MIL 2015

LOS ANGELES - THE AIR SHIMMERS NEAR AN ALMOST TOO WHITE SECOND BASE AS THE FIELDER TAKES THROW AFTER THROW FROM A COACH POSITIONED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE INFIELD.

BREWER SECOND BASEMAN SCOOTER GENNETT, THE MAN TAKING THE THROWS, SEEMS TO CATCH THE BALL, PIVOT AND ROCKET THE BALL TOWARD FIRST BASE ALL IN A SPLIT-SECOND, WHIZZING AND WHIRRING IN A DIZZYING ONE-MOTION BLUR TO COMPLETE THE IMAGINARY DOUBLE-PLAY.

"IT'S GUYS LIKE COACH (GREG) FLOWERS THAT HAVE HELPED ME REACH THE MAJOR LEAGUES," SAYS GENNETT. "TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, GETTING  TO - AND STAYING UP (IN THE MAJORS) - IS MY PINNACLE. ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST GRAVY,"

SCOOT ON UP TO THE SUPPER TABLE, SCOOTER. THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO EMPTY THE GRAVY BOAT, BASEBALL PERSONNEL SAY.

GENNETT, 24,  HAS GONE HOG WILD IN LEADING THE BREWERS TO A 53-36 RECORD, SECOND BEST IN ALL OF BASEBALL TO THE ANGELS' 60 WINS. IN A COUPLE NIGHTS, GENNETT WILL START AT SECOND BASE FOR THE NL IN THE ALL--STAR GAME IN CINCINNATI.

"TRULY A DREAM COME TRUE," GUSHES GENNETT, WHOSE 20 HOME RUNS LEAD THE NL AND .334 BATTING AVERAGE IS FOURTH BEST.

MILWAUKEE MANAGER RON ROENICKE RAVES ABOUT HIS SECOND-YEAR PLAYER.

"SCOOTER ABSOLUTELY LOVES BASEBALL," SAYS ROENICKE. "IT'S A QUALITY YOU DON'T SEE IN MANY YOUNG PLAYERS LIKE HIM, AND JUST A HANDFUL OF GUYS WHO HAVE SEEN THEIR BETTER DAYS."

GENNETT HAS A QUIET, BUT VERY FIERY BASEBALL, PERSONALITY, NL SCOUT GORDON DERRYBERRY SAYS.

"YOU DON'T SEE HIM (GENNETT) GET TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW," THE SCOUT SAYS."SCOOTER BUSTED THE BALL EARLY AND KEPT THE BREWERS AFLOAT UNTIL THE LINEUP JELLED AND THE PITCHING SOLIDIFIED.."

DANNY SALAZAR, 25, HAD AN OK ROOKIE DEBUT (SIX WINS IN 14 DECISIONS WITH A 4.25 ERA), BUT NOW FINDS HIS NAME ATOP CY YOUNG LISTS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF STARTING TUESDAY'S ALL-STAR GAME.

MILWAUKEE RECENTLY DEALT ARAMIS RAMIREZ TO PITTSBURGH IN A TRADE THAT BROUGHT JOSH HARRISON (.288, 17, 49), THE LIKELY STARTER AT THIRD FOR THE NL STARS.