Link Report for Tue. 6/5 -- Mark Rogers' stellar night reminds us he still has value; the latest on Hunter Morris

[Jim Goulart]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Jim Goulart]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Mark Rogers at home vs. New Orleans (Marlins), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Jeff Hem is the new play-by-play voice of the Sounds; follow him on Twitter @jeffhempbp; we'll link to his blog updates at On the Air…and Off

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Nashville games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $39.99 season-long package ($9.99 to pay for a single month). We imagine the audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

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Huntsville: RHP Kyle Heckathorn at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 6:28 PM pre-game, 6:43 gametime; each contest slated for seven innings

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page

 

I-Phone friendly audio link

 

Alex Cohen is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars; follow him on Twitter @alexmcohen. It's fantastic that Huntsville is returning to what will be a traditional broadcast format this year. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast.

 

MiLB.TV subsciption note: Huntsville road games in four locales (Mississippi, Tennessee, Jacksonville and Pensacola) will be broadcast.

 

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Brevard County: LHP Jed Bradley at Jupiter (Marlins), 5:35 PM gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Jupiter feed from the MiLB main audio page

 

Once again this season, Brevard does not have its own audio coverage. It appears two teams in the Manatees North Division (within which the majority of games are played) have audio, and all six teams in the South Division have audio (at least for their home games), so there will be opportunities to listen to approx. 70% or Brevard's games this season, just all from the opponent's perspective. There are no Florida State League games on MiLB.TV this year.

 

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Wisconsin: Idle (Well-deserved!)

 

**********

 

DSL Brewers: at the DSL Blue Jays, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until late afternoon at the earliest

[Jim Goulart]

Follow Tuesday's action as it happens with box score / game log links:

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

DSL Brewers

[Jim Goulart]

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League North Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

 

DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris

[Jim Goulart]

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter.

[Jim Goulart]

Timber Rattlers have cows on the mind

 

and Chris confirms it, they welcomed him home late last night / early this AM

[Jim Goulart]

Nashville Media Notes

 

Bottom of page one, check out the rotation starters given back-to-back doubleheaders this week; even with Wed.'s off-day and seven-inning games, that staff will be running on fumes...

 

MISSING MALDY: In the eight games since recently-promoted catcher Martin Maldonado’s last appearance, Sounds pitchers have posted a 5.21 ERA (38 ER / 65.2 IP) and Nashville backstops have failed to throw out all 10 opposing baserunners.

[Jim Goulart]

DSL posted from last night

[Jim Goulart]

Audio from Nashville — Talking Baseball with Kevin Goldstein

 

Tonight’s pregame interview is with Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, arguably the best in the business in covering the minor leagues, prospects, amateurs and the annual MLB first-year player draft. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Kevin for several years and have shared a Press Box with him quite often. What impresses me most about Kevin is how he manages to remember details about hundreds of players. You can name almost any amateur or professional baseball player, and Kevin not only has heard of him but also can give you a detailed scouting report, regardless of how obscure you think the player might be.

 

In this interview, I ask Kevin about the changes in the draft process with baseball’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA); the three Brewers 1st-round picks from Day 1 of the annual MLB draft; his thoughts about the Brewers’ minor league system as a whole; if the Brewers can hang in the NL Central race despite their rash of injuries and which players in the Brewers system Sounds fans should be most excited to see come to Nashville later this season or next year.

 

When Kevin attends games in person, he usually sits near the scouts behind home plate. You’ll be able to find him — just look for a fedora, which he almost always sports (as you can see at the bottom of the linked page above)!

[Tedaldtada]

Brevard drops series opener to Jupiter

06/05/2012 10:19 PM ET

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

JUPITER, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees fell 8-1 in their series opener with the Jupiter Hammerheads on Tuesday night at Roger Dean Stadium. Manatees starting pitcher Jed Bradley allowed a season-high six earned runs in five innings of work.

 

The 2011 first round draft pick ran into trouble early in the first inning. Bradley allowed a one-out single to Jacob Realmuto and then gave up three consecutive walks, the last of which drove in Realmuto. He was able to retire the next two hitters and leave the bases loaded with Hammerheads.

 

The next inning, Bradley gave up two runs on three hits and then Jupiter took a 7-0 lead with a four-run fourth. Jupiter had four hits in the inning and benefitted from a wild pitch by Bradley and two errors by Shea Vucinich.

 

The southpaw departed after five innings and surrendered nine hits to Jupiter, while walking three and striking out two. Since his return from the disabled list, Bradley (4-5, 4.42) is 0-2 with a 6.89 ERA in three starts.

 

Brevard County (24-33) scored its only run of the night in the top of the sixth. Franklin Romero Jr. led the inning off with a triple single and then a ground-rule double by T.J. Mittelstaedt put runners on second and third with no outs. After a Mike Walker strikeout, Vucinich grounded out to third to plate Romero Jr.

 

Reggie Keen left the game in the second inning with an apparent ankle injury and 'Tees manager Joe Ayrault was ejected in the seventh for arguing a dropped third strike call.

 

The Manatees will look to get back on track on Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. for the second of four games with the Hammerheads (28-30).

 

Andy Moye (1-0, 6.23) will take the hill for the Manatees. Moye allowed six runs on seven hits in five innings of work in his last start this past Thursday.

 

For Jupiter, Rob Rasmussen (2-6, 4.35) will toe the rubber. Rasmussen will be in search of his first win since May 4.

 

Box Score

 

Jed Bradley is a mess right now. Final line today: 5 IP 9 H 7 R 6 ER 3 BB 2 K 1 WP 7:5 GO:FO. If you just look at his stat lines, Bradley really has not had a good start since his 3rd one of the year. That would have been unthinkable April 17th, but here we are. Maybe, in a similar fashion to Hunter Morris, a promotion to hometown Huntsville would do wonders for Jedidiah. Like Morris, Bradley will likely spend the full year in A+.

 

T.J. Mittelstaedt had the only XBH for the 'Tees. No one had multiple hits and walks.

 

This team was a mess today. Manager ejections, player injuries, top prospect failures and no hitting to speak of. Tomorrow is a new day my friends.

 

Game Log

[TheCrew07]

Final: Mississippi 5, Huntsville 1

 

Huntsville Box Score

Khris Davis exited after flying out to CF in the 2nd, I listened to the entire game and Alex had no explanation for his removal other than to say, "Typically early exits aren't good". Mass linked this article earlier today and I sure hope this part was hyperbole:

He admitted that he was "out of shape, sitting on the couch for a month," and he was relieved after the sixth inning as a cautionary measure.

If this was his actual rehab plan, just sit around and do nothing until it heals... well I'm not able to say what I want to say about it but it would be a travesty. I've taken plenty of shots at the Brewers' medical staff as whole over the years and I want to believe this stuff isn't true but every year they just do things that don't make any sense. Putting players back in the game with torn ACLs, waiting for concussion tests/hospital visits until the day after a player is hit in the head, waiting for injuries to magically heal over the winter, and so on. Hopefully Khris is okay and is back in the line-up tomorrow and I just overreacted.

 

Kyle Heckathorn got pretty much what he deserved in the first minus the extra run on Matt Cline's error, he just wasn't throwing strikes. He probably was getting squeezed a little because both Heckathorn and De La Rosa were visibly upset with the umpire which of course never improves the situation. After the first he was good, the run in the 4th was hotly disputed as the ball beat the runner to the plate and the runner never touched home but he was ruled safe anyway. That set off Alex, Kyle, and Anderson again and I was surprised that Cole didn't come out and give the umpire some business. Overall Kyle went 6IP allowing 5H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, 1HBP, and 1WP against 5SO while throwing 58 of 100 pitches for strikes and posting a 6:5 ratio. R.J. Seidel allowed an unearned run in his 2 innings and Dan Meadows allowed 3 hits and walk but didn't allow a run in the 9th because 2 pick offs; a superb throw behind the runner at first by De La Rosa and Dan caught a runner going on first movement.

 

The Stars didn't do much against Sean Gilmartin who's kind of a Mike Fiers clone... averagish velocity, decent by not great secondary stuff, but is just a good pitcher. Tommy Manzella has been on fire lately and had the only multi-hit going 2-3 with a BB. No Stars had an XBH and Scooter Gennett committed his 8th error, Scooter's defense has certainly taken a downward turn as of late.

 

Huntsville Play By Play

The 3 run first would all the Braves would need.

Mississippi Top of the 1st

• Keenan Wiley walks.
  Philip Gosselin reaches on force attempt, throwing error by third baseman Matt Cline. Keenan Wiley to 2nd.
  Joey Terdoslavich doubles (1) on a line drive to left fielder Khris Davis. Keenan Wiley scores. Philip Gosselin scores.
  Joe Leonard grounds out, second baseman Scooter Gennett to first baseman Hunter Morris. Joey Terdoslavich to 3rd.
  Todd Cunningham doubles (9) on a fly ball to center fielder Josh Prince. Joey Terdoslavich scores.
  Alden Carrithers called out on strikes.
  Mathew Kennelly called out on strikes.

 

The disputed play at the plate... Alex thought the call at 3rd was of the make-up variety.

Mississippi Top of the 3rd

• Defensive Substitution: Lee Haydel replaces left fielder Khris Davis, batting 5th, playing left field.
  Philip Gosselin hit by pitch.
  Joey Terdoslavich flies out to left fielder Lee Haydel.
  With Joe Leonard batting, Philip Gosselin steals (9) 2nd base.
  Joe Leonard strikes out swinging.
  Todd Cunningham singles on a line drive to left fielder Lee Haydel. Philip Gosselin scores. Todd Cunningham to 2nd on the throw.
  With Alden Carrithers batting, Todd Cunningham caught stealing 3rd base, catcher Anderson De La Rosa to third baseman Matt Cline.

 

Meadows just hasn't pitched well this season as years past but this was a pretty entertaining half inning.

Mississippi Top of the 9th

• Pitcher Change: Daniel Meadows replaces R. J. Seidel, batting 9th.
  Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Barrett Kleinknecht replaces Sean Gilmartin.
  Barrett Kleinknecht singles on a line drive to left fielder Lee Haydel.
  With Keenan Wiley batting, Barrett Kleinknecht picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, pitcher Daniel Meadows to first baseman Hunter Morris to shortstop Tommy Manzella.
  Keenan Wiley walks.
  Philip Gosselin singles on a ground ball to left fielder Lee Haydel. Keenan Wiley to 2nd.
  With Joey Terdoslavich batting, Anderson De La Rosa picks off Philip Gosselin at 1st on throw to Hunter Morris.
  Joey Terdoslavich singles on a line drive to left fielder Lee Haydel. Keenan Wiley to 3rd.
  Joe Leonard grounds out, second baseman Scooter Gennett to first baseman Hunter Morris.
  

[Tedaldtada]

Rogers Tosses Gem As Sounds Blank Z's, 1-0

06/05/2012 10:46 PM ET

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Mark Rogers turned in one of the best outings of his pro career in leading the Nashville Sounds to a 1-0 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

Rogers (2-3) matched a career high with seven scoreless innings of action, scattering five hits during his 86-pitch effort. He walked one batter and fanned three in his third quality start of the season, facing only two batters over the minimum during his outing.

 

Jim Henderson followed Rogers with a pair of hitless innings to earn his third save and close out the Sounds' fifth shutout win of the season, tied with Las Vegas and New Orleans for most in the PCL.

 

New Orleans advanced a runner as far as second base only twice all evening and both runners were left stranded.

 

Left fielder Corey Patterson provided the only offense that Nashville needed when he led off the bottom of the first inning with his third home run of the season, a solo shot to left on a 3-1 offering from New Orleans starter Tom Koehler. It was the Sounds' second leadoff homer of the year (Logan Schafer, April 21).

 

With the victory, Nashville (21-36) gained a split of the four-game series with the Zephyrs. It was the Sounds' second 1-0 victory of the year; both have come against New Orleans at Greer Stadium.

 

Koehler (6-5) took a hard-luck loss for the Zephyrs. He allowed only one hit, the Patterson leadoff homer, in his six innings of work. The right-hander walked two batters and struck out seven.

 

Sounds catcher Jason Jaramillo singled in the eighth inning to extend his longest hitting streak of the season to five games. The backstop is batting .316 in six games since joining Nashville.

 

Following a league-wide off day tomorrow, the Sounds embark on a nine-game, seven-day road trip to Iowa and Memphis that includes a pair of doubleheaders in Des Moines which will make up April rainouts.

 

Nashville begins a six-game series at Iowa's Principal Park on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Wily Peralta (1-7, 6.83) will make the start for the Sounds and face off against Iowa right-hander Chris Volstad (2-0, 4.12).

 

Box Score

 

Mark Rogers and Jim Henderson combined for the perfectly prescribed medication to the Nashville woes. A shutout. I have to think this is the most encouraging thing we have seen from Rogers in quite some time. As it has always been with Mark, when he throws quality strikes, he puts up zeros. Final line: 7 IP 5 H 0 R 1 BB 3 K 5:4 GO:FO. 53 strikes in 86 pitches. All 7 innings Rogers finished were quick, but only 3 were perfect. Jim Henderson did his thang to preserve the shutout and earn the 2 inning save.

 

Corey Patterson homered to lead off the bottom of the 1st, and that was that. 3-hitter Logan Schafer went 1-3. Caleb Gindl (0-2) was double switched out of the game again.

 

Game Log

 

Veteran play by Henderson to release Mark Rogers from his 8th inning burden.

 

New Orleans Top of the 8th

 

Nick Green doubles (5) on a fly ball to center fielder Logan Schafer.

Pitcher Change: Jim Henderson replaces Mark Rogers, batting 6th.

Defensive Substitution: Jay Gibbons replaces pitcher Mark Rogers, batting 9th, playing right field.

Luke Montz reaches on a fielder's choice out, pitcher Jim Henderson to third baseman Andy Gonzalez to shortstop Jeff Bianchi. Nick Green out at 2nd.

Matt Dominguez lines out to left fielder Corey Patterson.

Steve Holm grounds out, shortstop Jeff Bianchi to first baseman Jordan Brown.

Hammer

 

New Orleans Top of the 9th

 

Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Mike Cervenak replaces Chris Hatcher.

Mike Cervenak called out on strikes.

Kevin Mattison pops out to shortstop Jeff Bianchi.

Gil Velazquez strikes out swinging.

 

Gameday

[Jim Goulart]

Getting tougher -- I'm really aching for AA playoffs this fall, but with their win tonight, Jack Z.'s Jackson Generals now lead the Stars by three games with 11 to play. The two squads do not meet over that upcoming stretch.

[brewmann04]

Well hopefully this is the start to get Mark on a roll

[TheCrew07]

Getting tougher -- I'm really aching for AA playoffs this fall, but with their win tonight, Jack Z.'s Jackson Generals now lead the Stars by three games with 11 to play. The two squads do not meet over that upcoming stretch.

 

I don't think it's going to happen, that Jackson team is loaded like the Stars were in the first half of 2008. Hopefully about 5 players on that team get bumped to AAA including 3/5 of their rotation.

[Jim Goulart]

Final: DSL Brewers 4, DSL Blue Jays 2

 

Box Score

 

The roster in terms of position players is rather lean -- there are only 12 position players in a league that always uses the DH, so get used to seeing these same names in the box score for a while. Two players, each listed as catcher, Natanael Mejia and Kevin Martinez, have yet to debut for 2012. At 5'11", 160, and batting 9th, 22-year-old 3rd year pro Alejandro Mendoza doesn't profile as a first baseman, but he singled, walked three times, and scored a run. Mendoza also stole a base, as the Cerveceritos swiped six in six attempts. 17-year-old newcomer Juan Ortiz remains the most productive Brewer in the tiny three-game sample of his career, he singled, walked, and scored a run. The left fielder added an outfield assist.

 

19-year-old 3rd year catcher Carlos Pena had a rough day -- three throwing errors, a passed ball, and an 0-for-4.

 

21-year-old LHP Juan Santiago, in his 3rd season, got the start, and went five scoreless.

 

But it was another pitcher, converted OF Hitaniel Arias, who catches our attention with a "don't blink or you'll miss it" professional pitching debut.

 

DSL Blue Jays Bottom of the 8th

Pitcher Change: Hitaniel Arias replaces Milton Gomez.

Cesar Barazarte singles on a fly ball to center fielder Francisco Castillo.

Pitcher Change: Doni Arias replaces Hitaniel Arias.

 

Wow, that was quick!

 

Game Log

 

Scoreless after six innings, but that didn't make it boring. Seriously, there were baserunners throughout the game, and I invite you to take two minutes to go to San Pedro de Macoris and see how this one unfolded. You can actually picture being quite entertained throughout the tight contest. Crazy game in some ways...

 

***

 

By the way, folks, this box score was available around 5:00 PM Central. We'll have to figure out the DSL volunteer Link Report schedule, thanks. Remember, I'm retired from box score breakdowns -- really!

[Jim Goulart]

Just wanted to let eastern Wisconsin locals know with enough time to set your DVR -- Thursday evening's Timber Rattlers game is a Time Warner Cable Sports32 broadcast. The big league Brewers play a matinee, so a nice treat for minor league diehards...

[Jim Goulart]

STARS WINNING STREAK SNAPPED BY GILMARTIN, BRAVES

 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Fueled by a dazzling performance by Mississippi Braves starting pitcher Sean Gilmartin, the Huntsville Stars four-game winning streak was snapped with a 5-1 loss on Tuesday night at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

The M-Braves got to Stars starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn early in the game. Heckathorn walked center fielder Keenan Wiley to start the game. Second baseman Phil Gosselin reached base on an error and first baseman Joe Turdoslovich doubled both them home to make the score 2-0. Two batters later, center fielder Todd Cunningham knocked home Turdoslovich, giving the Braves a three-run lead.

 

That lead would be plenty for Gilmartin. The 2011 first-round draft pick (28th overall selection) for the Braves improved to 4-5 on the season after giving up just one run on five hits through eight innings of work. The 22-year-old has now only given up one run in his last two starts against Huntsville this season, both wins.

 

For Huntsville, their only run of the ballgame came in the eighth inning as shortstop Tommy Manzella drove home third baseman Matt Cline with a two-out, RBI single. Manzella was the only Stars player to have a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a walk.

 

Mississippi added on to their lead in the third inning on a RBI single by Cunningham and in the seventh inning as shortstop Greg Paiml was plated on a Stars error.

 

On the pitching side, Heckathorn fell to 2-5 on the season with the loss. The Brewers 2009 supplemental first-round draft pick pitching six innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits while striking out five.

 

The conclusion of a six-game series between the two teams will wrap up on Wednesday as the Stars will send RHP Hiram Burgos (1-1, 4.03 ERA) to face off against Braves RHP David Hale (3-3, 4.96 ERA). First pitch is at 6:43 CST.

[Jim Goulart]

Though Mississippi cools Stars' win streak, Hunter Morris has been on a hot streak of late

By Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times

 

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The swing, as any baseball player will attest, is a delicate mechanism. It requires constant adjustment. It needs the same sort of painstaking maintenance of an expensive sports car.

 

"When I'm going good," said the Stars' Hunter Morris, "it feels natural.

 

"Other times," he continued, "you forget which end of the bat to hold and the ball looks like somebody is shooting a BB at you. And you go through stretches where it looks like a beach ball."

 

It's hasn't quite been beach ball time for Morris lately, but it's been close. Over four-game span, he hit three homers, doubling his total from the first 51 games.

 

Alas, a Mississippi pitcher named Sean Gilmartin threw BBs at the Stars Tuesday night as the Braves ended a four-game Huntsville win streak with a 5-1 victory. Gilmartin allowed only five hits and struck out six in his eight innings of work. The two teams meet tonight at 6:43 in the final game of this homestand.

 

Former Jacksonville State star Todd Cunningham had his second consecutive 3-for-4 game for the Braves, driving in two runs.

 

Coupled with Jackson's 5-4 win at Chattanooga, the Stars fell three games behind Jackson in the Southern League North with 11 games remaining in the first half.

 

"The thing that's made (this half) most enjoyable is the success we've had as a team," Morris said. "We're going to come down to the end with a shot at it."

 

This has been a half-season like none other for Morris, the 23-year-old first baseman who played at Grissom High and Auburn University. There have been demands on him felt by few Stars. Not only is he a husband and father, but as the first native of Huntsville to play for the Stars, he is surrounded by family and friends.

 

"I'm enjoying it and embracing it," he said. "It doesn't take away from work. But there's a thin line how you do separate the two. And I think I'm doing pretty well with it."

 

Morris, who should be announced today as a member of the Southern League North All-Star team, has been the face of this franchise. So much so that teammate Josh Prince teased a local TV reporter Tuesday for showing up and not interviewing Morris.

 

He couldn't escape attention long. Which is why Morris found himself minutes later on a dugout bench, explaining the power surge and how he has subtly tweaked his swing.

 

"I'm just making sure my hands and my lower half are both in a position to get a little more lift on the ball, start trying to get maximum bat-speed at contact," Morris said.

 

"We have his home run swing in what I call the 'slot.' I want him to start hitting the ball in the air," said hitting coach Dwayne Hosey. "He always swings down. He has a chance to hit for power if he changes. All we did was make a swing-plane adjustment."

 

In laymen's terms, he's trying add a bit more of an uppercut. Though Morris said this isn't a driving factor, it's pretty much a baseball prerequisite that the corner infielders, at first and third base, need to be power hitters, or at least capable of hitting 25 or so homers a year in the majors.

 

Judging from past performance, Morris is capable of that. He hit 20 homers a year ago, going through much the same transition as this year.

 

"We all know (the power) is there. I just had to make sure I got it out at the right time," he said. Early in the season, he was concentrating "on getting base hits, driving in runs, squaring the ball. Now I've gotten more comfortable with step one. Now I can move onto trying to drive the ball out of the park."

 

"He works hard," said manager Darnell Coles. "He knows what the end of the rainbow entails, so he's putting in the work. He puts a lot of time and effort into every aspect of his game."

 

"I'm going to try to continue to build," Morris said, "and get hot and stay as hot as I can."

 

Former Grissom High and Auburn star Hunter Morris

 

http://media.al.com/huntsville-times/photo/9602296-large.jpg

[TooLiveBrew]

By the way, folks, this box score was available around 5:00 PM Central. We'll have to figure out the DSL volunteer Link Report schedule, thanks. Remember, I'm retired from box score breakdowns -- really!

Whoops, sorry Jim. Since Young Geezy hasn't been in contact, I will treat each day's DSL game as my responsibility.