Thurs. 8/29: Wisconsin and Biloxi Continue Bullpen Leads - Can Wehrle and Merkel Eat Precious Innings

[Joseph Zarr]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Thursday.

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[Joseph Zarr]

• Given injury designations to 8 T-Rats pitchers, they currently sit at 14 active players and a rehabbing RHP Enoli Paredes. 
• Biloxi isn't dealing with anything all that new however given RHP Brett Wichrowski was shown in Arizona in a recent Instagram story ( @wiguy94 the 'source' on this) we might guesstimate he has possibly reached an inning limit and they are dialing back - he bypassed his typical game 1 start this week, for instance (no injury designation at this time and no word in the pre-game interviews).  As such, the Shuckers pitching staff is currently overwhelmingly filled with bullpen arms. No more RHP's Logan Henderson and/or Carlos F. Rodriguez (obviously) to help eat precious starter innings. We will likely see a bevy of LHP Adam Seminaris, RHP Nick Merkel, LHP Nate Peterson leads in the final weeks.

[wiguy94]

29 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

• Given injury designations to 8 T-Rats pitchers, they currently sit at 14 active players and a rehabbing RHP Enoli Paredes. 
• Biloxi isn't dealing with anything all that new however given RHP Brett Wichrowski was shown in Arizona in a recent Instagram story ( @wiguy94 the 'source' on this) we might guesstimate he has possibly reached an inning limit and they are dialing back - he bypassed his typical game 1 start this week, for instance (no injury designation at this time and no word in the pre-game interviews).  As such, the Shuckers pitching staff is currently overwhelmingly filled with bullpen arms. No more RHP's Logan Henderson and/or Carlos F. Rodriguez (obviously) to help eat precious starter innings. We will likely see a bevy of LHP Adam Seminaris, RHP Nick Merkel, LHP Nate Peterson leads in the final weeks.

Definitely not as fun looking at the starting pitchers in the system these days compared to earlier in the year.

Today we have Mason Molina, Tyler Wehrle, Nick Merkel, Mitch White starting for the affiliates. No disrespect to these professional baseball players, but it's not as exciting as the Knoth/Letson/Rodriguez, Hunt/Kuehner, Misiorowski/Henderson/Wichrowski, Rodriguez/Gasser type days we would get earlier in the year.

[biedergb]

It will be fun to see Molina debut. But like other debuts it will likely be only a couple of innings I would guess. 
‘But correct - Wehrle and Markel as starters is interesting. For Carolina and Wisconsin it may be about getting players rested and healthy for playoffs. Biloxi a little more urgency to make it in. Sadly Nashville has a huge hurdle to get into playoffs. But a super long win streak can happen if the offense clicks in full gear. 

[Joseph Zarr]

1 hour ago, wiguy94 said:

Definitely not as fun looking at the starting pitchers in the system these days compared to earlier in the year.

Today we have Mason Molina, Tyler Wehrle, Nick Merkel, Mitch White starting for the affiliates. No disrespect to these professional baseball players, but it's not as exciting as the Knoth/Letson/Rodriguez, Hunt/Kuehner, Misiorowski/Henderson/Wichrowski, Rodriguez/Gasser type days we would get earlier in the year.

That's a fair 'gripe'. As fans, that is a fair gripe.

(I know you know the following but I'm sharing for the greater fanbase and this thread)

Fascinatingly, all three of Wehrle; Merkel; and White were fantastic in their most recent outings. 

• Wehrle: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 R. His longest and best outing of his season. This will be his first GS in 2024 and only his 3rd as a Brewer. He certainly hasn't been a model of consistency in any fashion so this is a big ask.
• White: I think it's blatantly obvious his transition back to a starter has done some early repair on what was, up until these past three starts, a completely lost season. Now, consistency (like Wehrle) has certainly not been his strength in 2024 as we saw in his start two games ago when he lasted 2/3 IP of 3 H, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 5 R (3 ER). We absolutely know this story. However, sandwiching this rough 2/3 IP, we see 2 GS, 11 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 1 HB, 11 K, 1 ER. White's ERA was 8.20 as a Sound entering August. His ERA sits 5.61 entering game three in Charlotte tonight. 
• Merkel: Y'all know how I feel about Merkel. I love this young man's make-up. He just competes and has extremely underrated stuff within the broader fanbase and prospect ranking cults. This will be Merkel's first GS since he started 3 contests in his first work with the Brewers in the ACL after he signed as an UDFA back in the summer of 2022. He averages over 1 K/ IP in Double-A. He has built an even better resume in August than his solid July resume: 7 G, 15 IP, 8 H, 6 BB, 2 HB, 19 K, 1 ER - 0.157 BAA with a 0.93 WHIP. I will say it yet again: people need to stop sleeping in this young man. He is coming into his own before our eyes. This is a big test as he is thrust into a starting role but I just don't see the issues I see in Seminaris and Peterson in Merkel's game. He is just flat out a gamer and his tall build (6'7") and his pitching motion creates many a problem for opponents. One of my favorite pitchers in the system absolutely nobody talks about.

[Joseph Zarr]

32 minutes ago, biedergb said:

It will be fun to see Molina debut. But like other debuts it will likely be only a couple of innings I would guess. 

I think you're spot on here. Both Hardin and Seppings (who looked sneakily very good last night - they might have something here as he develops. Knows how to pitch) were clearly pulled at the 25 pitch mark. Hardin was pulled at 24 and given the nature of how his outing was going this was a good thing. I anticipate the exact same approach with Molina.

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, there we have it. RHP Brett Wichrowski is 'officially' placed on the 7-Day IL by Biloxi (retroactive to 8/28). SO, he has a designation. And, this could absolutely still be an inning cap move by my book. Until we learn more in pre-game interviews or the like it is just a standard 7-Day IL designation.

[Joseph Zarr]

He's here. He's there. He's everywhere. Your line-up cards for this fine Thursday evening.

We begin with Carolina at Lynchburg for Game 3 (up 2-0). We will get our first glimpse of newly drafted LHP Mason Molina. He'll likely be on a very similar 25 pitch count. SS Daniel Guilarte leads off as we see 2B Juan Baez for only the 17th time in the 2024 season to date. 1B Eric Bitonti will look to get hot with that deep ball again after last nights rip over the Right CF fence. DH Marco Dinges continues manning clean-up protected by the always dangerous RF Luis Castillo. CF Yoshwar Garcia replaces Yophery Rodriguez after his 0-for-4, 3 K evening last night. It's good to see C David Garcia back behind the dish flashing the leather as well as 3B Miguel Briceno and LF Reidy Mercado rounding out the bottom of the order. 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

As mentioned above, RHP Tyler Wehrle will take the bump for his first start of the 2024 season. He will look to build off his stellar 4.0 IP bullpen stint his last time out. He is mildly extended so if things go well he could certainly reach that four or five inning mark. CF Luis Lara is in his prototypical lead-off spot followed by SS Eduardo Garcia. DH Matt Wood will bat third and 1B Jesus Chirinos will look to continue taking advantage of the Burke and Adams absences as he brings his hot bat to the clean-up spot. 2B Felix Valerio is batting 6th with LF Hedbert Perez coming in just behind him in the seventh spot. 3B Jheremy Vargas and struggling RF (but still dangerous) Eduarqui Fernandez rounds it out. The T-Rats will look to get ahead in this series as the River Bandits and Wisconsin are knotted at 1-1.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Let's keep the bullpen fill-in theme rolling along. RHP Nick Merkel will bring his vastly underrated wares to the starting role for the Shuckers as they look to jump ahead 2-1 over the crusty Montgomery Biscuits. More importantly the Shuckers will look to maintain or add to the 2.5 G lead over the Mississippi Braves. LF Lamar Sparks has been asked to bring his hot bat to the lead-off spot as the Shuckers desperately try to fill 2B/CF Dylan O'Rae in his post-2B slide (Sat. 8/29) malady of unknown severity. C Darrien Miller will look to get plunked or take a free base while DH Brock Wilken gets a rest from the hot corner as Zavi Warren takes that role this evening. RF Connor Scott continues getting clean-up work while mightily struggling SS Eric Brown Jr. continues getting run-producing reps. 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. will cover 1B while CF Adam Hall and 2B Casey Martin round out the edges at the bottom of the order. 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Mitch White will look to continue turning his season around as a Nashville starter. This is his fourth consecutive start in August and 2-of-3 have been fantastic (we'll forget the other 2/3 IP GS ever happend). 3B Isaac Collins is back at the hot corner as the uber-utility Ace continues flashing the leather throughout the diamond. C Francisco Mejía swaps back in behind the dish an bats second. DH Christian Arroyo will bat third with the adventure that is 1B Tyler Black back in clean-up. He will be protected by RF Brewer Hicklen who smacked his 21st HR last night. 2B Owen Miller will bat sixth with LF Carlos D. Rodriguez back in the line-up after a night's rest. CF Chris Roller and SS Freddy Zamora will look to get their offense going after a combined 1-for-9, 6 K start to their series. The series is knotted up 1-1 after consecutive lopsided results.

 

[wiguy94]

Welcome to professional baseball Mason Molina. He strikes out the side on 11 pitches in his first professional innings.

[Joseph Zarr]

44 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Welcome to professional baseball Mason Molina. He strikes out the side on 11 pitches in his first professional innings.

[Joseph Zarr]

Isaac Collins lead-off Johnson. The Legend builds and grows. 

 

[wiguy94]

5 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Isaac Collins lead-off Johnson. The Legend builds and grows. 

 

I have a feeling this was a Charlotte special based on the EV and distance. I didn't watch but I can't imagine 92 EV and 329ft are getting out of many ballparks.

[Joseph Zarr]

Man, I do love me some Miguel Briceno. Just a really underrated solid role player. He just hit a deep fly to the right CF warning track - would have easily been a sac fly - and there was a miscue between the CF and RF and the ball drops at the last minute as the CF'er was racing into the RF'er territory and they both pulled up. Ruled a 2B - likely an error they couldn't charge to anyone. He drives in two in the process, regardless. He's now 2-for-2, 2 RBI, 1 2B. His 14th two-bagger of his season. Mudcats lead 4-0 in the bottom of the 4th.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, wiguy94 said:

I have a feeling this was a Charlotte special based on the EV and distance. I didn't watch but I can't imagine 92 EV and 329ft are getting out of many ballparks.

All legends have side quests, my friend.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

OF Yoshwar Garcia just stole his 59th and 60th bases of the 2024 season. Sheeesh. He is neck-and-neck with Montgomery's Chandler Simpson (Southern League) as the leader across all levels of affiliated ball.

[Joseph Zarr]

And, just like that, my guy Miguel Briceno sends him home with a Sac Fly. His 3rd RBI of his evening.

[Joseph Zarr]

Wehrle gave up a grand salami in the 2nd inning. 4-0 Quad Cities. 

Merkel has given up a run in each of the 1st and the 2nd. Biscuits lead 2-0.

[Joseph Zarr]

Roller just gave Sounds Ace RHP Mitch White the 2-1 lead in the 5th on a long ball to left CF. Living and dying by the home run stick. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Big one out bases juiced opportunity for C Darrien Miller here in the bottom of the 3rd. 2-0 deficit. Let's hope the Shuckers bats can come through.

[wiguy94]

Shuckers have put 1 ball in play through 3 innings.

[Joseph Zarr]

Miller HBP RBI (what else!?). Wilken K's on high inside heat in a 2-2 count. Scott missed a bases clearing RBI double-triple down the deep RF line but it went foul by maybe 6" off the chalk. He strikes out on high outside heat. 2-1 Biscuits. The Shuckers have already K'd 8 times through 3 IP. Ummmm. Yeah. That Shuckers offense.

[Joseph Zarr]

Very clearly RHP Mitch White is best used as a starter in that Nashville pitching staff. He's pitching another gem. 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 ER. He's at 70 pitches (49 strikes) so will very likely come back out for the 6th inning. This is 3-of-4 starts where he has really given the Sounds a very winnable opportunity. Sounds cling to a 2-1 lead.