Joseph Zarr

...which was due to the ABS system. Which also has caused many many issues globally .

It's quite important to note: The International League has ABS. Like Jeff Hem, I personally believe the system sucks(OK, Jeff didn't say it 'sucks' but I'll help him get there😅) - zero feel. I'm a Challenge System guy 24:7:365. Rodriguez is a pitcher who thrives with a human ump. The way he tickles the fringes of the zone is maximized when a human being is having their experience watching his tailing and sinking pitches give off the illusions of strikes. It works in Cargo's favor more-so than most pitchers who don't lean as heavily on lower-velo offerings. I personally believe the entire gambit helps his heater play up in the zone as well. His adjustment period, imho, was learning to adapt to cookie cutter strike zones. Hopefully, it only makes him a more resilient pitcher.

Velo still down. Sigh.

RHP Evan McKendry with his best outing of his season in a long relief role. 4 IP, 3 H. 0 BB, 0 R, 6 K. He got the Sounds all the way to the 8th frame as they managed to tie it 1-1 in the bottom of the 7th. Unfortunately, LHP Rob Zastryzny had an uncharacteristically wild inning of work (3 BB) and gave the lead back to the Bats. Sounds trail 2-1 in the bottom of the 8th - one down.

IF the T-Rats can hold on here, they'll have a chance to push their lead in first place to 3.5 G over the Kernels of Cedar Rapids. T-Rats lead 6-3 (tho, we are in a sudden rain delay in the bottom of the 5th) and he Kernels trail 2-1 (albeit, in only the 3rd frame). Needless to say, lots at stake every game for the T-Rats n Muddies from here on out to close the first half in a couple weeks.

With Carolina winning tonight, and with second place Lynchburg currently getting smacked by Delmarva, the stage is set for the Muddies to open back a 4.0 G lead on first place. Big time!

Speaking of Anderson in particular, he was a 'Sleeper' for Baseball 'Merica when their Brewers post-Int'l Signing period completed: Pretty spot on scouting report through 3 games here.

Luis Pena: 1 2B, 2-for-2, 3 R, 1 RBI, 3 SB Crew Uno lead 8-6 CF Jose Anderson (de Los Dos): 2nd Dinger this week. 1-fpr-2, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

The Game-Thread title is obviously cheeky BUT... Two crunch time triples for Made in less than a week. One a walk-off. Another 2-RBI poke today. Let's all, in the very least, appreciate the start we are seeing from the headliners in this 2024 International Class. Made, Pena, and Quintana have all gotten off to fantastic starts. Major kudos to them in their first professional moments.

Let us join hands and over-react and make bold proclamations together! Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Saturday. Organizational Scoreboard MiLB Audio Links

Nicasia to the 60-Day? Ooooof. My baseball gods. Don't mind if I do, Jim. I'll pull from Friday's Game Thread and add some spices to make it is a nice easy simmerin' DSL stew. The Crew trailed 5-2 in the fifth frame of an agreed-upon seven-inning affair when INF Jesus Made, once again (already showing a star-type flare for the dramatic), hit a clutch triple. This is Made's second such big time three-base knock this past week. He cleared the bags to tie the game 5-5 in the fifth frame. Made's headlining running mate, INF Luis Pena, knocked him across in the next AB to give the Crew their only lead of the game, 6-5, in what ultimately was a 5-run fifth frame. This comeback was made possible by the important 3 1/3 IP from second-year Brewers DSL hurler RHP Linbel Jimenez who allowed a mere single run while not conceding a single knock - 1 BB, 1 WP, 1 E (pick-off throw) 1 R (unearned), 2 K. His mostly calm work in spelling 17-year-old Mexican lefty, Victor Garcia, paved the way for a possible comeback. Garcia struggled, it would appear, in his debut outing - the bases were oft-active and young men were swiping them at will (3 SB) as he was pulled before the first frame ended. Better luck next outing, young man! Unfortunately, though RHP Jhosep Ospino pitched a clean (on the scoreboard) sheet in the bottom of the fifth inning in his first inning of work, he allowed the winning two Cubs runs to cross the plate in the bottom of the sixth. As our very own @wiguy94 pointed out, Ospino did so in classic DSL fashion: Walk, WP, double, PB, Walk, WP, PB, WP in the inning. Ahhhhh, yes. The days of summer. The Cerveceros Uno (2-1) will look to bounce back today as they face their brethren in the Cerveceros Dos dugout. As I type, it is a 6-4 Uno lead in the third frame.

The ACL Crew fail to score in the top of the 8th (Xtras). The Reds plate one. Crew lose 10-9. They fail to take a winning advantage of five Reds errors. Tough 'L'.

Rough Rehab outing for LHP Brandon Knarr - 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 1K, 4 ER. I am not going to dig into this Game Log but it would appear at first glance RHP Felipe de los Santos likely had a part to play in allowing inherited runners to score? Hard to tell. That was a rough 6th.

The ACL Crew led 8-0 in the 4th of this 7-inning tilt. It is now 9-9 after the Red's 6th inning 5-spot. Crew just stranded runners on the corner. On to the bottom of the 7th.

Absolutely. They are an extremely challenging watch. And I say that as nicely as possible. Sometimes the truth hurts. Watching the Shuckers in 2024 has been capital painful.

Isaac Collins. Love it. My guy since last summer. Ride or die with that young man. Gamer. Just a 100% Gamer.

Where are you seeing a game headed to the 7th?!? LOL. I see a 2-0 game in the 4th. Montgomery has a man on 3rd.

They plated 2. 5-2 game now headed to the 7th. Wes Clarke might have a chance at the not-so-coveted Golden Sombrero if he gets another AB. Struck out for the 3rd time to end the 6th in an 0-for-3, 3 K line so far. Errrrr, scratch that. I mistook that for the 3rd out. Derp. Owen Miller just singled to CF to score Collins (who had advanced to 3rd on a WP). 5-3 game now!

After missing two bombs earlier in the series, really nice to see Pratt come back in a pitcher-friendly park in Charleston for his 2nd dinger of the season. He has power in that frame - believe me. It is only a matter of time as he adjusts and learns to access it. He missed two long dongs by circumstance. Now he is rewarded. Mudcats lead 6-2 late.

You mean this Jesus Made? DSL Brewers Complex has that Family Vibe to the gills!

Same level-headed likable James Meeker. With just a slightly bigger smile 🥰

THAT is a top 10 classic DSL Hit right there. No doubt about it. Like a fresh beer getting un-capped.

All this DSL talk makes me nostalgic for the 'old days'. Let's get ACL happy! It's Gery Holguin day:

By low 90's here (Spencer's tweet) he means Sinker/4-Seamer sits 91-94 mph. His sinker tends to sit in that 92-92.5 range. The 4-seamer essentially is a 93.5mph pitch. FWIW. Slider dips down to low 80's. Cutter sits 87-88.