Joseph Zarr

🥰 Awesome! Ladies and gents! Apologies for the oversight.

I guess I've already revealed how I think that Biscuits series is going to go. Reverse psychology? 😄

I can't believe I just submitted my final Minor League report. It's time to shift into some serious Fall Farm duties. It's been an absolute pleasure. I'm disappointed at the Muddies and T-Rats losses but, more than anything, I'm just grateful for their seasons. They gave us some lasting memories to carry through future seasons. Here's hoping the Shuckers can at least make the Biscuits work tomorrow night. Here's hoping. Go Brewers! It's been a fun ride, all.

There's no getting around it: the last week of Brewers Minor League baseball has been a rough one so far. The T-Rats couldn't muster any meaningful early hits with ample runners on base and in scoring position. This backfired when their bullpen arms had an uncharacteristically poor night. They fell 9-4 and their season ended with a 1-2 Championship Series defeat to Lake County. The Sounds led both games late and lost both leads and, consequently, both games. Thank the baseball gods the Brewers clinched and walked off the Phillies. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Transactions: NONE Final: Lake County (Guardians) 9, Wisconsin 4 Captains Take the Title with Game Three Win Over Wisconsin - Rattlers Can't Overcome Big Lake County Innings Box Score / Game Log Pre-Game Media Notes RHP Will Rudy saved his best for last. My goodness what an absolutely fantastic start this young man put forth for his team and the fans. Young man, take a bow. In a second half where Rudy really started to come on, he pitched his best High-A game of his season. It was a masterful performance for the young man. He deserves all the flowers we can give him. The off-speed was absolutely painting the outer and inner black. He was setting up the high heat to perfection. And, with a start as impactful as Rudy's, C Matt Wood absolutely deserves the credit for handling his Ace. It was just a truly unfortunate turn of events when manager Victor Estevez had to turn to his bullpen - a typically very reliable group had an uncharacteristically tough evening. Rudy, on the other hand? Truly a Chef's kiss performance. He finished his work tossing 5.0 IP allowing 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, and 1 ER. 72 total pitches were thrown with 46 strikes. The decision to pull his starter was absolutely the right one for the Skipper. It was simply not to be. And, well, that's truly just baseball. Three Quick Strikes: 1) One could argue the Timber Rattlers had more than enough opportunities to settle the score early in the game. And, when we revisit the Box Score: my goodness did the bats squander opportunities! 2-for-15 with RISP. 2-for-15 in your championship game. Marry that unsightly line to the 5-for-6 execution by the Captains. We can lament the bullpen performance, but those multiple runners on scenarios with nobody crossing home plate certainly proved ominous. What's more, the run that did cross was the byproduct of a routine grounder that was misfired to first base with a failed scoop: Credit to CF Luis Lara on that hustle! After a rough playoffs leading into this game, Lara truly had a great performance (2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB) when it mattered most. Will we see him in the AFL? Stay tuned. 2) With SS Cooper Pratt and 3B Luke Adams combining for a paltry 0-for-9, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 SB, 1 PO performance we turn our attention and admiration to 2B Jadher Areinamo. Is there a player who impressed more in 2024 stateside? I have a very very hard time thinking of another position player who had the complete season Areinamo just had. 3-for-5, 1 R, 2 2B batting clean-up in a championship winner takes all? That is the stuff of absolute winners. He played his typical savvy defense as well. The sky is the limit with this young man. I know I've showered praises in his direction for two years running but he's only getting better, more consistent, and more impactful with the lumber. What will 2025 bring for this young phenom? 3) I wanted to see LHP Mason Molina in game two. I definitely wanted to see him in game three. And, unfortunately, we saw Molina's worst outing as a young professional pitcher. He was hit hard for two doubles and then walked a batter on five pitches. His night was done after a mere nine pitches and nary a single out. That was a tough tough debut at the High-A level in a key spot. Was it a tough ask? Perhaps. But, I have no qualms about the process only the results. Things didn't get better from there as both RHP Dikember Sanchez and RHP Tyler Bryant had their worst outings in quite some time. The three young hurlers allowed 8 ER in a mere 1 2/3 IP. That's just a tough result any way you look at it. One has to think LHP Mark Manfredi simply wasn't available given the way the game unraveled. Thankfully, amidst all that carnage, we saw more high impact work from surging RHP Stiven Cruz. Cruz threw one of the filthiest breakers I saw all season in his second inning of work. In a frustrating loss, I'll take a small revelation like that and hold it close. My only regret after such a wonderful Timber Rattlers season? These pictures aren't filled with the young men we so passionately followed from Game One. What a season. What a Team. Hold your heads up high, men. You gave it your all and came up short. Such is sports. We play for the glory but we live with the results, regardless. Game 1 Final: Norfolk (Orioles) 2, Sounds 1 Box Score / Game Log Game 2 Final: Norfolk (Orioles) 8, Sounds 7 Box Score / Game Log Sounds Swept by Tides in Doubleheader - Nashville Gets Walked Off Twice in Series-Opening Twinbill Pre-Game Media Notes Ooooof. The pain. Game One saw the return to some semblance of form for RHP Logan Henderson. 30 swings and only seven whiffs speaks to the ongoing late-season downward trend but we'll look at the 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HB, and 0 R as a much better result than what we've seen of late. He has now eclipsed 80 IP for the first time in his young (he's only 22 years old, after all) professional career. Tonight, Henderson was essentially a two pitch starter - his four-seamer (maxing at 93.5 mph) and change-up led the way eating up 89% of his pitches. He only threw the cutter 6 times in 54 total pitches. We did not see a breaking ball or a slider for the second consecutive outing. Has Henderson turned his slider into a cutter? Is Statcast identifying his slider as a cutter? Does it really matter? Regardless, he ends his season on a high note. He is healthy. Let's pray he has a fantastic off-season. In Game Two, we saw RHP Taylor Clarke do Clarke things. He was impactful with his mix - 33 swings and 17 whiffs is nothing to scoff at. He kept the exit velos down. BUT, he still found trouble in a tough luck frame. 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 ER. All three runs crossed in the second frame. He left with the Sounds trailing 3-1. Seven runs versus old Brewers friend RHP Adrian Houser over 6.0 IP wasn't enough on this tough opening night. Three Quick Strikes: 1) With his season-long stablemates celbrating with champagne in a Home locker room, LHP Bryan Hudson was still put to work in Game 1 for the Sounds. In his ongoing 'get right' Tour, he's continuing to pitch quite well of late. 12 swings and five whiffs tonight. Max Exit Velo of 95.2 mph off a four-seamer. He was the victim of a botched grounder off the glove of 2B Christian Arroyo. He did max out at 91.7 mph so his four-seamer was a tick down from his last outing. The sweeper, however, was getting massive sweep and gathered 50% of the whiffs. He was credited with an earned run and a blown save but that is due to the scorer graciously not charging Arroyo with an error. All in all, 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 K, 1 ER. He deserved better. And, if I'm being honest seeing Hudson not celebrating with his Brewers teammates almost felt as bad as QB1 Jordan Love not getting his Thanksgiving turkey leg last fall. I'm just saying! 2) CF Chris Roller went 1-for-3 with 1 K in Game One. He followed with a 3-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB in Game 2. Why do I share this? Roller has battled his way back to the Mendoza Line! He's hit 0.333 in 42 AB so far in September with a whopping 0.999 OPS. Roller is proving he's hot out of the gates and heading into his offseason. Perhaps, his off-season work will be figuring out what goes in May-through-August? I kid. I am more celebrating his hot month and his recent run of impact AB's. Always a plus defender, it's fantastic to see him end his season with a hot stick. 3) 15-to-15 hits apiece in aggregate for the two games between the Tides and Sounds. 10-to-8 on the scoring ledger in favor of the Tides. These were two extremely closely played baseball games. There's no crying in baseball but there are no ties either. In Game One, SS Freddy Zamora's absolute web gem of a diving and sliding stop and toss to help Misiorowski to a clean frame was wasted. In Game Two every Sounds pitcher (and there were five of them) allowed a runner to cross the dish. These are simply tough luck losses. The only thing to do is shake them off and get back to it tomorrow in hopes of shifting the series momentum. Let's end the season on a four-game winning streak. Well folks, that's a wrap on my report writing season. It has truly been an absolute pleasure (yes, even with some post-season disappointments) writing for you. Stay tuned as @Spencer Michaelisand I roll out our post-Minor League Season pod(s) discussing the big picture down on the Farm when this season and the Brewers season is all wrapped up. Hopefully, oh so hopefully, after a World Series title! I believe! We're going to take our time and savor the end of this entire Brewers season as a whole. Once that's done simmering we'll start announcing something under the Brewer Fanatic banner. Tomorrow, the Shuckers will be on the road at Montgomery trying to avoid a two-game sweep. RHP K.C. Hunt will try to deal his best hand. I have faith he will show out. It's what he does. In a mid-day matinee, RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez will try to help the Sounds take game three. As always, thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Milwaukee Brewers Minor League baseball and the many players deserving of our time and recognition. I truly mean these words. The players deserve our time and recognition and I am happy to help give to this cause. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

I am feeling incredibly grateful today that David Stearns hired Matt Arnold. Seeing what the Mets are currently doing, you can't help but just appreciate how good David Stearns is at assembling a Baseball Operations group. He left the Brewers in incredible hands when he departed. He got to live out his childhood dream but he absolutely set the Brewers up for future success. Feeling grateful.

Well, I guess I should just go write my last report. Been soaking up the feel good Brewers game and Clinch. Time to get to work.

I am going to absolutely soak up this Twitter Cycle of endless Brewers bits. It's everywhere. AND, this is that random night I know what it feels like to be fan of the Dodgers.

What a time to be a Brewers fan, gents. Just an unbelievable Era of Brewers baseball. Let's never take this for granted. So proud of this team and this organization. Just incredibly resilient and capable. Just a truly special group of people.

It's definitely a cruel fate. Meanwhile, he was pitching game 1 at Norfolk and saw a routine ground out turn into his first base runner when Arroyo botched a grounder. No fair! No fair!

Some very uncharacteristic pitching performances in key spots. Some very poor hitting with early men on base situations. The story of this game, unfortunately. They pulled within 6-4 and RHP Tyler Bryant had his toughest outing since maybe his first game as a Mudcat?

Hickeln two-run oppo taco. That ball was ripped. 6-3 Sounds in the top of the 5th. Nobody out. 97.4 mph. 30.3 mph launch. 356 feet.

Man, I leave for evening Farm Chores and I come back to a 7-4 ballgame. My goodness.

Bryant. What a story. I remain absolutely curious about where he ends up this Fall. You know the Brewers are going to keep working his toolkit in competitive games. Will it be the AFL? Will it be Australia?

I'm still thinking about that breaking ball from Cruz. That was a thing of absolute beauty. 😅

He's had a fantastic season, really. This was a huge bounce back year for him. 2023 was a real let down after what we were hoping for post-Carolina. The fact he bounced back in such an effective manner is very very encouraging.

Goodness, that was a monster breaking ball from Cruz before that pop fly to Vargas for the second out.

Uh huh. I see. So, now we're bringing up games that happened 24 hours ago into this discussion? SO when and where do the limits of your cross-referencing (to, what, defend Wood? I can't really make out what your points are) end? Are we only sticking to this series? Yes. I wanted to see LHP Mason Molina pitch. I wanted it yesterday. It did not happen. The T-Rats lost. I wanted to see it tonight as well. It happened. And, it certainly seems like the T-Rats are about to lose. It happens. This is baseball. AND, C Matt Wood definitely dropped a very catchable foul tip. And, Lake County very much hit a three-run jack on the next pitch. And, guess what? I'm fine with all of it. This is Minor League baseball. These things happen.

Man, I could really use a Cooper Pratt three-run pull bomb here. How about it, Coop?

Man, only Eduardo Garcia wouldn't get to 3B on that ball by Lara. How did he not get there? That ball was dead to rights. Seemed like he would have been safe by a good 6-9 feet, no?

And, also, just before that foul tip drop I also very clearly shared: this may be the best catching performance I had seen from Wood as a Brewer. Also something that happened. He dropped the foul tip. The three run homer happened. It stunk. And, yes, Molina really stunk in his first high-leverage High-A outing. It all stunk. 😅

I mean, I'm not piling on Wood here. I'm pointing it out. It was obvious. I've also been discussing Wood's catching issues since he appeared on the scene. Molina's outing was disastrous. Yes. These aren't mutually indistinguishable realities. Why do you keep bringing Molina into it? It's weird. LOL.

I gotta say: Every one of us passionately following this game makes me quite happy. The result will be what it is. But, the fact we're all here supporting the Rattlers on the Road is friggin' awesome. Being down 6-1 absolutely sucks. But, I'm happy to 'be' here with all of you. Hopefully we can put something together. Meanwhile, Clarke is getting hammered in the 2nd. Meanwhile, a very uninspired AB from Jheremy Vargas. What an awful K swinging. LOL.

Time to get my rally cap on. If Lake County can do it so can the T-Rats.

I mean I'm not taking anything away from Molina my friend. I'm merely pointing out: that was a very costly drop. And, the next pitch was pay dirt. Is what it is. BUT, that was a big drop. Undeniable. AND, that's also assuming the next AB goes exactly as it did after a swinging K. I don't know. I certainly don't see it that way. Regardless, is what it is at this juncture.