RHP Mark Rogers 

The Brewers starting rotations is desperate for help and unfortunately there is very little help to be found in the minors.  A few years ago the Brewers were counting on Mark Rogers to contribute by 2009.  Rogers, who battled through three years of shoulder surgeries, is finally healthy and trying to fulfill the promise that made him the fifth overall pick of the 2004 draft.  After allowing only 1 run in 7 1/3 innings last week with 10 K's and 2 hits in 2 appearances, Mark Rogers is our Prospect of the Week.

The Brewers selected Rogers out of high school in 2004. Due to concern about injury risks, the Brewers decided to alter Rogers' violent cross body delivery.  The change in mechanics hurt Rogers' control, as he walked 70 batters in 98 1/3 innings in 2005 and 55 in 75 innings in 2006.  The lack of control led to a combined 5.02 ERA during those seasons.  The positive during those years was that Rogers did have impressive strikeout rates of 10 per nine innings in 2005 and 12 in 2006.  At the end of 2006, Rogers had his first several of shoulder surgeries that have sidelined him until this season.  Playing for High A Brevard County, Rogers has started to put things together with a 2.12 ERA, 48 Ks,1.22 whip and a .202 batting average against in 46 2/3 innings.  Rogers has been getting better with his control, but 24 walks is still to high for 46 2/3 innings.  It has been reported that Rogers has been hitting the mid-ninties again with his fastball at Brevard County.

The Brewers have been placed a 50 pitch limit per outing on Mark Rogers this season to keep him healthy.  Mark Rogers was placed on the 40 man roster this offseason which surprised some Brewer fans. The Brewers must have still seen enough potential that they didn't want to expose him to the Rule 5 draft.  Health is probably the biggest determining factor if Rogers is a future starter or reliever for the Brewers.  The Brewers should be very happy about any production out of Mark Rogers because it is rare to see a guy come back from so many shoulder surgeries. 

Three Up

2B Mike Brownstein:  Brownstein was 10-26 and had 5 walks last week.  He posted a .483 OBP and has an excellent .436 OBP for the season at Helena.

RHP Nike Bucci:  Bucci had another great week coming off his Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week award.  In 7 innings he allowed only 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB and 7 K's.  On the season he is holding hitters to .195 BA and has 43 K's in 47 innings.

OF Logan Schafer  Schafer's bat was solid around the board going 10-27, 2 2B, 1 HR and 3BB at Brevard County.  His slash stats were .370/.433/.592/1.025.  Schafer just missed out on being the prospect of the week.

Three Down

SS Brent Brewer  Brent Brewer's struggles continued with a 3-19, .238 OBP and .210 slugging week.  Good athletes don't always make good baseball players.

LHP Evan Frederickson  4 ER in 7 innings doesn't look like that bad of a week.  When you look at the 10 walks and 7 hits in those innings, you can see some potential problems.

3B Mat Gamel  I think scouts figured out a few things about Mat Gamel during his stint in the majors.  A week of .091/.200/.191/.391 and 11 K's shows that some adjustments must be made.