New pitching coach Dave Stewart blends a certain air of cool with a tough, no-nonsense attitude.

Stewart should help the Brewers' pitchers improve, if they can stay healthy. Bob Apodaca, Stewart's predecessor, took a fatherly approach with the pitchers.

It actually worked pretty well, until several pitchers started having some injury problems. Tops on that list, the perpetually injured Jeff D'Amico, has been dealt away. Mark Leiter, who spent much of the season hurt, also is gone. So are a few others who could not stay healthy.

But, the Brewers started spring training with Curtis Leskanic's return from shoulder problems being put off indefinitely. Nick Neugebauer already has felt a twinge and got a cortisone shot.

Jamey Wright is coming off elbow problems. Paul Rigdon also is on the comeback trail. They are both potential starters.

Valerio De Los Santos missed all of last season with an injury. Ben Sheets had to sit out part of the second half of the season with a tired shoulder.

Another rash of injuries, and Stew's tough love approach, won't look any better than Dac's fatherly nurturing did.

Stewart does bring a reputation and name to the job. But, so did former hitting coach Rod Carew, who was a Hall of Famer. The Brewers need more name players, not necessarily name coaches.

Remember that Stewart also was not that enamored with a return to coaching. He would like to be a general manager, but took the Brewers' job after the Toronto Blue Jays passed him over for their GM position.

That shouldn't stop Stewart from doing his job to the max with the Brewers. Everything you hear about the guy points to a hard working coach, who knows how to push pitchers into giving their best.

But, any Stew needs all its ingredients to taste good. Stew's Crew needs to stay healthy if it is going to be successful.

Stewart will work with a staff that has some international flavor to it. Japanese reliever Takahito Nomura will get a good shot at making the staff as a middle reliever. The lefthanded veteran of the Japanese league also is drawing a lot of attention from the Asian media this spring.

On Tuesday, the Brewers signed pitcher Francisco Campos to a minor league deal and invited him to spring training. Campos, 29, pitched for the Caribbean World Series champion Culiacan club from the Mexican League in 2002 and was victorious in a pair of Series games.

The Brewers plan on giving Campos a shot at the starting rotation. If that doesn't work out, he could help strengthen the bullpen.

The 6-0, 165-pound righthander pitched for Mazatlan during the Mexican Winter League and was 5-2 with a 1.66 ERA in 12 games, all starts. He struck out 89 batters in 81.1 innings while walking just 20 batters.

During the regular season, Campos pitched for Campeche in the Mexican League and was 10-7 with a 3.19 ERA in 23 games, 22 starts, with six complete games. Opponents batted just .214 against him in 155.1 innings of work. He also struck out 133 with just 37 walks.

Signed originally by the Houston Astros as a catcher at the age of 19, Campos converted to pitching in 1995 with Campeche. He has a career record of 59-41 with a 3.03 ERA in 155 career games, 147 starts. He has thrown 39 complete games in his career and nine shutouts.

Campos is expected in Brewers camp on Thursday and will wear uniform number 33.

The Brewers announced this week that non-roster outfielder Derrick Gibson will not be coming to spring camp after signing a contract to play professional football for the Cleveland Browns. The Brewers have petitioned Major League Baseball to have Gibson placed on the Disqualified List.

Gibson, 27, had a football scholarship to Auburn University, but decided to sign with the Colorado Rockies out of high school.

Single game ticket sales started at 9 a.m. Thursday. Fans can buy tickets for individual games at the Miller Park box office, at 414-902-4000 or 800-933-7890, or via www.milwaukeebrewers.com or Tickets.com.

The Miller Park box office open at 9 a.m. each week day and at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.