Thurs. 7/4 - Rookies in the AM, Will there be Offensive Fireworks at Night?

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Dikember Sanchez is very clearly showcasing why he may be the cream of the crop of the ACL Brewers call-ups. He's absolutely ascending quickly in Low-A Carolina. He comes aboard with two on and nobody down. Gets the fly out to LF. Then gets two K's. Just fantastic shutdown stuff. He's been really good early in his Carolina tenure.

[Joseph Zarr]

I have grill duties a comin' down the pipeline here. What an absolutely fantastic day of Brewers Minor League baseball. We are in a blessed blessed era, my friends. I am soaking this up every single night this summer. I am clearly behind the streams so will be bowing out shortly. Let's grab some 'W's!

[Joseph Zarr]

This just in:

I continue to love RHP Nick Merkel on the mound. I think this young man is just discovering what he's capable of as a professional hurler. I touted him on more than one occasion last season. In 2024, I see more poise. A better understanding of his strengths. And, just overall, better execution. He absolutely has one of the better off-speed arsenals in the entire system. It's fantastic to see him continue to develop.

[biedergb]

Wilken with a bases loaded walk. 5-1 Shuckers. Miller strikes out. EBJ walks, and it's 6-1.

While Adams walks (I think) then a single by Wood, runners on the corners.

And Sanchez still dealing in the 8th with Mudcats clinging to a 6-4 lead.

[Joseph Zarr]

Pratt's on base streak in jeopardy here tonightt. He's now 0-for-4. Just flew out to CF.

[Joseph Zarr]

OK. I'm bowing out. Boy oh boy we have a legit chance to go 8-0 across the board. Let's roll some lucky 7's in Denver and Memphis and give the Mudcats that Mojo to pull it out in Zebulon! Good night all. Enjoy your evenings.

[biedergb]

Briceno singles, and runners on 1st and 2nd in the bottom of the 8th, DiTuri up. Need two more to get on to get Pratt another at bat. Still 6-4 Muddies. But DiTuri grounds out.

Root on trying to keep the TRats up.

Merkel still on for the Shuckers.

Not much happening in Nashville yet since the delay. But Ashby is on - oh boy

[biedergb]

Crazy play in Mississippi. Line ball off Warren's (1b) glove into O'Rae (2b) and it's a line out. Your typical 3-4 line out right?

Ashby gives up a run, 4-2 Memphis, ugh, but gets out of the inning.

Dikember Sanchez on to close it out in Zebulon.

M-Braves get a few singles now after that crazy play and it's 7-2 Shuckers in the bottom of 7. And that's a pitching change.

TRats in cruise control

[biedergb]

Yoho slams the door by making the hitter look silly. Just overmatched, and it's still 7-2.

A runner on first with a broken bat single, and it's 1 out, runner on first with Dikember Sanchez trying to close it out. Now at 38 pitches.  Time out, injury to catcher D. Garcia - hit on a foul ball right where it hurts. Ouch.

[biedergb]

And... just as Chris Edwards says Disla is a candidate to ground into a double play, next pitch, Pratt to first, DP.

Mudcats win!!

No hit or walk for Pratt. On base streak ends, but I think he'll take starting the game ending double play. 

Meanwhile Nashville trying to make this interesting. Bases juiced with 2 outs.

[biedergb]

CD Rodriguez with a single up the middle and another insurance run for the Shuckers. Wilken up. Let's go Brock. And a two run double by Wilken, with a borderline fair ball. The umps are not making friends with the MBraves. But it's 10-2 Shuckers yay!!

Collins draws a walk 4-3 Memphis still up and Hicklen up. Let's get this going Brewer. Full count, and deep fly out, missed it by a few feet or maybe a few yards, can't tell by the feed. Oh well got a run back.

[biedergb]

Some bad defense.  Black (yeah surprise) lets a grounder go under him, for a hit in Nashville. Ugh.

Then O'Rae lets a liner get past him, and Yoho has a base runner, but should be 2 out.

[wiguy94]

Craig Yoho continues to be a very nasty pitcher. Probably my favorite pitcher to watch in the system right now.

[biedergb]

Biloxi and Wisconsin looking good. Biloxi in the 9th with a 10-2 lead after Yoho just dominates in relief. And Wisconsin looking good with Root keeping the off the board, and TRats up in the bottom of 8.

Ashby just walked in a run, and looks like he can find the plate. That is the recurring theme. Fastball is 94, and pitches move but he just can't locate. Not sure if it is physical (from his injury/surgery) or just mental, but he is a mess. Looks unhittable but then can't find the zone and gets hittable. Feel bad for him and this season is just a lost one.  So looking less likely as we will have an MiLB sweep tonight, but the Nashville/Memphis games have been really wild, so we will see. I am signing off. And it's now 7-3 Memphis on a wild play where the runner is out at first and stepped on Black, and he was hurt, and the Redbird runner scores, not sure if that's not a dead ball??? Ashby gives up a hit, and looks gassed, but gets out of the inning. It's 8-3.  

Great comeback and solid relief outing for the Mudcats earlier.

I'm heading off. Good night all. Great games for the most part, outside of the game so far in Nashville.

[Jim French Stepstool]

5 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

BUT, here's where he gets to by choice. AND, he does this very throw entirely too much. The vast majority of his errors come from this ridiculous motion. What the heck are we doing here Luke? Step IN to your throw with your lead power leg. THIS? This is just entirely unnecessary:

Appreciate the graphic, as I don't see nearly as much live action from some of these kids as I'd like to. There's just so much that intrigues me with Adams--the fact that he's a big athletic body playing 3B, the obvious power, ability to take a walk & even able to run a little bit. And as others mentioned, plays the game with a little-kid type of joy. Maybe a citation from the footwork police is in order🤔.

[Joseph Zarr]

10 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

 Maybe a citation from the footwork police is in order🤔.

This made me LOL. 

Adams is absolutely a joy to watch. And he's improving at the dish which is quite fun given his patience and power and passion.

He has to clean these free-wheeling type of throws up. Gotta happen. There's a time and a place for them but he currently lacks the discipline to recognize or discern those moments. 

[Jim Goulart]

For Friday AM's Link Report:

Final: ACL Brewers 5, ACL Giants 2
Box Score and Game Log

In the blink of an eye, the A-Crew were up 3-0 as the road crew in this one, before the capacity 4th of July crowd of fireflies were settled in. 19-year-old second baseman (yet to see action elsewhere on the diamond) Josh Adamczewski walked to open the game. It was the first of four times on base for the 15th round 2023 pick out of an Indiana high school (two subsequent singles and a 9th inning home run for insurance, yanked to right field, his first as a professional).

Back to the first inning, A review of the game log shows that hijinks ensued after Adamczewski stole second base. A Luiyin Alastre RBI single punctuated with a Giants error, then a walk to Eric Bitonti, Bitonti's own stolen base, then a run-scoring passed ball immediately followed by a run-scoring wild pitch. Boom, lead never lost.

The A-Crew had seven base hits, the Adamczewski home run the sole one for extra bases, but also drew seven walks, three by corner INF/OF Pedro Ibarguen, who only turned 18 years old this past Tuesday. That inched his 2024 OPS to just .502, coming off his remarkable .884 line in the 2023 DSL that netted him the stateside callup at a very young age.

There were a couple of 6th inning substitutions for the Maryvale boys, but no dreaded notation of "injury delay" in the game log. It was 99 degrees at first pitch.

Mound efforts were important. Nine-year pro (well, eight, pandemic year) and cup-of-coffee big leaguer Easton McGee is now up to four appearances covering six innings in his Tommy John rehab. 

Ultra-young (18 years old the day before this game) RHP Melvin Hernandez made the Brewers' Nicaraguan pipeline proud with five one-run frames with no walks and four K's. Unlikely Milwaukee will get to enjoy near exclusivity to that nation's talent in coming years.

The victors improved to 19-25.

 

[Jim Goulart]

Final: DSL Brewers #1 Squad 7, DSL Cubs Red 4, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

Team Uno trailed 4-0 heading into the bottom of the 3rd, not an ideal situation in a planned shortened game. But 18-year-old Venezuelan rookie RHP Carlos Canales allowed only two baserunners (HBP, single) over his four scoreless innings on the backside of the linescore, far surpassing his four prior mound efforts.

The comeback began with two familiar names in the Team Uno lineup. Shortstop Jesus Made opened with a walk - Made would reach all four times up, with two singles and a triple. Made's fellow 17-year-old partner-in-crime Luis Pena followed with a line drive double, moving Made to third base. In very DSL fashion, three runs scored in the inning, all forced in via HBP or walk, and the deficit was down to one run.

Said deficit was erased in the 4th when 17-year-old INF/LF Juan Ortuno (DH'ing here), lined a two-run single to center field. Ortuno, with two singles and two walks, joined Made with perfect days at the plate. Ortuno spiked his OPS to 1.000, now sporting a .373/.529/.471 line in 68 plate appearances, rivaling his teammates Made and Pena for being ridiculously impressive in the early going.

Cerveceros Squad #1 moves to a nice 14-8 record.

 

 

[Jim Goulart]

Final: DSL Brewers #2 Squad 14, DSL Royals Fortuna 5
Box Score and Game Log

Five-run 4th and six-run 6th, yeah, that'll work for Team Dos, now with a 13-9 record.

Before we discuss 14 tallies, appreciation for 18-year-old Venezuelan native and 2nd-year starting RHP Argenis Aparicio, who went exactly five innings for the 4th consecutive appearance, allowing only five earned runs over that 20-inning span. Aparicio allowed only a solo home run here, walking just one with two K's.

The Brewers only had seven base hits, four for extra bases, but were handed 14 free passes and an HBP. Though in his second season, Dominican INF/RF Roderick Flores is still just 17 years old. He drew four of the walks, bumping his 16-game-sample OBP to .443.

Well, hello again, CF Jose Anderson! A triple shy of the cycle and on base five times, including round-tripper #5, 13 of his 22 hits now for extra bases. Nearly as many walks (15) as K's (17). The K rate is manageable at just over 18%.

Switch-hitting top bonus baby ($1.7 M) SS Jorge Quintana doubled and also walked twice, driving in three. The OPS is up to .714 after a slow start.

Speaking of big $$ investments, infielder (second base in this game) Kevin Ereu somehow went 0-for-5 among all the baserunning company, though he did draw a walk and drove in one run. Ereu and his $1.4 M bonus struggled in his age 17 rookie season with a .553 OPS. His .785 mark through 79 plate appearances in 2024 is more palatable (.274/.430/.355).