Jim Goulart

Adjusted the initial post to reflect that RHP Brandon Kintzler was added (re-added) to the 40-man roster.

Adjusted the initial post to reflect that RHP Brandon Kintzler was added (re-added) to the 40-man roster.

Will the Brewers have some tough 40-man choices to make? Current roster is at 34 players Here are the current 40-man roster players who were added during the course of the season -- INF Jeff Bianchi RHP Jim Henderson RHP Brandon Kintzler RHP Tyler Thornburg

Will the Brewers have some tough 40-man choices to make? Current roster is at 34 players Here are the current 40-man roster players who were added during the course of the season -- INF Jeff Bianchi RHP Jim Henderson RHP Brandon Kintzler RHP Tyler Thornburg

Will the Brewers have some tough 40-man choices to make? Current roster is at 41 players -- (Technically 38 as Alex Gonzalez, Mat Gamel and Chris Narveson are on the 60-day DL). Here are the current 40-man roster players who were added during the course of the season -- INF Jeff Bianchi RHP Jim Henderson 1B Travis Ishikawa RHP Brandon Kintzler RHP Tyler Thornburg Here are players who are likely to lose their 40-man roster status prior to December's winter meetings, because they'll be eligible for major league free agency or will have option years declined -- SS Alex Gonzalez RHP Livan Hernandez RHP Shaun Marcum RHP Francisco Rodriguez And this thread really isn't about debating the topic of offering arbitration, but yes, additional spots could free up based on the possible departures of Travis Ishikawa, Nyjer Morgan or Jose Veras, or others based on any sort of circumstance. Unlike recent years, there won't be as many obvious roster spots freeing up that fringe players (like last year's choices of Brock Kjeldgaard and Zelous Wheeler) can easily be added.

Everyone, we were able to confirm via the Brewers that Kentrail Davis and Scooter Gennett do need to be protected this year, so this and the few following posts below have been modified. *** Not to be confused with our Brewer Minor League Free Agency Eligibles After the 2012 Season Thread, this thread focuses on those players who will be eligible to be selected in December 6th's Rule 5 Draft, and considers who Milwaukee should add to the 40-man roster to protect. Remember -- Players who signed when 18 or younger are eligible for the draft after five years. Players who signed when 19 or older are eligible after four years. According to the rules, it's how old a player was on the June 5th immediately preceeding his signing. So in terms of 40-man roster consideration, these are the players not eligible for free agency, but who would be Rule 5 eligible if not placed on the 40-man roster. Players listed alphabetically within level: Current AAA Players -- RHP Jairo Asencio C Dayton Buller RHP Hiram Burgos OF Khris Davis RHP Frankie De La Cruz 2B Eric Farris 1B Sean Halton RHP Donovan Hand LHP Zach Kroenke C Blake Lalli RHP Rob Wooten Current AA Players -- RHP Darren Byrd OF Kentrail Davis 2B Scooter Gennett OF Lee Haydel RHP Kyle Heckathorn OF Brock Kjeldgaard RHP Andre Lamontagne RHP Johnnie Lowe LHP Daniel Meadows OF/INF Josh Prince RHP Cody Scarpetta RHP R.J. Seidel Current A-Level (or below) players -- RHP Hitaniel Arias RHP Eric Arnett RHP Nick Bucci RHP Tyler Cravy C Jose Garcia SS Carlos George SS Hector Gomez OF Yonki Hernandez RHP Maverick Lasker C Joey Paciorek C Emmanuel Quiles LHP Jose Ramos RHP Francisco Rivero OF Franklin Romero, Jr. OF Chadwin Stang RHP Stosh Wawrzasek C Shawn Zarraga

Everyone, we were able to confirm via the Brewers that Kentrail Davis and Scooter Gennett do need to be protected this year, so this and the few following posts below have been modified. *** Not to be confused with our Brewer Minor League Free Agency Eligibles After the 2012 Season Thread, this thread focuses on those players who will be eligible to be selected in December 6th's Rule 5 Draft, and considers who Milwaukee should add to the 40-man roster to protect. Remember -- Players who signed when 18 or younger are eligible for the draft after five years. Players who signed when 19 or older are eligible after four years. According to the rules, it's how old a player was on the June 5th immediately preceeding his signing. So in terms of 40-man roster consideration, these are the players not eligible for free agency, but who would be Rule 5 eligible if not placed on the 40-man roster. Players listed alphabetically within level: Current AAA Players -- RHP Jairo Asencio C Dayton Buller RHP Hiram Burgos OF Khris Davis RHP Frankie De La Cruz 2B Eric Farris 1B Sean Halton RHP Donovan Hand LHP Zach Kroenke C Blake Lalli RHP Rob Wooten Current AA Players -- RHP Darren Byrd OF Kentrail Davis 2B Scooter Gennett OF Lee Haydel RHP Kyle Heckathorn OF Brock Kjeldgaard RHP Andre Lamontagne RHP Johnnie Lowe LHP Daniel Meadows OF/INF Josh Prince RHP Cody Scarpetta RHP R.J. Seidel Current A-Level (or below) players -- RHP Hitaniel Arias RHP Eric Arnett RHP Nick Bucci RHP Tyler Cravy C Jose Garcia SS Carlos George SS Hector Gomez OF Yonki Hernandez RHP Maverick Lasker C Joey Paciorek C Emmanuel Quiles LHP Jose Ramos RHP Francisco Rivero OF Franklin Romero, Jr. OF Chadwin Stang RHP Stosh Wawrzasek C Shawn Zarraga

Not to be confused with our Brewer Minor League Free Agency Eligibles After the 2012 Season Thread, this thread focuses on those players who will be eligible to be selected in December 6th's Rule 5 Draft, and considers who Milwaukee should add to the 40-man roster to protect. Remember -- Players who signed when 18 or younger are eligible for the draft after five years. Players who signed when 19 or older are eligible after four years. According to the rules, it's how old a player was on the June 5th immediately preceeding his signing. So in terms of 40-man roster consideration, these are the players not eligible for free agency, but who would be Rule 5 eligible if not placed on the 40-man roster. Thanks again to poster Minigoon for tracking much of this for us -- players listed alphabetically within level: Current AAA Players -- RHP Hiram Burgos OF Khris Davis 1B Sean Halton RHP Donovan Hand RHP Rob Wooten Current AA Players -- OF Lee Haydel RHP Kyle Heckathorn RHP Andre Lamontagne RHP Johnnie Lowe LHP Daniel Meadows OF/INF Josh Prince RHP R.J. Seidel Current A-Level (or below) players -- RHP Hitaniel Arias RHP Eric Arnett RHP Nick Bucci RHP Tyler Cravy C Jose Garcia SS Carlos George OF Yonki Hernandez RHP Maverick Lasker C Joey Paciorek C Emmanuel Quiles LHP Jose Ramos RHP Francisco Rivero OF Franklin Romero, Jr. RHP Manuel Ruiz OF Chadwin Stang RHP Stosh Wawrzasek C Shawn Zarraga

AUDIO: Helena Brewers broadcaster Steve Wendt recently spoke with RHP Ryan Fasano

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 (FINAL) AA - Southern League North Division (FINAL) High-A - Florida State League North Division (FINAL) A - Midwest League Western Division (FINAL) Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division Rookie - Arizona Summer League (FINAL) DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division (FINAL) *** NOTE: AAA Nashville, Rookie Maryvale and the DSL do not play a split schedule. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County, Wisconsin, and/or Helena, you'll then be able to choose 1st half and/or overall standings in addition to the 2nd half standings.

Follow Tuesday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Helena

Tuesday's Daily Menu: Times listed are Central Nashville: Season complete; final stats here. ********** Huntsville: Season complete; final stats here. ********** Brevard County: Season complete; final stats here ********** Wisconsin: Idle, best-of-three first round playoff series begins Wednesday at Burlington (Athletics). ********** Helena: RHP Ryan Gibbard at home vs. Billings (Reds), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Helena feed from the MiLB main audio page We're lucky to have broadcaster Steve Wendt back on board for another H-Crew season. ********** Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): Season complete; final stats here ********** DSL Brewers: Season complete; final stats and analysis here

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Player of the Week Honors for the Week ending Monday 9/3: Hunter Morris, Southern League (will kind of get lost among all the MVP bluster) Mike Walker, Florida State League Congrats!

Rattler Radio with follow-up from Monday's doubleheader

Billings beats Brewers 5-2 Helena Brewers In the Brewers last home game on August 27, the Brew Crew sent the home faithful home with a walkoff victory. For a moment on Monday night, it looked as though Helena might find the same fortune against the Billings Mustangs, before Jesus Adames struck out Raul Mondesi Jr. to earn the 5-2 victory. The game got started off with a bang as four runs were scored in the first two frames. However, that would be all the scoring out of either squad for six consecutive frames. In the top of the ninth, the Mustangs found a groove at the dish and plated three runners. Shortstop Zach Vincej started the rally with one out on a single into left field, but Jon Matthews had the big hit when he smashed a double over the head of outfielder Ruben Ozuna. Despite trailing by three entering the bottom of the ninth, the Brewers refused to go quietly into the dark Labor Day night. With two outs, infielder Renaldo Jenkins gave the Brewers life with a double to right-centerfield. Ozuna then reached on a fielding error by second baseman Robert Ramirez. This brought up Mondesi with the opportunity to tie the game. Unfortunately for the Brewers, Adames got the punchout and recorded his first save of the season. The series finale against Billings is Tuesday night. First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM (8:05 Central). Adam Giacalone went 1-for-3 on Monday night. (Sleeping Giant Photography) http://www.milb.com/images/2012/09/04/jwvp7ZBK.jpg

Huntsville-born Hunter Morris named the Southern League's MVP By Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Seldom has the glare of the spotlight shone on a minor leaguer as intensely as it has this summer on Hunter Morris, who was the first Huntsville-born man to play for the Stars. Seldom, if ever in the 28 years of the franchise, has a player responded as magnificently. After one of the greatest individual seasons in Huntsville history, Morris was rewarded by being named the Southern League's Most Valuable Player. "Everything came together this year," Morris said Monday in grand understatement. "It all happened a lot faster than I thought it would." Morris, the Stars' 23-year-old first baseman, led the Southern League in home runs (28), RBIs (113), hits (158), slugging percentage (563) and total bases (294) and batted .303. He tied a Huntsville record for doubles in a season and is in the team's Top 10 of season-bests in seven offensive categories. He did so in what he called the "unique situation" as the hometown player on the hometown team. His parents, Jeff and Linda, were at most games, as was Hunter's wife, the former Macie West, who played softball at Sparkman and Auburn, and their young son, Tripp. For Father's Day, the Stars actually commissioned a bobblehead doll of Hunter holding Tripp. Morris, who played high school baseball and basketball at Grissom and went on to become an All-SEC player at Auburn, became the fifth Star to be named league MVP. Jose Canseco, who played in only 58 games for Huntsville in 1985, was the MVP in the Stars' inaugural season, followed by Terry Steinbach in 1986. Ben Grieve was the 1997 MVP and Corey Hart was MVP in 2003. "It really is a great honor," Morris said. "I couldn't be more excited to achieve that as a personal goal. There are other more important things, because baseball is a team sport. But this has got to be one of my biggest personal goals to achieve in my career." It joins a long list of other awards, though. Morris was four times named Player of the Year by The Huntsville Times for our All-Metro baseball teams. He was the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year in 2008. In 2010, he was named the SEC Player of the Year, leading the conference in hits, homers and slugging percentage. He was drafted in June 2010 by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round (he had been a second-round pick of the Red Sox in 2007 after his senior year at Grissom). That began the path toward Joe Davis Stadium. Morris made his Huntsville debut on May 21, 2011, going 2-for-4 with a triple. It was only a four-game call-up from Class A Brevard County, replacing an injured player, but he went 6-for-17 with three extra base hits. It was a sign of things to come. "Looking back at that point last year, and where I am now, I wouldn't have thought this was quite possible," Morris said. "I thought I had a long way to go. I knew I had a long way to go. And I still have a lot farther to go and a lot more to accomplish as far as improvement and development." Not only did Morris put up terrific offensive numbers, manager Darnell Coles noted a vast improvement in his defense. His impact off the field was felt greatly, too. General manager Buck Rogers praised Morris for his willingness to be involved in charitable events and media appearances. In some ways, Morris became the new face of the Huntsville Stars. To previous generations of fans, the face of the Stars had been Don Mincher, ex-big leaguer who served as general manager, broadcaster and owner before becoming Southern League president. Like Morris, Mincher, who died March 4, was a left-handed-hitting first baseman born in Huntsville. Former Grissom High and Auburn star Hunter Morris becomes fifth Huntsville Star named as Southern League MVP. (The Huntsville Times/Bob Gathany) http://media.al.com/huntsville-times/photo/9602293-large.jpg

Huntsville Stars' season mediocre, but individual achievements stand out By Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- For a season that would seem so mediocre on the surface, 2012 will go into the books as one of the most memorable in Huntsville Stars' history. The Stars, who closed out the year with a rain-out at Montgomery on Monday night, finished at 65-74, the eighth-best record in the 10-team Southern League. The Stars haven't reached the playoffs since 2009 and haven't finished about .500 since 2008. In the 14 years of Huntsville's affiliation with Milwaukee, the Stars have finished above .500 only five times. However, there were individual performances that left indelible imprints. -- First baseman Hunter Morris was named the Southern League Most Valuable Player and led the league in homers, RBIs, hits and total bases. -- Second baseman Scooter Gennett was named to the Southern League All-Star team and was runner-up to Morris in most hits. -- Josh Stinson had 11 wins and a 3.16 ERA, quietly becoming one of the league's most effective pitchers. -- Pitcher Hiram Burgos had 13 starts here on a season that saw him promoted from Class A Brevard County, then ultimately to Class AAA Nashville on a fast track to the majors. He was 6-1 with a 1.94 ERA for Huntsville and was 10-4 with a 2.02 ERA for the whole season. Four previous Huntsville players were named Southern League MVP before Morris, who is the first Huntsville-born player to grow up and play for the Stars. Jose Canseco was MVP in the Stars' inaugural season of 1985, despite playing only 58 games (during which he hit 25 homers, drove in 80 runs and batted .318). Catcher Terry Steinbach followed as the MVP in 1986. Outfielder Ben Grieve, part of Huntsville's most explosive offense ever, was named 1997 MVP and third baseman Corey Hart was 2003 MVP. All four reached the majors, with Canseco, Steinbach and Hart having extended careers. Morris had 28 homers, tied the team record with 40 doubles, 158 hits, 113 RBIs, a .303 average, 294 total bases and a .563 slugging percentage. It's arguably the third-best offensive season ever for a Huntsville player, behind Canseco and Mike Coolbaugh's 1997 season (30 homers, 132 RBIs, 303 total bases, 172 hits) on a team that still ranks as the most productive offense in Huntsville history. Morris is second to Coolbaugh in total bases, third behind Coolbaugh and Rob Nelson for most homers in a season and fourth behind Steinbach, Coolbaugh and D.T. Cromer for most RBIs in a season.

Cream City Cables: Talking Playoffs With Timber Rattlers Manager Matt Erickson We learn that INF Greg Hopkins ruptured his quad -- ouch...

Turns out MiLB.com burned me here. Everything from the box score to the transaction page to the roster page had Williams in Helena during the overnight last night. Thanks to Chris Mehring for letting me know it was all an end-of-season conspiracy against me by MiLB. Williams remains with Wisconsin.

Audio from Nashville — “Mondays with Mike (Guerrero)” Jeff Hem's note -- As the Sounds wrap up their 2012 season today, here is the final "Mondays with Mike" with Sounds manager Mike Guerrero, who discusses the team's overall play of late, why he feels the season hasn't gone by quickly, his favorite moments of the season, his favorite Pacific Coast League ballpark(s) and cities, which PCL club's lineup he'd choose to manage for one game, and when he expects to find out his assignment from the Brewers for 2013.

Brewers fans say "Whew!" and thanks... From August 2009 -- How the Red Sox Negotiated: A Look at the Non-Signing of 2007 2nd rounder Hunter Morris

Kudos to Jim Breen to be the first (by several hours) to report that RHP Brandon Kintzler is back on the 40-man roster and back with the big league club.

My (and our) sincere thanks to the staffs in Nashville (Doug Scopel and his crew), Huntsville (Jill Cacic), and Brevard County (Kyle Smith and Frank Longobardo) -- behind the scenes, they really allow us to make this forum as timely and informational as possible. Jeff Hem and Alex Cohen, hope you enjoyed your first seasons with the Crew. Hoping your big league broadcast dreams are fulfilled down the road, but we'll be more than happy to link to you both again in 2013. Wisconsin and Helena, you have to wait for your thanks .