Joseph Zarr

The slopfest continues! Wilken opens the 8th with a fielding error. Runner advances on a sac bunt. Scores on a single. 5-2 Pandas. Oh these Shuckers pulling out their tattered old bag of Fundamentals - falling apart at the seams. Incredibly weak defense these past two games after an absolute fantastic display in game 4. Tis the Shuckers in a proverbial nutshell.

Trash Pandas open their 7th with a groundout but then greet Chirino with a ground-rule double. And, just like that, he K's the next batter but C Darrien Miller throws the ball away in a pick off attempt and the runner scores. 4-2 Pandas. The catching outfit in Biloxi continues to struggle.

RHP Chad Patrick grabbed a Triple-A leading 18 whiffs today. 6.0 IP, 1 H, 8 K, 0 R. Just fantastic stuff. Got up to 94.3 mph on his four-seamer and 94.2 mph on his sinker. Electric outing today. He moves to a whopping 13-1 overall record. What. A. Season. I think it's quite fair to say: he's getting on the MLB roster before Rule 5. That type of season can't go untethered. RHP Jacob Misiorowski bounced back in a massive way with a 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K outing. 8 swings. 6 misses. Whewww. That'll play. LHP Bryan Hudson. How was the velo? He maxed out at 91.1 mph. His peripherals also show there wasn't much difference (by my eyes) from his recent stint with Milwaukee. With Milner giving up runs in consecutive relief outings since his return, this is a peripheral bullpen development we are keeping an eye on and, as of today, not much has changed unfortunately. He did manage a clean 1.0 IP, 1 K outing. BUT, the Brewers are likely looking for more here. RHP Kevin Herget worked around an opening walk in the ninth to shut the door. Sounds win 1-0. Big win as Columbus lost in a big way to Durham. Sounds remain 4.5 GB with 12 games to play. Mathematically possible but still highly unlikely.

How bad is the scene in Biloxi's positional group? Nick Kahle is in LF today. They have little to no depth at present. With Scott and Boeve shelved, how bad has it gotten for Ben Metzinger as a professional? Is there something going on here outside of simply not earning or deserving PT? He is Active. And, yet, his claim to fame in 2024 is the 'Development List' and bullpen catcher. Extremely thin pickings in the Shuckers clubhouse at present. This season has clearly taken its toll.

I think it's quite fair to say RHP Chad Patrick discovered the minor tweaks he needed to bounce back from his uncharacteristic two game 'skid'. Heck of a first four frames!

LET'S GO!!! YES SIR!

How great is it to see this again? When will Pratt hit his first oppo taco? The fanbase is jonesing for that development. T-Rats lead 3-1 early. 3B Eduardo Garcia also went yard - his 4th long ball of his season.

Welcome to Low-A ball Mr. Prado. These promotions certainly aren't always smooth: 3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 4 ER Muddies trail 5-0 late. Nice debut from Welch, however after he opened with 1 2/3 IP of 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K ball. 32 pitches and 21 strikes.

They are already warming up in Zebulon. Sheeeesh. 😂 2024 6th Rd pick (Tulane) RHP Chandler Welch just assigned from the ACL Brewers is already on the hill as today's starter. Let's hope for good things as the Mudcats look to build upon last night's 18-run outburst. CF Braylon Payne is swapping into CF and batting lead-off. Love it. Yophery drops down to 3rd and is today's DH. Mudcats lead the series 3-2 and are looking to take it today.

As you know, I watched that live and I certainly didn't handle it well 😂 There truly are few words. AND, what I missed in the original viewings was that unbelievably lazy and indifferent swipe tag attempt from C Nick Kahle. What is that? Show some urgency for crying out loud. I mean. Whewwwwww.😅 Only way to move on from that type of failure to execute is make a statement today. With this Shuckers team? I have absolutely zero expectations.

Do ensure to watch that Braylon Payne 'My Draft Day' video linked by Jim above. It. Is. Awesome. I said it in the game threads the past couple nights: this young man has something. He has that 'It' factor. He carries himself differently on that field than pretty much anyone else on it. He knows. We absolutely have something here I was, frankly, entirely unaware of. Obviously, the sample size is ridiculously small and inconsequential in a vacuum. However, he is already smashing 100 mph + line drives to the OF grass. He is already causing massive havoc on the base paths. It certainly seems his swing set up and easy follow-through can build up toward higher loft. I think we might have an unknown amount of untapped power here. He already has the frame to get stronger - a true specimen. Anyhow, extremely exciting young prospect. We should all be waving a finger at the Draft Industrial Complex that yet again wasn't ready to celebrate this moment. Shoutout to my guy LF Yoshwar Garcia for picking up his 65th SB last night - continues to be entirely overlooked by the Minor League fan base. A true lead-off guy the Muddies continue to bat in the lower part of the order like a second lead-off type of deal within their line-up. I continue to root for this young man. He continues to be an afterthought, somehow. Very good player. Final shoutout to my guy INF/OF Miguel Briceno. Just continues to have a truly fantastic season as the every man for manager Nick Stanley and the Mudcats line-up. He just always seems to step up and perform when called upon. You can not underestimate what that type of thing does for a team. He is nearly always popping with solid play and line drives and really plus AB's every opportunity he gets. What's more? He can step to the mound as well and give you a relief inning. Incredible. And, I would be remiss if I didn't share 1B Reece Walling's absolute bomb from last night. This puppy left in a hurry.:

Words truly can not describe how happy this makes me. Collins is definitively a 'my guy' kind of thang for this ol' codger. I've been touting his wares in my reports since last May. He's only gotten better, more consistent, more versatile. He hits anyone - both sides of the dish he is in the mid 0.800's OPS. Switch-hit versatility. Can play 3B, 2B, CF, LF and play acceptable defense. His bat and his offensive prowess, however, are what set him apart. He did have an OF assist to 3B this year that absolutely caught me by surprise (from LF) - he has a better arm than I gave him credit for. It's not 'Wow' but it won't kill you from the outfield grass and it is more than fine at 3B. Line drive gap power. Has developed HR pop. Has a very very good eye at the dish and knows how to fight off pitches. I've been calling for the need, organizationally, to ensure he doesn't get nabbed in the Rule 5 draft. He just offers so much as a Utility guy. Today is a GOOD day!!!

Going to share this here too because it is pandemonium at my Brewers Minor League viewing Man Cave station! Words can not describe how absolutely PUMPED I am about this move. Brewers see what I see: a must add roster addition. He can avoid Rule 5. He can become the master utility wizard that he already is at his next stop. This young man has so many skills with that bat in his hand.

Dude. DUDE!!!

The best part of tonight's debacle? BOTH Mississippi and Pensacola lost. 😂 SO, the Shuckers just go about their business as if they're actually trying to win baseball games and get into a post-season. Business as usual. Nothing to see here. 3.0 G lead over Mississippi and 3.5 G lead over Pensacola. Javik, bless his professional heart, will put lipstick on this pig. But, for those of us who watched that late-inning failed execution across the board? We know what's really going on in that Southern League South division playoff 'hunt'. It's OK to speak that truth. We're all adults here. These men are professionals. It just isn't pretty in any fashion. IF these Shuckers get into the playoffs they are going to have to find a magical potion to help them play fundamentally sound baseball. Because, we just haven't seen it but for a two-to-three week stretch to start the second half. It is what it is at this point.

Well, gents, have great rests of your nights! That one was, I don't even know. @biedergb nailed it spot on. There are no words for what I just witnessed. I've seen truly inept Shuckers baseball this season. That ending took the Blue Ribbon. It was...just...I would expect that in the DSL. In Double-A? In a playoff push? Just no. Absolutely no.

Fundamentals. Fundamentals. Fundamentals. You have to make the easy plays routine. You have to make the difficult ones look easy. This is why you are a professional. Big moments showcase big time players. The shuckers only big time player was pinch run for (inexplicably, I might add) in the 9th inning. Ugh.

Not only did Hall and Sparks just let that ball fall between them with not a single one of them taking initiative to own that play, Wilken and EBJ are just ball watching the misplay happen. SO, Wilken hasn't covered 3B. The runner took off, predictably, and Sparks panic throws a one hop rocket to 3B and Wilken can't get to it due to the runner. Ball sails into 3B foul territory. Walk-off. You literally couldn't write a more metaphoric and emblematic ending for this team. So much to digest from that unbelievable inning.

RF Lamar Sparks with his absolute cannon of an arm has to own that pop fly. He has the beat on the ball. He has the throwing angle. Just an unbelievable classic Shuckers loss. Here's the picture of the season for you:

OMG these Shuckers. Unbelievable botch job to lose this. UNBELIEVABLE. What is this a high school game? You can't make that loss up. Truly indefensible (pun intended).

I should add a run crossed. 3-2 Shuckers. One down. Execution matters in big moments gentlemen.

I'm back. Nothing he can do on that weak contact dribbler. Got back in the count. Got a swing on a low heater. Just a weak chopper that died and EBJ tried to make that bang-bang play. EBJ then sails a DP high to the diminutive O'Rae (who hesitated in his cover to boot - not playing solid D late). Runners on the corners. One down. Sheeesh. These Shuckers.

Fittingly, I have to go read my 6-year-old to sleep. Here's hoping the Shuckers pull this one out. Come on, men. You can do this.

Woessner buckles down. Falls behind 2-0. Gets a K looking and a K foul back to the netting. Gets the weak liner hit directly into a deep shift by O'Rae shadowing 1B (lefty bat). Easy flare line out. We are on to Extras.