Post by Fish Troll on May 13, 2007 18:32:20 GMT -5
Notes: Brewers winning with Gwynn
Young outfielder making the most of his opportunities
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Tony Gwynn couldn't have scripted his Saturday at the ballpark much better. Three hits, three runs, a laser of an outfield assist and some heady baserunning quickly turned a routine spelling of Corey Hart into a banner day.
And it may also have turned an isolated spot start into something more.
With his successful offensive day in the books, Gwynn bumped his average to .406 in 32 at-bats. Even more impressively, it was his hustle that directly contributed to a run in the fourth inning. Gwynn first beat out an infield hit, then motored around from second to score -- on a popup, no less -- while J.J. Hardy decoyed the Mets in a rundown.
That same hustle killed a Mets run in the bottom half of the inning, as his aggressive pursuit of David Wright's single and rocket throw from the right-field corner prevented Wright from reaching second and ultimately scoring on Carlos Beltran's ensuing single.
It's little coincidence that Milwaukee is now 4-0 in games Gwynn has started. And that's making Brewers manager Ned Yost think twice about stowing his 24-year-old outfielder away on the bench.
"You're foolish not to play the hot hand," Yost said. "Tony's hot right now. You kind of play them a little bit more when they're swinging the bat well, take advantage of it."
The Brewers took advantage of it on Saturday, parlaying Gwynn's stream of successes into a 12-3 win. And though it's unlikely he'll see instantly increased action with the club facing three lefties in the next four days, those intermittent spells could soon become more than just the stuff of lazy weekend afternoons, whether it's on the young outfielder's mind or not.
"I don't even look at it like that," Gwynn said. "When I get my opportunities, I just want to be able to help the team win in any way possible, whether that's playing good defense [or] getting on base and causing some havoc."
He did all of that and more on Saturday. Now, it simply becomes a matter of when he'll earn the chance to do it again.
Fresh face: When Milwaukee's bullpen door swung open in the ninth inning on Saturday, an unfamiliar figure came jogging in from left field.
Elmer Dessens took the mound for the first time since April 28, closing out the game after Hardy's grand slam made the services of late-inning specialists Derrick Turnbow and Francisco Cordero unnecessary.
"It's tougher when you do get in there trying to stay sharp," Yost said. "That's why we have a veteran in that spot. Elmer can handle that."
Dessens showed a little rust early, allowing singles to two of the first three batters he faced. But he settled down to complete the inning unscathed.
And even though it could have easily been 13 straight idle games had Hardy not opened the offensive floodgates late, Dessens said he has no complaints. After all, if he's not pitching, it usually means the Brewers are on top.
"I know my role," Dessens said. "The team is winning. I just have to be patient."
Power surge: With Hardy's eighth-inning blast, the Brewers moved into a tie with Cincinnati for the league lead with 47 home runs. Not surprisingly, they're also tops with a .458 slugging percentage through 36 games.
Quite the turnaround for a team that last year idled in the middle of the pack with 180 long balls. This year, they're on pace for 211.
Much of the credit has rightfully gone to Hardy, whose 11 home runs are tied for the league lead and represent almost a quarter of Milwaukee's total.
The shortstop describes his current groove as the best he's experienced since he "had to start using a wooden bat." But that hasn't stopped his teammates from keeping up with him. Prince Fielder, in particular, has matched Hardy swing for swing with 11 long balls, while outfielder Geoff Jenkins has chipped in with eight.
Pool those long balls together and the Brewers are doing something else novel -- averaging more than five runs per game for the first time in eight years.
Road tripping: The Brewers were 27-54 on the road last year, 48-33 at home. And while that success at Miller Park hasn't changed, the team is much improved outside Wisconsin state lines, stringing together a 9-6 road record. That's good news, considering 10 of the team's next 13 games come on the road.
Coming up: Milwaukee's tour of the East Coast continues Monday night with the first of four at Philadelphia. Dave Bush tries to shake off his early-season struggles for the Brewers, opposite the Phillies' 44-year-old lefty Jamie Moyer. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 CT.
Anthony DiComo is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Young outfielder making the most of his opportunities
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Tony Gwynn couldn't have scripted his Saturday at the ballpark much better. Three hits, three runs, a laser of an outfield assist and some heady baserunning quickly turned a routine spelling of Corey Hart into a banner day.
And it may also have turned an isolated spot start into something more.
With his successful offensive day in the books, Gwynn bumped his average to .406 in 32 at-bats. Even more impressively, it was his hustle that directly contributed to a run in the fourth inning. Gwynn first beat out an infield hit, then motored around from second to score -- on a popup, no less -- while J.J. Hardy decoyed the Mets in a rundown.
That same hustle killed a Mets run in the bottom half of the inning, as his aggressive pursuit of David Wright's single and rocket throw from the right-field corner prevented Wright from reaching second and ultimately scoring on Carlos Beltran's ensuing single.
It's little coincidence that Milwaukee is now 4-0 in games Gwynn has started. And that's making Brewers manager Ned Yost think twice about stowing his 24-year-old outfielder away on the bench.
"You're foolish not to play the hot hand," Yost said. "Tony's hot right now. You kind of play them a little bit more when they're swinging the bat well, take advantage of it."
The Brewers took advantage of it on Saturday, parlaying Gwynn's stream of successes into a 12-3 win. And though it's unlikely he'll see instantly increased action with the club facing three lefties in the next four days, those intermittent spells could soon become more than just the stuff of lazy weekend afternoons, whether it's on the young outfielder's mind or not.
"I don't even look at it like that," Gwynn said. "When I get my opportunities, I just want to be able to help the team win in any way possible, whether that's playing good defense [or] getting on base and causing some havoc."
He did all of that and more on Saturday. Now, it simply becomes a matter of when he'll earn the chance to do it again.
Fresh face: When Milwaukee's bullpen door swung open in the ninth inning on Saturday, an unfamiliar figure came jogging in from left field.
Elmer Dessens took the mound for the first time since April 28, closing out the game after Hardy's grand slam made the services of late-inning specialists Derrick Turnbow and Francisco Cordero unnecessary.
"It's tougher when you do get in there trying to stay sharp," Yost said. "That's why we have a veteran in that spot. Elmer can handle that."
Dessens showed a little rust early, allowing singles to two of the first three batters he faced. But he settled down to complete the inning unscathed.
And even though it could have easily been 13 straight idle games had Hardy not opened the offensive floodgates late, Dessens said he has no complaints. After all, if he's not pitching, it usually means the Brewers are on top.
"I know my role," Dessens said. "The team is winning. I just have to be patient."
Power surge: With Hardy's eighth-inning blast, the Brewers moved into a tie with Cincinnati for the league lead with 47 home runs. Not surprisingly, they're also tops with a .458 slugging percentage through 36 games.
Quite the turnaround for a team that last year idled in the middle of the pack with 180 long balls. This year, they're on pace for 211.
Much of the credit has rightfully gone to Hardy, whose 11 home runs are tied for the league lead and represent almost a quarter of Milwaukee's total.
The shortstop describes his current groove as the best he's experienced since he "had to start using a wooden bat." But that hasn't stopped his teammates from keeping up with him. Prince Fielder, in particular, has matched Hardy swing for swing with 11 long balls, while outfielder Geoff Jenkins has chipped in with eight.
Pool those long balls together and the Brewers are doing something else novel -- averaging more than five runs per game for the first time in eight years.
Road tripping: The Brewers were 27-54 on the road last year, 48-33 at home. And while that success at Miller Park hasn't changed, the team is much improved outside Wisconsin state lines, stringing together a 9-6 road record. That's good news, considering 10 of the team's next 13 games come on the road.
Coming up: Milwaukee's tour of the East Coast continues Monday night with the first of four at Philadelphia. Dave Bush tries to shake off his early-season struggles for the Brewers, opposite the Phillies' 44-year-old lefty Jamie Moyer. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 CT.
Anthony DiComo is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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