He was busy yesterday

The Prodigal Beat Writer had a busy day yesterday.

First this...

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ depleted roster is now down two more names thanks to a pair of ankle injuries.

According to Rattlers manager Jeff Isom, infielder Steve Braun fractured an ankle and outfielder Chris Dennis sprained his in Saturday’s 2-1, 14-inning Midwest League win over the Peoria Chiefs at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute.

Although both players are still officially listed on the club’s roster, Isom said he expects Braun to be out for the year and Dennis to be placed on the disabled list shortly.

“I’m assuming (Braun won't be back)” Isom said. “I don’t know that for a fact. There’s nothing he can do here for us. He’ll be on his way somewhere, some place. I don’t know where – Arizona or back home. There’s not much you can do when you have a fracture.”

Brett has an update that links to Adam McAlvy's blog with this report:

Dennis' agent, Josh Kusnick, who just told me that the player has a tendon injury and could miss 4-6 weeks.

Also, Brett has this with Harvey Keunn, Jr.

I loooove a good baseball story — particularly the talking kind, when one guy's doing all the yakking and I'm doing all the listening.

So you can imagine why I felt like I jacked one out of the yard on Sunday when I cornered Harvey Kuenn Jr., an area scout for the Milwaukee Brewers, and asked him to spin a yarn or two about that great Harvey's Wallbangers club managed by his late father.

For most of you my age and older, — you surely remember that group.

Rockin' Robin. Stormin' Gorman. Paulie. Vuke. Rollie. Gumby. Coooooop.

Those were just a few of the magical names that authored one of the more memorable summers ever seen in these parts as they helped usher the Milwaukee Brewers into the 1982 World Series, the franchise's only appearance.

Stories? What kind of stories?

Like that night following a Brewers triumph in the American League Championship Series. Some of the players made the quick spin from old Milwaukee County Stadium to Cesar's Inn, a shot-and-a-beer kind of tavern along National Avenue, to mingle with the crazed fans and even tend bar.

Or...

Then there was that night, again at Cesar's, when police had to shut down a 100-yard stretch of National Avenue after the Crew edged the California Angels in the fifth and decisive game of the American League Championship Series to earn a World Series berth — Milwaukee's first since the old Braves advanced in 1958.

Kuenn Jr. was working at the tiny bar at the time and said thousands showed up to celebrate, many of them cramming themselves inside the establishment even though its official limit was 65 people.

Go read it.