Ryan Braun should play in opener

Phoenix – Finally, Cactus League play is upon us.

Three games kick off the slate in the Phoenix area today, with the Milwaukee Brewers opening up tomorrow afternoon against the Oakland A's at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

"It's quick this year, so it's not like in the past where you have eight full days with your squad and you're looking to get it going," manager Ron Roenicke said. "We're trying to make sure that we're getting everything in before we start these games."

Roenicke has his lineups mapped out for each of the Brewers' two games Thursday and Friday, but will already have to do some shuffling around on Saturday with split-squad games in Maryvale against the Los Angeles Dodgers and at the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"We have some guys on the minor-league side we're going to borrow," he said.

Roenicke did say he expects Ryan Braun to play tomorrow, "unless he tells me he's not ready," and said Matt Garza will make his first start for the Brewers on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.


(jsonline.com)