Sun. 5/11 - Do it for All the Mom's, Woody!

[Jim Goulart]

This thread will be utilized for any minor league news Sunday.

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[sveumrules]

Obviously early still with only about 20% of the total games played compared to last year, ACL just underway and DSL still a bit off, but Brewers affiliates are currently rocking an 81 W - 59 L record good for a .579 W%.

Last year, with five of seven affiliates on the right side of .500, they finished 389 W - 320 L (.549 W%).

Even more impressive to be doing all that winning with the youngest hitters & pitchers in the Carolina League, 2nd youngest hitters & pitchers in the Midwest League, and the youngest hitters in the Southern League.

[Ro Mueller]

The Low-A Mudcats get us started baseball-wise on this Mother’s Day, aiming to polish off a 5-1 series win at Kannapolis. LHP Wande Torres (5.14 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 10 Ks in 14 IP) makes his 2nd start of the week. SS Luis Pena (.338 AVG, .910 OPS) has hit safely in 17 of 18 games. 

[biedergb]

1 hour ago, sveumrules said:

Obviously early still with only about 20% of the total games played compared to last year, ACL just underway and DSL still a bit off, but Brewers affiliates are currently rocking an 81 W - 59 L record good for a .579 W%.

Last year, with five of seven affiliates on the right side of .500, they finished 389 W - 320 L (.549 W%).

Even more impressive to be doing all that winning with the youngest hitters & pitchers in the Carolina League, 2nd youngest hitters & pitchers in the Midwest League, and the youngest hitters in the Southern League.

We could have 3 teams with 20 wins soon - how many organizations can say that (Nashville as AAA has a leg up; Carolina already eclipsed 20; Biloxi’s next win will be #20), and all three are at least in a share of division lead.

[Ro Mueller]

It’s a battle for first place in the Southern League as AA 19-13 Biloxi hosts 19-13 Pensacola. LHP Tate Kuehner (4.39 ERA, 1.46 WHIP) needs to put his walk woes behind him (22 BB / 24 Ks in 26.2 IP). 3B Brock Wilken (.904) has the 4th-highest OPS in the pitcher-friendly league (.671 average OPS). 

[Ro Mueller]

The AAA Sounds need a Sunday victory for a 4-2 home series win over Norfolk. Brandon Woodruff makes his final rehab start and 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. returns to the defense after an injury absence. 

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, sveumrules said:

 

Even more impressive to be doing all that winning with the youngest hitters & pitchers in the Carolina League, 2nd youngest hitters & pitchers in the Midwest League, and the youngest hitters in the Southern League.

So, in other words, the T-Rats are doing the heavy lifting of fulfilling more reasonable expectations and outcomes of what we one might reasonably expect from such a young outfit? Someone has to lay the anchor!

[biedergb]

Mudcats get the bases loaded with no outs.

Pitching change - and Made strikes out swinging on a really good breaking ball.

Then next pitch Pena flies to RF, and Lameda goes home (not sure if a late break or what), but he is out by a mile.

End of inning, end of threat, and it's 1-0 Kannapolis still. Yeesh. That's not Carolina Mudcat baseball.

[biedergb]

1 hour ago, Ro Mueller said:

LHP Tate Kuehner (4.39 ERA, 1.46 WHIP) needs to put his walk woes behind him (22 BB / 24 Ks in 26.2 IP).

And through 4 IP, he has done just that. 5 K and 0 BB. One run allowed, not sure why it's earned as it appeared to happen on a play that incurred an error - I didn't watch but the description sounded like a double play ball but error by Adams on the play.

[Ro Mueller]

Wisconsin trails their series at Peoria 3-2, so needs a win behind RHP Ryan Birchard (4.15 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 10.4 K/9 in 21.2 IP) to salvage a draw. DH Blake Burke’s 8-game hit streak has lifted his OPS to .848. 

[biedergb]

26 minutes ago, biedergb said:

And through 4 IP, he has done just that. 5 K and 0 BB.

Well I jinxed him. Started off the 5th with a walk.  But ends the 5th on a K. Still just one run and Shuckers up 2-1. Stiven Cruz in the top of 6 to try to hold the lead.

Looks like T-Rays have taken the lead.

[biedergb]

Anyone watching the Nashville/Norfolk game. GameDay has Woody mostly throwing 88-90 mph fastballs?

Either he is dialing it back. Or there is major dip in velocity. 

[biedergb]

I'm going to assume that Woody was dialing it back and maybe working on off speed stuff knowing it was his last rehab start.  Threw a fair bit of off-speed from what I can tell, and left after 40 pitches on a K in the 3rd inning. He looked OK walking off with a lot of high fives around. So I'm going to call that a last tune up of spring training start where you don't do too much and keep yourself fresh for the next start. Reasonable?

[biedergb]

Biloxi - Adams a single he stretches to a double to lead off. Boeve K's

But Pratt doubles to LF and it's 3-1 Shuckers.

Wilken then crushes a hit at 107EV,  390 feet for a 2 run HR! 5-1 Sound!!

I like the versions of Adams-Pratt-Wilken-Lara we have been seeing the last 2-3 weeks.

[Ro Mueller]

12 hours ago, biedergb said:

I'm going to assume that Woody was dialing it back and maybe working on off speed stuff knowing it was his last rehab start.  Threw a fair bit of off-speed from what I can tell, and left after 40 pitches on a K in the 3rd inning. He looked OK walking off with a lot of high fives around. So I'm going to call that a last tune up of spring training start where you don't do too much and keep yourself fresh for the next start. Reasonable?

Yeah, he hit 96.3mph in that third inning. Hopefully he does well back in Milwaukee.

EDIT: my observation was totally incorrect. The increased velocity in that 3rd inning was from relief pitcher Sam McWilliams. Sorry.

[biedergb]

Wilken with a very nice play at 3B, steps on the bag, and throws to first and it's a 5-3 double play. Noice.

 

And Costello and Bryant come in for an inning each (so far as Bryant could pitch the 9th) as I alluded to them as possible late inning relievers should Yeager move up some day soon.

Shuckers if they hold on here, could take the series 5-1. 3 more outs to go, and the bottom of 8th - maybe the Shuckers can add on to the lead even more? Hey I can get really greedy here can't I

[markedman5]

 

[biedergb]

Matt Childers (the other closer) comes in and gets a ground out and a single

Then a sharp grounder to 2B and Warren bobbles but gets it to Pratt and he throws a dart to first and it's a game ending GIDP! Shuckers win.  From 1-7 to 20-13 that is just remarkable. Oh yeah they are in first place.

And it's the prospects (Adams, Boeve, Pratt, Wilken and Lara) who go 7-17 accounting for all the hits and runs, led by a 3-4 day by Wilken. Kuener goes 5 solid, followed by Cruz, Costello, Bryant and Childers.

[biedergb]

OK. Mudcats get shutout, and that has to be rare with that line-up but after what 16 runs last night I'll let it slide.

Let's keep it going in Peoria, and see if the T-Rats can hold on to win. And Nashville needs to wake the offense up. I'll check in later.

[markedman5]

Update …. Nashville offense woke up

[sveumrules]

9 minutes ago, markedman5 said:

Update …. Nashville offense woke up

Oliva single, to second on an EMJ walk, to third on an Alfaro GIDP, then home on a Seigler single got them one in the fourth.

Then in the fifth it was a Hall double, Herron single, and Dunn HBP that loaded em up for a 2 RBI Oliva double then a 2 RBI Alfaro single to make it 5-2 NASH.

Bruce Zimmerman has filled the bulk role with 6 K vs 1 H over four scoreless.

[wallus]

Happy for Wilken, he seems to have overcome getting hit in the face 

[gregmag]

Wilken is on an absolute tear. What’s really encouraging is that he’s doing exactly what Joseph and others were saying he needed to do: get more aggressive. 

With the usual small sample caveats plus a warning that I did this math by hand to include today’s game . . .

Wilken 4-25 (103 pa): .164 / .408 / .373 // .780

Wilken 5-25 (42 pa): .382 / .486 / .738 // 1.214

His K rate has dropped a little, from 27.2%  to 23.8%. 

His walk rate has dropped a lot, from 26.2% to 16.7%.

His HR rate has skyrocketed from .029 to .119.

His BABIP has climbed from an unsustainably low .214 to an unsustainably high .421.

Basically he’s attacking the ball a lot more, and he’s getting insanely great results. The results will regress to human levels. We can hope he sticks with the approach.

[jay87shot]

Any chance that if Wilken stays hot for a couple weeks more that we just have him skip AAA and go to the bigs? I know it's not really our org. way but we need an offensive boost and no one is as hot as Brock.

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Any chance that if Wilken stays hot for a couple weeks more that we just have him skip AAA and go to the bigs? I know it's not really our org. way but we need an offensive boost and no one is as hot as Brock.

I don't think so, no. I think, especially after last season's woes, the plan is to pray he stays healthy; builds confidence; and builds reps. Then I would imagine the org wants to see him build on a hot streak by ending the season with Nashville in hopes he is knocking on the door. If he can keep up some semblance of this form (he's inevitably going to cool off some) through the season I think he's knocking on the door early next year or in spring training. As is, the Brewers will likely tinker around with Durbin/Ortiz/Black/Dalbec etc. or a trade deadline acquisition before they force the Wilken issue. Last year's season was essentially a lost season with that HBP to the face. I think patience here and seeing where the dust settles in a couple months is the best initial approach. Super excited he's having this success and is attacking the baseball again. Do I want him to just play like this all the time and get the opportunity to play for everyday duties in Milwaukee? Absolutely. I just don't see that route happening even with another torrid month. Next stop...Nashville.