Jim Goulart

Audio from Tucson — “The Stuff from (hitting coach Al) LeBoeuf” Jeff Hem's note: Tonight’s pregame interview is with Sounds hitting coach Al LeBoeuf, who is in his third season in the Brewers organization and 24th overall as a coach in the minor leagues. He’s spent time as a coach for the Mets, Phillies, Royals and Blue Jays in addition to The Crew. *** Very worthwhile interview, opens up discussing Caleb Gindl's troubles thus far...

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 Monday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Nashville Huntsville Brevard County Wisconsin

If you're reading this in the office and didn't set your DVR to tape LHP Will West's noon debut start on TWC Sports 32, it will be re-played at 9:00 AM Tuesday. Also Timber Rattlers Field Pass is on at 11:30 AM and 9:00 PM Monday, with other airings later in the week (listings). *** Literally all day Sunday (even in church! ), I was racking my brain because I knew I had made a mental reminder to tag something on the up-front posts Sunday morning. Turns out it was the reminder about today's TV game and a DVR alert. Sorry...

Monday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Mark Rogers at Las Vegas (Blue Jays), 8:50 PM pre-game, 9:05 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 Hiram Burgos at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:00 PM pre-game, 6:15 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page I-Phone friendly audio link 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: A total of 24 Stars' games (in Jacksonville and Tennessee) will be broadcast. ********** Brevard County: RHP Brooks Hall at Charlotte (Rays), 5:30 PM gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Charlotte 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: LHP Will West makes his full-season debut 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).

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

STARS DROP SECOND STRAIGHT CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.- After losing in extra innings on Saturday night, the Huntsville Stars fell to the Chattanooga Lookouts by a score of 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Park. The loss highlighted a rough return home for Stars starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn. In the first inning, the Ootewah, Tennessee native gave up a three-run home run to Chattanooga right fielder Blake Smith. Then in the second, Heckathorn gave up an RBI single to first baseman J.T Wise and a two-run double to third baseman Travis Denker. A sacrifice fly by Smith abruptly finished his shortest outing at the Double-A level at just two innings. He was tagged with all seven Chattanooga runs on seven hits. He walked two and didn’t strike out any of the 15 batters he faced. After an hour rain delay, pitcher Dan Merklinger came in for Heckathorn and threw three scoreless innings, striking out five batters. The Lookouts didn’t plate another run and managed just two hits off the Stars bullpen. The Stars offense finally came alive in the eighth inning. After Lee Haydel grounded out to start the inning, center fielder Josh Prince and pinch-hitter Tommy Manzella both drew walks. Southern League doubles leader Hunter Morris hit his 18th double to score Prince. Catcher Jason Jaramillo followed that up with an RBI single to plate Manzella. Right fielder Kentrail Davis grounded out to allow Morris to cross home, cutting the Lookouts lead to just four. Matt Cline flew out to end the inning and the Stars comeback. The newest member of the Stars, relief pitcher Brandon Kintzler, came in to close out the game in the bottom of the eighth. He pitched a perfect inning, forcing two ground outs and a pop out. For Chattanooga, starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi improved to 2-2 on the season after holding the Stars scoreless with three hits through five innings. He walked four and struck out two. For the Stars, the loss secured their second consecutive series loss in a row. Huntsville has also now lost five out of their last six games. The finale of a five-game series in Chattanooga will begin on Monday as the Stars will send RHP Hiram Burgos (0-1, 6.00 ERA) to square off against Chattanooga’s RHP Ethan Martin (5-0, 3.28 ERA). First pitch is at 6:15 p.m. Alex Cohen has the call at www.huntsvillestars.com starting at 6:00.

Ringgold product Kyle Heckathorn returns home for a special start By Brendan F. Quinn, nooga.com Despite being stationed with the Huntsville Stars, the Double-A affiliate in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, former Ringgold High School standout Kyle Heckathorn was given the privilege of a midseason homecoming. The Ringgold, Ga., native was penciled in as the Stars’ starting pitcher for the fourth of a five-game series against the Chattanooga Lookouts. Despite a relatively small Sunday evening crowd at AT&T Field, section 104 was filled with family and friends to cheer on the hometown hero. Just minutes before the ceremonial first pitch was thrown, the doorknob to the visitors’ bullpen turned and the towering 6-foot-6 right-hander stepped onto the warning track in left field. As the hurler made his way down the left field line to the third base dugout, shouts and homemade signs for the North Georgia product could not go ignored. With a smile across his face and a wave to the crowd standing above the Stars’ dugout, the Brewers prospect knew he was home. “I have so many memories here,”Heckathorn said. “I remember the train coming out and watching the Lookouts as a kid.” Heckathorn began his baseball career just south of Chattanooga with the Ringgold High School Tigers in 2002 where his 11-1 record and 0.92 ERA during his senior season gained the attention of Kennesaw State head coach Mike Sansing. As a team making the transition to Division I, the 2005 North Georgia Player of the Year began dealing as a freshman for the Owls in 2007. Heckathorn started 11 games, struck out a team-high 77 batters and led the pitching staff with a 3.31 ERA in his first season. The highly touted right-hander followed that with a stellar sophomore campaign. He started 13 games, and tied for the team lead in strikeouts with 98 and found himself on the radar of all 30 big league teams. The Brewers selected Heckathorn in the first round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, taking the local talent as the 47th overall pick. Currently in his fourth year in the minors and second stint in the Southern League with Huntsville, the 23-year-old returned to pitch against the Lookouts for the first time in Chattanooga. While received well by fans, the bats wielded by the Lookouts didn’t give him a warm welcome. Heckathorn was touched up for seven earned runs on seven hits through just two innings of work from the mound. Although reaching 91 MPH with his fastball, jitters may have played a part in the starter’s rough outing. “Nerves are always a factor,” Heckathorn said. “I didn’t want to disappoint anyone but that’s how it turned out. (The Lookouts) are a good hitting team. I had a bad day and they made me pay for it, but that’s all a part of it.” Heckathorn, despite losing his third contest of the season, has been effective for Huntsville. Along with two walks in Sunday’s matchup, the 2010 MiLB.com Organizational All-Star has allowed just nine base-on-balls opposed to 40 strikes outs thus far. Since beginning his professional career in 2009, Heckathorn has seen his opponents’ batting average drop drastically—from .326 to .279 this year—and the starter has already managed to shave home run numbers since last season. Through 22 games in 2011, Heckathorn allowed a whopping 15 round-trippers and gave up a career-high 64 earned runs, but just two home runs and a 1.46 ground ball/fly ball ratio has shown the starter keeping more batted balls in the dirt. Sunday’s outing is another lesson. “You have to bounce back,” Heckathorn said. “I have to go look at video, keep working with our pitching coach and correct it—hopefully come back in four days and have a better outing.” Heckathorn said Sunday’s loss was tough to swallow, but the support of his family helps him keep his head up. Heckathorn and the Stars will have two more chances against the Lookouts with two five-game series scheduled to be played in Huntsville, Ala., in July.

Nick Ramirez video interview included in the Post-Crescent game story

Very good Rattlers photo gallery from the Post-Crescent

Lookouts wash out Stars Former Ringgold High School pitcher tagged seven runs on seven hits By David Paschall, Chattanooga Times Free Press Sunday afternoon's game at AT&T Field was delayed more than an hour by rain in the third inning, but Kyle Heckathorn's homecoming had already been drenched. The former Ringgold High School pitcher was tagged for seven runs on seven hits and lasted just two innings as his Huntsville Stars were thumped 7-3 by the Chattanooga Lookouts. Heckathorn performed in front of family, friends and several children who take pitching lessons from him during the offseason. "Nerves are always a factor," Heckathorn said. "I didn't want to disappoint anyone, but that's how it turned out. They're a good-hitting team. I had a bad day, and they made me pay for it." The 6-foot-6, 249-pound right-hander entered his first game in Chattanooga as a professional with a 2-2 record and a 4.17 earned run average, but the quick stint swelled his totals to 2-3 and 5.32. After getting Lookouts leadoff batter Nick Buss to ground out, Heckathorn walked Jake Lemmerman, allowed a single to left by J.T. Wise and gave up a three-run home run to right by Blake Smith. The homer by Smith was one at-bat too late for the cycle after he singled, doubled twice and tripled during Chattanooga's 5-4 win Saturday night in 10 innings. Smith has driven in four runs each of the past two games. "Our offense has just really gotten hot recently," Smith said. "Their pitcher has great stuff, and we remembered him having great stuff when we faced him before [May 4 in Huntsville]. He's got a live arm, but he just got in a little trouble getting behind. He left some pitches up, and once you leave a pitch up, it can lead to a couple of runs. "He had a couple of two-strike hits, and once that gets rolling, it's hard to stop." Sunday's romp clinched the series for the Lookouts, who improved to 21-23 and have won consecutive series for the first time this season. Heckathorn's second inning began with a ground out by Griff Erickson, but then he allowed a walk to Lookouts starter Nathan Eovaldi and singles to Buss and Lemmerman to load the bases. An infield hit by Wise and a sacrifice to left by Smith made it 5-0, and then Travis Denker doubled to center to extend the lead to 7-0. In his first eight starts for the Stars this season, Heckathorn racked up 40 strikeouts and only seven walks. The 23-year-old did not tally any strikeouts against the Lookouts and walked two. "We were able to attack early, and we were able to hit some hard balls off of him," Lookouts manager Carlos Subero said. "We just had a good game early." Said Heckathorn: "I've got to pack this in and go get them the next time. I'll get another shot at them, and hopefully it will turn out different." Ethan Martin (5-0, 3.28) is scheduled to start tonight's 7:15 PM (6:15 Central) series finale for the Lookouts, with Hiram Burgos (0-1, 6.00) scheduled for the Stars. Kyle Heckathorn pitches for the Hunstville Stars against the Chattanooga Lookouts Sunday at AT&T Field. Photo by John Rawlston http://media.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2012/05/20/052112_WEB_c_Lookouts_t618.jpg?ba5b5b122dd3d37cc13d83e92a6a0ec0d5bfa32a

Sounds Ride McClung For 2-1 Victory In Tucson McClung Tosses Seven Shutout Innings For First Win Nashville Sounds TUCSON, Ariz. - Starting pitcher Seth McClung threw seven shutout innings to guide the Nashville Sounds to a 2-1 victory over the Tucson Padres on Sunday night at Kino Stadium. In his best pitching performance and third quality start of the season, the 31-year-old McClung (1-4) surrendered five hits while walking and striking out four in 104 pitches (62 strikes) for his first victory. Only two of McClung's five hits allowed left the infield. The victory gave Nashville (16-26) a four-game series split with Tucson for the second consecutive season and moves the club into third place in the PCL American Northern Division. Reliever Mike McClendon recorded the final six outs for his third save. Outfielder Corey Patterson had two hits for the second straight game, while runs was driven in by shortstop Hainley Statia and first baseman Sean Halton. The Sounds plated their first run in the second inning, but failed to do more damage while leaving the bases juiced as the frame ended. The rally started with consecutive one-out singles from third baseman Andy Gonzalez and right-fielder Jordan Brown. Statia then smashed a ground-rule RBI double to left field to score Gonzalez and hold Patterson at third base (audio). After pitching around catcher Paul Phillips to load the bases, starting pitcher Tom Layne then struck out McClung and induced an inning-ending groundout. Nashville tacked on their other run in the visiting half of the fourth for a 2-0 lead. With two outs, centerfielder Logan Schafer was hit by a Layne fast ball, followed by second baseman Eric Farris working a five-pitch walk. Halton then added to his team-leading RBI total with a run-scoring rope to left field to score Schafer (audio). The Padres plated their only run with two outs in the ninth inning. Brad Davis worked a two-out walk, took second on defensive indifference, and scored on a Yasmani Grandal RBI base hit. McClendon then got Daniel Robertson to pop out to Farris to end the game. Layne (0-4) stayed winless after giving up two runs on four hits while striking out six in 5 1/3 innings. The Sounds continue their eight-game road swing with a four-game series with the Las Vegas 51s (AAA-Blue Jays) at Cashman Field. Nashville right-hander Mark Rogers (0-2, 4.28) searches for his first Triple-A victory in the opener against Las Vegas righty Scott Richmond (3-3, 6.17).

If you're reading this in the office and didn't set your DVR to tape LHP Will West's noon debut start on TWC Sports 32, it will be re-played at 9:00 AM Tuesday. Also Timber Rattlers Field Pass is on at 11:30 AM and 9:00 PM Monday, with other airings later in the week (listings).

Gotta love the guy the Rattlers square up against today

Nashville Media Notes Knowledge is good...

Wisconsin Media Notes (and fan video)

Josh Prince -- Classic

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

Sunday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Seth McClung at Tucson (Padres), 8:50 PM pre-game, 9:05 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 Kyle Heckathorn at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 1:00 PM pre-game, 1:15 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page I-Phone friendly audio link 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: A total of 24 Stars' games (in Jacksonville and Tennessee) will be broadcast. ********** Brevard County: RHP Andy Moye at home vs. Fort Myers (Twins), 4:05 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 home vs. Kane County (Royals), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:05 gametime; RHP Chad Pierce will see action as part of the tandem 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).

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

Worth mentioning that Kentrail Davis (stats) has had a pretty miserable go of it this season; it kind of gets lost on an otherwise mostly productive Huntsville squad.

Another excellent Q&A from the Post-Crescent, this one with OF Ben McMahan