Brewers Minor League Link Report (3/29): Not Quite the Parent Club Disaster Saturday, but Close

[Jim Goulart]

On a baseball-filled Saturday for this Link Reporter, I settled into MiLB.TV and Jeff Hem's call to catch every pitch of this Nashville game (and managed to stick through it to the very end). I was hoping for a cleansing from the big-league Brewers humbling beatdown earlier in the day. That's not what I (nor all you as fans of the system) received. Let's see what we can glean from this one.

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

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Final: Jacksonville (Marlins) 11, Nashville 3

Box Score and Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we always encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine:

Sounds Fall 11-3 Saturday Night - Pair of Pitching Prospects Make Their Season Debut for the Sounds

Here's our "as it happens" forum game thread with additional insights.

Logan Henderson's line (4 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 1 WP, 8 K, 1 HR) accurately represents his evening. While the four-run first inning began bunt, walk, wild pitch, you'll subsequently see the words "liner" and "line drive" four times in the game log from that four-run frame. Our game thread includes a reminder that we've often read about the need for Henderson to fully develop additional offerings to the fastball/changeup combo that proved so deadly to less experienced batters at the AA level or below. So, this is the minor leagues, and while it may not always lead to maximized positive results in the moment, the name of the game is player development.

Jeff Hem did mention why Henderson always pitches from the stretch, as he was having trouble maintaining contact with the rubber from his windup. I look forward to learning more about that scenario in the future.

Henderson did retire six in a row after the eventful 1st, including fanning the side in the 2nd. The changeup was working, it's not like he had ditched it completely for his outing. His pitch count was 80 (only 49 strikes), and he was charged with two out-of-nowhere pitch timer violations, so there were definitely aspects of his game off on this night.

Reviewing the other mound efforts, Easton McGee managed five outs and nothing was hit hard. Two walks and less than ideal infield defense didn't aid his cause, nor did Craig Yoho allowing a line drive single to center upon entering to allow another McGee runner to score. Yoho then plunked a batter (he would hit another the next inning) and was bailed out of the frame when catcher Anthony Seigler ("I" before "E" rule be damned) back-picked a runner at second base. So even Yoho's apparent pretty line wasn't in reality.

Blake Holub walked the leadoff man and allowed a run in the 8th, and 40-man roster addition 6'8" lefty Grant Wolfram had the same success rate he did in big-league camp with the Crew, which is to say very low. Among his foibles was three walks forcing the pitch count up and the bullpen to get busy, not something you want to see in the 9th inning with an 11-3 deficit.

The ABS challenge system remains fantastic, as Yoho benefited here. The Jumbo Shrimp were successful on their first four challenges of the game, and Jacksonville's catcher was especially adept at working the system.

 

The Sounds only managed three hits and K'd 11 times, but EMJ gave us a moment.

Wes Clarke is 0-for-8 with four K's in the shouldn't-even-mention-it-but-sorry-I-did sample size. Hey, I've got copy to fill here...

Not sure this was the greatest initial jump, but kudos on the finish here by Jared Oliva - I take that back, have played the 10-second clip about 15 times now and determined that yes, the jump was fine, the stick of the landing even better.

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It'll be Jacob Misiorowski on the bump Sunday at 2:05 Central opposite the big-league contest.

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scoresMiLB Audio Links
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

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[biedergb]

Henderson looked like he was fighting it.  He also does some headshakes when he is getting ready to pitch. Not sure what but almost looked like he was shaking his head at his night.  
‘When he was locked in (2nd and 3rd) he was relying on his FB/change and when he located his cutter (like when it appeared not outside or high to me) he was fine. Command particularly of his ‘other’ pitches was his key. Hopefully this is something he can work on and get a reliable 3rd or even 4th pitch.

EMJ triple was the offensive highlight.  Well hit ball and he showed off some wheels for a big fella.

Let's see how today goes. It’s always interesting for a Miz start - which version will we see. 

[Joseph Zarr]

I prefer these types of losses when I can simply say "It's just Spring Training". 31-12 on the organizational scoreboard with 2 L's is not peachy.