A Schelling For Your Thoughts

Brewers players, staff S.C.O.R.E. at local schools

MILWAUKEE — Brewers players, coaches and front office staff visited 26 schools in the five-county area on Friday to talk to students about their community outreach program on S.C.O.R.E. for Excellence Day.

The S.C.O.R.E. (School, Community, Opportunities, Role Models and Excellence) program is in its fifth season, and it provides messages about character education through each of the five elements of the initiative.

As part of the program, left fielder Ryan Braun, broadcaster Brian Anderson, former All-Star Larry Hisle and the Brewers’ racing sausages visited Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts in Milwaukee.

“It’s important to have good life skills,” Anderson told the students. “We want to encourage you to learn that, take it home to your brothers and sisters, your parents, reach out into your community and take this S.C.O.R.E. program and keep it with you. We come out and we want to give you the message, but really the message dies unless you take it out there with you.”

Hisle, who played for the Brewers from 1978-82, talked about how much his community meant to him when growing up.

“I credit that city for as much of my success as I do myself,” Hisle said, referring to his hometown of Portsmouth, Ohio. “It afforded me every opportunity and all the resources necessary for success. The only thing missing was how badly I wanted to play baseball.”

During the presentation, Anderson and Braun presented five baseballs — one with each of the letters of the acronym on it — to five students who participated and talked about why each of the program’s elements is important.

Braun, who attended the University of Miami on an academic scholarship, told the students that he always hoped to play baseball professionally, but his studies came first.

The program finished with a question and answer session between the students and Braun, who was noticeably impressed by the students.

“Really impressive,” Braun said of the questions. “I think they really paid attention, and they really believe in this program, and I think the Brewers do, too. So it was a good day all around. I had a good time, and I was thoroughly impressed.”

Stern finds himself on callup express

MILWAUKEE — As the Brewers’ injuries continue to pile up, so, too, do the frequent flier miles for outfielder Adam Stern, who was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Friday.

Stern received a phone call from Nashville manager Don Money, who gave him the news Thursday morning. With that, Stern headed to the ballpark to pack up his things, then caught a flight from Sacramento, Calif., to Milwaukee by way of Minneapolis.

It was the third time in less than three weeks that Stern has been called up from the Minors. As a result, he has spent only two days at home in Nashville this month: May 1-2.

“I haven’t started my car in about three weeks,” Stern said. “So who knows if that’ll start.”

Stern’s journey began with an eight-day Minor League road trip, which included stops in Round Rock, Texas, and Albuquerque, N.M. The series in Albuquerque wrapped up on May 10, and the next day Stern was recalled in place of center fielder Carlos Gomez.

He joined the Brewers in Milwaukee for a few days, but with the bullpen needing another arm, Stern was optioned May 15 in favor of right-handed reliever John Axford. Stern never left, however, and was recalled the next day as left-hander Doug Davis went on the disabled list.

Stern made the trip with the club to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Minneapolis, but was optioned before the first game against the Twins.

With that, Stern flew to Sacramento, meeting the Sounds there and playing the team’s first three games against the River Cats. But with outfielder Jody Gerut going on the disabled list Thursday, Stern was on the move again.

All told, Stern has traveled more than 8,000 miles in May.

“Flying doesn’t bother me,” Stern said. “I’m getting to check out the country, I guess. Plus, I’m racking some good frequent flier miles.”

Stern did admit, though, that some flights are more enjoyable than others.

“The flights are a lot better coming here than they are going away from here,” he said. “It’s a lot better when you’re coming up to the big leagues. On the way out, it’s a little bit worse.”

Although he’s happy to be back, Stern knows he shouldn’t settle in or get too comfortable in Milwaukee.

With center fielder Jim Edmonds set to return Monday from the DL, Stern is the most likely candidate to be sent down to the Minors.

“They’ll keep me posted when they need to make another move,” Stern said. “That’s fine. You just do whatever they ask you to do and go with the flow.”

Fielder, Braun swap spots vs. left-hander

MILWAUKEE — With a tough lefty in Johan Santana on the mound for Friday’s series opener with the Mets, Brewers manager Ken Macha opted to switch the order of his three and four hitters for the second time in two weeks.

First baseman Prince Fielder moved up a spot to the No. 3 hole, while right fielder Ryan Braun dropped down from that spot to bat cleanup against the Mets. The only other time this season Fielder has hit anywhere but fourth was May 20 against the Pirates.

The Brewers won that game, 4-3, snapping a nine-game losing streak.

“I did it in Pittsburgh when their lefty pitched,” Macha said. “I kind of like it that way with a lefty. I think with Braun sitting on deck that they have to get the ball closer to the strike zone for Prince. Because if they end up walking him, then you’ve got somebody that has a reputation for hitting left-handers very well.”

Worth noting

Entering Friday’s game Brewers pitchers had not allowed a home run in their last eight games since May 19, one game shy of tying the nine-game franchise record, set from Aug. 17-25, 1976. … The starting pitchers had not allowed a home run in 11 straight games, also one game shy of tying the 12-game franchise record, set earlier in 1976, from May 7-21. … The New York Mets entered Friday’s game having not allowed a home run over the same eight-game stretch since May 19. … The Brewers recorded their first extra-innings win of the season on Thursday as well as their first win when trailing after seven or eight innings. They now own a 1-3 record in extra innings, 1-22 when trailing after seven and 1-24 when trailing after eight. … Milwaukee has hit 18 home runs off left-handed pitchers this season, the most in the National League.

Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.