Brewers Notes

Rusch finishes on a low note

By DREW OLSON of the Journal Sentinel staff

Sunday, March 17, 2002

Phoenix -- Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Glendon Rusch was one strike away from finishing a solid, encouraging outing when his counterpart, San Francisco pitcher Ryan Jensen, clubbed a 3-2 fastball for a two-out, two-run double to the gap in left-center.

"That took a good outing and turned it into just a decent outing," Brewers manager Davey Lopes said. "He went from giving up two runs in four innings to four runs in four innings. That's a huge difference.

"We can't do that. We can't get behind (in the count) and let a pitcher beat us. Glendon realizes that. I'm sure he's happy with a lot of other things he did today."

In his fourth start of the spring, Rusch allowed six hits and four runs. He struck out three and did not issue a walk. The Brewers eventually lost, 9-8.

"I felt comfortable out there," he said. "I had good command of all three pitches and mixed in my breaking ball a little bit."

Rusch has been working to perfect his changeup, a pitch he feels is critical to his success.

"I'm throwing it a lot," he said. "It's been a great improvement from where I've had it before."

After focusing attention on his off-speed pitch, Rusch has found that control of his fastball has lagged a little, but he's not concerned.

"All in all, I feel good," he said.

Quevedo update: Right-hander Ruben Quevedo, whose decreasing pitch velocity has created some concern among team officials, will be examined by a team doctor Monday in an attempt to pinpoint the cause of his fatigue.

"He just says he's been tired every day, all spring," Lopes said. "Hopefully, it's not mono (mononucleosis) or something like that."

Rotation roulette: Right-hander Jamey Wright played catch Saturday and reported no pain in his strained left oblique muscle. Wright, who has appeared in just one game this spring (March 2 against Colorado), is expected to throw on the mound Monday.

"What I want to hear is that he feels good, he can pitch in a game and then he pitches in a game and feels good after that," Lopes said.

Nick Neugebauer threw 60 pitches in a simulated game Saturday in minor-league camp and is now expected to make his exhibition debut with a start Wednesday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox.

The Brewers haven't officially ruled out the possibility of Wright taking his scheduled turn on opening day, but right-hander Ben Sheets -- the team's best pitcher this spring -- is scheduled to start Monday in a rematch of his last outing against Kerry Wood and the Cubs.

If Sheets stays on a rotation of pitching every five days, he will be on target to start the season opener April 2 in Houston. Rusch is on track to start the home opener April 5 against Arizona.

Oops: A between-innings promotion had humorous and almost disastrous results Friday afternoon at Maryvale Baseball Park.

Two male fans were picked to do a "bat spin" contest, in which participants bend over, put their foreheads on the knob end of a bat, spin 10 times and try to sprint roughly 40 yards in a race to the finish line.

It's not uncommon for contestants to be wobbly after spinning quickly, but one racer Friday almost hit Brewers first baseman Richie Sexson, who was catching warmup throws from his infielders.

The other contestant crashed into the Brewers' coaching staff, which was seated in folding chairs in front of a railing.

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