Milwaukee, WI

Why Brewers infielder Vinny Capra can be more than just the team’s latest spring fling

Published

9 months ago

March 15, 2025

Why Brewers infielder Vinny Capra can be more than just the team’s latest spring fling

PHOENIX – Remember these Milwaukee Brewers spring heroes of Cactus Leagues past?

There was Mike Brosseau, who won the spring home run crown with six bombs and carried an OPS (on-base plus slugging) above 1.500 in 2022.

What about Nick Franklin, who raked his way to a 1.222 OPS in 2018.

Or Brad Nelson, who won a spot on the opening day roster in 2009 by hitting four homers and driving in 19 runs.

Can you recall all the way back to 2001, when Angel Echevarria went 15 for his first 30 with three homers?

It’s a rite as old as spring training itself. A player on the fringe of making the major-league roster becomes as hot as the Arizona sun.

Unfortunately, just as the desert temperatures cool when the sun sets, so do the bats of these spring flings. Brosseau was designated for assignment within months of his spring training slamming. Franklin never got another big-league knock. Same with Brad Nelson. Echevarria actually had the best offensive year of the bunch, but his defense made him a negative-value player the rest of the season.

Vinny Capra making strong case for roster spot

Enter 2025’s Maryvale masher: Vinny Capra.

The Brewers infielder is having one of the most impressive springs of anyone not only on the Brewers, but in the entire state of Arizona. He’s batting .346 with a 1.414 OPS and Cactus League-leading five homers.

A journeyman at 28 years old, Capra seemingly has an inside track to make the opening day roster, too.

“Vinny doesn’t have options, so if you really like the player and he has the spring that he’s had, you got to think there’s probably a good shot he at least wins the job temporarily,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

The roster spot no longer seems to be a big question for Capra. This though, is: Can Capra be more than just the Brewers’ latest spring fling?

Here’s the optimist’s breakdown of why he could be less of a Franklin or Echevarria and more 2017 Jesus Aguilar.

Off-season adjustments to swing have paid off

Capra hopes that off-season simplification of his mechanics and bat speed work will lead to some late blooming as a hitter.

Let’s start with the former. Frustrated by where his swing was at late in the off-season, Capra texted hitting coach Connor Dawson with a thought: What if I just simplify all my movement at the plate?

“That’s a great idea,” Dawson responded.

Capra felt he was swaying too much in his load, which threw his whole swing out of sync – “That kind of changes your eye level,” he said – and just tried to simplify the movement. He would send Dawson videos from his training in Florida and felt like there was progress.

“Once I kind of hammered in that movement for a month, it was like I told myself when I get to bat, ‘Don’t think about anything,’” Capra said. “Just see the ball, load, get downhill and kind of see what happens. Everything is working out.”

There’s another element to Capra’s swing that is working out, too: The power his bat is generating.

Work to improve his bat speed in the off-season has translated to game action this spring. His five homers could ultimately just be a byproduct of spring training, but for someone who has hit all of 30 homers in six professional seasons, it’s at least worth paying attention to.

“It feels more powerful,” Capra said of his swing. “It may even be a little faster. I think the way the mechanics go, it’s just more of a grounded swing using more of my legs, which I think is a huge key.”

With no minor-league options remaining, it’s now or never for Capra to make his impact felt by the Brewers. Sometimes desperation begets innovation; in this case, though, it might have led to something else, too.

“When you’re at the edge, oftentimes it creates kind of a freedom of, ‘I’m just going to go do it,’” Murphy said. “It seems that he’s in that spot. So that gives him kind of an inside track because he’s out of options and you don’t want to burn players. We feel pretty lucky in that spot.”

Source link

Click to comment

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Admirals fall to Wolves, losing streak now 5 games

Published

19 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Milwaukee Admirals fall to Wolves, losing streak now 5 games

article

(Courtesy: Milwaukee Admirals)

MILWAUKEE – Ryan Ufko and David Edstrom scored goals for the Admirals, but they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night at historic Panther Arena.

Big picture view:

The loss extended the Ads losing streak to five games.

Check out the new and improved FOX Sports app

By the numbers:

The Wolves grabbed an early lead when Bradley Nadeau potted his ninth goal of the season 8:21 into the game.

David Edstrom and the Admirals league-leading power-play knotted the score at one with just under seven minutes to play in the frame. With the penalty winding down, Cole Hara’s shot from between the wheels was deflected in by Edstrom for his fifth tally of the year.

However, the Wolves would score two more to close out the frame, including one by Domonic Fensore with just 0.7 seconds left in the first.

Milwaukee would get one back during the second period courtesy of a Ryan Ufko power-play marker. Stationed in the high slot, Ufko took a feed from Daniel Carr and ripped a one-timer over the shoulder of Chicago netminder Amir Miftakhov.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

The Ads pressed for the tying goal and had a 6-on-4 advantage late in the third period, but Chicago’s Justin Robidas scored an empty-netter to seal the deal for the Wolves.

What’s next:

The Admirals will hit the road for their final three games before the Christmas break, beginning Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. against the Wolves. The Ads’ next home contest will be on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. against the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Source: The Milwaukee Admirals provided this report.

Milwaukee AdmiralsSports

Source link

Milwaukee, WI

Downtown Milwaukee temporary steam outage, We Energies restoring service

Published

12 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Downtown Milwaukee temporary steam outage, We Energies restoring service

article

MILWAUKEE – An issue at the Valley Power Plant caused a temporary steam outage for downtown Milwaukee buildings on Saturday, Dec. 13.

Steam service interrupted

What we know:

According to We Energies, the gas supply to the Valley Power Plant was interrupted on Saturday morning, causing it to go offline. The plant produces steam for downtown buildings for heating.

We Energies says it has restored service to the steam system and is bringing steam back to customers, but the restoration process requires steam pressure to build back up in the steam system. Once pressure reaches safe levels, steam service can be delivered to customers.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

Customers should begin to see service return over the next few hours, and some are already restored.

We Energies says it does not anticipate any more steam outages, and that this issue is not affecting electric or natural gas service.

Show canceled

What we know:

The Marcus Performing Arts Center says its building has been impacted by the steam outage and, as a result, had to cancel its 1 p.m. matinée performance of The Pigeon Gets A Big Time Holiday Extravaganza!

Ticket holders will be contacted directly to get further information about next steps.

All other shows at the Marcus Performing Arts Center will go on as scheduled.

The Source: We Energies and The Marcus Performing Arts Center sent FOX6 the information.

We EnergiesMilwaukeeNews

Source link

Milwaukee, WI

Admirals lose to IceHogs, comeback bid falls short in Rockford

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Admirals lose to IceHogs, comeback bid falls short in Rockford

article

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Goalie Laurent Brossoit stopped 33 shots – and scored a goal – to lead the Rockford IceHogs to a 5-3 win over the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday.

The loss extended the Admirals losing streak to four games.

Check out the new and improved FOX Sports app

By the numbers:

With goalie Matt Murray pulled, the Admirals dumped the puck into the IceHogs zone from the red line. Brossoit tracked it down behind his goal and sailed a shot into the empty Milwaukee cage at 18:56 of the final frame.

The teams waited until the second period to start scoring goals. IceHogs forward Nick Lardis started the scoring with a shorthanded goal at 1:18 of the second frame. He sent a wrist shot from the slot into the net just as Milwaukee had two players leave the penalty box.

Just 0:33 later, Rockford’s Brett Seney exited the penalty box and grabbed a loose puck at the Admirals blue line. He moved to the right circle and sent a shot over the glove of Admirals goalie Matt Murray at 1:51.

Milwaukee got on the board with a power-play goal at 4:56 of the second frame. Oasiz Wiesblatt skated with the puck from the left point to the right circle and slid a pass to the crease. Daniel Carr redirected the puck past IceHogs goalie Brossoit for his team-leading tenth goal of the season, and seventh on the power play. Wiesblatt and Joakim Kemell assisted.

Rockford scored two more before the close of the second period. Martin Misiak scored his first pro goal at 15:39 and Jamie Engelbert added a 4-on-4 goal at 18:45 to give the IceHogs a 4-1 lead after two frames.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

The Admirals cut the deficit to 4-2 when Jake Lucchini scored his sixth goal of the season at 11:21 of the third period. Lucchini slammed a rebound of a Jordan Oesterle shot into the net. Cole O’Hara and Oesterle were awarded assists.

The Ads got within one just :36 later when O’Hara shot a blocked puck into the net from the right circle. Oesterle and Ryan Ufko assisted on the goal at 11:57 of the third period.

Milwaukee returns to UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena to host the Chicago Wolves on Saturday, Dec. 13.

The Source: The Milwaukee Admirals provided this report.

Milwaukee AdmiralsSports

Source link