Brewers feeling good about Marcum . . . and Greinke

PHOENIX -- TheBrewers are excited that Zack Greinke has had a full, healthy spring training.

They're not overly concerned that Shaun Marcum hasn't.

Greinke and Marcum both pitched in a Sunday morning simulated game, set up out of fears that the Brewers' afternoon game against the Brewers would be rained out (and it was called in the fourth inning). Greinke showed off his mildly reworked delivery, while Marcum simply showed he was able to throw 30 pitches without having more shoulder trouble.

The Brewers still aren't sure whether Marcum will be able to make his first regular-season start, but both manager Ron Roenicke and pitching coach Rick Kranitz said Sunday that they believe Marcum will be ready soon after that, if not by then.

"He's a guy that doesn't need a lot of spring training," Kranitz said.

Kranitz is hopeful that Marcum will be able to pitch in a regular spring training game by the end of this week.

As for Greinke, Kranitz said, "I'm just glad he has had a spring."

Greinke missed almost all of his first spring with the Brewers because of an injury suffered playing basketball. He debuted in May, but wasn't really himself until the end of that month.

Greinke has looked good this spring, allowing just one earned run in his first seven innings (not including Sunday). He credits the improvement to a minor change in his delivery, eliminating a turn at the start that he added in 2007 to try to get more velocity.

Scouts who have watched him say that the change is so minor that it's hard to even notice, but Greinke is convinced it has helped him improve his command, without costing him any velocity.

"Last year, the first half was bad," he said. "Definitely, something had to be worked on. Between the All-Star break in 2010 and the All-Star break in 2011, I had over a 5.00 ERA, and a whole year of having an ERA over 5.00 is not acceptable."

Greinke certainly looks and sounds comfortable, both with how he is pitching and with being with the Brewers. He won't talk about his contract status (he can be a free agent after the season), but it would hardly be shocking if he makes a deal to stay.

"I definitely feel refreshed," he said, talking baseball rather than business. "I'm in a good place mentally and physically."