Entering their Saturday matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Milwaukee Brewers had only one question remaining regarding their 2011 playoff roster. The Brewers have now answered that question, and their roster appears set for game one of the NLDS.
The only thing left for Milwaukee to decide as the weekend approached was who would claim the club’s final reserve roster spot. After some deliberation, the Brewers decided to give the nod to their Minor League Player of the Year, Taylor Green.
Milwaukee will carry Green into the playoffs because of his late season play and their projected pitching matchups with the Diamondbacks. The battle for the final roster spot had basically come down to Green and Josh Wilson.
Green hits from the left side, Wilson from the right. Because Arizona’s late inning relievers are predominantly right-handed, the Brewers felt Green matched up better coming off the bench as a pinch hitter.
Along with Green, the other infielders to make the Brewers playoff roster include Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Yuniesky Betancourt, Craig Counsell, Casey McGehee and Jerry Hairston Jr. In the outfield the Brewers will go with Corey Hart, Nyjer Morgan, Ryan Braun, Carlos Gomez and Mark Kotsay. Milwaukee will carry two catchers, Jonathan Lucroy and George Kottaras.
Heading into the playoffs, the Brewers have lined up Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum and Randy Wolf as their starters. Out of the pen Milwaukee will have Chris Narveson, Marco Estrada, Kameron Loe, LaTroy Hawkins, Takashi Saito, Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford.
The Diamondbacks and Brewers begin their series this afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
For more on the Brewers, be sure to check out Reviewing the Brew.