The Nashville Brewers?

I initially opened up this article by summarizing the plethora of bruises, bumps, and torn ACLs that have put an early dent in these first

two torpid months for the Brewers, but chose against it for the sake of not wanting to jinx anything else and, considering the boys here at RtB have already covered every injury imaginable, any injury summation would simply be me palavering.

After a healthy stretch of a week or so that, miraculously enough, saw no Brewers get hit with injury, a four-game stretch at the end of last week was as painful for fans as it was for the players who hit the disabled list. Three players managed to hit the 15-day DL in a span of four games; starting pitcher Marco Estrada strained his right quadriceps rounding first on a two-run double and won’t be back until late June at the earliest; backup-turned-starting shortstop-because-of-Alex-Gonzalez’s-ACL-tear Cesar Izturis hit the DL on Friday with a strained left hamstring rounding third base; and first baseman Travis Ishikawa was placed on the DL with a strained rib cage before Sunday’s game.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Aramis Ramirez, Kameron Loe, and George Kottaras are all day-to-day with seperate injuries. Awesome.

The 2012 Brewers are showing shades of being the real-life, non-animated, Michael Jordan-less, injury-riddled Tune Squad from the hit 90’s film Space Jam. Don’t look now or Bill Murray may be making an appearance in middle relief, to which Mr. Swackhammer–err…Dale Sveum–calls out, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! I didn’t know Dan Aykroyd was in this picture!”

At this rate, Murray may actually be making a visit to the home clubhouse in Milwaukee; I mean, if Brooks Conrad can suit up, I’m sure there is cap space for Murray, as well. After batting 0-22, Conrad was sent back down to AAA Nashville, only to be recalled yet again due to the injuries.

Speaking of Nashville, it seems that the entire AAA roster may be called up in the near future. The active roster for the Brewers already has included nine players that weren’t on the Opening Day roster…and we’re not even out of May: Mike McClendon, Juan Perez, Brooks Conrad, Taylor Green, Edwin Maysonet, Cody Ransom, Eric Farris, Wily Peralta, and Vinnie Chulk.

As the season progresses (especially if the injuries continue at this rate), more and more guys from Nashville will be putting on the Brewer blue. In fact, another name (possibly Mike Fiers or Peralta) may be added to that list before Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers, as someone must fill in for what would be Estrada’s start.

Here are some players currently in Nashville that we may see in Miller Park in the near future:

Mike Fiers, RHP

The starting pitcher is not one of the top two or three pitching prospects, but, at the moment, may be the most “Big League ready”. Thus far he holds a 4.42 era with the Sounds in AAA and may be called up to make his first Major League start on Tuesday.

Wily Peralta, RHP

Widely considered Milwaukee’s top prospect, Peralta has been struggling mightily at AAA. He holds a 1-6 record and 6.52 era and is coming off an eight-run shellacking on Sunday, so he is no longer the favorite to make Tuesday’s start, but we will probably see him again this season.

Jeff Bianchi, SS

The name has crept up on us in 2012, but Bianchi has moved his way up from AA Huntsville to AAA and is hitting .350 with the Sounds and .351 between both teams. He is somewhat of a dark horse to be promoted, but may be next in line on the left side of the infield with a solid glove and above-average bat.

Martin Maldonado, C

The starting catcher for Nashville is only hitting .198 this season, but has shown promise in spring training and in winter leagues. He’s also next in line at catcher, and with Kottaras day-to-day, he could aggravate his injury and easily find himself on the DL, thus promoting Maldonado.

Logan Schafer, OF

The speedy Schafer had a chance at making the Opening Day roster until Ryan Braun won his appeal. In the meantime, Schafer has shown surprising power in Nashville with five homers and 12 doubles.

Eric Farris, IF

14 steals in 17 attempts this season for the former Reviewing the Brew interviewee. Rickie Weeks gets injured seemingly every season, so .271-hitting Farris would be the logical replacement there.