Right when Ben Sheets threw the first pitch against Pittsburgh Tuesday night at Miller Park, the Brewers announced a trade.
Seeking to improve his infield depth, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin shipped lefty Jorge De La Rosa to Kansas City for veteran infielder Tony Graffanino.
De La Rosa, who was acquired in the Richie Sexson trade during the winter of 2003, appeared in 18 games for the Brewers this season and was 2-2 with a 8.60 earned run average. He was placed on the disabled list June 10 with a blister on the middle finger of his left hand, but has been pitching for Class AA Huntsville since.
Graffanino, 34, has played with several big league clubs in an 11-year career that began in Atlanta, where Brewers manager Ned Yost was his third base coach. He spent last year in Boston, where his third-base coach was Dale Sveum, the current third base coach of the Brewers. Graffanino played 69 games for the Royals this year, batting .268 with five homers and 32 RBI. His on-base percentage is .268.
Graffanino will likely replace Chris Barnwell on the Brewers' roster. Barnwell, who started at second Tuesday, entered play with a .074 average and has looked overmatched at the plate.
The Brewers have been strapped for infielders with Corey Koskie out with post-concussion syndrome and Rickie Weeks out with a sore rist.
Seeking to improve his infield depth, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin shipped lefty Jorge De La Rosa to Kansas City for veteran infielder Tony Graffanino.
De La Rosa, who was acquired in the Richie Sexson trade during the winter of 2003, appeared in 18 games for the Brewers this season and was 2-2 with a 8.60 earned run average. He was placed on the disabled list June 10 with a blister on the middle finger of his left hand, but has been pitching for Class AA Huntsville since.
Graffanino, 34, has played with several big league clubs in an 11-year career that began in Atlanta, where Brewers manager Ned Yost was his third base coach. He spent last year in Boston, where his third-base coach was Dale Sveum, the current third base coach of the Brewers. Graffanino played 69 games for the Royals this year, batting .268 with five homers and 32 RBI. His on-base percentage is .268.
Graffanino will likely replace Chris Barnwell on the Brewers' roster. Barnwell, who started at second Tuesday, entered play with a .074 average and has looked overmatched at the plate.
The Brewers have been strapped for infielders with Corey Koskie out with post-concussion syndrome and Rickie Weeks out with a sore rist.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
