Jim Goulart

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter.

Follow Thursday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Nashville Huntsville Brevard County Wisconsin MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

Thursday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Hiram Burgos at home vs. Memphis (Cardinals), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link Jeff Hem is the play-by-play voice of the Sounds; follow him on Twitter @jeffhempbp; we'll link to his blog updates at On the Air…and Off MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Nashville games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $49.99 season-long package ($12.99 to pay for a single month). The audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link. ********** Huntsville: LHP Brent Suter at Mississippi (Braves), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime Free Live Audio Link Steve Jarnicki is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars - welcome aboard! Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveJarnicki. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast. MiLB.TV - It appears seven of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games (not the Stars). Mississippi does host MiLB.TV broadcasts - be among those hoping Steve's audio link synchs up nicely with your MiLB.TV investment. ********** Brevard County: RHP Jorge Lopez at home vs. Dunedin (Blue Jays), 5:05 PM pre-game, 5:35 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the proper link based on listed schedule Dave Walkovic returns as the play-by-play voice of the 'Tees; follow the Brevard broadcast booth staff on Twitter @BCManateesRadio. All home games and many road games are scheduled to be broadcast. When road games are only available via the opponents' audio feed (or not at all), we'll let you know that. No Florida State League games are available via MiLB.TV. ********** Wisconsin: RHP Victor Diaz (with LHP Anthony Banda in tandem) at home vs. Great Lakes (Dodgers), 6:15 PM pre-game, 6:35 gametime Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio. MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; Wisconsin is one of four Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV. So for the $49.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from seven Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games. NOTE: Thirty-nine (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (30) will split duties. We'll let you know when and who, and remember to refer to the Rattlers' full TV schedule so you can coordinate your DVR activity. DVR Alert: Next local TV game is Mon. 4/28 on MyNEW32.

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

The most photographed team in all of MiLB - Brad with a Timber Rattlers gallery via Miller Park Prospects

Back on Tuesday, we posted this -- Now Richardson has been placed on the 7-day DL with Huntsville (@BrewersPD tweet), no immediate news on the nature or severity of his injury. Although Wisconsin's Michael Ratterree, last year's Pioneer League MVP, is only 7-for-35, he's flashed both power and patience (.813 OPS in 11 games), and he's the choice to jump a level to take D'Vo's place for now. Congrats to the 23-year-old. That could mean Richardson's DL stint is expected to be brief, and also that the Brewers don't want to touch their young Manatee outfield at all. Catcher Paul Eshleman is transferred from extended spring training to backfill Ratterree's spot on the Timber Rattlers' roster. *** The Brewers recall UT Elian Herrera from Nashville, as Lyle Overbay goes on paternity leave for three days to celebrate the birth of baby #5.

This will be baby #5 for the Overbay's! Congrats!

Continuing to post brief alumni updates in our Transactions thread (but only for those players from the 2013 season) Two more players go the independent ball route: OF Rene Tosoni - Sioux City (Iowa) Explorers, American Association (article) LHP Zach Kroenke - Somerset (NJ) Patriots, Atlantic League (article) *** During the offseason, we posted this about Kroenke -- LHP Zach Kroenke has pitched well in the Dominican Republic this winter -- earlier this fall, his agent (Joshua Kusnick -- known to many as agent39 here), tweeted that Kroenke was sleeping on a very fine offer from the Brewers. Apparently Kroenke didn't think the offer was "that" fine (and maybe would have preferred it being kept quiet), and that helped spark one of the more interesting twitter conversations of the offseason.

I'm not a pre-draft buff, so I'm not aware of the overall draft status of this kid, but great to see the Brewers are showing big interest. The young man is a Louisville recruit. *** High School Baseball: McKay fans 20 ... again By Mike White / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Brendan McKay's impressive scoreless streak goes on, and his almost-surreal statistics continue to mount. McKay, a senior left-handed pitcher at Blackhawk High School, shut out Central Valley, 8-0, Wednesday to stretch his scoreless streak to 44 innings, dating to a season ago. As impressive as that is, there's more: McKay struck out 20 batters. That meant only one out was not a strikeout. It was the second time this year he has struck out 20. No wonder people are calling him McKayKK. McKay gave up four hits and walked two against Central Valley and threw 107 pitches. "Since I've been coaching, I've never seen anything like this," Blackhawk coach Bob Amalia said. McKay is 25-1 for his career, and his ERA since his freshman year is 0.47. But his statistics this year are jaw-dropping. He is 3-0, has pitched 20 innings and struck out 49. He has allowed only five hits. Major league scouts have been at every game he has pitched this year. "The scouting supervisor from the Milwaukee Brewers was here," Amalia said after the Central Valley victory. "That means something." According to the National Federation of State High School Associations record book, McKay needs eight more shutout innings to move into the top 10 all time. But he is taking everything in stride. "I'm not thinking about the streak," McKay said. "I think there is more pressure to win because we want to chase WPIAL and state championships. ... Sure, I'd like to keep the streak going, but the team success always comes first."

Pena comes through in clutch for Rattlers by Mike Woods, Post-Crescent Media GRAND CHUTE — There was a time when Jose Pena was a hot topic among Milwaukee Brewers’ fans. In 2009, the Brewers signed the Dominican Republic outfielder as a 16-year-old and forked over a reported $400,000 signing bonus. That’s a lot of money, and faith. But the 6-3, 205-pound 21-year-old is beginning to deliver on his promise. Wednesday Pena hit a three-run, walk-off homer in the eighth inning as the Timber Rattlers capped a four-run inning to take a 10-7 victory over Lansing in the first game of a Midwest League doubleheader on Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Rattlers also took the second game, 1-0. The Brewers signed Pena in large part because of his power potential. In 2012, splitting time between rookie league teams in Arizona and Montana, Pena combined for eight homers and 46 RBI while hitting .302. Playing exclusively at Helena, Mont., in the Pioneer League last season, Pena hit 10 homers with 35 RBI while batting .272. Now through 10 games with Class A Wisconsin, Pena is hitting .324, with a homer and nine RBI, all in weather resembling the inside of your refrigerator. “He’s wearing thick, insulated batting gloves,” said Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson. “I think it’s helping him out. “But he’s a guy that’s kind of come as a free swinger. I haven’t seen a lot of him. I know two years ago he had a really good season. Struggled a little bit in Helena (in 2013). And then the last two weeks of the season last year he got on a roll, hit like six home runs in 10 or 11 days. Had a pretty decent spring training and he’s been one of our most consistent offensive players thus far, in the cold.” The game-winning home run was a measure of redemption for Pena. In the top of the eighth, the left fielder misjudged the wind as he started in on a fly ball by Derrick Loveless, only to see it blow over his head to the warning track and allowing the Lugnuts to score the go-ahead run. The Rattlers tied the game in their half of the eighth on a one-out infield single by Clint Coulter. Pena then came up with two runners on. “I was just up there looking for a good pitch to hit, put it in play and try and score some runs and help my team,” Pena said. He sent a fly ball to left, and the wind that betrayed him shortly before this time helped carry the ball easily over the fence. “Yeah, I think the ball’s gone,” Pena said of the hit. “I can run. We win the ballgame.” Erickson believes some of Pena’s early success can be attributed to his offseason work. “I know he came in in great shape,” Erickson said. “He’s in much better shape this year than he was last year. So maybe his struggles last year woke him up a little bit as far as taking care of his body.” Right now, both his mind and his body have to be right for the native of the Dominican Republic. “It’s hard playing in the weather,” said Pena, “but I like playing in cold. It’s very good.”

Another very good Huntsville photo gallery from the Biloxi Sun-Herald *** M-Braves pitching shuts down Stars Patrick Magee, sunherald.com PEARL - Four Mississippi Braves pitchers combined to shutout the Huntsville Stars, 3-0, Wednesday afternoon at Trustmark Park in Southern League action. Starting pitcher Williams Perez (1-1) took the victory for the Braves with 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He was followed in relief by Ryne Harper, James Hoyt and Shae Simmons, who picked up his fourth save. "Their pitcher (Perez) did a good job of mixing in and out and working three pitches for strikes," Stars manager Carlos Subero said. "He did a good job and the relievers were able to come in and shut the door." Huntsville (8-5) has lost four out of its last five games after starting the season 7-1. The Stars will be re-named before they make the move to Biloxi for the 2015 campaign after dealing with waning attendance in Huntsville, Ala, in recent seasons. Wednesday's 11 a.m. game was played before a crowd of 5,556 - mostly local students taking part in a "School Day" promotion. The Stars squandered their two best opportunities to get on the scoreboard by leaving the bases loaded in the seventh and ninth innings. Adam Weisenberger flew out to left in the seventh to leave the bases full and his replacement at catcher, Shawn Zarraga, struck out watching Simmons' bottom-of-the-zone breaking ball in the bottom of the ninth to end the game with the bases loaded. "It happens," Subero said. "Part of it is you don't execute, but part is Simmons picked it up a notch and made a great slider to finish the ball game. I think it goes hand in hand. Weisenberger had a good count, 2-0. We didn't get it done. But (in Zarraga's) at-bat, Simmons did a good job of executing." The Stars managed just four hits on Wednesday after putting up a combined 11 hits in Tuesday's doubleheader, which was split by the two teams. Former University of Texas star right-hander Taylor Jungmann (1-1) was solid in a losing effort for the Stars on Wednesday. He gave up two earned runs on six hits while striking out four and walking two. Jungmann's only struggles came in the second inning when he suffered a cut on his throwing hand. After a significant delay, the training staff found that Super Glue was the best remedy. Jungmann allowed an RBI double to Robby Hefflinger and an RBI groundout to Braeden Schlehuber for the Braves' two runs in the second. The 6-foot-6 Jungmann picked it up over the next four innings before giving way to reliever Kevin Shacklelford with two men on and none out in the seventh. "Something like (the cut) can affect a pitcher, but I thought (Jungmann) battled through that and really pitched well after that," said Weisenberger, who went 1-for-3 at the plate. Gustavo Nunez, Joe Leonard and David Rohm each had two hits to lead the way for the Braves (6-7).

VIDEO - Biloxi continues to assume that the Brewers relationship is a given for 2015-16, so their news broadcast produced a feature on a slumping Mitch Haniger. And yes, the sportscaster opening screen grab with a giant fish over his shoulder is the funniest thing you'll see all day...

Rattler Radio Blog -- Post-Doubleheader Entry Media-savvy Chris combines audio (pre-game with second baseman Chris McFarland, between-games with Manager Matt Erickson), photos, and video (game highlights from both contests). *** Additional Game One Video from WBAY

More Brevard audio: "Mr. OBP/HBP" Nathan Orf talks about his approach at the plate with Justin Rocke on the Manatees Pregame Show

Final: @Mississippi 3, Huntsville 0 Stars Get Shut Out in Mississippi Pearl, MS - The Huntsville Stars were shutout for the first time this season. The Mississippi Braves blanked the Stars 3-0 Wednesday afternoon at Trustmark Park. Stars starter Taylor Jungmann (1-1) was the tough luck loser as he turned in a quality start for the second time in his three outings. Jungmann worked six innings and allowed his only runs in the second inning. After Jungmann retired the first four batters of the game, Kyle Kubitza and David Rohm singled back to back. Then Robby Hefflinger drove a ground rule double over the head of centerfielder Mitch Haniger scoring Kubitza giving the Braves a 1-0 lead. Braden Schlehuber followed with a groundout to shortstop Nick Shaw scoring Rohm extending the lead to 2-0. Braves' starter Williams Perez (1-1) held the Stars offense in check all afternoon. He didn't allow a hit until Josh Prince's single in the fourth. Perez ended up pitching 5.2 scoreless innings allowing only two hits with five strikeouts. The Stars had opportunities in the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth innings but stranded nine runners on base during the final four innings of the game. In the ninth, with the bases loaded and two outs Shae Simmons notched his fourth save when he struck out Shawn Zarraga to end the game. Mississippi got an insurance run in the eighth on a Cedric Hunter sacrifice fly. Mississippi improved to 6-7 and the Stars fell to 8-5 on the season. The Stars and Braves will play game four of their series Thursday night. LHP Brent Suter (1-0, 1.64) will start for Huntsville while RHP J.R. Graham (0-0, 0.00) will take the hill for Mississippi. The game can be heard starting at 6:45 PM with Steve Jarnicki on 92.9 FM, 1450 AM and http://www.wtkiradio.com. Huntsville Box Score Thanks for your patience, folks. You can assume on Brewers weekday games that I'm DVR'ing the Crew and staying offline until late. Stars only had four hits (all singles), but walked seven times, yet did not score. Huntsville players have walked a league-leading 54 times in 13 games, over four per game, nice! Only 86 K's, reasonable. Josh Prince singled and walked, he has now split time almost evenly between second base and left field (LF today). Right fielder Brock Kjeldgaard was the only other Star to reach twice, both by walk. Mitch Haniger was 0-for-4, now 7-for-45 (.156). Taylor Jungmann was solid as noted above (6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, ten ground ball outs). His line was protected by RHP Kevin Shackelford, who inherited two Jungmann baserunners and allowed neither to score. Shackelford allowed an insurance run an inning later, however. Huntsville Game Log Stars didn't place a runner in scoring position until the 6th, then it was a strand-o-rama down the stretch...

AUDIO via Jeff Hem's blog -- The interview on today's pregame show is Part 2 of a two-part conversation with Dan O'Brien, the former Reds GM who is a special assistant to GM Doug Melvin for the Sounds' parent-club Milwaukee Brewers. Did you miss Part One within Tuesday's Link Report? Find it here.

Weather.com: Nashville, TN Pearl, MS Viera, FL (Melbourne) Grand Chute, WI (Appleton)

Sortable individual stat pages: Nashville Huntsville Brevard County Wisconsin

STANDINGS: AAA - Pacific Coast League American Southern Division AA - Southern League North Division High-A - Florida State League North Division A - Midwest League Western Division

Look for these just prior to the respective game times -- Nashville Media Notes - it's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Roster" banner on the Sounds' site. Brevard County Media Notes - again, it's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Multimedia" banner on the Manatees' site. Wisconsin Media Notes - Linked on the Rattler Radio blog

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter.

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Nashville Huntsville Brevard County Wisconsin Game One Wisconsin Game Two MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

DVR Alert: Time Warner Cable Sports32 Channel is your Timber Rattlers carrier for tonight. A peek at their broadcast schedule for today now shows that they plan on carrying game one at 5:00 PM only. Whether they stick firmly to that, you'll find out this evening.

Wednesday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Jimmy Nelson at home vs. Memphis (Cardinals), 10:45 AM pre-game, 11:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link Jeff Hem is the play-by-play voice of the Sounds; follow him on Twitter @jeffhempbp; we'll link to his blog updates at On the Air…and Off MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Nashville games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $49.99 season-long package ($12.99 to pay for a single month). The audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link. ********** Huntsville: RHP Taylor Jungmann at Mississippi (Braves), 10:45 AM pre-game, 11:00 gametime Free Live Audio Link Steve Jarnicki is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars - welcome aboard! Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveJarnicki. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast. MiLB.TV - It appears seven of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games (not the Stars). Mississippi does host MiLB.TV broadcasts - be among those hoping Steve's audio link synchs up nicely with your MiLB.TV investment. ********** Brevard County: LHP Jed Bradley at home vs. Lakeland (Tigers), 5:05 PM pre-game, 5:35 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the proper link based on listed schedule Dave Walkovic returns as the play-by-play voice of the 'Tees; follow the Brevard broadcast booth staff on Twitter @BCManateesRadio. All home games and many road games are scheduled to be broadcast. When road games are only available via the opponents' audio feed (or not at all), we'll let you know that. No Florida State League games are available via MiLB.TV. ********** Wisconsin: RHP's Taylor Williams and Barrett Astin in a doubleheader at home vs. Lansing (Blue Jays), 4:45 PM pre-game, 5:05 gametime; each contest slated for seven innings Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio. MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; Wisconsin is one of four Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV. So for the $49.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from seven Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games. NOTE: Thirty-nine (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (30) will split duties. We'll let you know when and who, and remember to refer to the Rattlers' full TV schedule so you can coordinate your DVR activity.

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg