Joseph Zarr

It certainly might happen. I don’t think it’s overly pessimistic as much as it is a realistic observation. Lottttta errors when he’s in the space between 2nd and 3rd base.

I’m not here to argue it’s a right or wrong pick. You are entitled to that opinion. I am simply saying I am looking forward to seeing what we have here and I understand why he was picked.

I’m excited to see this young man in action in the lower levels and write those reports. Who knows what we have yet? With Freddy Zamora’s colossally disappointing season and then the injury to boot and with Ethan Murray and Antonio Pinero showing very little offensive production in 2022…and Eduardo Garcia enticing but young and undisciplined at the plate it’s quite easy to see why the Brewers would go this route. That leaves us with, really, unknown hopes for Jhonny Severino (years away in the DSL) and resurgent Cam Devanney (more a super utility infielder) as leading candidates outside of the obvious Brice Turang. We draft middle infielders, yes, but that’s also because we need them in the system.

Boy the Sounds are taking it on the chin in this Memphis series. Tough sledding.

Absolutely agreed on the BPA route. If it's an outfielder, take an outfielder. The rest will reveal itself in the draft and as trade deadlines approach. I think what has become more clear this season is regardless of position the Brewers have very solid depth 1-10 but then quite a bit of question marks beyond that. At least, I consistently find there hasn't been much separation in the pack of players developing beyond the top-tier prospects. They've also shown an ability to find many a worthwhile Minor League FA and these FA's are willing to sign-on. With that, again, the BPA has to be the route. Talent. Talent. Upside. Upside. Position becomes meaningless, then, in my humble opinion.

The ACL and DSL definitely did every Saturday last year, you are correct. Perhaps I was just complaining for absolutely no good reason OR have an unrealistic dream (it certainly would appear)? I mean, I watched Hader give up 2 solo-jacks and a Grand Slamwich. I'm still coming back to reality.

ACL Brewers Blue and Gold facing off today. I swear our DSL and ACL affiliates are playing each other every week right now. LOL. At least we'll get a 'W'. ?

I’m starting to think: Maybe 24 yo recently promoted RHP Ryan Middendorf can really sling it. Debut tonight: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 R Heading into the replay to check out his wares. Early report is he is not a side-armer, per se, but a 6'5" guy with a delivery coming at about 2-3 O'Clock. So it's unorthodox. He can tail it in or away to both righties and lefties. Rarely does it come in flat. Seems to have decent velocity - touching 93 and 94 on a heater when he broke it out. His change-up will come in low 80's. Can turn it into a curve or a breaking ball it would appear. He took a double off his left ankle but stayed in the game. Closed his outing with a three pitch K. Also, this just in LHP Jakob Brustoski has now gotten his ERA under 13! Man it has been an absolute grind for him in 2022 but sheesh he can strike people out. 48 K in 21 IP. The issue has and is: 36 BB and 6 HBP. He has only given up a manageable 19 hits in the same innings. It’s clearly the free passes driving that 2.62 WHIP. He gave us the seventh inning tonight and walked a batter and struck out three with not a runner passing 1st base. If you haven't watched him pitch, you can absolutely see the stuff. It is just a matter of calming things down and finding more control and consistency. A really violent fastball comes in 94-96mph with regularity. A really nice dipping change-up. And, a decent breaking ball. There are absolutely mean tools to work with.

I said in Wednesday night’s report: the Sounds bats simply needed to wake up. 0-8 with RISP tonight. Men on the corners again here in the 10th and it’s still a 3-3 game. There we go! Welcome to the walk-off club, Brian Navarreto! Let us not forget this stunning play from RHP Hobie Harris to get the first out in the top of the 10th. Yowza!

Pablo Reyes singles and now men on the corners with two down. Brice Turang up to try and hit a winning two-out knock. and it’s not to be. He grounds out to short. On to the tenth. Whewww.

Oh no, Miguel Sanchez just gave up two tying runs in the top of the ninth with two consecutive two-out knocks! Doh! 3-3 now, two out, and Garrett Whitley on first base. It really is not often you see a Sounds bullpen arm lose a late lead - a tough pill to swallow. Let’s hope the men can take a victory here late and prevent an 0-4 start to a pivotal divisional series.

Let’s hear it for the continued resurgent work from RHP Nash Walters! Here’s a Shuckers 2022 trivia question for you: When is the last time Nash gave up a run? June 9th. 12 consecutive scoreless outings, 13 scoreless innings of relief work. 20 K: 5 BB in that span. And a mere 7 Hits. I see you, Nash. That’s fantastic work for a club struggling to scrape together some victories. Tonight’s scoreless 1/3 inning came on the heels of Zavolas conceding the 3rd Smokies run and then walking the next batter aboard (men on 1st and 2nd, then, 2 down). Nash came on and struck out the very dangerous Chase Strumpf. It was a crucial out and had to have given his teammates and skipper more confidence. Secondary mention will go to RHP Carlos Luna and 4 innings of scoreless relief work. He’s certainly capable of these types of relief outings - I wish we saw them a bit more often.

Thought-provoking piece. Thanks for putting it to virtual paper. It certainly will be interesting to discover what they actually have planned - as Daniel said above, the use of that last player option is what surprised me the most. Why would they do that if there isn't some greater play or need here? The move itself was fairly surprising, yes, but the greater context of the move considering what has been happening in and around the ball club gives one a bit of head-scratching. We shall know soon enough.

Saw it live (well, live streamed on MiLB.TV ?) - a wonderful catch indeed. All I could think that first inning: "Could someone please find 2021 Noah Zavolas?!? PLEASE?!?" Man what a struggle in 2022.

Nashville's division lead is now down to 3.5 games over the Redbirds after losing 3 straight. Biloxi is now 4-11 in the second half. It would be really nice to see things turn around.

The DSL Brewers 2 move to 17-12 on their season breaking open a 4-4 tie with three runs in the top half of the seventh inning. They would close it out and finish with an 8-5 victory. Eight of nine batters in the Brewers 2 lineup tallied at least one hit and struggling INF Edgardo Reyes still managed to get aboard via a walk. INF Juan Baez continues to play and hit the ball admirably in the DSL: leading off today, he finished 3-for-5 with three runs - add a 7th stolen base and his 6th double. On the season, he now has 110 AB's and is hitting 0.318. His OPS is sitting at 0.777 largely because his OBP is sitting at 0.350. However, strikeouts aren't currently an issue - 13K:6BB - perhaps, the lack of walks are. He seems to be declaring himself a second viable lead-off candidate to perennial favorite (and, rightfully so) DSl Brewers 1 OF Luis Lara. Interestingly, and of note, Baez continues to see the predominant action at shortstop whereas INF Johann Barrios is primarily playing the hot corner. In Barrios' 4th game since his three week absence, he managed a 1-for-5 line with two rbi's and a run scored. This is a dynamic duo to follow as the summer progresses. Other Lines and Players of Note: 6'4" 21 yo RHP Roman Perez: 1 IP, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 R, 2nd Hold. Roman certainly appears to have settled down since a rough first couple of outings. He's now seen action in 7 games and has allowed only one run over his past five outings and 6 2/3 innings pitched. He'll be looking to improve that K:BB (12:11) ratio, however, as he continues to right the proverbial ship. 21 yo Dominican RHP Nelson Cuevas: 1 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 ER, 4th Save. Nelson appears to be the primary Closer for the DSL Brewers 2. In his past seven outings (9 IP), he has allowed a single earned run, 6 K, 4 BB. In his four July outings, batters are hitting a mere 0.118 and he is pitching with a 1.00 WHIP. OF Fancisco Nina: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB, 1 CS (3rd Double) OF Reminton Batista: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K C Eric Martinez: 2-for-4 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 K (4th Double)

The DSL Brewers 1 came back to take game 2 in their half of the sixth inning. Trailing 3-2, 19 yo Dominican Luis Watter (CF today) hit his first double in the season on a line drive to left field knocking in the tying run. OF Luis Lara then followed suit with his 10th double to left field as well making it 5-3 Brewers 1. After Angel Pereira was hit by a pitch, the bases were juiced and SS Jhonny Severino came up clutch hitting a single to third base scoring Arnys Rodriguez from third. The rally would stop there with two consecutive strikeouts ending the inning, but, it ultimately gave the Brewers 1 the lead and the victory 6-3. 17 year old Dominican RHP Royer Cabrera pitched a much-needed (and his first) scoreless outing going two complete innings for the victory - 1 BB, 0 H, 3 K. All told, the DSL Brewers 1 get the 1-1 split today and move to 11-16 on their season.

Absolutely have had this same thought this year - that's funny ?. When you watch Mitchell play, it's quite easy to see the innate fluidity and athleticism - he's truly a smooth running gazelle. Where he 'concerns' you at this stage is the obvious ongoing nagging injury issues but he's also been fairly inconsistent at the dish. All the ingredients are there, however, and he does show decent plate discipline. The obvious addendum is: if we're talking about this, the organization obviously knows the same thing and then some. Can he stay healthy, take another couple steps, and put it together? It's really that simple.

Holy Schmitt! That's incredible. 17 k's?! Off 6 shutout innings. 22 consecutive scoreless and he's 16?!? We would be having apoplectic fits of joy if we saw such output ? Looks at MiLB player page: DSL Brewers 1 gave Jordy 17 of his 30 k's in that game. LOL. We'll chalk it up to: He really had his best stuff those days! Regardless, incredible to see a 16 yo wheeling and dealing that type of mastery.

Quinton Low, imho, has quickly become one of the more interesting lower-level prospects in the system. He has yet to give up a run on the mound and now his bat is heating up? Maybe they’ll let him write some line-up cards in the near-term to really get that resume tidied up! The three players catching my eye this week: (1) OF Tristan Peters - he is putting forth a serious professional season. The really good ones tend to step up in the face of adversity. What he has done in this Whitecaps series with Tyler Black mysteriously shelved (due to dinged up injury - see discussion HERE in Yesterday's GT) and what he has done since the Frelick promotion and the Carlos Rodriguez season-ending promotion is nothing short of solidifying himself as a top prospect. Do not underestimate the young Canuck. (2) OF Garrett Mitchell has come up from his ACL rehab assignment and shown why he was so highly thought of: 6-for-9, 2 dubs, 3 RBI’s, and 2 OF assists? Toss in that delicious speed out of the batter’s box and the entire package is being showcased. As always, the question will remain: can he string together a stretch of games? Can he stay remotely healthy to close out the season? He remains a wild card but, man, we get these sublime glimpses and it leaves us wanting more. (3) OF Jace Avina is really starting to separate himself down in the ACL Brewers pool of players. OPS now 1.000, 5 HR, 1 3-Bagger, 6 dubs, 0.280 BA. I wish his 35:9 k:bb ratio was a wee more palatable but, at this point, I’m not going to let it deter from my excitement: I want to see him on MiLB.TV? The Brewers have such an immense wealth of OF prospects in the system - this is the obvious ‘trade from here’ department if they go that route by the deadline. Given how 2022 has evolved, what appears to be true at present is there is a significant gap when it comes to infield depth.

Thanks for the updates on Tyler Black, gents. That’s more like it: dinged up laying out. Sounds right up his alley. Completely agreed on Tyler: his game is tailor-made for MLB action. He is just different when it comes to how he carries himself on the field. I absolutely want him in our system and ultimately in Milwaukee - you could very easily make the argument he has the most upside of any INF currently in the Full-Season pool of players.

Looks at Nashville Box…pauses…”Well Zack Brown had a scoreless outing!”

And then there were 3:

We shift to the 'Where is Tyler Black?" in our Timber Rattler ongoing speculative Missing in Action 'report'. Where the heck is he after all? Man oh man, the key injuries in Wisconsin continue. LHP rising prospect Russell Smith takes the hill hoping for another dominant outing (well, I sure as heck hope he continues his run of excellence). Up-and-comer, OF Tristan Peters mans the clean-up spot for a second night as the Timber Rattlers look to take the series lead.

I've got some moments before my daughter's dance recital and I know for a fact @damuelle was putting his kiddos to bed (the dedication is palpable, folks), so I am going to jump the proverbial gun: The Micro Brews look to build off of yesterday's victory. A six-game skid in their rearview mirror, they'll go for two straight victories riding the Mike Fiers-esque toolkit of RHP Edwin Jimenez. Of note: OF Hedbert Perez remains out of the line-up after a mysterious exit running out a routine grounder to second base. Did he tweak that left leg as I casually surmised?