Jim Goulart

Brief video interview at link Taylor proves to be intriguing prospect for Timber Rattlers by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent Media GRAND CHUTE — Tyrone Taylor decided his future was on the diamond after attending a Pac-12 football game late in his sensational California prep athletic career. The dynamic two-sport athlete took a good look at the behemoths in shoulder pads and knew that baseball was the route he should go. “It was a UCLA-USC game and we were up there pretty close, and I saw how big those guys were,” said Taylor. “I started thinking, ‘Those guys would tear me to shreds.”’ Instead, the speedy 19-year-old center fielder will focus on tearing up Midwest League pitching in his first full season of professional baseball with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Taylor’s potential is intriguing. He was the Milwaukee Brewers’ second-round draft pick (92nd overall) in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft and is rated by Baseball America as the organization’s 15th best prospect. He is also ranked by the same publication as the No. 1 athlete in the Milwaukee farm system. Prior to being drafted, Taylor had committed to Cal State-Fullerton, but signed with the Brewers for $750,000 — well above Major League Baseball’s recommended pick value of $523,600 for the slot. As a senior at Torrance High School, Taylor hit .488 with four home runs and 29 RBI. He excelled on the gridiron, too, rushing for 1,521 yards and scoring 31 touchdowns as a running back, while making 190 tackles as a ballhawking safety. “He’s athletic and he’s definitely one of the fastest, most explosive athletes in the organization,” said Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson. “The first thing that jumps out at you is speed.” Taylor, a right-handed hitter, got off to a terrific start in the Brewers’ organization late last season. In 18 games of rookie league ball for Arizona and Helena, Taylor hit .389 and .385 with six stolen bases, two home runs and 11 RBI. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Taylor has been batting leadoff for the Rattlers. He is a line-drive hitter with the potential to develop power and makes good contact at the plate. In seven games this season, he is hitting .226 with seven hits, three doubles and four RBI in 31 plate appearances. “One of the things that stood out about him in spring training was that his pitch selection was really good for a young man,” said Erickson. “He didn’t chase out of the zone too much. He tries to stay inside the ball and hit line drives up the middle and the other way, but he can pop one to the pull side, too. We want him to stay consistent with his pitch selection and hit the ball where it’s pitched.” Taylor isn’t the type to coast on his talent. “I like to think I’m a toolsey guy, but I’m a hard worker, too” said Taylor. “I play the game hard and I play it the right way. Speed is lot of my game and I know one of the most important things for me is to put the bat on the ball.” According to Erickson, former No. 1 draft pick Mitch Haniger and Michael Reed will also get some opportunities to play center field, but Taylor will likely start the majority of Wisconsin’s games in center. Taylor can cover considerable ground with his above-average speed, but Erickson and his staff will closely monitor his throwing. Taylor injured his throwing arm last summer and the Brewers shut him down for about a month. He says it’s no longer a problem. “The Brewers put me on a really good rehab program to build the strength back and then put me on a throwing program,” said Taylor. “It feels great now, 100 percent.” Taylor’s development on the basepaths will be a key to his future since he can fly. “We really didn’t try and steal a ton of bases in spring training, but he certainly has the speed to be a threat,” said Erickson. ”In spring training, Reggie Williams (an outfield and baserunning instructor for the Brewers) noticed that he had a tendency to come up too high out of his stance when he’s breaking to second. He’s got to work on staying lower and on his secondary leads to become a more consistent baserunner, rather than not just relying on his speed.” Erickson likes the upbeat attitude Taylor has shown since arriving in Grand Chute and sees him as a good fit in the clubhouse. “He always has a smile on his face,” said Erickson. “I like his temperament and demeanor. You’re not going to see him moping around the locker room.” And Taylor has had plenty of opportunities to mope since he’s playing in cold weather for the first time. “It’s been really cold here, but I think I’ll get used to it,” said Taylor. “All the guys say you just have to battle through it. This is a nice place to play. It’s a good bunch of guys and the stadium is awesome. It should be a fun year.” http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20130413&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=304130466&Ref=AR&MaxW=300&Border=0&Taylor-proves-intriguing-prospect-Timber-Rattlers

Rattlers snowed out on Sunday Winter denies that it is baseball season By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers GRAND CHUTE, WI - Sunday's doubleheader between the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Kane County Cougars has been snowed out. Wisconsin managed to play on just two of their seven scheduled home dates to open their 2013 home schedule. Games from April 9 through April 12 were postponed due to the lingering winter weather. Wisconsin did manage to play their home opener on Monday, April 8 and a doubleheader with the Cougars on a chilly, but dry Saturday, April 13. Fans who had tickets for games that were scheduled for any of the weather postponements over the last week may exchange those tickets - based on availability - for any regular season 2013 Timber Rattlers' home game. The Timber Rattlers and Kane County will make up the two games that were postponed in Grand Chute when the teams meet in Geneva, Illinois over the weekend of June 14-16 at the end of the first half of the Midwest League season. Wisconsin hits the road for a road trip on Monday morning. The team will play Cedar Rapids from April 15 through April 17. The Rattlers and Kernels will play single games on Monday and Wednesday and a doubleheader on Tuesday at 5:00pm. One of the games between the Timber Rattlers and Cedar Rapids that was lost to weather at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium last week will not be made up this half. The Kernels have already played doubleheaders in Clinton on Saturday and Sunday and league rules allow for only three doubleheaders in seven days. Speaking of the Clinton LumberKings, the Rattlers will play them April 18 through the 20 in three single games - we hope - at Ashford University Field. Wisconsin will resume its home schedule with a nine-game homestand from Sunday, April 21 through Tuesday, April 30. The Quad Cities River Bandits visit town for three games April 21-23. There is a scheduled off day on April 24. Then, The West Michigan Whitecaps (April 25-27) and South Bend Silver Hawks (April 28-30) are in town. Please check the promotions schedule on timberrattlers.com to see all of the great things that will be going on during that next Timber Rattlers homestand. Tickets for the games on that upcoming homestand or any of the remaining games on the home schedule may be purchased over the phone at (920) 733-4152 or 800-WI-TIMBER, on timberrattlers.com, or in person at the Timber Rattlers Box Office. Winter will not take the hint and go away! http://www.milb.com/assets/images/8/8/2/44755882/cuts/SnowDayApril_14_2013_zi6wjss9_gzlw378y.jpg

NEW FEATURE! Weather.com: Omaha Huntsville Melbourne (Brevard County) Wisconsin (Appleton)

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. Once we're aware of the new online location for Huntsville's Media Notes this season, we'll let you know. (Coming soon, we're told!)

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.

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

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

Sunday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Tyler Thornburg at Omaha (Royals), 1:50 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Nashville feed from the MiLB main audio page 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 Arcenio Leon at home vs. Jacksonville (Marlins), 3:38 PM pre-game, 4:03 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page 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. Clearwater (Phillies), 3:35 PM pre-game, 4:05 PM gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Brevard County feed from the MiLB main audio page 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. NOTE: Dave indicates that he hopes to include a pre-game interview prior to each game; it's a 30-minute pre-game! We'll fill you in if Brevard masters archiving a la Nashville and/or Helena. ********** Wisconsin: RHP's Damien Magnifico and Leonard Lorenzo in a doubleheader at home vs. Kane County (Cubs), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:05 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 $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).

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

Recent Nashville video highlights, including Hunter Morris' 2nd HR of the contest Friday *** Manatees Audio Highlights *** VIDEO: Wisconsin Doubleheader Highlights

Stars Drop Third Straight to Suns By Alex Cohen / Huntsville Stars In a game that featured two ties and four lead changes, the Huntsville Stars ultimately lost to the Jacksonville Suns by a score of 9-7 on Saturday night at Joe Davis Stadium. For only the second time in the first nine games of the year, the Stars offense got out to the initial lead, scoring three runs in the first inning off Suns starting pitcher Matt Neil. Second baseman Nick Shaw led off the inning with a single, and following another single by right fielder Kentrail Davis, both runners scored on a two-run single by first baseman Jason Rogers for the first two runs of the ballgame. Three batters later, Rogers was plated on an RBI single by center fielder Rene Tosoni to make the score 3-0. Unfortunately for the Stars, the Suns offense began to heat up in the second inning. After right fielder Kyle Jensen was hit by Huntsville starting pitcher Andy Moye to begin the inning, an RBI triple by third basemen Zack Cox and an RBI double by first baseman Mark Canha cut the Stars lead to 3-2. When an RBI single by shortstop Jeff Bianchi (with Stars on MLB rehab) put Huntsville lead back up to two in the bottom half of the inning, the Suns came back in the top half of the third scoring four runs while sending 10 batters to the plate in the process. Highlighting the frame was a bases-loaded RBI walk drawn by shortstop Danny Black and a two-out, three-run double by Jensen to make the score 6-4. That third inning marked an early exit for Moye, who was part of a seven-inning one-hitter his last start last Sunday against Chattanooga. The 25-year-old righty was chased from the ballgame after just 2.2 innings, giving up six runs (four earned) and four hits in the process. However, Moye would go on to earn a no-decision, as the Huntsville offense was able to tie back up the ballgame in the fourth inning. To begin the rally, both Tosoni and catcher Shawn Zarraga reached base off Neil. Then, after both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, a botched throw by Neil on an attempted sac bunt by Stars reliever Alan Williams allowed Tosoni to score to cut the Jacksonville lead to one. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly by Shaw brought in Zarraga to tie up the game at six. The back and forth between the two teams continued into the middle innings, as Jacksonville reclaimed the lead in the sixth inning on a Derek Dietrich RBI single. That was countered by an RBI single from Stars third baseman Mike Walker in the bottom of the seventh to tie back up the ballgame at 7-7. The score would remain that way until the ninth inning, until Stars lefty Thomas Keeling (L, 0-1) found his way into some trouble. After Jensen walked and Cox singled to begin the inning, a two-run double from left fielder Jake Smolinski plated both of them in Jacksonville the lead for good. Earning the win for the Suns was lefty Rawdel Lazo, who pitched two innings of scoreless relief to end the game and improve to 1-0 on the season. The win for the Suns was their third consecutive against the Stars, clinching a series victory at Joe Davis Stadium. On offense, the Stars out-hit Jacksonville 11-7, and were led by two hits apiece from Shaw, Rogers and Tosoni. The Stars and Suns will play the finale of a five-game series at Joe Davis Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Huntsville will send RHP Arcenio Leon (0-0, 3.60 ERA) to the bump to square off against Suns RHP Sam Dyson (0-0, 1.80 ERA). First pitch is at 4:03 CT. After wrapping up their five-game series against the Suns, the Stars will immediately welcome the Tennessee Smokies into town for five more games at The Joe.

Nashville Pre-Game Interview With Reliever Chris Jakubauskas

Brevard County Media Notes

NOTE TO SELF: Never try to read into players' cryptic tweets Listed as starting today...

NEW FEATURE! Weather.com: Omaha Huntsville Melbourne (Brevard County) Wisconsin (Appleton)

Look for Nashville and Wisconsin media notes at the links just prior to their game times. Once we're aware of the new online location for Huntsville's Media Notes this season, we'll let you know. (Coming soon, we're told!) New this season: Brevard County has media notes; as of now, it's a unique link each day (we'll post when available), we've asked for a consistent posted link like Nashville uses, we'll see...

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.

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

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

Saturday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: LHP Zach Kroenke at Omaha (Royals), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Nashville feed from the MiLB main audio page 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 Andy Moye at home vs. Jacksonville (Marlins), 6:18 PM pre-game, 6:43 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page 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 Jacob Barnes at home vs. Clearwater (Phillies), 5:05 PM pre-game, 5:35 PM gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Brevard County feed from the MiLB main audio page 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. NOTE: Dave indicates that he hopes to include a pre-game interview prior to each game; it's a 30-minute pre-game! We'll fill you in if Brevard masters archiving a la Nashville and/or Helena. ********** Wisconsin: RHP Tyler Wagner and LHP Mike Strong in a doubleheader at home vs. Kane County (Cubs), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:05 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 $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).

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

Chasers are solid right off the bat By Rob White / World-Herald Staff Writer Whenever he got the chance, Nate Adcock got himself into the dugout bathroom. “There's a little heater in there,” Adcock said. “I just tried to stay as warm as I could. If a guy had to use the bathroom, I had to step out.” When he wasn't thawing out, Adcock was on the mound pitching five solid innings Friday night to help Omaha to a 6-5 victory against Nashville in front of a home opening-crowd of 3,985 at Werner Park. The game-time temperature was 40 degrees, and the wind chill started at 32 and kept cooling off. “That was probably one of the colder ones I've pitched in — just because of the wind,” Adcock said. The first-place Storm Chasers scored five first-inning runs and survived four solo homers to improve to 5-4 while winning for the fifth time in six games. “It's not fun playing in weather like that, win or lose,” Omaha manager Mike Jirschele said. “When you've got guys running off the field to go stand by the heater … you know it's not a great night.” But if you've got to play, you feel a lot warmer afterward if you won. Christian Colon, Johnny Giavotella and Irving Falu each had two hits for Omaha. Giavotella's two-run bloop double put the Chasers ahead after Milwaukee prospect Hunter Morris hit the first of his two homers in the top of the first. Heads-up base running by David Lough and Colon combined to put pressure on another top Brewers prospect, starter Johnny Hellweg, before Giavotella's double. Lough aggressively went from first to third on Colon's single to left, and when the throw went to third, Colon sped in to second behind him. “I thought that was key, just to get things going,” Jirschele said. Two Omaha runs were unearned, and the Sounds could have prevented another had they been able to turn a routine inning-ending double play behind Hellweg. second baseman Scooter Gennett dropped the relay throw on the frigid night. But Hellweg (1-1) also got himself into trouble. The 6-foot-9 right-hander, acquired as part of the package from the Angels for Zack Greinke last July, walked three and had two wild pitches in the inning (and catcher Dayton Buller was charged with a passed ball). The Chasers scored five on two hits. “I was happy with our hitters that inning,” Jirschele said. “We were patient, didn't chase a lot of pitches out of the zone. Hellweg got himself in trouble — and we didn't help him out.” Hellweg eventually started zipping his fastball in the 97 mph range before his four-inning outing ended. “It was a tough night to throw,” Jirschele said. “He's got great stuff, and you could just see he wasn't as free and easy as he usually is because of the cold.” Meanwhile, Adcock (1-0) turned in a more efficient outing than his first start. After walking four in four innings in his season debut Sunday, the 25-year-old right-hander allowed two runs on three hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts in five innings. “I hadn't thrown to hitters in about 10 days before my last outing,” Adcock said. “And since then L.C. (pitching coach Larry Carter) and I have worked on some things, just trying to drive the baseball. It's helped out a lot. I'm starting to feel some things.” Adcock's strikeout total was his second-highest in 20 starts in an Omaha uniform. Relievers Francisley Bueno and Donnie Joseph combined for seven more strikeouts — Joseph fanned four in two innings to pick up his first save — to give the Chasers 14 for the night. An Omaha staff that on paper doesn't appear to be stacked with flamethrowers entered the night second in the PCL in strikeouts. “I think just attacking hitters has a lot to do with it,” Adcock said. It's good policy. While the Sounds hit four homers — the last by Cole Garner with one out in the ninth — no one was on base for any of them. Nashville had two other hits and twice reached on walks. “That's what you've got to do,” Jirschele said. “If you start walking guys and then giving up home runs, you're in trouble.” *** Omaha native LHP Zach Kroenke is Nashville's scheduled starting pitcher Saturday. Omaha starter Everett Teaford is expected to pitch about three innings on a “bullpen” night.

Stars Swept In Doubleheader By Alex Cohen / Huntsville Stars On Friday night, the Stars were swept in a doubleheader by the Jacksonville Suns, losing game one by a score of 9-4 and game two by a score of 5-4. In game one, Stars starting pitcher Taylor Jungmann struggled in his second Double-A start, giving up seven runs on six hits through just 2.1 innings pitched to fall to 1-1 on the season. The Suns ended Jungmann's outing in the third inning when they scored six runs off of him and reliever Eric Marzec. The Stars only offense came in the top half of the second inning, where they sent 10 batters to the plate. Catcher Adam Weisenburger highlighted the frame with a two-run double and also scored on a wild pitch from starting pitcher Robert Morey. In addition to that, right fielder Kentrail Davis drew a bases-loaded walk. Jacksonville scored an extra insurance run in the seventh inning on a RBI single by shortstop Danny Black. In game two, the Stars got off to a scorching start to take the early momentum. After falling behind by a score of 1-0, the Stars knocked around Suns starting pitcher Adam Conley in the bottom half of the first. To begin the frame, both center fielder Rene Tosoni and Davis got hit by a Conley pitch. Following consecutive RBI singles by first baseman Jason Rogers and left fielder Brock Kjeldgaard, three throwing errors on two consecutive plays plated Rogers and Kjeldgaard to make the score 4-1. From that point on, it was all Suns. In the top of the fifth inning, a towering homer from first basemen Audy Ciriaco off of Stars reliever R.J Seidel cut the Stars lead to two. Then, in the seventh inning, Jacksonville showed their flair for the dramatic with three runs, two coming with them down to their final strike. To start the rally, pinch-hitter Zack Cox drew a walk off of Stars reliever Casey Medlen. Then, after a single by shortstop Danny Black, an error by first baseman Mike Walker allowed Cox to score to cut the Stars lead to one. Two batters later, with the Suns down to their final strike, a two-out single by left fielder Kyle Jensen off of Stars righty Greg Holle put the Suns ahead for good. However, the Stars had their chances in the bottom half of the ninth. With two-out singles from second basemen Shea Vucinich and Davis, the Stars had runners at the corners with two outs. Unfortunately, Suns closer Michael Brady got Rogers to ground out to end the ballgame. With the losses, Huntsville is now 5-3 on the season. The Stars and Suns will play game four of a five-game series on Saturday as they will send RHP Andy Moye (1-0, 1.50) to the hill to square off against Suns RHP Matthew Neil (0-1, 4.76 ERA). First pitch is at 6:43 PM.

Looks like each Manatees game that is broadcast will include a link for audio highlights on their game summary page.

In case you're wondering why Frankie De La Cruz pitched in relief, via Jeff Hem -- Just a change in the order. With the rainout last night, they wanted Thornburg and Burgos to stay on normal rest, so Frankie went from Sunday to Tuesday, and Fred Dabney didn't want over a week to go by without him seeing game action. Basically had his side session tonight in a game instead.