckers are hitting just .217.

Josh Hader worked himself into a jam in the home-half of the opening inning, having runners at the corners after

walking Stephen Wickens to start the inning, and allowing a single to Jorge Polanco.

The lefty from Maryland struck out league MVP Max Kepler, Travis Harrison, and the league leader in homeruns,

Adam Brett Walker, to escape the inning.

The Shuckers broke through in the third with a two-out rally. After Garrett Cooper (0x2) and Adam

Weisenburger (0x3) were set down, Rivera singled and Shaw walked to set up Arcia's seeing-eye single up the

middle, bringing home Rivera for the 1-0 edge.

Brett Phillips (1x4, HR, RBI, R) added insurance in the fourth with a solo homerun to right to give the Shuckers a

2-0 lead.

Hader carried that lead into the sixth before Chattanooga (2-2) scratched across four runs to turn Biloxi's two-run

lead into a two-run deficit. The southpaw finished having allowed two runs on five hits, three walks and tied a

career-high with 10 strikeouts.

Polanco began the frame with a single to right and moved up to second on a one-out walk to Harrison, ending the

day for Hader.

Jacob Barnes (0-1) came out of the bullpen and walked Walker to load the bases for Levi Michael, who stroked a

single to left-center to plate two runs and tie the game.

Another free pass issued to Heiker Meneses loaded the bases once again, setting up Stuart Turner's sacrifice fly to

center placing Biloxi down a run. A two out RBI single from Shannon Wilkerson brought across the fourth run of

the inning and ended Barnes' appearance.

The Shuckers had a scoring chance go by in the eighth after loading the bases with two outs, but pinch hitter Nick

Ramirez (0x1) went down looking to end the chance. Biloxi put runners on the corners in the ninth with two outs,

but Shaw struck out swinging to end the game.

The decisive game five will take place Monday night at AT&T Field and it is unknown who will take the mound

for either team. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m., with coverage beginning at 6:00 p.m. on 1240-AM WGCM,

1580-AM WPMO and the Biloxi Shuckers Radio Network. Fans can also listen to the game using the TuneIn Radio

app or by going to www.biloxishuckers.com.