Today we go through the hypothetical hearing of first baseman Travis Ishikawa. Travis is kind of a strange case – he was drafted in 2002, and made his Major League debut in 2006 with the San Francisco Giants. He spent the 2007 season in the minors, as well as parts of 2008, 2009, and all of 2011. He did win a World Series ring with San Francisco, but has spent the better part of his career up and down between AAA clubs and the Majors.

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At least lately, Green wasn’t given many chances to play. But when he was used as a pinch-hitter and/or received a rare start, he never really capitalized on the opportunities. The last time Green made a real impact on a game was on June 7^th, when he hit his first Major League home run, in a pinch-hit appearance. A day later, he hit his second career shot in another pinch-hit appearance. But Green cooled off since, and his last hit came on June 26^th in Cincinnati. He saw his batting average sink all the way to .198, which is probably what prompted his return to the Minors.

Obviously, though, the playing time he wasn’t receiving wasn’t helping the cause of his batting average. Green can play third base, second base, and first base (I think he can also play shortstop in emergency situations). But, as of right now, he’s blocked at all of those positions- Aramis Ramirez has played pretty much every day since returning from a quadricep strain, Rickie Weeks is proving that he deserves to stay in the lineup for now, and Corey Hart has played outstanding defense since his move to first base. That left Green in a rare pinch-hit role that was usually given to other lefties on the bench, such as Travis Ishikawa.

So I doubt Green was actually optioned because of his performance, but rather so he can get the consistent playing times he needs. Green has proven that he can hit at the Triple-A level, as he hit .336 with 36 home runs there last year before a late-August call-up. Unfortunately for him, though, he’ll probably be stuck there until there’s an opening somewhere at the Major League level. And with the way injuries have taken their toll so far this year, it could be pretty soon that we see Green back on the Brewers.

In a season marred by injuries, the Brewers can add one more name to the list of walking wounded as Shuan Marcum was placed on the 15-day Disabled List Saturday. This comes off the heels of the return of the back-up first baseman on Saturday as well as veteran shortstop Cesar Isturiz, who went 0-3 in a return to the lineup in the third game against the White Sox.

Ishikawa told the Brewers’ Adam McCalvy that he was “able to play without any hesitation or apprehension” as well as “100 percent intensity.”

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Often times, that’s just what it is: one guy trying to fill in some shoes for a week, two weeks, or a month until the regular guy gets back on his feet and back into the game.

But what happens when the reserves begin to perform above their expectations?

The Milwaukee Brewers are about to find that out.

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Marco Estrada's arm in the bullpen is valuable. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

With all the injuries the Brew Crew have faced this season, we still have shown the drive to go on. We sit at 28-32, four games behind first in the NL Central and have two series with the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins, that we should hopefully win. Injuries do not kill a season, but they can hamper it considerably, especially when a few big names on your team are out. Fortunately enough, Marco Estrada looks like he might be the first Brewer to come back. As I discussed in my previous article, we must keep Michael Fiers as a starter and have Marco Estrada help the bullpen settle down. It’s no surprise our bullpen has been unreliable this season and with the idea of breaking even and going higher in the division, that is an issue that must be settled quickly. However, Ron Roenicke believes Marco Estrada benefits the team more as a starter so he is expected to return to the starting rotation when healthy.

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The rate that Brewers players are flying to the disabled list is incredible. I honestly can’t recall any season for the Brewers- or any Major League team, for that matter- in recent history in which they had this many injuries. And these injuries have all come before we’ve even hit June.

Today, first baseman Travis Ishikawa joined what is becoming a very crowded disabled list. He reportedly has been enduring a left rib-cage strain, and was officially placed on the 15-day DL before today’s game against the Diamondbacks. Ishikawa wasn’t having a great season, but he did put up decent power numbers at times. Overall he had four home runs with 14 RBIs, along with a .250 average, in 32 games. He figured to see a lot of time at first base after Mat Gamel went down for the season with a torn ACL, but wasn’t consistent enough to earn a permanent starting role.

Ishikawa shouldn’t be gone for long. I’m not usually very good at gauging how long an injury will last, but, considering it’s only a strain, he should be able to come back around the time the minimum 15 days ends. It’s not like he tore anything; he had better luck than Chris Narveson (rotator cuff), Gamel (ACL), and Alex Gonzalez (ACL), all of whom had tears involved in their respective injuries. All of their seasons are over.

But I don’t know how much the Brewers can take before they turn into the 2011 Minnesota Twins. If you don’t know the story behind the 2011 Twins, virtually all of their star players got injured. By the end of the season, practically half of their team consisted of Minor League call-ups, most of them forced into action that they weren’t ready for. That resulted in a 63-99 record, and I’m seriously starting to get worried that’s the direction the Brewers are headed.

Travis Ishikawa, Brewers first baseman

Anyway, back to our injuries. Ishikawa was not the only one suffering. He was the first of a group of players that all have at least minor injuries to visit the DL. Kameron Loe was apparently unavailable all weekend and we didn’t know it; Ron Roenicke said after today’s game that he had been battling right elbow discomfort. He was warming up in the sixth inning during today’s game, but was pulled back and Jose Veras began to throw (he would go on to lose the game). Then, George Kottaras’ hamstring cramped while he was running home in the sixth inning. He went back out to catch the next inning, but eventually left in favor of Jonathan Lucroy. Lastly, Aramis Ramirez missed another start due to a bruised left elbow he got after being hit by a pitch on Friday. Also, Carlos Gomez still isn’t at 100 percent since returning from the DL, but his case is much less serious than the others.

Needless to say, this nightmare needs to stop now. It feels like the Brewers have been losing two to three players a day over the past week. And, although that sounds exaggerated, it’s actually held true. The Brewers’ bench was already depleted enough before the injuries, but look at it now. Any more injuries, and, like I said before, we might as well be the 2011 Twins.

Both of those things JUST HAPPENED. (more…)

Ishikawa probably found a way to tear his ACL on this stretch. (Image: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE)

Throughout spring training, the Brewers right fielder was rumored to be in the running for the starting job at first, but evidently maintained his home in right field after Mat Gamel did not relinquish the job. In years past, this had been the smallest issue on the minds of the Brewers organization with mainstay Prince Fielder manning first base. However, one large opening of the wallet in Detroit and a torn ACL later, the Brewers have started five players and first base this year.

Five. 

However, don’t expect to see Hart permanently at first base, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Journal-Sentinel. And by all means is that the right call to make, and for 3 very good reasons:

1. Corey’s offensive numbers would go down, much like Bill Hall’s significant drop in production in 2007 which went along with a transition to center field. More attention to a new position won’t help Hart, who is most beneficial to the Brewers when at the plate.
2. Playing Corey at first would mean Nyjer Morgan or Nori Aoki would have to start against lefties. Take Nyjer out of the picture, because he is god-awful against southpaws (.199 career average). We can say Aoki is “good” against left-handers, but he looked absolutely silly against Jeremy Affeldt of San Francisco on Monday night.
3. In 157 career starts, first baseman Travis Ishikawa is batting .281/.338./.442 with 18 homers and 84 RBI. Having him and Hart both in the lineup will is beneficial.

Yes, Brewers fans, that is Brad Nelson. (Image: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE)

After years or reliability at first base, the 2012 Brewers have relunctantly turned into the modern-day version of Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First?” Ishikawa has assumed over half of the starts in Gamel’s absence, followed by Taylor Green. Brooks Conrad, the second coming of Brad Nelson, started two games at first but was optioned back to AAA Nashville after a dismal 0-22 performance with Milwaukee. Hart became the fifth member of the not-so-distinguished club on Monday and may be making more appearances at first.

Roenicke noted that the former All Star may see more starts at first with left handers on the mound, such as with Barry Zito on Wednesday, and Hart’s response was much on the same page.

“I think he’ll do it mostly against lefties, especially because (Norichika) Aoki hits lefties so well (.364, and can take over in right field),” said Hart, who was drafted as a first baseman but had only one start there in the majors in 2006.

Ishikawa and Hart make up the most reasonable first base tandem on the Brewers, as Taylor Green can be used for his glove (and judging by Rickie Weeks’ horrid start, his bat, as well) in the middle infield and to give Aramis Ramirez a day off on the rare occasion. And as for Conrad, his chance has probably come and gone.

The question of “Who’s on first?” may not become a complete guessing game in the minutes leading up to the game: Ishikawa will take most starts unless a lefty is throwing, in which we will see Hart. The only question I have about this is…why, then, does George Kottaras still start against lefties when Randy Wolf pitches? But that’s a discussion for a different time.

Zack Greinke (13) and Jonathan Lucroy (20) came through big today. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

Just what we needed, a good ol’ trashing of some team’s pitching staff. After dropping the series to the Twins, today’s potential sweep of the Brew Crew turned into anything but that. Jonathan Lucroy had a huge day at the plate, hitting two home runs (one being a grand slam) and contributing to the trashing with 7 RBIs. Yet again, Zack Greinke showed us another quality which gave him his 5th win of the season. This win, while a small victory, was one that had to happen. Nobody thought we’d lose a series to the Twins in Milwaukee. We still sit well below .500 and losing series like these are crucial because now the schedule becomes tougher with us facing the top teams of the NL West, while mainly on the road too. Sure, we’ll take this game as it is, but things won’t always be there for the taking. That said, let’s look at today’s game.

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