NewsDiFelice's imminent return may be short
Milwaukee (30-22) at Florida (25-28), 6:10 p.m. CT
Mark DiFelice has allowed just three earned runs in 23 1/3 innings. (AP)
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
06/02/09 11:03 PM ET
MIAMI -- Brewers reliever Mark DiFelice hopes to resume throwing on Wednesday after taking a two-day break with a sore elbow. He would come as a huge boost for a team whose starters have worked fewer than six innings in four straight games. But even if DiFelice proves successful, his return to action would be a short one. He learned Tuesday morning that his paternal grandmother, Olga, had passed away in Philadelphia of complications related to pneumonia. She was 83. The Brewers have given DiFelice permission to leave the team on Saturday to attend funeral services on Sunday, and general manager Doug Melvin was considering whether to request a stint on the bereavement list. The Commissioner's Office would have to approve such a request, allowing the Brewers to call up another bullpen arm for their weekend series in Atlanta. Monday is an off-day for the team, so DiFelice plans to rejoin the fray on Tuesday for the start of a series against the Rockies. "She was my last grandparent," DiFelice said. Amid the circumstances it was difficult to talk about baseball, but DiFelice offered that his elbow felt better on Tuesday, probably the result of anti-inflammatory medication he was prescribed the day before. DiFelice retired all five batters he faced in a Brewers win over the Reds on Sunday without incident, though he reported some stiffness to head athletic trainer Roger Caplinger after the game. When he woke up Monday morning in Miami, DiFelice could not fully extend his right arm. He underwent X-rays at Land Shark Stadium on Monday to check for loose bodies, and team physician Mark Niedfeldt was on hand to administer manual tests to determine if there was any damage to DiFelice's ulnar collateral ligament. Everything checked out, he said. "[The doctor] said I had the best 32-year-old elbow he had ever seen," DiFelice said. "Everything was strong and stable." With DiFelice sidelined, manager Ken Macha was forced to use right-hander Jorge Julio on Monday night against the Marlins, and Julio was charged with five runs without recording an out. He was released on Tuesday, when the Brewers promoted righty Mike Burns from Triple-A Nashville to bolster the bullpen. Burns came in handy when starter Manny Parra delivered only four innings on Tuesday. Brewers relievers have been forced to cover 16 2/3 innings in the team's last four games. Pitching matchupMIL: RHP Braden Looper (5-3, 4.24 ERA)
Looper broke an eight-game losing streak for Brewers starting pitchers in his last start, giving up two runs on two hits in seven innings in the Brewers 3-2 win over Cincinnati on Friday. After giving up a game-tying two-run homer to Cincinnati's Ramon Hernandez with two outs remaining in the top of the fourth, Looper retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. Looper, who played for the Marlins from 1999-2003, is 5-2 all-time against his former team with a 4.31 ERA. In his last start against Florida, Looper allowed five runs on eight hits in six innings, earning the win in the Brewers' 8-6 win on May 13. FLA: LHP Sean West (0-0, 2.25 ERA)
Granted, it's only two starts, but if they are any indication, the Marlins have made a major addition. One of five Florida first-round picks in 2005, West has tremendous potential. The question was whether he would be ready for the big leagues at age 22. Thus far, he's up to the task. In his last outing, West gave up one run on four hits over seven innings. It was his longest outing in either the big leagues or Minor Leagues this season. At Double-A Jacksonville, he only went as long as six innings. In 12 MLB innings, he's allowed three runs. Tidbits
Center fielder Mike Cameron was out of the lineup on Tuesday because of "minor issues in a couple areas," as Macha termed it. The issues were tendinitis in his left knee and a sore right throwing shoulder. Cameron could return as early as Wednesday. ... The Brewers had six true left-handed hitters in the lineup Tuesday for the first time in exactly two years. They faced Florida in that game, too, and counting switch-hitting catcher Johnny Estrada, Milwaukee actually started seven lefty bats in that game against Byung-Hyun Kim. ... Macha wasn't thrilled when Prince Fielder was thrown out trying to steal third base for the first out of the third inning on Monday, so he spoke with the slugger about it on Tuesday. "I doubt if you'll see him run again," Macha said. ... The Brewers announced the dates of three summer block parties, making the third year of the free fan events around Milwaukee. They are scheduled for June 27 at Village Park in Brown Deer (4800 W. Green Brook Dr.), July 11 at Kern Park in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood (3614 N. Humboldt Blvd.) and Aug. 15 at Hart Park in Wauwatosa (7300 Chestnut St.). The parties will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will feature appearances from Brewers players and coaches. Tickets
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• Thursday: Brewers (Dave Bush, 3-1, 4.38) at Marlins (Josh Johnson, 4-1, 2.66), 6:10 p.m. CT
• Friday: Brewers (Yovani Gallardo, 5-2, 3.18) at Braves (Javier Vazquez, 4-4, 3.58), 6:30 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Brewers (Jeff Suppan, 3-4, 5.09) at Braves (Kris Medlen, 1-2, 6.28), 6:00 p.m. CT
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
