Joseph Zarr

I don't know what happens or how it washes out for Josh, but he was an absolute pleasure to watch pitch in 2022. He was a rock in that Nashville starting staff. Other than a mid-summer lull where he self-admittedly was errantly working things out on the mound during game days, he was a rock star. He was slated to pitch the Finals in Vegas. Let's hope he comes back where he would be welcome with open arms. ?

Well deserved! What 'Sweetie' (as Jeff Hem, and surely others, call him) and his staff did throughout the season was nothing short of phenomenal. They dealt with injuries; massive call-up activity; releases and trades; and a late-season mass-promotion from Biloxi. They handled the players with professionalism and class. The end result was their late playoff push and absolutely unfortunate final game versus Durham in Vegas. I said it at the time, that was probably only their 3rd (off the top of my head) clunker all season. It just came at the absolute worst time in with the highest stakes. They all deserved better. Unfortunately, there are no mulligans in professional sports. This 'clunker', of course, came after 'must win' games for a over a month as Columbus, and then the Toledo Mudhens and their insane winning streak, charged hard and fast for that pole position. The Sounds never flinched. They always rebounded. Every player made an impact at different times. They revitalized so many Minor League AAAA veterans and they mixed in youthful upside with aplomb. I, for one, will be eagerly awaiting 2023.

What a great interview, gentlemen! Thank you Eric and @Seth Stohs for a great conversation.

These 'Spotlights' are fantastic @Seth Stohs. Thanks for the work to get these 'out there'. It was a pleasure to watch Eric play for Carolina - in the short healthy period we were afforded. We're rooting for you, young man. Stay the course. The plan is in motion.

These 'Spotlights' are fantastic @Seth Stohs. Thanks for the work to get these 'out there'. It was a pleasure to watch Eric play for Carolina - in the short healthy period we were afforded. We're rooting for you, young man. Stay the course. The plan is in motion.

I would propose Zavier Warren is having an incredible career trajectory altering second half to 2022 (ongoing in the AFL) and is a solid 3B and is now expanding his arsenal to 1B. Just a savvy savvy smart baseball player whose advanced hit tool is finally seeing results. Additionally, I would like to remind people Cam Devanney is the best 3B in the Brewers system. And, if we toss out post-COVID 2021 (87 Games in Double-A Biloxi) he has 189 combined games between 2019 and 2022 hitting an 0.840 OPS while absolutely raking in his 16 game late-season playoff-push promotion to Triple-A (0.306 BA/ 0.928 OPS) . His defense is undeniably elite with an incredible arm. Needs to continue working on K:BB ratio tho it certainly isn't prohibitive. Carry on.

I would propose Zavier Warren is having an incredible career trajectory altering second half to 2022 (ongoing in the AFL) and is a solid 3B and is now expanding his arsenal to 1B. Just a savvy savvy smart baseball player whose advanced hit tool is finally seeing results. Additionally, I would like to remind people Cam Devanney is the best 3B in the Brewers system. And, if we toss out post-COVID 2021 (87 Games in Double-A Biloxi) he has 189 combined games between 2019 and 2022 hitting an 0.840 OPS while absolutely raking in his 16 game late-season playoff-push promotion to Triple-A (0.306 BA/ 0.928 OPS) . His defense is undeniably elite with an incredible arm. Needs to continue working on K:BB ratio tho it certainly isn't prohibitive. Carry on.

I can get behind this sentiment. All the intriguing qualities of a standout starting pitcher are there. I love the fastball - it is a classic 'sneaks up on you' laser (hello spin rate). I love the improvements I saw in the breaking ball and off-speed stuff in the short time I watched him pitch. BUT, I would say above and beyond all this raw material to work with what absolutely stands out more than anything with Henderson on the hill is his competitive fire. The young man absolutely has that 'it'. I can't describe it in any detail but if you've played competitive sports at high levels it is a thing. Logan Henderson has it. He is angry on the mound in all the right ways. I'm super excited to see how 2023 develops. Thanks for the post @ARobsBrewCrew

Thanks for the posts all. As I'm nostalgic for this past season and longing for my Minor League tilts, I simply want to say I will look back on Stearns' legacy with only fondness. His leadership completely reinvigorated my passion and love for the organization. I have nothing negative to say. And, I would also like to take a moment to laud David Stearns for gifting and rewarding Matt Arnold with this opportunity. I choose to embrace this version of this story - two colleagues and friends; both incredibly qualified for a POBO role. I won't go further here but I think it's possible, maybe even likely, this was simply an act of professional and personal grace. I would also say, in the greater universe, 7 year cycles are literally the rule of shift and change. I digress but, this serendipitous transition isn't lost on my Farmer's POV. I waited until Giannis and innovative leadership and vision to see the Bucks grab an improbable championship. I'm willing to give my beloved Brewers every chance to get it. Who could have foreseen Yelich's injuries and regressions? I certainly didn't. They still have all the relevant pieces to continue making runs. Our Minor League talent pool is in good standing. This is another big off-season and I'm excited to see what Matt Arnold can do given his new position and an incredible baseball Ops staff.

Thanks for the posts all. As I'm nostalgic for this past season and longing for my Minor League tilts, I simply want to say I will look back on Stearns' legacy with only fondness. His leadership completely reinvigorated my passion and love for the organization. I have nothing negative to say. And, I would also like to take a moment to laud David Stearns for gifting and rewarding Matt Arnold with this opportunity. I choose to embrace this version of this story - two colleagues and friends; both incredibly qualified for a POBO role. I won't go further here but I think it's possible, maybe even likely, this was simply an act of professional and personal grace. I would also say, in the greater universe, 7 year cycles are literally the rule of shift and change. I digress but, this serendipitous transition isn't lost on my Farmer's POV. I waited until Giannis and innovative leadership and vision to see the Bucks grab an improbable championship. I'm willing to give my beloved Brewers every chance to get it. Who could have foreseen Yelich's injuries and regressions? I certainly didn't. They still have all the relevant pieces to continue making runs. Our Minor League talent pool is in good standing. This is another big off-season and I'm excited to see what Matt Arnold can do given his new position and an incredible baseball Ops staff.

Thanks for staying on top of all of this! Time to add the same modification for INF Andruw Monasterio:

I saw this and rejoiced! Thanks for thinking of me my friend. This is a big signing for my Triple-A enjoyment (and, I obviously think he’s a net plus all over the Diamond whether filling in down in Biloxi or playing regularly with Nashville). Now protect Mr. Devanney in the Rule 5 draft and I’ll call it a Minor League off-season of ease and joy heading into winter.? I should add, I sincerely hope Pablo Reyes stays as well - he’s a very likable player and guy (and the Team translator for the solely Spanish speaking guys). He will have the choice to refuse this assignment and become a free agent…I hope he stays.

LHP Russell Smith continues his frustrating 2022 campaign. 2/3 IP as tonight’s starter: 3 H, 3 BB, 5 ER, 1 K. His ERA now back above 5. Here’s hoping the young father and hurler can find some semblance of consistency in his release point. I obviously can’t watch these games, BUT, the consistent issues I saw when he was on the mound for the T-Rats was a fastball that all too often got away and sailed his dominant throwing side and off-speed pitches that all too often over-compensated in the other direction. He’s a bigger fella so he has more to control in his delivery. Here’s hoping he finds it.

I mentioned this during the latter portion of the Minor League season: given Turang is surely on the MLB roster to start 2023, it would be a real luxury to see Monasterio and Devanney manning the Triple-A grass. They’ve each shown their capabilities and potential in 2022. I really hope they get a deal done.

Well, tho this certainly seemed a distinct inevitability, I find myself a bit melancholy. This has been the best period of sustained Brewers success in the history of the franchise by a good margin. I’m naturally excited to see what Matt Arnold can do in his new position, but I’m wary that the grass isn’t always greener. Time will tell . I thank David Stearns for his hard work and dedication in building a team and an Ops Dept. capable of year-in and year-out plus 0.500 baseball. I will await what this off-season brings. And, I will look back fondly on the David Stearns era - If you’re a Brewers fan, how could you not?

Fun podcast, Jim. Thanks for sharing. Their combined takes on Joey Wiemer, in particular, appear to be extremely uninformed (entirely imho). They focus on his Double-A number with literally zero mention of his injury absence and/or his hand/wrist ongoing issue (something we have discussed previously from the Fall of 2021 as a possible lingering injury concern). This is what happens when people speak on Minor League prospects using strictly numbers and data sets. Those truly only go so far. Anyone who watches the games on a regular basis would understand: the first month or two of Joey's Double-A season were entirely on par and building from his 2021 season as a whole. Post-hand injury? He just didn't resemble anything of the past year and a half. His swing was a mess. As he was further removed from the lingering injury and in a new environment, lo and behold, he was even better than he had been at every lower level. In general, I found the RotoWire guy mostly a classic stat head. I question if he's really ever seen some of these prospects play? Maybe I'm a crumudgeon (Ok, I'm a crumudgeon). Case and point, his comments on Brice Turang and Esteury Ruiz. Anyone worried about Sal Frelick's power numbers as opposed to contemplating what type of lead-off weapon he could become given his overall hit tool (which is clearly contact based with mild episodes of really good contact) is...well there's a phrase about not seeing a forest for the trees. Anywho, fun listen even if I disagree with certain emphases placed in areas that are generally baseball group think. I feel like I'm becoming a baseball grandpa in this regard.? This being said, I don't want to be a 'Debbie Downer' whatsoever: very good two-way discourse on Mitchell, Quero, Misiorowski, Eric Brown Jr., Hedbert Perez, and Ethan Small (of all players). No mention of hearth throb Stiven Cruz hurt BUT that late mention of tantalizing Hedbert Perez really atoned! Thanks again, Jim. Appreciate this thread.

Thanks for all the updates, gentlemen. Much appreciated!

Awesome news. Well deserved for Tyler- one of my favorite interviews on the Sounds.

Love love LOVE me some Navarreto. Always under the radar. But, just such a solid catcher who is just coming into his own.

Tom isn’t a Guard. He is much too small. However, he has elite footwork and can more than manage a functional OT role. IMHO, The best options are quite simply: ALL PRO OG Elgton Jenkins and Jon Runyan in some type of Guard combination. Tom or Yosh at RT This isn’t rocket science. This is the obvious choice. It’s amazing the Packers don’t see this. Truly amazing.

At this point, you just have to laugh at the Packers. It’s all we can do as innocent bystanders. I’ve mentioned it a couple times but this O-Line nonsense (and it is nonsense) started when the Packers staff opted to play Dennis Kelly and Billy Turner off of injury over an O-Line rotation that was in tune and playing in concert for weeks the week of a Playoff game. It was extremely costly and senseless then. It will never make sense. Fast forward to this past Sunday. Anyone who has watched the Packers over the past couple years knows Royce Newman is and has been the weakest link on the O-Line. He might be the worst starting O-Lineman in the NFL - and, if he isn’t he is certainly in that tier. While the Packers insist on playing Elgton Jenkins at RT (there could be things going on here w Jenkins’ camp concerning contracts and position demand?), there are clear better options on the bench. This is also blatantly obvious, apparently, to anyone but the Packers staff? When pressed about subbing out Newman for Jake Hansen (who we all know is most likely THE worst O-Lineman on the Packers), Matt LaFleur literally said he was trying to give the team a spark. Let that sink in. This after a half of football where we watched Aaron Jones get three direct touches? Things look bleak at 1265. Very bleak. These moves quite simply smell of leadership incompetence. Couple that with what we’re seeing in Chicago with Getsy’s offense (clearly mismatching an offensive philosophy to their QB talent) and in Denver with Hackett at the helm, it’s fair to ask: were we simply sipping the Kool-Aid? Is the inevitable decline of A-Rod and the hiatus of Davante Adams exposing certain glaring things we simply tolerated when the Packers smelled of roses and tanked in the post-season as opposed to early in the season? I think this is a very fair question.

I skipped watching the Packers today as I have too many ongoing farm things to do as winter approaches my mountain valley. One of the glorious things I was afforded the opportunity to do today, was a full clean and initial winterizing of my chicken coop. This included bountiful stable rake loads full of straw and chicken ****. It would appear I was performing the metaphorical version flip side for those of you who experienced the same grueling disgusting work while watching this current 1980’s Packers team. i salute each and every one of you brave souls.

Man, Chirinos' output since his birthday this past summer is legitimately impressive. He continues to impress with his bat here in the WBSC. Let's remember: next year will only be his second season in his shift to 1B. Are more big things in store?

I enjoyed many of these write-ups BUT I'd say: Dykstra's write-ups on Quero, Warren, and Smith feel extremely lazy and mildly misinformed. Not enough luster to my liking for Quero (shocking, I know). No mention of Warren's incredible second half to his season that led to his promotion and how he's absolutely kept that rolling and then some in the AFL. And, he claims Smith has good control for his size? Ummmm, no Mr. Dykstra. I can count on one hand the number of outings Smith was in the zone and dominant. If I'm being honest, I can probably count those outing on three fingers off the top of my head - control is something he continues to struggle with and will need to improve.