Jim French Stepstool
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2024 Minor League Transaction Thread
Jim French Stepstool replied to Jim Goulart's topic in Brewers Minor League Talk
As per Clarke........ I was a catcher. Knee inflammation isn't a good thing, even worse when you carry the weight he carries. -
2024 Minor League Transaction Thread
Jim French Stepstool replied to Jim Goulart's topic in Brewers Minor League Talk
Meeker has been pitching well in AA & is 29. It just felt to me like if they had hopes for the guy moving forward he belonged in Nashville. Good to see. -
I was at the home opener in '73. I remember Baltimore BP guys throwing snowballs at Bernie Brewer out in his chalet. Despite the walks Parsons kept folks on the edge of their seats as he didn't give up the hit until the 7th or 8th inning IIRC. I don't recall the McCovey rumors. Interesting.
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Whoever of Junis or Gasser gets cranked up first & gets at least one rehab start under his belt, then four days after that. That may be how long Hall has. If he does get replaced, I'd hope he goes to N'ville & continues to start.
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I don't recall anyone saying that either. By washing their hands of him, I meant the folks who thought he'd never hit well enough to be a regular in the lineup, that he would never be more than a utility guy. That drafting him as high as they did was a mistake. I was on board with using him less & sending him down when they did. Hell, they PH for him just the other day. But some drew the conclusion that was going to be his ceiling, after watching his 1st 3 months in the bigs at age 23. I thought that was premature. If 'wash their hands of him' suggested wanting to release the guy, apologies.
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A couple of the late inning guys are available tomorrow if the game dictates it, plus you have Hudson. To get the sweep it probably needs to be a game similar to what we saw Friday. Now that I typed that, welcome aboard 8-6 game.😄
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I still feel pretty optimistic about Hall. I think today was a large dose of needing to locate better & get past what I think is a propensity to be afraid of contact when he gives up a hit or two. But also a large dose of not catching a break to save his life. Yeah, he missed his spot too often. But he also threw quite a few pitches w/2 strikes that were in a quality spot where you often get a swing from a hitter. St Louis took virtually every one of them. Throw in the weird twist of the ball hit to Turang, the bunt that he should've let roll foul......I don't know how long the leash is for him as a rotation member but if it was me I'm not there yet.
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I have. I'm going by reputation. You're right; on a results-based basis he hasn't been up to snuff. But if you ask scouts, FO types & minor league folks across the land I'm pretty sure Ortiz will get an overwhelming thumbs up over Dunn. Plus Ortiz can play SS. He's the worst defender on the team the same way that Koenig is the most talented pitcher on the team because his ERA is zero.
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Watching Hall a few times, the missing 3-4 MPH he supposedly has on his fastball makes a big difference. Looking forward to him finding that as it should really help him work the breaking ball off it (provided he gets more 2-strike counts). Pretty tough 2-3-4 RH gauntlet for him to work through today.
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Along with the quality of his ABs, the underlined should (in my mind) clinch it. Dunn has been pretty good defensively. Ortiz is better. I can see Bauers, to a point. I think he's a better hitter than he's shown & he clearly has saved our brussel sprouts more than once this season with the glove. And with no clear-cut DH you're going to see Hoskins fill that role sometimes.
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The legalese of this stuff often bores me to tears, so I don't always keep on top of it. Thanks for the info.
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Now for something a little different: Actual news involving players in the portal. It's rumored that Mason Gillis (Purdue) going to Duke is a strong possibility. He pretty much plays the same position as Brandon Angel, who Duke was also considering. Angel is one of Gards' main portal targets, so this may clear a path for Angel to UW (he was recruited by Gard out of HS). I think he'd be a great fit. UW is also looking at guards, probably a little harder now that Hepburn quit. The 3 most mentioned are Tyrese Hunter (played with Kamari McGee in HS), Jaden Schutt, and Seth Trimble. And I wouldn't be surprised if they're scouring film, checking mid-major rosters & bench guys on P-5 schools for people that may be a good fit, portal or not. Because no rules.
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Check out the original idea behind name, image, and likeness when it was first being kicked around, and what we have now. It's like comparing a wiggling, slippery baby alligator just out of the egg to something that empties out your henhouse & has three toddlers for dessert.
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That's very intriguing.
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It's hard to put a finger on, but he's going deep into counts & doing it...I guess the best word I can come up with is comfortably. With two strikes I just don't get the impending doom feel I got in that same situation last year from him, or from a Wiemer or, at least last year, an Adames. He said something earlier about knowing himself. I think that bears itself out in how he's more willing to take pitches, go to left field, be very judicious in attacking early. And I love how he incorporates the bunt game.
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That's the type of stuff that, if this ever becomes a collective-bargaining type relationship, would get kicked around in negotiation. On the surface, both sound harsh for student-athletes. But since they want to be paid & treated like professionals, I got no problem.
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That's what happens when college sports provides a free minor league for the NBA & NFL. It would be wonderful if there was somewhere to go, if you were a talented 17-yr-old but not college material. But there was never any reason for the pros to establish anything like that (No, I don't think the G League qualifies; that seems to be mostly for more experienced hangers-on that might fill a 10 day contract if needed). Bob Knight, who was an ass but at the same time usually the smartest guy in the room, suggested that very thing. Instead, like you said, the education becomes an afterthought. Getting a free four year education, no student loans hanging over your head for 20+ years---big deal. I'm all for some sort of stipend, like was suggested many years ago. But the advantages that were there all along are mostly appreciated only by some of the non-revenue jocks. That's why a Guy like Rashard Griffith, who went back & earned his degree, should be held as an example. You'd be amazed at the number of FB & BB scholarship athletes who are absolutely certain they're going to enjoy a long pro career.
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I suppose 'big minority' can be defined in different ways. But there are quite a few D-1 players on at least their 3rd school. It would be interesting to quantify the % of influence in quitting a school----NIL vs immediate eligibility at your new destination. Yeah, cash is the big persuader. But not having to sit greases that chute immensely.
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The ability to transfer w/o having to sit a year applied to grads, that started about...........6, 7 years ago? Now it's immediate eligibility for everyone. I don't think there was ever a separate stipulation for a coach leaving, although it makes no difference now. Since the lawsuit you referenced there hasn't been anything else I'm aware of. Not really much left for the NCAA to lose. I suppose soon someone at Ball State will go through an 8-23 season averaging 19 PPG, want to transfer to a team that made the tourney & play immediately, and be allowed to do so, I'm being sarcastic, but seriously, is that next?
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The NCAA has fought a lot of this stuff, they just keep losing in court. I wasn't aware they do 2yr-contingent NIL deals in other sports. It would certainly be a step better than what's going on now.
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I was a big Luis Urias fan & incorrectly thought he'd be a mainstay in Milwaukee. It looks like we be winnin' that deal.
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5.2 terrific innings of work from the 'ville BP tonite. Makes this old-school fan feel much better about the bullpen shuttle system being employed nowadays. Maybe Zastryzny finds his way onto the 40-man at some point? 93 throws for Ashby in 3.1 innings. Ugh. Someone needs to get on the T-Rats stat crew. Superimposing some Tuesday-night slowpitch guys' stats on Boeves' season line is unforgivable (the icing on the cake for me is the BB-K ratio. twelve to five. Wow). Matthew Wood deserves mention for a very nice start to his season. Here I go again with my pet stat: 7 walks with only 2😲 Ks in 27 PAs.
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I hope so too (my fervent hope is that the market as is doesn't exist down the road). But I'm sure being in SEC country you understand how this is gonna go. The secondary & tertiary sources in Baton Rouge & New Orleans may want to take a break, but the ones in Bama, Georgia, Texas--wherever-- will step right up. And there's no reason to wait until someone enters the portal, either. Just contact whoever you want & make your pitch. It just takes one. Appreciate the insight. That's one helluva nice source.
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Yeah, it's great to have people like Turang, Ortiz, Perkins in the bottom 3rd to help flip the order successfully. Turns those 2 run innings into 5 or 6🙂.
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Yes it's early. But when I think about the number of posters that were washing their hands of the guy last summer.......
