Eye Black

Buster Olney weighs in with this Tweet:

Brewers drop second straight game to Billings By Helena Independent Record http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/d0/1d08c656-17a7-11e4-840c-001a4bcf887a/53d87d7d5f017.preview-620.jpg Billing's Mustangs' Alberti Chavez (16) catches the throw as Helena's Gregory Munoz (3) steals second in their game in Billings Tuesday July 29, 2014. Connor Narron shined in his Helena Brewers debut, but it wasn’t enough as his team fell 5-2 to Billings on Tuesday at Dehler Park. The catcher, called up from the Arizona League to replace Greg McCall, who had season-ending knee surgery, was 2 for 3 with a double and a home run in his first game wearing a Helena uniform. But he was the only player with more than one hit for the Brewers, who were just 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. The Mustangs were led by right fielder Aristides Aquino, who went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and finished just a triple shy of the cycle. His solo shot in the fourth inning off of Brewers starter Zach Hirsch was his 11th home run this season. Connor Narron’s homer was a two-run jack, also coming in the fourth frame. Hirsch (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing three runs on six hits through four innings of work. Billings starter Tyler Mahle (3-4) earned the win after giving up just one run on three hits through 5 2/3 innings while fanning five. Brennan Bernardino picked up his fifth save for Billings, striking out two in a scoreless ninth to stave off any chance of a Helena comeback. The two teams will meet again tonight, only this time they will be in Helena. First pitch at Kindrick Legion Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Final: Billings 5, Helena 2 Mustangs sweep Brewers with 5-2 win By Dustin Daniel / Helena Brewers The Helena Brewers (2-2) were swept by the Billings Mustangs (3-1) on Tuesday with a 5-2 defeat at Dehler Park. The Mustangs would jump on the board first with a couple of doubles in the first inning, one of which would score Aristedes Aquino. Aquino was 3-for-4 Tuesday, coming up a triple short of the cycle and hitting his league-leading 11th homer. Zach Hirsch (0-1) made his first professional start, going four innings, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out three. Tyler Mahle (3-4) was solid on the other side for the Mustangs, pitching five and two-thirds innings of one-run baseball, giving up just three hits and striking out five. The Brewers would tie it up in the fourth with a solo home run from Connor Narron. Narron, playing in his first game in the Pioneer League, went 2-for-3 with a double and the homer. The Mustangs would take back the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Aquino hit a solo home run to left and Brian O'Grady scored on an RBI single from Garrett Boulware. They would pad that lead in the seventh when Aquino hit a two-RBI single with the bases loaded. Sthervin Matos' 15-game hitting streak came to an end as he went 0-for-4 with a strike out. The current high on the team now belongs to Jack Cleary who rides a 10-game streak. The Brewers and the Mustangs now head back to Helena for two games at Kindrick Field. First pitch Wednesday is set for 7:05 p.m. Helena Box Score Helena Game Log

Latest from Rosenthal Tweet: And Pete Abraham Tweet

A lot of speculation about Jose Tabata getting scratched from the lineup before tonight's Indianapolis Indians game. I love the monitoring of minor league lineup moves as hints before the trade deadline.

If I was going to bet on it I would say the Cardinals, but hopefully I am wrong.

Barring a major injury Price would pitch throughout 2015 as well.

Updated.

Some possible foreshadowing to Saturday's match-up with the Cardinals via this Derrick Goold Tweet: I always enjoy the games right after the trade deadline since it is the first look at trade acquisitions with their new teams. This year might be an exception if the Cardinals bring in a front-of-the-rotation starter. The St. Louis series has the potential to set the tone for the last two months of the season.

Alex Cobb has only faced 23 Brewers batters tonight, and 10 of them have struck out. Hopefully they find a way to turn things around in a hurry.

Barely

Lucroy with the passive-aggressive move of the night there, moving his head over to try and figure out where Garza's 3-0 curveball missed.

Billings blisters Brewers 10-5 By Helena Independent Record A pair of three-run homers were the difference Monday in the Helena Brewers’ 10-5 loss to the Billings Mustangs at Dehler Park. Brian O’Grady smacked his home run in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 4-all after Helena took a 4-0 lead in the second. Taylor Sparks smashed his three-run shot in the fifth frame to extend the Mustangs’ lead to 8-4. Run-scoring singles by Alan Sharkey, Brandon Diaz and Sthervin Matos had the visitors up early, but that was all the offense the Brewers could muster for the next seven scoreless frames. Billings’ win halted Helena’s two-game win streak, and was the Brewers’ first defeat of the second half. The Mustangs outhit Helena 9-7, and the two teams combined for five errors in the contest. Drew Ghelfi (0-1) relieved Brewers starter Josh Uhen after four innings. Ghelfi gave up four earned runs on three hits in his lone frame of work to take the loss. Billings reliever Seth Varner (2-0) pitched two innings of one-hit scoreless ball to earn the win. Sthervin Matos continued his hot hitting for Helena, as the third baseman went 3 for 5 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. He was the only player to have more than one hit for the Brewers, who also failed to record an extra-base hit Monday evening. Ty Washington and Kevin Franklin each had two hits for the Mustangs. NOTES: Connor Narron joined the Helena Brewers on Monday, replacing catcher Greg McCall. McCall, who hadn’t played for Helena since July 17, is back in Arizona for surgery on a torn meniscus. McCall will spend the rest of the season rehabbing his knee at the Maryvale facility. Narron, a former fifth-round pick for the Baltimore Orioles, was released by the O’s in March after advancing as high as the high-A Frederick Keys. He spent the beginning of this year in the Arizona League and hit .139 in 43 at-bats. http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/3d/d3d201f6-16dd-11e4-8da0-001a4bcf887a/53d72bc745db1.preview-699.jpg Helena Brewers player Luis Aviles throws to first base for an out Monday during the Mustangs vs. Helena Brewers game at Dehler Park.

Final: Billings 10, Helena 5 10-5 loss for Brewers puts them in tie for first By Dustin Daniel / Helena Brewers The Helena Brewers (2-1) dropped the series opener 10-5 to the Billings Mustangs (2-1) Monday night at Dehler Park in Billings. Sthervin Matos extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a 3-for-5 performance in game one of the two-game series, adding two RBI to bring his season total to 24 through 18 games. Helena scored 4 of their five runs in the second and would have only two hits the rest of the way. Sthervin Matos had a two-RBI single complimenting RBI base-hits from Alan Sharkey and Brandon Diaz off Billings starter Wyatt Strahan. Strahan went three innings, giving up four runs on five hits. The Mustangs would do their scoring in bunches, coming up with four runs in both the third and fifth innings. Brian O'Grady and Taylor Sparks each had three-run home runs to push the Mustangs out to a lead which they would never relinquish. The Helena pitching staff gave up nine hits, six of which were for extra bases. The loss breaks Helena's winning streak and is the first defeat for the Brewers in the second half of the season. With wins for Billings and Great Falls, there is now a three-way tie for first in the Pioneer League North Division. The Brewers and the Mustangs will face off in the finale of their two-game series Tuesday from Dehler Park. First pitch from Billings is set for 7:05 p.m. Helena Box Score No extra base hits for the Brewers tonight. Only one multi-hit game, and it came from Sthervin Matos who was 3-for-5 (with a stolen base) to stretch his hitting streak to 15 games as noted above. Matos has struggled defensively while being rotated between 1B and 3B, committing his 6th error in 18 Pioneer League games. Helena had 11 strikeouts in the game, led by Tucker Neuhaus who struck out 3 times. With one out and a runner at third base in the 6th, Brandon Diaz caught a fly ball in centerfield and threw the tagging runner out at the plate to end the inning. Helena Game Log

It seems like going out and getting a consensus front of the rotation ace for the stretch run as well as for all of 2015 fits perfectly with the organizations "window theory". DM has alluded to in the past that he believes small market clubs like the Brewers have ebb and flows that allow for windows of success every few years. In the past he obviously hasn't shied away from using prospects as commodities when the window for success appeared to be the present. Now the Brewers sit with the NL Central title within reach and a shot to assemble a rotation that would be considered anywhere from comparable-to-favorable pitching match-ups in the playoffs against just about any team east of Nevada. It just seems so enticing for an organization that may very well be on the decline in the near future whether it is with or without guys like Nelson and Gennett. I probably would not make the deal because it would further deplete any chance of success as some of the teams core pieces age or move on. Still, if they do decide to pull the trigger on a deal centered around Nelson, Gennett, Thornburg, and even the competitive balance pick, I think the majority of the industry will think the Brewers stole Price, comparative to what the rumored possible returns with high-end prospects has been over the past few months.

Found this article interesting... Beat Rays, and Brewers raise their chances to get David Price By Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports The Brewers, by defeating the Rays the next three days, could improve their chances in two different races. The one for the National League Central title. And the one to land Rays left-hander David Price. The Brewers are among the teams to express interest in Price, according to major league sources. Their inquiry was akin to putting their "foot in the water," one source said. The Rays, however, are still mulling whether they will even trade Price. They enter Monday's play 7-1/2 games out in the American League East and stand only a 7 percent chance of winning the division and 13.5 percent chance of reaching the postseason, according to Fangraphs. A sweep by the Brewers leading to Thursday's non-waiver deadline at 4 p.m. ET would make those odds even steeper. Even then, the Brewers would be a long shot to land Price, particularly when the division rival Cardinals, another potential suitor for the All-Star left-hander, possess one of the deepest farm systems in baseball. To get Price, sources say, the Brewers would need to include players from their major league roster; the team's farm system, while improving, could not provide enough talent to entice the Rays. The Mariners and Dodgers also are in the mix for Price, sources say, and some within the industry believe that the Cubs will make a play for the All-Star lefty, who has a 1.88 ERA in his past 11 starts and a major-league-leading 183 strikeouts and only 21 walks on the season. The Brewers' chances would hinge in part on owner Mark Attanasio, who often is aggressive in trying to obtain talent. The team's only two playoff appearances in the past 31 years came after Attanasio authorized general manager Doug Melvin to trade for elite starters -- CC Sabathia in the July 2008 and Zack Greinke in December 2010. Price, 28, would give the Brewers the ace that they currently lack. And though the team's farm system is rated next-to-last in the majors by Baseball America, the organization is not devoid of prospects. Foremost among them: Right-hander Jimmy Nelson, who has a 1.46 ERA in 111 innings at Triple-A this season and a 5.06 ERA in 16 innings in the majors. The Brewers also boast several promising position players in the Class A Florida State and Midwest leagues, including center fielder Tyrone Taylor, 20; shortstop Orlando Arcia, 19; and catcher Clint Coulter, 20. The Rays, though, almost certainly could get players closer to the majors from other clubs. The Brewers also might determine that Price ultimately would be too expensive. His salary could jump to as much as $20 million next season in his final year of arbitration before free agency, likely reducing the number of suitors if his next team wanted to trade him this offseason. The next three games could help determine whether trade conversations accelerate. Every team interested in Price should, at the very least, root for the Brewers to win the first two. Price's next scheduled start is the third game against Milwaukee, Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. ET. Whether he takes the mound remains to be seen.

Brewers beat Osprey, improve to 2-0 in 2nd half By Helena Independent Record You can’t judge a team by half a season of play. The Helena Brewers are evidence of that. Brewers center fielder Brandon Diaz was 3 for 4 with three runs scored, catcher Jack Cleary was 3 for 5 with a pair of RBIs, and Helena had 18 hits in a 10-8 victory over Missoula on Sunday at Kindrick Legion Field. With the win, the Brewers improved to 2-0 in the Pioneer League second half to take over sole possession of first place in the North Division. It was the second time Helena has taken a series against the Osprey (0-2) this year, but just the first time the Brewers have captured a series at home. It was also the first time in 2014 that Helena has won back-to-back games at Kindrick. The first two games of the series were defined by offense, and Sunday was no different. The squads combined for 33 hits in the contest, with all but three players recording one. Luis Ortega (3-4) got the start for the Brewers, pitching five innings and allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out four. He’d earn the win, while Osprey starter Tyler Bolton (3-3) was charged with the loss. Half of Helena’s runs and hits came with Bolton on the bump. The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first, but Missoula overcame that with a two-run homer by catcher Yosbel Gutierrez in the fourth. But Helena scored nine runs in innings five through seven and held off a late comeback attempt by the Osprey, who scored two in the ninth to trim the deficit. Missoula left fielder Justin Williams extended his league-leading hitting streak to 22 games, Brewers first baseman Sthervin Matos extended his hit streak to 14, and Cleary has now recorded hits in each of the last 10 games he’s played. Helena travels to the Magic City today to take on the Billings Mustangs for a two-game set. First pitch from Dehler Park is slated for 7:05 p.m.

He will be cheaper than Price because he is under contract for 2 months as compared to David Price who is under contract through the 2015 season. Since Lester is in line for a huge payday this off-season, he almost certainly will not agree to a sign and trade deal of any kind. Even as a "cheaper" option, IMO it would likely take Jimmy Nelson + name a top prospect (Taylor, Arcia, Haniger, Coulter, Williams) for the Brewers to pull-in Lester. Possibly even the Brewers Competitive Balance Lottery pick to counter balance the compensation pick the Red Sox will be giving up by dealing Lester.

Final: Helena 10, Missoula 8 Brewers 2-0 in 2nd half with 10-8 win By Dustin Daniel / Helena Brewers The Helena Brewers (2-0) picked up the series win against the Missoula Osprey (0-2) on Sunday afternoon in their rubber match, 10-8. The two teams would combine for 33 hits in the outing, completing a series filled with offense. The winner of all three games would score in double digits. Luis Ortega (3-4) had a solid outing, picking up his third win in his last four appearances. Ortega pitched five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and striking out four. Yosbel Gutierrez hit his second home run of the year in the fourth, a two-run homer to score Trevor Mitsui. The Brewers came up with eight of their 10 runs in the fifth through seventh innings. Jack Cleary ripped a two-RBI single off Tyler Bolton (3-3) in the fifth to score Sthervin Matos and Brandon Diaz. Cleary was 3-for-5, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. With the win, the Brewers collected their first series win at home this season as well as won consecutive games at Kindrick for the first time in 2014. The Brewers now travel to Billings to take on the Mustangs in a two-game series. First pitch on Monday from Dehler Park is set for 7:05 p.m. Helena Box Score The Helena Brewers put up an impressive 18 hits while 7 starters had multi-hit games. They were certainly swinging it, as they took only one walk on the afternoon (although they had three players hit-by-pitches). After a somewhat slow start to July, CF Brandon Diaz has really heated up again. Today he was 3-for-4 with a double. Over his last last 10 games Diaz is sporting an impressive line, .361 BA / .478 OBP / .528 SLG. Other players with three hits included C Jack Cleary (3-for-5) and Edgardo Rivera (3-for-5 with two doubles). Red hot Sthervin Matos was 2-for-4 to raise his batting average to .380. SS Luis Aviles went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases. Lastly, while he was one of only two starters not to record multiple hits, 3B Tucker Neuhaus' lone hit was double. Cy Sneed had another disappointing outing. In 3.0 IP, Sneed allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits and 1 walk while recording 4 strikeouts. All 3 runs were plated on a Kevin Cron home run. Helena Game Log Helena followed up a four run 5th inning by putting up four runs in the 6th. The inning began with five straight Helena singles before Missoula recorded their first out. Helena Bottom of the 6th Gregory Munoz singles on a ground ball to left fielder Justin Williams. Brandon Diaz singles on a ground ball to left fielder Justin Williams. Gregory Munoz to 2nd. Sthervin Matos singles on a ground ball to left fielder Justin Williams. Gregory Munoz scores. Brandon Diaz to 3rd. Mitch Meyer singles on a ground ball to right fielder Dane McFarland. Brandon Diaz scores. Sthervin Matos to 2nd. Jack Cleary singles on a ground ball to left fielder Justin Williams. Sthervin Matos to 3rd. Mitch Meyer to 2nd. Tucker Neuhaus grounds into a double play, second baseman Mike Abreu to first baseman Kevin Cron. Jack Cleary out at 2nd. Luis Aviles singles on a line drive to left fielder Justin Williams. Sthervin Matos scores. Mitch Meyer to 3rd. Pitching Change: Derek Cape replaces Jency Solis. With Edgardo Rivera batting, Luis Aviles steals (7) 2nd base, Mitch Meyer scores on the throw. Edgardo Rivera called out on strikes.

Bad news for Greg McCall according to this tweet (via @JakeJonesKFBB)

One day later it is Tulowitzki himself making headlines. I am assuming this will not sit well with the Rockies: Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki watches game at Yankee Stadium Edit: Here is the Denver Post story... I also got a kick out of his Arrested Development t-shirt.

Former Brewers Blake Lalli and Kameron Loe (among many other) involved an ugly AAA brawl between the D-Backs and Dodgers affiliates (Reno and Albuquerque). Here is the Deadspin Link (with video).

Brewers bounce back vs Osprey By Amber Kuehn / Helena Independent Record That’s how you rebound from a tough loss. Just 24 hours after a mind-boggling 22-5 defeat, the Helena Brewers bounced back with a dominating victory of their own. The Brewers beat the Missoula Osprey 14-5 Saturday at Kindrick Legion Field, starting the Pioneer League second half slate off with a win to put them above .500 for the first time this season. It also ended a five-game skid and put Helena in a tie for first place atop the North Division standings. “It was a complete 180,” Brewers skipper Tony Diggs said afterward. “Bottom line is, I think we were embarrassed last night. I think some guys took it to heart today and came out and performed. “We swung the bat a lot better, and we were more patient at the plate. We took our walks, executed on the bases and we played better defense.” The Osprey actually outhit Helena in the contest, 13-10, but the Brewers feasted on Missoula’s mistakes. Osprey pitchers issued seven walks, threw eight wild pitches and the defense made five errors. “Truthfully the last couple of weeks we’ve made a lot of those mistakes,” Diggs said. “So to have a lot of those happen for us, to our advantage, was nice. “I think our guys are always ready to run the bases. That’s one thing we’ve done consistently all year. And when you make mistakes, good teams take advantage of those like we were able to do today.” Helena shortstop Luis Aviles turned in arguably his best performance in a Brewers uniform, going 3 for 5 with a two-run home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. He was also electric on defense, turning a key double play in the sixth inning and making a nice back-door play from deep in the hole to get Tyler Humphreys out in the ninth. The 19-year-old from Miami agreed it was the best he’s played all year. He’s been hampered by some shoulder soreness, which has kept him from being an everyday player. “I was working today on staying back on the ball a little bit more,” Aviles said. “Defensively I’ve been working with my coaches, because I’ve been struggling a little bit. Today it showed the work that I’ve been doing (paid off).” Diggs was happy to see the strides made by the 2013 30th round draft pick and hopes it jumpstarts something for Aviles. “Aviles has been working on a lot of things,” he said. “You go through struggles as a young player and I think he’s starting to find his identity. “He played great defense tonight … hit a curveball for his first base hit, and then got a fastball and happened to get one out of the ballpark. I would agree, probably his best game offensively and defensively. Now he’s got something to build on and hopefully that will give him some confidence.” The Brewers should have a little confidence after scoring runs in each of the first four innings Saturday. They chased Missoula starter Carlos Hernandez with eight runs (five earned) on six hits in the first 2 2/3 innings, then got to reliever Tyler Toyfair. Toyfair allowed four runs on four hits in 3 1/3 frames. Brewers starter Jorge Ortega picked up the win after giving up five runs on nine hits through six. At one point the right-hander retired seven straight Osprey batters. Brandon Moore earned his second save of the season after dealing two scoreless frames, in which he allowed just four hits and struck out two. “Pitching was better, and they still hit a lot of balls hard,” Diggs said. “That’s a good team over there. But we were able to rebound from yesterday. … Last night happened, then tonight happened. It’s baseball. The sun will come up tomorrow, and you have to be ready to play.” Kevin Cron put the Osprey on the board early with a two-run double, but Helena had an answer this time. Helena first baseman Sthervin Matos extended his hit streak to 13 games with an RBI triple in the first, and he’d come around to score on the first of seven wild pitches in the game to tie it up at 2. The Brewers combined to score eight runs in the third and fourth frames to give themselves more of a cushion, and the game was never in doubt from there. Missoula left fielder Justin Williams went 3 for 5 with a double to lead the visitors. He ran his hit streak to 21 games, the longest in the Pioneer League this season. The two teams close out the series today with a matinee game at 1:05 p.m. Luis Ortega is scheduled to start for the Brewers. NOTES: Diggs said Brewers catcher Greg McCall will continue to be evaluated after knee soreness has kept him out since July 17. “I think it could be more significant than we originally thought,” the Brewers manager said. …Missoula is the only team Helena has taken a series against this season, and would win another with the Osprey with a win this afternoon.

Final: Helena 14, Missoula 5 Brewers bounce back with 14-5 win By Dustin Daniel / Helena Brewers The Helena Brewers (1-0) used early offense to top the Missoula Osprey (0-1) by a score of 14-5 on Saturday and force a rubber match in the finale of their three-game series. The Brewers would score 12 runs over the first four innings, coming up with nine hits in those frames. Carlos Hernandez (2-3) was roughed up in his two and two thirds innings on the hill, giving up eight runs on six hits and walking two. Luis Aviles hit his second home run of professional baseball, a two-run shot to score Tucker Neuhaus. Both of Aviles' pro homers have come in the past week. He was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI. Jorge Ortega (2-1) did struggle closing out his final inning in the start, but still managed the win. He would go six innings, giving up five runs on nine hits and striking out five. Helena is now at 1-0 in the second half of the Pioneer League season and in a tie for first place in the North Division with the Great Falls Voyagers. The Brewers and the Osprey will face off in the finale of their three-game series Sunday at Kindrick Field. First pitch in their rubber match is set for 1:05 p.m. Helena Box Score Tucker Neuhaus went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and three runs scored. While Neuhaus hasn't had the season many envisioned, he has been raising his batting average as he is 10-for-39 in his last 10 games as well as a .356 on base percentage over that same period. Sthervin Matos was 1-for-5, but his lone hit was a triple. Now 16 games into his Pioneer League stint, Matos has an OPS of 1.042. Brandon Diaz was 1-for-4 with a walk. Luis Aviles went 3-for-5 with a home run and 3 RBI's. Brandon Moore pitched 3 innings allowing 4 hits while striking out 2 and giving up no runs. Helena Game Log

Here is an excerpt from Haudricourt's article titled, All quiet on Brewers' trade front posted a few minutes ago touting an aggressive approach that isn't leading to many returned calls. Edit: I tend to agree with you SRB, one thing I have come to expect from DM is the unexpected.