Major League Baseball

Roenicke addresses Brewers before regular meeting

Published May. 7, 2011 12:58 a.m. ET

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The Milwaukee Brewers' typical pre-series meeting was longer than usual after manager Ron Roenicke decided to address his slumping team.

Milwaukee (13-18) had dropped six in a row heading into a weekend series at St. Louis. The Brewers were coming off a four-game sweep at Atlanta, where they were outscored 24-6.

''Sometimes when we start I'll say a few things, so I said a few things,'' said Roenicke, in his first season as Milwaukee's manager. ''It wasn't so much pointed, but things I needed to say.''

Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun have slumped after big Aprils and Roenicke said the rest of the Brewers may have been trying to do too much to compensate. The Brewers struck out 15 times Thursday.

''We don't need guys to be Prince and be Braun, we need guys to be themselves,'' Roenicke said.

Braun, the NL player of the month in April, was 2 for 18 with no RBIs in May heading into Friday night's game against the NL Central-leading Cardinals. Fielder was 2 for 19 this month with a homer and one RBI.

Roenicke said Corey Hart's timing has been off since coming back from an oblique injury that landed him on the 15-day disabled list at the start of the season. The right fielder didn't play in spring training and had a short rehab stint before returning and was batting .185 (5 for 27) with no RBIs in eight games.

''Some of that has to do with the player,'' Roenicke said. ''Sometimes they have a lot to say and Corey thought he was ready. How do you know?''

But Roenicke wasn't overly worried about the Brewers' mental state.

''Heads start hanging, chatter stops, I've seen that before and you say 'Wow, what's going on?''' Roenicke said. ''I don't think the mood is low, and that's when it would become a concern.''

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