May 04 2009
With Braun out again, Macha gets creative
Ryan Braun will miss his third consecutive game on Monday night with back stiffness, leading manager Ken Macha to create a makeshift lineup against the Pirates.
Bill Hall will make his first career start in left field in the absence of Braun. Casey McGehee will start at Hall’s normal position, third base.
Hall played a little left field in some exhibition games a couple years back, but has never officially started a Major League game there.
Hall played 130 games in center field in 2007, so the experience will not be completely new for him. Hall is a goodenough athlete to play just about anywhere on the diamond.
Macha felt the need to get Hall into the lineup somehow - he is a career .571 hitter against Pittsburgh starter Paul Maholm in his career, with 16 hits in 28 at bats.
X-rays on Braun’s back were negative, and the Brewers hope to get him into the lineup within the next couple games.
UPDATE: Hall was tested with 2 chances in the first inning of tonight’s game. He made a spectacular diving catch, but was removed from the game after his first at bat in the top of the second, being replaced by Chris Duffy.
It appears to be cautionary, but losing Hall for any extended time could definitely hurt the Brewers this week.
