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Milwaukee Brewers News Clips Monday, April 6, 2015 Opening Day Journal Sentinel http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/usually- Usually stoic Kyle Lohse excited to be opening stoic-kyle-lohse-excited-to-be-opening-day-pitcher- day pitcher for Brewers Brewers fans should prepare for screening at for-brewers-b99474721z1-298731391.html Miller Park Usually stoic Kyle Lohse excited to be opening Colorado Rockies GM Jeff Bridich opens first season in hometown day pitcher for Brewers Brewers' Ryan Braun had no issues with thumb By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel in spring training April 5, 2015 Preview: Brewers vs. Rockies Madison.com With few exceptions, it's difficult to tell what emotions Brewers: Set for opener, Milwaukee eager to Kyle Lohse is experiencing at any particular time or what put September collapse in the past exactly is going through his mind. Fox 6 (WITI) Calm, cool and collected is his natural demeanor. Thousands to fill Miller Park Monday for Brewers Opening Day: Excitement palpable for Excitable? Rarely. sold out game That personality should serve the Milwaukee Brewers CBS Sports veteran right-hander well when he takes the mound COLORADO AT MILWAUKEE Monday afternoon at Miller Park for the 2015 season Racine Journal Times opener against Colorado. The pomp and circumstance of GREG GIESEN: Brewers heading into season opening day can be a distraction to a starting pitcher if he of wonder allows it. Denver Post (Blog) "Any time it's your first time out in the season, you get Brewers write fans “excuse” notes to attend opening day vs. Rockies little butterflies," said Lohse, making his first opening day start in his three years with the Brewers. "If you don't, something's wrong with you. "But you learn how to control yourself, control situations like that. You have to stay focused on your job." Lohse hasn't always been a model of self-control. Now 36 and with more than 13 seasons in the big leagues, he was a bit high-strung when he broke in with Minnesota in 2001. He threw hard, reacted poorly at times to adversity and often was his own worst enemy. "It was a struggle to control my emotions," he said. "I was a young, hard-throwing kid who tried to do too much with about every pitch I threw. It took a while to 2 figure out what I needed to be mentally and how to No longer a hard thrower, Lohse learned how to carve up execute the best pitch I can. hitters with an assortment of pitches, stellar control and poise on the mound. The results were two banner seasons "In St. Louis, beginning in '08, I kind of figured out what with St. Louis — 14-8, 3.39 ERA in 2011 and 16-3, 2.86 kind of pitcher I should have been. I was still throwing in 2012. pretty hard then. Then that thing happened with my arm the next year." "Ever since I've been healthy, it has been a different career," he said. "I'm a different pitcher out there. I still "That thing" was a mysterious condition in his right like to think I'm getting better as I get older. I don't need forearm that led to sudden fatigue on the mound, painful an upper 90s fastball to get the job done. I can control the swelling and diminished feeling in his hand. Lohse game in other ways." struggled to a 6-10 record and 4.74 earned run average that season, and things didn't improve in 2010 when he The Brewers were the beneficiaries of an unusual free went 4-8 with a 6.55 ERA in 18 games before being shut agent market after the 2012 season in which teams down and finally diagnosed properly. declined to offer Lohse a big deal that also would cost them a first-round draft pick. A few weeks into spring Lohse suffered from a rare ailment called exertional training, with principal owner Mark Attanasio and agent compartment syndrome, a swelling of the muscle sheath Scott Boras hashing out the details, Lohse signed a three- in the forearm that cut off blood flow to the hand. He year, $33 million contract that has worked well for the tried to hide the long surgical scar running from elbow to club. wrist with an elaborate tattoo but there was no disguising the different pitcher Lohse would become. Lohse, who quickly developed a reputation as a clever prankster to fear in the clubhouse, had a deceiving 11-10 "When I look back at it, it's probably one of those things record in 2013 with a more revealing 3.35 ERA, that helped me out," Lohse said. "I was out there followed by a 13-9 campaign and 3.54 ERA last season. throwing without being able to make my fingers and Not only was Lohse a beacon of consistency on the hand do exactly what I wanted. The concentration it took mound, his strong yet understated presence proved to get the ball anywhere near where I wanted was helpful to teammates off the field. immense. Brewers right-hander Matt Garza, who broke in with "It was a really weird situation. I learned how to control Minnesota in 2006 — Lohse's last year there — said what I could. I learned a lot from being around (then those leadership traits were evident even then. Cardinals ace) Chris Carpenter and what he had to say. He had about seven surgeries including Tommy John so "He was a veteran there and I was in my first time in he had been through a lot. camp," said Garza. "He gave me crap, normal rookie stuff. But whenever I needed help, he was always there "He really helped me with the mental part. I talked with to lend an ear. Coming up the same way, kind of being him about being able to block things out. That's why I the same type of personalities and same type of have the mentality that I'm going to take the ball competitors, it's easy to get along with each other now. whenever I'm given it and do everything I can to make the most of every pitch." 3 "We're really good friends; we trust each other. We have http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/298712511.ht the same ideals. I'm going to have your back and I know ml you're going to have mine. That's what you're supposed Brewers fans should prepare for screening at to do in this game." Miller Park By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel Lohse had two season-opening assignments in St. Louis, April 5, 2015 both with unusual circumstances. In 2008, the Cardinals and Rockies were rained out after three innings, and Despite the renown passion that Brewers fans have for Lohse got the call the next day in the makeup game tailgating before games, fans should give themselves instead of throwing a simulated game as planned after more time to get into Miller Park in 2015 due to security reporting late to camp. screening procedures put in place in all ballparks by Major League Baseball. This is an MLB-wide process to "I did pretty well," said the modest Lohse, who pitched which all teams must comply. five shutout innings in what became a 2-1 loss. To provide even more time for fans entering Miller Park Four years later, Lohse pitched the actual opener in on opening day Monday, the gates to the ballpark will Miami, where the Marlins opened their new ballpark in a open 2 ½ hours before the game at 10:40 a.m. The carnival atmosphere that included players being escorted parking lots will open at 10:10 a.m. on the field by elaborately costumed dancers. Again, he came through, allowing only two hits and one run in 71/3 First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. with the Brewers innings. taking on the Colorado Rockies. Lohse would gladly take those results in the Brewers' All fans will be required to go through metal detectors opener against the Rockies. And, though you'd never via walkthrough and/or handheld detectors prior to being know from his now-trademark poker face, there will be granted access to Miller Park. To help expedite the some serious adrenaline flowing. process and minimize delays, the Brewers will implement express lanes for guests entering without a "I'm looking forward to the atmosphere and the big bag. crowd — and the roof. That helps," he said. "I'm definitely going to be excited with all the stuff going on Fans will be asked to remove cell phones, cameras and but it would be the same whenever my first start of the other large metal objects prior to entering but will not be season is." required to remove shoes, wallets, coins or belts. Guests will be encouraged to take prohibited items to their cars because items left at the gate are not the responsibility of the Brewers. Anyone with questions about the screening process or prohibited items should call the Brewers’ guest relations at 414-902-4900. 4 http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/colorado- nice because there's so much family there that will be rockies-gm-jeff-bridich-opens-first-season-in- around. I think my traveling secretary is going to give me hometown-b99474124z1-298724661.html a few dirty looks (over ticket requests)." Colorado Rockies GM Jeff Bridich opens first If you research the phrase "chip off the old block," Jeff season in hometown Bridich's photo might be next to the definition.

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