The Brewers entered Sunday afternoon’s game against the Minnesota Twins on the brink of disaster. Having already lost the first two games of the series and 12 of their last 17 games, the season seemed to be slipping away. A team decimated by injuries and struggling starters, manager Ron Roenicke’s lineup on Sunday partially resembled that of the Brewer’s AAA affiliate, the Nashville Sounds. Two slumping players, second baseman Rickie Weeks and third baseman Aramis Ramirez were held out of the lineup in favor of Edwin Maysonet and Taylor Green. Weeks is batting an almost unheard of .158 while leading the National League in strikeouts with 53. In Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Twins, Weeks struck out four times and committed an error that led to an unearned run for starter Yovani Gallardo.
Sunday’s revamped lineup saw catcher Jonathon Lucroy move into the cleanup spot for the first time in his career. Lucroy leads the team in batting average and is second only to Ryan Braun in RBI. Both players would play a key role in Sunday’s game as the Brewers broke out of their offensive doldrums in a big way. Braun was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and four RBI. Braun’s effort was surpassed only by Lucroy. The Brewer catcher was 3 for 5 with two home runs and tied a team record seven RBI. Corey Hart and Nyger Morgan were also major contributors as each scored three runs. The Brewer’s first four hitters combined to drive in eleven runs while collecting ten hits. Even starting pitcher Zack Greinke had two hits as the Brewers would win, 16-4. This very well could have been the offensive outburst that the Brewers needed to turn their season around.
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However, one game does not a season make. For the Brewers reestablish themselves as a contending team in the National League Central, they must continue to generate the type of offense that led to Sunday’s victory. Whether or not Sunday’s lineup changes remain permanent will remain to be seen. Weeks is only an average defensive second baseman so he cannot remain in the lineup if he continues to provide so little at the plate. Unfortunately, the Brewers don’t have many other options. Roenicke could go with Maysonset. However, the rookie isn’t much of an upgrade offensively. General Manager Doug Melvin could look to add a player via trade, but that would effectively end the team’s relationship with Weeks. Ramirez has been nothing short of a disappointment at third. The company line that Ramirez is a perennial “slow starter†will soon be rendered obsolete as the season nears its 50 th game. Taylor Green is the heir apparent at third, however, if Ramirez’s offensive woes continue; Green just might be forced to step up sooner than expected.
Roenicke has also been moving Hart to first base late in games. This could be a sign of things to come as it has long been rumored that Hart may be moved to first from his normal right field position. Moving Hart would free up a corner outfield spot to be filled by Norichika Aoki, Carlos Gomez or Nyger Morgan. Along with Braun in left field, two of those three could fill out the outfield positions on a daily basis. However the lineup card shakes out, the Brewers must right their ship. If they don’t, Brewer fans will endure more 5-4 losses than 16-4 victories.
By: Scott Kasten
MLBCenter.com Staff Writer
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