Brewers' owner confident team will be contenders

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MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Brewers’ owner Mark Attanasio says he’s convinced that the team will be competitive into September and October. He said the Brewers met their accountability to the fans by bringing in starters Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum – even though they dealt away some of their top prospects in doing so.

Greinke will start the season on the disabled list with the injured ribs he suffered playing basketball at spring training. And Marcum is getting over tightness in his throwing shoulder. But all three starters are expected to be healthy at least going into May – and new manager Ron Roenicke says they’ll naturally compete to be the top starter in the rotation. Greinke, the 2009 American League Cy Young winner, was expected to be Milwaukee’s Opening Day starter tomorrow at Cincinnati. But Gallardo will get that honor for the second straight year. Roenicke expects some of the pressure to be taken off the 27-year-old Greinke. He said Kansas City put a lot of pressure on him to win but quote, “I just want him to pitch.”

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The Milwaukee Brewers made their final moves this afternoon to get down to their 25-man Opening Day roster. Right-fielder Corey Hart was officially put on the 15-day disabled list with his strained left oblique muscle. And catcher Jonathan Lucroy is also on the DL has he recovers from his broken right pinkie. Both moves were expected, as were two official call-ups from Triple-“A” Nashville. Utility player Erick Almonte and outfielder Jeremy Reed will both start the year on the Milwaukee roster. Three other players were returned to the Brewers’ minor-league camp – catcher Mike Rivera, reliever Mark DiFelice, and infielder Edwin Maysonet. Meanwhile, Lucroy might be close to returning. He caught three innings of a minor league game yesterday, and he had a hit and a walk. Lucroy’s and Hart’s placements on the DL were both retroactive to March 22nd – which means they could be available as early as the middle of next week if they’re ready. The Brewers open their regular season tomorrow at Cincinnati. There was some light snow today in southern Ohio. But it’s supposed to be dry and a bit warmer tomorrow, with highs in the 40’s expected.

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Second baseman Rickie Weeks was the Brewers’ top performer at Spring Training. And he hopes to keep that momentum going into the regular season. Weeks batted .442 with a .506 on-base percentage in 19 exhibition games this month. And he did not commit an error in the field. New manager Ron Roenicke said he heard about Weeks’ toughness and work ethic and quote, “They’re all there.” Weeks says he doesn’t take a lot of stock in spring training numbers, but he’s happy about his approach at the plate. Weeks also spent extra fielding practice with new shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt – and they spent a lot of time working on double-play conversions. Roenicke said it was important that the two get to know each and work together. Betancourt came to the Brewers in the deal that brought Zack Greinke from Kansas City.

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