Rehabbing Ramirez takes batting practice

MILWAUKEE -- Third baseman Aramis Ramirez, still nursing a sore left knee, took a symbolic step forward on Tuesday by taking batting practice on the field at Miller Park.

"He said he was going to take a couple of rounds and he feels good [after] he hit in the cage," manager Ron Roenicke said. "That's important for him to get out here doing that."

Ramirez's return is not imminent. He still needs to pass a series of tests on the basepaths, which could be staged during the Brewers' upcoming road trip to Colorado and Chicago. He has been bothered by the knee since he first sprained it on a slide into second base early in Spring Training.

If Ramirez continues to progress, Roenicke will approach him at some point about a Minor League rehab assignment. When he was on the disabled list earlier this season, Ramirez exercised his right to decline such an assignment, but never rediscovered his power stroke.

"By the end of the road trip, I hope he's doing enough things that we have a chance to get him [playing]," Roenicke said. "I don't know how fast it's going to come along once he's running. He's got to get that first step on defense, also."