The Brewers continue their homestand against the Diamondbacks, coming into town after a series victory against the Cubs, and without their main ace, Brandon Webb. Against a team that is currently out-slugging opponents to victory, the Diamondbacks will offer their mid-rotation, including two of the younger pitchers (Yusmeiro Petit and Max Scherzer).

This is the Brewers’ last series of this homestand, and thus far the home cooking has treated them well this week. The next challenge is to keep going.

Last 5 GS (where available)

Max Scherzer (0-2, 3 GS, 4.91 runs average, 4.90 IP/GS; 0 quality starts) @ Jeff Suppan (1-2, 4 GS, 7.77 runs average, 4.93 IP/GS; 1 quality start)

After easing into various roles for the Diamondbacks in 2008, Scherzer begins 2009 as one of the Diamondbacks’ main starters, and probably one of the better young pitching prospects in baseball. The righty throws in the mid-90s with his fastball, which he can sink or use as a cross-seam fastball, and changes speeds with a change up and a slider. Look for Scherzer to throw the slider and change up at equal percentages, in order to keep the batters off balance.

Suppan started the season poorly, but recovered with two strong starts – even if the second start was only an innings-eating start (6 IP, 4 R). The veteran apparently used an extra off-day after his second start to work an extra bullpen session, and it’s unclear whether that session spurred his improvement. Nevertheless, Suppan is this team’s elder statesman on the rotation, and he should be expected to improve, make adjustments, and eat innings for the Brewers’ rotation.

Jon Garland (2-1, 4 GS, 5.83 runs average, 6.18 IP/GS; 2 quality starts)@ Manny Parra (0-4, 4 GS, 7.46 runs average, 4.83 IP/GS; 1 quality start)

Garland finds himself in a new league, but doing much of the same. The righty is the Diamondbacks’ innings eating pitcher, and thus far he has seen mixed results on the mound. At the very least, he will rack up IP for a young staff, which at the moment is without ace Brandon Webb.

When it rains, it pours – and so it goes with Parra. The lefty simply struggles to pitch efficiently thus far in 2009, resulting in extended innings and relatively short outings. There still seems to be a disjoint between Parra’s stuff and potential and his actual results; the lefty simply needs to pitch aggressively with his fastball (which can work in the low-to-mid-90s), repeat his mechanics, and finish innings when he has the opportunity to close the door on opponents.

Dan Haren (2-3, 5 GS, 1.54 runs average, 7.00 IP/GS; 5 quality starts) @ Braden Looper (2-0, 4 GS, 2.86 runs average, 5.50 IP/GS; 2 quality starts)

Talk about tough losses! Haren has 3 losses simply due to a lack of run support, adding some early 1-run losses to his record. Thus far, the righty ace is working without his counterpart, with stunning results. He is utilizing his split-fingered fastball, curveball, and cutter almost excessively, throwing his fastball under 60% of the time (according to FanGraphs). Haren pitches aggressively, and has the off-speed weapons to keep hitters off balance, and if one of those complementary pitches is not coming, another is almost certainly on its way.

Looper seems to be on autopilot. Even during his last start – the “worst” start of his 2009 campaign thus far – Looper kept the Brewers in the game with his effort, getting out of a ton of trouble to consistently limit the damage. Pitching in trouble as consistently as Looper does might not be ideal, but thus far the veteran is showing that he knows what he’s doing.

Yusmeiro Petit (0-2, 4 G, 3 GS, 9.74 runs average, 3.93 IP/G; 0 quality starts) @ Dave Bush (1-0, 5 G, 4 GS, 4.85 runs average, 5.20 IP/G; 3 quality starts)

The Diamondbacks’ young junkballer simply has not been able to put it together for the Diamondbacks thus far in 2009, serving his usual role of swingman extraordinaire. The righty throws his fastball even less frequently than Dan Haren, instead opting to throw both his change up and slider nearly 25%, each! Look for Petit to pitch in the mid-80s with his fastball, and attempt to keep hitters off balance with his main off-speed weapons; he certainly will not look to his fastball as a major weapon.

Bush finally had a tough outing, perhaps a tough luck outing. The righty worked through some defensive efficiency problems, and a barrage of hits by the Pirates, but was unable to limit the damage. The righty settled for a no-decision, and thus far has served as one of the Brewers’ best pitchers, perhaps second only to Yovani Gallardo. Look for Bush to change speeds early in the count, and start batters with aggressive, breaking ball or off-speed strikes.