Davis Will be Opening Day Starter

Sheets on shelf as Brewers tab Davis to pitch on Opening Day.

From JSOnline's DayWatch:

Left-hander Doug Davis will start for the Milwaukee Brewers in the season opener against Pittsburgh April 3 at Miller Park, manager Ned Yost announced today.

Davis, who had been slated to start the second game, will take the place of right-hander Ben Sheets.

Yost said today that he expects Sheets to begin the season on the disabled list as he recovers from a strained muscle in his back.

Sheets, who will throw on the side Wednesday, is making good progress and could throw in a minor-league game by the end of the week. Yost said today that he expects Sheets to start the season on a minor-league rehab assignment, possibly with Class AA Huntsville.

"He's definitely moving forward,'' Yost said of Sheets. "But, he's not extended enough to be ready to go. We have to get him extended.''

Yost did not offer a guess as to when Sheets will be ready to throw in a spring game, much less the regular season. "We'll just have to see how he feels after he throws (Wednesday) and go from there,'' he said.