Joseph Zarr

EBJ doing his thing already tonight. BB, 2 SB, R. 1-1 score into the 4th. He also has his second Error in just 3 games. Clarke is 0-for-2 with a K.

I can feel you on this. Not bad thoughts here whatsoever.

You can't rationalize letting Frelick bat there especially considering his ongoing overall slump to end his year. Just as you can't rationalize not only rostering Winker but using him as the first PH bat when there is literally zero evidence all season long he can handle the duties. The decisions and the rationale are indefensible. They are failures. The ball does not lie.

Oh I know. I was making a joke. These Playoff fails and choices across the spectrum are so eerily Packers it's maniacal. This has infinite shades of LaFleur and Stenovich swapping out 2:3 their O-Line at Home vs Tampa. Anyhow, I am used to the pain. It is just more fuel for the fire.

Frankly, at this juncture I am just elated Couns can't go to Winker in this scenario. That'a where I am at mentally with what is going on.

Personally, I'm looking for (Ray) Ginkel and a clean pair of shorts.

What's interesting in the above amalgamated list is three of the absolute best raw stuff guys in the system (all playing at Low-A Carolina) don't even make the list. All three struggled with control and consistency - hence, they remained in a Low-A placement by year's end. But, you'd be hard-pressed to find better pure stuff guys than RHP's Quinton Low, Jesus Rivero, and Yerlin Rodriguez. The problem there, however, is their control issues often overshadow everything else. Quite a bit more so than Shears who, as you astutely point out, never really succumbed to the wild pitches; the inability of his catchers to catch and frame his stuff consistently; etc. He found ways to work around all that and get punch outs or crucial timely outs. Low and Rivero, in particular, were prone to meltdown innings. Low completely lost himself in late summer and then closed his season on the 7-Day IL from August 11th onward. Rodriguez was as lights out a Low-A closer as you get during June and July but this is surrounded by volatility. I digress. All three of the these guys (Low, Rivero, and Rodriguez) have Big League raw 'stuff'. But, as of right now, they are very much lottery tickets. This is a huge off-season for their development. Needless to say, performance aside, if I am in the player development part of an organization I likely take their raw tools from a strictly prospect and up-side perspective 7 days a week over our collective performance-based 'Honorable Mentions'. And, the addendum here as we know is none of that raw stuff matters if it can't find the zone or swings and misses consistently.

It most definitely isn't right, no. He pitched to a 3.79 ERA. Even if you eliminate the 4 ER he gave up in a piggyback role vs the St. Paul Saints - 3 1/3 IP and 8 K - on May 5th it wouldn't come remotely close to 2.85. My guess? Someone was throwing up an article and scanning the International League stats leaderboard and misplaced the Gwinnett Stripers' Allan Winans and his actual 2.85 ERA. It's a silly mistake. None the less, Gasser showcased fantastic stuff in 2023. AND, the high 3's ERA speaks more to his actual production - brilliant at times; nearly always filled with K's; still prone to walks; and also extremely unlucky at times with really weak contact. Once he came into form he was a dominant Triple-A starter. BUT, he does indeed still show reversion to the control issues. He is so close. So close to finding the best version of his pitching self.

Didn't they win last night and sit 1-1?

Honestly, I'm just surprised they didn't keep Rowdy on the roster as a spare bullpen arm. He was getting swings and misses his last time on the hill.

I'll migrate a few Game 1 notes from late last night: - EBJ's very first 2023 innings manning 2B were last night (SS was given to the Rangers 2021 3rd Rd pick, Cameron Cauley). - No OF Hendry Mendez sighting in Game 1 - No Brewers hurlers touched the mound - given the score that may have been a good thing 🤭

First thing I noticed: - Clarke game 1 slotted in straight to the clean-up spot. Noice! Aside from another HR he tacked on a triple?! The man continues to surprise in all the right ways. - The Saguaros gave up 8 runs but not a single Brewer pitched. Nice? - Eric Brown Jr. not only slotted in seventh in the order but he played 2B. Those are his very first 2023 innings at 2B. - No Hendry Mendez sighting

I'm not even mad or surprised to be honest. Truly awful news, obviously. I more just feel terribly for Woodruff who is easily one of the easiest Brewers to root for. This is such a devastating blow at this point in his career. I truly feel for him as a player and a person. This is a scary injury given what he had already come back from in 2023. Hopefully the team can galvanize around the 'Us vs Them' mentality they will need. An Ace down. A manager with an unknown Future. Do it for each other and may we as fans relish in the improbable.

- RHP Janson Junk has been recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds - LHP Eric Lauer was optioned by the Milwaukee Brewers to the ACL Brewers

- RHP Caleb Boushley was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers -LHP Clayton Andrews was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers - LHP Eric Lauer was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds

Words can not express how absolutely and utterly awesome that night and result was for Caleb and his friends and family. That was storybook stuff right there. What a moment. What a beautiful bit of MLB debut work to showcase to the rest of the League, as well for his upcoming FA. That was not an ideal scenario for a first outing. He rose to the occasion and then some. It felt so rewarding to see him get that result after being the steady workhorse and 'Mr. Always Available' for Sweet and his staff in Nashville. People may not remember: Tho he didn't have the 2023 Triple-A season he would have liked (marred by his poor final month plus), he was the chosen starter for Nashville in last year's Vegas Semi-Final game vs Durham.

Continuing to stay current as the season nears its end: - LHP Ethan Small was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers - LHP Clayton Andrews was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds - The Milwaukee Brewers selected the contract of RHP Caleb Boushley from the Nashville Sounds - The Milwaukee Brewers DFA'd RHP Julio Tehran to the Nashville Sounds

The Tyler Black Height Truthers have another member. Who knew?! Too funny.

That is really interesting. Especially considering how he generally struggled as a starting pitcher when called upon for the Shuckers. And, tho he only had a lone relief appearance, his Triple-A outing told a story he will likely need extended exposure or off-season tweaks to adjust to the higher level of competition - he was hit hard. I love me some Meeker, as you know, but I would personally be challenged to place him (in the Brewers prospect pantheon) above a TJ Shook, for example, who is a more versatile and toolsy guy who can fill a number of roles including set-up; long relief; starting roles. I would casually opine, his ZiPS was seen as such in 2023 because Fangraphs was slow to understand his overall game to begin with in 2022. He proved he can very effectively fill a 7th or 8th inning Southern League role (no small feat) yet I still personally saw more reason for hesitancy than I saw reason for getting more bullish than I already was. I take it to mean the ZiPS projections here were just behind. And I don't mean this in any defiant or loud way. I just mean it in a: He is absolutely going to need to find another level to his Mix and his stuff if he wants to prove himself at Triple-A for a shot at MLB. He can absolutely do it but I personally wouldn't rely one iota on this ZiPS projection. To that end, and to a similar tune as far as re-setting the table, RHP Edwin Jimenez showed me a bigger projectable step for meaningful future 4th-5th starter potential. Anywho, fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

That would be great for Boushley, for sure, starting in his home state of Wisconsin. He did get roughed up for a month and a half to close his season with Nashville including a 7 H, 4 BB, 8 ER 3 1/3 IP outing at last place Charlotte on September 16th. Quite a tall task for him, if this is indeed true, to face the Cubs offense looking for a playoff birth. And, if it's true, I hope he crushes his opportunity. He has to keep his stuff down in the zone. He struggles when his stuff stays up in the zone. Let's hope he brings his 'A' game!

Staying current from the past couple of days: - RHP Colin Rea was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds - LHP Ethan Small was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds - (pertaining directly to his AFL assignment) RHP Justin Yeager was activated off the 60-Day IL by the Biloxi Shuckers

I can, actually. And I saw it this past week 😂. Sweet speaks to the Chourio run down final out in RF off a screamer with the bases juiced. He made it look easy. Wiemer robbed a HR. That's just an elite and interchangeable defensive outfit. I mean any one of those guys at the corner spots is an unfair advantage.

I legit can't believe this is real. I have no more wishes in my basketball life. This is it for me. I can not believe it is happening.