Packers add defensive lineman to fill suspension vacancies

The Green Bay Packers made another addition to their defensive line Wednesday, signing former Miami defensive end Phillip Merling.

It gives the Packers another option for dealing with a four-game suspension to lineman Mike Neal and an eight-game suspension for Anthony Hargrove. Hargrove's suspension is being appealed.

The Dolphins drafted Merling in the second round in 2008. He returned a Brett Favre interception for a 25-yard touchdown against the Jets in his rookie year. But Merling has started only five games in four years, with three-and-a-half sacks and 66 tackles.

He was limited to five games in 2010 with an Achilles injury, and had just one start last season. The Dolphins released him a month ago.

Glory Years player dies

Jesse Whittenton, a defensive star for the Packers during the 1960s Glory Years, has died at age 78. A cause of death was not immediately released.

Whittenton was a starting cornerback for Green Bay’s NFL championship teams in 1961 and ’62. He played for the Pack from 1958 through ’64 and had 20 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries in a Green Bay uniform.

Whittenton later bought a country club and played golf on the old Senior PGA Tour. He was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1976.

Front office changes

The Green Bay Packers announced changes to their front office Wednesday afternoon.

Eliot Wolf, son of 1990s Packer general manager Ron Wolf, was promoted to the director of pro personnel. Eliot is in his ninth year with the Packers.

John Dorsey, who spent 11 years as Green Bay’s director of college scouting, will become the overall director of football operations.

Brian Gutekunst will take over as the college scouting director. He’s been a regional scout for 11 years and is in his 14th year with the Pack.

The changes are due to the departure of Reggie McKenzie. The Packers’ former head of football operations became the new general manager at Oakland during the off-season.

The Packers also announced several new scouts. And they officially named former NFL running back Alonzo Highsmith as the Packers’ new senior personnel executive.

Brewers in slump

The Brewers were off Thursday after playing just well enough to create some distance between them and the last-place Chicago Cubs.

The Brewers are eight games below .500. They’ve lost eight of their last 11 games.

Still, Milwaukee is just seven games behind front-running St. Louis in the National League Central. The Cubs are 10 games back after losing their last nine contests.

One problem for Milwaukee is the inability to get timely hits. In their eight losses, the Brewers batted just .188 with runners in scoring position. They’re in the bottom half in the National League for the season, hitting just .240 when runners can come home from second and third.

Last year, the Brewers were third in the NL, batting .268 with runners in scoring position.

Starter Shaun Marcum was especially frustrated after he was stranded on second on Tuesday night, when the Brewers were just two for 13 with runners in scoring position in a home loss to San Francisco.

Marcum says the Brewers have got to find ways to get runners home – especially men on third with fewer than two outs.

The Brewers will play a weekend series in Arizona starting Friday night.

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