MILWAUKEE -- So, after a 5 a.m. wakeup call and an early-morning flight on Midwest Airlines, we've arrived here in the Brew City, home of Arthur Fonzarelli, Laverne and Shirley, and of course, the famous sausages that race around Miller Park during the seventh-inning stretch at Brewers' games. (I'm hardly a gambling man, but I always pull for the chorizo). If you like beer and/or bratwurst (I say yes to both), this is the town for you. When I'm in Milwaukee, I always try to stop here for some dinner.But the Phillies' resident Milwaukee expert -- and Brett Favre lookalike (see below) -- is right fielder Geoff Jenkins, who spent 10 seasons with the Brewers. He was Milwaukee's first-round pick in 1995, and he ranks second on the franchise's all-time home-run list with 212, behind only Hall of Famer Robin Yount (251). Jenkins liked it here so much that, when the Brewers declined his $9 million contract option for 2008, he took out a full-page ad in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel to thank the fans for their support.
That's classy.
"When you're there for a decade and you're part of something, it's just something I wanted to do," Jenkins told me before last night's game in Colorado. "I enjoyed my time there, had some great success, had a lot of fun, played with a lot of guys, and I thought it was something I needed to do for the fans to give back. I wasn't looking for any feedback. I was just looking to say thanks."
Over the past few seasons, Jenkins' star had begun to fade in Milwaukee, as the Brewers developed young stars like Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun. Jenkins will be in the lineup the next two nights against right-handers Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan. Here's hoping the Miller Park crowd gives him an nice ovation before his first at-bat tonight.
We'll be back with the lineups in a bit.
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(Updated, 6:22 p.m.): Tonight's lineup against Brewers RHP Dave Bush: CF Jayson Werth (.300/3/8), 3B Greg Dobbs (.346/1/6), 2B Chase Utley (.357/9/20), 1B Ryan Howard (.190/4/9), LF Pat Burrell (.357/7/22), RF Geoff Jenkins (.250/1/3), C Carlos Ruiz (.200/0/6), SS Eric Bruntlett (.180/1/1), LHP Cole Hamels (2-2, 1.86 ERA).
3 comments:
Scott, what news do you have on rollins? i heard he has a hairline fracture in his ankle
Jamie: What I'm hearing from sources close to Rollins hasn't changed. He has a sprained left ankle. I tend to believe that's accurate. Rollins had an X-ray on April 9 and an MRI on April 17. If the Phillies had found a hairline fracture, it's doubtful they would've allowed him to pinch-hit in four games before putting him on the DL.
The snow skiing helped to keep the swellng down. He should be ready to go after it melts - mid May
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