Jim Goulart

Nashville is going to have to free up two spots before Thursday. One will be the player brought up to replace Taylor Green on the big league roster (why do I fear Corey Patterson's latest hot stretch?).

From the Stars: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Milwaukee Brewers and Huntsville Stars have made a pair of roster moves prior to tonight’s series finale against the Jacksonville Suns. OF Khris Davis was activated from the disabled list while INF Juan Sanchez was transferred to Triple-A Nashville. Davis was placed on the DL back on June 9, just five days after being activated from a month-long stint on the DL. In five games with the Arizona Brewers for a rehab assignment, Davis went 7-for-18 (.389) with three home runs, five RBIs, two walks and seven strikeouts. Sanchez is batting .189 (23-for-122) in 46 games with the Stars this season. He’s hit six extra-base hits and drawn nine walks while striking out 22 times. The utility player started the season with High-A Brevard County before being transferred to Huntsville on April 23. With these moves, the Stars active roster is at 25-man capacity.

Yup, that's what we're doing

Wisconsin Media Notes

As we reminded you all weekend, Time Warner Cable Sports 32 TV will broadcast the Rattlers matinee at noon.

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

Monday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: Idle for the AAA All-Star Break; we'll have game details Wednesday; Sounds return to regular season action on Thursday ********** Huntsville: RHP Hiram Burgos at home vs. Jacksonville (Marlins), 6:28 PM pre-game, 6:43 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 Andy Moye at home vs. Clearwater (Phillies), 5:35 PM gametime Sorry, no audio for this series... 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 home vs. Kane County (Royals), 11:45 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM 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 24 Stars' road games (one Helena series this summer, too). ********** Helena: RHP Mike Schaub at home vs. Missoula (Diamondbacks), 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 home vs. the Angels' tykes; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league ********** DSL Brewers: at home vs. the DSL Angels, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until late afternoon at the earliest

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BREWIN' WITH KUEHN: Gainey opts to forgo Navy for baseball By Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record Choosing between school and a professional baseball career was no easy task for Helena Brewers pitcher Preston Gainey. That’s because the 21-year-old right-hander had to leave the prestigious Naval Academy and military life in order to pursue his lifelong dream. It was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make, but after praying and talking it over with his family, Gainey said he feels he is right where he belongs. “I was lucky to be able to go there and have the opportunity to serve my country, but I just felt like I can always go back into the military if baseball doesn’t end up working out,” said the Pompano Beach, Fla., native, who was selected in the 11th round by Milwaukee. “I only get one shot at chasing my dream, which is baseball.” While some players opt to return to college for another year and put baseball on the backburner only to play later, it wasn’t exactly an option for Gainey. Had Gainey gone back to Navy, he would have most likely had to give up the sport he’d played all his life for good. Since Gainey was just a sophomore this last season, though, he hadn’t yet locked into a contract with the Academy. When students return for a third year, they sign a 2 for 7 agreement that essentially means committing to two more years of school and then a minimum of five years of military service. “That’s a contract you can’t really get out of,” said Gainey, who yielded just nine extra base hits through more than 50 innings last year for the Midshipmen. “Ever since I’ve been here (Helena) I’ve felt like this is where I am supposed to be ... it took a lot of thought to decide to leave the Academy, but you can’t really look back and I know God has me here for a reason.” Gainey’s life has taken several unexpected twists and turns. He moved around a lot after his father, James, was diagnosed with a heart valve problem that led him to quit practicing law, forcing the family to relocate for a new job. “Being a lawyer just became too stressful,” Preston Gainey said. James, who was born with the condition and never knew about it until a routine checkup, was also an athlete. He played college football for the University of Florida before a professional career as a kicker in the now-defunct USFL prior to his diagnosis, and it took three open-heart surgeries to fix the abnormal aortic valve. Gainey attended high school in Jacksonville, Fla., from his freshman through junior season, and said the move to south Florida his senior year was a blessing in disguise. It was at Calvary Christian Academy where he had a breakout season and caught the eye of Naval Academy scouts. Although both of Gainey’s grandfathers and a great uncle were in the service, a life in the military had never occurred to him before being recruited. “Everything the Naval Academy offered — a great education, a chance to serve your country and have a job — especially in today’s economy, it was just kind of a good deal,” he said. The Academy’s extensive application process — which requires a nomination from a Congressman or Senator, among other things — meant Gainey, a 2009 high school graduate, wouldn’t be able to enroll until the following school year since he had committed late. He spent the year away from the game helping out with his local high school and said he matured during that time. Now, he’s grateful he hadn’t gotten in immediately, as he likely wouldn’t be playing professional baseball today since he would be a junior. “Everything has worked out,” said Gainey, who throws a fastball in the mid-90s, a slider and changeup. Since arriving in Helena on June 26, Gainey has given up two hits and two unearned runs in three innings of relief, with a 2:1 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. *** Helena lost a huge chunk of its offense Saturday when third baseman Michael Garza was promoted to Class-A (low) Wisconsin. In 19 games with the Brewers, Garza was batting .407 — second in the Pioneer League — with 33 hits, 13 RBIs (17 percent of the team’s total), two homers, two triples and four doubles. He had seven runs and five stolen bases while playing in every game, and hit safely in 11 straight games prior to his promotion. Taking Garza out of the equation, the Brewers batting average drops to .245 from .265. Brewers hitting coach Don Money said Garza is a workhorse whose production will be tough to replace. “We’ll miss him big time. He was our offense, he was our fourth hitter,” said Money, who played for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Milwaukee Brewers from 1968-1983. “You look at a spray chart, he uses all parts of the field, he hits early in the count ... he’s just a good hitter.” Garza said via a Twitter message Sunday that he was thrilled to be called up. “The Timber Rattlers have been a very welcoming community and the atmosphere surrounding the team is great,” he wrote. “The whole process is about learning and progressing as a player. I learned a lot from the coaching staff in Helena.” While it’s a much-deserved promotion for the Georgetown product, it leaves a dent in a lineup that has struggled some this season. The Brewers were batting .270 heading into Sunday’s game and ranked last in the Pioneer League in runs (97), doubles (29), home runs (7) and RBIs (84). Prior to Saturday night’s game, Money had expressed disappointment with the situational hitting, or lack thereof, and high number of runners stranded on second and third. In the previous series against Billings, Helena had left 32 men on base and hit 6 for 47 with runners in scoring position. “We were 1 for 4 getting men in from third with less than two outs on Friday,” Money noted. “I don’t know what the hitters are thinking about in the batter’s box with a man on third base and one out. Are you thinking about hitting a home run? Thinking about hitting a double? They just need to put it in play, see what happens ... get a ground ball. We just talk to them, that’s all you can do. Young hitters have to have a plan at the plate.” Whatever he said to them, it seems to have worked. After loading the bases with one out in the second inning Saturday and failing to score, the Brewers settled in, getting big-time base knocks in an 8-1 win over Missoula. Four of their RBIs came with two outs, and just three of their 13 hits were for extra-bases — proof that small ball works just fine for a team not exactly known for its power. *** Former Helena Brewer Jake Odorizzi started for the United States in Sunday’s Futures Game and went one inning, giving up a home run. Odorizzi, who went to Kansas City in Milwaukee’s trade for Zack Greinke in 2010, is 5-0 this season for Triple-A Omaha. He was 1-4 with a 4.40 ERA in a Helena uniform. Another former Pioneer League player, shortstop Billy Hamilton (Billings), also started in the Futures Game, driving in two runs in the 17-5 rout. Hamilton already has an astounding 108 stolen bases this season in the California League.

Wisconsin Video Highlights

MLB.com: Big things in store for diminutive Gennett

Mondesi’s grand slam lifts Brewers By Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record Redemption was on Raul Mondesi Jr.’s mind the second the ball sailed over the left-field fence. But don’t think for a second he was going to get caught up in the moment prematurely. The Helena Brewers’ right fielder remained focused on one thing as he made the 360-foot trot around the bases following his go-ahead grand slam in a 6-2 win over Missoula Sunday afternoon at Kindrick Legion Field. As Mondesi turned the corner at third, he kept his eyes fixed on home and emphatically touched the plate with both feet as he crossed, a smile crossing his face. Only then, when his first professional home run was officially in the books, did he raise two fingers to the sky and embrace his teammates. “That was great, not like the other one,” Mondesi said, referencing his gaffe last month against the Osprey, when he mistakenly missed home plate on what would have been his first homer as a pro. Perhaps drawing a bit more attention due to the name on his jersey — his father was a well known big-leaguer — news and video of the incident spread across the Internet. “I just forgot to keep my eyes on home plate,” he said. Not this time. Helena manager Jeff Isom was happy to see the .208-hitter finally get his homer — and even more pleased that his team won back-to-back games for the first time this season. “It’s nice getting W’s and it’s good we can get two in a row, hopefully we can make it three now,” Isom said. “As for Mondesi, he got a pitch he could handle inside and hit it out, and that broke the game open for us. “It’s good because I know he’s been trying to redeem himself, and he’s kind of taken himself out of his approach trying to do too much to get that home run. ... The way I look at it with that mistake is, people know he can hit home runs. A lot of people have seen it on YouTube or the Internet and I keep telling him, ‘hey, they know how good you can hit.’” Mondesi came to the plate in the sixth inning with two outs and the bases loaded and Missoula leading 2-1. He took the 1-0 delivery, a curveball from Ross Gerdeman, and knocked it out of the park for his first hit of the game after striking out in both of his previous at-bats. Up until that point, Mondesi said he wasn’t pleased with his production as of late. “I’m having a rough time right now with my timing and my batting,” he said. “I’m not in my stuff right now.” The grand slam gave the Brewers their first lead of the game and Chris McFarland’s RBI single an inning later made it 6-2 in favor of the hosts. Helena closer Connor Whalen, among the Pioneer League leaders in saves, kept the Osprey off the board the rest of the way, ensuring Michael Francisco his first win. “Our pitching was outstanding again today,” Isom said. “Will West (starter) had some situations where he got into trouble, but he found a way to get out of it. That was good to see.” Although the young southpaw gave up a pair of earned runs in the first and third innings, Isom noted the Brewers have been better about avoiding the big inning — something that was a problem earlier this season. Helena finished with seven hits in the contest, despite striking out 13 times, and left just four men on base. The Brewers will go for their first sweep of the season tonight when they host Missoula at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central). Right-hander Michael Schaub will be on the bump for Helena, with Chris Pack scheduled to start for the Osprey. NOTES: Milwaukee’s second-round draft pick, Tyrone Taylor, was added to the Helena roster on Sunday. The 6-foot-0, 185-pound outfielder was promoted after playing in seven games for the Arizona League Brewers, where he hit .400 with five doubles and three triples ... Yonki Hernandez is now 8 for 8 in steals following his stolen base on Sunday.

Just a guess that we'll be notifying folks on Monday that Hunter Morris is the Southern League Player of the Week.

Huntsville Video Highlights from Saturday's victory

RHP Brandon Williamson was activated from the Brevard County DL to make Sunday's start, fiilling an open spot on the 25-man Manatee roster.

Nice -- 18-year-old 2nd round CF Tyrone Taylor has been bumped from Maryvale to Helena, that didn't take long (stats: 1.120 OPS in first 35 pro AB's). Love the potential and athleticism in the H-Crew outfield -- Taylor, Reed, Ozuna, Mondesi, Jr. and Yonki Hernandez.

AUDIO - Helena Brewers broadcaster Steve Wendt has a chance to interview Brewers center fielder, Michael Reed

Audio from Memphis — “Going Deep and Going Fishing with (Caleb) Gindl” Jeff Hem's note -- Tonight’s interview is with Sounds outfielder Caleb Gindl, who discusses his recent hitting surge (.375 in last 11 games), the team’s recent surge in the W column, his season so far, including his early-year struggles, and his fishing plans and strategies for the upcoming all-star break. With the exception of all-star reliever Jim Henderson, the Sounds after tonight are off until Thursday night when they take on Albuquerque at 7:05 at Greer Stadium. A reminder that the Triple-A All-Star Game from Buffalo, New York, will air live on the Sounds’ radio flagship, 102.5 The Game, on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. CT. Either way, our broadcast coverage of Sounds baseball continues Thursday night at 6:50 on those same airwaves. Chat with you then!

Don't forget to watch Scooter Gennett -- Time: Sunday, July 8, 4:00 PM Central Time Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City TV: ESPN2 Stream: MLB.com *** Jake Odorizzi starts for the US team.

Look for Nashville and Wisconsin media notes at the links just prior to their game times. Huntsville is posting theirs more consistently. Rest your pointer under the "Roster" banner on the Stars' home page to see the link.

DVR ALERT! As we like to do, here's some notice for you. While you're in the office Monday, Time Warner Cable Sports 32 TV will broadcast the Rattlers matinee at noon. RHP David Goforth is the scheduled starter.

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.