Joseph Zarr

Well, Hunt is breaking out his Complex days. He just balked in the 3rd run of his outing. And, then strikes out the next batter. 5-4 Mudcats. Two down.

Two runs conceded by K.C. Hunt (lead-off solo jack here in the bottom of the 6th) was not on my Sunday Bingo Card. Tells you just how dominant he's been. He has a runner on 2nd base (single, SB). He just struck out a guy. And, now he just threw his 2nd WP of his 1 1/3 IP so far. It's fair to say: not his best stuff today. Let's hope he buckles down and at least preserves the lead. 5-3 Mudcats.

Ethan Murray fielding error - have I discussed Murray's struggles? - and we have another run across. 6-0 Biscuits. Runners on 2nd and 3rd. My goodeness. King gives up a single to LF. 8-0 Biscuits. His ERA is approaching 16. When it rains it pours. Happy Mother's Day y'all. I'm headed to plant flowers. That's enough of this. 😅

King gives up the sac fly. Shuckers trail 5-0. Runner on 1st takes 2nd and 3rd. King walks the next batter on 5 pitches. Have I mentioned the struggle is very real?

LHP Justin King's first inning of work since he gave up the grand slam in this same series. He already has runners on the corners with nobody out. The struggle is very real. I watched his work his last time out. He is not on top of his stuff. ERA already north of 12.00. Let's see if he can prevent further ballooning to levels no pitcher wants to see.

Rund escapes. The runner took 2nd base uncontested (nobody covering). The lefty batter took a massive hack and massively undercut the ball on the outer half (low and away). Vargas casually catches the pop-up even though he was almost run over by the River Bandits' baserunner. 5-0 to the top of the 8th.

After the T-Rats bats stranded Jheremy Vargas on 3B with one down in the top of the 7th, RHP Aaron Rund does his part inducing a key double play after a lead-off River Bandits single to start their bottom half. He gets the first two outs. He then sees a bloop flare single on a nice chang-up down and low - just a nice piece of two-strike hitting. The long-haired reliever will see if he can get out of his second man on first scenario unscathed.

Looking at the Shuckers line-up: 5-through-9 hitters all sub 0.200 BA. All sub 0.600 OPS. Toss in EBJ's lead-off role at a 0.145 BA and 0.420 OPS. Man, their offense is a legit struggle at present. Once you move outside Boeve; Wilken; Clarke; and EMJ...it's a whole lotta ugly. <sad face gif>

I have to think the development of his slider as a legitimate pitch is a possible reason they are stretching him out? It's an interesting exercise, however. We know he's started games before so it's in his mental repertoire.

We can say what we want about the process of these ML games - we know they are filled with player-focused motivations etc. - BUT, and I stated this last season, one of the reasons I find Victor Estevez so dang likable is he bridges the gap. He plays to win. He plays to get into the post-season. AND, he very clearly implements player-motivated decisions in the process. We're seeing similar qualities in Nick Stanley's work in Zebulon in 2024. I personally feel post-season games should be a primary focus for the organization, as well. Get these young men in favorable high-leverage games. Last season, pushing Ashby so quickly through High-A/Double-A/Triple-A when Wisconsin was pushing and Biloxi was neck-and-neck and the Sounds still mathematically (though highly improbable) in the hunt for a lot of the 2nd half. Well, it just never made sense. Send him to the Complex and get him working on his many issues in a low-stress no-demands environment. I digress.😁

Heck of a start by RHP Edwin Jimenez. You love to see it. This is a huge early season game for first half Standings purposes. A 4-2 series win would give the T-Rats a lil 1st place separation - push Quad Cities to 2.0 GB and, in the least, keep Beloit and Cedar Rapids at 2.5 GB minimum (pending their results today). Let's close it out!

RHP Bo Bowman also another rebound success story in 2024. Really struggled hitting his stride after the call-up to Biloxi in 2023. Really has been a fantastic and consistent bullpen piece for manager Joe Ayrault in 2024 Biloxi. He pitches a scoreless 5th inning in relief with 2 K - 0 H, 0 BB. 1-1 into the Shuckers half.

Really nice to see talented RHP Alexander Cornielle find a bit of a stride after inconsistencies in 2023. This is a young man who always had the strikeout stuff in spades. It was consistency finding the zone that typically has been his 'downfall'. Pitching 6 complete scoreless frames with very little action on the basepaths, 6 K, in a very fragile 1-0 T-Rats lead is the stuff that really solidifies what several of us have been pining for since he was called up from Carolina. Always had the K numbers. Always had the build and the raw stuff. Really hoping he is finding another step up with his arsenal and performance.

That's a very fair assessment. Perhaps, I'm just a wee over-cantankerous because I'm hobbling around with a broken toe. I should be giving up grand slams. Not these men who work 10x harder at their craft than I do!😅

I understand it's a bullpen game. What I am saying, plainly is: don't start him. He's still available, obviously. That's my point. I've seen this play out with him starting one too many times. It's just not setting him up for success. I understand what you are saying. I don't agree with the approach. And I'm not using a hindsight is 20/20 here. I don't like him starting any game. That's just me, perhaps.

Absolutely not. Grand slam. Sheeesh. What a terrible start. 😅 Sounds trail 5-0. Still one down. He's already at 30 pitches. From my vantage point, and what do I know - I am not managing these young men, obviously - just watching all the games I do. Bennett and Seminaris have demonstrated they are better out of the Pen. Much much better warming up and entering game in the middle innings. They regress nearly every time they Start a game. I don't know what it is. BUT, sometimes, I just feel like we should let these pitchers excel where they are effective. I've seen this type of thing play out one too many times.

LHP Nick Bennett is giving us 'that' version of Nick Bennett. 3 Hits. 1 BB. 1 K. 1 down. A single just plated the Bulls first run. Bases are still juiced. 1-0 Bulls. Hopefully, he can get a DP ball and get out of this.

Pedro Ibarguen's slow start in Arizona has me sad face.

Well, we need to remember he came out of the gates rocking and rolling and then was shelved with that injury - was it a broken finger? Either way, he definitely pulls or hits middle more than oppo. BUT, I will just say the most important thing at this stage is he looks the part in nearly every way. So much to build with.

Hard not to be very excited. And, why not? Let's have FUN!

Heck of an effort getting this report in and a fantastic write-up at that?! What can't this man across the pond do for our Minor League addled brains? Go Brewers!

I just came here to share this 🤮 after reading the name 'Andrew Chafin'...who is predictably having a fantastic early bounce back campaign with the Tigers. Now, that's 'Chafey'!

Ahhhh for Kripes! What is this realistic and well-reasoned perspective?!?

We approach this second weekend of May with the affiliates holding a combined 72-56 record (including the ACL Crew's 1-3 mark). Carolina: 20-8 Wisconsin: 19-11 Biloxi: 15-15 Nashville: 17-19 * Carolina is tied for 1st Place in the Carolina League South Division with the Fredericksburg Nats. Again, we see a tight first half playoff race - those postponed, and ultimately suspended two games vs. Columbia just last weekend, weigh heavily into this picture. Last year the Mudcats lost two entire games vs Down East during their first-half playoff push. Hopefully, that won't happen again this year! ** Wisconsin is going toe-to-toe with Quad Cities (in Quad Cities) this very week. Their 2-1 mark through three games of this hotly contested six-game set has opened up a tenuous 1.0 G lead over the same River Bandits. Beloit and Cedar Rapids also hover a mere 1.5 GB @ 17-12 records. It gives me great pleasure to share the South Bend Cubs and Peoria Chiefs are holding serve in the cellar - 11-19 and 9-21 records, respectively. *** Biloxi's bullpen has allowed 14 runs in just a two-inning span in the past two contests. They'll quite obviously want to stop that nonsense 😅. Regardless, sitting at 15-15 they are still very much in the Southern League's South Division - 2.0 GB 1st place Pensacola, 1.0 GB 2nd place Montgomery (why this current series holds obvious importance). Hopefully, with the returns of Clarke and Wilken we can see the offense continue to turn things around for the better. In the 'What a Difference a Year Makes!' category, last year's last place stepping stone, Birmingham (51-87 overall in 2024), is leading the North division by 5.0 G at 20-9. Second place Rocket City sits 5.0 GB at 15-14. **** Nashville sits smack dab in the lower half of the greater International League. Remember, here, there is no divisional winner each half - it's the overall leader amongst both the East and West divisions. It's a gambit to ultimately face the PCL's winners. At 17-19 (a record that represents what we've seen on a night-in and night-out basis, honestly) they remain 8.5 GB of overall 1st place leading Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (25-10) of the Yankees org. If the Sounds have any notion of making a move up the standings in the first half, the current series vs Durham; the next series @ Jacksonville; and the following series vs Charlotte are a good opportunity. All four of these teams currently hold various versions of sub 0.500 records. Let the bottom dwellers feast upon each other!

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Friday, lineup updates, etc. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores MiLB Audio Links Tonight's Expected Starters: RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (6:35 EST - Free Game of the Day) RHP Brett Wichrowski (7:35 EST) RHP Yujanyer Herrera (7:30 EST) RHP Josh Knoth. (7:05 EST)