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Brewers' rookie pitchers out of equation

Dennis Semrau  —  9/16/2004 10:39 am

MILWAUKEE - When Ned Yost was a coach with the Atlanta Braves organization, nothing irked him more than watching another team put a lineup on the field that could affect the pennant race in a negative way.

So it wasn't a surprise when the Milwaukee Brewers manager recently juggled his pitching rotation and starting lineup to ensure that his most experienced club is on the field.

"It aggravates you when you have a five- or six-game lead and the team that is in second place was facing a rookie pitcher," Yost said Tuesday. "It's fair to everybody to put the most experienced lineup you have on the field."

So, with playoff contenders San Francisco and Houston in town this week, Yost pushed back the starts of rookie pitchers Ben Hendrickson and Jorge de la Rosa.

Both will pitch next week against St. Louis, as Yost figures the Cardinals will have clinched both the NL Central Division and home-field advantage for the playoffs by then.

Hendrickson said the organization also was concerned about the heavier workloads that both pitchers have handled this season.

"I've more than doubled the innings I threw last year and needed 35 pitches to get out of the second inning last week against Cincinnati," Hendrickson said. "This is just what's best for the club and for me personally."

Krynzel in the mix: Dave Krynzel has some tightness in his hamstring and has struggled in his first big-league call-up, but Yost intends to keep him involved.

The outfielder is batting .071 with one hit in 14 at-bats in seven games.

"I'm just trying to keep my mouth shut and listen and learn," said Krynzel, the team's No. 1 draft choice in 2000.

Bye, bye Beloit: The Brewers ended their 20-year minor-league relationship with Beloit, announcing a two-year agreement with the Charleston (W.V.) Alley Cats of the Single-A South Atlantic League.

The Alley Cats will move into a new $23 million stadium in April.

Also, the Brewers have talked to officials in Nashville and New Orleans about a Triple-A relationship after being dumped by Indianapolis earlier this week after five years.

E-mail: dsemrau@madison.com

Dennis Semrau  —  9/16/2004 10:39 am