MILWAUKEE – As far as his routine goes, Mark Rogers wants to treat his first major league start tonight like any other start.

Of course, that simply isn’t so.

Rogers’ start for the Milwaukee Brewers against the Florida Marlins will mark a triumph of sorts.

The Brunswick native and product of Mt. Ararat High was a first-round pick, fifth overall, of the Brewers in 2004, but found his arrival to the majors blocked by two shoulder operations, and lost seasons in 2007 and 2008.

So when he takes the mound it will be the reward for perseverance.

“I’m just looking to go out there, and when I take the mound it doesn’t matter if it’s here or in Double-A or in Florida (Class A) last year, I know that if I’m as prepared and did everything I could leading up to game time, then I’m going to give myself and my team the best chance that I can to win a baseball game,” Rogers said. “That’s all I can plan for.”

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As far as preparation, Rogers’ “everything I could” is a bit more than most players’ “everything I could,” thanks to those two lost seasons.

But he made it back to pain-free throwing in 2009 and earned a call to the big leagues on Sept. 10 by posting a 3.71 earned-run average with 111 strikeouts in 1112/3 innings with Milwaukee’s Huntsville farm team in the Double-A Southern League.

He pitched single perfect innings in relief Sept. 10 against the Chicago Cubs and Sept. 15 at Houston.

With the Brewers completing a disappointing season out of the postseason hunt, they want to find out if the 24-year-old with the fastball in the high 90s can be a big piece of their 2011 puzzle.

“He’s had a couple of outings,” Brewers Manager Ken Macha said. “The first outing he threw all fastballs, then he threw some breaking balls the last outing and he’s been around the plate with everything.

“His problem has been throwing strikes. His batting average against has been terrific in the minor leagues, so we’ll see how he does.”

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Macha also said Rogers probably will get at least another start in the final week.

Much of the responsibility for the Brewers’ disappointing season fell on a starting rotation that struggled through the first four months. Next season there could be an opening for Rogers.

But for now he’s simply trying to stay in the moment.

He took a seat in the dugout Thursday night with a clipboard charting the pitches that starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo threw at the Marlins.

“There are (openings in the rotation next season), I guess, but I haven’t thought about it,” Rogers said Thursday.

“I don’t want to think too far ahead. I don’t even want to think about (tonight) right now. I’ll watch (Gallardo) pitch and then I’ll talk with him about some stuff.

“So be prepared for (tonight). That’s the only thing I’m concerned about now.”

 


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