Tuesday 6/4: Now The Schedule Gets Really Full

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, the Sounds have now had two base runners in three consecutive innings. Is the third time a charm? 

Mudcats lose 3-1. No life in the bats in game 1. A snoozer. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Kernels lead 5-2 in the 9th. T-Rats hold a 7-5 lead here in the top of the 5th. Costello on the bump after he got the final out of the 4th. Man on first. Nobody out.

[Joseph Zarr]

A nice friendly error from ol' friend Hernan Perez at SS on a possible weird bounce allows the bases full on a Haase E6 reach. In the next AB, Roller breaks the curse with a 2-RBI bloop single to shallow LF. 4-0 Sounds.

[Joseph Zarr]

Here is what I am saying when I tell you Jadher Areinamo is a defensive savant. He makes the challenging look sublimely easy. 

Go to 2:48:10 on the MiLB.TV viewing. See a 3-1 ball in the dirt with a man on 2B result in the second out when Rodriguez throws a ball slightly up line (1B side of the bag) but sliding head height. Areinamo is just so dang good with the glove and everything defense. He corrals that ball and swipes a tag with his lead foot just in front of the near corner of the bag giving the runner just enough to think about. Not only is the catch, swipe, and tag just fantastic. BUT, that little itty bitty thing of how sneaks to the bag and where he places that right leg makes all the difference.

SO MUCH TO LOVE watching Jadher play baseball. I treasure his game. What a play! Here's a freeze frame for you for those that don't have the luxury of watching.

[Joseph Zarr]

Patrick is absolutely humming now. Really really picked it up. AND, in true fashion just as I type and post this he gives up a hard hit line drive double to left CF. 😅

[Joseph Zarr]

HUGE out at 2B by Areinamo and Rodriguez there as Fitzpatrick gave up a BB and a hard hit single to LF. He strands those runners with a K swinging. 7-5 T-Rats. As we head to bottom of the 6th.

[Joseph Zarr]

Sounds score 5. 2 earned variety. A Junis, Patrick, Zastrzyny shutout. 5-0 game 1 Dub. Noice!

T-Rats cling to their 7-5 lead in the bottom of the 7th. 

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, after Eduarqui lined out hard in his last AB to deep LF in a 3-1 count, he does not miss with a runner on 2B and two down here in the 7th. He rocked an absolute rocket adding a key two out insurance run. He gets the triple bagger. 2-3 (HR, 2B) red hot Jheremy Vargas will try to add further damage. Scratch that. Eduquarqui gets the double and an E8. No triple.

[Joseph Zarr]

What. A. Game for Vargas. Whew. He crushes a ball high off the LF wall for his 2nd dub. A 3 hit game. 3 XBH's? Yes, please! Two 2-out RBI's give the T-Rats a 9-5 lead as they look to maintain that 1.5 G lead over Cedar Rapids.

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Bryan Rivera with his best outing of his ACL season to date. 4 IP, 1 R (solo HR), 8 K. Fantastic effort. ACL Crew hold to a tight 2-1 lead as they head to the 5th.

[Joseph Zarr]

After putting two men on base each inning, LHP Brian Fitzpatrick takes the momentum of the two 7th inning insurance runs and strikes out the side in the 8th. Noice!

[Joseph Zarr]

The Timber Rattlers haven't won a division in any capacity since 2012. After tonight's 9-5 victory, they lead Cedar Rapids by 1.5 G with just 14 G left in the first half. Lotttttta ball game left. Sweet sweet comeback victory after trailing 3-0 after 1/2 inning.

[TURBO]

1 hour ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Here is what I am saying when I tell you Jadher Areinamo is a defensive savant. He makes the challenging look sublimely easy. 

Go to 2:48:10 on the MiLB.TV viewing. See a 3-1 ball in the dirt with a man on 2B result in the second out when Rodriguez throws a ball slightly up line (1B side of the bag) but sliding head height. Areinamo is just so dang good with the glove and everything defense. He corrals that ball and swipes a tag with his lead foot just in front of the near corner of the bag giving the runner just enough to think about. Not only is the catch, swipe, and tag just fantastic. BUT, that little itty bitty thing of how sneaks to the bag and where he places that right leg makes all the difference.

SO MUCH TO LOVE watching Jadher play baseball. I treasure his game. What a play! Here's a freeze frame for you for those that don't have the luxury of watching.

Totally agree, love watching this kid!

I do question his hitting at the high levels and MLB level due to all the stuff he has going on with his stance, his timing, and his swing.  Just watch him, every pitch he is ultra busy keeping all that movement in check.

[Joseph Zarr]

26 minutes ago, TURBO said:

Totally agree, love watching this kid!

I do question his hitting at the high levels and MLB level due to all the stuff he has going on with his stance, his timing, and his swing.  Just watch him, every pitch he is ultra busy keeping all that movement in check.

I'm well aware of that action. Luis Castillo does it from the other side. Adams does it as well. He has extremely good coordination - as his defense attests. And, he's an aggressive hitter. He doesn't really walk - hence the low OBP. He also doesn't really strike out a high rate whatsoever. I would generally agree with you - they will likely let him let this ride until it fails (that's essentially the Brewers way). BUT, man, the defensive savvy is eclipsed by nobody else in the org. He's the most savvy and naturally gifted infielder the Brewers have. I stand by that having watched likely 80-90% of his stateside games. Just an unreal wizard with the glove. He also has a keen keen sense of situational awareness. Stuff you can't teach. 

IF the bat comes along and fine tunes, he's only 20 years old afterall, this is another of those fringe Top 30 guys that screams MLB utility at the very least. But, yes, to your point the batting approach is the biggest question mark.

At this point, however, I really don't care. He is so dang entertaining and gives me great joy when I watch him play.

[Joseph Zarr]

ACL Crew still hold a 2-1 lead as they head to the 9th frame. Another scoreless - hitless and walkless - 1 K frame from rehabbing LHP Brandon Knarr. You love to see that. Man, I hope he can stay healthy and build a season for himself. It's been too long!

[Joseph Zarr]

INF Luke Adams had an 0-for-3 night in a rare lead-off appearance. He also took two of the better walks of the entire season across the entire organization. Including a late 11 pitch free pass after an 0-2 count. He remains an enigma to me but he always manages to pull you back in.

[Joseph Zarr]

1B Luis Lameda just left his 9th inning AB with an injury. Ruh Roh. 0-3, 3 K...and an injury. Rough night. We head to the bottom of the 9th as the ACL Crew looks to take this 2-1 nailbiter.

[Joseph Zarr]

Welp, the ACL Crew managed to lose 3-2. RHP Dikember Sanchez will take the loss as he gave up the double, single, double around a ground out. Ouch.