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One more setback for Capuano

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Milwaukee Brewers' Chris Capuano throws during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Saturday in Phoenix.

PHOENIX — This was not the first setback Chris Capuano experienced since undergoing his second “Tommy John” reconstructive elbow surgery nearly two years ago.

That didn’t make it any less disappointing, however.

Capuano was shut down Tuesday for a few days with what was diagnosed as inflammation in his elbow. That decision was made when he experienced lingering soreness after an exhibition outing five days earlier against Cincinnati.

“Rather than push through it, they just decided to shut it down for a few days and let it calm down,” said Capuano. “It’s disappointing because I felt so good for the first few weeks of camp.

“It made more sense to shut it down. I think it’s the volume (of throwing). Since spring training started, I threw every day, which is what you do in spring training. You’ve got to get your arm used to throwing every day for the rigors of the season.

“In my off-season program, I was throwing four or five days a week. I just think the volume of throwing every day, and it felt so good, my body said ’slow down for a minute.’”

Capuano, 31, had the second Tommy John surgery of his career in May 2008 but plowed through months and months of tedious rehabilitation with hopes of returning to action with the Brewers. He’s not ready to give up that quest but acknowledged he now won’t be ready to break camp with any club.

“I always knew I had to show the Brewers I could go take the ball every fifth day and throw seven or eight innings, and be able to bounce back,” said Capuano.

“If it gets pushed back a week or two weeks from wherever I start my season, it’s not that big of a deal to me in the long run. I just hope it’s that (and not more).”

Capuano said he had not spoken with any club official about possibly changing roles and focusing on a relief role. Until that happens, he said he’ll continue to work toward remaining a starting pitcher.

“I always wanted to try to come back as a starter and see if I can handle that first,” said Capuano, who allowed five hits and two runs in 41/3 innings (4.15 ERA) in his first two exhibition outings. “It’s definitely a roller coaster emotionally.

“It wasn’t like I was trying to get ready to make the opening day roster, even though I was throwing well at the beginning of camp. I’m going to try to stay positive and keep going.”

Brewers manager Ken Macha once again praised Capuano for sticking with his comeback attempt while acknowledging another setback was tough to take.

“He’s still hoping to get this thing back together,” said Macha. “Certainly, the outings he has had, he has thrown the ball well enough to get major-league hitters out.

“I don’t want to get biblical, but I mentioned to him that in order to get to the Promised Land, you’ve got to go through the desert. He’s been in the desert a long time. He can still get there.”

Narveson looks good

Brewers left-hander Chris Narveson’s only scare Tuesday was not from the Kansas City Royals’ offense.

Narveson, who is a candidate for the Milwaukee rotation, pitched four scoreless innings as the Brewers shut out the Kansas City Royals 2-0 Tuesday.

Narveson gave up five hits, struck out four, walked one and hit a batter. Five relievers held the Royals to three hits the final five innings.

Narveson’s most frightening moment came in the second. With Kila Ka’aihue on third and Yuniesky Betancourt on first, Brian Anderson bunted back to Narveson and he flipped the ball to home. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Ka’aihue was caught in a rundown. Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, who is 5-11 and 268 pounds, came charging in to assist in the rundown.

“I was just getting out of the way,” Narveson said. “I saw P (Fielder) and Ka’aihue coming after me. I thought that was a bad matchup.”

Not only did the Brewers tag Ka’aihue out, but also Anderson when he attempted to take second during the rundown.

“It’s weird it happened in a spring training game,” Narveson said of the double play. “It’s funny we did those drills for like seven or eight straight days in spring training, flipping it to the catcher. It’s like, man, I’ve never had this happen my whole career.”

Narveson has not allowed a run in nine innings in three starts in his bid to win a rotation slot.

“Whenever you get an opportunity you want to take advantage of it,” Narveson said. “To kind of come in and do that has been nice, but the work is not done, yet. We’re only halfway though spring training. I’ve got to focus on my next outing.”

Other notes

-- The Brewers traded RHP Omar Aguilar to Cleveland to retain Rule 5 selection LHP Chuck Lofgren, who has not allowed a run and just two hits in four innings.

-- The Brewers released veteran LHP John Halama, who had a 6.00 ERA in four outings. Halama has pitched in the majors with Houston, Seattle, Oakland, Tampa Bay, Boston, Washington and Baltimore.

-- Chris Gomez stole his seventh base in the seventh inning.