Afternoon Sports Brief - Brewers pitchers and catchers in good shape for spring training

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CHANDLER, Ariz. - Manager Ron Roenicke says the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitchers and catchers appear to be in good shape as they began their first official workout at Spring Training today.

He said there were only minor physical restrictions for hurlers coming off surgery from the off season. Roenicke said everyone who was on rehab can at least throw sessions in the bullpen and quote, “It’s a nice thing when I come in, and these guys are already ready to throw.” The skipper said Manny Parra and Zach Braddock have been throwing at minor league camp and both are up to speed for spring. Roenicke said both have been throwing very well. And after having issues with sleep disorders in 2011, Braddock is especially trying hard to make the big club this year. Roenicke also said he has been in touch with Ryan Braun, who’s waiting to hear whether he’ll get a 50 game suspension for testing positive for banned substance. Braun can still play in exhibition games, and Roenicke expects him to be in camp by Saturday when position players will have their first official workouts. Meanwhile, the Brewers said today that five players have signed contracts for this year, pitchers Marco Estrada, Tim Dillard, Mark Rogers, and Mike McClendon, and catcher Martin Maldonado.

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The Marquette University men’s basketball team returned to the national Top 10 today in both major polls. The Golden Eagles rose two places to #10 in the AP media survey. And they jumped three spots to 10th in the USA Today ESPN coaches’ poll. Marquette is 22-5 overall, after beating UConn on Saturday. Also, the Eagles moved up to #8 in the latest RPI Rankings, which often determine NCAA Tournament seeds. The Eagles will host Rutgers on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Wisconsin dropped one place to 16th in the AP poll, while going up two spots to 15th in the coaches’ survey. The Badgers are 24th in the RPI’s. They lost at Michigan State last week, but came back with a home victory over Penn State yesterday. And Bo Ryan’s Badgers have now won 20 games overall for the sixth straight season. Wisconsin is 20-7 going into their next contest at Iowa on Thursday night.

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Despite going 2-0 last week, the UW Green Bay women’s basketball team dropped one place to 12th in the new Associated Press media poll. Tennessee moved past Green Bay into the 10th spot this week. Baylor remains at #1. Number 2 Stanford and ninth-ranked Delaware join Green Bay as the only Top 25 teams with one loss. The Phoenix are 23-1 overall after victories at Cleveland State and Youngstown State. Green Bay overcame a nine-point deficit in the final minute to force overtime and win at Youngstown on Saturday. The Phoenix will host Valparaiso on Thursday night.

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The top-ranked University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team will host Minnesota State-Mankato this weekend in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. The Badgers earned the #1 seed after splitting their final regular season series against Ohio State over the weekend, and won the league regular season title outright. This weekend’s series is a best of three. The Badgers will host it Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon if necessary at the Eagles’ Nest in Verona. The series is being held there because the Wisconsin women’s basketball team has the Kohl Center for a Sunday game against Illinois and on Friday and Saturday is the state wrestling tournament. In other first round series, second seeded Minnesota will host Saint Cloud State. #3 North Dakota entertains Bemidji State. And fourth seeded Minnesota-Duluth hosts #5 Ohio State. The winners will square off for the league title March second-and-third in Duluth. Wisconsin kept its #1 ranking in the US College Hockey On line poll this afternoon, despite losing to the Buckeyes on Saturday. Wisconsin is 28-2-2 going into the post-season. Minnesota is ranked second at 26-4-2.

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Steve Stricker of Madison is still at #5in the new World Golf Rankings released today. Stricker has been taking time off to rehabilitate a herniated disc in his neck that first caused him arm pain last September. But he’ll play in the Accenture Match Play Championship starting Wednesday in Marana Arizona. Pewaukee native Mark Wilson dropped one place to 42nd, after he missed the cut at the PGA’s Northern Trust Open during the weekend. Wilson was also named to the 64 player field for the match play event. Jerry Kelly of Madison took the weekend off, and fell two spots in the World to #143. Luke Donald is still the World #1. In the Fed Ex Cup season point standings, Wilson dropped from third place to sixth. Stricker fell one place to seventh. And Kelly dropped nine places to 139th.

Tags: wisconsin sports, sports, brewers, proam