CheezWizHed

How can Wang be considered fringe I just picked a cut-off point to avoid everyone saying that they are following Arcia everyday. But Wang really did fall off the map last year. Well now, you say to exclude the top 25, and then mentioned Diplan on your Wisconsin list [smile] DOH! Corrected now. Had to catch a couple guys at the end of the list that I removed before publishing. Just missed that one. Denson, McFarland, and Roache were all on "last years" watchlist for me. But I've become less interested in them this year. - Denson's bat just hasn't improved and his move to OF makes me less interested (indication that "utility" is his best asset). - McFarland was one of my daily watchers when he was at A-ball. He might be ok as a utility INF, but only plays 2B. Bat hasn't developed too much either. - Roache might still stick with power, but I just doubt he will make enough contact to stick at the MLB level. I check these three occasionally, but not ones I watch regularly. I also have a hard time being too interested in BP pitchers.

Lead post is updated for 2016 now. My first official "moderator" activity.

I see nuggets of this here and there, but its always fascinating to see what fringe prospects people are watching and hoping for break-out seasons. Who are those unheralded guys that you always look for in the Link Report every day? I'm watching: Rookie (well, when they start playing anyway): Malik Collymore - might get lost in the wash of OF prospects we have, but could be decent. Trey Supak - just height and intangibles alone are interesting. Getting Supak and Diaz as for fringish MLB talent (Rogers and Segura) was brilliant. Carlos Herrera - my no particular reason choice for the best arm in the Lind trade. Perhaps it was the scouting reports that reminded me of a young Jorge Lopez. Tyrone Perry - too bad the boxscores don't include current playing weight too... Wisconsin: Tucker Neuhaus - I watched him closely the last couple years and he really fizzled. But his hot start and being reminded that he is only 20 renewed the interest. Brevard: Dustin Houle - Good catchers are so hard to find. Not a highly touted pick and then was injured for a year. Came back well last year, so it will be interesting to see if he can pair with Nottingham for our catcher tandem of the future. Carlos Leal - Just a great breakout story on the guy last year. Not sure if he can make it as a prospect, but worth watching (when he gets activated that is). Bubba Derby - the name alone is interesting. But also nice to find out what we get in these trades. Jose Cuas - Maybe its just the cool sounding last name. Or maybe a big 3B kid with some possible upside. Biloxi: Garrett Cooper - We have had a lot of 4th-6th round 1B come and go the last couple years. Cooper's resurgence last year makes me thing he could be a legit MLB 1B. But has this year to prove that it wasn't a fluke last year. Could be a poor man's Lyle Overbay type player. Given our lack of 1B prospects, I'll take that. Wei-Chung Wang - Could climb the list quickly if he performs this year like second half of last year. Has very high potential arm if it all comes together. Jorge Ortega - Great breakout year after skipping Wisconsin. Low BB, but also low K rate. Getting out of Brevard will be a good indicator to see if his results can be sustained. Javier Salas - Someone else mentioned that he looked like Mike Fiers, but threw harder. Poor results in previous years, but that alone has me intrigued. Colorado Springs: Manny Pina/ Josmil Pinto - For one, I can never keep the two straight, so I watch both. "Free" fringe catchers. Just interesting to see if either will turn into something. And I like catchers...is that so wrong? And just to define "fringe", let's exclude everyone in the newly minted top 25: #1 ( - ) Orlando Arcia, SS, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 21 #2 ( - ) Brett Phillips, CF, AA Biloxi, Age 21 #3 ( - ) Jorge Lopez, RP, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 23 #4 ( - ) Trent Clark, CF, Helena, Age 19 #5 (+1) Josh Hader, LHP, AA Biloxi, Age 21 #6 (new) Jacob Nottingham, C, AA Biloxi, Age 21 #7 (-2) Gilbert Lara, SS, Helena, age 18 #8 (-1) Kodi Medeiros, LHP, Brevard County, Age 19 #9 (new) Isan Diaz, SS/2B, A- Wisconsin, Age 19 #10 (+4) Cody Ponce, RHP, A+ Brevard County, Age 21 #11 (+2) Monte Harrison, OF, A- Wisconsin, Age 20 #12 (-1) Devin Williams, RHP, A+ Brevard County, Age 21 #13 (-1) Clint Coulter, RF, A+ Brevard County, Age 22 #14 (-6) Zach Davies, RHP, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 23 #15 (-1) Demi Orimoloye, OF, Helena, Age 19 #16 (-6) Michael Reed, OF, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 23 #17 (-8) Tyrone Taylor, OF, AA Biloxi, Age 22 #18 (-) Marcos Diplan, RHP, A- Wisconsin, Age 19 #19 (+3) Nathan Kirby, LHP, IR, Age 22 #20 (-4) Jake Gatewood, 3B, A+ Wisconsin, Age 20 #21 (-4) Adrian Houser, RHP, AA Biloxi, Age 23 #22 (new) Keon Broxton, OF, Milwaukee, Age 24. #23 (+2) Yadiel Rivera, INF, Milwaukee, Age 23 #24 (new) Garni Cecchini, 3B, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 24. #25 (new) Rymer Liriano, OF, Milwaukee (60 Day DL), Age 24

He was rated the top fielding 2B in MWL last season. It is almost nightly there is mention about an outstanding defensive play by him. 2 incredible ones the other night. I haven't gone to a ton of games but from what I have, he is impressive out there. Thanks. I remember hearing he was good, but forgot about the top rating in MWL. Still not sure if that equates to GG level at the MLB, but good to track anyway. Neuhaus has been one of my closet favorites over the last couple years. But I'm guessing people lost interest once he was moved off of 3B and could never get above 700 OPS (I did). But even if he does improve this year, we are probably talking about a fringe prospect (like McFarland? - another closet favorite). Compare him to what Isan Diaz did last year (and is continuing this year) at 18 in Helena. Top prospects are going to produce regardless of age.

Flores & Broxton better remove heads soon [sarcasm]Ewww.. let's keep it positive and PG.[/sarcasm]

Really surprised no Tucker Neuhaus on there. Repeating Wisconsin but still one of the youngest guys on team and in the league. Gold Glove caliber defender at 2B, bat has made a lot of progress. Its true that he only turns 21 this June, so he still won't be old for Wisconsin ball. And he has a chance to grow back into a prospect yet. But his bat has been so far out for three years (best last year at a 662 OPS) that its hard to think that its going to happen. I've heard is defense is good, but not GG caliber. What has you thinking GG capable?

Cincinnati isn't famous for chili. They are famous for calling meaty spaghetti sauce, "chili"

Vader in his prime was only in episode III. After battle with Obi-Wan, there wasn't much left of a him. But I'm sure they will find a way to have him fight like Darth Maul...

Awesome! I'm sure he wasn't a jerk all the time.

Ugh...pit of the stomach bad feelings going on. Hopefully nothing but the Brewers never seem to come out on the good side of arm fatigue

If he gets a shot, its most likely to keep Jorge from coming up early. Davies is the first SP up, but if they don't want to crack the seal on the young guys service time, then we might see him. Probably not significant otherwise.

True. Not to mention the personal side of things. I manage a team of people and some times someone just doesn't fit in the team. Or isn't giving the needed effort.

Davies with 8K/1BB in 5IP and 86 pitches. Nice. Woodruff also with a nice start. Then the BP blew up. Houle and Cuas are guys to watch in Brevard. Houle doubled his pleasure last night. Would be nice to have Nottingham and Houle come up as #1 and #2 in a couple years. Hader says, look at me with 5Ks in 4IP. Gagnon says, I can do that in 3IP. Rattler's had an interesting stat line: - in 28 ABs, they had 11Ks and 5 BBs - No one that walked struck out (and vice versa). Everyone struck out or walked at least once. - 5 people Ked; 4 people BBed.

Nice "sightings" for Juan Francisco and 3TO too.

Head scratcher... so instead of accessing the subscription through MLB At Bat, you need another app that isn't Android compatible? Seems like their app developers need to meet.

1.5 games out of the WC hunt!

Especially this year. Pena wasn't much of a prospect but his resurgence at the end of last year always gives a glimmer of hope for the guy. But then he got one shot (or not even really that as it seems they decided before he pitched) and was replaced by a complete non-prospect.

September 13, 1982 After having his first child in the offseason, veteran Rickie Weeks has decided to start going by Rickie Weeks Jr. “I just had a son and I named him Rickie,” Weeks Jr. said. “I am a junior, obviously, but I named him Rickie the third. I wanted to keep it alive, I guess.” Link.

Overall, it was pretty minor. But living in northern Wisconsin, I only saw a couple games as a kid. I was down at the fence by the Brewers dugout before the game. Gantner was standing 10 feet away doing nothing, so I asked him for an autograph. He looked my way and said, "I've got to stretch out kid" (I was ~14 at the time) and walked off into the field. Never came back close until the game started. Glenn Braggs was in the dugout that same game. I asked him the same question. He told me he come by in a couple minutes, finished what he was doing, and came to sign autographs. I got swarmed by a bunch of younger kids pushing their way in. He reached over the kids to sign mine (since I asked him). I can't imagine the pain in the butt autograph hounds can be for BB players (which is one reason I've stopped asking for them). But there just was something condescending in the way Gantner handled it. It obviously rubbed me the wrong way. The guy gets lumped in with Yount and Molitor for that era of Brewer baseball, but he really isn't anywhere close to the same level of player.

Well, it is 1989... +1. I really only started following the Brewers in 1986. I thought he was great for a couple years, but we hung on to him way too long. Knowing what I know now, I'm not sure he was even that great those couple years. And I has a similar encounter with him at one of the very few games I got to attend.

When I look at the Twins, Cubs, White Sox, etc. trying to play early season games in this weather, it just makes me happy that the Brewers have the facility that they do. My daughter saw the Twins rolling out the tarp in the rain and asked me what that was for. When I told her, the response was, "Why don't they just build a roof?" I laughed and laughed. I was pretty impressed with Nelson the other day. 88 pitches and was in the 8th inning. Got to love that efficiency.

Things that make you go Hmmmm....

I was watching the CBS Gametracker on my phone during the 2nd or 3rd inning. Jungmann was throwing his FB at 89 MPH, which was rather surprising. I thought last year he was sitting in the 92-94 MPH range? Anyone else see that?

Which is exactly why you burn Davies' service clock this year instead of Lopez. Plus Davies already "succeeded" at AAA level. Lopez really just broke out last year (or maybe 1/2 year prior). So another solid year in the minors is worthwhile.

Players dominating minor leaguers will have their development stunted if they aren't brought to the big leagues for the final stages of development. Artificially holding them back because they don't quite fit a time table is shortsighted. Anthony Rizzo and Jose Altuve were developing into stars with awful teams. I don't disagree, but that isn't what this team is about, at least right now. I agree with your intent that our main rebuilding focus is at the MiLB level. But "what this team is about" at the MLB level is finding which of the massive host of fringe MLB talent (Villar, Walsh, Flores, Liriano, Broxton, Rivera, Pena, Jones, Nolin and a lesser extend Santana, Anderson, Jungmann, Peralta, Nelson) are viable MLB players; Be it a starter, bullpen or bench player role. Which of those guys do we keep around once the MiLB talent actually starts coming? Which do you DFA and which do you trade? So either Pena made the decision really easy this spring or losing Will Smith is causing the management to react and get a bit more experience in the BP. I'm a bit surprised and hoped he would get a longer rope. His history is a slow starter in the spring.