Jim Goulart

As Chris shows us, the Rattlers tried to stay busy.

From Thursday's Link Report

Hope to have the 2011 Alumni thread done by the end of next week. It's one of our more labor-intensive undertakings.

Just-released LHP Dexter Bobo signed with the Quebec Capitales of the independent Can-Am League. And yes, the team website is in French. Good luck, Monsieur Bobo!

Huntsville Media Notes

Nashville Media Notes: Nashville’s active roster currently stands at 22 players, two below the PCL maximum, so no additional roster moves will be required to add George Kottaras and Mike McClendon when they report on Saturday.

Nashville Media Notes: GINDL ACTIVATED FROM D.L., NOWAK PLACED ON D.L.: Outfielder Caleb Gindl, who hasn’t played since April 8th due to an oblique strain, has been activated from the Sounds’ disabled list. He went 1-for-5 in the season’s first two games before suffering the injury during a swing on April 8 against the Z’s. To create a roster spot, infielder Chris Nowak has been placed on the Nashville D.L. *** Nowak is off to a rough start (stats). He left Thursday's game after running the bases in the 3rd, so this looks to appear a legitimate use of the DL, although no formal word is available on the nature or severity of Chris' injury.

PCL American North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Iowa 8 6 .571 - - 4-2 4-4 5-5 W1 Omaha 8 7 .533 0.5 130 6-1 2-6 6-4 W4 Nashville 7 8 .467 1.5 129 5-3 2-5 4-6 W1 Memphis 4 10 .286 4.0 127 3-5 1-5 1-9 L4 SOU North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Chattanooga 9 5 .643 - - 5-4 4-1 8-2 L1 Huntsville 9 5 .643 - - 5-0 4-5 7-3 W1 Tennessee 9 5 .643 - - 4-1 5-4 6-4 L1 Jackson 6 8 .429 3.0 54 1-4 5-4 4-6 W1 Carolina 3 11 .214 6.0 51 3-6 0-5 3-7 W1 FSL North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Daytona 10 5 .667 - - 6-1 4-4 5-5 W3 Clearwater 9 6 .600 1.0 55 4-3 5-3 5-5 W1 Lakeland 9 6 .600 1.0 55 6-2 3-4 6-4 L2 Tampa 7 8 .467 3.0 53 2-5 5-3 4-6 L3 Brevard County 5 10 .333 5.0 51 2-6 3-4 5-5 L1 Dunedin 5 10 .333 5.0 51 2-6 3-4 5-5 W2 MID Western Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Burlington 10 3 .769 - - 3-1 7-2 8-2 W2 Cedar Rapids 9 5 .643 1.5 - 3-2 6-3 7-3 W4 Beloit 7 5 .583 2.5 57 4-2 3-3 7-3 L1 Peoria 7 7 .500 3.5 55 3-2 4-5 5-5 W3 Wisconsin 5 6 .455 4.0 56 3-4 2-2 4-6 L1 Quad Cities 6 8 .429 4.5 54 3-6 3-2 4-6 L3 Kane County 6 9 .400 5.0 53 3-5 3-4 4-6 W1 Clinton 4 11 .267 7.0 51 3-7 1-4 3-7 L5

Follow Friday's action as it happens: Nashville (Gameday also available) Huntsville (Gameday also available) Brevard County Wisconsin Game One Wisconsin Game Two

Friday's Daily Menu: Times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Amaury Rivas at New Orleans (Marlins), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime Live Audio Link iPad/iPhone: Listen MiLB.TV -- For subscribers Huntsville: RHP Michael Bowman at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:15 PM gametime Live Audio Link -- Lookouts' broadcast Brevard County: RHP Kyle Heckathorn at Clearwater (Phillies), 5:30 PM gametime Sorry, no audio available for this contest... Wisconsin: RHP Matt Miller and LHP Del Howell in a doubleheader at Burlington (Athletics), 5:10 PM pre-game; 5:30 gametime Live Audio Link

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Catching up with Stu Paul's Nashville blog posts. April 7th April 19th

Bunt single helps Sounds catcher catch fire at the plate By Jerome Boettcher, Nashville City Paper When the batting average begins to dip well below the Mendoza Line, batters will do anything to get a hit. Martin Maldonado is no different. Through his first five games this season with the Nashville Sounds, the catcher struggled at the plate. His manager Don Money called it over-swinging. Maldonado said his confidence was low. Whatever the cause, the eight-year minor league veteran was 2-for-14. So, the right-handed hitter decided to take matters into his own hands and create hits — with a drag bunt. Last week, against Oklahoma City in just the sixth game of the season, he got a running start in the batter’s box and laid a soft bunt down the third-base line. It was his second drag bunt of the season and it came in the middle of a three-hit game for Maldonado. “He loves getting away with that drag bunt,” Sounds center fielder Brett Carroll said. “It is beautiful that he gets it done.” Added Maldonado: “I was just trying to get a bunt. However, they give it to me — that is for a base hit.” The hits are rolling in now. After three and a RBI against Oklahoma City on April 13, he added two more and drove in another run the next day. It was part of a five-game stretch where he went 9-for-18 and lifted his batting average to .343. For the season, he is batting .278 as the Sounds (6-8) wrap up a series in New Orleans on Friday. They open up an eight-game homestand at 6:35 PM start Saturday at Greer Stadium against Omaha. Any offense Maldonado can bring is welcomed, considering he bats in the bottom third of the lineup. “For him to contribute not only defensively — which is first and foremost — but for him to contribute offensively is only going to be a team boost,” Carroll said. Maldonado’s defensive attributes could be his ticket to the next level. Before this season began, Baseball America dubbed him as the “best defensive catcher” in the Milwaukee Brewers system. He showed off his cannon against Oklahoma City when he threw out out two runners on April 13. Last year, he threw out 42 percent (36 of 84) of attempted basestealers while he bounced around in the Milwaukee organization. He started in High-A Brevard County (Fla.), then moved up to Double-A Huntsville (Ala.) before he played his last 52 games with the Sounds. Spending the last half of the 2010 season in Nashville has helped Maldonado this spring. He knows a lot of the pitchers’ tendencies, which helps him when calling games. His selection of pitches might also be why the Sounds lead the Pacific Coast League in team ERA with a 3.25 mark. “I try to bring the same pace,” he said. “I have been knowing those guys for a little bit so we are pretty much on the same page.” The 24-year-old from Puerto Rico seems to be built for the wear and tear with a 6-foot-1, 212-pound frame. He caught 452.2 innings last year and has started 11 of the Sounds’ 14 games this spring. He also caught all 14 innings of a loss to New Orleans on April 10. “He has been a rock behind the plate,” Carroll said. “Defensively, those guys that can play like that can play at a high level for a lot of years.” He is hoping all the time spent in the minor leagues will pay off and allow him to get his shot at the Major Leagues. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2004, released three years later and soon after he was signed by the Brewers. He spent the last three spring trainings with the Brewers and is on the team’s 40-man roster. The Brewers are carrying three catchers right now but, as Money pointed out, one trade or one injury could move Maldonado up the ladder. Maldonado, however, is concentrating on the rung he is on right now. “I have to focus right here,” he said. “That’s where I want to be, up to the big leagues — so I try to do my job here. If something happens, that is probably going to be my chance. [but] I focus more here than upstairs. That is why I try to do my job here every day. Come, ready to play every day so that is the bottom line.”

Update from New Orleans: Sounds pitcher Josh Butler, who was struck in the head by a line drive hit by Rottino on Tuesday night, said he’s feeling fine. “I got lucky,’’ Butler said. “It nicked off my glove before it hit me.’’ Some video highlights (without audio, not of Mike Rivera's go-ahead blast) are available via the link as well.

Nashville Audio Archive -- April 21 - Chat with Starting Pitcher Mark Rogers

Clearwater Bottom of the 6th Pitcher Change: Corey Frerichs replaces Maverick Lasker. Joe Savery pops out to third baseman Hunter Morris. Sebastian Valle pops out to first baseman Brock Kjeldgaard. Travis Mattair strikes out swinging. The reason I posted this inning was because Corey Frerichs was shown with a 0/0 GB/FB ratio in the box score over one inning, with just one strikeout. I would have thought for sure that pop outs would count as fly balls when determining FB/GB ratio stats. So not sure if they are not, or if they should be, and this was just some rogue Florida State League box score.

Huntsville Media Notes Wisconsin Media Notes

Nashville Media Notes SOUND BYTES: Nashville batters have struck out a league-high 123 times ... Nashville runners have been caught stealing 10 times, tied for most in the PCL (Las Vegas); the Sounds are just 7-for-17 in stolen base attempts ... Nashville batters have grounded into a league-high 17 double plays. *** Follow the link, there's good news too. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

PCL American North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Iowa 7 6 .538 - - 3-2 4-4 5-5 L1 Omaha 7 7 .500 0.5 131 5-1 2-6 5-5 W3 Nashville 6 8 .429 1.5 130 5-3 1-5 3-7 L3 Memphis 4 9 .308 3.0 129 3-5 1-4 2-8 L3 SOU North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Chattanooga 9 4 .692 - - 5-3 4-1 8-2 W5 Tennessee 9 4 .692 - - 4-1 5-3 7-3 W2 Huntsville 8 5 .615 1.0 57 5-0 3-5 6-4 L3 Jackson 5 8 .385 4.0 54 1-4 4-4 4-6 L2 Carolina 2 11 .154 7.0 51 2-6 0-5 2-8 L2 FSL North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Daytona 9 5 .643 - - 5-1 4-4 5-5 W2 Lakeland 9 5 .643 - - 6-2 3-3 7-3 L1 Clearwater 8 6 .571 1.0 56 3-3 5-3 4-6 L2 Tampa 7 7 .500 2.0 55 2-4 5-3 5-5 L2 Brevard County 5 9 .357 4.0 53 2-6 3-3 5-5 W2 Dunedin 4 10 .286 5.0 52 2-6 2-4 4-6 W1 MID Western Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Burlington 10 3 .769 - - 3-1 7-2 8-2 W2 Beloit 7 4 .636 2.0 - 4-2 3-2 7-3 W2 Cedar Rapids 8 5 .615 2.0 - 2-2 6-3 6-4 W3 Peoria 6 7 .462 4.0 56 2-2 4-5 5-5 W2 Quad Cities 6 7 .462 4.0 56 3-6 3-1 4-6 L2 Wisconsin 5 6 .455 4.0 57 3-4 2-2 4-6 L1 Kane County 5 9 .357 5.5 54 2-5 3-4 3-7 L2 Clinton 4 10 .286 6.5 53 3-7 1-3 3-7 L4

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: LHP Sam Narron at New Orleans (Marlins), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime Live Audio Link iPad/iPhone: Listen MiLB.TV -- For subscribers Huntsville: RHP Cody Scarpetta at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:15 PM gametime Live Audio Link -- Lookouts' broadcast Brevard County: RHP Maverick Lasker at Clearwater (Phillies), 6:00 PM gametime Sorry, no audio available for this contest... Wisconsin: RHP Matt Miller at Burlington (Athletics), 6:10 PM pre-game; 6:30 gametime Live Audio Link

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Not rattled: Marysville's Walker off to fast start in Brewers' organization By Ryan Klocke, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif. April 21--The home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers is currently useless, the result of a phenomenon that never occurred during Mike Walker's Marysville High days: snow. Eight inches of it, in fact. From first base to third, from left field to the bleacher seats, the place where the former Indians' baseball star is starting to find his groove, to feel at home and show he belongs is inundated with a wintery mix. That's what the local meteorologists call it -- like the gentleman from the ABC affiliate. With a tone of exasperation, he told the greater Green Bay area Wednesday, "boy oh boy, let's hope the snow is behind us." Twenty-eight degrees three days before Easter isn't just bad baseball weather, it's bad everything weather. Naturally, games have been canceled, leaving little recourse for Walker but to hit in indoor cages and take grounders off random floors. But he's shrugging it off. He's been through worse, much worse. Plus, he's hitting. He's hitting it all over Time Warner Cable Field, which when not snowed in, is where he's been shining for the Milwaukee Brewers' class-A affiliate. Through 11 games, he's hitting .371 with 13 hits, 12 RBIs and 10 walks in 35 at-bats. "I don't know what to attribute it to," he said. "It's just baseball -- sometimes you see it, sometimes you don't." There's more to it than him being on a simple hot streak, though. For Walker, playing and living in Appleton, Wis., is making an otherworldly difference for the third baseman. The people are friendly; the town of 70,000 is inviting and open. He feels warm and welcome, even amid a bitter April cold. It's a complete turnaround from last summer's stint in rookie ball for the Helena Brewers. From the beginning, the situation was full of shocks and of "welcome to the minors" moments. The day after his 22nd birthday, Walker left everything he knew, saying good-bye to a girlfriend, family and Northern California. The University of the Pacific standout was excited to report as a 14th-round pick in Montana. Upon arrival, he and a teammate were picked up by their host mother, and piled into the car for the ride to where they'd be staying. Everything was normal until she turned around and said, "By the way, I live in a trailer park." Walker's new confines had wheels for a foundation. He would share a room. His homesickness exacerbated, and after a 1 for 3 start, he went more than two weeks without a hit. He finished rookie ball hitting .277, and put those memories behind him with a steady steam of solid play this season. Plus, he likes his teammates on the Timber Rattlers. Plus, his team bus has WiFi, so he can stream Netflix and check Facebook on the way to Midwest League road games. Plus, he lives in an apartment now -- something that can never be taken for granted. "I actually have my own room," he said. As for the best moment of this improved situation? Well, there's two. The first came in his second game with the Timber Rattlers, when he roped a single to left field in his second at-bat. In the season opener, Walker went 1 for 3, just like he did in rookie ball before that disastrous drought at the plate. That routine "1B" was absolving: It wasn't going to happen again. The second was his walk-off bomb against the Peoria Chiefs on April 2. It gave his team a 2-1 victory, and you can tell he's excited by the way he flips his bat in the YouTube video. "If you can make it through rookie league," he said, "then you're pretty well-set mind wise." Actually, Walker's biggest preoccupation right now is trying to avoid his good numbers. He doesn't check stats, and will reiterate how it's a long season when questioned about his early success. When he steps to the plate, he purposely tries to hide his eyes from the big outfield scoreboard where his average is displayed. The numbers Walker seems most concerned about is those of his brother Davis, who's a senior on the Indians' baseball team. His are just a bonus. "I'm trying to have fun on the field," Walker said.

A reminder from Tuesday: In two consecutive games, a New Orleans Zephyrs batter lined the ball off the opposing starter’s head and put him out of the game. On Tuesday night, Nashville pitcher Josh Butler took the hit. Leading off the fourth inning, Vinny Rottino smacked a line drive that struck Butler above the forehead. He went down, and teammates surrounded him. About a minute later, he got up and walked off the field with assistance. Nashville Manager Don Money said that Butler appeared fine after the game, which the Zephyrs won 6-5. Butler wasn’t taken to a hospital but will be examined by a doctor today, Money said. “He’s going to have a headache, I would think,’’ Money said. “They’re going to re-evaluate him in the morning.’’ *** It took a couple of days to get it archived, and there is no corresponding audio, but MiLB.TV has the video of the game online for MiLB.TV subscribers. Go to the date of 4/19. You can then go to the 57:45 minute/second mark to see the bottom of the 4th begin. On the second pitch, Butler is sent to the ground, legs flailing for a bit, it really is a tremendously scary piece of video. Of course, everyone converges on the mound to care for him / check him out. He is sitting up and then walking off (aided for support) within a couple of minutes. Josh was incredibly lucky.

Nashville Media Notes Huntsville Media Notes