Jim Goulart

Brock Kjeldgaard was actually pulled after his 4th inning AB for Brevard because of his removal from the 40-man roster (designated for assignment, must now clear waivers before eligible to play again). Edwin Maysonet, also DFA'd tonight, was idle for Nashville. Should each clear waivers, Kjeldgaard will be outrighted to Brevard; Maysonet could decline his outright assignment and choose free agency. *** Kjeldgaard: "So skip, I'm pulled, have I been traded?" Skip (Joe Ayrault): "Well, here's the thing..."

Mark Rogers gets a call: Come to Milwaukee Orrs Island native has overcome setbacks and will start Sunday for the Brewers By Paul Betit, MaineToday.com Staff Writer Mark Rogers has found a groove and is getting another chance to pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers. Rogers, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Orrs Island, was scheduled to start Friday night for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds against the Memphis Redbirds. Instead, he will start Sunday for the Brewers against the visiting Washington Nationals. "He's real excited," said Craig Rogers, his father. "I think his only problem is that he might be too excited instead of going out there that first game, and just relaxing and doing what he does." The call-up came after the Brewers traded Zach Grienke, their ace who is scheduled to become a free agent after this season, to the Los Angeles Angels for three top prospects. It's the second time Rogers has been called up by the Brewers. He pitched 10 innings over a four-game span in September 2010. "I think that he really wants to prove to himself that he belongs there," his father said. "He's been working hard to get to this point. His last three or four starts have been excellent. I think that he's ready." Rogers, who has had to overcome a variety of health issues the past eight years, is showing the promise the Brewers saw when they made him the fifth overall pick in the 2004 draft following his senior season at Mt. Ararat High in Topsham. "I think I can safely say everyone in the organization thinks he's turned the corner," said Reid Nichols, director of player development for Milwaukee, prior to the call-up. "He's starting to become what we thought he would." Rogers won five of his last eight starts for the Sounds to even his record at 6-6, lowering his earned-run average from 7.50 to 4.72. In his last three starts, he threw a total of 19 innings, allowing 13 hits and four earned runs while striking out 17 and walking seven. He allowed a total of three home runs in his last nine starts. "The last month and a half I've felt pretty good," Rogers said Thursday. "This is the best I felt physically in a really long time. I finally feel like I'm over that stuff, and I'm excited to get past it." That stuff includes a variety of surgical procedures and a lot of time spent in rehabilitation. Last August, Rogers, 26, underwent surgery in both hands to combat bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. In July 2006, he injured his right shoulder and underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum. In June 2007, he had scar tissue removed as a result of the first surgery and ended up sitting out the 2008 season. "Anybody who has been through surgery knows it takes a while for your body to feel like your body again," Rogers said. "I'm at the point where I feel like myself, entirely. I feel like I'm in pitching shape again. I'm back into a form where I can pitch deep into a game, 100 pitches and have no problems, and that's a really good feeling." At the start of the season, Rogers' fastball topped up at 92 miles per hour. During the past two months, it's consistently been in the 92-97 mph range. "I think I'm pitching with more confidence, and my stuff has just gotten better since the beginning of the year," he said. "The velocity is better. It's where it was in 2010. I'm throwing more change-ups. I'm throwing a slider and a curveball, and I'm really throwing strikes. I've been able to throw multiple pitches for strikes at this level." Nichols said the Brewers have been pleased with Rogers' progress. "I'm not surprised by what he's doing," the former Boston Red Sox outfielder said. "I think he's learned what he has to put into it in order to get to where he wants to go." "I've put in a lot of work and I feel I've made a lot of progress as far as pitching goes," said Rogers, who started the season by finishing a 25-game suspension after testing positive last summer for use of a banned stimulant for a second time. Pitching at the Triple-A level really aided in his development, he said. "The biggest difference between (Triple-A) and other levels is you're pitching to professional hitters, guys who have had some big-league time," Rogers said. "They have a real good feel for the strike zone, and a lot of guys aren't going to chase pitches. I think you can really learn how to pitch and how to play the game correctly at the Triple-A level, and I think the reason for the success I'm having right now is I took the time to learn how to pitch."

Busy night, and I can only imagine what the Major League Forum looks like tonight (we have a Major League Forum? ), probably linked already but another good read here -- Angels hitting coach Jim Eppard tells a story that helps show why the team is so high on shortstop Jean Segura.

Fun headline from 2012 Anaheim spring training: Is Angels' Ariel Pena the new K-Rod?

Big thanks to BrewCrewBall for the full Doug Melvin text, available here -- I had another general manager tell me today that we have the best hitting ball club in the Southern League with our Huntsville club with Scooter Gennett and Hunter Morris and you add (Jean) Segura there and three fourths of our infield are real good prospects. Morris is having a phenomenal year in AA. And then you add (Johnny) Hellweg and (Ariel) Pena to the pitching staff there and Hiram Burgos is there, (Tyler) Thornburg started there earlier. We've added some real depth to our organization and it'll depend on the players and our development to determine how good of players they'll actually be. Mark Rogers will be here tomorrow and he's going to pitch on Sunday. We believe in our young talent, we know there's going to be some bumps in the road when you go that path but it's in the best interest of the long term in the organization. So there will be some short term bumps but we're still a very talented club. And Zack told me that. He said there's still a lot of talent on this club. And while we've maybe had our bumps in the road with some late inning losses Zack liked the talent here and now we get some infusion of young talent coming along and a lot of pitching depth coming along so we're going to run some of them out there and see what we have. Who thought Mike Fiers would be doing what he's doing at this point? And we never thought Thornburg would be up here. Now Rogers has had four out of five, our last report were a couple of wild performances, and he's ready. Wily Peralta over his last seven starts or so he had one walk, nine strikeout game last night. He struggled earlier but now the arrow's pointing up for him. Some of those people we're going to get a chance to see.

Huntsville Media Notes *** The Brewers will need to make room for all three newcomers from the Greinke trade at the AA level. Their roster is currently full at 25. One pitcher will likely move up to backfill Mark Rogers' spot. Look for all that to happen Sunday, when the Stars return to Huntsville to face first-place Chattanooga. The "Angel Three" (Doug's Angels instead of Charlie's Angels?) won't be in Pensacola for the road trip finale Saturday. Scott Martens and his staff certainly looking to set up Huntsville accommodations now for the trio.

Baseball America's Matt Eddy provides insight to the three Angels' farmhands acquired in the Zack Greinke deal.

Brewers 2012 2nd round OF prospect supreme Tyrone Taylor has returned to Maryvale from Helena as per H-Crew broadcast. Rehabbing an arm injury -- exact nature and/or severity unknown.

Corner infielder Mike Nemeth (career stats), the 2011 21st round selection out of UConn, who was repeating Helena this season, has voluntarily retired, as reported by Voice of the H-Crew Steve Wendt this evening.

Audio from Nashville — “(Donovan) Hand on Hand” Jeff Hem's note -- Tonight’s interview is with Sounds reliever Donovan Hand, who owns a 1.40 ERA over his last 16 appearances. He discusses his upcoming start on Sunday in Game 2 of a doubleheader, what it would mean for the Sounds to get to .500 (they’re nine under) after a rough start to the season, how much enjoyed seeing his pal, Jim Henderson, make his major league debut on Thursday night and what things are like for a Triple-A player surrounding the July 31 trade deadline. *** Very enjoyable listen...

For every "fluff" hometown feature (and there are those), I can point you to plenty of pieces from the Post-Crescent and the Helena newspaper that provide so much more. Do you read Bob Brainerd's features? Do you listen to the linked audio, particularly from Helena re: propsect insights? *** And the sniping stops now. Now. From you and those that interact with you here.

MISTER ROGERS: Right-hander Mark Rogers has won his last three starts (3-0, 0.95 ERA, 2 ER / 19.0 IP) while striking out 20 in his 19 innings; prior to this stretch, the 26-year-old had never recorded back-to-back winning starts during his nine-year pro career. His 1.88 July ERA (5 ER / 24.0 IP) in four starts is the 4th-best mark in the PCL. OK, Nashville Media Notes, you just blew me away.

Nashville Media Notes Wisconsin Media Notes Both ridiculously awesome as usual for tidbit consumption...see our transaction thread for a real Sounds catcher conundrum. Is this guy available? http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RYu1LaAKhQE/ToD5eSAU-ZI/AAAAAAAAA7w/fbOg7IkS2HQ/s1600/BNB%2B1977%2B05%2BMike%2BEngelberg.png

From the Sounds: BIANCHI REJOINS SOUNDS; BULLER TO D.L.: Shortstop Jeff Bianchi, who was optioned back to Nashville yesterday, rejoins the Sounds today after going 0-for-12 in seven games for Milwaukee in his first Major League experience. To make room for Bianchi on the Nashville roster, catcher Dayton Buller was placed on the disabled list. *** Here's the Sounds' roster. And like you, I have no idea who the Nashville backup catcher is Friday night. Stay healthy, Jason Jaramillo. The Brewers are going to have to do some scrambling here for Saturday. The Stars only have two active catchers (Anderson De La Rosa / Adam Weisenburger).

Via the Timber Rattlers -- C Tyler Roberts to the DL (retroactive to 7/24). IF Carlos George activated from DL. The retroactive note is moot on Roberts as we learned of his wrist ligament tear this week.

Catching up on "rare" Huntsville video: Khris Davis hits a two-run homer in the Stars' 6-1 Tuesday victory (At first I thought the link above was a horrific home run call, as the ball, hit to very slight right-center, is described as going to right field with the left fielder tracking it down. Then I realized the call of "left fielder" is the position that Davis plays.) Hunter Morris slugs his second longball in the Stars' 6-2 Wednesday win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos And for posterity, Billy Hamilton's 113th SB this season, but his only vs. the Stars in three games thus far

FWIW, I googled "venture moundward" as I've typed in the opening post headline to today's thread, and it appears those words have never been uttered, so there's that. Enjoy your summer Friday!

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 Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division Rookie - Arizona Summer League DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division *** NOTE: AAA Nashville does not play a split schedule. The other leagues, including the rookie leagues, do. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County or Wisconsin, you'll then be able to choose 1st half and/or overall standings in addition to the current 2nd half standings.

Follow Friday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Nashville Huntsville Brevard County Wisconsin Helena Maryvale DSL Brewers

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF! All times are Central Nashville: RHP Mark Rogers at home vs. Memphis (Cardinals), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link Jeff Hem is the new 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). We imagine the audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link. ********** Huntsville: RHP Evan Anundsen at Pensacola (Reds), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page Alex Cohen is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars; follow him on Twitter @alexmcohen. It's fantastic that Huntsville is returning to what will be a traditional broadcast format this year. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast. MiLB.TV subsciption note: Huntsville road games in four locales (Mississippi, Tennessee, Jacksonville and Pensacola) will be broadcast. ********** Brevard County: RHP Taylor Jungmann at Fort Myers (Twins), 6:05 PM gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Fort Myers feed from the MiLB main audio page Once again this season, Brevard does not have its own audio coverage. It appears two teams in the Manatees North Division (within which the majority of games are played) have audio, and all six teams in the South Division have audio (at least for their home games), so there will be opportunities to listen to approx. 70% or Brevard's games this season, just all from the opponent's perspective. There are no Florida State League games on MiLB.TV this year. ********** Wisconsin: RHP David Goforth at Kane County (Royals), 6:10 PM pre-game, 6:30 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. MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; Wisconsin is one of only two (Great Lakes) Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV; Chris' call provides the audio. So for the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, all Timber Rattlers home games, and Stars' road games from four Southern League locales, plus one July Helena series (11th-13th). ********** Helena: LHP Will West at 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 Steve Wendt back on board for another H-Crew season. ********** Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): at the Indians' complex in Goodyear; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league ********** DSL Brewers: at the DSL Blue Jays, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until late afternoon at the earliest

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

Wahoos' slump now at 3 straight to Stars Costly error the difference in 3-2 defeat by Brady Aymond, Pensacola News Journal The Huntsville Stars switched it up Thursday night. After flexing their muscle in taking the first two games of the series, the Stars used small ball for a 3-2 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in front of 5,038 at the Community Maritime Park stadium. Hainley Statia came home with the game-winning run on a sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning to allow the Stars (51-52 overall, 16-17 second half) to squeeze out the win and clinch the five-game Southern League series. The chance to play small ball was set up by a Billy Hamilton error — his third since joining Pensacola — on a tailor-made double play ball. Hamilton bobbled a grounder hit by Domnit Bolivar, loading the bases for Josh Prince. Prince delivered a perfect bunt in front of the mound and reliever Brian Pearl’s only play was to first as Statia crossed the plate. “We didn’t turn a double play, that’s the reason they got an opportunity to play small ball,” Wahoos manager Jim Riggleman said. “(But) giving up only one run that inning, there’s still a lot of baseball left for us to score a run. We just didn’t score one.” The Wahoos’ struggles at the plate continued, as they stranded six runners, including two runners at third base. The Wahoos also had a runner thrown out at the plate, as Donald Lutz was gunned down on a short fly ball to right field in the fourth inning on a throw from the Stars' Kentrail Davis. “The play at the plate was a long shot with the depth of the ball,” Riggleman said. “But with the pitcher coming up next, we thought to take a chance with two outs. “The other missed opportunities are what we’re doing. We’re not driving in runs and somebody has to drive in runs.” Lutz provided half of Pensacola’s scoring output with a solo homer in the second inning to stake the Wahoos to a 1-0 lead. David Vidal scored the Wahoos’ other run on an error on a pickoff attempt at first base. Daniel Corcino had another strong home start for the Wahoos, but left with the game tied in the sixth inning and didn’t figure into the decision. He gave up two runs on five hits while striking out five batters and walking only one. In his last six starts at home, Corcino has allowed only seven earned runs and 22 hits in 40.1 innings of work. Unfortunately, Corcino didn’t get much run support as Huntsville starter Josh Stinson scattered six hits over six innings of work and Pensacola native Darren Byrd worked a couple of perfect innings in the seventh and eighth to set up the save for Brandon Kintzler. “(Corcino) competes every time he goes out there,” Riggleman said. “He gave us a chance to win the ballgame.” The Wahoos (52-50, 18-15) will look to snap a three-game skid today when they play the Stars in a 7:05 p.m. contest. The Blue Wahoos' Donald Lutz is tagged out by Huntsville catcher Adam Weisenburger following a collision at home plate in the fourth inning. / Photos courtesy of the Pensacola Blue Wahoo http://cmsimg.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DP&Date=20120727&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=307270008&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Wahoos-slump-now-3-straight-Stars Pensacola's Miguel Rojas attempts to turn a double play over the Huntsville Stars' sliding Hainley Statia on Thursday night. http://cmsimg.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DP&Date=20120727&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=307270008&Ref=H1&MaxW=600&Border=0

by Nick Cole, The Tennessean Approaching record: Sounds pitcher Tim Dillard, a Franklin, TN resident, is just one win short of tying the Sounds’ career victories record. After spending most of the last six seasons with the Sounds, Dillard has 34 wins, trailing only Keith Brown, who set the franchise record with 35 from 1988-92 (Reds' organization). “Hopefully I can be in win situations,” the right-handed reliever said. “But I’ll take anything. I don’t really have a specified role, but I’d like (the record). That’d be fun.” Dillard made 34 appearances in relief for the Brewers this season before being sent to Nashville earlier this month. He was 0-2 with a 4.38 ERA with Milwaukee. “I guess they felt I was the guy they were willing to part with for the time being,” Dillard said of the demotion. “I’ve been in the game long enough to know that things like that happen. My numbers weren’t terrible. I was getting a lot of ground balls, they just weren’t always going at somebody. You just have to pitch through it.” *** Baker the baseball player? With Brian Baker’s return to professional tennis after a six-year absence this summer, the Sounds’ starting pitcher who shares the same name was quite surprised to see his name all over the local media. “It was funny because the other day he (tennis player) was playing and the newspaper covered it and it said, ‘Brian Baker this and Brian Baker that,’ ” the Sounds’ pitcher said. “I was showing everybody in the clubhouse that I’m a (great) tennis player.” The pitcher had no idea that he shared a name with another local professional athlete but says he would love to meet the tennis player. “Maybe we could work it out so he could throw out the first pitch on a night where I start,” Baker said. “I could go out there with him. We really should do something, I‘d love to do that.”

Calgary pitcher gets call up to majors Wes Gilbertson, Calgary Sun After a decade of minor-league balls and strikes, Calgary’s Jim Henderson finally got the call he’s been dreaming about. Turns out, Brandon Newell received a call he’s been waiting for, too. Henderson was summoned late Wednesday by Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers, and the right-handed relief pitcher didn’t wait long to deliver the news to his longtime supporters. “I think I was one of his first phone calls,” said Newell, a former scout for the Brewers organization and the current director of baseball for the Okotoks Dawgs. “He was pretty emotional on the phone, and the main reason is that I was the one that recommended that the Brewers sign Jimmy. “I told my bosses ‘This guy is worth a shot.’ And it’s worked out. It was a very, very proud moment.” Henderson, 29, took the hill for one three-up/three-down, nine-pitch inning in Thursday’s tilt with the Washington Nationals, striking out one and officially becoming the first graduate of the Dawgs program to reach the biggest stage in baseball. “I’m thrilled that it did happen,” Henderson told milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com. “(Wednesday) night, I really just didn’t know what to do — pack, call people. Just a bit of shock and just awe at the situation. I’m just going to come in and do my job — whatever they want me to do. I’ve done long relief. I’ve done short relief. I’ll just do whatever they want right now.” His call-up is the result of a breakout campaign with the Nashville triple-A Sounds, where Henderson posted a 1.67 earned-run average and 15 saves. He was named a Pacific Coast League all-star last month. It’s been a long road to the big leagues since Henderson was drafted by the Montreal Expos — in the 26th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft — and finished up his junior career with the Newell-coached Calgary Dawgs in 2003. His lengthy professional resume includes stints with the Gulf Coast League Expos (Melbourne, Fla.), the Vermont Expos, the Savannah Sand Gnats, the Potomac Nationals, the Tennessee Smokies, the Iowa Cubs, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Brevard County Manatees and the Huntsville Stars. Along the way, he was plucked from the Expos by the MLB’s Chicago Cubs through the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft in 2006. Henderson has also represented Canada at several international events, including a good-as-gold performance at the 2011 Pan-American Games. From those supporters the Central Memorial graduate called Tuesday after receiving his promotion, they could attest it was a special moment for the well-travelled reliever. “He was almost speechless — you could tell he was just so excited,” said Lancaster Barnstormers catcher Emerson Frostad, Henderson’s longtime buddy, former Dawgs teammate and off-season workout partner. “Ever since we were 10 years old, we both dreamed of playing major-league baseball. We were always hanging out on the baseball field or in our front-yards, always playing catch and hitting. That’s not very typical for kids in Canada, where it’s mostly hockey, but we always loved baseball — and to see him finally achieve that goal is pretty special.” It’s pretty special for everybody in Alberta’s baseball circles. Henderson returns to Okotoks in the off-season to serve as a coach at the Dawgs Baseball Academy and still has a lot of supporters in his home city. “He’s a kid that’s very easy to root for,” Newell said. “I told Jimmy last night, we’re definitely going to celebrate this properly when he gets home. I’ve known him since 1999, and to see him grow from where he started — the physical and mental maturation of a player like that — and to see him go through adversity and to see him get released by (the Cubs), a lot of guys would just pack it up. “He just basically made somebody rip his jersey off his back. He said, ‘You know what? I’m not done yet.’ He just, through fire and work ethic, showed exactly that. “He’s made us all very, very proud.” Jim Henderson delivers the goods for the Nashville triple-A Sounds. Photo courtesy Mike Strasinger/Nashville Sounds http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/1297291649645_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=650x