Brewers Minor League Link Report (9/16): Wichrowski Leaves Start Early after 7 K through 3.0 IP; Shuckers Lose Game One 7-2

[Joseph Zarr]

Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic

Transactions:

• RHP Manuel Rodriguez was transferred to the Development List by the Biloxi Shuckers

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Final: Louisville (Reds) 3, Nashville 1

Via the Sounds website, please be sure to click and read each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your season-long Link Report routine (believe me, it's worth it):

Cornielle Fans Six, Sounds Offense Quieted in Loss to Bats - Cornielle Strikes Out Six in Second Triple-A Start

Game Notes

Box Score/Game Log

One thing is true through two RHP Alexander Cornielle Triple-A starts: he can absolutely get the swing and miss at the Triple-A level. 5.0 IP of 4 H, 4 BB, 6 K, 3 R (2 Earned), 2 HR, 1 HB work. 80 total pitches were thrown with 54 landing for strikes. 11 swings and misses amongst 40 total swings. Though he touched 94-94.5 mph with the heaters he averaged just below 92 mph on those offerings. Two early mistakes in pitcher's counts were the difference, really. Both long balls traveled roughly 380 feet over the right field wall. I tip my cap on the first homer - it was a high outside corner heater. Heck of a swing and favorable result. The second long ball, however, certainly appeared to tail right over the heart of the plate:

Cornielle continues to show just enough to keep us quite interested, honestly, but he remains far from a finished product despite some very workable tools in his pitching kit. I did appreciate there were no four-pitch walks in this second start. That's a small step. Many more steps to take on his professional path. Unfortunately, his offense didn't really do all that much to support his cause.

The nature of this game was very much the stranded runner(s). The Sounds simply couldn't come up with any sort of rally starting key knock with runners aboard. After a torrid start to his tenure as a Nashville Sound. DH Luis Urías has now gone 0-for-7 with 1 BB and 2 K over his past two games including tonight's 0-for-3 with a walk. RF Jared Oliva came into tonight's game amidst an 0-for-20 slump. He went 0-for-4 with 2 K though he did suffer some very unfortunate luck on a well hit liner directly to the shortstop who promptly picked the runner back at 1B. When it isn't going your way, it often really isn't going your way in baseball.

1B Raynel Delgado remains a late season bright spot with his 2-for-3, 1 2B, 1 BB effort. 3B Oliver Dunn managed a 1-for-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K effort as well on the heels of his grand slam on Sunday.

Finally, I salute the shutdown bullpen efforts of RHP Justin Yeager (1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) and LHP Josh Maciejewski (1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K). My, what a Triple-A debut Yeager has had since his call-up back in late July. In 17 Nashville relief outings, Yeager has allowed an earned run in only two outings. 

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Final: Montgomery (Rays) 7, Biloxi 2

Shuckers Fall to Biscuits in Game One of SLDS - Wichrowski Ties Career-High with Seven Strikeouts

Game Notes

Box Score/Game Log

The Biloxi Shuckers have indeed now lost seven straight at Montgomery's home park. They were swept to close the month of August, 6-0. They lost game one of this three-game divisional set in convincing 7-2 fashion. And, this being said, boy will the Shuckers rue their blown bases loaded no out opportunity in the top of the second inning of a 0-0 game. Three consecutive K's by Zavier Warren, Garrett Spain, and Eduardo Garcia left all three men stranded. It was a sign of things to come. 1-for-9 with RISP and 8 men stranded in total on the night. Montgomery managed a productive 5-for-14 mark with RISP. 

RHP Brett Wichrowski's three strikeout first inning may have been the best inning I've seen him pitch all year. He touched 99.8 mph (!!) on the radar gun. That heater shape I've been lamenting of late? Perhaps, the best I've ever seen it. It had rise; ride; and movement abound. If only this was the new bar!

Things fell apart a bit in the second frame but the final line reads worse than it may have been. He was left hanging when the home plate ump blew a very clear strike 3 looking on a gorgeous back door upper corner slider. He walked the batter on the next pitch to load the bases after consecutive singles opened the inning. Another single scored the first run but with the runner holding at third base, RF Garrett Spain was able to quickly hit the relay man in 2B Eduardo Garcia and they grabbed their first out in a run down between second and third base.

This is where things got dicey. A wild pitch to the backstop (as per usual, I disagreed with this ruling - it is my humble opinion C Matt Wood had to catch that ball. It was inside, yes. But, it was off the webbing of his mitt and it very much looked catchable) scored the second run. A throwing error to first base by SS Jesús Made extended the inning. None the less, two runs were all that crossed. All three knocks, all singles, came in that frame as did his sole free pass. 3.0 IP of 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K, 2 ER work were ultimately put on Wichrowski's ledger.

The concerning element of this outing? Wichrowski was pulled after warming up to pitch his fourth frame. Something had obviously gone wrong between innings. His night was done at 66 pitches and 43 strikes. His replacement, one LHP Mark Manfredi, was not up to the task at hand in his 2/3 IP of 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 3 ER work. He was pulled at 28 pitches. 

Trailing 7-0 in the ninth inning, both Shuckers runs came via back-to-back long balls off the bats of 3B Luke Adams and C Matt Wood. Adams' shot, in particular, was an absolute 104 mph mammoth pull shot over the left field wall. This had to have felt incredible after two HBP's and one HBP off his helmet the AB prior:

The Shuckers will look to bounce back at Keesler Federal Park this Thursday. It's a win or go home game two. Hopefully some of those late well hit balls (Adams HR, Wood HR, Boeve PH 2B) can spring some much needed momentum back in Biloxi. Will we see SS Cooper Pratt back in action? We shall see.

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Biloxi will be off tomorrow as they prepare for Game Two in Biloxi on Thursday. The Sounds, however, will be back at it in Louisville. RHP Garrett Stallings will get the nod. 

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Brewers Minor League baseball. 

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[jay87shot]

Wow, Wichrowski back close to 100 is impressive this late in the year. Hopefully he is ok and can still pitch in the AFL. Looks like Letson had a quality outing as well. I am kind of thinking Wichrowski's best path might be as a reliever. If he can throw 100 in shorter stints with is high end sweeper there is a high end pitcher. Especially with our organizational pitching depth, I would transition him there until maybe the end of next year however if it stills seems reasonable.

[biedergb]

9 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Cornielle continues to show just enough to keep us quite interested, honestly, but he remains far from a finished product despite some very workable tools in his pitching kit

I have to wonder what the plans will be. He will be a minor league FA, and he has the tools, and while I doubt he will be an MLB starter (as much as I pull for him, but his inconsistency, pitch counts will limit him) I think he can be a valuable arm as a bullpen piece. But he may not want to join the very crowded field of pitching prospects at the upper levels (Wich, Kuehner, Rodriguez, Crow, Letson, Hardin etc) to compete for innings and ultimately 40 man spots.

But trades, injuries will ultimately sort this out. But Cornielle may want to try to sign with an organization that has less pitching depth to give himself a shot at making the bigs. I will be watching his offseason for sure.

[jay87shot]

5 minutes ago, biedergb said:

I have to wonder what the plans will be. He will be a minor league FA, and he has the tools, and while I doubt he will be an MLB starter (as much as I pull for him, but his inconsistency, pitch counts will limit him) I think he can be a valuable arm as a bullpen piece. But he may not want to join the very crowded field of pitching prospects at the upper levels (Wich, Kuehner, Rodriguez, Crow, Letson, Hardin etc) to compete for innings and ultimately 40 man spots.

But trades, injuries will ultimately sort this out. But Cornielle may want to try to sign with an organization that has less pitching depth to give himself a shot at making the bigs. I will be watching his offseason for sure.

Great point, I forgot he is a minor league free agent. If I was his agent I would look to switch organizations for sure, my guess is that in like half the organizations he would be in the top 10 of depth charts to be a starter next year. If we don't add any veterens I would put him around our 15th starter next year (counting Hall, Ashby, Thomas). 

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Wow, Wichrowski back close to 100 is impressive this late in the year. Hopefully he is ok and can still pitch in the AFL. Looks like Letson had a quality outing as well. I am kind of thinking Wichrowski's best path might be as a reliever. If he can throw 100 in shorter stints with is high end sweeper there is a high end pitcher. Especially with our organizational pitching depth, I would transition him there until maybe the end of next year however if it stills seems reasonable.

Man, I seriously wonder what would have happened in the outing had the homeplate ump just given him the rightful strike 3 on that filthy slider un the second inning after those consecutive singles. I personally always feel when a pitcher is absolutely bringing it, the umps need to elevate their work to meet them. He missed that call and that inning fell apart. Very high pitch count thereafter. Now we wait word on his health, I guess. Ugh.