Jim Goulart

The Rattlers' Chris Mehring breaks his own personal record for bullet points in spectacular fashion with his post-game thoughts. At the link you'll also find the game highlights, including all five Zach Braddock K's and some spectacular defense. On most occasions we'll embed game highlights from these home games here, but don't make the mistake of not clicking on any accompanying links in the future, as Chris' follow-up musings are must-read.

Nashville Audio Archive -- May 12 - Chat with Outfielder Caleb Gindl

Nashville Media Notes Huntsville Media Notes

Sounds slugger hopes move to first base helps him move up to big leagues By Jerome Boettcher, Nashville City Paper The Nashville Sounds aren’t leaning on Mat Gamel for his glove or fielding. And if Gamel is to become an everyday player in the Major Leagues, he knows what that will take. “I feel like my bat is my ticket,” he said. Though Gamel has hit .302 in seven seasons in the minors, if he expects to make the jump up to the Milwaukee Brewers and into the National League, he’ll need to solidify himself at a position. First base could be the answer. Gamel has moved from the left side of the infield to the right and has started 30 games there for the Sounds, who snapped a nine-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 4-3 comeback victory against the Fresno Grizzlies. First base is a transition for Gamel, who made 72 starts last season at third base, where he spent most of his first six professional season. He hopes the move to first base helps him eventually move up to the Major Leagues. Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder is a free agent after this season. He will be in high demand and is reportedly eying at least a seven-year deal. ?While the left-handed hitting Gamel might not provide the same amount of power as Fielder — Gamel has never hit more than 19 home runs in one season — his ability to hit for average could give the Brewers an option at first. “I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable” with Gamel as an everyday starter in 2012, Brewers Assistant General Manager Gord Ash said. “The only thing he doesn’t have is that experience. If we are going to be a Major League contending club, we are going to have to make sure that is a pretty important part of our lineup. I’m not saying he couldn’t do it. But I don’t think at this point you could suggest that is going to be the case. ... At least you have alternatives. Whether it is third, whether it is first, he even played a little in the outfield. When he comes to Milwaukee, he can be inserted into the lineup in a few different places, which is always a good thing.” Gamel, a fourth-round draft pick by Milwaukee in 2005, has played for the Brewers in each of the last three seasons. He was a September call-up in 2008 and 2010 but was promoted to Milwaukee in May 2009 after a hot start with the Sounds. He played in 61 games for the Brewers that season but struggled to find consistency — he hit .242 with 54 strikeouts. “I haven’t done anything up there consistently,” Gamel, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., said. “I feel like I can go be an everyday player for someone. But a lot of that is not up to me.” Lately, though, the 6-foot, 215-pound Gamel has been swinging a hot bat. He is riding a six-game hitting streak and has homered four times in the last five games. His solo blast in the second inning on Wednesday was his fifth of the year and he leads the team with 19 RBIs. On April 30 against Albuquerque — the Sounds’ last victory before Wednesday — Gamel matched a career-high with a 5-for-5 performance and five RBIs. He was a triple shy of the cycle with three doubles and a home run. “He is going to hit,” Ash said. “We’ve always thought he is going to hit. It is just a matter of where we can get his bat in the lineup.” So far, first base looks like the best option. In his first 20 games at the position, he didn’t commit an error and has just three on the season.? The miscues were more apparent at third base, though. He committed 114 errors at third during the 2006-08 seasons, which he spent at the Low- and High-A levels and in Double-A Huntsville (Ala.). Last year, he had a career-low 16 errors there. Gamel, who has also played in the outfield, never appeared to adjust, especially from a throwing standpoint. “My footwork was always the issue. I would get lazy with my feet and throw a ball away,” he said. “It is less stressful [at first]. I don’t have to worry about throwing it anywhere. It has to be less stressful for everybody.” And it could be more rewarding for Gamel, especially with Fielder’s future up in the air. “That is probably why they were so adamant about me going to first base,” Gamel said. “I don’t care where I play. I just want to play.”

PCL American North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Omaha 19 14 .576 - - 11-5 8-9 5-5 W1 Iowa 14 18 .438 4.5 108 7-8 7-10 3-7 L3 Memphis 12 20 .375 6.5 106 9-8 3-12 3-7 L1 Nashville 10 22 .313 8.5 104 7-9 3-13 1-9 W1 SOU North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Huntsville 19 13 .594 - - 10-4 9-9 5-5 W2 Tennessee 19 14 .576 0.5 38 8-5 11-9 4-6 L2 Jackson 17 14 .548 1.5 38 6-7 11-7 6-4 L1 Chattanooga 18 15 .545 1.5 37 9-11 9-4 6-4 W1 Carolina 10 23 .303 9.5 29 7-13 3-10 4-6 L2 FSL North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Daytona 24 9 .727 - - 11-4 13-5 8-2 L1 Clearwater 22 11 .667 2.0 36 12-6 10-5 8-2 W1 Dunedin 16 17 .485 8.0 30 5-9 11-8 7-3 W2 Lakeland 16 17 .485 8.0 30 9-7 7-10 5-5 L1 Tampa 12 21 .364 12.0 26 6-12 6-9 3-7 W2 Brevard County 11 22 .333 13.0 25 5-13 6-9 1-9 L1 MID Western Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Burlington 24 8 .750 - - 10-2 14-6 8-2 W1 Cedar Rapids 20 13 .606 4.5 - 10-6 10-7 5-5 L3 Beloit 17 14 .548 6.5 37 10-5 7-9 4-6 L2 Peoria 18 15 .545 6.5 36 10-5 8-10 6-4 L1 Wisconsin 15 15 .500 8.0 36 9-9 6-6 7-3 W4 Quad Cities 16 17 .485 8.5 34 7-10 9-7 5-5 W2 Kane County 11 23 .324 14.0 28 7-11 4-12 3-7 W2 Clinton 9 25 .265 16.0 26 4-15 5-10 2-8 L5

Follow Thursday's action as it happens: Nashville (Gameday also available) Huntsville (Gameday also available) Brevard County Wisconsin

Thursday's Daily Menu: Times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Josh Butler at home vs. Fresno (Giants), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime Live Audio Link iPad/iPhone: Listen Huntsville: RHP Jesus Sanchez at Tennessee (Cubs), 6:15 PM gametime Live Audio Link -- look for the Tennessee feed off the master MiLB.com audio list Brevard County: RHP Adrian Rosario at home vs. Charlotte (Rays), 6:05 PM gametime Live Audio Link -- Stone Crabs' feed Wisconsin: LHP Zach Braddock makes a rehab appearance at home vs. Cedar Rapids (Angels), 6:15 PM pre-game; 6:35 gametime; after approx. 20 pitches, RHP Austin Ross will take over Live Audio Link

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Sounds end skid, top Fresno Grizzlies by Greg Sullivan, The Tennessean Even with their 4-3 win that snapped their nine-game losing streak Wednesday afternoon, the Sounds (10-22) still have one of the worst records in the minor leagues. When he got the save to preserve the victory over Fresno, Sounds closer Mark DiFelice pointed skyward. Nothing could be taken for granted, he said, especially after the four straight last-at bat losses that occurred in the midst of their recent winless road trip. The losing streak was the longest since the Sounds joined the Pacific Coast League in 1998. “Thank God. Thank you,” DiFelice said. “Stuff had been happening that shouldn’t have been happening.” An example is Fresno’s 6-foot-6, 268-pound first baseman, Brad Eldred, lumbering to steal second, third and home to score the first run of an eventual 6-3 Sounds loss on Tuesday. But with one swing of the bat with two outs in the eighth Wednesday, Caleb Gindl’s two-run, go-ahead homer reversed the Sounds’ fortunes. “I figured for sure the wind would knock it down,” Gindl said, of his shot to right center off Steve Edlefsen. “Finally something went our way.” When shortstop Anderson Machado doubled Brandon Belt off first for a game-ending double play, Gindl and his teammates finally could exhale a sigh of relief. “Things might be turning around, but we’ll see,” Gindl said. “Now we broke (the losing streak), and it feels like we won a championship game.” The Sounds own the worst record in the Pacific Coast League behind Memphis and Tacoma, who each came into Wednesday with 12 wins. The Class A Rome Braves (8-24) came into Wednesday with the worst record of all full-season teams in the minors. “The team is struggling right now,” said Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash, who has been observing the Sounds for the past two days. “We’ve met with players. We’ve met with staff to try and come up with some ideas and answers to try and stimulate a little bit better results. “It’s just a part of baseball. We’re not proud of it, but hopefully we can find a way out of it.”

Timber Rattlers triumph without manager Matt Erickson Wisconsin manager tossed after arguing call by Mike Woods, Post-Crescent staff writer GRAND CHUTE — Bruce Erickson had an idea and decided it was a good time to text his son Matt, manager of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, who just so happened to be in the clubhouse during the fifth inning of Wednesday's game. "I told him we have a nickname for him,'' said Bruce Erickson outside the Rattlers clubhouse. "The Igniter." It was after Matt Erickson was tossed in the top of the fifth inning that the Rattlers rallied for a season-high seven runs in the bottom of the fifth that sent them on their way to a 9-7 victory over Cedar Rapids before 1,149 fans at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. So what about it, Matt? "I think that was more coincidence than anything else," said Erickson, whose team is on a season-best four-game win streak. More specifically, it was the right combination of events. It was coincidence, the Rattlers taking advantage of some shoddy defensive play on the part of the Kernels and the rejuvenated bat of Chris Dennis. With one out in the Rattlers' fifth, Yadiel Rivera reached on an error, moved to second after Nick Shaw was hit by a pitch and Greg Hopkins' fly to right was lost in the lights and fell to load the bases. Cody Hawn followed with a walk that led to the Rattlers' first run and reloaded the bases. Then Dennis stepped up and hit a 380-foot blast to right into a stiff wind for a grand slam, his first as a professional, and gave Wisconsin a 5-3 lead. "I knew I got it good," said Dennis. "There were less than two outs so, obviously, my job is to get the ball deep. I saw an inside pitch that I could do something with and I put a good swing on it. And, fortunately, it went out." It has been quite the turnaround for Dennis after being sent back to Wisconsin from High A Brevard County nine games ago. "I'm trying my best, but that's what it's all about," said Dennis, who hit a tie-breaking two-run triple to propel the Rattlers past the Kernels 3-1 on Tuesday. At Brevard, Dennis was hitting just .103 with 17 strikeouts in 29 at-bats. Since returning to Wisconsin, Dennis is hitting .323 with a pair of homers and eight RBI. "Everyone here, Matty, (hitting coach) Dusty (Rhodes), everyone here has kind of been on my side," said Dennis. "The biggest part of it is just mental. Knowing I can do it and getting out there and putting it into action." It was certainly something Erickson loved to see, as it helped push his team back to the .500 level, even though the view was not what he has become accustomed to. "I'm sitting on the couch watching it and I said 'Get out of here,' " said Erickson. "Then I remembered the wind was howling in and I kept seeing the right fielder go back and back and back and sure enough it cleared the wall. So yeah, I was surprised. He must of hit that pretty dang good. "It was nice to see, from the clubhouse, on the TV." As for ending up on the couch, Erickson said it wasn't his intention to get run after arguing with the home plate umpire on a ball that was called fair down the first-base line that helped Cedar Rapids take a 3-0 lead. "I had no intention of going out there to get tossed," said Erickson, who was given the boot for the first time. "It was a close call but we have a good view from the first-base dugout and I thought that it was foul and he obviously didn't. "What he said I really didn't like and it just kind of went from there. It was short, it was quick, it will mean nothing (today). I've been baptized."

Nashville Audio Archive -- May 11 - Chat with Manager Don Money Discusses Caleb Gindl to start, good words -- otherwise discusses overall team woes

Wolf should have pitched a complete game! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Kidding...

That would be eleven unanswered runs by the vaunted Padres lineup. Isn't this why Sergio Mitre is on the team?

After sitting out just one game after departing the prior game early on, Khris Davis is back in LF today for the Manatees and has hit a home run.

Today's game is completely free for viewing via MLB.com. San Diego is not broadcasting the game either, there will be MLB Network announcers covering it from the studio or they might synch up video to Bob and Cory's audio feed.

The Manatees got back to their 25-man roster limit on the 9th when RHP Trey Watten was activated after a minimum 7-day stay on the DL.

Nashville Media Notes

Just an extra heads-up that we've archived all the various Tuesday pre- and post-game interviews at the tail end of the in-game thread. Included is a lengthy WSSP interview with Doug Melvin.

Post-game audio -- Press pool / conference table: Manager Ron Roenicke's post-game press conference Shaun Marcum Jonathan Lucroy *** Cory Provus Post-Game with Jonathan Lucroy *** Pre-Game Interviews: WSSP -- Detailed interview with Doug Melvin WSSP -- Jonathan Lucroy's weekly visit ESPN540 -- Bill Schroeder on the D-List Cory Provus Pre-Game with Dale Sveum

PCL American North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Omaha 18 14 .563 - - 11-5 7-9 4-6 L2 Iowa 14 18 .438 4.0 109 7-8 7-10 3-7 L3 Memphis 12 19 .387 5.5 108 9-7 3-12 4-6 W1 Nashville 9 22 .290 8.5 105 6-9 3-13 1-9 L9 SOU North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Tennessee 19 13 .594 - - 8-4 11-9 4-6 L1 Huntsville 18 13 .581 0.5 39 10-4 8-9 4-6 W1 Jackson 17 13 .567 1.0 39 6-7 11-6 7-3 W1 Chattanooga 17 15 .531 2.0 37 9-11 8-4 5-5 L1 Carolina 10 22 .313 9.0 30 7-13 3-9 5-5 L1 FSL North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Daytona 24 8 .750 - - 11-4 13-4 8-2 W8 Clearwater 21 11 .656 3.0 36 11-6 10-5 8-2 L1 Lakeland 16 16 .500 8.0 31 9-7 7-9 5-5 W2 Dunedin 15 17 .469 9.0 30 5-9 10-8 7-3 W1 Brevard County 11 21 .344 13.0 26 5-12 6-9 2-8 W1 Tampa 11 21 .344 13.0 26 5-12 6-9 2-8 W1 MID Western Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Burlington 23 8 .742 - - 10-2 13-6 8-2 L1 Cedar Rapids 20 12 .625 3.5 - 10-6 10-6 6-4 L2 Beloit 17 13 .567 5.5 38 10-5 7-8 5-5 L1 Peoria 18 14 .563 5.5 37 10-4 8-10 6-4 W4 Wisconsin 14 15 .483 8.0 36 8-9 6-6 7-3 W3 Quad Cities 15 17 .469 8.5 34 6-10 9-7 4-6 W1 Kane County 10 23 .303 14.0 28 6-11 4-12 2-8 W1 Clinton 9 24 .273 15.0 27 4-15 5-9 2-8 L4

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens: Nashville (Gameday also available) Huntsville (Gameday also available) Brevard County Wisconsin

Wednesday's Daily Menu: Times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Frankie de La Cruz at home vs. Fresno (Giants), 10:50 AM pre-game; 11:05 gametime Live Audio Link iPad/iPhone: Listen Huntsville: RHP Michael Bowman at Tennessee (Cubs), 10:30 AM gametime Live Audio Link -- look for the Tennessee feed off the master MiLB.com audio list Brevard County: RHP Nick Bucci at home vs. Charlotte (Rays), 9:35 AM gametime Live Audio Link -- Stone Crabs' feed Wisconsin: RHP Jimmy Nelson at home vs. Cedar Rapids (Angels), 6:15 PM pre-game; 6:35 gametime Live Audio Link

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Look for a morning Link Report kickoff Wednesday. Office audio -- Brevard County at 9:35 AM Huntsville at 10:30 AM Nashville at 10:50 AM Wow!

Stranded runners doom Smokies against Stars By Adam Greene, Knoxville News SEVIERVILLE - The Tennessee Smokies had their chances, but stranded 11 runners on base in a 7-5 loss to the Huntsville Stars at Smokies Park on Tuesday afternoon. "It seemed like we were one hit away," Smokies manager Brian Harper said. "Early in the game from breaking it open and one hit away late to win. We had been getting those, but today we just didn't." Tennessee (19-13) still leads the Stars (18-13) by one-half game in the Southern League Northern division with three games to go in their five-game series. The Smokies and Stars meet up in another day game today in Smokies Park at 11:30 AM (10:30 Central). The Smokies were in perfect position to take the game in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch-hitter Steve Clevenger led off the inning with a single. First baseman Rebel Ridling followed that up with a base hit into center field to put the tying run on first. Blake Lalli was next at the plate and had already made Huntsville pay with a solo home run in the seventh. Lalli couldn't connect solid and sent a high pop foul to Stars third baseman Andy Gonzalez for the Smokies' first out. "I like my chances with Lalli hitting," Harper said. "Maybe with somebody else you bunt there, but with Lalli it wasn't even a thought. I was playing more for the win than the tie. I would do it again because he's such a good hitter." Josh Vitters came next and barely tapped a ball that moved the runners to second and third, but also picked up Tennessee's second out, with Huntsville catcher Anderson De La Rosa throwing Vitters out at first. The Smokies had one final chance with league-leading hitter James Adduci at the plate. Adduci fouled off the first pitch, then sent a slow ground ball to Stars second baseman Sergio Miranda to end the game. "Their guy (Huntsville closer Michael Fiers) made some good pitches," said Harper, whose team defensively turned five double plays. "He threw a couple of good change-ups to Lalli and a couple of good breaking balls to Vitters, then a real good change-up to end the game on Adduci." Tennessee starter Brooks Raley (0-3) was roughed up in his four innings, giving up 11 hits, five runs and a walk with a strikeout. Jeff Beliveau made his Class AA debut in the seventh for the Smokies. Beliveau pitched two hitless innings with one walk and three strikeouts. "He (Beliveau) has been throwing good his whole career," Harper said. "He looked good." Smokies shortstop Marwin Gonzalez was 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI.