Wed. 8/24: Mid-Week Dust Settles After Roster Churn

[Ro Mueller]

AAA Nashville aims to double its series lead to 2-0 in Durham, with RHP Josh Lindblom striving for a 3rd straight solid start (11 IP, 2 R, 16 Ks over last 2 games). 2B Patrick Dorrian enters the game with a 12-game on-base streak, which of course pairs well with LF Esteury Ruiz's 12-game hitting streak:

[Joseph Zarr]

Lastly, on the T-Rats front, let's share some historical tidbits:

• 19 years ago today, 8.24.2003 (!!), a certain 17-year-old RHP Félix Hernández debuted versus the Burlington Bees in a game for the Timber Rattlers
• AND, 12 years ago today, 8.24.2010, RHP Jake Odorizzi pitched 8 shutout, no-hit, 10 K innings before passing the ball along to Adrian Rosario. Rosario struck out 2 himself as the T-Rats no-hit Cedar Rapids in a 3-0 win.

Had Reidy Mercado not lost that ball in the sun...Cruz could have met these historic matches with nostalgic brilliance! 

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, just like that Biloxi vs. Chattanooga is postponed yet again. This make-up will be on Saturday 8/27. That's a double header tomorrow, now, and one on Saturday to attempt to fit this series in. Ahhhhh, yes, hurricane season.

[Joseph Zarr]

Esteury Ruiz begins his evening causing more havoc on the base paths. This is now a routine occurrence. A check swing dribbler down the third base line and the catcher rushes the throw to first base - the ball launches into the OF. He gladly takes second base. Shortly thereafter, having clearly taken 3rd base, Ruiz has to sprint back to 2nd after Turang popped up to third base protecting his 0-2 count. The Bulls 3rd baseman has to rush his throw attempting for the pick-off double play and that ball sails into CF. Ruiz grabs third. Unfortunately, Weston Wilson pops up to the net behind home plate but, the Sounds once again push 20 plus pitches on the Bulls starter in the first inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

I can't explain what it's like to watch these guys run. Mitchell just beat out a routine grounder. It wasn't that hard hit but if you think you can bobble a grounder with any one of these guys (especially Mitchell), you are sadly mistaken. You just can't. Wiemer beat out a similar ground out last night. They are just so difficult to get out when they put the ball in play.

[Joseph Zarr]

Joey Wiemer with an absolutely ripped clean swinging oppo double over the wall in RF. He gets the RBI on the wonderful swing because unsuspecting INF Patrick Dorrian got in on the steal action with his second swipe the pitch prior. It's Sounds 1-0 now. Careful, Wiemer is slowly starting to swing a more disciplined hotter bat. That missed a HR loft by about 6 feet.

[Joseph Zarr]

OH BABY!! He did NOT miss that one folks!!!! Joey Wiemer GRAND SALAMI roped over the wall in deeeeeeep left field. Sweet Mammy Jammmmmmmy! There it is. I told y'all he was swinging a better bat. Whewwwwwww. 5-0 Sounds. Goodness gracious what a fantastic AB. Laid off an off-speed. Laid off a high heater just high and outside. Showcasing his patience, he then takes a heater over the plate and absolutely crushes it. Gimme that Statcast, please!? 2-for-2 now, 1 2B, 1 Grand Slam, 5 RBI for Wiemer tonight. My goodness.

Here's the highlight we're looking for. Watch this baby FLY:

 

[wibadgers23]

I talked the other day about how Ruiz is being overshadowed a bit by Frelick but you can say the same about Mitchell. He was on fire before his promotion to AAA and he’s kept it going in Nashville. It’s all about staying healthy for this guy but he’s putting up some really nice numbers.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, wibadgers23 said:

I talked the other day about how Ruiz is being overshadowed a bit by Frelick but you can say the same about Mitchell. He was on fire before his promotion to AAA and he’s kept it going in Nashville. It’s all about staying healthy for this guy but he’s putting up some really nice numbers.

You might want to throw Wiemer into this mix. He's coming back with a vengeance. I mean, take your poison. These young men are absolutely electric. I haven't had this much fun watching Brewers baseball in...well, I can't remember.

[wibadgers23]

1 minute ago, Joseph Zarr said:

OH BABY!! He did NOT miss that one folks!!!! Joey Wiemer GRAND SALAMI roped over the wall in deeeeeeep left field. Sweet Mammy Jammmmmmmy! There it is. I told y'all he was swinging a better bat. Whewwwwwww. 5-0 Sounds. Goodness gracious what a fantastic AB. Laid off an off-speed. Laid off a high heater just high and outside. Showcasing his patience, he then takes a heater over the plate and absolutely crushes it. Gimme that Statcast, please!?

Gotta love it! It feels like Wiemer is slowing starting to get his groove back.

[Joseph Zarr]

1 minute ago, wibadgers23 said:

Gotta love it! It feels like Wiemer is slowing starting to get his groove back.

Absolutely. He's back to that patient approach pre-IL stint. He's selecting his pitches. The oppo double tonight was a classic example. He absolutely ripped it. The patience to get to 2-0 and crush the Salami. Couple that with possibly the most heads up defensive play I've seen all year in the sprint to second base last night from right field to grab the double play off a pick off at third? He's back in the zone and it is glorious. I simply hope it lasts.

[markedman5]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Literally every opposing team's announcer speaks immediately to the speed. To the pressure. And, then, at least one or two times during a series: the uncharacteristic forced errors from their team. Case and point: Durham already has 3 rushed errors tonight. This is all related to the pressure on the basepaths. I'm telling you, we are in a forthcoming Brewers renaissance the likes which we haven't seen. I am giddy like a kid at Christmas.?

[Joseph Zarr]

Here's what I'm talking about. This was last night. Wiemer hits a routine grounder but the infielder double pumps. This is pure speed and is reflective of the same grounder turned single from Mitchell tonight. You. Can. Not. Flinch on these young men. 

(Second highlight - at the bottom. One double pump. Man on base. It's crazy. This is happening nightly, folks.)

[markedman5]

I was just mentioning this to a friend the other night……there is absolutely no doubt that there has been an organizational shift toward acquiring elite speed……Mitchell, Frelick, Turang, Chourio, Wiemer all drafted or signed and now Ruiz being targeted as a trade chip for Hader.

Now if we could just find a first baseman/3rd baseman or 2 with some pop and good speed to round out our multitude of outfield prospects.

[Joseph Zarr]

5 minutes ago, markedman5 said:

I was just mentioning this to a friend the other night……there is absolutely no doubt that there has been an organizational shift toward acquiring elite speed……Mitchell, Frelick, Turang, Chourio, Wiemer all drafted or signed and now Ruiz being targeted as a trade chip for Hader.

Now if we could just find a first baseman/3rd baseman or 2 with some pop and good speed to round out our multitude of outfield prospects.

He's a wayyyyyyyys out, but 3B Luke Adams has definitely checked all the early boxes. I mean, he just turned 18 in April of this year. But, what he did in the ACL - albeit in an extremely small sample of 11 games - has me pretty bullish. In the very least, it has me chomping at the bit to see him in Low-A in 2023.

11 G/ 32 AB/ 9 R/ 3 2B/ 1 HR/ 7 RBI/ 7 BB/ 8 K/ 9 SB/ 1 CS/ 0.375 BA/ 1.075 OPS

Ummmm, I can definitely work with that. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Have a night, Eduarqui Fernandez! On the heels of a savvy Jace Avina sac fly to deep CF knocking in Jesus Chirinos (nice hustle, big fella!), he rips a double down the third base line beyond the diving outstretched glove of the Cannonballers' third baseman. He knocks in a hustling Luis Castillo sprinting from first base. It's 3-1 Mudcats now. Fernandez is now 3-for-3. 

[Joseph Zarr]

INF Patrick Dorrian just smashed his 2nd HR in 2 games here in Durham. Get hot, young man! He crushed a breaking ball deep over the wall in right field plating 3 more for the Sounds. 9-1 in the 7th. 2 down. And, the Sounds still at the dish. Yeah babyyyyy. Let's be the Minor League Dodgers for the International League! ?

[Joseph Zarr]

Well, how about that...former Brewer RHP Chase Anderson pitches for the Rays organization for the Durham Bulls. That's something. He came on here in the seventh frame. 

[markedman5]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

4 minutes ago, markedman5 said:

 

Yup. He missed the HR by roughly 3 feet. That's a HUGE wall in left field and really tells you how hard Weimer mashed that biscuit. He crushed that ball. So did Ruiz. The launch angle was off by a degree or so. LOL.

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Justin Topa has two pitch clock violations to start consecutive 1-0 counts without a pitch thrown. He's given up zero hard contact but he has the bases juiced and one down. Baseball isn't what you'd call a fair game. Let's see if he can get out of this unscathed. Still 9-2 Sounds.

[Joseph Zarr]

Yup. He buckled down. Justice served. ? 9-2 and we're moving on to the final frame. Let's go!

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Cam Robinson's first outing for Nashville went...well...just like you'd expect: dominanced. No meaningful contact. An eclectic mix of speed and off-speed. Ahead in all counts. Three up. Three down. Closing strikeout on a beautiful off-speed pitch. Victory. Sounds win 9-2.  Sounds up 2-0 in the six gamer down in Durham.

Let's go!

[markedman5]