LOS ANGELES -- The Young and the Restless is a good way to describe the Milwaukee Brewers, who are in first place and baseball's big surprise this season.
So it seemed fitting that shortstop J.J. Hardy, center fielder Bill Hall and pitchers Chris Capuano and Jeff Suppan taped their acting debuts on the top-rated CBS soap opera of the same name Tuesday.
"I've gotten more calls about this than I have about baseball in the last two years," Hardy said, his face perfectly powdered to withstand the hot studio lights.
And he figures to get an even bigger response after the episode airs June 20.
"The ladies might be chasing him after this scene," teased Hall, noting that teenage girls comprise Hardy's fan base. "Maybe he can start getting some grandmas and moms."
The players' scene involves them visiting the office of Jack Abbott at a photo op during his campaign for Wisconsin state senate. His sexy colleague Phyllis Newman bursts in and is agog at finding four Brewers in her presence.
Before Abbott's campaign manager yanks her out of the room, she gushes over each player's achievements on the field.
"Can I get her name and number?" Hardy asks in the scene.
The soap opera's casting director sought out the Brewers for the appearance since the show is based in Genoa City, Wis., a real town outside the resort area of Lake Geneva.
"I was a lot more nervous doing this than I would be going out and facing Roger Clemens," Hardy said. "I lost some sleep last night thinking about the lines."
The Brewers rehearsed with actors Peter Bergman and Michelle Stafford before hitting the makeup and hair room, Hollywood's equivalent to a baseball clubhouse.
As Stafford was primped, she pointed out to Capuano that both are lefties.
"I do sports with my left hand and eat with my right hand," he said.
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