Joseph Zarr

Hey now, OF Hedbert Perez with the no out, two run, blast over the RF wall in the 9th. Mudcats suddenly trail 6-5. Is a comeback possible?!? It's hard to believe it, but, it is worth mentioning: the Mudcats are a 0.500 ballclub at Home. Wood Ducks just won their game in Delmarva. The Mudcats face a possible 0.5 game back scenario. IF they pull this out they'll remain 0.5 games in first. One down as Vargas grounds out to 2B.

Lauer is about to load the bases again here going 3-0 on, you guessed it, several 'heaters' up and out of the zone to a RH batter. He just can't harness that pitch and it is costing him dearly. Yup. Bases juiced. He only lasts 2 2/3 IP. Say what you want, but Lauer is not a MLB pitcher in 2023. This is where he belongs. Keep working on things.

AND, Lauer just got those bases loaded with nobody down and gave up a classic seeing eye chopper up the middle and beyond the diving Alvarez. 2-2 just like that. He is routinely missing his release point on heaters high and outside to RH batters. It reared its head early some but it's a problem in the 3rd. With the infield in, he just gave up a liner to LF over the leaping Devanney. Sounds trail 3-2. This is 2023 Lauer in a nutshell. He looks exactly the same

Rudy has 4 K through 3 IP but he did just give up his first HR of his season. A two-run shot down the RF line. Mudcats trail 2-0.

It's only the 2nd inning but it's a really nice pitching match-up at Low-A Carolina between the Woodpecker's Fleury and the Mudcats' Rudy. Really interesting match-up. Fleury is really keeping the Mudcats on their heels with a really nice curve and change-up combo.

Two web gem diving stops - one by Robert Moore in West Michigan and the other a sliding grab by Kaylan Nicasia in RF at Five County Stadium. The defense has really come on across the system of late. These two plays exemplify that.

I am getting a wee tired of the Low-A infield umpires egregiously missing CS throwout by the Mudcats catching battery. The ump just missed another clear tag beating the slide by about 3'. I don't quite understand what these men are looking at. Sheeesh.

He's really starting to find the zone with his change-up. That's consecutive K's. A K looking on an outer change to a lefty. A strike swinging on an outer change to a righty. He follows with a pop out to CF. A really nice escape.

RHP Edwin Jimenez is not on early. He's struggling to find the plate - this is reminiscent of a 2022 outing if I'm being honest. 3-0 count leads to a walk. 0-1 count falls to 3-1 and leads to an oppo poke. He leads off batter 3 with a ball low and in the dirt for a 1-0 count. Not a good beginning. Let's hope he finds his form.

Boy, Miller missed a grand slam by about 6'. Je'Von Ward hit a screamer to the warning track in RF. Sounded great off the bat. I don't know how that didn't leave the yard. The T-Rats lead 2-0. It really could have been a lot worse. On to the bottom half.

Oh my. Darrien Miller just missed a 2-2 grand salami by about 6' down the RF foul line. Whew. That. Was. Close. Still 2-2. Nobody down. Pitch count up to 27 for the Whitecaps starter. He hits the deep line drive for a sac fly to CF. 2-0 T-Rats.

And, Wood keeps cooking. He takes what looked like a two-seamer and reaches a line drive one-handed poke up the middle into CF. Moore scores. Adames moves to 3rd. Joe Gray Jr. will try and put forth further damage. Nobody out, btw.

Fun obscure Minor League baseball League factoid: INF Wily Adames actually played for the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2014. He is now in West Michigan on his rehab stint with the T-Rats. He walks in the two-spot working a full count to a free pass. Men on 1st and 2nd for C Matt Wood.

INF Robert Moore just ripped a 93 mph heater to the gap in deep center-right. A lead-off dub.

Hey the Mudcats with a Lynchburg series recap vid? Sweet!

I'll be watching to see if the Shuckers continue to use Myers' heater as a third offering - it worked quite a bit better the last time out. Given its flat and realtively level plane, they really need to use that pitch as a 'keep them honest' as opposed to the dominant get him into trouble pitch it had been. OR, hey, he could also just throw it like he did in his first outing when it had massive tailing movement; some sink; and was generally un-hittable. We haven't seen that kind of liveliness since his opener.

As the upper level games approacheth, take a minute (or 5) to listen to up-and-coming INF Ethan Murray in his June 4th interview with Shuckers broadcaster Javik Blake. Murray is extremely hard not to love (even if he is a former Duke Blue Devil - hey, not everyone is perfect. We'll let it slide. For now 😜): Interview HERE Included in this interview is a very interesting tidbit: Murray has his own glove company! Wild! Check out the wares:

0.5 game lead over red hot Down East. 16 days before the first half's end. THIS is the series the Mudcats needed. IF it's going to be a Home series, it may as well be against the team with the worst record in the Carolina League. Come on Mudcats, let's hand that 'longest playoff drought in the Minor Leagues' title to somebody else!

Talk about a mixed emotions Transaction log. YAY! Wait, what? UGH! Whew.

Well, someone had to lose. The DSL Brewers clashed head-to-head in only their second game. The DSL Brewers Uno prevailed 5-0 - all runs came in the first two innings and held for the duration. The DSL Brewers #1 pitching staff - led by 17-year-old Nicaraguan starter RHP Enniel Crotez's 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 ER - held the Dos to a single hit over s prototypical DSL 7-inning affair. 19-year-old RHP Yeferson Tales did manage to grab the Save after RHP Roman Perez (in his second DSL Brewers season) walked the bases full in the 6th frame. Tales went 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K. INF Kevin Ereu continued impacting the bottom line in just his second game: 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB (his 3rd in two games).

I think the Introductory Griffin presser is today? Signing official as of last night. Yep:

It's time for Brewers affiliated baseball 7-days a week. Whew dang we're back again! With the DSL and ACL Brewers playing their opening games, we had both the DLS 1 and 2 kicking it off South of the border and we had the now condensed ACL Brewers playing down in Arizona. It was a wonderful 3-0 debut for Team Brewers. Let's just get right into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Transactions: INF Mike Brosseau was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers INF Luis Urias was activated by the Milwaukee Brewers - he had previously been rehabbing with the Sounds AND, we have a proverbial buffet of activity and announcements in the DSL./ACL realm. Due to the massive number of transactions in and amongst all teams, I am simply going to let you sift through all the names and movement HERE or, hey, get frisky and visit our Transactions Thread HERE. By the early afternoon, PST, I counted 47 assignments and named roster moves amongst the DSL and ACL squads. 😳 Of possible special note in the slurry of transactions, and astutely pointed out by our very own @damuelle HERE, is the fact the Brewers have indeed promoted 17-year-old Venezuelan flamethrower RHP Aldrin Gonazlez directly stateside to the ACL: Game Balls: Last year's highest paid (bonus pool) International Free Agent pitching signee, LHP Anthony Flores, was phenomenal in his first outing of 2023. After a mostly disappointing 2022, it is absolutely wonderful to see a 4 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 8 K first trip to the hill. This included striking out the side in the first frame. OF Antony Gomez got aboard the bags three times in his first game - a single and two free passes. He also swiped 4 bases. Count them: 4. We'll honor that type of impact any day of the week. Cuban outfielder, Idalberto Santiesteban, opened his Brewers career with a 4-for-4 day at the dish (1 2B). A heck of a debut for the 18-year-old November 2022 signee. DH/1B/OF Yeison Perez had an incredible debut for the ACL Brewers. Maybe, just maybe, the coaching staff will re-consider batting him in the 9-Hole. A solo jack and a bases clearing triple in the pivotal sixth inning filled out his 2-for-4, 4 RBI evening. INF Jhonny Severino had a fantastic debut stateside after a solid DSL season in 2022. 3-for-5, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 R, 1 RBI is what we call 'the stuff'. ** Honorable Mention: I need to give a nod to OF Reidy Mercado and his three-bagger as well as two outfield assists from CF. Fine work for the young outfielder. And, finally, INF Juan Baez really came on in key situations in the late innings to advance the above-mentioned Severino into scoring position or across the dish. He also added a double in the 9th frame to complete a 3-for-5 evening. Final: DSL Brewers #1 4, DSL Athletics 2 Box Score/Game Log Seven of nine starters in this debut are first year DSL Brewers players - quite exciting. The highlight of this game was the above-mentioned performance by LHP Anthony Flores. However, the entire pitching staff had 17 K's on the day - RHP Jesael Cabrera (3 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 6K) and RHP Yonawil Florimon (2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 3 K) tag teamed quite well aiding a winning end result. The Brewers Uno did manage 12 hits, however they were quite inept on the day with RISP (3-for-14). They will look to improve that production moving forward. Aside from the standout performance of OF Idalberto Santiesteban, we see highly-touted signee 17-year-old INF Kevin Ereu was 1-for-3, 2 BB, 1 K, and 2 SB. A solid debut showing in his own right. Final: DSL Brewers #2 11, DSL Braves 7 Box Score/Game Log As above, seven of nine starters in this DSL Brewers #2 debut are first year Brewers players. Leading 9-2 after three innings and 11-3 after six innings, the Brewers Dos managed to hold on - the most important result for these young men. In true DSL fashion, three of the Brewers #2 four first runs reached via error or wild pitch. Ah, the scintillating tastes of summer baseball in the DSL! Another inept performance with RISP for the DSL Brewers, the Dos managed a meager 3-for-17 in such scenarios. Let's remember: these are extremely young men on the baseball diamond and they're looking to make their best first impressions. Nicaraguan starter, 17-year-old Bryan Rivera, got the opening nod here (his second DSL season for the Brewers) and though he gave up three earned runs in 4 1/3 IP (2 HR) we do see a significant jump in K's with 7 on the day. This might be something to track moving forward. Of particular note, scanning the box score, is the productivity from the bottom of the Brewers #2 batting order: a combined 4-for-10, 2 BB, 2 K, 5 R, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 1 SB amongst the trio of INF Luis Lameda; INF Pedro Ibarguen; and INF/OF Smarlin Espinal. Final: ACL Brewers 8, ACL Rangers 4 Box Score/Game Log It's no secret 1B/OF/DH Yeison Perez was a man crush of mine in last summer's DSL season. When I tuned into the play-by-play and saw they had put him in the 9-hole of the batting order I nearly gasped. "How could they?!?"😅 I imagine that may change quite soon. He did the very same thing tonight we saw throughout 2022 down in the DSL: mash. A solo jack in the fifth frame. A bases clearing lead-taking triple to the deepest part of the park in the sixth frame. Zesty! INF's Jhonny Severino and Juan Baez, as alluded to above, were pivotal in the top of the order. After trailing throughout the early going 3-1, the Brewers really came on in the sixth frame plating five runs. It was a lead they would not relinquish. A special tip of the proverbial cap is due to RHP Gerson Calzadilla who shut things down throughout the key late innings ensuring the ACL Brewers victory in a scoreless 4 IP. View full article

Have a night Jhonny Severino. He just tripled here in the 7th inning. That's a 3-for-4 debut stateside. Fantastic work!

Y'all... Yeison Perez just cleared the bases with a deep triple. It's 7-4 Crew. I'm just sayin' : They may want to consider getting him out of the 9-Hole in future games. This is the exact same type of production he was giving us from the start in the DSL last season before he came up injured. What. A. Debut.