Joseph Zarr

This Mike Pennel story out of the DR is crazy. What in the literal hyeck? Unreal.

Very nice showing by Aguayo today vs a very solid DSL Tampa squad. Love to see it!

I swear it was, what, 2 consecutive DSL seasons we've been dreaming on Martinez together? I remember that incredible start to his first DSL summer before he faded to end that summer with more League average numbers. BUT, those early ISO numbers of 2024 really gave us that early glimpse of what might be if you knew where to look. Anywho, all this to say: I'm excite!

Regardless, I expect you there with rain gear, umbrella (and boat if need be) to report back in this here Game Thread. It is written.

I was validated to see similar reactions in this thread to the feeeeeewings I had watching the Vaughn-to-Frelick PH decision in my workshop. What on Earth was the thought process there?!? I nearly threw some precious tools I was so miffed at the silliness. Maybe if Vaughn's arm or hand fell off I'd consider putting 2026 Frelick in that spot. Knowing Murph, he'll explicate it that Sal's such a nice young man and he thought he'd have a special spark there 🫠 Anywho, love Murph. From time-to-time he makes some absolutely head scratching decisions that are very hard to defend.

Well, I LOVE to hear this type of conflicting internal report! 'Dingesgate' is alive and well. I choose your side and the player's words over the individuals I spoke with 😅. THO, it is possible they were correct but oversold the severity of what they learned the injury to be? Regardless, this is precisely why I didn't proclaim anything definitively. When I heard what I heard I was genuinely downtrodden. This makes my day.👏

France is such an incredibly skilled squad. Senegal owned the first half and missed two Golden opps - including some near post music on a break. BUT, this second half has been 90/10 France dominated. So many incredibly dangerous runs through the heart of Senegal's D. Senegal's GK had an incredible second half and yet France scored 2. Mbappé gets all the assassin goal scoring headlines. Do not sleep on Michael Alise - an artist with the ball. So dang good!

It would appear old friend OF Brewer Hicklen had his contract selected by the Big League Atlanta Braves:

I want to Bump this as this was three weeks ago. I'm not going to get into specifics here as I don't have the blessing to do so - we can wait for the org to chime in when appropriate - but suffice it to say this is not what I have heard from my contacts in the org. I do not expect to see Dinges play behind the dish again in 2026, sadly. I wonder aloud when Marco will get a break and experience a healthy season.

Little Bunty Hamilton takes offense. We already have the best bunter in the game. What we do know as of call-up? He can hug the heck out of a clubhouse. Has the full squeeze, casual embrace, and manly hug to back/shoulder pats down to a science. Proof is in the video pudding of that Sounds/Bulls broadcast. HR celebration morale boost is going logarithmic with Pratt at the top step ready with open arms.

(Me looking at those Mail-In Ballots)

Yeah, you can't reasonably present an others at this point of 2026 and not have Frias. Frias not already listed in the Top 20 is fairly comical as it is. The kid is making headlines everywhere in the Minor League baseball universe and he isn't even listed as a votable option? He's a legitimate Five-Tool player batting 0.421 with a 1.197 OPS in 111 PA's as an 18 yo in the Complex with incredible defensive upside and a cannon of an arm in RF with a near 1:1 K:BB ratio with a very palatable 17 % K rate.

I don't know about that. I personally put Fischer and Adamczewski's promotions, and the T-Rats winning despite their absences in the line up, right up there. This is also likely because I saw Pratt's promotion as inevitable. Adamczewski, Fischer, Burke, Made is a heck of a heart of a line up and I hope they ball out to secure the first half berth!

RHP Stiven Cruz is having an awesome first half for Biloxi. Wonderful to see him carry momentum throughout the first half after last year's mid-May Double-A meltdown. Also awesome to see RHP Quinton Low have such a tremendous outing. Love that for him.

The Spurs as an org have a lot of soul searching to do to rationalize starting Fox over Harper. What are they thinking? Fox is such a Low IQ basketball player - like a rich man's lefty Monta Ellis. He was awful and cost the Spurs dearly. Put the ball in Harper's hands and get Fox the heck off the floor.