Wed. 8/17: Biloxi and Carolina Aim for 2-0 Series Leads

[Joseph Zarr]

Hendry Mendez walks on four pitches and it's 2-0 Mudcats. Two down and the dangerous switch-hitting Robert Moore at the dish. This is a real chance to break this open. And Moore takes the 3-1 high pitch for the second consecutive walk. That's a HBP, walk, walk all leading to runs plated. 3-0 Mudcats.

[Joseph Zarr]

It certainly doesn't seem like this Jacksonville weather is going to allow a complete ball game tonight. There's some nasty gray clouds moving in over the third base stands. Yikes.

[Joseph Zarr]

Carlos F. Rodriguez continues to throw plain nasty off-speed stuff. He gets his second K of his first inning with a dirty dirty change-up to a left-handed bat. So subtle. Just enough dip in the pitch. I continue to love this young man's old man's game.

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, just like that, Figueroa loads the bases. None out. AND, gives up a grand salami to left field. The 6 + ERA tells the story. He has struggled all season to string innings together. Still nobody down.

[wibadgers23]

Frelick’s torrid start in AAA continues with two hits in his first two AB’s.

[Joseph Zarr]

Boy, the Cedar Rapids announcer is a complete train wreck. He has no idea who anyone on the T-Rats roster actually is. I've seen him mis-name 4 batters here in just the second inning. Come on, fella. This is mildly embarrassing. We're spoiled with Chris Mehring let me tell you. Sheeeesh. I literally had to turn it off. This guy is a disaster. Worst announcer I've heard all season. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Brandon Knarr has given up 2 runs here already in the first inning. Let's take a look at his recent struggles:

Coming into tonight's contest...over his past five outings:

27 2/3 IP, 18 ER, 35 H, 9 BB

Our early-season darling is struggling of late. He gave up 3 H and 1 BB in the first inning alone. Let's hope he finds that stuff that made him so electric earlier this summer!

[Spencer Michaelis]

9 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Boy, the Cedar Rapids announcer is a complete train wreck. He has no idea who anyone on the T-Rats roster actually is. I've seen him mis-name 4 batters here in just the second inning. Come on, fella. This is mildly embarrassing. We're spoiled with Chris Mehring let me tell you. Sheeeesh.

You're not kidding, Monty from Major League was better than this. Honestly making me uncomfortable to listen to ?

[Joseph Zarr]

Boy, Wiemer just utterly lost a ball in the lights as the sky high pop-up landing two feet next to him on the warning track. On the ensuing pitch, the Jump Shrimp knock in a run on a sac fly to CF. This is already turning into 'one of those nights' all across the lower levels. Let's hope we see the young men turn it around!

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, Smichaelis9 said:

You're not kidding, Monty from Major League was better than this. Honestly making me uncomfortable to listen to ?

I mean this in all relaxed honesty: it's embarrasingly unprofessional. Like, man, come on...calling the 6'5" 1B Martinez Metzinger repeatedly after Metzinger had just gotten on base?!? Then saying Martinez was picked off 2B when he was standing at 1B? Like, man, learn the players. That's literally your job. ?

[Joseph Zarr]

Alright Joe Gray Jr. I see you, stud. A beautiful easy stroke to CF. He stretches it to second base when Martinez takes the bobbled handle in CF and pushes to third. It's 1-0 T-Rats now in the top of the fourth.

[Joseph Zarr]

THAT is the third utterly perfect bunt single I've seen off the bat of Esteury Ruiz. I'm telling you, this is a weapon we have not had in the system since...??? Now you have Ruiz and Frelick at 1B and 2B. That's a ridiculous amount of speed. These two are trouble. 

[Joseph Zarr]

How do you waste that bunt single? A slow-rolling dribbler to second base off the bat of rehabbing Omar Narvaez. ?

[Joseph Zarr]

Hey now good ol' Pablo Reyes rip s a rope to left field scoring Frelick and moving Singleton to third base. It's now 2-1 Jacksonville. Men on 1st and 3rd. 2 down.

[Joseph Zarr]

Carlos F Rodriguez. One word. One.

Stud. 

He pitches so far beyond his years. He is so advanced in understanding off-speed. 4 IP. 3 H. 7 K. 1-0 T-Rats.

[Joseph Zarr]

Chourio with his best play in CF to date. An incredible face first diving grab on a shallow liner. THIS is what we want to see. These types of play make that arm fall to the back drop. What. A. Stab. I LOVE it. That was a key out here in the 5th. Rodriguez now has 8 K. 1-0 T-Rats.

[Joseph Zarr]

Whewwww. Rodriguez now has 9 K and he's made it through 5 IP. I mean, this young man does not blink. I find myself wondering: what is his ceiling? What other pitch can he bring into his mix? He's an off-speed wizard already - like seeing current mid-30's AAAA Josh Lindbolm already embodied in a 20 yo body. What is our ceiling here? This is really exciting.

[Joseph Zarr]

Ummmmm, Frelick was hitting 0.417 with a 0.519 OBP in Triple-A and he just hit another infield single. I mean, ummmm. LOL. Followed by a Ruiz single through the left side to left field. And, now we get the slow-trotting Narvaez to the dish. Let's hope he doesn't kill another rally. LOL.

[Joseph Zarr]

Nope. Narvaez ropes a deep right center double to somewhere. The camera coverage was negligible at best. The announcers thought the ball was caught. Regardless, it's 4-2 Sounds! Singleton follows with a 115 mph (!!!) rope through the gap between first and second base. If I'm not mistaken, that's now only three Brewers who've hit a ball like that all year. They're all lefties: Tellez, Hedbert Perez, and now Singleton. Wow.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez sturggled to start his half of the 6th frame. Darrien Miller gave him a throw-out at 2nd base for out number one but he walked the next two batters and red hot Robbie Baker was brought on to try and prevent any rally.

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Trevor Rosenthal's first appearance. First batter: 3 heaters blown by for a K. 2nd batter. 3-0 count worked to 3-2 with 3 consecutive 98 mph heaters. He then skied a 99 mph heater to the back stop. He worked hitter #3 to an 0-2, then a 1-2 count, and he induced the well-hit double-play grounder to Brice Turang at second base. He still has that velocity, no doubt. He was touching 95-99 with ease and classic Rosenthal wind-up violence. 

[Jastro]

Sal Frelick my goodness.... 4 for 4 

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, Jastro said:

Sal Frelick my goodness.... 4 for 4 

Poke n play. He just hit his second consecutive infield single. He's such a weapon, mahn. All he has to do is make contact - any contact - and he's a threat to get on base. His current BA and OBP are surreal. Also, don't forget, he's also walked tonight. Five trips. Five times on base. LOL.

[shanedog19]

Free Sal Frelick!

[Joseph Zarr]

Man, three absolute web gems tonight - Areinamo, Brown Jr., and Chourio. AND, not a single highlight posted? Woooof. I'll try and ear mark these in my report. The Mudcats were at home too. Not a single twitter highlight posted as of yet. Boooooo!

[CheeseheadInQC]

Despite the hard-luck loss, it is nice to see Rodriguez was dealing. If you want to see how to raise a system up without a high draft pick, look to the year 2021 with the Brewers. Chourio and Mendez heading a deep signing class and Frelick, Black and Rodriguez leading a draft class with a few other very intriguing names as well.