SAN FRANCISCO -- Hot-hitting Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is among a record 38 active Major Leaguers on the advisory board of the Taylor Hooton Foundation, which advocates against performance-enhancing drug use by American youths.
Yelich and the other board members are participating in the foundation's 2018 public service campaign called "It's All Me," which will appear in Brewers programs at Miller Park and other publications, including MLB's All-Star Game, League Championship Series and World Series magazines.
"It's something I was part of in Miami, too," Yelich said, "and got to go to a school to tell kids you want to know that you can look back and know you gave it all that you had, and it was you. Everything you did was through hard work, and you earned everything that came from the game, good and bad. What you laid on the line is what you've got, and you can be happy about it.
"I told them, 'You'll always know. When you look back on things years from now, you'll know whether you did it the right way.' That was always my thing: Have no regrets. Whether you make it or you don't, you'll have a clear conscience -- and you'll be healthy. That's the biggest thing."
The Taylor Hooton Foundation was formed in 2004 by friends and family after Hooton's death at 17 years old following his use of anabolic steroids.
Hall of Fame for Hoffman
Televisions in the visitors clubhouse at AT&T Park were tuned to Sunday's ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., where Trevor Hoffman became the sixth man who played for the Brewers inducted to the Hall of Fame.
Hoffman pitched two seasons for the Brewers -- an All-Star campaign in 2009 followed by a frustrating 2010 in which he quietly battled shoulder discomfort and lost the closer's role to John Axford, but ultimately became the first man in Major League history to reach 600 career saves.
"You feel lucky and fortunate and blessed to be around people like that," Brewers manager and former teammate Craig Counsell said. "I just heard an interview where he said, 'You know, in my second year I lost the closer's role, and it was time to walk the walk' -- if I'm saying that right -- 'of what I've been talking about for 15 years as a teammate.' …
"I think he was proud of the way he handled it. It was the kind of thing where everybody was watching, how is he going to handle this? And he handled it like we hoped. That's what made him so special, really."
Fun story: In one of his Brewers seasons, Hoffman attended a charity fundraiser hosted by longtime bullpen catcher Marcus Hanel. One of the big prizes was a Brewers-logoed riding lawn mower signed by the whole team, and Hoffman bought so many raffle tickets to support Hanel's "Koos for Kids" that he needed help from fans to fill-in his name.
Days later, Hanel had the mower delivered to Miller Park, and Hoffman rode it into the clubhouse and gifted it to the team's local player, Counsell.
"He is the best," Hanel said.
Now the team's manager, Counsell still uses it to mow his lawn in Whitefish Bay, Wis.
"It's fully operational," Counsell said. "It will probably be in use Friday when we get home. I like doing it. I can't wait to get on it, really. Fifteen minutes of peace."
Davies hopeful
Right-hander Zach Davies checked in with the Brewers on Sunday, two days after retiring all seven batters he faced for Class A Wisconsin in the resumption of a rehab assignment. The outing followed an MRI that revealed no structural damage in his troublesome back.
Davies is scheduled to pitch next for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Wednesday at Reno. If it goes well, he would pitch again Aug. 6 at Tacoma in what could be his final start in the Minors.
"I think we've had enough setbacks that we just have to take the next step and keep going forward," Counsell said.
Davies said he expects to fight back soreness the rest of the season.
"Knowing that there's no damage and I can't further [injure] anything, that'll be something I work through," he said. "As long as it doesn't affect me on the mound pitching-wise and making pitches and getting guys out, it's just going to be a work in progress.
"The soreness, the tightness, it is what it is and if it goes away great. And if it doesn't then I know I can manage it and it's not hurting me."