Jim Goulart

Thursday's Daily Menu: Time listed is Central Wisconsin: RHP Chad Pierce at home vs. Fort Wayne (Padres), 11:50 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime; second game of the league championship best-of-five, Rattler lead, 1-0, remainder of the series shifts to Fort Wayne Saturday Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM *** Follow the action as it happens with box score / game log links: Wisconsin *** Rattler Radio Blog: Lineup & Game Notes

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

Brad's excellent Rattlers photo gallery

VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH MANAGER MATT ERICKSON AT THE LINK AS WELL Timber Rattlers win wild one in 10th by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent staff writer GRAND CHUTE — Rafael Neda’s exceptional defensive skills and ability to work with pitchers are why he has been Wisconsin’s starting catcher throughout the playoffs. But the pop in his bat and the zip in his legs that he displayed Wednesday night are big reasons why the Timber Rattlers hold a 1-0 lead over Fort Wayne in the Midwest League Championship Series. Neda led off the bottom of the 10th with a single and eventually raced home on a game-winning wild pitch to lift the Rattlers to a 3-2 victory at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. “Neda has been so solid behind the plate for us the whole playoffs that it’s only natural that he gets the big hit and scores the game-winning run,” said Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson. Wisconsin won 10 regular-season games in walk-off fashion, so squeezing out another late-inning thriller was nothing new. “With playoff baseball, you can’t always prepare for what’s going to happen,” said Erickson. “It was definitely unconventional, but we found a way to pull it off.” Neda dashed home from third with the bases loaded and two outs when reliever Luis De La Cruz’s second pitch to cleanup hitter Nick Ramirez veered inside and zoomed past catcher Austin Hedge. There was no play at the plate and Erickson’s team had struck first in their attempt to win their first MWL Championship series under the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ name. “It wasn’t a perfect way to win a game, but we’ll take it,” said Neda. “He (De La Cruz) had almost hit Nick (Ramirez) the first pitch, so I was ready. I saw the ball get the past the catcher and I was like, ‘I’m going.’ ” The Rattlers prevailed despite just four hits, including two by Neda, who drilled an RBI double off the left-field field wall in the fourth off starter Joe Ross to give Wisconsin a 2-1 lead. Ross was a first-round draft pick (25th overall) of the San Diego Padres in the 2011 major league draft and hit 99 mph on the radar gun with one of his pitches Wednesday. “I had two strikes on me and he hung a curve,” said Neda. “I was just trying to put the ball into play.” Neda shared catching duties during the regular season with Cameron Garfield and Tyler Roberts, hitting just .229 with a homer and 16 RBI. Erickson, though, has gone with Neda as his regular catcher during the postseason and Neda’s steadying influence behind the plate has been a major factor behind the superb pitching that has fueled the Rattlers’ championship run. Wisconsin has allowed just nine runs in its six playoff games. The Rattlers received another stellar performance from their pitching staff Wednesday. Starter Jacob Barnes allowed just one hit the first six innings and four hits in seven innings, departing with the score tied 2-2. Southpaw Brent Suter was also sharp, pitching three shutout innings in relief to picked up the win. Suter allowed three hits and struck out three. “We got another great start and I thought Suter did a great job out of the bullpen,” said Erickson. “He hadn’t pitched in a week, but he holds runners well and has a great pickoff move. He kept them off the board for three innings.” Wisconsin led 2-1 until the TinCaps tied the game in the top of the seventh on Duanel Jones’ RBI triple off Barnes. “They’ve got a scary lineup,” said Erickson. “They’ve got speed up and down the linup and we haven’t been too successful against teams with speed.” A home crowd of 1,574 was given white rally towels upon entering the stadium and gave them a towel-waving workout in the late innings. “I thought the atmosphere was great, with everyone waving those towels,” said Erickson. “I wouldn’t expect anything else. I grew up here and know that it’s a baseball community. Hopefully, we’ll give them more to cheer about (today).”

Post Crescent Photo Gallery

Rattler Radio Blog: MWL Championship Series – Game One Eleven after #11 Because "Nine after 9" just isn't good enough in the championship series when it comes to walkoffs -- nice!

Neda, Rattlers walk off with Game 1 Brewers prospect goes 2-for-4, scores winning run in 10th By Robert Emrich / Special to MLB.com It was the wild, wild Midwest League on Wednesday night. Rafael Neda collected two hits and scored the winning run on a wild pitch as Class A Wisconsin defeated Fort Wayne, 3-2, in 10 innings in Game 1 of the Midwest League Championship Series on Wednesday. The Brewers' ninth-round pick in 2010 singled to open the 10th inning and moved to second on Adrian Williams' sacrifice bunt. Brandon Macias was intentionally walked and Chadwin Stang grounded out to advance both runners. The TinCaps loaded the bases by walking Ben McMahan, and two pitches later, Luis De La Cruz uncorked the wild pitch that scored Neda to end the game. "The previous pitch before it was really close to being a wild pitch," Neda said. "I was just expecting something in the dirt away from the catcher so I could just take a couple steps and go." Neda gave the Timber Rattlers a 2-1 lead in the fourth with an RBI double and raised his playoff average to .333 in six games. "I was seeing the ball good and I was trying to put the ball in play," Neda said. "Luckily for me I got two knocks, I'll take it. I'll take it every day." In the best-of-5 series, taking Game 1 at home is extremely important, according to Neda. "Everyone wants to take the lead in every series," the Mexican native said. "Especially at home, we only have two games at home. We took the first one now we have to keep it going. Hopefully, we can take the next one and we'll see what happens after. Hopefully, we can bring the championship home." Jacob Barnes allowed two runs -- one earned -- on four hits over seven innings but did not figure into the decision for Wisconsin. It continued a stretch of quality starts thrown by the Timber Rattlers, as their hurlers have only allowed five runs in their past five games. "He was working hard every inning. He was getting his spots, we were trying to minimize his long innings and he did that a lot," said Neda, Wisconsin's catcher. "It helped him stay in the game ... and he did a really good job." Brent Suter scattered three hits over three innings and was credited with the win. Joe Ross gave up two runs on two hits with five strikeouts over five innings in the start for the TinCaps. Rafael Neda is batting .333 with two RBIs in the playoffs. (Vincent Rinaldi/Rinaldi Photos) http://www.milb.com/images/2012/09/12/PgXDUwMr.jpg

VIDEO:

Excellent write-up on the game from Kyle at BCB, and pre-game write-up on Cameron Garfield

Brewers announce Josh Prince will take the "TBA" spot remaining; Mat Gamel not ready to play.

However, this is a good write-up indicating the Angels have indeed met the Travelers' heightened on-field expectations

As per Ballpark Digest, Arkansas has not been happy with the Angels

VIDEO:

VIDEO: Chad Pierce and Greg Hopkins on Fox 11's "Good Day Wisconsin"

AUDIO: Timber Rattlers Manager Matt Erickson on the Brewers Pre-Game with Joe Block

As Chris Mehring himself said, his "comprehensive look the the MWL Championship Series - with stats and links and everything!!!

Huntsville Stars, Milwaukee Brewers future still up in the air By Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Milwaukee Brewers and Class AAA affiliate Nashville are going to continue their working agreement in a what Brewers' general manager Doug Melvin called a "facility and conditions (that) are not totally satisfactory." It's still unknown whether the Brewers will choose to do the same in Huntsville, where the Brewers have been equally descriptive of Joe Davis Stadium and community support. The Brewers and team owner Miles Prentice have held negotiations, but Stars general manager Buck Rogers said Tuesday that no announcement is forthcoming over the club's future with Milwaukee, with whom Huntsville has been affiliated since 1999. Huntsville has not reached the postseason since 2009 and was again last in the 10-team league in attendance. If the Stars do not re-sign with Milwaukee, there are only four other possibilities. The Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Miami Marlins and Seattle Mariners are the only major league teams that have not announced renewals with Class AA affiliates; however, the Indians are expected to re-up at Akron, currently in the Eastern League championship series. The Angels are now with Arkansas of the Texas League. Miami is affiliated with Jacksonville and the Mariners with Jackson, Tenn., both in the Southern League. Tuesday was the deadline for teams to file paperwork with Minor League Baseball about their intentions. On Saturday, the commissioner's office will announce major league clubs and minor league cities that are "free agents," and a two-week period begins in which those entities can negotiate with each other. The Brewers have been dissatisfied with Joe Davis Stadium, the oldest park in the Southern League, and with city support. Mayor Tommy Battle has been on record desiring "a public-private partnership" with Prentice and his co-owners to move forward with any potential new downtown ballpark or extensive renovations to Joe Davis Stadium. Nashville has had plans for a new stadium for years, though nothing has come to fruition. The Sounds play in Greer Stadium, which opened in 1978. However, Melvin noted his great confidence in the team ownership. "I totally believe in this ownership, and if we can get the same support from the city, Nashville will be one of the most desirable franchises in Minor League baseball," Melvin said in his statement.

DVR ALERT! Yes, it's opposite a big Brewers game, but you can still set your DVR and catch the Rattlers on TWC Sports32 Wednesday night.

T-Rats acing chemistry by Tim Froberg, Gannett Wisconsin Media GRAND CHUTE — In minor league baseball, chemistry and cohesiveness are intangibles that are tough to create. Constant player movement, ever-changing rosters and the stress in trying to advance careers take a chunk out of the team-building concept. And then there’s the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Spend any time in their clubhouse and it’s easy to see it’s where tension goes to die. When asked what factors have made the Timber Rattlers one of the teams that will compete for the Midwest League championship for the fourth time in franchise history, Rattlers starting pitcher Chad Pierce started with chemistry and unity and a team-first attitude. “Our locker room has been one that you probably won’t see much in professional baseball,” said Pierce. “Everyone is close, everyone hangs out and there’s no one stabbing one another in the back. “A lot of guys on this team are jokesters and we have a lot of fun. That’s why this clubhouse stays so loose. Sometimes guys don’t like that. They want more of a strict atmosphere. It all goes back to Matt (Erickson). He’s a great guy and he knows how to have fun. It’s rubbed off on all of us.” Pierce, a Fond du Lac native, is scheduled to state game 2 in Appleton on Thursday. The game is scheduled to start at noon. Postseason baseball games are won more with polished pitching and timely hitting than team chemistry, but don’t underestimate the importance of the latter in a high-pressure business like pro baseball. “Yeah, we’re quiet for awhile after a loss, but we realize it’s not the end of the world and I think our clubhouse has a lot to do with that,” said Pierce. “I think that’s why we were able to bounce back from losing the first game of the playoffs.” Since dropping a 4-0 decision to Burlington in Game 1 of a first-round Western Division playoff series, the Rattlers have received lights-out pitching and played their finest baseball of the season. Starting pitchers Pierce and David Goforth responded with back-to-back shutouts to win the best-of-three series over the Bees. Then, Chad Thompson and Mark Williams delivered stellar performances in consecutive starts, allowing the Rattlers to sweep Clinton in the Western Division finals by scores of 9-1 and 4-2. As a result, the Rattlers are playing in the Midwest League title for the first time since 2005. The Timber Rattlers also made finals appearances in 1996 and 1999, but lost all three championship series. The last time an Appleton area team won the Midwest League championship was in 1984 when the team was known as the Appleton Foxes. “Just being able to compete for the championship feels great,” said Erickson, a year-round Appleton resident and an Appleton West alumnus. “I remember hanging out at Goodland Field as a kid, chasing foul balls. We’ve had good good community relations and good crowds all year and hopefully we’re be able to give them something to cheer about. “I feel good for our players because of all the time and effort put in behind the scenes. This is a culmination of daily preparation and it reflects the consistency of the club. This is proof that what we do on a daily basis is the right way to do things.” The Rattlers, who qualified for the playoffs by winning the first-half Western Division title, are a bit of a surprise team and have exceeded the expectations of many. Wisconsin opened the season and is closing it without an abundance of top prospects. Shortstop Yadiel Rivera (No. 15), Goforth (No. 17) and first baseman Nick Ramirez (No. 28) are the only players rated among the Milwaukee Brewers top 30 prospects by Baseball America. “As a player and a coach in professional baseball, I’ve always found it funny that people tell you before the season how you’re going to play,” said Erickson. “But if you knew, why even go out and play? That’s the beauty of baseball.”

Wednesday's Daily Menu: Time listed is Central Wisconsin: RHP Jacob Barnes at home vs. Fort Wayne (Padres), 6:20 PM pre-game, 6:35 gametime; first game of the league championship best-of-five, game two also at home Thursday afternoon Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM *** Follow the action as it happens with box score / game log links: Wisconsin *** Check the Rattler Radio blog for the media notes just prior to gametime

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

From July 27th: Here's an update on Mike as he begins a college coaching career.

Stars Media Relations: Huntsville End-of-Season Summary in Game Notes Format

FYI -- There are a few photos in this thread, particularly the second half of the thread, that should give you a sense of the look of the jerseys available.

The Huntsville Stars are auctioning off game worn jerseys and BP tops. If you’re interested in bidding on any of these jerseys please send an email to buck "at" huntsvillestars.com with the following information: Your Name Your Bid The Jersey # The Jersey Color Game worn jerseys are mesh and in the following colors: white (home), gray (road) and navy (alternate). Batting Practice jerseys are royal blue. Minimum bid for game worn jerseys is $150. Minimum bid for BP tops is $75. Bidding increments are $5. Bidding closes at noon on Friday, September 14th . Final contact with winning bidders will be made for payment and shipping information. Bid does not include shipping; if you choose to have it shipped to your location the cost will depend on your address and form of shipping, e.g., overnight, ground, etc. An updated list of bids will be posted here thru the end of the auction. ## SIZE PLAYER’S/COACH’S NAME 1 L Lee Haydel 2 L Scooter Gennett 3 L Matt Cline 4 XL Juan Sanchez, Jean Segura 6 XL Tommy Manzella 8 XL Jay Gibbons, Hainley Statia, TJ Mittelstaedt 9 XL Jason Jaramillo, Adrian Williams 10 XL Darnell Coles (WHITE NOT AVAILABLE) 11 XL Dwayne Hosey 12 XL Domnit Bolivar 13 XL Eric Marzec, Adam Weisenburger 14 XL Josh Prince 15 XL Hunter Morris (BP ONLY JERSEY AVAILABLE) 16 XL Evan Anundsen 17 XL Brandon Kintzler, Andy Gonzalez 18 XL Josh Stinson 19 XL Dan Merlinger, Tim Dillard 20 XL Davis, Kentrail 21 XL Michael Reed, Dan Meadows, Brandon Williamson 22 XL de la Rosa, Anderson 23 XL Jeff Bianchi, Scott Krieger, Johnny Hellweg 24 XL Khris Davis 26 XL Darren Byrd 27 XL Jesus Sanchez, Andy Gonzalez 28 XL RJ Seidel 29 XL Jim Henderson, Bradley Blanks, Brian Garman, Johnny Lowe 30 XL Tyler Thornburg 31 XL Hiram Burgos, Brian Baker, Johnny Lowe 32 XL Mitch Stetter 33 XL Brock Kjeldgaard 34 XXL Roque Mercedes 35 XXL Rob Wooten 36 XXL Santo Manzanillo 37 XXL Chris Hook (GRAY NOT AVAILABLE) 38 XXL Philippe Valiquette 40 XXL Jimmy Nelson 43 XXL Ariel Pena 44 XXL Josh Butler 45 XXL Kyle Heckathorn