Nick Neugebauer's debut Sunday has been widely anticipated by Brewers' fans desperate for something to be optimistic about for the future.
But, don't expect too much from Neugebauer right away. Like any rookie, he will take his knocks.
"He'll be nervous and will probably come out throwing 100 miles an hour," said pitching coach Bob Apodaca. "He'll make his mistakes, but he has the talent and makeup to learn from them and improve."
When the 21-year-old Neugebauer takes the mound in Cincinnati, he will become the youngest starting pitcher in the National League and second youngest in all of the majors.
"Whether you're 37 or 21, you will make mistakes," Apodaca said. "We should let him go through all the emotions and experiences. That's how you grow and develop."
{INSERT_RELATED}The Brewers didn't want to rush Neugebauer, but when Ben Sheets went on the disabled list Tuesday there was a spot in the rotation.
"This is a game of opportunities, and this is his," general manager Dean Taylor said. "With Ben going on the DL, and a doubleheader Monday in Wrigley Field, we needed a starter.
"Nick has shown great progress with his secondary pitches (curve and changeup) and location. We feel he is ready to give a try."
There always is a risk in rushing a young pitcher. If they get knocked around too much, they can lose confidence. The Brewers are taking some pressure off Neugebauer by starting him on the road. If he struggles at least it won't be in front of 30,000 or more hometown fans.
Neugebauer will join a rotation that includes 22-year-old Ruben Quevedo, who recently was acquired from the Cubs, and the 23-year-old Sheets, once he comes back from tendonitis in his right rotator cuff.
Mac Suzuki, who has shown some promise as of late, is 26. So is Jamey Wright. Allen Levrault just turned 24.
"Generally, teams with young starting rotations are considered to be in enviable situations," Taylor said. "We hope that turns out to be the case here. We acquired Ruben because we thought he could fit in with our other young pitchers. Now, we need for them to develop."
Just don't expect too much from Neugebauer right away. Nick will take his knocks.
Blown Trade
Baseball Weekly reported this week that Taylor was very close to pulling off a three-way deal on July 31 that would have brought outfielder Shannon Stewart to the Brewers and resulted in Jeromy Burnitz going to the New York Mets for pitcher Glendon Rusch.
But, the Blue Jays pulled out of the equation, sending the whole package down the toilet. BBW reported that the Burnitz for Rusch part of the deal could resurface this off-season.
Rusch would add another young starter. He also is a lefty, while all the others are right-handed. The key to the deal would be to replace Burnitz with a consistent run producer, because that has been more of a problem than pitching this season.
Beyond the Call
Kudos to Miller Park usher Don Newport of Loge Level 211 for going beyond the call of duty. When a 6-year-old boy was nice enough to give a foul ball to an adult who had been hit by it, he was left without a souvenir himself.
Newport got a ball from the Brewers and drove to the boy's Sheboygan home to deliver it! That kind of effort creates great good will for the Brewers and Miller Park.
Player of the Week
Ruben Quevedo earns the honor by pitching and hitting the Brewers to their only win over the Phillies. The portly righthander gave up two runs on four hits in six innings. He also had a RBI single. Quevedo now has had two good outings after a very rocky debut.
Play of the Week
Quevedo's RBI single to right in the second inning Thursday tied the game at 2-2 and inspired the Brewers to go on to a win.
Goat of the Week
Jamey Wright gave up seven runs in Wednesday's game. The Brewers need Wright to rise to the status of the staff ace and lead the pitchers who are even younger than him. Instead, he has taken a step or two backwards for every step forward.
Review and Preview
The Brewers weren't even competitive in a 10-4 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday. They did keep fighting back in Wednesday's 8-6 loss, but made too many mistakes themselves to win.
Quevedo then came through with his fine performance Thursday to lead the Brewers to a 5-4 win.
Neugebauer's debut will be the highlight of the weekend in Cincinnati. The Brewers also have to win at least a couple games if they are to avoid being caught by the fifth place Reds.
After Cincy, comes a long series in Wrigley Field with the Cubs. The last time the Brewers played in Wrigley, they came out with a sweep that left them four games over .500 and within a couple games of first place. That now seems so long ago.
Gregg Hoffmann is back from a Mississippi River steamboat trip and will resume The Brew Crew Review columns on Mondays and Fridays until the end of the season. He also maintains a special Brewers' news and message board on OMC.
