Wed. 5/31: Brunch with the Sounds, Lunch with the Timber Rattlers

[sveumrules]

7 minutes ago, wibadgers23 said:

Yeah, he's really heating up at the plate which is nice to see.  Did have two errors and now 10 on the year.  I'm too lazy to look up his scouting report but how was his defense rated coming into the draft last year?

Believe it was fringe-y arm/actions for SS, but range should be plus for 2B.

[Joseph Zarr]

9 minutes ago, wibadgers23 said:

Yeah, he's really heating up at the plate which is nice to see.  Did have two errors and now 10 on the year.  I'm too lazy to look up his scouting report but how was his defense rated coming into the draft last year?

I would offer he's actually had some gold glove-esque moments of late. I was too late to see the errors but I can go back and check them out. @sveumrulesmight be right in that he ends up at 2B (?) - if that's the case that's a very good 2B. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Actually, I see it was a compounded fielding to throwing error (probably rushed) in the 8th frame when I was out in the yard between innings! LOL. I'll go back quick and check. EBJ just had a fine charging scoop and throw on the run to 1B here in the 9th.

[wiguy94]

1 minute ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Actually, I see it was a compounded fielding to throwing error (probably rushed) in the 8th frame when I was out in the yard between innings! LOL. I'll go back quick and check. EBJ just had a fine charging scoop and throw on the run to 1B here in the 9th.

He mishandled a high chopper and then rushed his throw. Fielding error allowed the runner to reach 1st base and then throwing error allowed to the runner to advance to 2B.

His defense for the large part has looked good. He has a passable arm for SS and has good range. Just seems like a consistency problem at this point. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Yeah, it was a weird chopper. He went to the backhanded grab but it popped up and bobbled. He rushed a bare handed throw late and the two out grounder turned into a double error and man on 2B. He should have eaten the ball after the weird bounce and botched scoop.

[Joseph Zarr]

I think it's a sense, or I get the sense, EBJ tries to make plays (sometimes) he shouldn't try to make because he has such an innate confidence in his coverage and his athletic abilities. I agree @wiguy94: the arm has been surprising and quite nice. His range is quite good. He's had electric moments - he's repeatedly expertly backed-up Metzinger when he's botched a few grounders. Anyhow, this isn't a situation like we saw last year with Freddy Zamora where every grounder felt like the ball might sail into the seats. In other words, this isn't 'yips' or remotely close. It's forcing plays or going for plays he probably needs to rein in.

[Joseph Zarr]

Hey now! It's a TWO GAME WINNING STREAK (WOOT WOOT!!!) for the T-Rats baby. Perhaps, just as importantly, the Peoria Chiefs (the classiest team in High-A) have now lost their 7th straight game. That's crack a beer worthy!

[wiguy94]

11 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Hey now! It's a TWO GAME WINNING STREAK (WOOT WOOT!!!) for the T-Rats baby. Perhaps, just as importantly, the Peoria Chiefs (the classiest team in High-A) have now lost their 7th straight game. That's crack a beer worthy!

Timber Rattlers started the month of May with an 8 game losing streak. Since then they are 8-10 and that is with a 6-game sweep against Quad Cities. Feels like they are trending in the right direction. I was talking with @Smichaelis9 yesterday and we both think Wisconsin could be a good team in the second half with some pitching upgrades coming from Carolina (Misiorowski, Henderson, Rudy, Peterson). I don't know how the roster is going to work though because none of the current Wisconsin pitchers look close to a promotion.

[Joseph Zarr]

15 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Timber Rattlers started the month of May with an 8 game losing streak. Since then they are 8-10 and that is with a 6-game sweep against Quad Cities. Feels like they are trending in the right direction. I was talking with @Smichaelis9 yesterday and we both think Wisconsin could be a good team in the second half with some pitching upgrades coming from Carolina (Misiorowski, Henderson, Rudy, Peterson). I don't know how the roster is going to work though because none of the current Wisconsin pitchers look close to a promotion.

Unfortunately, we could very much see some re-assignments. Wagoner (big outing tomorrow); Cruz; and Cornielle are probably all candidates to re-sharpen their tools in Low-A. The bullpen has been and continues to be mostly quite fine. It's really been the starting pitching. I don't foresee any impending promotions in the field (though, I would politely argue, Jose Sibrian is as good as any catcher we have in Wisconsin) - maybe, if he's healthy, we could argue Guilarte's ridiculous start is worthy of a stab at High-A considering he's playing like a 5-year vet. The T-Rats as a whole really need some bats to heat up to make this proposition a reality. Hopefully, EBJ's spark is a sign of things to come.

[brewmann04]

Good job by Max 

[Ro Mueller]

Low-A Carolina looks to take a 2-0 series lead in Lynchburg, with 21-year old RHP Jacob Misiorowski (3.18 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 16.3 K/9 in 22.2 IP) making his 9th start of 2023. 19-year old SS Gregory Barrios comes in with a 7-game hitting streak. 

[Ro Mueller]

The AA Shuckers squeaked out a win yesterday at home against Pensacola and aim to grab a 2-0 series lead tonight. RHP Tobias Myers needs to bounce back from two rough outings (11 ER, 17 H in last 8.2 IP). 22-year old 3B Tyler Black has a 24-game on-base streak and leads the 8-team Southern League in OBP (.425), stolen bases (24) and walks (39). 

[Joseph Zarr]

We are underway in Lynchburg as the Mudcats look to keep on rolling...

[Joseph Zarr]

Misiorowski is taking the hill for his first pitches. I'm excite! So exciting to have such an arm in the system.

[Joseph Zarr]

That's a lead-off five pitch walk. Might have been a strike 2 missed early. 

[Joseph Zarr]

 Tight strike zone here as there is chatter coming from the Mudcats dugout. He's missing extremely close on several. The others have been well outside. Misiorowski did put the hands up as if to say: "Where exactly is this zone?" Two straight walks to lead off his outing.

[Joseph Zarr]

Boy, I don't know. The ump's zone is very very tight. Then what appeared to be a clear throw out on the double steal at 3B is all too easily called safe.

[wiguy94]

Wow a Lynchburg hitter finally swung the bat. Took until a 3-2 count in the third AB for them to swing.

[wiguy94]

1 minute ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Boy, I don't know. The ump's zone is very very tight. Then what appeared to be a clear throw out on the double steal at 3B is all too easily called safe.

Yeah he was out and that wasn't even close.

[Joseph Zarr]

What the heck is going on in Lynchburg. This is absurd. The ump clown show.

[wiguy94]

These umps for the Mudcats game are looking incredibly incompetent. Misiorowski has been squeezed at least 3-4 times in the first inning. There was a blown caught stealing. The umps almost let a guy who clearly hit a flyout stay on 2B acting like he hit a double.

[Joseph Zarr]

Let me paint the picture. Misiorowski is likely robbed of 3 strikes in the first two batters. He was left with the hands up kind of goings on. Then, the infield ump misses the clear throw out at 3B - a beautiful throw and tag unjustly taken away. If that wasn't bad enough, the infield ump completely (and I mean completely) misses a fly out clearly caught by Avina and allows the batter who flew out to stand on 2B after both runners tagged (scoring the only run of the inning) for what was a couple minutes. Manager Victor Estevez had to come out and explain it to the ump. How does that even happen? I don't think I've ever seen a secondary ump miss that type of play. Yuck.

[Joseph Zarr]

3 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

These umps for the Mudcats game are looking incredibly incompetent. Misiorowski has been squeezed at least 3-4 times in the first inning. There was a blown caught stealing. The umps almost let a guy who clearly hit a flyout stay on 2B acting like he hit a double.

Man, I don't even know. I think I need to take a shower after that. I feel for the young men. That was embarrassing.

[Joseph Zarr]

Then the ump gives Barrios a free pass on a 3-0 strike right down the middle. I mean RIGHT down the middle. What in the heck is happening down here. This might get out of hand.

[Joseph Zarr]

Jheremy Vargas with a fantastic AB takes a 3-2 rope down the RF foul line and it bounces over the wall for a ground rule double. Men on 2B and 3B now with nobody down. Diaz at the dish. Let's get that run back, men!