The Brewers new low A affiliate, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, will be playing a game against the Cubs' affiliate, the Peoria Chiefs, on Friday night. If you're going to the game, here are a few players to keep an eye on.

• How comfortable does last year's first round pick, Brett Lawrie, look at second? He's already hitting the ball with good power (2 homers, 3 triples and 3 doubles) and taking his walks (4), so there are few questions about his offense. In the double-header on Thursday, Lawrie hit for the cycle between the two games and knocked what turned out to be the game winning homer in the 6th inning of the nightcap. The real issue for Lawrie is whether or not he'll be able to stick at the keystone. So pay attention to his footwork, his hands and how he sets himself for throws to first, as that stuff is probably going to be what will hold him back from breaking into the big leagues.
  

• Speaking of defense, pay attention to the sort of jumps that Cutter Dykstra is getting on balls in CF. It was around this time last year that his high school coach moved him from short to center because it was likely to be his best position as a pro, so he's undoubtedly still learning on the job. He had a good offensive game in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday (3 for 3 with 2B and a BB) but hasn't shown much pop at all this season yet, so look for signs of that as well.

• Catcher Shawn Zarraga is off to something of a slow start this year after hitting very well in the Rookie Arizona League last year.

• The real story of the Timber Rattlers is probably the pitching, but unfortunately two of the better pitching prospects, Cody Scarpetta and Efrain Nieves, have pitched in the last couple of days. Also off the list of possible starters is one of the "big 6" picks from the first 2 rounds last year, Evan Fredrickson, though considering the beating he is taking while I typed this, that probably isn't a bad thing. Don't fret though, there are a couple of legitimate prospects slated to pitch. The starter is likely to be Wily Perlata, a prospect who has pitched very well thus far. Also on the list of pitchers who will see action Friday is Cody Adams, another "big 6" guy who is off to a solid start in 2009.

• On the other side of the diamond, pay attention to the Cubs' first round (third overall) pick from 2007, Josh Vitters. He's been hampered by some injuries thus far in his career, but he's hitting the ball extremely well and is still likely to be the guy who takes over for Ramirez at the hot corner in a few years. Beyond him, there is middle infield prospect Ryan Flaherty (good bat with questionable fielding abilities) and catcher Michael Brenly (the son of TV man Bob Brenly).