\n\tThe World Baseball Classic always throws a wrench into spring training. Chunks of teams leave camp for a couple of weeks to represent their countries, leaving those still in camp an opportunity for more playing time.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tWith few roster battles, the Milwaukee Brewers will be keeping a close eye on who capitalizes on those chances.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tAs a reminder: Don’t take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic news, not necessarily hardcore analysis.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Crew saw its Cactus League record drop to 4-6 after beating the Chicago White Sox 5-2 Friday, then losing to the Cincinnati Reds 9-7 on Saturday and Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Sunday.\n<\/p>\n
\tWho’s Hot?\u00a0?<\/p>\n
\n\tJoey Ortiz<\/a>: Every pessimistic fan’s whipping boy, the shortstop left camp for the WBC (Mexico) in a good frame of mind hitting-wise. Maybe it’s because of the new beard he is sporting. Whatever it is, Ortiz went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored against the White Sox, then had another hit in three trips against the Reds. That boosted his spring average to .412 (7-for-17). Considering he had .239 and .230 batting averages the past two years, that shows some promising signs, even if it’s just spring training.\n<\/p>\n \n\tLuis Rengifo<\/a>: The probable starting third baseman bounced back from an 0-for-5 start to his spring by going 3-for-6 in two starts this weekend. That began with his first hit, a homer to right leading off the third inning, against White Sox right-hander Sean Burke<\/a>, the surprise Opening Day starter last year. The switch-hitting Rengifo followed that up with an infield single that deflected off right-hander Tanner McDougal<\/a>, who made it up to Double-A in 2025. Against the Royals, Rengifo led off the game with a line-drive single to left off left-hander Kris Bubic<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \n\tLuis Lara<\/a>: I prefer giving the benefit of the doubt to the young prospects getting a shot in camp, especially guys who might be a couple years away. That’s why I didn’t want to knock Lara’s start to Cactus League play, in which he went 3-for-16. But in playing two of the three games this weekend, the switch-hitting outfielder went 3-for-5, with a first-pitch single against Bubic. Granted, the exit velocity was a whopping 58.8 mph and dribbled to the first baseman, but everything counts, right? That came after he went 2-for-2 against the Reds, with a ground-rule double in the sixth inning and a bunt single in the eighth. It was a confidence-boosting pair of games.\n<\/p>\n \tWho’s Not?\u00a0?<\/p>\n \n\tJared Koenig<\/a>: The durable left-handed reliever finally made his spring debut Saturday\u2014and was rocked. Coming in to face the Reds’ 2-3-4 hitters, Koenig was tagged for four runs on three hits in one-third of an inning. Matt McLain<\/a> greeted Koenig with a hard-hit single to left. Elly De La Cruz<\/a> lined a double to right. After striking out Sal Stewart<\/a>, Koenig walked Spencer Steer<\/a> to load the bases. That brought up Blake Dunn<\/a>, who has 49 games of MLB experience, and he hit a bases-clearing double down the left-field line. That was it for Koenig, who threw 14 of his 22 pitches for strikes.\n<\/p>\n