Joseph Zarr

Payne grounds out to 2B. Ragsdale walks. Ebel K's looking.

Fun dugout convo with Chris Edwards and manager Nick Stanley right now pre-game in Zebulon.

I sincerely sincerely hope Seigler can shut up the Madding Crowd with some inspired play tonight. The guy has 53 AB. FITY THREE. With insanely bad luck given the underlying data. He has 12 K and 8 BB. I watch this absurd dialogue taking place from the morass of utterly spoiled fans on twitter (I very briefly clicked on Jack's article link while scanning the affiliates line up cards) - fans who complain about every signing; every non-signing; every failed moment - and realize it's no wonder they are at odds with the Brewers Way of winning. They don't understand player development. Not one iota. They don't understand how insanely good the Brewers are at Small Market chess. It's nauseating. Complain at everything. Complain at every player. Not once, really, stopping to see the bigger picture or learning a little more about why an Anthony Seigler might be playing. Or why a RHP Grant Anderson might actually be having a really good season. For perspective sake: when watching and evaluating Minor League Players, about 125 PA's is when we begin to form a very very early thought process on a player. Then we look at the underlying data to see what's really going on under the hood - did back luck play a part? How were the swing decisions? What kind of barrel % or hard hit ball rate was happening? What kind of BABIP was the pitcher experiencing? What was the whiff rate? Was he working on new pitches? Etc. It's just never straightforward. Do these same fans not realize Durbin's sudden uptick in production is also likely directly related to more rest late in the season? More advantageous match-ups and a better fresher body? Good gracious this entire Seigler conversation makes me nauseous. He's such a likable player. He does so many little things well. Ugh.

I just realized, for some inexplicable reason, I'll get to watch Double-A INF Jadher Areinamo all week versus the Shuckers. This pleases me greatly.

Well in fairness to this 'shade', and I do see it cast a mighty shadow into the outfield even at Keesler Federal Park (though, honestly, I'm looking through the CF cam and it is still egregiously smudgy. That just might be a false shadow or white smudge from the foul line. Hard to say) one Luke Adams has not officially returned to the line up as of today. I tend to keep these shiny gold nuggets for the day they make it back in a playing capacity to the clubhouse. <COUGH> And, man, I don't feel good about Miller's odds of returning any time soon after that swing to his catching hand after his third catcher's interference in less than two weeks. You mess with the bull and sometimes you get the horns!

We should probably casually bring up the fact that despite missing 50 Games due to injury, 3B Brock Wilken is still atop the Southern League HR leaderboard (albeit, in a Tie). Wild.

I will continue to trust the process with their greater roster depth. None of the Blue Chip prospects are ready for an opportunity. Not only is Seigler's process extremely sound (with an over abundant amount of bad luck in the batted balls profile), he is absolutely beloved in the clubhouse. There is a reason he has a long leash and there is a reason his current manager has come out and clearly publicly supported him and his place on the roster and in the PT rotation. He's going to continue getting opportunities because he's earned them. It's as simple as that.

The Double-A Matt Wood experience is hitting the late summer BF Prospect Rankings. I can feel the heat!

Just to add more context here, it is my understanding (after talking with contacts in Arizona) Tobias is getting his MRI in Arizona today. It is also my understanding the 7-Day IL is procedural and he is highly highly likely done pitching in 2025 given what they already know of his injury.

A 40 here for the now is too low. A 40 is a below-average mark. There is zero baseball universe where High-A Jesus Made isn't already a top 3 player at the position in his League. I would go higher than the 60 future potential as well. Made's insane athleticism and agility and hands lend him to more Plus-Plus scenarios than he leads on here. His ranking is odd considering his deepest criticism is throwing accuracy which he admits has nothing to do with the physical part of Made's game but rather repetitions and exposure. Facets of his write-up I agree with. Facets I find miss the mark. But, then again, I often feel this way with Longenhagen.😅

Getting Brock Wilken back before the playoffs is such a massive get for the Shuckers line up (and our collective enjoyment). Big congrats to LHP Jesus Broca. A well deserved opportunity - he won't get away with all the walks in Double-A so hopefully he can continue to keep those down. Seeing EBJ go right back on the 7-Day IL is just depressing. His career is certainly heading deeper into the "I wonder what could have been had he ever been healthy..." stages. Sigh. Large Mammal also to the 7-Day IL. He is such a solid relief arm. That's a real loss ahead of their post-season.

We won't know this until his signing is announced through official channels. If I had to hazard a guess, tho, I would imagine he heads to Arizona. There just isn't enough season left.

Hopefully, the bats show up for you and give you a proper send off!

Well deserved tor these two! Phenomenal weeks:

He played for the North Florida Osprey in the Atlantic Sun conference. I believe he was a selection to their Third Team? Regardless, plenty of highlights and such on his twitter page. He appears to be another short, stocky, contact guy. A Brewers type.

This is my second honorary Kevin Martir post. When the Brewers hire a Yankees hitting coach away from the Bombers and his respective team starts, well, hitting bombs...it's worth dreaming on what would happen if we lured more Yankees hitting coaches into the org. ☺️

You always were one of the more passionate T-Ray and Mudacts fans out there. I can respect a pioneer.😘

Liranzo's first earned run allowed since July 3rd allowed today in the 9th. That was a 16 outing stretch. Heck of a run!

What are we going to ignore the first Double-A stolen base?! 🤭

It's strange indeed but the reality is they are trying to find out what they have in their youth group. Ragsdale probably should be in High- taking innings from Alastre/Nicasia/Guilarte. Which gets into the fairly sobering low end depth of that Wisconsin OF at large. This was before Luis Castillo's likely injury and the challenges he was already facing vs High-A arms. What we've really been grappling with, however (from my vantage point), if I keep waxing unsolicitedly (😅) is we see a very top heavy system and we also have some serious regressions happening. A large percentage of the youngest players have really found their current limitations and challenge - they are playing up in years, yes, but this is their trajectory and their paths within the org and they have often met their current plateaus. With some major injuries to key players before and during the season the depth is being severely tested. Many of the players have simply not stepped up to the challenge. We also are witnessing a system that just really hasn't played any semblance of consistent winning baseball stateside throughout the second half. The Mudcats were essentially the only winning team and they've seen their heavy hitters promoted to a team in Wisconsin that has had an underperforming pitching staff essentially all season long. As one example: How long can the Brewers continue to validate rostering the RHP Yerlin Rodriguez sideshow? Another 4.0 WHIP inning. At least no wild pitches or hit batters? Is that our success matrix here? The man has wellllllll more than nine lives. It's extremely strange to see the massive amount of opportunities he is given - and high leverage opportunities no less. It's extremely fair and honest to opine there is zero consistency or lasting improvements here. The narrative, for me personally, around him is just a bit tired at this point. RHP Aaron Rund is a 26-year-old struggling in his second season at Wisconsin. Etc. etc. These are depth issues and a multitude of regression issues from my vantage point.

Two banger thread titles in a row. We are so back!

Muddies gained 1/2 G on the Fred Nats tonight with their 1-1 split. They are now 0.5 G outside the division lead.

At this point, I'm expecting injured bats to return with cutters. Cutters for All!

I've been waiting for a thread title like this. A nice early Saturday gift. Hopefully the Mudcats can stymy another late half fade and get right back into a tie atop the division. Problem is, nobody is really consistently hitting on that current roster. Sigh. Warm up ye young bats!

Fitting Chourio's first rehab AB was a K. It certainly wasn't going to be a walk.🤭