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Oh boy - A. Valecillo’s first outing after missing nearly 2 years did go well statistically- just hoping he felt good and arm is ok for more outings.

Yup, agree. Not to mention if we took one of those other players, we may not have signed Dubanewicz, Renz, Broughton for example (not all three maybe one or two), but that savings at the top spot and still get a top 3 round talent, while adding 5th-10th round talent is very important to build quality depth. Having so many younger pitchers is good since we don't HAVE to rely on a Knoth or Meccage developing (while I still want them to obviously) but having Letson, Hardin (yes college arm I know), Dubanewicz among Renz, Robinson and who knows what with Broughton, allows flexibility. One or two of that group develop and viola we have a successful draft, but don't identify, draft and sign some of those arms, and we have to rely on the top names to succeed. But Payne could be the next EBJ draft pick, or another Turang/Frelick (or even better) as a former Brewer 1st rounder who may have a nice career in the Bigs.

Mercedes is out. 6 innings of 1-hit shutout baseball. Great outing for yet another ACL starter - seems like a lot more 4-6 inning starts for SP this year or at least it feels that way. D. Mora in now. Gets an out then a HBP.

Welp typed too soon, or not fast enough. ACL Rangers get a hit. But ACL Brewers are up 4-0. Suffice to say that this is Mercedes best start so far.

Broca gets the final out. T Rats get a big win. but rest of the organization- not so good today. But wait the Desert Crew are scoring runs and getting hits which their opponent is not doing yet…

Didn’t necessarily see that coming but it makes sense given the depth rising up and his challenges, this gives him a chance to sign with another organization or join independent ball now and try to get looks for another team. Crazy that in April ‘24 he looked like another fast rising pitching prospect. Man sometimes this is so hard to predict. Baseball….

Yes while separate rules, there is a lot of overlap with 40 man roster being the biggest way to protect a player from leaving. While many know this ( and I hope I'm describing it correctly) the Rule 5 designation will only impact whether or not the player could be eligible for the Rule 5 draft and that player stays with the team if not drafted (or protected), but minor league FAs need to re-up with the team or find a new team unless they are added to the 40 man roster. I think I have that correct (I hope) So using Areinamo and Corneille as examples, the rules will impacted each, but different ways: 1. Areinamo,if he is eligible and not protected, could go to a rebuilding team (think Rockies/WhiteSox/Marlins) as a Rule 5 pick up, but will be a Brewer if not selected. Protection would be primarily 40 man add. 2. Cornielle could sign and join any organization as a FA in the offseason. But could still be a Brewer if either added to the 40 man, or he chooses to just renew his minor league contract with the club (ie EMJ last year).

Tobias runs into some difficulties- a double, then a sac bunt and then an error and a run scores. A SB and another error and that runner scores. Next inning a HR. Brewers down 4–0 and offense had two early hits but nothing since. Royals have the lead off runner on in the 7ty and next gets on with a bunt single. Tobias needs to get out of the jam. That’s part of the development process.

Hayden Robinson started again - 2 IP, 2BB, 1H, 1ER, 1K Nick Merkel with an inning of hitless shutout relief Tobias now in. brew Crew down 1-0.

As a huge fan of Cornielle - he is talented and an incredibly thoughtful person who seems like a nice guy from interviews (he is the translator for all Shucker interviews with Spanish speaking players) - I have to agree he is not a 40 man player, and his path to the big leagues is really crowded if not blocked in Milwaukee right now unless he transforms into an elite reliever.

yes I joking said we would draft catcher heavy. But there can be a lot of motion in the catching ranks. We did so last year bringing in guys like Garcia and Rodriguez who were a little older, less "prospect" but solid and that helps pitchers in their development. So for catcher you want a few prospects (Quero, Dinges and marginally Miller/Wood), and then you need some guys who will be D first catcher, who may be future back ups in the bigs (that is a path for them), and get one in each of AA, A and even low A to help the defense and pitching out.

It is early on for both. They are young, athletic, but really raw. Made has made some incredible plays the past few weeks, so if your game experience was front loaded, I would have agreed with you, but the past 2-3 weeks Made is starting to look like he can handle it. And yes, one would say "Oh that's just a couple of weeks" but he is stateside playing low A ball when his peers in the US would have just completed their senior (or rarely junior) season, and it has been an upward arrow over the past month, which is the key to development. It is not good from a production level to be sure. But from a future potential it is a very talented team. They are almost all teenagers playing routinely against 20-21 year olds (heck some pitchers are 22-23 years old drafted last year). most of these players would still be in HS, or the DSL, or the Complex League. The other is that there have been some promotions (Dinges most notably) and injuries that factor into what this team can do. Most won't be pushed further because being in Carolina is already a big push for them. He could handle 3rd (did so last season in Carolina) but will be suited for 1B, and needs a lot of refinement. He is my most frustrating prospect to watch since the talent is there (he has athleticism and raw power), but he needs to recognize pitches better and understand how to make more contact, and learn to not expand the zone and take walks. He is being preached this, and he is also still young, currently still 19, so there is time. If he could put it together he is a sure fire top 5 prospect as he could hit for some average and have plus plus power. But a lot of development to go, and with that profile still has value at 1st base or LF. Otherwise injuries (Bitonti sat for several days; Payne has been in and mostly out of the line up; Adamczewski has missed most of the season) has really affected this team, but guys like DiTuri who looked so lost last year is doing well, and now as a 19 yo looks the part of a low A player. So that's what this is for their development. Not a lot of 19-20 years are MLB ready.

Second that one. Between Garcia being injured, Rodriguez going down, and now Dinges, it seems like there are not enough catchers right now, or so it feels. And I'd love to sign every one of these guys, but they also have a chance at a better opportunity to get to the big league elsewhere I think, as there is some serious depth in this organization, not just star studded (there are some of those for sure) but even like Matt Wood who (along with Quero and emergence of Dinges) may push a Darrien Miller out. Just using him as an example again, I am sure there are organizations out there now with little AAA/AA catching prospects or depth where he will fill in, rather than toil away another year in AA. But some guys also may really like it in the organization so we will see.

The only three that I see as interesting decisions are 1. Mr. Alexander Cornielle - up to AA, and is doing fairly well. I know most of you are shocked that I would list him (lol), but as a big fan, I see where he could re-up with the Brewers (maybe with an invite to camp), or he will sign with a pitching starved club where the path to bigs is easier, or he could be dealt (gulp!) at the trade deadline so that it is another team's decision to make. I look forward to seeing him in the Brewers uniform but he (like the other two) may have their fortunes elsewhere. As a side note I was looking at possible pitching depth next year, and while health is the great unknown I see a lot of pitchers who will be in that AAA/MLB mix (Hunt, Wichrowski, Crow, Rodriguez, Kuehner, Meyers, Patrick, Gasser, Hardin) which is a crowded field, unless he repeats AA again but he would know that he has a better chance of being in the AAA/MLB mix next year with another organization. I only hope he pitches so well the next two months that he forces his way into this discussion. But still that's a few pitchers who will have to be trading chips at some point in the next year or two. 2. Darrien Miller - man I have really wanted him to be the next catching prospect to emerge for a while (he was drafted out of HS in 2019!!), but he has been since lapped by Quero, and now will be passed by at least Dinges and even Wood who seems to be holding his own in AA and is better defensively. I doubt that Miller stays also knowing that Contreras, Quero, Wood and Dinges likely are above him (or at least in competition with him) in the pecking order. But a prove it deal and play at AAA next year is not out of the question. 3. Eduardo Garcia - man he has been a Brewer farmhand since like 2008 it seems. He was at AA briefly last year I think and is doing an EMJ in '24 type of resurgence year. There is need for a middle infielder who can play outfield, but in his fourth year at high A, unless he gets up to AA this year, he will also likely look for another organization with less depth. Our current MLB infield is so young (25-27 yo) and we have a former MILB infielder turned OF who has done well since joining another organization (Collins), so Garcia may likely opt to go that way. HM - EMJ. Wow last year there was no way I was going to think of him as anything but a Brewer, but his so-so AAA year, and the depth again (theme) of Adams, Boeve, Burke, Bitonti who are younger (an high draft pedigrees) and all will need to move up, so that leaves EMJ as the MLB or bust camp, and maybe he can hold the fort down if given a 40 man spot, but we will see in the next article about Rule 5 protection, but I think the numbers game see him elsewhere next year too. There doesn't seem to be a EMJ or Shane Smith this season, who is on the cusp of protection/MLB that the minor league followers are clamoring for in terms of bringing back.

For in-season injuries in a short time period, this is unusual. But we have multiple injuries each year (remember Wilken was hit in the eye last year; Quero injured his first at bat). However the most serious ones seem to happen in the offseason, so a lot players hurt may really miss time the following year and these are often known (ie Knoth, Gasser, Cortez, among other). This does seem like a bad run (really since about a month ago with Rodriguez who is not really a true prospect however it was a non-contact injury) but then things kept getting weird like with Woodruff's 2 setbacks, and other mystery ailments.

Man this season started with a bunch of top prospects on the shelf- and some came back (Quero, Wichrowski, Boeve, Crow, and Black, all to different degrees of success). And now mid-season a bunch of recent injuries or updates on those who are out (O’Rae, Adamczewski, Adams, Wilken, now Dinges, and unknown status of Payne). Catching depth will be tested with Ramon Rodriguez out, and both Dinges and possibly Walther looking at IL time. Gonna load up on catchers in the draft??? I mean half kidding, but for position players still feel you grab as many SS/CF/C as possible since they can ultimately play anywhere.

I agree, not the best time to look to shop him or try to trade for best value. Arnold and staff/scouts will have to decide on whether they think he can get back on track and reclaim his prospect value. So trading now is not best time to trade to maximize his value, but whether that value can increase is unknown, however if someone calls asking for him I wouldn’t say no.

Oh no Woodruff gives up a 3 run HR. Yikes.

Mudcats get an insurance run and hold on to win 4-2 TRats up in the bottom of 9 trying to tie the game down 5-4 still And Woodruff laboring to get through the first inning. But fastball velocity recorded at 96 on a ball that walked a batter so better velocity is encouraging. We can surely use some good news on the injury from between Adams, Wilken, Mitchell and now Dinges. Ugh

Well looks like no no hitter or shutout against. As Nashville gets 2 hits and a run in the top of 1st. Getting back to TRats. That Dinges injury is such a downer. Adams, Wilken and now Dinges. Just a bummer 2 weeks.

Burke with a huge double and Areinamo scores but Dinges goes down turning around 3rd base. Grabbing his hamstring. Oh no. Getting helped off the field. Please no. No more injuries to key players and top prospects- this is enough. ugh. It’s a 5-3 game. Should be 5-4 but Dinges injury really affects this game and the team moving forward. Garcia hits it where they ain’t and it’s a shallow RF double now 5-4

This just in - Pena is good at stealing bases ... Blake Burke is not. Pena to 2nd, and Bitonti end of the bat grounder to SS and no play anywhere for an infield hit and runners at the corner. Anderson to the plate Burke caught stealing 2nd, and now 2 outs no one on. Baez up.

Burke keeps hitting 2-2 with a walk today. Rain and wind rolling in, so we will see if this game will continue. And Pena - walks for the 3rd time today 😳 that's a nice development to get his BB% up.

The baseball gods giveth (Burke 2-run HR) and they taketh - Langhorne gives up 2 runs in the 5th with 2 singles, then a WP and another single later and it's 5-2 Quad Cities. Grrr.

Bowman gives up the lead off HR. Then gets the next 3 Clingstones, and preserves the win. Shuckers win 4-1. Woo hoo