Wed. 9/6 - Timber Rattlers' Early Start. Mudcats' Magic Number Down to 2!

[Ro Mueller]

This thread will be utilized for any minor league news Wednesday, lineup updates, etc.

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores

[Ro Mueller]

Rehabbing LHP Aaron Ashby makes his second start for Wisconsin, whose playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. They need a home win today over Cedar Rapids to even this week's series 1-1. 3B Brock Wilken now has a .903 OPS in 129 High-A plate appearances, with 24 walks and 27 Ks. 

[wiguy94]

Ashby has looked alarmingly bad today...He's topped out at 87 mph and his stuff just looks totally lifeless. Seems his FB is 87. CH is low 80's. SL is upper 70's. CB is lower 70's. That's like 6-10+ mph down on these pitches.

[Joseph Zarr]

3 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

Ashby has looked alarmingly bad today...He's topped out at 87 mph and his stuff just looks totally lifeless. Seems his FB is 87. CH is low 80's. SL is upper 70's. CB is lower 70's. That's like 6-10+ mph down on these pitches.

Wow. That's a big yikes. 

I just returned from a full on first day of school immersion experience with my 5 yo. I see the Brewers lost to the Bucs. And, I am scared to look at the T-Rats score!😅

[Joseph Zarr]

I see a 4-1 deficit and we have Alex Hall up to the dish with runners on 1st and 2nd. One down. 1-2 count now. Boy that is a sparse attendance for the matinee. Yikes.

[Joseph Zarr]

Hall got an absolute hanger dead center and he gets way under it and skies it to shallow 1B foul territory. That was a mistake pitch and he missed it big time. Moore to the dish. Two down.

[Joseph Zarr]

Moore swings at a ball in the dirt and K's on a 2-2 pitch. Ugly stuff. Welcome back to the farm, Pops! LOL. T-Rats lose 4-1.

[Ro Mueller]

AAA Nashville seeks to double its home series lead to 2-0 over Memphis. 25-year old RHP Evan McKendry looks for a bounce-back start (4.1 IP, 6 R, 6 Ks in last outing). 2B Cam Devanney has a 20-game on-base streak. 

[Ro Mueller]

A win at Salem combined with a Lynchburg loss elsewhere would clinch Carolina its first playoff berth since 2008. LHP Brian Fitzpatrick (1.93 ERA in 18.2 Low-A IP) gets the starting honors. DH/INF Jadher Areinamo has a 12-game hitting streak. 

[Ro Mueller]

AA Biloxi has won 8 games in a row and seeks to extend its series lead in Birmingham to 2-0. LHP Adam Seminaris threw 45 pitches in his last start as he ramps up toward full strength. 2B Isaac Collins (.431 OBP - 3rd in Southern League) is back after missing 5 games. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Comes in from outside. Boots up MiLB.Tv. Salem leads 6-0.

Wooof. 

It's one of those Brewers baseball days it would appear early. 

[Joseph Zarr]

@wibadgers23:

T-Rats post-game news Mike Boeve and Jheremy Vargas update via manager Joe Ayrault (nothing specific) : 

• Both guys had already flown out to Arizona finishing up Rehab (no clue for what) and will hopefully be ready for Instructional League

---

Going back and watching the first inning of the T-Rats game:

It seems to me Ashby was holding back - working on off-speed and intentionally holding back (and Chris and Kyle touch on this as well in the post-game pod). I remain unconcerned at this point given he also only pitched 1 2/3 innings. The velo absolutely wasn't there but I don't think he dialed back and I don't think he is really being permitted to do so at present. What was also clear: Mendez dropped a silly catchable ball for a two base error right off the bat (Mendez has shown some poor form catching balls in Wisconsin, sadly) and then it was a showcase of how poorly Darrien Miller could catch Ashby - he really struggled. It reminded me of Wood's inability to catch Shears. Which repeatedly brings me to: How is Sibrian not catching this pitching staff?!? 😅 I digress. Apparently, Ashby was also available to the Wisconsin media and not a single person showed up? What the heck?!? LOL.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Martinez hits an absolute scorcher but directly at Elko at 1B who gloves it clean diving to the dirt. Collins is stranded at 2B to end the Shuckers top half. Man, trust the process on that rocket. Seminaris will get his first action on the hill.

[Joseph Zarr]

A nice clean 12 pitch inning for LHP Adam Seminaris: groundouts to 3B Ethan Murray x2 and a fly out to Chourio in CF. On to the 2nd. 0-0.

[Joseph Zarr]

Three consecutive singles scores the Shuckers first run in the second. 1-0 and we head to Seminaris' 2nd frame. RBI went to Murray who likely would have gotten to 2B had it not been for Quero slowing down and stopping at 2B. Which, well, led to Sparks hitting into a DP up the middle. So it goes.

[Joseph Zarr]

Seminaris gives up a two out double and then a two out oppo single down the 3B line on a 2-1 heater. 1-1 ball game. Man on first for Birmingham.

[Joseph Zarr]

A Cam Devanney error at 2B allow the lead-off single to reach 3B in the fifth. With runners on the corner, McKendry allows his first run of the evening. Unfortunately, that's two hits for the Redbirds and only ONE for the Sounds. Who now trail 1-0. 

Seminaris WP sends the runner to 2B. He then takes an 0-2 count full and walks the next batter. Poor form. Men on 1st and 2nd. He is suddenly struggling to find the zone. Quero is now out to the mound to see what is going on as well as pitching coach Will Schierholz.

[Joseph Zarr]

3-1 on the next batter. Seminaris gets a foul tip. 3-2. Pitch count suddenly up to 37 (25 pitches in the 2nd already). 

[wibadgers23]

Tyler Black walked and stole a base in his first AB and then did the exact same in his next AB.

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, Seminaris gets a super weak dribbler up the 1B side and seeing a charging Quero Seminaris backs off the play and gives him the direct route. Quero absolutely botches it somehow falling face down and throwing a weak one-hopper through Martinez's legs at 1B. My gods that was ugly. LOL. 2-1 now. Runners on the corners. Quero has to make a better play there.

[Joseph Zarr]

AND<, now Seminaris gives up a screamer two-run double deep off the wall. LOUD hit. And, honestly, the route had to be perfect to get to it - it was just off from Rodriguez. 

Hey, look at that: an error coming back to bite a team. Seminaris then hits the next batter. THIS is the Seminaris meltdowns we were seeing routinely before he was injured and then in the ACL. We have the two out hits - an 0-2 walk to boot - and Quero's error. It's suddenly 4-1. Given the pitch count, Seminaris is likely about to be pulled. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Toro hits a 2-1 heater in a muscled weak liner down the 1B/RF wall. Pro's pro hit right there. 2-1 Sounds. Donaldson holds at 3B. Toro grabs RBI's 50 and 51 on that pretty piece of RISP hitting. The Sounds lead for the first time tonight.

[Joseph Zarr]

Martinez rips his second absolute scorcher - this time directly to the 3B but it short-hops him and rips down the LF line. Collins scores from 3B. Clarke is given the go-ahead from Guerrero and is thrown out by a gorgeous throw by about 4-5'. 4-2 Barrons now. Zamora ends the inning with a weak chopper to 3B. 

[Joseph Zarr]

24 minutes ago, wibadgers23 said:

Tyler Black walked and stole a base in his first AB and then did the exact same in his next AB.

He walked again here in the 6th (3rd of the game - 5th in the series). He pressured the DP throw to 2B (would have been out) and it sailed high off the glove into shallow CF. He scored standing up. 3-1 Sounds. 😅

[Joseph Zarr]

Meanwhile, Quero half-efforts a grounder to 3B and even though the fielder double-pumped the throw he is still thrown out. Poor form. Quero has to run harder there. He had a single. He has been really struggling in all facets since his return from his injury if we're being honest.