A Schelling For Your Thoughts

Greinke to start Game 2 on three days’ rest

MILWAUKEE — Zack Greinke will pitch Game 2 for the Brewers in the National League Division Series, his second straight start on three days’ rest.

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke made the decision Friday after Greinke threw a bullpen session at Miller Park. Right-hander Shaun Marcum will take the hill for Game 3.

“For one, Zack wanted to do it,” Roenicke said. “He didn’t throw a lot of pitches the other day. He threw a bullpen today and it was really good.”

Greinke pitched Wednesday’s final regular season game for the Crew, and he was forced to go deeper into the game with the club still needing a win to wrap up the No. 2 seed in the NL. He would otherwise have gone just one or two innings as a tuneup, but instead tossed 74 pitches over six innings in the Brewers’ 7-3 victory.

Immediately following Greinke’s last start, Roenicke did not seem likely to bring him back on short rest again, but Greinke didn’t have an issue with it, saying he “should be” ready.

The advantage of bringing Greinke back of short rest for the Brewers is to take advantage of his home success this season. Greinke went 11-0 at home, and the Brewers won all 15 of his starts at Miller Park.

“It’s all worked out better than I imagined so far,” Greinke said Wednesday of his first season in Milwaukee. “It’s been great. It’s been a good year.”

Roenicke said he had a preference to pitch Greinke at home, but it was not definite. Had Greinke gone 100 or more pitches Wednesday night, he would have been held until Game 3.

“[Greinke] knew he needed to win, but he was pitching [Wednesday] as if he was also going to [pitch] Sunday,” Roenicke said. “I think ideally, if we were going to set it up and had we known four or five days ago, we probably would have set it up the same way. But with where they lined up at the end, this made the most sense to us.”

Greinke went 5-6 on the road this season with a 4.70 ERA, compared with his 3.13 home ERA and overall mark of 3.83. In 76 2/3 innings on the road, Greinke allowed 40 earned runs on 76 hits, including nine home runs. At home, Greinke gave up just 33 earned runs over 95 innings.

Roenicke was quick to point out, though, that Greinke’s road stats were negatively impacted by his struggles when he returned from a broken rib.

“If you take out the first month, they’re not that much different,” Roenicke said of Greinke’s home/road splits. “He’s pitched really well on the road lately. So no, that’s a little skewed just because when he first came back with us, he wasn’t very good on the road.”

In six road starts before the All-Star break, Greinke went 2-3 with a 7.42 ERA. In the second half, Greinke posted a 2.91 ERA and a 3-3 record.

While the time off may have negatively affected Greinke’s first-half performance on the road, his reduced workload plays in his and the Brewers’ favor this weekend.

“If you look at Zack’s numbers, this is going to be the least amount of work Zack’s had in his career,” Roenicke said. “That factors into what I was talking to Rick about. He’s taxed less than anybody on our staff is. That helps also, me feeling better about him going on three days.”

Plans revealed for Game 1 at Miller Park

MILWAUKEE — The Brewers announced Friday they will bring back the same winning first pitch and national anthem combination for Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday as they had for Game 3 in 2008.

Just as they did three years ago for the first playoff game in Milwaukee since 1982, Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and Joseph Attanasio, father of Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, will sing the national anthem.

The Brewers beat the Phillies, 4-1, in that game. Joseph Attanasio also has sung the national anthem before each of the club’s last seven home openers, with the Brewers going 5-2 in those games.

A number of other logistical aspects also were announced for Game 1, including rally towels that will be given to all fans in attendance, courtesy of U.S. Cellular.

The Miller Park parking lots will open at 10 a.m. CT, and the Brewers are recommending that fans plan to arrive early for the 1 p.m. game. Gates to Miller Park will be open at 11 a.m.

With a relatively good forecast expected Saturday afternoon, the Brewers also have been in contact with Major League Baseball about opening the roof.

Throughout the playoffs, the position of the roof will be determined by Major League Baseball after conferring with the Brewers on weather conditions. The final decision of the roof position will be made on the day of each game. Fans and media may call the Brewers roof hotline tomorrow morning for the latest update.

Both the Brewers Team Store by Majestic and Brewers Team Store at the Home Plate Gate will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday and remain open until 8 p.m. or an hour after the game ends. The Brewers also will have additional merchandise locations in the parking lots.

Available for $8 this weekend will be a limited number of Milwaukee Brewers 2011 NLDS Game programs. There are four different covers and each game program is individually numbered.