Wed. 6/4 - Daytime Double-dip in Appleton; DSL'ers Get a Day Off

[Jim Goulart]

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

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[Ro Mueller]

High-A Wisconsin hosts Twins’ affiliate Cedar Rapids for a doubleheader today, with RHP Ryan Birchard starting the opener and looking for a bounce back from his last appearance. 

[Joseph Zarr]

I believe RHP Ryan Birchard does indeed prefer starting - just a hunch. 5 K through 3.0 IP. 
 

OH! And Dinges just ripped a two- out two-run HR over the CF wall. 4-1 T-Rats.

[markedman5]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

6 K for Birchard now. He has given up two solo shots. T-Rats lead 4-2. He just gave up a two out single and we have a mound visit.

Coming in to today's outing, Birchard had only given up two long balls in 36 2/3 IP on the season.

[Joseph Zarr]

Great work he gets  ahead 0-1. Falls behind 2-1. Then proceeds to grab his 7th K on a gorgeous outside string dropped curve ball. Whewwww. Nasty pitch. On to the bottom of the fourth, 4-2 Rattlers lead. At 65 pitches he will indeed likely come out for the 5th.

[Joseph Zarr]

Beautiful sac fly from Guilarte scores Nicasia. The T-Rats get the run back. 5-2 lead. Two down. Bottom 4.

[Joseph Zarr]

The sac fly was really a beautiful thing. Nicasia walked on four pitches. Stole 2B. Took 3B on a WP. Guilarte fouled off two very tough 3-2 pitches. Then just hit the deep sac fly to straightaway CF. Great AB. Love it.

[Joseph Zarr]

6-2 T-Rats! Nice easy oppo line drive single to right CF from Baez. Alastre (full count free pass - took 2B via balk).

[Joseph Zarr]

Burke rips an 0-2 deep single - he gets a terrible bounce off the wall and has to retreat to 1B and he is picked off (the base may have been blocked). Both runs count. Really bad luck on that bounce off the base of the left CF wall. It did appear as tho the base was blocked. Birchard is back out and falls behind 2-0 to start the 5th. 8-2 lead. Much better T-Rats AB's in this game since I've been watching.

[Joseph Zarr]

Birchard walks the 9-hole hitter on five pitches. Tough look. That's his second free pass. A classic all over the place Birchard pitch sequence - heater couldn't locate.

[Joseph Zarr]

8th K - career high - for Birchard. Gets the dangerous Culpepper. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Ahead 0-2 to the next batter. Gets the 9th K on a high heater. Dinges tries to back pick the runner at 1B and they credit him with the error on the throw - I don't know...looked like Burke could have caught that? Hard to tell. Man on third. Two down now. Yeah, it looked like Burke tried to tag the runner before he actually had the ball. Man, I swear I disagree with Minor League scorers every game. They just don't see the game the way I do.😅

[Joseph Zarr]

I mean Burke watches the ball doing down the RF line and he's staring at his glove in disbelief. AND, the scorer sees what I sees and says: "Yeah, that's on the catcher for throwing a dart to the 1B glove. Can't do that!" Once again, the box score will fail to tell the tale.

[Joseph Zarr]

MAN, I just love Victor Estevez. He lets Birchard come back out for the 6th. AND, he lets him work into the low 90's pitch count to get a full count swinging 10th K!!!

HEY BREWERS: I DO NOT CARE IF YOU HAVE REHABBERS. RHP Ryan Birchard IS A STARTING PITCHER.

Thank you for attending my 'Ted Rant' 😅

[Joseph Zarr]

Root getting squeezed to start the 7th and Final inning. Don't love that. 8-2 T-Rats. AB should be over by my eyes. Instead we are in a full count with two straight fouled off. Guilarte snags a hard hit one hop 105 mph liner. One down.

[Joseph Zarr]

2-2 count. Two down. The T-Rats telecast is playing 'Welcome to the Jungle'. What's more momentous than Root being stopped in his wind up with a pitch clock violation? 😅

[Joseph Zarr]

He gets the 3-2 dribbler to the mound on a poor swing on a heater up and in (ball four if he lays off). Who cares? The T-Rats are 0.500 for the first time since they were 3-3! 26-26. Woot! Big time. 

[snoogans8056]

I have no reason to be, but I am a Juan Baez truther.

All these teens are so young for their levels that it’s gonna be neat to see who takes off after sticking around a level for another year. Gonna have to be able to play all over the field to make room for those coming up behind them though.

Could make for some super utility guys in a few years.

[Terry]

Highest whiff totals for Birchard this season.👏

[Joseph Zarr]

31 minutes ago, snoogans8056 said:

I have no reason to be, but I am a Juan Baez truther.

All these teens are so young for their levels that it’s gonna be neat to see who takes off after sticking around a level for another year. Gonna have to be able to play all over the field to make room for those coming up behind them though.

Could make for some super utility guys in a few years.

I hear you on this. AND, I want to advise.

A true 'Baez Truther', as they are affectionately termed in the prospect community, would recklessly and over-aggressively state their point(s). I think you are trying it on but I think you have work to do. 😜

All kidding aside, Baez certainly has potential. His continued lack of power paired with his over-aggressive style doesn't necessarily bode well but he flashes enough to speak to what you are trying to get across. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Culpepper homered off the second pitch in Game 1. He ripped a bomb of Cruz on the second pitch of Game 2. Man, he is a player. Absolutely trounced on a dead center 92 mph heater. 1-0 Kernels.

[Joseph Zarr]

All told, Cruz limited any more damage. 22 pitches total. 1-0 T-Rats will trail again in the early going. 

[Joseph Zarr]

The T-Rats will face the Kernels' Peschl - who pitches out of Campbell University...which is the same 'U' RHP Aaron Rund came from. The more you know.

[Joseph Zarr]

T-Rats go 3-up. 3-down. 3 relatively decently hit ground outs.