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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for Milwaukee Brewers</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<copyright>Copyright 2006-2007 areyouwatchingthis.com</copyright>
		<lastBuildDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:06:51 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:06:51 GMT</pubDate>
		<generator>RUWT?</generator>

		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Brewers decline $6.5 million option on Looper]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MILWAUKEE(AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers declined their $6.5 million
mutual option on Braden Looper, electing to pay the pitcher a $1
million buyout.

The 35-year-old right-hander filed for free agency later Friday.
Milwaukee had until Saturday to decide whether to exercise the
option.

After signing with the Brewers as a free agent on Feb. 12,
Looper went 14-7 with a 5.22 ERA. He made at least 30 starts for
the third straight season and established a career high in wins,
which led the team. He also set a franchise record with 39
homers allowed, which led the majors, while also topping big
league pitchers in runs (123).]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/133457-Brewers-decline-65-million-option-on-Looper</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/133457-Brewers-decline-65-million-option-on-Looper</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:51:20 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Brewers reinstate Weeks, DiFelice, Riske from DL]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MILWAUKEE(AP) -- The Brewers have reinstated second baseman Rickie
Weeks and relievers Mark DiFelice and David Riske from the
60-day disabled list.

Infielder Adam Heether was added to Milwaukee's 40-man roster,
which stands at 37.

Outfielders Mike Cameron, Frank Catalanotto and Corey Patterson
filed for free agency last week along with catcher Jason Kendall
and second baseman Felipe Lopez.

Cameron's spot in center field will be taken by Carlos Gomez,
who was acquired Friday from Minnesota for shortstop J.J. Hardy.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/132583-Brewers-reinstate-Weeks-DiFelice-Riske-from-DL</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/132583-Brewers-reinstate-Weeks-DiFelice-Riske-from-DL</guid>
				<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:46:07 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Cameron, 4 other Brewers file for free agency]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MILWAUKEE(AP) -- The Mike Cameron era in center field for the
Milwaukee Brewers ended Monday when the 15-year veteran filed
for free agency.

Cameron's spot will be taken by Carlos Gomez, who was acquired
Friday from Minnesota for shortstop J.J. Hardy.

Four other Brewers filed for free agency, including outfielders
Frank Catalanotto and Corey Patterson, catcher Jason Kendall and
second baseman Felipe Lopez.

In other moves, second baseman Rickie Weeks and relievers Mark
DiFelice and David Riske were reinstated from the 60-day
disabled list. Infielder Adam Heether was added to the 40-man
roster, which now stands at 37.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/132548-Cameron-4-other-Brewers-file-for-free-agency</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/132548-Cameron-4-other-Brewers-file-for-free-agency</guid>
				<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:43:49 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Twins get SS Hardy, Brewers get OF Gomez]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By JON KRAWCZYNSKI and CHRIS JENKINS
AP Sports Writers

MINNEAPOLIS(AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers finally gave J.J. Hardy
the change of scenery he had been expecting and reunited the
unhappy shortstop with an old friend in the process.

The Brewers traded Hardy to the Minnesota Twins on Friday for
speedy outfielder Carlos Gomez.

Hardy winds up with the Twins' All-Star catcher, Joe Mauer, a
teammate on the U.S. national teams in 2000 and 2003. The two
still chat regularly when they see each other, and Hardy said
the move could help him move on from a forgettable season.

The 27-year-old Hardy batted a career-low .229 with 11 home runs
and 47 RBIs in 115 games for the Brewers in 2009. He was demoted
to Triple-A in August.

"I definitely knew I was going to get traded once I got sent
down," Hardy said. "Once I got the call this morning, I was
pretty excited about it."

The Twins think a fresh start can help Hardy regain the form
that made him one of the league's most promising young
shortstops. A 2007 All-Star, he is just the third shortstop in
Brewers' history to hit more than 20 home runs in a season
twice, along with Robin Yount and Jose Hernandez.

"It's one of those seasons for me that I completely don't want
to think about it anymore. I was happy when it ended," Hardy
said. "It was just kind of a nightmare year for me."

He has a career batting average of .262 with 75 home runs and
265 RBI in 571 games.

"He's got a strong arm. He's got good range and he's got power,"
Twins general manager Bill Smith said. "He had a bad year this
year. We've talked to a lot of people and we have a lot of
opinions in our organization. We're all on board that this was a
good acquisition for us."

Hardy will replace free agent-to-be Orlando Cabrera, a midseason
acquisition who helped the Twins edge Detroit for the AL Central
title. But Cabrera just turned 35 and is not a long-term
solution.

Hardy spent 20 days in the minors, costing him a year of service
time and therefore delaying his eligibility for free agency
until after the 2011-12 season.

"To give up Carlos Gomez, and four years of control with the
player, it's important to get somebody that we're going to have
for more than a year," Smith said.

Gomez, who turns 24 in December, batted .229 with three home
runs and 28 RBIs in 137 games with the Twins last season. But he
was stuck in a role as a defensive replacement in a crowded
Twins outfield that included Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span,
Delmon Young and Jason Kubel.

Gomez was supposed to be the crown jewel of a trade with the
Mets two years ago that sent ace Johan Santana to New York. But
he never developed the consistency the Twins were looking for.

"Last year, I can't do nothing about it, because I didn't play
every day," Gomez said. "You don't play every day, it's tough."

The move gives Twins manager Ron Gardenhire a more defined
outfield rotation and will allow Gomez to play every day in
Milwaukee, replacing center fielder Mike Cameron, who will
become a free agent after two productive seasons.

"This was a good fit," Smith said. "We had one too many
outfielders and they had one too many shortstops, so it worked
out for both teams."

Brewers GM Doug Melvin said Gomez's speed would add a new
dimension to the Brewers' offense, and his defensive skills
would provide a boost to a pitching staff that struggled last
season.

"Carlos brings to our club great speed, athleticism and energy
at a position that we needed to fill," Melvin said.

The Brewers' biggest need was pitching going into the offseason,
and Hardy was one of the most logical pieces Melvin could have
used to try to pry a pitcher away from another team.

"In the end, there wasn't anybody that matched the ability of
Carlos Gomez," Melvin said.

The development of highly regarded shortstop prospect Alcides
Escobar made Hardy expendable, though Melvin said the decision
to cut ties with the popular Hardy wasn't easy.

"If he'd had a big year, we might have been looking at a trade
of Escobar," Melvin said.

Despite Gomez's speed, Melvin said Rickie Weeks would likely be
the team's leadoff hitter next season.

The Brewers also declined a $3.7 million option on right-hander
David Weathers on Friday, buying him out for $400,000. They
likely will have to turn to the free agent market to help their
struggling staff.

Melvin said he considers right-hander John Lackey "head and
shoulders" above other available free agent pitchers, but
wouldn't say whether the Brewers would be serious bidders for
the Los Angeles Angels ace.

Melvin said the Brewers might have to gamble on a pitcher with a
history of injury problems, such as left-handed free agent Mark
Mulder.

"We'll still focus on pitching, and see if we can improve,"
Melvin said.

---=

Jenkins contributed from Milwaukee and AP Sports Writer Dave
Campbell in Minneapolis contributed to this report.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/132030-Twins-get-SS-Hardy-Brewers-get-OF-Gomez</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/132030-Twins-get-SS-Hardy-Brewers-get-OF-Gomez</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:39:41 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Twins get SS Hardy, Brewers get OF Gomez]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By JON KRAWCZYNSKI and CHRIS JENKINS
AP Sports Writers

MINNEAPOLIS(AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers finally gave J.J. Hardy
the change of scenery he had been expecting and reunited the
unhappy shortstop with an old friend in the process.

The Brewers traded Hardy to the Minnesota Twins on Friday for
speedy outfielder Carlos Gomez.

Hardy winds up with the Twins' All-Star catcher, Joe Mauer, a
teammate on the U.S. national teams in 2000 and 2003. The two
still chat regularly when they see each other, and Hardy said
the move could help him move on from a forgettable season.

The 27-year-old Hardy batted a career-low .229 with 11 home runs
and 47 RBIs in 115 games for the Brewers in 2009. He was demoted
to Triple-A in August.

"I definitely knew I was going to get traded once I got sent
down," Hardy said. "Once I got the call this morning, I was
pretty excited about it."

The Twins think a fresh start can help Hardy regain the form
that made him one of the league's most promising young
shortstops. A 2007 All-Star, he is just the third shortstop in
Brewers' history to hit more than 20 home runs in a season
twice, along with Robin Yount and Jose Hernandez.

"It's one of those seasons for me that I completely don't want
to think about it anymore. I was happy when it ended," Hardy
said. "It was just kind of a nightmare year for me."

He has a career batting average of .262 with 75 home runs and
265 RBI in 571 games.

"He's got a strong arm. He's got good range and he's got power,"
Twins general manager Bill Smith said. "He had a bad year this
year. We've talked to a lot of people and we have a lot of
opinions in our organization. We're all on board that this was a
good acquisition for us."

Hardy will replace free agent-to-be Orlando Cabrera, a midseason
acquisition who helped the Twins edge Detroit for the AL Central
title. But Cabrera just turned 35 and is not a long-term
solution.

Hardy spent 20 days in the minors, costing him a year of service
time and therefore delaying his eligibility for free agency
until after the 2011-12 season.

"To give up Carlos Gomez, and four years of control with the
player, it's important to get somebody that we're going to have
for more than a year," Smith said.

Gomez, who turns 24 in December, batted .229 with three home
runs and 28 RBIs in 137 games with the Twins last season. But he
was stuck in a role as a defensive replacement in a crowded
Twins outfield that included Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span,
Delmon Young and Jason Kubel.

Gomez was supposed to be the crown jewel of a trade with the
Mets two years ago that sent ace Johan Santana to New York. But
he never developed the consistency the Twins were looking for.

"Last year, I can't do nothing about it, because I didn't play
every day," Gomez said. "You don't play every day, it's tough."

The move gives Twins manager Ron Gardenhire a more defined
outfield rotation and will allow Gomez to play every day in
Milwaukee, replacing center fielder Mike Cameron, who will
become a free agent after two productive seasons.

"This was a good fit," Smith said. "We had one too many
outfielders and they had one too many shortstops, so it worked
out for both teams."

Brewers GM Doug Melvin said Gomez's speed would add a new
dimension to the Brewers' offense, and his defensive skills
would provide a boost to a pitching staff that struggled last
season.

"Carlos brings to our club great speed, athleticism and energy
at a position that we needed to fill," Melvin said.

The Brewers' biggest need was pitching going into the offseason,
and Hardy was one of the most logical pieces Melvin could have
used to try to pry a pitcher away from another team.

"In the end, there wasn't anybody that matched the ability of
Carlos Gomez," Melvin said.

The development of highly regarded shortstop prospect Alcides
Escobar made Hardy expendable, though Melvin said the decision
to cut ties with the popular Hardy wasn't easy.

"If he'd had a big year, we might have been looking at a trade
of Escobar," Melvin said.

Despite Gomez's speed, Melvin said Rickie Weeks would likely be
the team's leadoff hitter next season.

The Brewers also declined a $3.7 million option on right-hander
David Weathers on Friday, buying him out for $400,000. They
likely will have to turn to the free agent market to help their
struggling staff.

Melvin said he considers right-hander John Lackey "head and
shoulders" above other available free agent pitchers, but
wouldn't say whether the Brewers would be serious bidders for
the Los Angeles Angels ace.

Melvin said the Brewers might have to gamble on a pitcher with a
history of injury problems, such as left-handed free agent Mark
Mulder.

"We'll still focus on pitching, and see if we can improve,"
Melvin said.

---=

Jenkins contributed from Milwaukee and AP Sports Writer Dave
Campbell in Minneapolis contributed to this report.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/131830-Twins-get-SS-Hardy-Brewers-get-OF-Gomez</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/131830-Twins-get-SS-Hardy-Brewers-get-OF-Gomez</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:52:58 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Brewers decline option on RHP David Weathers]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MILWAUKEE(AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers have declined a $3.7
million club option on right-handed reliever David Weathers for
next season.

Weathers arrived in Milwaukee in a trade with Cincinnati in
August and went 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA the rest of the year. He
gets a $400,000 buyout and becomes eligible for free agency.

The Brewers also are weighing a decision on exercising a 2010
option on starter Braden Looper, who went 14-7 with a 5.22 ERA
last season.

Looper's 2010 option is for $6.5 million with a $1 million
buyout because he pitched more than 180 innings last season. If
Milwaukee exercises the option, Looper has the right to decline
it but he would forfeit the buyout.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/131874-Brewers-decline-option-on-RHP-David-Weathers</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/131874-Brewers-decline-option-on-RHP-David-Weathers</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:24:35 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Twins get SS Hardy from Brewers]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MINNEAPOLIS(AP) -- The Minnesota Twins acquired shortstop J.J.
Hardy on Friday, sending speedy outfielder Carlos Gomez to the
Milwaukee Brewers in a trade.

The move relieves a crowded outfield for the Twins, who also
have Delmon Young, Denard Span and Michael Cuddyer. And it's a
second chance for Hardy, who once was considered a rising star
for the Brewers but is coming off a miserable season.

Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said it was hard to part
ways with Hardy.

"J.J. has been a steady performer for the Brewers," Melvin said
in a statement. "His professionalism and popularity with our
fans and his teammates made this difficult, but he has been
given the opportunity to go to a great organization to play and
perform at the high level he is capable of playing."

The 27-year-old Hardy batted .229 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI
in 115 games for the Brewers in 2009. A 2007 All-Star, he is
just the third shortstop in Brewers' history to hit more than 20
home runs in a season twice, a list that also includes Robin
Yount and Jose Hernandez.

He has a career batting average of .262 with 75 home runs and
265 RBI in 571 games.

Highly regarded prospect Alcides Escobar is expected to be the
Brewers' starting shortstop next season.

Gomez's arrival in Milwaukee means the Brewers are unlikely to
bring back veteran center fielder Mike Cameron, who will become
a free agent after two productive seasons with the Brewers.

Gomez, who turns 24 in December, batted .229 with three home
runs and 28 RBI in 137 games with the Twins last season.

Melvin said Gomez's speed would add a new dimension to the
Brewers' offense, and his defensive skills would provide a boost
to a pitching staff that struggled last season.

"Carlos brings to our club great speed, athleticism and energy
at a position that we needed to fill," Melvin said. "His defense
will serve as a key component to us improving our pitching."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/131778-Twins-get-SS-Hardy-from-Brewers</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/131778-Twins-get-SS-Hardy-from-Brewers</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:52:08 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Berwers hire Rick Peterson as pitching coach]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By COLIN FLY
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE(AP) -- Rick Peterson knew he wanted to join the Brewers
as soon as he left his interview. Help for Milwaukee's
beleaguered pitching staff can't come quickly enough.

Peterson, 54, was given a two-year contract Tuesday as
Milwaukee's newest pitching coach after spending a year out of
baseball. He inherits one of the worst staffs in league.

"When I walked out of the interview, I was so pleasantly
surprised and excited," he said.

Peterson's coaching style is rooted in biomechanics that teach
pitchers to develop a repeatable delivery that keeps them
injury-free.

"Rick brings a number of years of experience as a pitching coach
and an extensive background in the study of motion analysis,"
general manager Doug Melvin said in a statement. "He is a
high-energy individual and a forward thinker with a
comprehensive program of motivation and instruction that is in
tune with our current pitching philosophy."

Peterson was most recently pitching coach of the New York Mets
and was fired during the 2008 season along with manager Willie
Randolph, who is now the Brewers bench coach.

Before New York, he was the pitching coach of the Oakland A's
and is credited with helping develop the staff of Tim Hudson,
Mark Mulder and Barry Zito. All three eventually became 20-game
winners.

Current Brewers manager Ken Macha was part of that Oakland staff
as bench coach, and Peterson said his familiarity with Randolph
and Macha is crucial.

"When Kenny and I were in Oakland, we sat next to each other on
the bench all those years," Peterson said. "To be in the
postseason with people that are in the dugout that you're going
to join is really awesome, because you really just try to pick
up where you left off."

Peterson becomes the third person in less than a year to assume
the role since Mike Maddux left for a similar position in Texas.
The Brewers fired Bill Castro midseason last year and have
offered interim coach Chris Bosio another job.

Peterson's ability to stick in Milwaukee will largely be judged
by repairing a tattered starting staff that posted the highest
ERA in the majors at 5.37.

The Brewers went 80-82 last year, 10 wins fewer than last year's
postseason run. Milwaukee entered July with a two-game lead in
the NL Central, but injuries to starters Dave Bush and Jeff
Suppan derailed the season as the Brewers finished 11 games
behind St. Louis.

Yovani Gallardo (13-12, 3.73) and left-hander Manny Parra
(11-11, 6.36 ERA) are the biggest projects for Peterson because
of their potential.

Gallardo is 23 and Parra is 26. The two represent the only young
arms that are available to start on the major league level in
the organization.

Peterson said he'll work immediately to get to know both of the
pitchers' long-term goals.

"I need to be a student of Parra and Gallardo and learn as much
as I possibly can about them, not only about the physical nature
about the delivery and the pitches, but to get to know them as
people, what's important to them," Peterson said. "What do they
want to accomplish in their life and their career? ...

"People that are really, really successful, there's an
incredibly high price to pay for that. It does not come
cheaply."

Peterson said he believes all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman
will play an instrumental role in working with the pitchers,
too.

"He becomes a coach on this team to a degree," said Peterson,
who planned to reach out to Hoffman soon. "I know just from
watching, just from observing Trevor interact with his teammates
and his pitchers on his team when we played each other, he's a
very caring, giving guy."

The club also said Stan Kyles will return for a second season as
bullpen coach.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/127650-Berwers-hire-Rick-Peterson-as-pitching-coach</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/127650-Berwers-hire-Rick-Peterson-as-pitching-coach</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:31:02 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers seeking starters to bridge gap to Hoffman]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By COLIN FLY
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE(AP) -- Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said
Wednesday he'll sacrifice offense for pitching this offseason.

Dealing Prince Fielder or Ryan Braun? Don't count on it.

"That would be a tough one. I don't think ... I didn't mean it
that way," said Melvin, laughing. "I don't see that happening."

Braun hit .320 with 32 homers and 114 RBIs this year after
signing a long-term extension last season and Fielder, under
team control through 2011, hit .299 with 46 homers and 141 RBIs,
tied for tops in the majors.

There's been internal discussions about a long-term deal for
Fielder, but there haven't been formal negotiations.

"You say it's on the back of your mind (but) it's coming more
forward to a decision we have to make in two years' time," said
Melvin, who talks regularly with owner Mark Attanasio. "It's not
next week, it's not next month but it probably comes up in our
conversation every time we get together."

The Brewers will still shake things up after a disappointing
80-82 finish following their postseason appearance in 2008 and
they'll have at least one chip to deal in former All-Star
shortstop J.J. Hardy.

Melvin said it would be "very difficult" to keep top shortstop
prospect Alcides Escobar and Hardy on the roster together and
that he felt for Hardy, who hit .229 and was demoted to Triple-A
Nashville.

Melvin said the goal this offseason is to bring in two starting
pitchers to bolster a staff that finished tied for last in the
majors in ERA (5.37), tied for last in complete games (1) and
last in walks (381).

"I had hoped that we'd have five starters, three of them would
pitch 200 innings," Melvin said. "We didn't have anybody pitch
200 innings."

Melvin's first decision was to re-sign Trevor Hoffman to an $8
million, one-year contract with a mutual option for 2011 that
could be worth up to $8.5 million more.

Hoffman will be 42 next week, but converted 37 of 41 save
chances to give him 591 for his career. He finished the season
with a 1.83 ERA, his lowest since 1998.

"To be able to attract free agent starting pitchers, one of the
first questions they always want to know is 'Who is the
closer?"' Melvin said. "If our pitching is going to improve,
you've got to keep the success we had at the back end of the
bullpen."

This year's rotation of Yovani Gallardo, Manny Parra, Jeff
Suppan, Dave Bush and Braden Looper struggled and the
organization doesn't have any pitching prospects in the minors
who could make an impact next year.

That means Melvin will be active in the free agent and trade
market for arms and the memories of what CC Sabathia and Ben
Sheets provided in 2008 were fresh on his mind after both left
via free agency.

Melvin mentioned them during his opening statement just over a
minute into his season wrapup news conference, and assistant
general manager Gord Ash said they still hold Sheets in high
regard even after he missed the season with a forearm injury.

"Ben is somebody who would have to be on anybody's list when it
comes to improving your pitching staff," Ash said. "There's been
once and a while conversations with his agent to remind that we
still have that ongoing interest."

Seven players are free agents, including center fielder Mike
Cameron, catcher Jason Kendall, second baseman Felipe Lopez and
infielder Craig Counsell.

Melvin said that the organization still considers Rickie Weeks
their second baseman and wasn't sure if there was a place for
both Weeks and Lopez, acquired in a trade on July 19. Weeks went
on the disabled list on May 19 after he hurt his left wrist and
needed season-ending surgery.

Rookie third baseman Casey McGehee, a waiver claim pickup who
hit .301 with 16 homers and 66 RBIs in 116 games, had
arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday.

Ash said McGehee had an intermediary procedure instead of a more
intensive one so he could be ready for the start of next season.

"He's an excellent worker," Ash said. "He's motivated and
hopefully he can keep that area healthy and keep the joint
strong and it won't be as much of a factor for him as it was the
last couple of months."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/125102-Brewers-seeking-starters-to-bridge-gap-to-Hoffman</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/125102-Brewers-seeking-starters-to-bridge-gap-to-Hoffman</guid>
				<pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:46:41 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers, Hoffman announce 1-year deal]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MILWAUKEE(AP) -- The Brewers have announced an $8 million,
one-year contract with career saves leader Trevor Hoffman with a
mutual option for 2011.

General manager Doug Melvin says Hoffman is concerned about
winning, not about individual numbers, and that the club is
thrilled to have him back.

Hoffman signed with the Brewers before the beginning of the year
after spending 16 seasons in San Diego. He converted 37 of 41
save chances to give him 591 for his career, and finished the
season with a 1.83 ERA, his lowest since 1998.

The veteran right-hander will turn 42 next week.

The option year could be worth up to $8.5 million, depending on
how many games Hoffman finishes. It has a $500,000 buyout that
would increase to $1 million if he closes 40 games.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124997-Brewers-Hoffman-announce-1-year-deal</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124997-Brewers-Hoffman-announce-1-year-deal</guid>
				<pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:55:28 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[AP source: Hoffman, Brewers agree to deal]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By COLIN FLY
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE(AP) -- All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman agreed
Monday to a one-year, $8 million contract to return to the
Milwaukee Brewers next season.

A person with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated
Press that it includes a mutual option for 2011 that could be
worth up to an additional $8.5 million. The person requested
anonymity because the contract had not been formally announced.

That announcement will be made Wednesday. ESPN.com previously
reported an agreement had been reached. Foxsports.com reported
the contract terms.

The 41-year-old Hoffman converted 37 of 41 save opportunities
with a 1.83 ERA.

Hoffman will turn 42 next week, but said often during the season
that he wanted to return to Milwaukee because he liked his young
teammates' positive attitudes in the clubhouse.

He also said he liked his new role, no longer having to be the
face of the franchise like he was for most of his 16 seasons in
San Diego.

"I wanted to be a piece of the puzzle, another cog in the wheel,
all those clichs," Hoffman told The Associated Press earlier
this season. "They have a lot of young guys that are that face
and that wasn't going to be any of my responsibility."

Hoffman told reporters in St. Louis on Sunday that he was
talking with the club about a new contract, so general manager
Doug Melvin's quick move to re-sign Hoffman was no surprise.

In doing so, Melvin has quickly addressed two of the team's
pressing offseason concerns by stabilizing the closer's role and
retaining manager Ken Macha for next season.

Now, Melvin will need to focus on finding more quality starting
pitching in an effort to give Hoffman additional save
opportunities.

Hoffman has 591 career saves in 17 seasons after he signed with
Milwaukee over the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason.

At the time, the Brewers and Hoffman discussed a mutual option
for 2010, but both sides decided to see how the season played
out. It turned out to be an overwhelming success from the first
time Hoffman heard his AC/DC "Hells Bells" entrance music.

Hoffman had his lowest ERA in 10 years and made his seventh
All-Star game appearance, filling in for injured Dodgers closer
Jonathan Broxton.

While the Brewers didn't announce Hoffman's new contract, the
team provided several injury updates.

Left-hander Manny Parra will undergo surgery on his left
shoulder and infielder Casey McGehee will have arthroscopic
right knee surgery on Tuesday. Right-hander Braden Looper is
scheduled to undergo surgery on his right knee next week.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124630-AP-source-Hoffman-Brewers-agree-to-deal</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124630-AP-source-Hoffman-Brewers-agree-to-deal</guid>
				<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:26:32 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers win 9-7 in 10, sweep scuffling Cardinals]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS(AP) -- The St. Louis Cardinals are scuffling to the
postseason, going 1-6 after clinching the NL Central. It's
hardly a crisis of confidence.

"Yeah, we made some mistakes this whole series," Albert Pujols
said after the Milwaukee Brewers completed a three-game sweep
with a 9-7, 10-inning victory on Sunday. "Some errors here and
there, but listen, this is part of the game.

"I'll think we'll be all right."

Players noted that the Cardinals weren't alone in taking a
collective sigh of relief after clinching. They open the
playoffs Wednesday at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Every team is solid, and it seems like every team is kind of
struggling coming into the postseason," shortstop Brendan Ryan
said. "I know it's two separate things, and everybody's going to
be at their best."

Prince Fielder homered twice and Jody Gerut's two-out infield
hit drove in the go-ahead run for Milwaukee, which swept the
Cardinals on the road for the second time this season. The
Brewers finished 80-82 hours after Ken Macha learned he'd be
back for a second season.

"It's cool," Fielder said. "We have a manager we know."

The Cardinals failed to make it a happy 65th birthday for
manager Tony La Russa, who joked before the game that he was
looking forward to getting the senior citizen discount at the
movie theater.

"We just got swept, you can't deny that," La Russa said. "We
have a couple of days to get ready, and we'll play well on
Wednesday."

Fielder ended with 46 homers, one behind Albert Pujols for the
major league lead, and drove in three runs to tie Ryan Howard
for the majors' RBI title at 141. He lost a chance to take the
RBI title outright when he drew an intentional walk to load the
bases in the 10th.

Mid-game replacement David Freese had two hits and three RBIs
for St. Louis, including a two-run bloop single off Chris Smith
(1-0) to tie it at 6 in the eighth. Freese made his professional
debut at catcher in the 10th after the Cardinals pinch-hit for
two catchers. Yadier Molina got a day off to rest a sore knee.

Fielder's second homer of the game came in the ninth came off
Todd Wellemeyer (7-10). The Cardinals forced extra innings
against Trevor Hoffman (3-2) when Julio Lugo beat the relay on a
potential game-ending double-play ball with the bases loaded.

Ryan Braun added an RBI single in the 10th for the Brewers,
finishing with an NL-high 203 hits, and John Axford finished for
his first career save.

Pujols won his first NL homer title and St. Louis' first since
Mark McGwire hit 65 in 1999 despite going without a long ball in
his last 79 at-bats since Sept. 9. He led the majors in slugging
percentage for the third straight season, finished second to
Hanley Ramirez with a .327 average, and was third with 135 RBIs.

Pujols said he could have hit 50 homers but not if he wanted to
bat .330, too.

"Believe me, I can go out there and try to hit the ball out of
the park, but that's being selfish," Pujols said. "I want to
help my team to win and that's by driving the ball, getting on
base and driving it to the gap."

He got a prolonged standing ovation after setting a major league
assists record at first base with 185, which reflects his range
at the position.

Joel Pineiro, who'll start Game 3 of the division series
Saturday in St. Louis, allowed three earned runs in five
innings. He was 1-3 with a 4.75 ERA in his last five starts.
Though he allowed 11 homers on the season he gave up four long
balls in the last two games.

Jeff Suppan got a ceremonial 30th start for the Brewers, giving
up a run on two hits in two innings. He's made 30 starts in 11
straight seasons, tied with Livan Hernandez for the longest
streak among active players.

NOTES: Jeff Tweedy of alternative rock band Wilco threw out the
first pitch. Tweedy grew up in suburban Belleville, Ill. ...
Casey McGehee got an infield hit in the first to raise his
average to .301, then was taken out before his next at-bat. ...
The Brewers, Braves and Phillies are the only teams with winning
records at 4-year-old Busch. ... Fielder had five multihomer
games this season, 17 for his career. ... The Cardinals finished
with attendance of more than 3.3 million after their 35th
sellout. ... Hoffman blew four saves in 42 chances, the last two
against the Cardinals. ... Freese last played catcher at South
Alabama in 2006. ... Pineiro led the majors with only 1.14 walks
per 9 innings.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124506-Brewers-win-9-7-in-10-sweep-scuffling-Cardinals</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124506-Brewers-win-9-7-in-10-sweep-scuffling-Cardinals</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:34:34 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers retain Macha for next season]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[ST. LOUIS(AP) -- Milwaukee Brewers manager Ken Macha will be back
for a second season in 2010.

General manager Doug Melvin announced before Sunday's season
finale that Macha was being retained for the second season of
the two-year contract he signed last October. The club holds an
option for 2011.

"I'm fine with what happened," Macha said. "I told Doug to do
whatever he thinks is best."

The Brewers began Sunday at 79-82, dragged down by injuries
after making the playoffs last year. Outfielder Corey Hart
(appendicitis) had an extended absence and second baseman Rickie
Weeks was lost for the season with a wrist injury in May.

"He said, `It doesn't matter to me. I don't do this job for the
money or the security of it. I manage because I enjoy it and I
want to win ballgames,"' Melvin said. "I do think the option
tells him that I do support him. I back him in his role as
manager of this ballclub."

Interim pitching coach Chris Bosio and bullpen coach Stan Kyles
will not be offered contracts at this time, the team said, but
will be candidates for coaching positions in the organization.
The Brewers have openings for a Triple-A pitching coach and
advance scout.

Macha had a career record of 447-362 in five seasons, and won
the AL West with the Athletics in 2003 and 2006.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124431-Brewers-retain-Macha-for-next-season</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124431-Brewers-retain-Macha-for-next-season</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:27:35 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers-Cardinals Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MATT BECKER
STATS Senior Writer

Milwaukee (78-82) at St. Louis (91-69), 2:15 p.m. EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals are heading to the playoffs as the NL
Central champs, but continue to stumble down the stretch.

While going into the playoffs on a winning streak can provide
some momentum, it isn't essential. The Cardinals proved this in
2006.

Before trying to win its second World Series in four years, St.
Louis looks to end the regular season on a positive note Sunday
against the Milwaukee Brewers.

With Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Brewers, the Cardinals (91-70)
dropped their seventh in nine games to fall to the third playoff
seed ahead of only the wild-card winner. This means St. Louis
will open the postseason on the road.

"We're definitely not firing on all cylinders," manager Tony La
Russa said. "If it's true that we lost a little focus or lost an
edge, that's not our style."

This season is ending in similar fashion as 2006 - the last year
St. Louis made the postseason.

The Cardinals lost nine of their final 12 regular-season games
in 2006 and nearly missed the playoffs before regrouping in the
postseason to win the World Series. They started each of their
three playoffs series on the road that year.

Joel Pineiro (15-12, 3.44 ERA), who takes the ball in the
regular-season finale, is in the middle of this late-season
slide.

St. Louis won 11 straight games with Pineiro on the mound from
July 3-Sept. 1 with the right-hander recording eight victories
and a 2.87 ERA, but things haven't gone as smooth lately.
Pineiro is 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA in his last five starts with the
Cardinals losing four.

He's also coming off one of his worst starts of the year,
yielding a season high-tying seven runs and eight hits in six
innings of Tuesday's 7-2 loss to Cincinnati. Pineiro entered
that game having allowed seven home runs - tied for the fewest
in the league among qualifying pitchers - before serving up
three.

"I'm glad I get one more start," he said. "I want to finish on a
good note. I need to fine tune some things and get ready for the
next level."

A start against Milwaukee might be just what Pineiro needs to
finish the regular season strong.

He has posted a 2.81 ERA in winning both starts against the
Brewers this season and is undefeated in five career starts
against them.

Milwaukee (79-82), which made the playoffs as the wild-card team
last season, is hoping to sweep the Cardinals at Busch Stadium
for the second time this year. The Brewers are 12-5 in St. Louis
since the start of 2008.

Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun is a big reason for the Brewers'
success in St. Louis, batting .397 with four homers and 12 RBIs
in his last 16 games there. The two-time All-Star became the
first NL player to reach 200 hits with a two-run homer Saturday
and is batting .432 with three homers and 10 RBIs during an
eight-game hitting streak.

Jeff Suppan (7-12, 5.30) takes the ball for the Brewers on short
rest to reach the 30-start mark for the 11th straight season.
Only Washington's Livan Hernandez has a longer streak among
active pitchers with 12.

While he'll reach the milestone, it has been a tough season for
the right-hander.

Suppan is 2-8 with a 6.05 ERA in his last 15 starts and has been
knocked around for 16 runs and 22 hits over 10 1-3 innings in
losing his last two outings.

Suppan, who was tagged for eight runs and 10 hits in Wednesday's
10-6 loss at Colorado, is making his first start on three days'
rest since 2000. The 15-year veteran, who pitched for the
Cardinals from 2004-06, is 1-2 with a 5.48 ERA in four starts
against his former team this season.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124267-Brewers-Cardinals-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124267-Brewers-Cardinals-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:37:17 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers beat slumping Cardinals 5-4]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS(AP) -- A late slump has assured the St. Louis Cardinals
that they'll open the postseason on the road. Still to be
decided is whether Kyle Lohse or John Smoltz will get the final
spot in the NL Central champions' playoff rotation.

The Cardinals lost for the fifth time in six games since
clinching the division, 5-4 to Ryan Braun and the Milwaukee
Brewers on Saturday.

Lohse (6-10) worked six innings and allowed five runs, but only
two earned. Tony La Russa will pick between Lohse and Smoltz for
the fourth starting spot - the manager wouldn't tip his hand
while judging that Lohse did "mostly good things."

"Obviously I want to start, but that's not up to me," Lohse
said. "I think Smoltzie and I are both just sitting there going,
'Just let us know what we're doing."'

The Cardinals have dropped to the third playoff seed ahead of
only the wild-card winner.

"We're definitely not firing on all cylinders," La Russa said.
"If it's true that we lost a little focus or lost an edge,
that's not our style. The fact is we've gotten beat and at some
places it has not been pretty, but we'll see if we can pretty
tomorrow afternoon."

A late-season offensive splurge enabled Braun to reach 200 hits
for the first time with one game to spare. He hit a two-run
homer in the first inning and added an infield hit.

Braun is batting .432 (16 for 37) during an eight-game hitting
streak with three homers and 10 RBIs.

"It wasn't something I was thinking about at all, it wasn't on
my radar," Braun said. "I'm swinging the bat well, and it's
always nice to finish the season strong individually and as a
team."

Second baseman Julio Lugo made two of the Cardinals' three
errors, which matched a season high. His wild throw on Alcides
Escobar's two-out, bases-loaded grounder allowed the tying and
go-ahead runs to score in the sixth as the ball sailed over the
heads of first baseman Albert Pujols and Lohse when both
scurried to cover the bag.

Lohse was afraid somebody was going to get hurt and La Russa
would have preferred Lugo go to second for a force.

"I tried to get to the ball but there wasn't any way I could
have reached it without colliding with Albert," Lohse said. "I
don't see anything good coming out of it, either one of us."

Braun leads the NL with 201 hits and is the fourth Brewer to top
200, joining Cecil Cooper, Paul Molitor and Robin Young. Cooper
did it three times and Molitor twice. With one more steal in
Sunday's finale, Braun will become the second Brewer to hit 30
homers and steal 20 bases.

Carlos Villanueva (4-10) won his first game as a starter in six
attempts, allowing four runs in five innings. He had been 0-3
with a 6.38 ERA as a starter, and was filling in for Dave Bush
(triceps).

"Honestly, I'm just glad I could get five innings and let the
game be close when I left," Villanueva said.

Trevor Hoffman worked the ninth for his 37th save in 40 chances.

Pujols tied the major league single-season record with his 184th
assist at first base on a flip to reliever Blake Hawksworth that
beat pinch-hitter Corey Patterson in the eighth. He matched the
mark set by Boston's Bill Buckner in 1985.

Brendan Ryan doubled twice while going 3 for 3 with an RBI, and
kept himself alive in a rundown long enough to allow Pujols to
get to second on a groundball in fifth. Ryan Ludwick had a
two-run single in the first.

The Brewers had two hits and two walks against St. Louis closer
Ryan Franklin but didn't score, after Craig Counsell was caught
stealing on Braun's strikeout and Prince Fielder was out at the
plate on Mike Cameron's third hit of the day.

NOTES: The Cardinals are 14-15 since Sept. 1. ... Rick Ankiel
struck out all three times against Villanueva, leaving two on in
the first and the bases loaded in the fifth. He's 1 for 14 with
eight strikeouts against the right-hander. ... Brewers pitcher
Braden Looper has allowed 39 homers, by far the major league
high. He allowed six runs in six innings Friday in the Brewers'
comeback 12-6 victory, but no long balls. ... Braun leads the NL
with 63 multihit games.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124192-Brewers-beat-slumping-Cardinals-5-4</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124192-Brewers-beat-slumping-Cardinals-5-4</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:05:41 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers-Cardinals Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By KATE HEDLIN
STATS Writer

Milwaukee (77-82) at St. Louis (91-68), 1:10 p.m. EDT

Kyle Lohse wasn't overly impressive in his last start, but he
may be pitching well enough to earn the fourth spot in the St.
Louis Cardinals' playoff rotation.

Lohse will try to boost his chances when he takes the mound for
the Cardinals on Saturday as they continue a three-game series
against the Milwaukee Brewers.

St. Louis' first three spots in the playoff rotation will be
filled by Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and Joel Pineiro, but
the fourth spot has been up for grabs between Lohse (6-9, 4.84
ERA) and John Smoltz.

Saturday would be a good chance for Lohse to separate himself
from Smoltz, who gave up six runs and walked five in four
innings of a 6-1 loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Lohse has two stints on the disabled list and only two wins
since May. After picking up a victory at Houston on Sept. 21, he
gave up four runs in five innings of a 4-3 loss at Colorado on
Sunday.

The veteran right-hander is 3-4 with a 5.54 ERA in 11 starts
against the Brewers.

He'll try to help the slumping Cardinals (91-68) regain some
momentum as they head toward the postseason. The NL Central
champions fell 12-6 to Milwaukee (78-82) on Friday for their
12th loss in 19 games and fourth in the last five.

The Cardinals had beaten Cincinnati 13-0 Thursday and took a 6-0
lead behind Adam Wainwright, who was seeking his 20th win.
However, reliever Kyle McClellan gave up four runs and the
bullpen continued to falter after that, eventually costing
Wainwright the benchmark victory.

Wainwright insisted he wasn't upset at McLellan. The St. Louis
relievers had pitched 14 scoreless innings over the previous
five games.

"What's more important is he realizes it was just one outing and
he's going to have to be good for us in the playoffs if we want
to do well," Wainwright said.

The Brewers plated their most runs in the last 46 contests, and
snapped a four-game losing streak.

Ryan Braun drove in three runs and scored on a wild pitch to cap
a six-run seventh inning. Milwaukee's left fielder is batting
.406 with 11 RBIs in his last 16 games.

"We're obviously not playing for anything so it's pretty cool
that everybody continued to play hard," Braun said.

Carlos Villanueva (3-10, 5.24) will make a spot start for the
Brewers, who needed to fill the void left after shutting down
Dave Bush.

Villanueva has appeared in 63 games this season, including five
starts in late July and early August. He was 0-3 with a 6.38 ERA
in those games.

The right-hander pitched two innings of relief against Colorado
on Tuesday, allowing one run and three hits.

Villanueva has made six relief appearances against St. Louis
this year, allowing two runs and six hits in eight innings.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124092-Brewers-Cardinals-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124092-Brewers-Cardinals-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 05:17:55 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers rally foils Cardinals, Wainwright 12-6]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS(AP) -- Adam Wainwright could taste his 20th victory. The
Milwaukee Brewers' biggest rally of the year made it all go
sour.

Ryan Braun doubled twice to leave him one hit short of 200 and
drove in the tying run before scoring the go-ahead one in
Milwaukee's six-run seventh inning of a 12-6 victory on Friday
night.

"It was just a crazy game," Braun said. "That's why you continue
to play hard, you continue to grind out at-bats, and it's true
that you really never know what's going to happen.

"We're obviously not playing for anything so it's pretty cool
that everybody continued to play hard."

Wainwright retired 15 in a row before consecutive one-out
doubles by Craig Counsell and Braun cut the deficit to 6-1 in
the sixth, and was pulled after allowing two singles to start
the seventh.

"Yeah, I could taste it," Wainwright said. "That may be why the
first two guys got on, I got a little ahead of myself there. We
win that game 99 times out of 100."

Kyle McClellan (4-4) gave up Braun's tying, two-run double in
the seventh before Jason Motte's wild pitch put Milwaukee ahead
7-6. Felipe Lopez and Craig Counsell also had two-run singles in
the big inning.

"As hard as he's worked and fought and everything he's done,
it's just a shame it came down to my lack of execution,"
McClellan said. "Just poor all around on my part. Then you watch
the other innings and I feel responsible for that."

Wainwright tried his best to reassure the 24-year-old McClellan,
a key member of the St. Louis bullpen.

"It's one of those things where it's cool to have the notch on
the belt," Wainwright said. "What's more important is he
realizes it was just one outing and he's going to have to be
good for us in the playoffs if we want to do well."

Braden Looper (14-7) allowed six runs on 10 hits in six innings
for Milwaukee, which ended a four-game losing streak.

"Obviously I'm not completely happy with the way I threw,"
Looper said. "But you'll take a win anytime you can get it."

The Brewers scored five more runs in an eighth inning that
featured three hits, two errors, a hit batter, two walks and two
wild pitches.

Wainwright struck out eight in six-plus innings for a three-game
total of 29 in 21 innings, but appeared to tire six days after
throwing 130 pitches in the clincher at Colorado last Saturday.

Wainwright led off the fourth with his first career triple and
was driven in by Colby Rasmus for a 6-0 lead. The Cardinals also
got RBI singles by Matt Holliday and Ryan Ludwick in the first
inning and RBI doubles from Albert Pujols and Ludwick along with
a run-scoring single by Yadier Molina in a three-run third.

Wainwright contributed his third two-hit game of the season and
eighth of his career. Looper, who gave up his triple, was the
last Cardinals pitcher to triple on Sept. 26, 2008 at home
against the Reds.

NOTES: A sellout crowd of 44,331 showed up for an Ozzie Smith
bobblehead giveaway, also the Cardinals' first home game since
clinching the NL Central last Saturday. ... Chris Carpenter,
whose 2.24 ERA is the NL's best, will start Game 1 of St. Louis'
division series with Wainwright working Game 2. ... The Brewers
haven't announced a starter for Sunday's finale. Jeff Suppan
threw in the bullpen Friday and could make his 30th start,
giving the right-hander 11 straight years of 30-plus. ...
Despite faltering, Wainwright was 3-1 with a 1.24 ERA against
the Brewers this year. ... Looper is 3-0 against the Cardinals.
... Wainwright leads the NL with 233 innings. ... The Cardinals
were the fourth team to throw five wild pitches in a game.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124051-Brewers-rally-foils-Cardinals-Wainwright-12-6</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/124051-Brewers-rally-foils-Cardinals-Wainwright-12-6</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 04:39:00 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Rockies clinch playoff spot, NL West within reach]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Sports Writer

DENVER(AP) -- After a champagne celebration at Coors Field, the
Colorado Rockies headed to Los Angeles with a playoff berth in
their back pocket and another goal in mind: snatching the NL
West title from the reeling Dodgers.

The Rockies completed one of the most remarkable turnarounds in
major league history by clinching a playoff spot with a 9-2 win
over Milwaukee on Thursday.

They were a dozen games under .500 four months ago and now
they're 91-68, the best mark in their 17-year history.

"And we're not done yet," Ryan Spilborghs said.

The Rockies' fourth straight victory eliminated Atlanta, their
final pursuer, from contention for the NL wild card and gave
Colorado it second playoff berth in three years. They won the
pennant in 2007.

Colorado can still catch the Dodgers for the NL West title if
the Rockies sweep a weekend series in Los Angeles. The Dodgers,
who have lost four straight, were off Thursday and watched their
division lead over the Rockies get sliced to two games with
three left.

So, the Rockies won't be resting any regulars this weekend.

"Until we get beat a game, we're going to try to win the
division," said manager Jim Tracy, who is 73-40 since taking
over the club upon Clint Hurdle's firing on May 29.

"We've done this before," Todd Helton said. "We've poured
champagne on ourselves before and once the party's over, we know
hot to get back to work."

The Rockies will send ace Ubaldo Jimenez to the mound Friday
night to face lefty Randy Wolf.

"Regardless, we're in the postseason - but we want to go there
and beat L.A.," said Aaron Cook, who pitched four-hit ball over
eight spectacular innings Thursday in his second start since
missing a month with a sore shoulder.

As the Rockies rejoiced behind the mound after the final out,
fans broke into a chant of "Beat L.A.! Beat L.A!" while
fireworks crackled through a cloudless sky.

"I've never had a better feeling than this in 33 years in
professional baseball," Tracy said.

After trading slugger Matt Holliday last fall for closer Huston
Street and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, the Rockies got off to a
stumbling start. They were 18-28 on May 29 when Tracy took over.

He gathered his players in the clubhouse and told them the best
players were going to play and he was going to get out of the
way. That lent stability to the lineup and bullpen and an added
excitement to the clubhouse.

It took a week for Tracy's approach to take hold. They fell to
20-32, 15 1/2 games behind the Dodgers, on June 3. Only the
lowly Washington Nationals were worse.

Then, recalling their "Roctober" run of 2007, they won 17 of 18
and started to believe another champagne shower in October was
actually a possibility.

"That's quite a mountain to climb," Tracy said.

They've gone 71-36 since June 3.

"We knew we had a good team," shortstop Troy Tulowitzki added.
"Every team goes through a struggle in a season. Ours was early.
We overcame it and we've played great since then."

Cardinals 13, Reds 0=

At Cincinnati, Chris Carpenter hit a grand slam and drove in six
runs, getting St. Louis back on track with his arm and bat in a
rout of Cincinnati.

Carpenter's first career homer came off Kip Wells (2-5) and
capped a five-run second inning for the Cardinals, who had lost
three straight since clinching the NL Central. He added a
two-run double during a four-run fifth to match the career RBI
total he brought into the game.

The right-hander also threw five innings of three-hit ball for
his 17th win.

Giants 7, Diamondbacks 3=

At San Francisco, Tim Lincecum struck out seven in his final
start of the season, Andres Torres homered and hit an RBI triple
and the Giants won their home finale.

Lincecum (15-7) outpitched Dan Haren (14-10) in a matchup of
aces. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner completed his season
with 261 strikeouts and a 2.48 ERA.

Astros 5, Phillies 3=

At Philadelphia, Cliff Lee (7-4) was shaky in his playoff tuneup
and the Phillies one night after clinching their third
consecutive NL East title.

Miguel Tejada homered to extend his hitting streak to 18 games
and Lance Berkman had a two-run double for the Astros.

Nationals 2, Braves 1=

At Atlanta, Pete Orr hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth
inning and Washington beat the Braves hours after they were
eliminated from playoff contention.

Orr's one-out single to left drove in Ryan Zimmerman, who opened
the ninth with a double off Rafael Soriano (1-6).]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/123877-Rockies-clinch-playoff-spot-NL-West-within-reach</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/123877-Rockies-clinch-playoff-spot-NL-West-within-reach</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:03:09 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Brewers-Cardinals Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MATT BECKER
STATS Senior Writer

Milwaukee (77-81) at St. Louis (90-68), 8:15 p.m. EDT

Before taking the mound for the St. Louis Cardinals in the
playoffs, Adam Wainwright will make one final regular season
start to strengthen his resume for the NL Cy Young Award.

His manager believes he's deserving of the award and the
Milwaukee Brewers probably feel the same way.

Wainwright looks to continue his dominance of the Brewers and
become the majors' first 20-game winner when he takes the ball
for the Cardinals on Friday night in the opener of a three-game
series.

Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, Wainwright
(19-8, 2.58 ERA) appears to be the favorite to win his first Cy
Young. He leads the league in victories, ranks third in ERA and
is tied with Milwaukee's Yovani Gallardo for fourth in
strikeouts with 204. Wainwright also carried the Cardinals'
rotation when 16-game winner Chris Carpenter missed five weeks
early in the year with a strained left ribcage muscle.

With Albert Pujols having another outstanding season at the
plate, Wainwright and the St. Louis first baseman have a chance
to become the first NL teammates to win the Cy Young and MVP in
the same season since Pujols and Carpenter in 2005.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa believes Wainwright sealed up
the Cy Young Award the same day St. Louis (91-68) clinched the
NL Central.

In Saturday's 6-3 win over Colorado, Wainwright allowed three
runs and 10 hits with 11 strikeouts in eight innings, and
escaped an jam in his final inning by striking out Clint Barmes
and pinch-hitter Jason Giambi to strand runners on first and
second.

"He might have won the (Cy Young) award in the eighth inning,"
La Russa said of his right-hander who threw a career-high 130
pitches.

While Wainwright would get La Russa's vote, the Baseball
Writers' Association of America won't submit their ballots until
after Sunday's games. This gives Wainwright one last chance to
shine against one of his favorite opponents.

After allowing one run and two hits in eight innings of a
tough-luck 1-0 loss to the Brewers on May 16, Wainwright has
posted a 0.40 ERA while winning his last three starts against
them. He has struck out 24 in 22 1-3 innings in those outings
and has virtually shut down Milwaukee's top sluggers.

Ryan Braun is 1 for 11 against Wainwright this season, while
Prince Fielder is 2 for 10 with four strikeouts.

Wainwright isn't the only Cardinal to find success against the
Brewers (77-82) this season.

Pujols is batting .414 with four homers, four doubles and 10
RBIs in his last seven games against them, while Matt Holliday
is hitting .455 with three home runs and nine RBIs in six games
since joining St. Louis in July.

The Cardinals, coming off Thursday's 13-0 win at Cincinnati,
have won nine of 11 over Milwaukee after losing the first four
meetings.

The Brewers arrive at Busch Stadium after a 9-2 loss to Colorado
to match a season-high four-game skid. Poor pitching is to blame
for the losing streak with Milwaukee yielding 32 runs and a .333
opponents' batting average.

Braden Looper (13-7, 5.10) tries to put an end to the slide when
he takes the ball in the opener.

Looper allowed five runs - three earned - and seven hits in six
innings of Saturday's 7-5 win over Philadelphia, but didn't
receive a decision. The right-hander has only lost once in his
last nine starts.

Looper, who pitched for St. Louis from 2006-08, is 1-0 with a
3.75 ERA in two starts against his former team this year.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/123791-Brewers-Cardinals-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/123791-Brewers-Cardinals-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:38:34 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Rockies clinch playoff spot, NL West within reach]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Sports Writer

DENVER(AP) -- It's a Rocktober redux for the Colorado Rockies, who
are back in the playoffs after a one-year hiatus.

"It stings," Troy Tulowitzki said as he squinted away the tears
that were flushing the champagne out of his eyes. "But I've
never forgotten '07 and it's great to experience it again. It
never gets old."

Aaron Cook pitched four-hit ball over eight spectacular innings
in his second start since missing a month with a sore shoulder,
and Garrett Atkins drove in three runs for the Rockies in a 9-2
win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

The Rockies' fourth straight victory eliminated Atlanta, their
final pursuer, from contention for the NL wild card. Colorado
can still catch the Dodgers for the NL West title if the Rockies
sweep a weekend series in Los Angeles.

"We're in," Tulowitzki said. "Anything can happen once you're
in."

The Dodgers, who have lost four straight, were off Thursday and
watched their division lead over the Rockies get sliced to two
games with three left.

As the Rockies rejoiced behind the mound after the final out,
fans broke into a chant of "Beat L.A.! Beat L.A!" while
fireworks crackled through a cloudless sky.

"We're celebrating right now. We'll worry about that tomorrow,"
Todd Helton said as his teammates sprayed him with beer and
champagne.

On the other side of the clubhouse, manager Jim Tracy was
getting soaked by players serenading him with "Boom Boom Pow" by
the Black Eyed Peas.

"I've never had a better feeling than this in 33 years in
professional baseball," Tracy said.

He's not planning on resting any regulars in Los Angeles.

"Until we get beat a game, we're going to try to win the
division," Tracy said.

A bundled-up crowd of more than 38,000 sat through blustery
winds on a 50-degree day to watch the record-setting win. At
91-58, the Rockies set a franchise mark for wins in a season and
moved 23 games over .500 for the first time in their 17-year
history.

Unlike two years ago, when they got hot at the right time,
winning 21 of 22 on their way to their only World Series
appearance, these Rockies simply got good.

Very good.

After trading slugger Matt Holliday last fall for closer Huston
Street and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, the Rockies got off to a
stumbling start. They were 18-28 on May 29 when Tracy took over
after general manager Dan O'Dowd fired longtime manager Clint
Hurdle.

When O'Dowd offered Tracy the job, he told him, "I just want to
see them play better."

Tracy asked for 60 minutes to mull the offer.

O'Dowd said he'd gladly give him an hour's time to think about
it but not a minute more because he needed a manager in the
dugout that night.

Tracy talked it over with his wife and told O'Dowd he thought
the Rockies could indeed play better under his tutelage.

Have they ever.

Under Tracy, the Rockies are 73-40, and they took over sole
possession of the lead in the wild-card race, which they trailed
by 9 1/2 games at midsummer, on Sept. 1.

The Rockies, who were 12 games under .500 on June 3, turned
their season around and rejoined the pennant race with
sensational starting pitching (they're the only team with five
starters with double-digit wins), a brilliant bullpen, a mixture
of clutch situational and power hitting and deft managerial and
front office moves.

The Rockies reached the playoffs as the NL wild card in 1995 and
2007, when they went an unfathomable 21-1 during a stunning
run-up to the World Series, where they were swept by Boston
after a weeklong layoff.

"It's not been as crazy a ride coming down the stretch but it's
been just as fun," Cook said. "So, we're going to enjoy it just
as much."

The Rockies are 71-36 since June 3.

"No, I don't think anybody in here was thinking this back then,"
Atkins said. "If they say that, they're probably lying. We knew
we were a better team than how we were playing. But to come back
from as far back as we did is pretty impressive."

After whittling their magic number to one on Wednesday night,
the Rockies took a quick 1-0 lead Thursday when Atkins'
first-inning blooper fell in front of left fielder Ryan Braun
for a single, allowing Helton to score from second.

The Rockies chased left-hander Manny Parra (11-11) with a
four-run third, when Atkins followed Tulowitzki's run-scoring
single with an RBI double into the right-field corner. Parra
walked Cook and Dexter Fowler with two outs and the bases loaded
to make it 5-0.

Atkins added a run-scoring single off John Axford in the sixth
after Braun hit his 31st homer in the top half. Cook then drew
his second bases-loaded walk, making it 7-1. After striking out
his first four times up, Brad Hawpe hit his 22nd homer off Chris
Smith in the eighth, his two-run shot making it 9-1.

Cook (11-6) allowed one run and four hits in his longest outing
since June 28 at Oakland, cementing his spot in the playoff
rotation.

"All I can say is if there was any doubt in our mind as to
whether we think he's ready or not, we got our answer today,"
Tracy said.

Franklin Morales gave up Mike Cameron's RBI double in the ninth
before getting Alcides Escobar looking at strike three for the
final out.

"My goggles aren't working," Cook cracked as the champagne
rolled over his face and down his neck, where his goggles hung
helplessly.

Tracy surveyed the scene, laughing.

"How much do I love them? I don't have words to describe it," he
said. "The best thing about this club, look around this
clubhouse and the veteran leadership that we have and the youth
and the mix that we have here. The young people will be able to
feed off this for a long time. I guarantee if you get this taste
in your mouth and it won't go away."

NOTES: Colorado's previous best mark was 90-73 in 2007, when it
won a wild-card tiebreaker over San Diego in 13 innings. ... The
Rockies drew 2,665,080 fans, their highest total since 2002.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/123749-Rockies-clinch-playoff-spot-NL-West-within-reach</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/123749-Rockies-clinch-playoff-spot-NL-West-within-reach</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:31:11 GMT</pubDate>
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