Joseph Zarr

5 combined walks tonight between EBJ and Clarke in 5 official AB's between the two. Surprise has now won 4 straight and scored double digit runs for the third time in four games beating Mesa 10-2. No Brewers pitched. Mendez was on the pines.

I know it is my friend and, as always, I greatly look forward to it. My Moore comments, here, are strictly related to the 2023 season - for clarity sake. I didn't rank Moore in my Top 20 (and, by now, you know how I feel about my rankings regardless - throw them in the trash! I'm an old man) but as the season progressed and the sample sizes piled on I grew more fond of what he offered Joe Ayrault and his teammates. Almost always available. Very very capable of playing elite defense at 2B and surprised me with his improved defense at SS - though his range is more limited there due to his size and wingspan he actually took that range to its max as he played it more and more and made several laid out web gems I was definitively not anticipating. His fill in play there was so crucial for the T-Rats in the second half as they made a legitimate run at the post-season. Without his savvy there I don't know they stay steady when EBJ was absent yet again. And, it seemed every time I lamented Moore's early season slump and his low 'hit for average' he would crack another gap double to the wall. I think there's a lot more in his bag than we guesstimate because we plateau'd as his play seemed to taper off. Regardless, he's a really solid 'Ace up the Sleeve' should he ever further advance the bat tool. The wonder of the Brewers system is the massive pool of middle infield prospects ready to make their respective runs over the next several years - from the DSL stateside into High-A. Where these prospect chips fall is indeed one of the most alluring qualities of the system at large. I look at a guy like Moore and he seems like another player in the mold of Patrick Dorrian - Nashville's 'Fan Favorite' award winner in 2023. Another uber-talented player who flied entirely under-the-radar - and, this, in large part, likely due to his massive slump to close out his 2023. Where he lacks the SS capabilities that Moore innately has, Dorrian plays a very very good 3B and a very good 2B. And, when he's not inexplicably mired in a strikeout rut, he hits long balls and gappers like clockwork. Anywho, getting wordy. Off-season and all. Love these reports. Love the conversations. Brewers baseball. 365 days a year.

The Wes Clarke clutch breakout season continues. May this campaign simply never end. May he smash clutch line drive doubles and smash moon shot homers in an improbable 2025 Brewers post-season run to an eventual first World Series championship...where he shall lay the wood to the Yankees averaging three long balls per game in a crushing four game sweep. In addition to playing 1B, C, and crushing from the DH spot throughout this mythological series, 'The Incredible Clarke' will also pitch three shutout innings to close out game 4's 19-0 walloping of the Bronx Bombers. This is the way. It is written in stone.

Wait a moment. We have Boeve ranked higher than EBJ? Ummm, I'm sorry, but that's a big 'not in my book'. This is the 'danger' (I say this extremely casually) of relying on ACL data and possible draft recency bias. As Sveum alludes to, he will be entirely dependent on his hit tool. In the brief time I was able to watch him on a game-by-game basis at Wisconsin there were plenty more question marks than there were answers. Extremely limited positional flexibility (ie he is a second baseman). Fairly below average arm, by what I witnessed. And (the addendum here is we don't know what actually caused his season to end early), outside his first series at Wisconsin we saw that Exit Velocity and line drive rate plummet. I can personally say, after watching him play in 2023, I ended my viewing and prospect fandom placing Robert Moore above Boeve - despite Moore's generally ho-hum year at the plate. Moore smacked many a double. A larger sample size, yes absolutely, but he drove the ball harder and further with more regularity. AND, in the drop of the hat Moore has very competent capabilities to takeover shortstop duties. I actually ended my own 2023 Minor League viewing campaign questioning what we had in Boeve overall. He obviously needs to stay healthy but his bat will be literally everything and that's a big question mark as he faces increased levels in competition. I could have very easily made 2023 arguments to leave him outside my Top 20. He's not really in the same ball park as EBJ in terms of upside and blue chip prospect speak (in my very humble opinion).

I swear I wrote this. The merry-go-round returns to @sveumrules!

I would like to again remind us: We have Giannis and Damian Lillard. 🤣 (No Blue Font) I went back and watched his interview with JJ Redick from last year. If you haven't seen this, check it out. He's so so heady in his offensive approach. Has a memory akin to A-Rod. He's just a caliber of guard we haven't seen on the Bucks. I can not wait for this season. On his 71 point game vs Houston last season: "...when I really sat back and thought about it after the game, I should have had 90." Not a lot of NBA players (ever) could say that one.🤣

IF we based the 16-20 on actual production in 2023, we'd certainly have questions marks on some of these inclusions. And, well, it's 16-20 and these rankings are always imperfect. Interesting players all around, no less. Blalock: What do we actually have here given the injury track record and a new injury that shelved him while with the Brewers? He is obviously a very intriguing arm but he certainly didn't hit the ground running with the new organization pitching in the Midwest League. Now we have an unknown injury. Let's hope it was an overabundance of caution and more a 'Development List' type of thing. Let's just hope he's healthy to start 2024 and we get a full season to watch a talented young arm develop and flourish. Guilarte: Here we see another injury that marred what began as a fantastic early season. It was almost a certainty Guilarte was going to get on base in the season's early going - his on base streak was a real thing. But, then he suffered an injury and never really stood out thereafter - even after returning from said injury. Given the lack of power, the fairly pedestrian second half of 2023, and the overall middle infield depth throughout the lowest levels of the Brewers organization it feels a fair question to ask: what really sets Guilarte apart? At least, that's a question I will continue to stew on as 2024 begins. Baez really grew on me the more he played in Carolina. What we've heard is the Brewers currently see him as strictly a 3B. I saw steady improvements in his short time with the Mudcats. I really like the swing - he definitely has opposite field power and ability which is always a plus by my eyes. Excited to see 2024. Bitoni, I would imagine, will begin 2023 in Carolina. Of the youngsters in the ACL, he certainly appeared to be the slowest to adjust. This isn't a proclamation of anything - it's such a brief stint post draft and we don't have the opportunity to watch any of these games. It will be very interesting to see this young man play in 2024. I'll be there for it. O'Rae is one of my favorite players to watch in the lower levels. He is just 100 mph and quick as a mouse in everything he does. He doesn't overextend himself on anything and it all looks effortless. If you want a baseline for a diminutive player, you want O'Rae's baseline. He has incredible range at 2B or CF. He is extremely patient and disciplined at the dish. The big thing that will likely dictate how far he goes in his baseball career is how he develops his lower body; how that development impacts his already advanced parts of his game (contact, defense, speed); and how that nurtures more loft and power. He obviously doesn't need to be a HR hitter but we certainly would like to see more powerfully hit line drives. For now, he's a contact heavy spray hitter. Anyhow, as always, my addendum is: these comments and opinions are merely that - current thoughts and opinions. I'm excited for each of these young men in 2024. Let's just hope they stay healthy and keep adding to their games. The sky is the limit and we just don't know how these careers will evolve.

A nice piece on RHP Shane Smith - synopsis on his season and what he's working on in the AFL (hint...it slides). Give it a read to see what's cooking for one of the Brewers top-tier relief prospects. On the level of bats in the Arizona Fall League...

You'll like this @CheeseheadInQC: Shane Smith Piece - He's Working on His Slider in Arizona and Has 1 K Already I can attest, by late summer the curve was straight filthy.

A well-seasoned chorizo will state its case as an 'every race' threat - every season, every game, and most definitely every race. Sometimes, and this is rare like we witnessed in 2023, the culinary team gets a little overzealous and throws in a bit too much pork fat in the blend. The seasoning gets washed out some and there is just no leg in those spicy little numbers. If I were a betting man, I'd simply opine chorizo was weighted down - by expectations, sure, but more actual fat. They sprinted into a full season overcooked. Tossed in a scramble and drowned in quick carb potatoes - sprinting out of the gates but losing that long distance mettle that wins those championship trophies. Huh. It seems to me they were the omen for the Brewers squandered playoff hopes if we were reading the tea leaves. We were too busy dreaming big while chorizo was bearing the weight of our inevitable burden. My friends tell me: "It's just a sausage race!" OH NO, I say! OH NO! Chorizo is life.

They won 17-5 last night. They smacked Glendale 16-1 today. Yowza! The Saguaros move to a prickly 5-4 record overall. King saw the mound again and pitched a scoreless 1 K frame. Manning second base again, EBJ hit his 3rd dub of his AFL stint in a 2-for-6, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K outing (moved up to 2nd in the batting order - a welcome sight). And, Clarke was back back at first base hitting in the clean-up spot with a 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K outing. After these last two contests, just take a quick look at the heart of the Saguaros batting order: (1-thru-6)

I believe you mean 'three double plays'. Has there ever been a game with 2 triple plays? That'd be something!

Surprise leads 13-1 in the 6th 😮 EBJ is 2-for-3 with 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, and 1 K. Mendez Is 1-for-4 with 1 R, 2 RBI, and 1 K. He also has a fielding error in RF.

Yes. It's just fine.

Clarke appears to be getting the evening off 🥲. EBJ and Mendez will try to wake up their bats. EBJ is back at SS while Mendez will man the RF grass as the Saguaros (3-4) take on the Scottsdale Scorpions (3-3).

I like the usage of "...one possibility." I am going to take this as a sign Matt Arnold sees what I see: Black is skilled enough to be part of a platoon. And he is skilled enough to play more than one position. And his bat and his base running is his primary position. Just a lil bit of innuendo on my part. Little bit.😅

Absolutely agreed on the 1B take. If anyone questions that just go back to Devanney's (a very good infielder) failed fill-in at 1B attempt post-Singleton trade. Whereas Toro was actually quite good, Devanney was a quagmire in his brief opportunity. As to Black, he definitely improved and got more comfortable as the year progressed. And, I think it's important to note we are still looking at an incredibly low amount of opportunities. And Black has been the consummate pro in accepting all the moving around, giving it his all (often in completely foreign positions), and all the while continuing to advance an already elite offensive skillset. He showed he has some range (tho limited and obviously inexperienced) and has an arm that plays from the hot corner. Regardless, I personally just repeatedly go back to the sentiments @Smichaelis9and I share: he'll be competent enough at numerous spots (ie he likely won't outright lose you games), with an elite offensive skill set too premium to ignore, that ultimately he could be a utility guy on steroids who can cover numerous positions and always have the DH fall back. I have watched Black play 2B, CF, 3B, and 1B in nearly every game he was called upon since being a prospect in the Brewers system. I don't see an elite defender by any means but I consistently see good effort and intensity and well more than enough offensive showcasing to validate spot playing him at any of these positions (tho, obviously, he'll likely never touch the CF grass in Milwaukee unless in an absolute emergency). His greatest impact on the game will predominantly come in the batters box and on the base paths and it has a legitimate shot to be elite impact as he adjusts to MLB pitching. He is just so strong, fast, and coordinated with a bat in his hands. He has an uncannily unique ability to make meaningful contact to gaps. In his first committed season to exploring his power stroke we witnessed fabulous results. Then we factor in how ridiculously dangerous he has gotten on the base paths in a year's time...it will all figure itself out. My main over-arching point is I personally think where he ends up playing defensively won't matter all that much. I see him moving around. His bat is what needs to be the consistent mainstay - if that makes sense.

The first such honor of his career. And, rightfully so. Given he was so lights out at the dish I found his spot PT in the deciding Biscuits series fairly questionable. He was on a heater and I personally felt he needed AB's every day until he cooled off. Hindsight ye ol 20/20 and all.

Just came here to post this but my man alllllll the way overseas beat me to it - because, well, he's 'the man'. I found this part uber-relatable being a super dork and dad joke connoisseur myself: Love Boz. Storybook ending to an otherwise challenged Triple-A season. I'll be rooting for him wherever he lands in 2024.

Surprise loses (3-4) to the undefeated Javelinas (6-0 - what is this the Dodgers DSL?!?) to a 5-3 score. Clarke ended up 1-for-4 with the HR (his 3rd). EBJ went 0-for-3 with a BB and a K while being picked off 1B. RHP Shane Smith tossed yet another scoreless inning of work - 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K (this is almost to be expected at this point). It's only a 7 game sample size but the Saguaros can''t be all too thrilled with the production they are getting from the Rangers' Cameron Cauley and EBJ at SS and 2B.

I mean: (I really like his teammate Mannell too - nice deceptive two-seamer)

Yeah, I've been loosely tracking. Ridiculous Spin numbers here. When your evolving fastball is your third lowest spin pitch at 2734 RPM...that is a very very good sign. When hitters don't know what it is and can't touch it also mucho bueno 😂

And, remember, we have a running Arizona Fall League thread in our Minor League Forum. Stop in early and often as we give game-by-game results and recaps and other highlights and tidbits as they come along. If you couldn't write a story like this, maybe you'll feel more comfortable there.🤭

"Think you could write a story like this?" I always feel like I am getting smack talked after reading these. Let's go!