Jim Goulart

LINK INCLUDES ADDITIONAL COMMENTS IN VIDEO INTERVIEW Rattlers Profile: Victor Roache, left field by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent Media Leading off Age: 21. Height, weight: 6-2, 230. Residence: Ypsilanti, Mich. College: Georgia Southern. Acquired: Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round, 28th overall, of the 2012 Major League Baseball first-year player draft. Position: Left Field. Number: 28. Notes: Roache entered Saturday’s game tied for the team lead in home runs (seven) and second in RBI (37). He was hitting .225. Roache is rated by Baseball America as the seventh-best prospect in the Brewers’ organization. Favorites MLB team growing up: “The Detroit Tigers. I grew up watching guys like Tony Clark and Bobby Higginson. I went to quite a few games at Commerica Park with my parents. It’s a great stadium with lots of atmosphere, and it’s a fun place to watch a game. I still try and get there for a game when I can.” MLB player: “Even though I was a Tigers fan, it was Manny Ramirez. I loved his swing and just enjoyed watching him hit.” Food: “Macaroni and cheese.” Musical artist: “Drake.” Must-see TV show: “Martin.” Movie: “Bad Boys II.” Job as a kid: “When I was in high school, I worked at a golf course. I cleaned carts, picked up balls off the range, stuff like that. I really liked that job. The staff was great and we got to play golf for free. It was a pretty nice course.” Sport other than baseball: “I haven’t done it in a while, but I used to bowl a lot when I was younger. I kind of grew up in a bowling alley because my parents used to bowl three or four nights a week. I averaged around 180, 185, not too bad. My dad is a certified golf pro, so I grew up around golf, too. I used to go golfing with him and his friends on Sundays.” Place to go in Appleton: “IHOP. I’ve been to a lot of different IHOPs, and this is the one of the best. They have the best cooks. The omelets are huge and the pancakes are perfect.” Q&A Q: You missed all of the 2012 season after wrist surgery, so this is your first full year in pro ball. What’s the adjustment been like, especially coming off a major injury? A: “It’s definitely been a learning experience. It’s been a big adjustment after missing so much time. I’m just trying to get comfortable in the box and get my timing back. My timing seems to come and go a little more than I’d like it to. Once I get that going on a consistent basis, I think I’ll start seeing better results. “But we have a great group of guys here. They keep the mood fun every day. I don’t really think about the bad times or the good times too much. I try and stay even keel. I approach every day as a new day and try to go out there and have fun.” Q: Prior to getting drafted by the Brewers, you broke your left wrist diving for a ball in the outfield at Georgia Southern. When you learned the diagnosis, did you wonder about your future in the game? A: “It was really scary. My first thought when it happened was that I just hope I get another chance to play baseball again. After I had the surgery, thoughts about the draft popped into my head. My parents and my agent did a good job of keeping me calm and reassuring me that things would be OK. The doctor who performed my surgery told me that it (the wrist) would be 100 percent in due time. “My agent talked to a lot of teams and some of them said the injury wouldn’t scare them away from me. Just hearing that kind of eased my mind. It was a big relief, though, when the Brewers drafted me. It was like a big weight was lifted off my shoulders.” Q: Has the wrist bothered you at all this season? A: “It’s feeling real good. On days when I take a lot of swings, I might feel a little soreness, but my doctor told me that’s normal and I’m probably going to get some minor soreness the first year or two. But really, the wrist is fine. I think it’s almost 100 percent.” Q: As a first-round draft pick, you received a signing bonus of $1.525 million. How life-changing was that? A: “That amount of money is definitely life-changing. It just felt so surreal when it happened. I just told my parents that this money is for my future, if baseball doesn’t work out for me. I have one year left of college and I can go back and get my degree, and not worry about how to pay for it. “When I eventually start a career outside of baseball, it will be nice to have some money saved away. Right now, the goal is to play baseball, and whatever happens, happens.” Q: How does a Michigan boy wind up at Georgia Southern? A: “They saw me at a tournament in Florida and started recruiting me. I didn’t know much about Georgia Southern at the time. I thought it was a Division II school. When I took my official visit there, I loved the campus and really liked the guys I’d be playing with. “It came down to Georgia Southern and Michigan State, and I wanted to get away from Michigan and play somewhere warm. It turned out to be a great decision. I had three great years there, made a lot of friends and played some good baseball.” Q: You were drafted by the Tigers in the 25th round of the 2009 MLB Draft but chose to go to Georgia Southern. Was it tough passing up an offer from your home-state team? A: “You know, it really wasn’t that tough. I had been drafted in the 25th round and I kind of knew that college was the route to take. It was definitely an honor and a surprise, though, to be drafted by the Tigers.” Q: Was it difficult seeing the Tigers get swept in last year’s World Series? A: “Yeah, that was pretty tough to watch.” Q: You are a Lions fan, too. Are they ready to challenge a certain NFL franchise located just 30 minutes down the road? A: “The Lions, well, some pretty rough things have happened to them in the past. Hopefully, it’s going to turn around. We had a good season a few years ago and really opened some eyes, but last year wasn’t good. I hope they start playing well on a more consistent basis. It’s been pretty rough on us Lions fans.” Q: In addition to being an all-state baseball player at Lincoln High School, you played football and basketball. Describe your game in those sports. A: “I loved basketball and football, but they were really just something I did for fun. I played football my first couple years and was a linebacker. We didn’t have a very good team. In basketball, we had a pretty good team and won our district for the first time in 24 years. I was a good defender. Didn’t score much, but I didn’t do much to hurt the team.” Q: What was it like growing up in Ypsilanti? A: “Ypsilanti is a nice little city. It’s close to Ann Arbor and only 40 miles or so from Detroit. Eastern Michigan is there, so there’s a lot to do. It has a nice suburb feel, but it’s close enough to the big city, where if you want to go to Detroit, it’s just a short ride.” Q: You hit a home run on your first at-bat in professional baseball for the Timber Rattlers. How thrilling was that? A: “You always have that anticipation of when you’re going to hit your first home run. I was so happy to get that first one out of the way. I was just trying to make contact and got enough of it to hit it out.” Q: Your major at Georgia Southern was sports management. What type of job might you pursue? A: “After talking with my agent and seeing how he interacts with people, I wouldn’t mind testing the whole agent industry out. I like the fact that you can help get your guys drafted. You can watch them develop and move up, and kind of help them along the way.” Q: In college, you participated in MLB’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program. What was that experience like? A: The whole idea is to get young African-American kids interested in baseball. I did it with some of my friends from college. We’d put on different camps and teach them the basics. We wanted the little kids to see that people from their area can make it to higher levels. We had a lot of success with that program, and there were a lot of kids involved.” Victor Roache is tied for the team lead among the Timber Rattlers with seven home runs this season. / Photo by Ron Page, Post-Crescent Media http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20130706&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=307060308&Ref=AR&MaxW=600&Border=0

Huntsville rained out, doubleheader at Tennessee 4:30 Central start time Monday Speaking of Huntsville, be sure to read the Eric Marzec feature just posted in the Stars' thread...

This might be my favorite "hometown" piece of all time, if only because so often the insights are simply cliches or generalities. Tell us how you really feel, Huntsville RHP Eric Marzec! (MiLB Player Page) Awesome quotes (and insights) here, and none really crosses the line -- nothing the Brewers could be upset with, though not sure Marzec will ever be a spokesman for the Pioneer League, despite a dominant 2010 stay there. Enjoy... *** By Joe Scalzo, vindy.com (Youngstown, OH) -- Marzec went to Youngstown State Miller Park is a $400 million, 21st-century wonder that seats 42,000 and boasts real Kentucky Bluegrass, a retractable roof and, oh yeah, a major league baseball team: the Milwaukee Brewers. Kindrick Legion Field is a different story. It was built in 1932 for $1,500, it seats 2,000 and it boasts a rookie-league baseball team: the Helena (Mont.) Brewers. Playing at Kindrick Field is the equivalent of working at McDonald’s during college. “You get to experience what you don’t want to be around anymore,” said former YSU pitcher Eric Marzec, a 30th-round pick who began his pro career in Helena in 2010. “That’s what you get from hanging out in Montana for more than a week.” Helena plays in the eight-team Pioneer League, which has four teams in Montana, two in Utah, one in Idaho and one in Colorado. It’s just as glamorous as it sounds. “You stay in rinky-dink motels, where there’s no way your mom would let you stay there if she knew what they were,” Marzec said. “It’s the dirtiest of the dirty.” Three years later, Marzec is doing a phone interview from Birmingham, Ala., where he is finishing up a 10-game road trip with the Class-AA Huntsville (Ala.) Stars. He’s still two levels away from the majors, but he’s upgraded to an “obnoxious” hotel that charges $15 for wireless Internet, money that’s offset by not needing a tetanus shot to stay there. “It’s nice not being in Montana anymore,” said Marzec, who is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA in 26 games (33 1/3 innings) with the Stars this season. “I’m getting closer and closer, I guess. Hopefully I can keep grinding my way through and find myself in the bigs soon.” Moving on up Marzec is one of four former (Youngstown State) Penguins now in the minor leagues, although only one other player, pitcher Phil Klein, is active. Third baseman Drew Dosch, a seventh-round pick of the Orioles last month, recently had ACL surgery and won’t be ready until next season. And pitcher Justin Thomas, who has played in 31 major league games with the Mariners, Pirates, Red Sox and Yankees, terminated his minor league contract with the Oakland A’s last week after spending all season with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats and is looking for a team. Like Marzec, Klein is a relief pitcher at the Double-A level. And, like Marzec, he’s trying to focus more on the next batter than the next step in his career. “In my mind, I try to tell myself it’s not a big jump” to the majors,” Klein said. “I’m trying to do the same stuff that got me to this point.” A 30th round draft pick by the Texas Rangers in 2011, Klein is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 16 games (31 2/3 innings) with the Frisco (Texas) RoughRiders. He began this season with Class-A Myrtle Beach and figured he’d spend most of the season there. “I wasn’t expecting to get the call up when I did,” said Klein, who was called up on April 30. “There were a couple [pitchers] in front of me, so I was almost waiting for them to get called up first. “Now I’m pretty much one call away from the big leagues, which is awesome to think about.” Each year, major league teams draft about 1,500 players. While two out of every three first-rounders will eventually make the major leagues, less than 10 percent of those drafted after the 20th round will eventually make it. Overall, about 90 percent of those who do play in the majors will do so within five years of being drafted, and Marzec said you can drive yourself crazy trying to figure out your place in the organization’s line. “That’s kind of what your agent is for,” he said. “They’re like a parent in little league who asks the coach, ‘Why isn’t my kid playing?’ That’s why teams hate agents, because they’ll call and say, ‘Hey, my guy is in A ball, why isn’t he in Double-A? “What you learn is you can’t expect anything. They can tell you they’re going to move you to Triple-A at the halfway point but you just roll your eyes.” Case in point: A few days ago, one of Marzec’s teammates was called up to Triple-A. Two days later, he was back in Double-A. Note: That was RHP Greg Holle. “It’s tough because where we’re at in Double-A, it’s a bottleneck,” he said. “The funnel [to the next level] gets smaller. You’ve kind of graduated to finishing school and you’re pretty much ready now to perform. You can be a replacement in the big leagues tomorrow, but the problem is, there’s only about 750 major leaguers and only half of them are pitchers. “You have to be in the right place at the right time and while it seems like it’s still really far away, you try to remind yourself that it’s closer than you think.” The process Unlike position players (who play every day) and starting pitchers (who play every fifth day), the life of a reliever can be a maddening one. Marzec, who split time between the outfield and the bullpen at YSU, had to learn to listen to his arm, to know when to go hard and when to take it easy, to learn how to get ready when you’re not sure if you’ll be pitching in the fourth inning or the seventh or not at all. “You have to be ready to go at the drop of a dime,” he said. “The biggest thing I’ve learned about pro ball is you have to learn a routine and repeat that every single day.” Marzec’s routine consists of drinking five cups of water by the fourth inning of every game, then snacking (often an apple) in the fourth inning, figuring he’ll pitch in the next hour. Klein, meanwhile, was a starter at YSU (he set the Penguins’ single-season record for starts in 2011 with 15) and admitted by the end of his first pro season, his body was spent. “That was the toughest adjustment,” he said. “I was used to pitching every seven days and in pro ball, I was throwing every day and it wasn’t light throwing. “It took time for my body and my arm to adjust to it. I was pretty tired at the end of that.” Fortunately, Frisco’s pitching coach, Jeff Andrews, tries to make sure his relievers know when they’re going to throw (usually every three days) and who’s going to throw before and after each pitcher. That way, Klein knows if he pitched on Monday, he’ll probably get Tuesday and Wednesday off. “That makes it a little easier,” he said. Seeing the world Maybe the toughest part of the minor leagues, though, is the travel. Unlike major league teams which fly first class on charter planes, the bulk of minor league travel is by bus. And not all the destinations are vacation hotspots. Marzec, a Canton, Ohio native, has already played in Montana (“I’ve had my fill of that,” he said), Appleton, Wis. (“That was a lot of fun; people love the team, which I guess is rare at that level of baseball”), Brevard County, Fla. (“Pretty much all retired people, so there are like zero fans at the game”), Nashville (he played two games at the Triple-A affiliate at the end of 2011) and now Huntsville. Klein, a Columbus native, has gone from Arizona (“Really hot) to Spokane, Wash. (“Really nice and a pretty good amount of fans came out to the game, but you’d finish the road trips feeling not as fresh as you could be”) to Hickory, N.C. (“That was a blast”) to Myrtle Beach (“That was a blast, too”) to Frisco, which is just outside Dallas and isn’t as Texas-y as you’d think, Klein said. “People think farms and fields but it’s actually a suburban area and everything is pretty new,” he said. “You get the occasional cowboy hat and cowboy boots but it’s not a big adjustment.” On the cusp All the travel and uncertainty makes it tough to have a normal life and Marzec spends a lot of his free time in the gym. He’s a fitness fanatic — his Twitter profile photo shows him shirtless and holding a sledgehammer — who tweeted a video of himself in December jumping out of a pool filled with 3 1/2 feet of water. “I had to record it because a bunch of guys wouldn’t believe me,” he said. NOTE: See and believe Of course, looking good off the field isn’t as important as looking good on it. Fortunately, Marzec and Klein have both pitched well at every level, proving they’ve learned how to adjust to better batters and not just rely on their stuff. “You can tell they obviously have way more talent up here than in A ball,” Klein said. “Guys will foul off good pitches and if you make a mistake, they’ll make you pay for it moreso than in A-ball. But you can’t worry about doing stuff to impress people. You try not to be results-oriented, where you throw stuff so this happens. You can’t worry about worry about what everyone else is thinking.” “It’s been an adjustment here, but I’ve got another half year to work on stuff and figure stuff out. That’s fun for me. It’s fun to work.” Marzec agreed. “I have three or four teammates who I played with or was drafted with that are in the majors now and it starts to feel closer,” he said. “A lot of my peers are breaking through and you think, ‘Wow, it’s actually possible.’ “There’s a sense that it’s really close and yet really far away. The key is not to focus on either of those things. Just go about your business.”

Tyler Wagner is a Brewers prospect to follow closely After pitching as a closer in college, right-hander has adapted to starting role Love it when former MLB scout Bernie Pleskoff focuses on Brewer farmhands for MLB.com...

Here's Chris' Rattler Radio Blog from Satuday's postgame Just insight after insight we'd never get from just the box score. Thank you, sir, as always...

Via the Manatees: INF Cody Hawn placed on the DL, retro to 7/4. RHP Santo Manzanillo activated from temporarily inactive list.

Did you see the Max Walla feature article this AM? That 2009 draft (which will always be known as the Eric Arnett draft, unfortunately) has produced big-league talent -- heck, even for other teams, but little to nothing in terms of prospective star power. 18th round LHP Caleb Thielbar, who the Brewers unceremoniously released after just two pro seasons, still has an ERA of 0.00 (with an .083 batting average against) after his first 17 big league relief appearances for the Twins. The '09 draft has seen Thielbar, Mike Fiers, Josh Prince, Hiram Burgos, Khris Davis, Sean Halton, and Scooter Gennett earn big league action. Still pending on Arnett (of course), Kentrail Davis, Kyle Heckathorn, Walla, Cameron Garfield, Brooks Hall, and others.

Happy 21st birthday to Helena infielder Jalen Harris!

The Brewers and their seven farm teams are now a cumulative 80 games under .500, and it's only July 7th.

STANDINGS: AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division AA - Southern League North Division High-A - Florida State League North Division A - Midwest League Western Division Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division Rookie - Arizona Summer League DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division *** NOTE: To view first half or overall standings for Huntsville, Brevard County, and Wisconsin, you'll notice options at the respective links for that. Otherwise it's second-half standings as the default view for those three leagues.

Weather.com: Memphis, TN Kodak, TN Viera, FL (Melbourne) Burlington, IA Great Falls, MT Maryvale, AZ

Look for Nashville and Wisconsin media notes at the links just prior to their game times. New this season: Brevard County has media notes; as of now, it's a unique link each day, but look for it just prior to game time each day within the "Stats and Scores" banner here. Also new this season: Helena has media notes; it's a unique link each day, but look for it just prior to game time each day within the "Stats and Scores" banner here.

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

Programming Note: Tennessee has MiLB.TV coverage, so if you're a subscriber, you can watch this Stars' series (live and/or archived).

Sunday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Hiram Burgos at Memphis (Cardinals), 5:45 PM pre-game, 6:05 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 $39.99 season-long package ($9.99 to pay for a single month). The audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link. ********** Huntsville: RHP David Goforth at Tennessee (Cubs), 3:45 PM pre-game, 4:00 gametime Free Live Audio Link Alex Cohen is the play-by-play voice of the Stars; follow him on Twitter @alexmcohen. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast. It appears four Southern League teams air their home games on MiLB.TV, and we'll let you know when those dates pop up on the schedule ********** Brevard County: RHP Chad Pierce at home vs. Tampa (Yankees), 3:35 PM pre-game, 4:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the link based on listed schedule Manatees audio, hooray! Dave Walkovic is the first play-by-play voice of the 'Tees since 2007, he's joined by Andy Towne; 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, we'll let you know that. ********** Wisconsin: RHP Tyler Wagner at Burlington (Angels), 1:40 PM pre-game, 2:00 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. For the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from four Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games. NOTE: 32 of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel has seventeen games scheduled and WACY-TV My NEW32 plans to show fifteen games. We'll let you know when, but won't be providing day-before DVR reminders, so regularly check for proper channel and time planning (scroll to the bottom of this link). ********** Helena: LHP David Otterman at Great Falls (White Sox), 1:45 PM pre-game, 2:00 gametime Free Live Audio Link Voice of the Helena Brewers Steve Wendt is back on board, and this year he's added Twitter to the mix @steve_wendt. We've been treated to Steve's work for many years now (ten!); he is among the very best at the art of the pre-game interview, especially considering how at ease he makes all these first-time professional ballplayers. MiLB.TV -- When the H-Crew makes their way to Idaho Falls (July) and Grand Junction (August), those games will be available for viewing online. ********** Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): at home vs. the D-Backs kids; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league ********** DSL Brewers: Idle

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Jim Callis of Baseball America: Brewers, 12th rounder Trevor Seidenberger agree on $125,000. Texas Christian LHP can show three average pitches as SP, might play up as RP. *** Can't wait to be eating a burger while watching Seidenberger throw to Adam Weisenburger in Miller Park someday... Highest unsigned pick is now Pepperdine RHP Corey Miller (16th round).

Final: AZL Dodgers 4, @AZL Brewers 0 AZL Brewers Box Score The A-Crew is in an awful funk offensively right now, with just two runs combined in the last three losses. They mustered just three lonely singles here, two by CF Edgardo Rivera. The club didn't draw a single walk (one HBP, Elvis Rubio), and fanned ten times. FIELDING E: Rubio (2, fielding). Outfield assists: Rubio 3 (Henderson at 3rd base, Wingo at 3rd base, Cordero, J at home). AZL Dodgers Top of the 8th Reymundo Torres called out on strikes. Josh Henderson doubles (6) on a line drive to right fielder Elvis Rubio. Josh Henderson out at 3rd, right fielder Elvis Rubio to second baseman Francisco Castillo to third baseman Tucker Neuhaus. Scott Wingo walks. Adam Law singles on a line drive to right fielder Elvis Rubio. Scott Wingo out at 3rd on the throw, right fielder Elvis Rubio to third baseman Tucker Neuhaus. AZL Dodgers Top of the 9th Pitching Change: Scott Harkin replaces Alejandro Lavandero. Chris O'Brien strikes out swinging. Cody Bellinger grounds out, second baseman Francisco Castillo to first baseman David Denson. Josmar Cordero singles on a fly ball to left fielder Johnny Davis. Michael Ahmed reaches on a fielding error by right fielder Elvis Rubio. Josmar Cordero out at home, right fielder Elvis Rubio to shortstop Luis Aviles to catcher Paul Eshleman. AZL Brewers Game Log We saw some Devin Williams earlier in the Report, his 3rd and final inning didn't go so well: AZL Dodgers Top of the 3rd Chris O'Brien walks. Cody Bellinger walks. Chris O'Brien to 2nd. With Julian Leon batting, wild pitch by Devin Williams, Chris O'Brien to 3rd. Cody Bellinger to 2nd. Julian Leon out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Elvis Rubio. Chris O'Brien scores. Cody Bellinger to 3rd. Michael Ahmed doubles (2) on a ground ball to left fielder Johnny Davis. Cody Bellinger scores. Cristian Gomez strikes out swinging. Pitching Change: Clint Terry replaces Devin Williams. Reymundo Torres doubles (1) on a line drive to left fielder Johnny Davis. Michael Ahmed scores. Josh Henderson strikes out swinging. Scoreless but interesting work the rest of the way by the staff, Dodgers had 20 baserunners total but scored only four runs on the night. David Denson 0-for-3 (three K's, 17 in 35 AB's) and Tucker Neuhaus 0-for-3, two K's, so the youngest Brewers still finding their way.

Baez starts Double-A with a bang Cubs' top prospect homers in first at-bat for Tennessee The Stars won, Taylor Jungmann was fantastic, but the big name gets the MiLB feature treatment...

RHP Andre Lamontagne placed on the disabled list, retroactive to July 4th. Unless we hear otherwise, we assume it's part of the rest each arm for a week program.

VIDEO OF POST-GAME PRESSER AT LINK *** Stirring up Space Coast: Alex Rodriguez hears it from Brevard fans by John A. Torres, Florida Today VIERA — Being a fan is complicated. Sometimes it involves a love-hate relationship. Baseball fans came out by the thousands Saturday night to see fallen slugger Alex Rodriguez, making a rehab start for the Tampa Yankees against the Brevard County Manatees. Then they booed him — loudly. Good for them. Later, when he stood in foul territory signing autographs for more than an inning after he was done for the night. The fans cheered him. Good for them. Fans by nature are fickle, and love-hate relationships can be complicated. And it gets no more complicated than when it involves A-Rod. Rodriguez, an admitted steroid user whose name popped up again in the offseason in connection with a South Florida pain clinic doling out PEDs to MLB players, will likely never live down the controversy that has followed him and plagued his career in recent years. A large crowd came out to Space Coast Stadium — 3,148 — to see A-Rod, the slugger the Yankees may not even want back. They’d rather his hip injury keep him out all season. This way his ludicrous contract — they still owe him $114 million over five years — would be handled by an insurance claim, and they might be able to recoup some of the money. Still, the Yankees could probably use a big bat right about now. The question is, does A-Rod have anything left in the tank? Right now, he’s just trying to make sure he can play without pain. “Getting a hit means nothing,” he said after he left the game. “The main thing is being able to play back to back games. I was happy that I did get some work at third base and scored from first. Tomorrow is another test.” Batting second and playing third base, Rodriguez was soundly booed after cheers initially greeted him as he stepped to the box. He took two pitches against Manatees starter Cody Scarpetta before grounding out weakly to short. Rodriguez looked as if he was running through knee-high mud. He later said that he was running at about 75 percent speed. He looked older than his 38 years, looked slow, looked a lot like the player who embarrassed himself during the 2012 American League playoffs. He also hasn’t played major league ball in nine months. Still, remember when Yankees manager Joe Girardi was forced to pinch-hit for the once-feared slugger? Then he even benched him as the Yankees were swept by the Detroit Tigers. He managed three singles in 25 at-bats and struck out 12 times. In the middle of that slump, New York papers reported him scoring a woman’s phone number during a game. What followed was hip surgery and the more recent steroid allegations from the South Florida report. Despite all the distractions and negativity, Rodriguez is trying to play his way back to the Bronx. Rehabbing, after initial reports said he would be out all season. “I’m literally just trying to two-step back into this thing and be smart about it,” he said. “Everything is going to take some time.” He was booed more soundly in the third when he came to bat with two men on. He silenced the crowd with a sharp single to center. “It felt amazing, man. It was a rocket. It was incredible. It was magical,” he sarcastically described the hit to reporters. “Who cares? I did see the ball better, those are the kinds of things I want to focus on, in all seriousness.” The fans finally did cheer in the fifth. A-Rod came up with two men on and caught a pitch from Scarpetta in the hip. Yep, the same hip that he had operated on a few months ago. The fans cheered wildly as he jogged to first base. He came around to score a few pitches later when O’Brien’s single to left skipped past left fielder Lance Roenicke for a two-base error. The Yankees went on to win 6-1. Before the game, a few hundred fans packed into the autograph well hoping to get a signature on a ball, hat or jersey. They were disappointed when he didn’t sign a single one. The troubled slugger waited until he was done playing and jogged out to the left field tarp in the sixth inning where he signed dozens and dozens of autographs as hundreds of fans ran over to have something signed. It was a nice touch for a player looking for all the good will he can muster. A-Rod described his reception as “Awesome. The fans have been great wherever I’ve been.” Maybe he didn’t hear the boos. Maybe he just realizes it’s gonna take some time to win back the fans. Love-hate, it’s complicated. But all was forgiven, at least for a little while.

Voyagers hold off Helena Brewers' rally by Lee Vernoy, Great Falls Tribune Sports Writer This is the one that almost got away. But Anthony Santiago got Jalen Harris to fly to center with the bases loaded, the tying run at third, and two out in the ninth as the Great Falls Voyagers held on for a 6-5 win over the Helena Brewers in front of 1,074 fans Saturday night at Centene Stadium. The win gives the Voyagers a 9-8 record in the Pioneer League North, putting them in a first-place tie with Helena going into this afternoon’s homestand finale. Voyager skipper Pete Rose, Jr. brought in Eric Jaffe to close things out in the top of the ninth with his squad up 6-2. He walked Michael Turay for starters, but caught Angel Ortega looking for the first out. Jaffe then walked Dionis Hinojosa and Ruben Ozuna to load the bags, then fanned Omar Garcia for the second out. That’s when Jaffe could not get the final out. Charlie Markson walked, Nathan Orf reached on a bunt single to third, and Taylor Brennan walked, making it 6-5 and forcing Rose to bring in Santiago, who got Harris to lift a lazy fly to centerfielder Adam Engel to end the game. The Brewers took the early lead in the first. Garcia walked, the first of 11 free passes Great Falls pitchers would surrender, then Markson doubled to left, Garcia scoring on a wild throw by shortstop Tyler Shryock. The Voyagers tied it in the second. Dillon Haupt scored when Jacob Morris grounded into a 5-4 fielders’ choice, but the throw to get Morris at first sailed over everyone and struck the retaining wall behind the first base dugout. Things stayed knotted at one until the last of the fifth. Justin Jirschele and Engel singled back-to-back, before Shryock bunted to the left of the mound. Brewer starter Anthony Banda picked up the ball and threw wildly over the first baseman’s head to plate Jirschele. Danny Hayes walked to load the bases, and Zach Voight was hit by a pitch to force home Engel. Chris Razo replaced Banda, and induced Haupt to ground into a 6-4-3 double play that scored Shryock. Brennan got one of those runs back in the sixth when he singled home Garcia, who reached on a bunt single, but the Voyagers came back with two insurance runs in their half of the sixth. Tyler Williams reached when Orf bobbled a grounder to second. Morris singled, and Williams went to third when Markson's throw from right field smashed against the fence in front of the Voyagers’ third-base dugout. One out later, Williams scored on a grounder to Ortega at shortstop, whose throw to catch Williams pulled Turay off the plate. One out later, it was Hayes who singled home Morris with what would be the winning run. David Haselden (3-1) got the win by working five innings, striking out five, walking two and allowing three hits and an earned run. Santiago, the first Voyager hurler, got his first save. Banda got his second loss in as many decisions. Engel led the hit parade for the Voyagers with two singles. The Brewers and Voyagers close out the series and homestand this afternoon at 1:00 PM (2:00 Central). TRIBUNE PHOTOS BY TIM GOESSMAN Nathan Orf of the Helena Brewers throws to first base as Zach Voight of the Great Falls Voyagers slides into second Saturday evening in Centene Stadium. http://cmsimg.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=G1&Date=20130706&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=307060020&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Great-Falls-Voyagers-hold-off-Helena-Brewers-rally Orf prepares to catch a pass as Jacob Morris slides into second. http://cmsimg.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=G1&Date=20130706&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=307060020&Ref=V1&MaxW=600&Border=0

Despite injuries, struggles, Walla keeps the faith By Kevin Hendricks / Albuquerque (NM) Journal Staff Writer In 2009, Max Walla put on a power display at Miller Park in a pre-draft workout that convinced the Milwaukee Brewers to select the Albuquerque Academy standout with the 73rd pick in that year’s draft. Now, in the middle of his fifth season in the Brewers’ organization, Walla is suffering through a power outage. As a senior at Academy, Walla hit 12 home runs, led the Chargers to the 4A state title and was named New Mexico High School Baseball Player of the Year. He finished his prep career with a then-state record 34 home runs. The 5-foot-11 Walla followed that up by hitting several upper-deck homers that wowed the Milwaukee brass. As a professional however, the left-handed hitting outfielder has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency. Walla has hit just 15 home runs in 286 minor league games and has a batting average of .244 in 1,036 career at-bats. After injuries delayed the start of this season, Walla has not hit a homer in 91 at-bats with Class-A Wisconsin. “It just hasn’t happened yet,” Walla, 22, said. “I’ve driven some balls into the gaps. I just haven’t quite gotten one over the fence. I’ll have a few by the end of the year, but right now it’s just one of those things where you’re going through a drought.” Injuries have been a common theme throughout Walla’s professional career. In 2010, a broken left ring finger sidelined him. Then last year his Class-A debut was delayed when he broke his left index finger a week before spring training ended. “It's been a little bit frustrating at times,” Walla said. “It’s one of those things that if you play a sport for a living, injuries are kind of unavoidable. But it has been a little bit frustrating to some degree. Nobody wants to sit on the sidelines, but it’s definitely helped me grow a lot. The adversity of having to go through an injury – both physically and mentally – it’s helped me quite a bit.” More help came this spring, when he suffered two injuries before the end of training camp. “I broke my hand in spring training and was out for three weeks,” Walla said. “My first game back in spring training was the last week and I re-broke it. So I had to stay out there an extra seven weeks.” While injuries no doubt have played a role in his struggles in the pros, Walla – who says he’s a Christian first and a baseball player second – used his latest setbacks to spend some time with an old friend, Josh McAlister, a La Cueva grad who pitches for Arizona State. “I was upset at the time but I was also blessed,” Walla said. “… It was good to at least have one of my best friends there to talk to, someone else who is a believer as well to remind how sometimes God works through adversity we go through on a day-to-day basis. So it was a good experience in that sense of it.” Now with that experience behind him and a clean bill of health, Walla is focused on realizing the potential he showed at Academy and eventually getting out of Class A. “I’m not where I want to be right now but I’m definitely working every day at getting better and being more productive for the team,” Walla said. “I think right now where I need to be is a reachable goal, and I’m definitely heading down the right path. It’s been a little bit of a challenge this year to get comfortable, both physically and mentally, but it’s something I should be able to do. “I have just under half of the season left to work with, so I’m looking forward to making some noise with the bat and moving up the ranks here.” Despite his struggles, Walla believes that his hard work will eventually pay off, and he’ll once again get a chance to hit home runs into the upper deck of Miller Park. “I’ve been handicapped a little bit by injuries. Definitely not an excuse,” Walla said. “I want to be in the big leagues, but I realize it’s a process and I’m going to keep grinding every day to get there.”