Milwaukee, WI
‘We’ve seen that skit’: Brewers seem over feud with Willson Contreras
Breaking down the Brewers’ big-league extension for Cooper Pratt
On the ‘Microbrew’ podcast, Curt Hogg and JR Radcliffe discuss the surprising nature of the Cooper Pratt extension.
BOSTON – It transcends jersey color, roster construction, what year it is and whoever happens to be on the mound: When Willson Contreras plays the Milwaukee Brewers, he is going to get mad.
The latest chapter in a decades-long inevitability between player and opponent occurred April 6 at Fenway Park. Contreras, now with the Boston Red Sox, was wearing different colors from each of the previous, interdivisional spats with Milwaukee, but it looked the same as each of the prior phases.
A Brewers pitcher hit Contreras, and he did not appreciate it.
The fireworks in Fenway occurred in the third inning when a sinker from Brandon Woodruff grazed the top of Contreras’ hand – though the visiting side, including Willson’s younger brother and Brewers catcher William Contreras, thought otherwise. The pitch was up but hardly in, just off the plate to the inside by a couple of inches.
The Red Sox first baseman immediately slammed his bat in frustration and began taking steps toward the mound before redirecting his path to first base. All the while, he harped toward Woodruff.
“That’s how he plays,” said William Contreras.
This was not just a one-off; there is history there. Plenty of it.
It was the 24th time Contreras had been hit by the Brewers in 121 games and the sixth time that Woodruff had hit him, both facts that were quickly brought up after the Brewers’ 8-6 win.
Contreras, 33, has long viewed it as purposeful by the Brewers, dating back to even the days of Craig Counsell as manager when Milwaukee and the Chicago Cubs played dozens of fierce games over the years.
“It’s not just the hit by pitch, it’s the 24th pitch they’ve hit me in my career,” Contreras said. “Twenty-fourth. That’s the sixth time [Woodruff] has hit me and they always say, ‘I’m not trying to hit you.’ That gets old.”
On the other side, the Brewers insist they aren’t trying to hit Contreras, but rather it’s a byproduct of playing so often over the years and his proclivity to lean over the plate. Contreras, after all, is plunk-prone. He ranks second among active players in hit by pitches.
To relitigate all the hit-by-pitches (and, in most cases, ensuing dust-ups) would be a task too arduous for this space, but there are many. They date back to his tenure with the Cubs, which began in 2016, and up until this night in Boston the most recent dustup was last June.
There has been strife over more than just being hit by pitch, too. Last year, Rhys Hoskins got into it with Contreras over what the Brewers perceived to be a dirty play at first base involving now-Sox teammate Caleb Durbin.
Some in the Brewers clubhouse also quietly stewed about Contreras stepping out of the box and onto home plate as Jacob Misiorowski delivered a pitch to try and throw him off during his MLB debut last June.
Safe to say the Brewers are over it.
“We’ve seen that skit for the last 10 years,” Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich said. “It’s nothing new.”
Contreras, though, is not.
“Next time they hit me again, I’m going to take one of them out,” he said. “That’s the message.”
The ordeal puts the younger Contreras in a difficult spot, effectively having to choose between his brother and his team whenever the sides play. But William is also leaving no questions to where his allegiances lie when the dust flies up during play.
“He’s my brother – after we leave the stadium,” he said.
William attempted to calm Willson down once again after the Woodruff hit by pitch, but to no avail.
“I tried, but it’s impossible,” little brother said.
Willson continued barking toward the mound after getting to first, only ceasing because he had to run two pitches later to second base, where he went in with cleats high and took a chunk of shortstop David Hamilton’s pant legs with him.
“We’ve been through this – it’s, what, nine years for me? – It seems like every year,” Woodruff said. “He’s trying to play a game and he’s trying to get his side fired up. Once I knew what was going on, I wasn’t going to let it affect me on the mound. I knew I had a job to do. I knew the pitch count was still down, even though I had given up a few runs. And I knew the bullpen was short. So I knew I needed to go out there and just keep competing.”
A riled-up Contreras kept burning the Brewers with his bat as the game went on, getting a hit in each of his next three at-bats, including a mammoth solo homer in the ninth.
The Brewers, though, got the final word in the series opener.
“That was a great win,” Yelich said. “It was a ‘toughness’ win from the guys. Got down early, it was cold out there, we got a short bullpen and we found a way to win. We’re willing to grind with anybody. Just really proud of the guys for stepping up and finding a way there, just willing it.”
Now, we wait and see what’s next.
Starting on Tuesday, May 26, a portion of the intersection at South 35th Street and West National Avenue will be closed to northbound drivers, city officials announced at a press conference on Wednesday, May 20.
Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa and Ald. Peter Burgelis announced that the new construction, which will close part of South 35th Street, is being led by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
While a part of the road will be closed, the 35th Street Viaduct will remain open.
The partial closure of the major thoroughfare is among a series of construction projects affecting Milwaukee travelers, including Dominique Alvarado-Gonzalez, who lives on the south side and commutes north each day to take her kids to school near Marquette University’s campus.
Before the construction began on the south side, Alvarado-Gonzalez said she would take South 16th Street, South 27th Street or South 35th Street to drive up to the north side of the city.
Now, all of those roads connecting the north and south sides have been impacted by repair projects through the Milwaukee Department of Public Works and the state Department of Transportation.
“The roads are all torn up,” Alvarado-Gonzalez said. “It’s like a puzzle getting in there … no matter what time of day you’re traveling, there’s traffic everywhere.”
Elected officials say they received no notice of road closure
At the press conference, Zamarripa said there was no communication between the department and the Common Council to help notify neighbors on the south side.
Burgelis said he learned about the project when a constituent tagged him in a Facebook post about the closure.
“There are instances where I think they have not taken the time to properly educate neighbors, constituents, commuters,” Zamarripa said. “I would like to speak with [the Department of Transportation] leadership … I am very concerned about the latest limiting of access to 35th Street.”
Zamarripa said she will be meeting with Public Works and Milwaukee Water Works to discuss how people should navigate the south side amid the latest closure.
“It’s just become untenable,” Zamarripa said. “I can only imagine how the average Milwaukeean feels when they’re trying to navigate city streets, and they just don’t know what’s going to be accessible and what isn’t.”
Street closures increase on Milwaukee’s South Side
Currently, the 16th Street, 27th Street, and 60th Street Viaducts are all closed, leaving the Sixth and 35th Street Viaducts as the only bridges connecting the near south side of Milwaukee to the rest of the city.
According to Zamarripa, the city’s Public Works department fought to keep the 35th Street Viaduct open, only partially restricting travel, to reduce the impact on residents.
“Closing down one of the two remaining access points I think is a very, very bad idea,” Burgelis said.
In addition to the bridges that are closed for repairs, the National Avenue Reconstruction Project, led by Public Works and the state Department of Transportation, has limited drivers on West National Avenue between South 39th Street and South 27th Street to westbound travel only during its first phase.
A portion of West Lincoln Avenue from South 27th Street to South 31st Street is also closed on the south side.
“These investments are needed, but we have to be able to coordinate them better so our residents aren’t impacted,” Burgelis said.
Closures affect local business on south side
Jose Lozoya, owner of National Liquor Mart and El Caporal Authentic Mexican Grill on South 16th Street and West National Avenue, said his profits decreased a bit when the National Avenue construction began, but he was given years of notice by Public Works to prepare for the impact.
The bridge closures, particularly the 16th Street Viaduct, have hit harder, Lozoya said.
Since the start of construction, Lozoya said his profits have decreased by 50% with the loss of road and foot traffic. He was not given any notice before the 16th Street project began and said he wasn’t asked to give input on the project as he was with the National Avenue Reconstruction. He had to call Zamarripa’s office to learn why the 16th Street Viaduct was closed, he said.
“I think they should have closed one viaduct at a time,” Lozoya said. “It’s affected a lot of us in the area … now we have to regain the business.”
Alyssa Salcedo covers Silver City, Layton Park and Burnham Park for the Journal Sentinel’s Neighborhood Dispatch. Contact her at asalcedo@usatodayco.com.
Neighborhood Dispatch reporting is supported by Zilber Family Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Journal Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and reader contributions to the Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project. Journal Sentinel editors maintain full editorial control over all content. To support this work, visit jsonline.com/support. Checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation (memo: “JS Community Journalism”) and mailed to P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689.
The JS Community-Funded Journalism Project is made possible through our partnership with Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36-4427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association, and EnMotive, LLC, a subsidiary of USA TODAY Co., Inc. USA TODAY Co., Inc. is the parent company of this publication.
Milwaukee, WI
I Use These Milwaukee Tools Every Day, and They’re up to 50% Off Ahead of Memorial Day
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Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.
A good set of cordless tools will give your DIY projects polish, save you time, and make your life easier. But quality tools can be expensive. I use Milwaukee 18-volt tools in my personal tool kit and I’ve used them for everything from fixing my bathroom sink to building a deck. The batteries last at least 10 years without needing to be replaced, and the tools are comfortable to grip for long periods of time. There are some good Memorial Day deals at Home Depot on the tools I swear by.
If you’re starting a cordless tool set from scratch, a bundle will save you money and set you up with all the basics you need. Because these sets usually come with batteries and chargers as well as tools, they’re a good choice to begin a cordless tool set.
The Milwaukee 18-volt, six-tool set is now $499, 50% off its regular price. The bundle comes with a drill, an impact driver, an oscillating multitool, a circular saw, an angle grinder, a work light, two four-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. These tools can be used for basic projects, like hanging shelves, and for more advanced projects like cutting and building your own shelves.
Most DIY home improvement projects, from installing molding to repairing a deck will involve some cutting. Depending on what the scope of your project is, different types of cutting and shaping tools will be useful for different applications. There are a few good deals on cutting tools that will come in handy if you’re doing any building, patching, or rebuilding.
The 18-volt Milwaukee sawzall is $269, 51% off its usual price. This saw comes with a five-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a stacking case that’s compatible with the Milwaukee system. A sawzall is good for making rough cuts and trimming small to medium branches on trees and shrubs.
The 18-volt Milwaukee oscillating multitool is $119, 40% off its typical price. It comes with a two-amp-hour battery and a charger. This is the most versatile tool out there: It can be used to plunge cut, trim plaster and drywall, cut wood, PVC, metal, and foam, and can be adapted for sanding and buffing. I use my oscillating multitool on nearly every project I work on.
The Milwaukee 18-volt angle grinder is $299, 47% off its regular price. This tool comes with two six-amp-hour batteries and a charger. You can use an angle grinder for cutting metal, grinding welds, polishing metal, cutting off screw and nail tips that poke through, and for cleaning and buffing your surfaces. Some people use angle grinders for cutting tile and removing grout, but if you use yours for this, it’s important to make sure that the tile you’re cutting isn’t made from stone, that your material is wet, and that you wear proper safety gear like safety goggles and a respirator. The dust from masonry and tile can contain silica dust that’s quite dangerous to inhale.
What do you think so far?
This Milwaukee drill and driver are both on sale
A drill and driver are the most basic tools in a cordless set. Both the Milwaukee 18-volt, ½-inch chuck cordless drill and the 18-volt cordless impact driver are $129, 35% off their usual price. These tools will allow you to drive screws and bolts and drill holes for projects like mounting a flat screen TV or swapping out hardware on your cabinets.
These Milwaukee bits and extras are on sale, too
Milwaukee makes a wide range of tools to fit their 18-volt batteries, and one of my favorite surprise tools is on sale right now. There’s also an excellent deal on a hole saw set from Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee 18-volt cordless inflator is $299, 45% off its typical price. This tool comes with two six-amp-hour batteries and a charger. It can be really handy to have in your emergency roadside kit to inflate a tire and you can also use it for rafts or other inflatables. The inflator tool has a pressure gauge, an auto-shut-off feature, and three-foot hose for easy reach.
The Milwaukee eight-piece hole saw kit is $29.97, 40% off its regular price. The set comes with four sizes of hole saw blades, three drill bits, an arbor, and case. Hole saws can be used for cutting larger sized holes for passing wiring through timber, installing some types of door latches and knobs, and for creating cable pass-throughs in desktops.
Ruth the African Elephant likes to make her presence known by smashing things
Ruth, an African Elephant at the Milwaukee Zoo, likes to pick things up and smash them down.
Milwaukee County Zoo
A Yang without his Yin. The Milwaukee County Zoo is mourning the loss of another one of its animals.
Chinese alligator Yin, a longtime resident, was humanely euthanized in early May, the zoo shared in a Tuesday, May 19, post on its website and social media. She is suspected to have had ovarian cancer with metastasis, the zoo shared, citing preliminary necropsy results.
“Yin was a favorite among zookeepers and will be missed,” the post said. “She was very smart and slower to trust but comfortable once she knew the animal care team members. The zookeepers noted she was strong-willed and intelligent, and loved shrimp.”
When the animal care team noticed Yin was having mobility issues last June, the veterinary staff assessed her, which lead to antibiotic treatment for a spinal lesion, the post said. More recently, Yin’s skin condition and appetite have been declining.
“After much consideration about her quality of life, along with a poor prognosis, the team made the decision to humanely euthanize her,” the post said.
Yin was nearly 41 years old. The median life expectancy for a Chinese alligator in human care in 26 years old, according to the zoo.
Yin and male Chinese alligator Yang, 39, have been behind the scenes since Yin’s treatment began, with Yang providing companionship to her, the post said.
“In the morning, Yin and Yang were often seen laying closely, and they spent a lot of time together,” the post said.
Yin and Yang came to Milwaukee together from the Bronx Zoo in 1995.
Yang – who zookeepers note is healthy – will return to the Chinese alligator habitat, located in the zoo’s Aquatic & Reptile Center, once ongoing pool renovations to the habitat are completed, the post said.
The zoo has been in contact with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan Program coordinator, the post said, and Milwaukee will likely receive a recommendation for another female in the future.
Yin’s death comes just around a month after another longtime zoo resident, Brittany – a 45-year-old African savanna elephant – was humanely euthanized after her health declined. In September, one of the zoo’s other beloved geriatric elephants, Ruth, was euthanized after a couple of falls.
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