Dzien dobry ("Good morning") all!

Check out last night's show!

"The Polish Rifle" Scott Wisniewski and I first dig into the results of Monday's second scrimmage of your Wisconsin Badgers. Were there any updates on the quarterback battle between Curt Phillips, Joel Stave and Tanner McEvoy? Did any receivers pop out to complement Jared Abbrederis? Which defensive players stood out? We answer all of those questions and more in the first half-hour-plus.

We also discuss the Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez situations -- should the Milwaukee Brewers' left fielder just admit to everything in a press conference rather than just a written statement? And how bad is the blood between A-Rod and the New York Yankees?

Scott also gives his thoughts on the Packers' victory over the St. Louis Rams, before we proudly welcome another Polish-American sportswriter, Wes Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press Gazette, to go in-depth about position battles, who stood out Saturday night and the Aaron Rodgers/Donald Driver/Greg Jennings media storm.

Before we wrap up the show, we bring you an added bonus, as we play Wisconsin head coach Gary Andersen's post-scrimmage media session in its entirety. Interesting comments indeed provided by coach Andersen.

Don't forget to check us out on Twitter! @B5Q, @KielbasaKingsWI, @ScottWisniewsk2 and @B5Q_KKSE_Kuba.

Next Monday night: We'll talk more football, and hopefully have some big names on to preview the Badgers and Big Ten season.

More from Bucky's 5th Quarter:

• Jake Keefer, Wisconsin defensive end, out for season w/ knee injury
• Wisconsin scrimmage recap: 1st units, pair of freshmen impress
• What to Watch in Canada, Part I: Frank Kaminsky's rebounding
• Wiscosnin recruit Brock Boeser leads U.S. U-17's to gold at Five Nations Tournament
• Wisconsin football: Accentuating the positive
• Christian Dvorak gives up eligibility to sign with OHL's London Knights

This series was formerly known as "Carlos Gomez MVP Watch," but that point has become somewhat moot.

Gomez's recent struggles (hitting .160/.295/.260 in his last 16 games) were relatively well-documented even before his recent knee injury, but the fact that he hasn't appeared in a game since Thursday hasn't helped his case either. He's a fringe candidate to win the award at best at this point, and would need a pretty significant charge down the stretch to change that.

If Gomez doesn't re-enter the MVP debate (and Jean Segura doesn't climb into it), then this will be a rare quiet year for the Brewers when the award is announced. The Crew has had at least one player in the top ten in the MVP voting in five of the last six seasons, with 2010 being the lone exception. They've had at least one player receive votes every year since 2006.

So now that we're done talking about the guys who won't be MVP, let's take a look at the weekly performances of the likely contenders:

Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

Last 7 days: 11-for-29, batting .379/.500/.517 with seven walks

If "teh FEAR" is a key component in your MVP argument, then it's probably worth noting that McCutchen was intentionally walked three times this week, raising his season total to eleven. That's the second-highest total in the NL, trailing only Joey Votto (14).

Despite getting a lot of free passes this week, though, McCutchen still had five multi-hit games. Since June 20 he's a .360/.443/.603 hitter, turning the narrative of his season from "down year" into "NL's best." The only thing that could hurt him is the recent play of the Pirates, who are 2-7 in their last nine games and 8-9 in August. Stock: Still pretty high.

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

Last 7 days: Eight shutout innings against the Phillies on Saturday, allowing just three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.

The Dodgers aren't the NL's best team overall in 2013, but they're hot enough that it'd be hard to make a case against them being the class of the league right now. That can only help Kershaw's case as he has a season that's closing in on historic.

Kershaw has posted a microscopic 0.95 ERA over his last five starts, allowing just 28 baserunners over 38 innings. His WHIP for the season is down to 0.851, and if his season ended today he'd be just the second NL pitcher since 1915 to post a mark that low. Stock: Climbing fast.

Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks

Last 7 days: 9-for-27, batting .333/.455/.667 with three home runs.

We're giving the in-depth treatment to a new third candidate this week, with David Wright potentially finishing the season on the shelf. Goldschmidt is likely to draw some attention from voters who favor more "traditional" numbers, as he leads the NL with 96 RBI and is one of two players with 30 home runs on the season.

Entering the season Goldschmidt's platoon splits had been the primary knock against him, as he mashes lefties but posted a .739 OPS against righthanded pitchers in 2012. He's still crushing lefties this season (1.001 OPS), but is also hitting .292/.395/.521 against righties, and has taken them deep 20 times.

On the next tier: Adam Wainwright, Cardinals; Matt Carpenter, Cardinals; Joey Votto, Reds
Below that: Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies; Yadier Molina, Cardinals; Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
They'd be candidates if not for...: Matt Harvey, Mets (innings limit); David Wright, Mets (injured); Jose Fernandez, Marlins (innings limit)

Kyle Lohse probably isn't going to the playoffs this season, but maybe he can help keep his former teammates from getting in too.

Tonight at 7:10 Lohse (3.17 ERA, 4.13 FIP) will make his 26th start of the season as a Brewer. He was very good last time out, holding the Reds to two runs (one earned) on five hits over seven innings. Unfortunately, he was rewarded with a loss for that effort. The four walks he issued in that game were the most he's allowed since mid-May.

Lohse's low strikeout rate (5.9 per nine innings) is one of the reasons why his FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) is significantly higher than his ERA. That's frequently an indication that a pitcher's performance will regress over the long term, but Lohse has had a significant gap between his ERA and FIP in each of the last three seasons so it may not be an issue here.

This is the fourth time Lohse has faced his former team this season. He's posted a 5.00 ERA over the previous three starts, and the Brewers have lost all three games. Three current Cardinals have faced him ten times or more:

He'll face 26-year-old righty Lance Lynn (3.89 ERA, 3.16 FIP) in his 26th start of the season. Lynn received a no-decision in his last start against the Pirates on Thursday, allowing four runs on eight hits over 5.1 innings. He has a 4.57 ERA over his last ten starts.

Counting six postseason games Lynn threw 187 innings a year ago, after throwing just 109 in 2011. His velocity remains relatively steady, though, sitting in the low-to-mid 90's with a fastball he'll throw over 70% of the time. He also has a slider, curve and occasional changeup.

The Brewers gave Lynn a no-decision in their only other 2013 meeting on May 18, scoring four runs off him on eight hits over five innings. The only active Brewer who's seen him ten times or more is Aramis Ramirez, who is hitting .111/.200/.111 in ten plate appearances.

As of this writing tonight's Brewer lineup has not been posted. If you've seen it, please drop it in the comments.

And in the bullpen:

• Burke Badenhop pitched 1.1 innings (22 pitches) last night, and also pitched multiple innings on Sunday.
• Rob Wooten pitched one inning (16 pitches) last night.
• Brandon Kintzler pitched .2 innings (31 pitches) last night.
• Tyler Thornburg pitched 1.2 innings (47 pitches) on Sunday.
• Michael Gonzalez pitched one inning (eleven pitches) on Sunday.
• Jim Henderson last pitched on Saturday.
• John Axford last pitched on Friday.

It's going to be a beautiful night for baseball tonight with a game-time temperature around 80 under sunny skies. The wind should be blowing from right to left.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Due to the quick turnaround between last night and today's games, the Mug is off today. It should return tomorrow. - KL

Even after last night's win, the Brewers are 3-9 against the Cardinals this season.

They'll get a chance to improve on that mark at 1:10 today with Tom Gorzelanny (2.95 ERA, 3.88 FIP) on the mound. He had a rough outing last time out against the Reds on Friday, tying a season high by allowing five runs on six hits over 4.2 innings. He allowed two home runs in that game for the first time all season.

Despite being left handed, Gorzelanny has been very good against both righties and lefties this season. He's dominating opposing lefties to the tune of a .183/.290/.323 line, but also holding right handed batters to a .219/.284/.344 line. The .628 OPS righties are carrying against him is significantly lower than his .776 career mark against them.

Gorzelanny has already faced the Cardinals five times this season, but all of those previous outings were in relief. He's allowed two runs on three hits over five combined innings, walking two and striking out one. Five current Cardinals have faced him ten times or more:

He'll face veteran righty Jake Westbrook (4.35 ERA, 4.40 FIP) in the 19th appearance of his 13th major league season. Westbrook got knocked around by the Cubs on Friday, allowing seven runs on eight hits over 6.2 innings with five walks and two strikeouts. He has a 10.13 ERA over his last four outings.

Despite Westbrook's recent struggles, he's still remarkably good at keeping the ball in the park. He's allowed just five home runs over 109.2 innings this season, and hasn't given up more than one in a start all year. He'll throw a 90 mph fastball with a cutter and splitter, plus the occasional changeup and slider.

Westbrook beat the Brewers on May 2, holding them to a single run on six hits over six innings. Three active Brewers have faced him ten times or more:

As of this writing today's lineup has not been posted. If you've seen it, please drop it in the comments.

And in the bullpen:

• Brandon Kintzler pitched one inning (18 pitches) last night and also threw 31 pitches on Monday.
• Jim Henderson pitched one inning (17 pitches) last night.
• John Axford pitched one inning (13 pitches) last night.
• Burke Badenhop pitched 1.2 innings (22 pitches) on Monday.
• Donovan Hand, expected to rejoin the team today, pitched two innings for Nashville on Monday.
• Tyler Thornburg and Michael Gonzalez last pitched on Sunday.

Today could be the hottest day of the year at Miller Park, but the forecast (which originally called for temperatures to reach 90) has been scaled back a bit. Expect a game-time temperature around 83 today under partly cloudy skies with a crosswind blowing in slightly from right.

With a win over the Kansas City Royals last night, the White Sox are now on a four game winning streak, a tie for the team's longest winning streak of the season. And I think we all know why. Since August 8th, the White Sox have a .583 winning percentage. On the season the Detroit Tigers' winning percentage is .584. That's right, since the second week of August the White Sox have become the 2013 Detroit Tigers. And all for one reason.

They got rid of Alex Rios.

That stretch includes taking three of four from the Twins in Minnesota and two of three from the Tigers. The team has rediscovered The Will To Win. The new right fielder, Avisail Garcia, is batting .341 with an .850 OPS. Over that same stretch, the Texas Rangers have only managed to win seven of ten games against such lowly teams as the Houston Astros, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Seattle Mariners. Why didn't they have a Dodgerian 10-0 stretch? Because of Alex Rios.

Look at that awful defense in the above picture. Look at it! That's not how you win a pennant. Some people figured the change in scenery would do Rios good. Getting to play on a contender that's all but guaranteed a playoff spot this season would rejuvenate the lackadaisical right fielder since he'd finally be playing in the postseason. Notice how I said some people. Smart folks like us knew it wouldn't matter. Some players just don't care about baseball. They're solely motivated by paychecks and Randian fantasies. Rios' .627 OPS since joining one of the American League's best teams is incontrovertible proof of this fact. If he gave a damn about winning or his teammates, he'd hit better. But he doesn't, so he won't.

"But what about his .250 BABIP over the past seven days?" people that never played baseball at a higher level than right fielder in tee ball cry out from their mom's basements. Maybe if he ever ran out grounders it would be higher, did you ever think of that? No, you didn't. Because you don't know what being part of a team is about. I've never met Avisail Garcia, but I think it's pretty obvious to say that he brought some of that winning Jim Leyland mojo over from the Tigers with him. It's not important that he only played 53 total games with Detroit's major league club. He just absorbed so much about winning from being around successful veterans with postseason triumphs like Prince Fielder, Torii Hunter, and Victor Martinez. What did Alex Rios bring to the clubhouse? Dissent and disrespect learned from guys like Carlos Delgado and an ability to forget how to hit after landing a mega-contract like former outfield companion Vernon Wells.

The White Sox are turning things around and it's obvious how. Alex Rios never played on a real contender and the White Sox would never be one without getting rid of that kind of baggage. Now if they can just shed Adam Dunn and his 13 years without a single playoff game they might just find their way back into the ALDS. Addition by subtraction. It just works.

Following today's game, the Brewers made a few roster moves in advance of Friday's game in Cincinnati.  They optioned Sean Halton and Donovan Hand back down to Triple-A Nashville, reinstated Rob Wooten from the paternity list, and recalled Caleb Gindl from Nashville.

Donovan Hand was only with the Brewers for one game to cover for Rob Wooten while he was home for the birth of his first child.  Though he could have remained on the paternity list until Saturday, he will be back in uniform and ready to go on Friday.  Meanwhile, with both Carlos Gomez and Norichika Aoki dealing with injuries, the Brewers needed to improve their outfield depth.  They did this by recalling Caleb Gindl and optioning Sean Halton.  While Halton can play in the outfield, Gindl has more experience as an outfielder.  Halton appeared in five games during his brief stint and only started in two of them.  Meanwhile, Gindl has been hot in his week back in Nashville, on a six-game hitting streak (and 11 game minor league hitting streak dating back to July 7th), hitting 9-for-32 with a home run and 3 RBI.  It's also worth noting that today is the last day of the 10-day minimum that he had to remain in the minors after being optioned down following the game on August 11th.

Deep League Thoughts: Avail yourself of Avisail

Daniel Kelley takes a closer look at White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia and says fantasy owners are making a mistake by staying away from Garcia, as he is owned in just 4% of Yahoo leagues, Check out his piece on Avisail here.

Alex Wood better than Zack Wheeler?

I was checking out my Twitter timeline on Tuesday night and saw this tweet from Ben Duronio, the manager over at Talking Chop, SB Nation's Braves fan site:

"@MetsNetsJets: @Ben_Duronio you jelly?" No, Alex Wood is on the Braves and he is better.

— Ben Duronio (@Ben_Duronio) August 21, 2013

I saw the tweet and wondered who he was comparing Wood to. When I saw it was Mets starter Zack Wheeler, I was in shock, so I responded, and here are his reason for liking Wood over Wheeler:

@faketeams@MetsNetsJets three quality pitches that he can command. Wheeler has never had that. Don't see that changing much.

— Ben Duronio (@Ben_Duronio) August 21, 2013

I am no scout, so I cannot comment much on the quality of Wood's or Wheelers pitches, but I find it hard to believe that Wood will be better than Wheeler long term.

Yesterday, Wood pitched well, limiting the Mets to one run on 6 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts but did not figure in the decision. For the season, Wood is 2-2 with a 2.50 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 57.2 innings on the mound. He is striking out more than a batter per inning, limits his walks to under 3.00 per nine, and keeps the ball on the ground at a 48% clip.

Wheeler, on the other hand, has made 12 starts, going 6-2 with a 3.49 ERA, 4.44 FIP, and a 1.38 WHIP. He is striking out more than 8 batters per nine innings, but is walking more than four batters per nine. His ground ball rate is just 40% at the moment, so Wood is actually pitching better than Wheeler looking at his season stats to date. But, since June, where he had an ERA over 5.00, Wheeler has put up a 2.73 ERA in July and a 3.38 ERA in August, so he has pitched better over the last month and a half. Wood's monthly ERAs are: June - 3.55, July - 3.66, August - 0.98.

I am not ready to proclaim Wood as one of the better young pitchers in the game like Wheeler is, but he is someone to watch the rest of the season.

For more on Wood, make sure you check out Talking Chop, SB Nation's Braves fan site.

Allen Craig: Not much power, but still a valuable fantasy first baseman

I was pretty high on Cardinals first baseman Allen Craig coming into the season, as I had visions of a 30 HR - 100 RBI season from him, but that was not to be in 2013. Craig went 2-4 with a HR, double, and 2 RBI in the Cardinals win over the Brewers on Wednesday. Craig is now hitting .312-.368-.455 with 12 HRs, 27 doubles, 68 runs and 90 RBI this season. The power has dropped from last season, but the batting average and RBI totals are better at this point in the season. His ISO and SLG are both down this season, as his fly ball rate and HR/FB% are both down this season as well.

I won't rank him as my 5th best fantasy first baseman in 2014, but he should stay in the top 10-12 for sure.

For more on Craig and the Cardinals, make sure you check out Viva El Birdos, SB Nation's Cardinals fan site.

Round'em Up

Dodgers ace Zack Greinke was dominant on Wednesday night, limiting the Marlins to just one run, a home run to Giancarlo Stanton, on just 6 hits, no walks and 7 strikeouts over 8 innings in the Dodgers win last night. Greinke moved his record to 12-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and a 103-37 strikeout to walk rate in 133 innings this season. He has given up two runs or less in eight of his last ten starts, and one run or less in six of those starts.

Marlins young starter Nathan Eovaldi pitched well enough to win last night, giving up just two earned runs on 6 hits, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts over 7 innings last night. I watched some of this game, and saw him throw his last pitch of the 7th inning at 98 mph to strike out Adrian Gonzalez for the second time. His last two pitches of the sixth inning were both clocked at 100 mph by the Marlins stadium gun. Pretty impressive.

Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez has no luck. Sanchez pitched great last night, limiting the Twins to one run over 6.2 innings, giving up just 6 hits, walking two and striking out 8, but left with two out in the 7th inning with a no decision. As luck would have it, the Tigers scored 7 runs over the next two innings though. On the season, Sanchez is 11-7 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 152-41 strikeout to walk rate in 139.2 innings. He has given up two runs or less in eight of his last nine starts, and one run or less in six of those starts.

2012 was Adam Jones breakout season, but Jones is putting up an even better season in 2013. Last night, Jones went 2-4 with a HR, 2 RBI and a stolen base, and is now hitting .301-.327-.512 with 26 HRs, 86 runs, 91 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 14 attempts. Jones is on pace to hit 33 HRs, score 111 runs, drive in 117 and steal 15 bags. He is a top 10 outfielder for me in 2014.

Braves outfielder Jason Heyward was hit in the jaw with a fastball from Mets starter Jon Niese yesterday afternoon, and has landed on the DL as a result. Heyward will be out 4-6 weeks with a fractured jaw, which could end his regular season at this point. Lucky for the Braves that they have a huge lead in the NL East, as he is a big loss, as he had started turning his season around at the plate after moving into the leadoff role in their lineup.

More from Fake Teams:

• Streamer Report: Thursday's Streamers
• Three (Possibly) True Outcomes: Stryker Trahan
• Deep League Thoughts -- Avail yourself of Avisail
• 2013 MLB Prospect Review: Archie Bradley, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
• Roto Roundup: Yasiel Puig, Alex Rodriguez, Paul Goldschmidt, and Others
• Know Your Splits: Justin Smoak on Fire
• Risers and Fallers: Nolan Arenado, Chris Carter and Others

Yankees 4, Blue Jays 2:Ichiro Suzuki notched his 4,000th professional hit and Alfonso Soriano homered for the eighth time this month to overcome an eight-inning complete game from R.A. Dickey.

Dickey struck out nine and allowed just six hits, but he also surrendered four runs and didn't get much offensive support. It certainly didn't help that Jose Reyes was ejected in the second inning for arguing balls and strikes.

Dodgers 4, Marlins 1: Behind a stellar performance from Zack Greinke, the Dodgers started a new winning streak in Miami. Greinke tossed eight innings of one-run ball, allowing six hits and racking up seven strikeouts. He owns a 1.41 ERA over his past nine starts.

Andre Ethier and Hanley Ramirez had two hits apiece. Giancarlo Stanton homered off of Greinke in the first inning for the Marlins' only run. Yasiel Puig went 0-for-5 with a run scored in his return to the Dodgers' lineup.

Braves 4, Mets 1: Chris Johnson hit a tie-breaking, three-run homer in the top of the 10th inning to salvage a split of a two-game series for the Braves. The big home run also helped the team overcome the loss of Jason Heyward, who was hit in the face with an errant fastball from Jonathan Niese:

Heyward will likely miss the remainder of the regular season after being diagnosed with a fractured jaw.

Orioles 4, Rays 2:Chris Davis hit his 46th home run of the season and Adam Jones went deep for the 26th time to power Baltimore past Tampa Bay. Wei-Yin Chen worked around a pair of solo homers to earn the win by allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings.

The series victory moved the O's to 4 ½ games behind the Rays for second place in the American League East.

Reds 10, Diamondbacks 7: Cincinnati nearly squandered an 8-0 lead before a pair of run-scoring singles in the bottom of the eighth inning put the game away. Shin-Soo Choo homered off of Brandon McCarthy in the first inning to kick-start the scoring for the Reds.

Gerardo Parra and Adam Eaton went deep for Arizona in the loss. McCarthy was roughed up for seven runs on eight hits in 2 ⅓ innings.

Red Sox 12, Giants 1:Jacoby Ellsbury and Shane Victorino had three hits apiece for Boston, which got home runs from Stephen Drew and Will Middlebrooks in a rout over San Francisco.

Felix Doubrount allowed a run on five hits in eight innings. The Sox pounded Giants starter Barry Zito to the tune of six runs on seven hits in 3 ⅔ innings. About the only thing that went wrong for Boston was the early exit of David Ortiz, who left in the fifth inning with lower back soreness.

Rangers 5, Astros 4:Elvis Andrus hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Texas its 14th victory in 16 games against Houston this season.

Derek Holland went six innings and allowed two runs on four hits, but he was robbed of a win after reliever Tanner Scheppers surrendered two runs on three hits, a walk and two hit batters in the eighth inning. One of the players Scheppers hit was Max Stassi, a rookie appearing in his second big-league game, who took a 96 MPH fastball to the face and had to go to the hospital after the game for further evaluation.

Tigers 7, Twins 1: Detroit scored all seven of its runs in the seventh and eighth innings to rally from a 1-0 deficit to beat Minnesota. Twins second baseman Brian Dozier committed a pair of costly errors, leading to five unearned runs.

Austin Jackson led the Tigers with three hits while Torii Hunter, Victor Martinez and Jose Iglesias had two apiece. Miguel Cabrera had only one hit, but it was in the form of a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning.

Anibal Sanchez struck out eight batters in 6 ⅔ innings but was saddled with a no-decision.

Cardinals 8, Brewers 6: St. Louis starter Jake Westbrook wasn't all that effective on the mound, but his two-run double in the second inning helped the Cardinals jump out to a 7-0 lead. Carlos Beltran, Matt Holliday and Allen Craig each did their part with home runs.

Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer off of Westbrook to help Milwaukee cut its deficit to 7-5 before Holliday's long ball. Logan Schafer also homered for the Brewers in the loss.

Mariners 5, Athletics 3: The A's fell to 2 ½ games behind Texas after dropping a three-game set to the Mariners, who entered the series nine games under .500. Mike Morse and Brad Miller homered for Seattle, which got another solid start out of Hisashi Iwakuma.

Brandon Moss hit his 20th homer of the year and Coco Crisp also went deep for Oakland. Brendan Ryan had a pair of hits and three RBI for the Mariners.

Padres 2, Pirates 1:Ian Kennedy ensured Pittsburgh wouldn't leave town with a sweep by tossing eight shutout innings. Kennedy struck out eight batters and allowed only four hits, outdueling Pirates starter Gerrit Cole, who gave up two runs in six innings and notched five strikeouts.

Logan Forsythe led the Padres with three hits while Yonder Alonso chipped in two knocks and drove in both of San Diego's runs.

Indians 3, Angels 1: Cleveland kept pace with Detroit in the AL Central with a sweep of the Angels, who played their third straight game without star outfielder Mike Trout. Justin Masterson worked around five walks to pitch 6 ⅔ effective innings, racking up seven strikeouts and giving up only one run.

Nick Swisher's two-run home run off of Angels starter Jerome Williams provided Masterson all the support he needed.

Nationals 11, Cubs 6: Washington blew a 6-1 lead but was bailed out by Scott Hairston, who hit a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the seventh inning to break a 6-6 tie. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo homered twice, including a two-run bomb onto Sheffield Avenue in the fifth inning that kick-started a five-run rally.

Jayson Werth hit a three-run homer in the third inning to get the Nats on the board. Adam LaRoche, Ryan Zimmerman and Kurt Suzuki had two hits apiece.

White Sox 5, Royals 2: Dayan Viciedo's fourth-inning grand slam propelled the White Sox to their second straight win over the fading Royals. Viciedo had three hits to pace Chicago, which tallied five runs on nine hits against Kansas City starter Jeremy Guthrie.

White Sox starter Andre Rienzo allowed two runs on five hits in six innings, becoming the first Brazilian to win a major league game.

Phillies 4, Rockies 3: Philadelphia scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, including Michael Young's walk-off single, against Colorado closer Rafael Betancourt. That wasted a go-ahead RBI hit off the bat of rookie Nolan Arenado, which put the Rockies ahead, 3-2, entering the bottom of the eighth.

Cliff Lee allowed two runs on nine hits in seven innings of work. He struck out six and allowed one home run, a solo shot off the bat of Wilin Rosario in the second inning.

Some things to read while being investigated.

At least the Brewers didn't give up yesterday. They trailed 7-0 in the second inning but chipped away at the lead and fell just short in an 8-6 loss to the Cardinals. We've got the recap, if you missed it.

With that said, the story of yesterday's game may have been missed opportunities. The Brewers scored six runs but also left a season-high 14 runners on base (h/t @AdamMcCalvy)

Other notes from the field:

• The Brewers are now 13-29 in day games and 6-23 on getaway days this season (h/t @AndrewGruman).
• Khris Davis had three hits yesterday to extend his hitting streak to eight games. He's the eighth different Brewer to reach that mark this season. (h/t @MikeVassallo13)
• Davis and Sean Halton were also hit by pitches yesterday. Plunk Everyone has more on their accomplishments.
• Cardinals closer Edward Mujica, who was recently shut down with arm fatigue, recorded a four-out save yesterday and stayed in the game after trainers came out to check on him in the ninth.
• The Chorizo won the sausage race Wednesday. Hot Dog was your winner on Tuesday.

Let's wrap up the Cardinals series with a look at this week's home runs, with help from Hit Tracker and four tweets from Larry Granillo:

The Brewers are off today before opening a series in Cincinnati tomorrow night. Yovani Gallardo will take on Homer Bailey in the opener, and Andrew Simon has the MLB.com preview.

After the game yesterday the Brewers made a pair of roster moves, returning Donovan Hand and Sean Halton to AAA. Rob Wooten is expected to be activated off the paternity list and Caleb Gindl will be recalled from Nashville in time for Friday's game. Wooten reports he's the new father of a baby girl.

In addition to Wooten and Gindl, we may also see Carlos Gomez tomorrow. He was unavailable again yesterday but the team remains hopeful to get him back on the field for the Reds series. (h/t @AndrewGruman)

With Gomez and Norichika Aoki (sore knee) both out of the lineup yesterday, the Brewers' odds of making a bad out on the bases were significantly reduced. TOOTBLAN Tracker notes that Gomez and Aoki have combined for 22 TOOTBLAN this season.

If Gomez comes back tomorrow night he may be able to climb back into this conversation, but for now we've removed his name from our weekly look at NL MVP candidates. Nearly all of Charlie Adams of Beyond the Box Score's formulas to determine baseball's best all-around player listed Gomez at #1. For what it's worth, Ron Roenicke says he'd vote for Yadier Molina.

Scooter Gennett and Khris Davis, meanwhile, could both make solid cases for being the Brewers' MVP in August. Adam McCalvy talked to Carlos Gomez and Ron Roenicke about the contributions these newcomers are making to the team.

However, it does not look like the Brewers will be adding any more veteran newcomers in September. There was a rumor circulating that the Brewers were interested in recently released pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, but Doug Melvin has denied it.

In the minors:

• Chris Mehring of Rattler Radio has notes from Wisconsin's 4-3 loss to Clinton.
• Brewerfan.net has the first look at organizational players currently scheduled to become minor league free agents following the season. Chris Narveson and Tim Dillard lead an otherwise largely anonymous list.
• Narveson's season may be over, by the way. He's been placed on the DL in AAA with a "nerve issue near his throwing shoulder."
• Nashville broadcaster Jeff Hem has an interview with Dan O'Brien of the Brewers' baseball operations department.

I've been keeping away from most of the Ryan Braun news in an effort to keep it from taking over the site. Ron Roenicke Stole My Baseball, though, has a great look at the defamation suit filed against Braun and why it's unlikely to be a long-term story.

Around baseball:

Astros: Designated pitcher Wade LeBlanc for assignment and placed catcher Carlos Corporan on the 7-day DLwith a concussion.
Blue Jays: Placed outfielder Jose Bautista (bruised hip) and infielder Maicer Izturis (sprained ankle) on the DL.
Braves: Are expected to place outfielder Jason Heyward on the DL with a broken jaw and claimed second baseman Elliot Johnson off waivers from the Royals.
Giants: Designated outfielder Jeff Francoeur for assignment.
Mariners: Announced that the team has extended general manager Jack Zduriencik's contract through 2014.
Phillies: Signed outfielder Roger Bernadina.
Rangers: Placed pitcher Alexi Ogando on the DL with shoulder inflammation and signed infielder Brendan Harris to a minor league deal.
Red Sox: Pitcher Ryan Dempster has been suspended for five games for throwing at Alex Rodriguez multiple times.
Reds: Are expected to place reliever Jonathan Broxton on the DL with a forearm injury.
Twins: Placed Joe Mauer on the 7-day DL with concussion symptoms and announced that pitcher Cody Eppley has opted out of his minor league deal and is now a free agent.
Yankees: Are expected to place infielder Jayson Nix on the DL with a fractured left hand.

Let's go around the NL Central:

• The Pirates' rough August continued with a 2-1 loss to the Padres yesterday. Andrew McCutchen had two of Pittsburgh's four hits.
• The Reds gained a game in the standings with a 10-7 win over the Diamondbacks. Shin-Soo Choo had four hits, scored three times and drove in three runs. This game also featured Aroldis Chapman's first MLB at bat.
• The Nationals had three different three-run innings en route to an 11-6 win over the Cubs. Donnie Murphy had two more hits for the Cubs and is hitting  .340/.397/.811 over 15 games.
• The Cardinals, of course, beat the Brewers.

You can read more about those games and all of Wednesday's action in Beyond the Box Score's Smallest Sample Size.

Here are today's updated standings and probables:

Today in former Brewers:

• Craig Brown of Royals Review notes that Ned Yost's contract is up at the end of the year in Kansas City, and wonders if he'll be back.
• Jonah Keri of Grantland lists Lorenzo Cain (2010) and Bob Hazle (Milwaukee Braves, 1957) among the greatest September callups of all time.
• Rob Neyer has a look at the analytical work of Gabe Kapler, who he suggests might be out of place on Fox Sports 1.

Today's most interesting statistical note comes from Baseball In-Depth, who notes that 12 teams are striking out 7.75 or more batters per nine innings this season. As recently as 2007 there wasn't a single team to reach that mark.

Today In Brewer History is off this morning, but we've got plenty of bits of history:

• Today is Paul Molitor's 57th birthday, and Plunk Everyone notes that his 47 career HBP are the second most ever for a player born on August 22.
• Today is also Randy Wolf's 37th birthday, and his 102 career plunkings are the second most ever for a pitcher born on this day.
• Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times notes that it's been 5000 days since the Brewers traded Jeff Cirillo to the Rockies.

That's all I've got for you today, unless you wanted to read about Mrs. Met beating Serena Williams at ping pong.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm learning French.

Drink up.

The 2012 MLB Draft: Where are they now?

It has been more than a year since the 2012 draft. Here's an update on how the early picks have performed.

1) Astros: Carlos Correa, SS: From high school in Puerto Rico, Correa has been excellent with Low-A Quad Cities in the Midwest League, hitting .324/.406/.472 with 10 steals and 31 doubles, showing good plate discipline, and playing very well on defense. He's a complete prospect and doesn't even turn 19 until next month. He's lived up to everything expected and more and is a clear Grade A prospect.

2) Twins: Byron Buxton, OF: From high school in Georgia, Buxton is a Five Tool player who has actually exceeded expectations, hitting .330/.416/.522 on the season with 67 walks and 52 stolen bases between Low-A Cedar Rapids and High-A Fort Myers. His combination of speed, power, on-base ability, and stellar defensive play makes him the top prospect in baseball.

3) Mariners: Mike Zunino, C: From the University of Florida, Zunino showed power in Triple-A with 11 homers in 47 games but hit just .238. He struggled in the major leagues before going down with injury, hitting .242/.315/.343 in 29 games, and while it seems clear he was rushed, he still has to rank among the premier catching prospects in baseball.

4) Orioles: Kevin Gausman, RHP: The former Louisiana State star has been effective in Double-A and Triple-A (3.65 ERA, excellent 78/14 K/BB in 79 innings) but got knocked around a bit after being rushed to the majors (6.21 ERA in 33 innings). Scouts still love him and still see him as a future ace starter; he just needs a bit more experience.

5) Royals: Kyle Zimmer, RHP: From the University of San Francisco, Zimmer had problems early on with High-A Wilmington but turned things around in June, then earned a promotion to Double-A where he was overpowering in four starts before being shut down with a tired arm. His outstanding 140/36 K/BB ratio in 108 innings this season is more indicative of his talent than his 4.32 ERA, which was elevated by some rough games early. Like Gausman, he still projects as a top-of-the-rotation arm.

6) Cubs: Albert Almora, OF: From high school in Florida, Almora has been hampered with injuries but played well for Low-A Kane County when healthy, hitting .329/.376/.466 in 61 games. He's expected to continue hitting for average and power as he moves up the ladder.

7) Padres: Max Fried, LHP: A high school pitcher from California, Fried has been reasonably solid for Low-A Fort Wayne in the Midwest League, posting a 3.58 ERA with a 94/55 K/BB in 106 innings. He could stand to improve his command, but at 19 he's got plenty of time to do that. Athletic lefties with 90+ fastballs get lots of slack.

8) Pirates: Mark Appel, RHP: Stanford ace Appel didn't sign with the Pirates, a move which paid off in 2013 when he was drafted first-overall by the Houston Astros. He's looked good thus far down at Quad Cities in the Midwest League, with a somewhat misleading 4.18 ERA in 28 innings but a solid 24/6 K/BB, a strong ground ball tendency, and enthusiastic scouting reports.

9) Marlins: Andrew Heaney, LHP: Drafted out of Oklahoma State, lefty Heaney has had an excellent season but little fanfare, posting a 1.42 ERA with an 80/23 K/BB in 82 innings between High-A Jupiter and Double-A Jacksonville. He has a 90+ fastball, a good slider and changeup, throws strikes, and has adapted rapidly to pro ball.

10) Rockies: David Dahl, OF: Drafted from high school in Alabama, Dahl had a spring disciplinary run-in with the Rockies, then tore his hamstring early in the season, leading to a lost campaign. He hit .275/.310/.425 in 10 games in Low-A before going down.

11) Athletics: Addison Russell, SS: This Florida high schooler kept his head above water despite being the youngest regular in the High-A California League, hitting .279/.370/.520 with 16 homers and 15 steals, unusual production for a shortstop. He'll reach Double-A next year at age 20 and is clearly one of the top infield prospects in the minors.

12) Mets: Gavin Cecchini, SS: From high school in Louisiana, he's hitting .286/.318/.333 in 39 games in the short-season New York-Penn League, drawing praise for his glovework and instincts. It is an open question if he'll hit enough at higher levels, but at age 19 he has time to develop.

13) White Sox: Courtney Hawkins, OF: A high school slugger from Texas, Hawkins was given a very aggressive assignment to High-A at age 19 and has suffered for it, hitting just .187 with 145 strikeouts in 342 at-bats. He's also slammed 19 homers. Most scouts felt Hawkins was too raw for this level and that judgment has been proven correct. His power remains impressive and he's quite young, but we'll have to see how the Sox handle him going forward.

14) Reds: Nick Travieso, RHP: From high school in Florida, Travieso has been somewhat disappointing for Low-A Dayton in the Midwest League, posting a 5.22 ERA with a 56/22 K/BB in 71 innings, allowing 76 hits. He's not throwing quite as hard as he did in high school and his secondary pitches need more refinement, but at age 19 he has time.

15) Indians: Tyler Naquin, OF: Rated as a polished hitter coming out of Texas A&M, Naquin has unexpectedly struck out 121 times in 481 at-bats this year over 116 games between High-A and Double-A, with an overall .279/.345/.426 line. He's hit 10 homers and stolen 15 bases. Ultimately he may profile best as a fourth outfielder.

16) Nationals: Lucas Giolito, RHP: From high school in California, Giolito would have gone 10-15 spots higher if not for an elbow injury which required Tommy John surgery. He recovered quickly and has looked good since retaking the mound in July, posting a 2.28 ERA in 28 innings thus far with a 29/10 K/BB between rookie ball and the New York-Penn League. His stuff is first class and if his command (and health) remains strong he could be a top ten prospect a year from now.

17) Blue Jays: D.J. Davis, OF: This toolsy outfielder from high school in Mississippi is hitting .253/.332/.455 with 10 steals for Bluefield in the Appalachian League. He's got some contact issues (62 whiffs in 198 at-bats) but his combination of speed and power potential is rare and the Jays will be patient.

18) Dodgers: Corey Seager, SS: From high school in North Carolina, Seager was excellent in the Low-A Midwest League (.309/.389/.529 in 74 games) which earned him a promotion to the High-A Cal League. The going is tougher there (.194/.296/.435), but overall this has been a very successful season. He combines pure hitting skills with good power, and has at least a chance to stay at shortstop.

19) Cardinals: Michael Wacha, RHP: This right-hander from Texas A&M has had a strong campaign, thriving with Triple-A Memphis (2.65 ERA, 73/19 K/BB in 85 innings) and holding his own in major league action (4.73 ERA but a solid 26/7 K/BB in 27 innings). He should be ready to take a larger role in the Cardinals staff next year as a workhorse starter, providing a very rapid return on the first round investment.

20) Giants: Chris Stratton, RHP: From Mississippi State University, Stratton has been effective for Low-A Augusta, with a 3.08 ERA and a 117/41 K/BB in 120 innings. He's performed well and in many organizations he would have been promoted by now, but the Giants have enough arm depth to avoid rushing people.

21) Braves: Lucas Sims, RHP: This home state high school pitcher from Georgia has been terrific for Low-A Rome, with a 2.78 ERA and a 121/44 K/BB in 107 innings, allowing a mere 74 hits. He's been particularly effective in August; don't be surprised if he ranks very highly on prospect lists entering 2014, despite not receiving quite as much hype as he likely deserves.

22) Blue Jays: Marcus Stroman, RHP: He may be just 5-9 but the right-hander from Duke has a great arm, posting a 3.22 ERA with an excellent 109/22 K/BB ratio in 95 innings for Double-A New Hampshire. At this rate we should see him in Toronto some time in 2014, although opinions remain mixed on his long-term role as starter or reliever.

23) Cardinals: James Ramsey, OF: The senior from the University of Florida had a fast start in High-A (.361/481/.557 in 18 games) but Double-A has been tougher, with a .245/.346/.427 line for Springfield. He's hit 15 homers but also fanned 101 times in 323 at-bats at that level. He can take a walk and profiles as a productive platoon player.

24) Red Sox: Deven Marrero, SS: A slick fielder from Arizona State, Marrero has hit .253/.333/.324 on the season between High-A and Double-A, with 22 steals in 24 attempts. His lack of power is a significant hindrance, but his defense and speed will get him to the majors in at least a utility role, and it's not impossible that he'll hit enough to start.

25) Rays: Richie Shaffer, 3B: The former Clemson star hasn't hit with the expected authority in High-A, batting .252/.309/.402 with 11 homers, 34 walks, and 102 strikeouts in 433 at-bats for Charlotte in the Florida State League. His glove has been decent but he has to improve his hitting to make it as a corner infielder.

26) Diamondbacks: Stryker Trahan, C: The high schooler from Louisiana is hitting .259/.338/.466 for Missoula, which isn't great by Pioneer League standards.  He's also given up 15 passed balls and 11 errors in 35 games behind the plate. He still has the potential to be an impressive hitter with power and patience, but it remains to be seen where he winds up on defense.

27) Brewers: Clint Coulter, C: A high schooler from Washington state, Coulter got off to a slow start in Low-A (.207/.299/.345 in 33 games) but has hit more effectively since being sent to rookie ball, hitting .350/.409/.617 in 17 games in the Arizona League and .333/.375/.444 in 10 games in the Pioneer League. Like Trahan, his defense is very raw and he may not stick behind the plate long-term.

28) Brewers: Victor Roache, OF: Drafted out of Georgia Southern, Roache had to shake off the effects of a serious wrist injury and hit just .209/.303/.341 in his first 50 games this year. He turned that around in his next 57, hitting .263/.325/.504. Overall he's hit 20 homers on the season and excites the Brewers with his power, but will have to watch his strikeout rate at higher levels.

29) Rangers: Lewis Brinson, OF: From high school in Florida, super-toolsy Brinson is hitting .236/.320/.431 in the Low-A Sally League, showing power and speed with 20 homers and 20 steals, but also a serious contact problem with 179 strikeouts in just 415 at-bats. His defense draws raves and he's very athletic, drawing comparisons to Mike Cameron, Chris Young, Drew Stubbs, and Devon White. Such outcomes are plausible if the strikeouts don't eat him up in the minors.

30) Yankees: Ty Hensley, RHP: This hard-throwing Oklahoma prep right-hander missed the entire season following spring hip surgery.

31) Red Sox: Brian Johnson, LHP: An advanced lefty from the University of Florida, Johnson has a 2.87 ERA with a 69/28 K/BB in 69 innings for Greenville in the Low-A Sally League. He's performed well, but a pitcher with his polish should be expected to at this level. He missed all of June with mild shoulder trouble but has pitched well since his return.

OTHER SUCCESS STORIES: Three players who were not first round picks have already reached the major leagues.

Paco Rodriguez, LHP, Dodgers: Drafted in the second round from the University of Florida, Rodriguez has had an outstanding season in the major league pen, with a 1.94 ERA and a 54/13 K/BB ratio in 46 innings, allowing only 22 hits. He's picked up two saves and looks like a key component of the Dodgers bullpen going forward.

Michael Roth, LHP, Angels: A ninth round pick from the University of South Carolina, Roth has spent most of 2013 with Double-A Arkansas (4.43 ERA, 43/33 K/BB in 69 innings) but did make 15 relief appearances with the Angels, posting a 7.20 ERA. The soft-tosser projects as an 11^th man on most pitching staffs.

Alex Wood, LHP, Braves: This second round pick from the University of Georgia has been outstanding in 58 major league innings, used as both a starter and reliever, posting a 2.50 ERA with a 61/16 K/BB ratio and a .221 average against. Like Wacha with the Cardinals ,Wood provided a quick return on investment by the Braves and should be in the rotation for 2014.

More from Minor League Ball:

• The 2012 MLB Draft: Where are they now?
• Prospect of the Day: Chad Bettis, RHP, Colorado Rockies
• Minor League Ball Gameday, August 21
• Astros sign Mexican slugger Japhet Amador
• Prospect of the Day: Ethan Martin, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
• Prospect Retrospective: Jeff Kent
• Minor League Ball Gameday, August 20
• Prospect Note: Leury Garcia, INF, Chicago White Sox

Doug Melvin responds to Ryan Braun's statement

Brew Crew Ball has comments from General Manager Doug Melvin following Ryan Braun's statement to the public

Ryan Braun released a statement tonight about his suspension, his usage of PEDs, and apologizing for what he has done.  You can see the blog post from Adam McCalvy here, but here is the full text:

Now that the initial MLB investigation is over, I want to apologize for my actions and provide a more specific account of what I did and why I deserved to be suspended. I have no one to blame but myself. I know that over the last year and a half I made some serious mistakes, both in the information I failed to share during my arbitration hearing and the comments I made to the press afterwards.

I have disappointed the people closest to me - the ones who fought for me because they truly believed me all along. I kept the truth from everyone. For a long time, I was in denial and convinced myself that I had not done anything wrong.

It is important that people understand that I did not share details of what happened with anyone until recently. My family, my teammates, the Brewers organization, my friends, agents, and advisors had no knowledge of these facts, and no one should be blamed but me. Those who put their necks out for me have been embarrassed by my behavior. I don't have the words to express how sorry I am for that.

Here is what happened. During the latter part of the 2011 season, I was dealing with a nagging injury and I turned to products for a short period of time that I shouldn't have used. The products were a cream and a lozenge which I was told could help expedite my rehabilitation. It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately.

I deeply regret many of the things I said at the press conference after the arbitrator's decision in February 2012. At that time, I still didn't want to believe that I had used a banned substance. I think a combination of feeling self righteous and having a lot of unjustified anger led me to react the way I did. I felt wronged and attacked, but looking back now, I was the one who was wrong. I am beyond embarrassed that I said what I thought I needed to say to defend my clouded vision of reality. I am just starting the process of trying to understand why I responded the way I did, which I continue to regret. There is no excuse for any of this.

For too long during this process, I convinced myself that I had not done anything wrong. After my interview with MLB in late June of this year, I came to the realization that it was time to come to grips with the truth. I was never presented with baseball's evidence against me, but I didn't need to be, because I knew what I had done. I realized the magnitude of my poor decisions and finally focused on dealing with the realities of-and the punishment for-my actions.

I requested a second meeting with Baseball to acknowledge my violation of the drug policy and to engage in discussions about appropriate punishment for my actions. By coming forward when I did and waiving my right to appeal any sanctions that were going to be imposed, I knew I was making the correct decision and taking the first step in the right direction. It was important to me to begin my suspension immediately to minimize the burden on everyone I had so negatively affected- my teammates, the entire Brewers organization, the fans and all of MLB. There has been plenty of rumor and speculation about my situation, and I am aware that my admission may result in additional attacks and accusations from others.

I love the great game of baseball and I am very sorry for any damage done to the game. I have privately expressed my apologies to Commissioner Selig and Rob Manfred of MLB and to Michael Weiner and his staff at the Players' Association. I'm very grateful for the support I've received from them. I sincerely apologize to everybody involved in the arbitration process, including the collector, Dino Laurenzi, Jr. I feel terrible that I put my teammates in a position where they were asked some very difficult and uncomfortable questions. One of my primary goals is to make amends with them.

I understand it's a blessing and a tremendous honor to play this game at the Major League level. I also understand the intensity of the disappointment from teammates, fans, and other players. When it comes to both my actions and my words, I made some very serious mistakes and I can only ask for the forgiveness of everyone I let down. I will never make the same errors again and I intend to share the lessons I learned with others so they don't repeat my mistakes. Moving forward, I want to be part of the solution and no longer part of the problem.

I support baseball's Joint Drug Treatment and Prevention Program and the importance of cleaning up the game. What I did goes against everything I have always valued- achieving through hard work and dedication, and being honest both on and off the field. I also understand that I will now have to work very, very hard to begin to earn back people's trust and support. I am dedicated to making amends and to earning back the trust of my teammates, the fans, the entire Brewers' organization, my sponsors, advisors and from MLB. I am hopeful that I can earn back the trust from those who I have disappointed and those who are willing to give me the opportunity. I am deeply sorry for my actions, and I apologize to everyone who has been adversely affected by them.

What do you think?  Is this enough for you, or do you need more?

Edit:

At 7:05 pm CDT a letter was sent to Brewers fans via email with the following text:

August 22, 2013

Letter to the fans of the Milwaukee Brewers:

I have always been very grateful for the privilege of playing baseball in the great city of Milwaukee. I am so sorry for letting you down by being in denial for so long and not telling the whole truth about what happened. I am ashamed and extremely embarrassed by the decisions I made. There are no excuses for what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions. I apologize to all Brewers fans for disappointing you.

I came forward because I knew it was time for me to tell the truth and accept my punishment. I understand I have abused your trust and that of our great owner Mark Attanasio and the entire Brewers organization. Admitting my mistakes and asking for your forgiveness are the first steps in what I know will be a lengthy process to prove myself to you again.

It is an honor to represent the people of Wisconsin by wearing a Brewers uniform. I want all of you to know how much I have appreciated the support I've received from so many of you throughout my years with the organization. I will continue to work on improving myself and making amends for what I have done. I am deeply sorry for my actions and I apologize to everyone I have let down. I am committed to doing everything I can to earn back your trust and support.

Sincerely, Ryan Braun

Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun released an apology Thursday evening, taking responsibility for his use of performance enhancing drugs during the 2011 season. In a lengthy statement, the Milwaukee outfielder admitted to using a banned cream and lozenges to aid injury recovery and said that he's "beyond embarrassed" for making statements at the time "to defend my clouded vision of reality."

Braun made good on the promise he made earlier this week to open up about his PED use. He is currently serving a 65-game suspension handed to him by Major League Baseball. Braun explained his decision not to appeal the suspension in the statement, saying that he came to grips with his violation of MLB policy in June before even hearing MLB's evidence against him.

Braun also apologized to sample collector Dino Laurenzi Jr., the man who collected Braun's positive urine sample in 2011. That sample sparked controversy when it was revealed that Laurenzi did not properly deliver the sample for testing, leading to disparaging remarks from Braun in the aftermath.

You can read Braun's full statement below.

Now that the initial MLB investigation is over, I want to apologize for my actions and provide a more specific account of what I did and why I deserved to be suspended. I have no one to blame but myself. I know that over the last year and a half I made some serious mistakes, both in the information I failed to share during my arbitration hearing and the comments I made to the press afterwards.

I have disappointed the people closest to me -- the ones who fought for me because they truly believed me all along. I kept the truth from everyone. For a long time, I was in denial and convinced myself that I had not done anything wrong.

It is important that people understand that I did not share details of what happened with anyone until recently. My family, my teammates, the Brewers organization, my friends, agents and advisors had no knowledge of these facts, and no one should be blamed but me. Those who put their necks out for me have been embarrassed by my behavior. I don't have the words to express how sorry I am for that.

Here is what happened. During the latter part of the 2011 season, I was dealing with a nagging injury and I turned to products for a short period of time that I shouldn't have used. The products were a cream and a lozenge which I was told could help expedite my rehabilitation. It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately.

I deeply regret many of the things I said at the press conference after the arbitrator's decision in February 2012. At that time, I still didn't want to believe that I had used a banned substance. I think a combination of feeling self righteous and having a lot of unjustified anger led me to react the way I did. I felt wronged and attacked, but looking back now, I was the one who was wrong. I am beyond embarrassed that I said what I thought I needed to say to defend my clouded vision of reality. I am just starting the process of trying to understand why I responded the way I did, which I continue to regret. There is no excuse for any of this.

For too long during this process, I convinced myself that I had not done anything wrong. After my interview with MLB in late June of this year, I came to the realization that it was time to come to grips with the truth. I was never presented with baseball's evidence against me, but I didn't need to be, because I knew what I had done. I realized the magnitude of my poor decisions and finally focused on dealing with the realities of-and the punishment for-my actions.

I requested a second meeting with (MLB) to acknowledge my violation of the drug policy and to engage in discussions about appropriate punishment for my actions. By coming forward when I did and waiving my right to appeal any sanctions that were going to be imposed, I knew I was making the correct decision and taking the first step in the right direction. It was important to me to begin my suspension immediately to minimize the burden on everyone I had so negatively affected -- my teammates, the entire Brewers organization, the fans and all of MLB. There has been plenty of rumor and speculation about my situation, and I am aware that my admission may result in additional attacks and accusations from others.

I love the great game of baseball and I am very sorry for any damage done to the game. I have privately expressed my apologies to Commissioner Selig and Rob Manfred of MLB and to Michael Weiner and his staff at the Players' Association. I'm very grateful for the support I've received from them. I sincerely apologize to everybody involved in the arbitration process, including the collector, Dino Laurenzi, Jr. I feel terrible that I put my teammates in a position where they were asked some very difficult and uncomfortable questions. One of my primary goals is to make amends with them.

I understand it's a blessing and a tremendous honor to play this game at the major league level. I also understand the intensity of the disappointment from teammates, fans, and other players. When it comes to both my actions and my words, I made some very serious mistakes and I can only ask for the forgiveness of everyone I let down. I will never make the same errors again and I intend to share the lessons I learned with others so they don't repeat my mistakes. Moving forward, I want to be part of the solution and no longer part of the problem.

I support baseball's Joint Drug Treatment and Prevention Program and the importance of cleaning up the game. What I did goes against everything I have always valued -- achieving through hard work and dedication, and being honest both on and off the field. I also understand that I will now have to work very, very hard to begin to earn back people's trust and support. I am dedicated to making amends and to earning back the trust of my teammates, the fans, the entire Brewers' organization, my sponsors, advisors and from MLB. I am hopeful that I can earn back the trust from those who I have disappointed and those who are willing to give me the opportunity. I am deeply sorry for my actions, and I apologize to everyone who has been adversely affected by them.

More from SB Nation MLB:

• David Ortiz comes to A-Rod's defense

• Watch Ichiro collect his 4,000th hit

• Neyer: The meaning of Ichiro's 4,000 hits

• MLB, NPB mull changes to posting system

• Pirates "have some interest" in Justin Morneau

Ryan Braun releases statement

For the full text of Ryan Braun's statement, Brew Crew Ball has it here.

After Ryan Braun's statement was released, Doug Melvin had some comments on the situation.  Adam McCalvy released a blog post with those comments, but here's the quotes for you to read as well.

First of all, here are quotes from Melvin about the statement itself.

"I think it's just got to satisfy Ryan. He's got to feel good about it," Melvin said. "He has to put it out; I think people were waiting for it. He wanted to put some thought into it and wanted to make sure he got all of his facts straight before he did it.

"My feeling is, I know he put a statement out, and that's the right thing to do. But I think when any player goes through what he's done, it's going to be the actions after that will be important, too. ... [The statement] is going to be analyzed, dissected, and it's never going to satisfy everybody. That's why I'm saying beyond a release of what he has to say, the most important thing is an individual's actions when he comes back. He's going to be one of 25 players."

Melvin also remarked on what Braun needs to do before he returns to the Brewers next season:

"I don't know what ‘more' is," Melvin said. "I think his actions when he comes back are going to be the most important thing. When a player comes back from a situation like this, he's going to be one of the guys. It's up to every individual on how he's going to be [accepted back]. Every individual has his own feelings, and I think once you put on the Brewers uniform, there's an acceptance that you're all working in the same clubhouse, on the same team. Guys are all professional enough to understand they're on a team. They'll all move forward and try to win ballgames."

If you're hoping to hear from Braun's teammates about the statement, it may be a while.  Braun waited until the team was in the air to Cincinnati to release the comments.  We'll probably hear from them soon, but it will be later tonight or tomorrow.

The man who originally set the Biogenesis scandal in motion by leaking some of the company's documents to the Miami New Times last year, has turned the remainder of the documents in his possession over to a federal grand jury in Miami, reports Mike Fish of ESPN.com.

Porter Fischer's original leak sparked the investigation of a number of high profile players, leading to suspensions for 14 players including Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, 2011 NL MVP Ryan Braun, the Rangers' Nelson Cruz and the Tigers' Jhonny Peralta. Major League Baseball has been pursuing the final documents that Fischer had withheld since the beginning of their investigation, according to Fish.

Fischer, the former marketing director of Biogenesis, also spoke before the grand jury, but the nature of that testimony is still unknown. His appearance before the federal court could signal the beginning of a series of prosecutions of top staffers at the clinic, including founder Tony Bosch, who has been cooperating with Major League Baseball's investigation. Fish reports that over 800 documents were included in the materials Fischer handed over and he speculates that evidence showing Bosch posed as a doctor and provided teenagers with steroid regimens could be contained here.

The U.S. Attorney's Office could neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation into such activities, according to Fish, but he cites sources that are saying an investigation coordinated by the Drug Enforcement Administration is under way and beginning to "intensify."

Should the U.S. Attorney prosecute Bosch and others for Biogenesis' activities, the Major League players suspended for their connection to the clinic could be forced to testify concerning the services they received. However, prosecution of these players is unlikely. The Drug Enforcement Administration typically focuses on cases against suppliers, dealers and traffickers and not end users.

More from SB Nation MLB:

• David Ortiz comes to A-Rod's defense

• Watch Ichiro collect his 4,000th hit

• Neyer: The meaning of Ichiro's 4,000 hits

• MLB, NPB mull changes to posting system

• Pirates "have some interest" in Justin Morneau

There was no Mets game yesterday, but there were still a few items of note for Mets fans to pay attention to yesterday. The biggest of these was the signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka, who will slot into the starting rotation immediately. Dice-K won't have long to settle into his new home, as he's expected to start today's game.

While Matsuzaka took Jenrry Mejia's spot on the 40-man roster, a spot on the 25 was still needed for him to pitch today. Greg Burke was the man to make way, as he was optioned to Las Vegas again. For those who lost count, that's six times (so far) in 2013. I'd expect to see Burke return in just over a week when rosters expand.

Yesterday at AA

We had a hilarious gif for you, with Dan Warthen struggling to use the bullpen phone. This really happened.

This was actually published today, but we've got you covered if you want to keep in the loop with the Mets minor league system.

Around Baseball

The other four teams in the NL East all played yesterday, with mixed results. The Marlins didn't fare particularly well, losing 6-0 to the Dodgers.

The Nationals needed 13 innings to complete their game with the Cubs, but came out victorious in extra innings. The Phillies also won last night, beating Colorado 5-4.

The Braves rounded out play in the division with a loss, dropping a 6-2 contest to St. Louis. They also lost Jason Heyward for the remainder of the regular season.

Ryan Braun issued an apology on the Brewers team website yesterday.

Finally for today, Baseball Nation examined games in which cats have been on the field. Seeing as a cat on the field was a big part of Mets history, you should probably take the time to read it.

Some things to read while teaching your beard new tricks (h/t Aaron Gleeman).

A quiet day off turned into a big news day late yesterday afternoon as Ryan Braun issued his long-awaited written statement while the rest of the Brewers were traveling to Cincinnati, then followed it up with an email to Brewer fans. You can read the full text of both the email and statement at the link above, but Jim Owczarski of OnMilwaukee.com hit a key point in our Tweet of the Day:

Things you want to know about Ryan Braun's apology: 945 words. Apologize = 3; Sorry = 3; Wrong = 4 #Brewers

— Jim Owczarski (@JimOwczarski) August 23, 2013

Of course, we've got much more on the statement:

• Doug Melvin spoke with reporters in response to Braun, and emphasized that how Braun responds when he's back with the team next season will matter more than anything he could do or say now.
• Braun's claims that he only used performance enhancing drugs to recover from injury in 2011 were met with some skepticism, but @hangingsliders notes that Braun's attorneys almost certainly wouldn't let him lie in a statement while federal prosecutors are pursuing witnesses for their Biogenesis investigation.
• Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post dissected Braun's statement and rewrote it with the list of things he wanted Braun to say. In a related note, Grant Brisbee of Baseball Nation has the PED apology he's waiting to hear.
• As you might expect, no single statement from Braun is going to make everyone happy. Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk laments that fact, while @JaymesL notes that the impossibility of pleasing everyone doesn't mean Braun couldn't have done better.
• Tim Brown of Yahoo has a perfect example of Calcaterra's point, as he uses the occasion of Braun's apology to re-write the list of grievances against Braun, both real and perceived.
• Over at Cream City Cables, Nathan Petrashek also has what amounts to an acknowledgement that nothing Braun could have said would have made him happy.
• Flip Flop Fly Ball edited down the statement to an approximation of what many fans probably heard.
• As I previously mentioned, Braun waited to issue his statement until the Brewers were in the air on their way to Cincinnati. That means most of the team was unavailable for immediate response and will wait until today to answer questions about it. Adam McCalvy got a text from Jonathan Lucroy, but that's about it.
• McCalvy also noted on Twitter that the decision to issue a written statement meant various TV outlets had no video to use for their stories, so they went back to the 2012 Maryvale press conference footage.
• MLB is not planning on issuing any response to Braun's comments. (h/t @Haudricourt)
• @AndrewGruman notes that we'll probably go through all of this again next spring when Braun reports to Maryvale.

Back on the field, the Brewers are in Cincinnati this morning and will open a three game series with the Reds tonight. Yovani Gallardo takes on Homer Bailey in the opener, and noted leisured gentleman Carson Cistulli of FanGraphs gave the matchup a five out of ten on his NERD scale.

Tonight's game will feature the underperforming team Doug Melvin assembled against Walt Jocketty's playoff contender. Adam McCalvy talked to Melvin about his friendship with the longtime NL Central GM.

Aramis Ramirez will likely be back in the lineup batting cleanup and playing third base tonight, and he's coming off two home runs in three days in the Cardinals series. @MikeVassallo13 notes that his next home run will be the 350th of his career.

Ramirez will probably bat one spot behind Jonathan Lucroy, who has been batting third when catching most days recently. Curt Hogg of Reviewing the Brew has a look at Lucroy's quick transition from rookie catcher to clubhouse leader.

Scooter Gennett is also likely to be in the lineup at second base. Andrew Gruman of Fox Sports Wisconsin has a great story today on how the diminutive second baseman has always used his doubters as motivation. @MikeVassallo13 notes that Gennett's .392 batting average since July 23 is the best in all of baseball. Khris Davis is second at .370.

Elsewhere in surprising contributions, Dave Cameron of FanGraphs credits Tom Gorzelanny with being one of the best relievers signed to a multi-year contract last winter. The post is mostly a cautionary tale against giving expensive long-term deals to unreliable bullpen arms.

He's been out of sight and out of mind for most of the year, but Taylor Green continues to work to get ready to compete for a spot on this roster in 2014, @Todd_Rosiak notes that he was back in Milwaukee recently for a checkup and everything is going well in his recovery from hip surgery.

If Green wears a Brewer uniform next season, he'll have to deal with some debate about whether or not it's awful. Earlier this week I mentioned that Paul Lukas of Uni Watch ranked the Brewers' uniforms 26th in all of baseball, but this morning Will Leitch of Sports on Earth posted his own rankings and has the Brewers 18th.

In the minors:

• For once there's encouraging news regarding the potential future of baseball in Nashville, as momentum appears to be building for a new stadium for the Sounds. A lot of hurdles still need to be cleared but it's possible a new park could be open as soon as 2015. (h/t @AdamMcCalvy)
• Meanwhile, the affiliates went 3-2 last night and Brooks Hall pitched five scoreless innings in Huntsville's 2-1 win over Pensacola. You can read about that and more in today's Minor League Notes.
• Chris Mehring of Rattler Radio has notes from Wisconsin's 8-5 win over Clinton.
• Bob Brainerd of Time Warner Cable Sports 32 has a profile of Wisconsin second baseman Chris McFarland.
• John Sickels of Minor League Ball has a look back at the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft and the first full professional season for players selected, including Clint Coulter and Victor Roache.

Looking back a day, Wednesday's FS Wisconsin off day left many of us turning to alternatives to see the game. Adam Wieser of Disciples of Uecker took the non-advisable route of watching the Cardinals broadcast and offers a review.

Around baseball:

Athletics: Are believed to have acquired catcher Kurt Suzuki from the Nationals for a minor league pitcher.
Giants: Placed outfielder Andres Torres on the DL with a strained Achilles.
Mets: Signed pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to a major league deal.
Rays: Signed outfielder Delmon Young to a minor league deal.

Let's go around the NL Central:

• The Pirates rode a seven-run fifth inning to a 10-5 win over the Giants last night. Andrew McCutchen was on base four times with two singles and two walks in the victory.
• The Cardinals kept pace in the division race with a 6-2 win over the Braves. Matt Carpenter, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holiday combined for six hits, including four doubles.
• The Reds scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to eke out a 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks. Shin-Soo Choo scored both Cincinnati runs.
• The Cubs scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings but lost 5-4 to the Nationals in 13. Chad Tracy's RBI groundout was the difference.
• The Brewers were off Thursday.

Here are today's standings and probables:

Today in former Brewers: Carlos Villanueva threw a 57 mph eephus pitch to Jayson Werth of the Nationals yesterday.

Meanwhile, yesterday's best news across baseball may have come from Los Angeles, where Vin Scully announced he'll be returning for his 65th season as the voice of the Dodgers in 2014.

If you've been to a game at Miller Park this season then you're probably familiar with the "Find Ticket Oak" promotion, where one fan is given a camera and 30 seconds to give us all motion sickness while searching for the talking tree in the crowd. Apparently this isn't an original idea: Faith and Fear in Flushing has a post on the Mets' "Find Cuppy" game at Citi Field.

Today In Brewer History was off this morning, but we do have some bits of history:

• nullacct has a look at Robin Yount as the face of the 1982 Brewers.
• Today is 1997 Brewer Julio Franco's 55th birthday and Plunk Everyone notes that his 38 career HBP are the fourth most ever for a player born on August 23.

Now, if you'll excuse me, someone has found my collection.

Drink up.

With the Blue Jays making it quite apparent that they're fine not putting up much of a fight as the season winds down, the only thing left to do is start watching the standings and predicting where the team's second draft pick of the first round will be. Although I don't believe management has told the team to start losing every game, the performance on the field doesn't inspire much confidence. Combined with the fact that watching some sort of a race between different teams in the Major Leagues is fun, it's clear it won't be a playoff race we're following so it will have to be a draft pick race. Without further ado, here is the bottom part of the standings before play on this Friday afternoon:

With focus on the top ten teams' (Philadelphia and San Diego are tied for that spot) upcoming weekend series, here is a short preview of what to watch for and expect.

Philadelphia

The Phillies play hosts to Arizona this weekend as the Diamondbacks are still holding on to a slight glimmer of hope that they might be able to catch the NL Central teams for a wildcard berth. Tonight's pitching match-up features Cole Hamels going up against Wade Miley in a good contest. Another one of Arizona's great young pitchers, Patrick Corbin, gets the start for the D-Backs in the Sunday matinee. The Phillies have won two games in a row, while the Diamondbacks have lost two in a row. Series Prediction: 2 out of 3 for Arizona

San Diego and Chicago Cubs

The Padres welcome the Chicago Cubs to town in a 10th worst vs. 4th worst weekend series that sees a battle of underperforming  "aces" take the hill tonight in the form of Edison Volquez against Edwin Jackson. Andrew Cashner goes up against his former team on Sunday in the middle of a pretty solid season for the fireballer. The Cubs lost three in a row to Washington at Wrigley most recently. Series Prediction: 2 out of 3 for San Diego

Toronto and Houston

Toronto goes to Houston to visit the bottom feeding Astros this weekend with some horrible pitching match-ups on the cards. Todd Redmond takes on Jordan Lyles tonight, while Brad Peacock and Dallas Keuchel are the other two probable Houston pitchers this weekend. Both teams are riding losing streaks into the series thanks to their division foes, with the Astros being swept in Arlington by the Rangers and the Blue Jays being beat up by the Yankees. Series Prediction: 2 out of 3 for Toronto

What to expect:

via www.fangraphs.com

Minnesota

The Twins go to Cleveland to face the Indians who are still remarkably in the thick of the American League Wild Card battle. The Indians most recently went to Anaheim and swept the Angels, so they are riding some hot form back home for a quick weekend set before key road games against Atlanta and Detroit. They will place a lot of importance on these games. Ubaldo Jimenez faces off against Samuel Deduno (who is having a rough August) tonight. Series Prediction: Sweep for Cleveland

San Francisco

The Giants entertain the division leading Pirates at AT&T Park this weekend in what is another huge series for Pittsburgh, with St. Louis and Cincinnati breathing down their necks in the NL Central. The Pirates already took one game from the Giants on Thursday night. Tomorrow night sees a pitching match-up that features two pitchers going in different directions as Francisco Liriano takes on Tim Lincecum. Is it weird that the opposing pitcher's name is nearly identical to the city he's pitching against? Series Prediction: 3 out of 4 for Pittsburgh

Los Angeles

The Angels go to Safeco to take on the Mariners who are also close to a top 10 draft pick this season. Felix Hernandez starts tonight in what should be a victory for Seattle, while Jared Weaver starts for Los Angeles on Sunday against Aaron Harang, which should be a victory for the currently Trout-less Angels. Los Angeles has lost four in a row and are plummeting through even the most pessimistic preseason predictions for the squad. Series Prediction: 2 out of 3 for Seattle

Milwaukee

The Brewers go to Cincinnati to take on the Reds who are 2.5 game behind the NL Central lead. The Reds took 3 of 4 from Arizona and will want to sweep this series with a road trip coming up that features games against rivals St. Louis. Homer Bailey, Bronson Arroyo, and Tony Cingrani take the hill for the Reds and should be enough to sweep the Brewers minus Braun. Series Prediction: Sweep for Cincinnati

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox go to Arlington to face the Rangers who are battling for the AL West lead with Oakland. Chicago holds the longest active win streak in the league after taking 3 of 4 from Minnesota and sweeping the Royals, which is even more impressive when you realize both series' were in the opposing teams' ballparks. This series features some great pitching with Chris Sale going for the White Sox tonight and Yu Darvish taking the mound for Texas tomorrow. Matt Garza goes for Texas on Sunday in what likely will be the rubber match. Series Prediction: 2 out of 3 for Texas

Miami

The Marlins look primed for another high draft pick this year as they host the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies sit just outside the top/bottom 10 as well so there will probably be about 13 people in the stadium over the course of the whole weekend. The Marlins dropped 3 of 4 to the Dodgers, while the Rockies did the same against the Phillies. Rookie of the Year candidate Jose Fernandez goes for the Marlins on Saturday, which should be the only reason anyone tunes into these games. Series Prediction: 2 out of 3 for Miami

If the Rockies win:

via itsalwayssunnyindetroit.com

It doesn't look like this will be a good weekend for the Blue Jays to make up anymore ground on the draft pick front as a multitude of teams around them face playoff contenders that will be looking to sweep the weaker competition to continue their surge to the postseason. Hopefully you now know where your rooting interests lie if you turn on one of these games this weekend and decide to watch.

Here are this week's BotW nominees:

John Axfordappeared in three games this week and pitched four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk. He was worth +.142 WPA.

Khris Davishad a hit in all six Brewer games this week, and has an eight game hitting streak overall. Three of his ten hits this week went for extra bases, including a home run. He hit .500/.583/.750 this week and was worth +.494 WPA.

Yovani Gallardopitched 6.1 scoreless innings on Saturday in his first appearance since coming off the DL. He walked two and struck out three on just 82 pitches in the game, and was worth +.321 WPA.

Jonathan Lucroycollected nine hits in his five starts this week, including a triple and a walkoff home run against the Reds on Friday. He hit .409/.458/.636 and was worth +.802 WPA.

Logan Schaferhad six hits in six starts this week, including a double and a home run. He also drew four walks for a .300/.417/.500 batting line and +.268 WPA.

Honorable mentions this week: Burke Badenhop, Jim Henderson, Scooter Gennett

This is the Brewers' fifth game against the Reds in the last eight days. They still meet twice more this weekend, plus three more times in September.

At 6:10 tonight a matchup of familiar foes will begin with Homer Bailey (3.68 ERA, 3.13 FIP) on the mound. Bailey also faced the Brewers in his last start and was dominant, holding the Crew to a single run on three hits over eight innings on Sunday. He threw 119 pitches in that game despite the fact that the Reds were eight runs ahead at the end of his outing.

Bailey's 3.68 ERA is identical to the mark he posted a year ago, but you could argue he's having a better season in 2013. His strikeout rate is significantly higher than it was a year ago (8.8 per nine innings, compared to 7.3) and his walk rate is down (from 2.3 to 2.0). He's also throwing significantly harder this season, with an increase in velocity on his average fastball from 92.5 to 93.9 mph.

Including the aforementioned start on Sunday Bailey has faced the Brewers three times this year, posting a 4.79 ERA with five walks and 15 strikeouts over 20.2 innings.  Six Brewers have faced him ten times or more:

He'll face Yovani Gallardo (4.68 ERA, 3.99 FIP) in his second start back from the DL. After missing a little more than two weeks with a hamstring injury Gallardo dominated the Reds on Saturday, shutting them out for 6.1 innings and allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out three and throwing just 82 pitches. He's a Brewer of the Week nominee for that performance.

Gallardo received an extra day of rest before this start due to Thursday's off day, and will likely get an extra day before his next start too after the Brewers are off on Monday. Assuming the Brewers don't opt to shuffle the rotation, it's possible he'll pitch on normal rest just one time in a span of five starts. Over the course of his career Gallardo has posted a 2.71 ERA in 50 starts on an extra day of rest, and a 4.04 mark when used on normal rest.

Gallardo has faced the Reds three times this season and posted a 1.65 ERA against them, walking nine and striking out 13 over 16.1 innings. Eight active Reds have faced him ten times or more:

Tonight's lineup features Carlos Gomez for the first time in a week:

Norichika Aoki RF
Jean Segura SS
Jonathan Lucroy C
Aramis Ramirez 3B
Carlos Gomez CF
Khris Davis LF
Juan Francisco 1B
Scooter Gennett 2B
Yovani Gallardo P

And in the bullpen:

• John Axford pitched two innings (21 pitches) on Wednesday, and also pitched on Tuesday.
• Michael Gonzalez pitched one inning (20 pitches) on Wednesday.
• Burke Badenhop pitched one inning (eight pitches) on Wednesday.
• Jim Henderson and Brandon Kintzler last pitched on Tuesday.
• Rob Wooten last pitched on Monday, and may not have slept much recently.
• Tyler Thornburg last pitched on Sunday.

The weather should not be a factor tonight. Expect a game-time temperature around 84 under partly cloudy skies with winds blowing out to right.