YORK, Pa. (AP) — "Robot umpires" have arrived.The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional baseball league to let a computer call balls and strikes Wednesday night at its All-Star Game. Plate umpire Brian deBrauwere wore an earpiece connected to an iPhone in his pocket and relayed the call upon receiving it from a TrackMan computer system that uses Doppler radar.He crouched in his normal position behind the catcher and signaled balls and strikes."Until we can trust this system 100%, I still have to go back there with the intention of getting a pitch correct because if the system fails, it doesn't pick a pitch up or if it registers a pitch that's a foot-and-a-half off the plate as a strike, I have to be prepared to correct that," deBrauwere said before the game.It didn't appear deBrauwere had any delay receiving the calls at first, but players noticed a big difference."One time I already had caught the ball back from the catcher and he signaled strike," said pitcher... [More]

YORK, Pa. (AP) — "Robot umpires" have arrived.The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional baseball league to let a computer call balls and strikes Wednesday night at its All-Star Game. Plate umpire Brian deBrauwere wore an earpiece connected to an iPhone in his pocket and relayed the call upon receiving it from a TrackMan computer system that uses Doppler radar.He crouched in his normal position behind the catcher and signaled balls and strikes."Until we can trust this system 100%, I still have to go back there with the intention of getting a pitch correct because if the system fails, it doesn't pick a pitch up or if it registers a pitch that's a foot-and-a-half off the plate as a strike, I have to be prepared to correct that," deBrauwere said before the game.It didn't appear deBrauwere had any delay receiving the calls at first, but players noticed a big difference."One time I already had caught the ball back from the catcher and he signaled strike," said pitcher... [More]

YORK, Pa. (AP) — "Robot umpires" have arrived.The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional baseball league to let a computer call balls and strikes Wednesday night at its All-Star Game. Plate umpire Brian deBrauwere wore an earpiece connected to an iPhone in his pocket and relayed the call upon receiving it from a TrackMan computer system that uses Doppler radar.He crouched in his normal position behind the catcher and signaled balls and strikes."Until we can trust this system 100 percent, I still have to go back there with the intention of getting a pitch correct because if the system fails, it doesn't pick a pitch up or if it registers a pitch that's a foot-and-a-half off the plate as a strike, I have to be prepared to correct that," deBrauwere said before the game.It didn't appear deBrauwere had any delay receiving the calls at first but players noticed a big difference."One time I already had caught the ball back from the catcher and he signaled strike," said... [More]

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis cleared waivers Thursday and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Colorado Springs. Nieuwenhuis appeared in 16 games for Milwaukee this season, going 3-for-26 with a double and an RBI. Nieuwenhuis hit .221 with four homers and 25 RBIs for Colorado Springs in 2017.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis was designated for assignment by the Brewers on Monday. In 16 games for Milwaukee, he hit .115 with one homer and one RBI.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis had his contract selected from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Saturday after the Brewers designated pitcher Wily Peralta for assignment. Nieuwenhuis had been designated for assignment on April 21 and accepted an outright assignment to Colorado Springs. He batted just .080 in his April stint with Milwaukee but delivered a pinch-single Saturday night.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday. He opted to stay in the organization and accept his assignment rather than become a free agent. Nieuwenhuis was 2-for-25 (.080 batting average) in 15 games with the Brewers.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis was designated for assignment Friday to make room for LHP Brent Suter on the Brewers' roster. Nieuwenhuis, 29, had just two hits and four walks in 25 at-bats this season while playing primarily off Milwaukee's bench. He appeared in 125 games a year ago and batted .209 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI but had a .290 mark with 11 homers and 31 RBI at Miller Park.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis last played Sept. 16 because of what was called an abdominal strain. The diagnosis was changed to a sports hernia that will require surgery, and Nieuwenhuis is done for the year. Nieuwehuis, who went to high school in Denver, batted .210 with 13 homers and 44 RBIs in 124 games, including 92 starts. He hit .290 at Miller Park this season and .127 on the road.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who is from the Denver area, last played Sept. 16 because of what was called an abdominal strain. The diagnosis was changed to a sports hernia that will require surgery. He is done for the year.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis is still rehabbing after suffering a sports hernia last week at Chicago. He's not expected to play this weekend as Milwaukee wraps up its final homestand of the season, but he will join the team on its trip to Texas and Colorado and manager Craig Counsell thinks Nieuwenhuis will see action before the season ends.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, battling a sports hernia, received a cortisone injection Thursday but isn't sure if he'll return this season. Nieuwenhuis hasn't played since suffering the injury Friday against the Cubs in Chicago. He's appeared in 124 games this season (92 starts), batting .210 with 13 home runs and 44 RBIs and is a .290 hitter with 11 homers and 31 RBs at Miller Park.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, battling a sports hernia, received a cortisone injection Thursday but isn't sure whether he will return this season.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis was unavailable again Wednesday, still recovering from a lower abdominal strain suffered last Friday at Chicago. Manager Craig Counsell said he considered Nieuwenhuis day-to-day.

RF Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit his 13th home run of the season Wednesday. Eleven of his 13 homers have come at home, where he's batting .288 (47-for-163) with 10 doubles, a triple and 31 RBI in 62 games this season.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit his 12th home run of the season Thursday. Ten of his home runs have come at Miller Park, where he's batting .295 (44-for-149) with 10 doubles, a triple and 28 RBIs.

CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis went 2-for-5 with a double, home run and three RBIs on Thursday. The home run was his 11th of the season and he's batting .353 with three doubles, five homers, nine runs scored and 10 RBIs in 11 games against the Cubs this year.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis struck out in his first three at-bats but homered in his final trip Thursday in the Brewers' victory over the Diamondbacks. Eight of Nieuwenhuis' nine home runs this season have come at Miller Park, where he's batting .304.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis committed a career-high three errors Wednesday, matching a franchise record for a player in one game. Nieuwenhuis had committed just five errors in his career prior to Wednesday, never more than one in a game.

CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled in his only at-bat Tuesday, extending his hitting streak to four games. Nieuwenhuis is slashing .315/.408/.611 in 43 games at Miller Park this season.