Brewers plan to activate Saito on Saturday

MINNEAPOLIS -- After a long, frustrating rehabilitation of multiple injuries, veteran reliever Takashi Saito joined his teammates in Minnesota on Friday and the Brewers plan to activate him Saturday.The roster move to make way for the 41-year-old right-hander, however, remained a mystery Friday, but Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said the team knows what it wants to do and would likely make the move after Friday's game."The plan is to activate Saito tomorrow, but things can change depending on what happens with this game," Roenicke said before Friday's game with the Twins. "There's a couple options that we have. I think we know what we want to do, but again, the game can change how we're thinking."Roenicke said Thursday in New York that the player moved to make way for Saito would likely be a position player, but he backed off that stance a bit Friday, reopening the possibility of a pitcher being sent out. Asked why the team would not just wait until after their interleague schedule is completed Sunday to activate Saito and send out Mat Gamel, who was brought in to be the designated hitter, Roenicke said the length of Saito's rehab and his cooperation justifies getting him going as soon as possible. The team also wants to see where Saito is at before the All-Star break."This is the thing: He's had a rough start of the season," Roenicke said. "He wants to get activated and he's done everything we've asked him to do. He's healthy now, he's feeling good and we need to see how much this guy's going to help us for the rest of the season."Saito made just two appearances early in the season before going on the disabled list with hamstring tightness. His rehab was set back when he suffered a strained oblique just before an anticipated return and he has now missed nearly three months of action.After such a long stint away from the majors and the up and down rehab, Saito is anxious to get back on the mound and said Friday that he feels good. "I'm half excited, half nervous," Saito said through his interpreter before Friday's game. "I've had many injuries in the past, but this oblique injury, especially the highs and lows, are pretty extreme."Roenicke said while Saito will be eased back into action, he could become an important component of the Brewers bullpen. Thus, the need to evaluate Saito now outweighs the difficult roster move required to activate him."The timing might not be right to activate him, but the timing is right for him, and we feel the sooner we get him back here before the All-Star break, the sooner we can see where he's going to fit, what role he's going to be in, how healthy he's going to be," Roenicke said.Saito said he isn't nervous about the oblique and feels ready to pitch at full strength. He understands some relief roles have been established in his absence and is prepared to take on whatever role the team needs him in. With Kameron Loe and John Axford in the setup and closer roles, respectively, Roenicke said he's told Saito he could see time in the sixth and seventh innings, but much depends on how he bounces back."We don't know yet," Roenicke said. "He was fine with it. He said 'Hey, middle of the inning, start of the inning, whatever you want me to do,' which is good. It tells me he's healthy."Roenicke has offered few clues as to who would be sent out other than that he doesn't expect it to be outfielder Carlos Gomez. That leaves bench infielders Josh Wilson and Craig Counsell, Gamel and reserve outfielder Mark Kotsay, plus other relievers. Counsell is unlikely to go, though, as he's a favorite in Milwaukee and the team values his defense off the bench.