Joseph Zarr

I didn't think so but I wanted to be sure 😅. Could be right. They are certainly deserving of more opportunities given their seasons. Incredible output. I selfishly want Black to have the opportunity to break the steals record but in the grand scheme of things it isn't all that meaningful.

In what regard?

I would like to quickly point out... Our four Affiliates in Carolina, Wisconsin, Biloxi, and Nashville are now a combined 64-47 to start the 2nd half. We have Biloxi and Carolina sitting in 1st place. We have Wisconsin alone in 2nd place 2 GB the Kernels (gaining 2 G as mentioned in this 4-2 series victory). And, we have Nashville in 3rd place but just 1.5 GB the first place Iowa Cubs as they sit 14-11 in the 2nd Half. Everyone is above 0.500. This is fantastic start to the collective second halves. Deserving of celbration.

T-Rats win 4-0 as RHP Shane Smith escapes a two out runners on the corners mini-jam. 3B Ben Metzinger will want both throws back to end the 9th frame. He was rescued by a Martinez Jr. super scoop on a side arm toss with plenty of time that bounced short the bag. This, one play after he made a diving stop and then threw from his knees short and wide of 1B as the Kernels Catcher ran down the 1B line. His arm, as I've said from Day 1 as a T-Rat, will likely continue to be his Achilles' Heel if he can't add more velocity. It just lacks that much needed pop and strength from that hot corner position. Time will tell. Regardless, huge series for the T-Rats.

Jarvis has struggled quite significantly since his promotion to Triple-A. I certainly wouldn't consider him 'nearly ready'. The majority of his stellar work this season came in the Southern League with a tacked ball. It's hard to tell what's next for him but 3 GS, 11 2/3 IP, 17 H, 14 ER, 2 HR, 12 BB, 11 K as a Sounds starter is not what I'd remotely consider ready for a random call to the MLB level. If anything, he may be ready for a re-assignment to Biloxi to test an untacked ball in a League he is more comfortable in.

The final line reads 7 1/3, 1 H, 3 BB, 10 K, 0 R Not too shabby. 😅 And, here comes RHP Shane Smith. Let's hope he keeps dealing and helps bring this one to the finish line.

Awwwwwww shucks! There it goes. A well hit roped single to LF. The No-Hit bid ends with one down in the 8th frame. Heck of a game for Jimenez. Kudos to manager Joe Ayrault for giving him the shot at history. The crowd gives him an ovation as he leaves the game.

Here we go. Jimenez starts the 8th. Knees are shaking. Mine.

Just a real quick update FYI: The T-Rats lead the first place Cedar Rapids Kernels 4-0 as we head to the bottom of the 7th. It would be a 4-2 series victory if they can squeak it out. More importantly, RHP Edwin Jimenez has a 3 BB, 10 K shutout and certain something going. His pitch count is at 82. If any of you have MiLB.TV or the ability to tune into the Brewers Minor Leagues you may want to see a chance at history. We're headed to the 8th frame. Jimenez will get a chance to start the 8th.

Jimenez's pitch count is 82. I think they give him a chance to start the 8th. Wowsers. Incredible performance.

1-2-3 7th for Jimenez. The thing is still a thing. Let's add some insurance runs, men! 4-0 T-Rats. Nice smooth play by Bob Moore at SS to take the deep hopper and fire an accurate dart to 1B.

Goodness is Jimenez's curve nasty today. He just picked up his 10th K. 2 down to start the 7th. Whew baby.

T-Rats strand men on 1st and 2nd in the bottom of the 6th - Wood fly out to straightaway CF. Martinez Jr. grounds out to 1B - chopper on a first pitch curveball. Jimenez will look to keep his good things going in the 7th frame.

My guess is manager Joe Ayrault will give Jimenez the start of the 7th and they'll play it by ear. He doesn't really pitch into the 90's as of yet. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if they give him an opportunity to shut down that frame and then give it to the bullpen regardless of the results. Go, say, RHP Shane Smith with the chance to close it out and strut his nasty stuff.

Man, if the T-Rats can hold on here that's a huge series result against a very tough High-A squad in Cedar Rapids. They will have gained 2 games and remain just 2 back of these same first place Kernels. Big result if they can hold on.

DSL All Star tilt features the Brewers very own INF Filippo Di Turri getting the starting nod for the NL at 3B. Wunderbar!

-The ACL Brewers have released INF Jose Caballero and C Jason Ollarve We wish both of these young men future success in their baseball and life endeavors. More to follow on both these young men's careers with the Brewers.

It is clearly a new everyday position but he's improved as the year progressed (he did play a handful of games at the hot corner at High-A Wisconsin in 2022 if I'm not mistaken). He definitely has the arm for it. At present, however, the thing that has plagued him at both 2B and 3B is he is just a little bit stiff. I don't know how to describe it as anything other than that. He has made some surprising plays, from time to time, as well - a charging barehanded play in the past several weeks comes to mind. Whereas, earlier in the season, I was like: "Oh boy, this is a big project." I've seen enough progress at the hot corner to understand why they keep giving him shots there. Well, until they shifted him to 1B this past week - which, as Daniel point out in a recent GT, might be an audition for an interested ball club (I sure hope not, his work at the plate is so advanced - the Brewers could absolutely use his bat in the lineup every single day). Anywho, this is a long winded way of saying: He's made progress. BUT, is it enough? I don't know. He has a season FPCT of 0.921. This isn't very good. He only has 11 errors in 592 2/3 innings - which is quite palatable all things considered. But the range and the ability to make those range plays - plays MLB caliber 3B need to make is very much in question. The question remains: Are they trying him out at 1B now because, organizationally, they understand they have a major lack of depth there and Black's bat plays anywhere? OR, is it for some other reason? Time will tell.

If we toss aside RHP TJ Shook's rough 2 1/3 IP July 8th @ Pensacola, we are looking at a really good month of July: 4 G, 19 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 24 K, 2 ER, 2 W, 1 SV He finished tonight's 9-5 victory going 4 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 5 K while picking up the Save. Really fantastic work, Mr. Shook. I salute you!

He's on the Jesus Chirinos diet? I can't explain it. But, it's now kind of a thing.

INF Zavi Warren two-run jack. It's another scorching hot Warren long ball. Goodness he is on one again in his second half. Uncanny how he making this a yearly thing. It's now a 9-5 Shuckers lead in the 6th. I should add, this long ball was a friggin' scorcher. A rocket launch.

RHP Robbie Baker pitched 2 1/3 innings and did not allow a long ball! He definitely had some help from SS Freddy Zamora, I should add. What a play! It's stuff like this that makes Zamor's routine errors so maddening. He has legit unteachable stuff at SS and yet he is prone to the silliest lapses.

Can they retroactively send RHP Adrian Houser on a rehab outing as well? Asking for a friend.

Don't blink but after tonight's impending shellacking in Columbia the Mudcats are a half inning from being 10 games over 0.500 again. I don't believe they've been here since early June? (Off the top of my head). This is a heck of a 4-0 start on the road at Columbia. They're starting to get contributions up and down the line-up. The bullpen has really come into its own, again, after all the recent promotions. Just an incredible job by manager Victor Estevez and the greater Mudcats Coaching and Player Development staff. They've got the baseball machine churning down in Zebulon. With Lynchburg leading 2nd place Salem 5-1 in the bottom of the 5th, the Mudcats are on the doorstep of seeing their 2nd Half lead rise to 3 1/2 games. After tonight's performance, they move to 17-10 since the first half ended June 22nd. This is a young talented squad coming into its own before our very eyes. What makes it even more exciting is the offensive talent currently in the ACL. I mean, y'all, Columbia is no Low-A slouch. They came into this series in the thick of things atop their Division looking to make some moves. The Mudcats have now outscored them 34-to-13. If we go back to the Home series versus Kannapolis, the Mudcats are 9-1 over their past 10 games outscoring their opponents 90-to-45. Whewwwww baby!