Jim Goulart

Via Brad Krause in Maryvale -- Giacalone swinging for more power in 2014

Brad via Miller Park Prospects with Sunday's preview -- ON DECK On Sunday, the Brewers Triple-A (Nashville) and Double-A (Huntsville) teams will travel to the Peoria Sports Complex to face the Seattle Mariners affiliates. While the Single-A teams (Brevard County and Wisconsin) will be in Maryvale, playing host to High Desert and Clinton. Ariel Pena is scheduled to start the game for Nashville, with Damien Magnifico getting the start for Huntsville. Tyler Alexander is the scheduled starter for Brevard County, and Devin Williams, the Brewers top pick in 2013 will be on the hill for Wisconsin.

Photos at link as well... Fondy's Pierce aims to keep climbing baseball ladder by Mike Hockett, Action Reporter Media Just like so many people in any other job, Chad Pierce is hoping to be promoted. The 26-year-old Fond du Lac-native hopes his comes near the end of the month as he continues to show his stuff in Milwaukee Brewers minor league spring training out in Phoenix, Ariz. Pierce, a 2006 graduate of Fond du Lac High School, will soon begin his fourth year pitching in the minors, but he doesn’t know where that will be yet. The past three seasons have took him from an rookie ball in Helena, Mon., in 2011, to Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the midwets League in Appleton in 2012 and then the Level A-Advanced Brevard County Manatees in Florida last year. In a couple weeks, he’ll find out if that progression continues. “There’s a trickle-down effect with a big league club. It’s kind of a hectic time,” Pierce said in a phone interview last week. “You always think or hope you did enough the season before to move up. It’s kind of in your hands competing in season and spring training, but there’s also a lot out of your hands. You come here and compete for a job like you did all season long.” Spring training finishes at the end of the month. The last two years, Pierce didn’t find out until the day before it ended where he’d be playing that spring and summer. If he’s promoted to Double A, Pierce will play for the Huntsville Stars in Alabama. The Brewers’ Triple A team is the Nashville Sounds. That makes these next two weeks anxious ones for Pierce and a lot of other guys in camp. “In a heartbeat I would love to know where I’m going to be,” said the righty Pierce. “There’s so much stress in baseball in general, not knowing where you’re going to be for 5-6 months. It’d be a weight off my shoulders, but at the same time you can’t get complacent. Hopefully everything falls in line for me.” Pierce dominated the high school mound for Fond du Lac, earning District 4 Player of the Year honors his junior and senior years. His ERA those two seasons were 1.03 and 1.89 with a combined win-loss record of 14-5. In the process, he became the No. 5 pro prospect in Wisconsin by Baseball America. From there, he played his first two years of college ball at the University of Arkansas before returning close to home by transferring to UW-Milwaukee. There, he pitched two years for the Panthers before being drafted by the Brewers in the 38th round of the 2011 draft. He made his pro debut in Helena, making five starts and going 2-4. In 2012 he helped pitch the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to a Midwest League championship, going 7-5 with a 3.47 ERA. Last year, the 6-foot-1 Pierce appeared in 30 games for Brevard County, starting 11 with a 6-6 record and 3.40 ERA. “Each year I set out wanting to move up,” Pierce said. “Obviously you’d want to move up two levels (to Triple A). Last year I thought I had a pretty good season and thought I might get moved up during the season, but it didn’t happen. Hopefully I can move up to Double A. That’s the level we’re all trying to get to.” This is Pierce’s third spring training, and the most competitive one he’s been in as it numbers more than 160 players. “Biggest camp I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. “We’re doing the math right now. There’s a lot of people and not that many spots.” Pierce has spent his last three offseasons in Milwaukee, where the coaches at UWM let him work and work out with the team. With that, he finds time to make the short drive up to Fond du Lac. Before leaving for spring training, Pierce spent eight straight Wednesdays helping Dean Haase at Haase Player Development Academy on Johnson St. “I get to see family and friends,” he said. “It’s nice being able to be home and close to people to catch up. It’s a long grind 5-6 months away from family and friends. You give up a lot to chase this dream we’re doing, but it’s a dream I love chasing.”

Saturday's box score -- MINOR DETAILS: Joining the team today from minor-league camp: OF Jeremy Hermida (#28), OF Josh Prince (#96), INF Nick Shaw (#90), RHP Kyle Heckathorn (#79) and RHP Casey Medlen (#92). All but Medlen saw action, Heckathorn tossed a scoreless 9th (one hit, one K).

Friday's AAA Opener -- Via the Sounds site -- thanks! TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Nashville Sounds opened their 2014 spring training slate on the short end of a 2-1 loss to the Salt Lake Bees (AAA-Angels) on Friday afternoon at Tempe Diablo Stadium Complex. Hunter Morris, Jason Rogers, and Greg Golson each had two hits apiece for Nashville, with Rogers driving in the Sounds' lone run. Josh Prince chipped in with a double. RHP Drew Gagnon started for the Sounds and allowed just one run, unearned, in 2.1 innings of work. Veteran southpaw Brad Mills worked 1 2/3 scoreless frames and (fellow LHP) Brent Leach and RHP David Goforth each added scoreless relief innings in the contest for Nashville. The Sounds (0-1) continue their spring slate on Saturday afternoon with a home contest at Maryvale Baseball Park against the PCL rival Reno Aces (AAA-Diamondbacks). *** Remember, don't assume player - affiliate assignments based on the spring training games. Here were Saturday's scheduled lineups at all four levels.

Saturday's rosters -- fun just seeing the names, isn't it? For those who have asked about access to raw box scores or game highlights (including Friday's), that's all up to the discretion of the Brewers Player Development Staff. Can't imagine a busier time of year for them than right now. We've inquired, but will not be pushing too hard. They're great people and tolerate us .

(Now updated in subsequent post here) Via Justin Millar (you can read his Twitter profile here to read where the young man contributes), this tweet: The #Brewers have traded IF Hector Gomez to the #Angels That link contains my mini-conversation with Justin, which includes our text when we discussed the Brewers' waiver claim of Gomez from the Rockies back in July of 2012 in some detail. No word yet on what the Brewers get in return. Despite a horrid 2013 at Huntsville, Gomez (career stats) netted a big league camp invite this spring and impressed, including Angels brass, apparently. Gomez just turned 26 last week, should he ever be able to get back to the big leagues, the Dominican native with two big league games under his belt, has no minor league options remaining. With Yadiel Rivera likely to man shortstop in Huntsville, and a variety of vets likely to share duties in Nashville, the move makes sense regardless of return.

Friday's box score -- MINOR DETAILS: Joining the team today from minor-league camp: OF Kentrail Davis (#73) and INF Brandon Macias (#92). *** Macias, taking over at third base for Aramis Ramirez, was 1-for-2 including a go-ahead RBI single, good for him. Nice diving stop and play in the 9th, too. Not listed in the media notes but 0-for-1 with a key sacrifice bunt was Pioneer League MVP Michael Ratterree.

Via Miller Park Prospects and Brad's current stay in Maryvale -- Michael Turay Hopes To Catch On In Wisconsin

Regarding today's options to Nashville: This is Mike Fiers' last option year. If still on the 40-man roster next spring, Hiram Burgos and Sean Halton can be optioned again in 2015. Just a reminder those numbers don't change for the remainder of this season no matter how many times they might be recalled and/or sent back down.

Ha - figured that might not be up for long, maybe a friend or fellow player suggested taking it down. The Brewers? Really -- I mean, did the young man violate his own HIPPA privacy?

Originally Posted July 2nd, 2013 -- March 13th update -- The young man, who turned 17 last September, expected to debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2014, tweeted out an instagram photo of himself in a hard right wrist cast with commentary he was in Phoenix with a wrist fracture.

Brad catches up with (mostly third baseman) Jose Sermo, who spent much of 2013 rehabbing a knee injury -- Miller Park Prospects -- VERSATILE SERMO LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK FROM KNEE INJURY Brad is in Maryvale, in the midst of a ten-day stretch, and we'll be linking to his reports from the minor league complex.

The Brewers re-signed Seidel after all, and Seidel is pleased about that. From late August: A look at potential minor league free agent R.J. Seidel via Wisconsin Sports Tap Update 3/13 -- Chris Cotillo tweets that the Brewers have released Seidel.

Timber Rattlers Announce 2014 Broadcast Schedule Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, MyNEW 32 Sports Showdown, WNAM, & MiLB.TV to provide coverage Not sure if there's a single affiliate anywhere in baseball who provides more for the fans both locally and nationally combined -- awesome...

VIDEO: Tense times between the city and Stars ownership in this lame-duck season

MillerParkProspects: Minor League Mailbag - 3/11/14

RedsMinorLeagues.com - A Look at the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League System Fine contributions from MillerParkProspect's (and our own) Brad Krause here.

After only appearing once at the AAA level (a four-inning start in 2011 in the Angels' organization), RHP Ariel Pena gets optioned to Nashville. As noted, he has no options remaining, meaning he'd have to make the big league roster to stay in 2015, so with any struggles at all early, he'd be a candidate for 40-man removal when space is needed.

BOLD saw action: Cubs Box Score Orr had two hits, but two big errors at third, Hermida and Ramirez had base hits as well, Shaw was 0-for-2, popped up in a big spot in the 9th. Indians Box Score Statia an RBI groundout, and not many players get their first big league spring training at-bat captured on MLB highlights, but Garrett Cooper did (base hit). *** He's on the 40-man roster, but still this thread on the non-camp minor leaguers merits seeing both of Jason Rogers diving stops at first base: Wow 1 Wow 2 (with bases loaded)

Via Sunday's Media Notes: MINOR DETAILS (MESA vs. Cubs): Joining the team from minor-league camp: OF Jeremy Hermida (#28), C Lucas May (#92), INF Pete Orr (#78), 1B Nick Ramirez (#95), INF Nick Shaw (#90), INF Joe Thurston (#79), RHP Kyle Heckathorn (#98), RHP Arcenio Leon (#96) and LHP Brad Mills (#97). MINOR DETAILS (GOODYEAR vs. Indians): Joining the team from minor-league camp: 1B Garrett Cooper (#94), INF/OF Josh Prince (#96), INF Hainley Statia (#90), C Shawn Zarraga (#99), RHP Tyler Cravy (#92), LHP Brent Leach (#97) and RHP Andy Moye (#93). *** 6'6", 230 lb. 23-year-old 2013 6th round 1B Garrett Cooper definitely the baby of this bunch. Nice little reward for him.

From last October 29th -- Baseball America noted that the Dodgers have signed Keller, who won't turn 22 until June 30th. EDIT: Keller was signed via the Dodgers' annual Open Tryout camp at their spring training complex in February.

The Brewers video page includes MLB Network's Dan Plesac's interviews with Roenicke, Braun, Weeks, Segura, Lucroy, Lohse, and Khris Davis

Audio Via WSSP / Tim Allen: Gord Ash Yovani Gallardo Marco Estrada MLB Network's Dan Plesac Adam McCalvy Bill Schroeder Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting and Baseball Research Tod Johnson Manager of Advance Scouting Scott Campbell *** Thursday's Bill Michaels Show: Martin Maldonado Third base coach Ed Sedar CBS 58 Sports Anchor Kevin Holden MLB.com's Mike Bauman Tim Allen chats with Bill Michaels

Ron Roenicke - Six minutes of his Friday AM press conference