Jim Goulart

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Eric Schultz of the Huntsville Times' Photo Gallery includes this Wily shot -- http://media.al.com/huntsville-times/photo/9484885-standard.jpg

Manatee Box Score: BASERUNNING SB: Zarraga, S (2, 2nd base off Black/Higashioka), Kjeldgaard (1, 2nd base off Claiborne/Higashioka). CS: Prince (1, 2nd base by Black/Higashioka). It's like a bizarro version of SB/CS. Love the oddities nearly each box score brings. Eric (Sessile), awesome job on the box score breakdowns as always, thanks.

For a more traditional audio call of the Huntsville game, the Carolina audio feed can be found at the MiLB page link. We'll be making a regular habit of linking to the visitors' feed as well for each Joe Davis contest. Turns out the actual game action can't legally be streamed by the UStream link, all they can show is fan shots and in-between inning fan entertainment action. Sigh... I really can't find the words to comment on the experiment the Stars are undertaking here. That's probably the most polite I can be at this time. Regardless, it's the action on the field that matters. Go Wily, go Stars.

From John Sickels' site in his daily minor league notes:One of my favorite sleepers is Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect Michael Fiers, a 22nd round pick in 2009. He posted a 130/32 K/BB in 125 innings in High-A and Double-A last year, with 106 hits allowed. He's being used in the bullpen for Double-A Huntsville this season, picking up a save in two games so far, with two scoreless innings and two strikeouts to his credit. He started last year, but in the majors he projects as a reliever, so using him in the relief role in the high minors makes sense. Fiers doesn't have blazing stuff, but he changes speeds brilliantly, throws strikes, and posts outstanding K/BB and K/IP ratios. Many scouts see him as a Quadruple-A guy due to his lack of plus heat, but optimists think he can be a good utility pitcher in the majors, (long relief, fifth starter) due to his savvy. I'm among the optimists, or at least among those who think his performance merits an opportunity.

Rattler Radio Blog: Media Notes and Lineup

Huntsville Media Notes

More from the Rattler Radio blog: Carlos George Interview & Mike Walker Highlight

As mentioned for possible discussion in the Major League Forum, OF Jeremy Reed has accepted his outright assignment to Nashville. The Sounds will need to free up a roster spot, it's possible SS Edwin Maysonet may hit the 7-day DL, but nothing official yet. EDIT 1: Haudricourt corrects himself; Reed hasn't decided whether or not to accept the assignment. EDIT 2: Haudricourt back with round three; Reed has accepted the assignment

Haudricourt: OF Jeremy Reed cleared waivers and accepted outright assignment to Class AAA Nashville. Had the right to declare free agency.

Eric Farris is back from his minor foot injury, so Taylor Green returns to third base, making Chris Nowak a bench bat for today's Nashville game. Edwin Maysonet is out, but it's Anderson Machado, and not Farris, who gets the starts at shortstop. We need Stu Paul to just flat-out ask Eric about the shortstop questions we have for Farris in his next pre-game interview.

Actually, we believe DiFelice has two options remaining, should he be added back to the 40-man at some point, there would be some flexibility there.

Nashville Media Notes

From the Nashville Media Notes: WRIGHT ADDED TO ROSTER: Left-hander Chase Wright joins the Sounds today from Double-A Huntsville, bringing Nashville back to a full 24-man active roster. He fills the spot vacated yesterday when Brandon Kintzler was recalled by Milwaukee. In two relief outings for the Stars, Wright -- who spent the entire 2009 & 2010 seasons with Nashville -- allowed one run on six hits over 5.1 IP. *** No word yet on a corresponding roster move at Huntsville.

PCL American North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Nashville 4 2 .667 - - 4-2 0-0 4-2 W1 Iowa 3 3 .500 1.0 138 0-0 3-3 3-3 L2 Memphis 3 3 .500 1.0 138 3-3 0-0 3-3 L2 Omaha 2 4 .333 2.0 137 0-0 2-4 2-4 L2 SOU North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Huntsville 3 2 .600 - - 0-0 3-2 3-2 W1 Jackson 3 2 .600 - - 0-0 3-2 3-2 W2 Tennessee 3 2 .600 - - 0-0 3-2 3-2 L1 Chattanooga 2 3 .400 1.0 65 2-3 0-0 2-3 W1 Carolina 1 4 .200 2.0 64 1-4 0-0 1-4 W1 FSL North Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Daytona 6 0 1.000 - - 4-0 2-0 6-0 W6 Clearwater 4 2 .667 2.0 63 2-0 2-2 4-2 L2 Lakeland 4 2 .667 2.0 63 1-1 3-1 4-2 W3 Tampa 3 3 .500 3.0 62 2-2 1-1 3-3 L1 Brevard County 1 5 .167 5.0 60 0-2 1-3 1-5 W1 Dunedin 0 6 .000 6.0 59 0-4 0-2 0-6 L6 MID Western Club W L PCT GB *ELIM # Home Away L 10 Streak Beloit 4 2 .667 - - 2-0 2-2 4-2 W4 Burlington 4 2 .667 - - 1-1 3-1 4-2 L1 Quad Cities 4 2 .667 - - 2-2 2-0 4-2 W2 Wisconsin 4 2 .667 - - 2-2 2-0 4-2 W2 Peoria 3 3 .500 1.0 64 2-2 1-1 3-3 W1 Cedar Rapids 2 4 .333 2.0 63 0-2 2-2 2-4 L3 Kane County 2 4 .333 2.0 63 0-2 2-2 2-4 L2 Clinton 1 5 .167 3.0 62 1-3 0-2 1-5 L4

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

Important updates re: the Huntsville broadcasts -- There has been a change in announcer just prior to the season. The new broadcaster is John Pearson, former sportscaster of WTMJ in Milwaukee and formerly of WHNT in Huntsville. So that's excellent that someone with at least a partial Milwaukee background was hired. We're waiting to hear back from Huntsville staff (who are of course extremely busy today), so we're yet to find out about a pre-game show start time, whether audio will be archived, etc. We also can't say for sure whether the links provided by MiLB.com (listed above in the daily menu) will be valid or not. However, Stars' GM Buck Rogers passed along the following -- For those that want to log in and watch John Pearson, former sportscaster of WTMJ in Milwaukee and formerly of WHNT in Huntsville, John is our new broadcaster and he’ll be streaming live on U Stream every home game this season. Go to www.ustream.tv and search for huntsvillestars (one word). Tonight John takes Minor League Baseball broadcasts onto the next level with The Living Room Show. If you set up an account you’ll be able to interact. Web cameras will be in play. The broadcast game has changed. We think you’re going to like this! All of you bloggers in Milwaukee, you’ll be able to get your info out there and be a part of the show. This is potentially very interesting and exciting. I've set up my account, and may try to squeeze in a visit tonight, but if others can do so as well and even just sample things tonight, please report here what you thought of the fan experience. It will take a bit for John and staff to work out any bugs or kinks, but it seems very ambitious and we wish the Stars' staff well with this endeavor. We'll all go into it with an open mind and a winning attitude!

Wednesday's Daily Menu: Times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Mark Rogers at home vs. Oklahoma City (Astros), 11:50 AM pre-game; 12:05 PM gametime Live Audio Link iPad/iPhone: Listen Huntsville: RHP Wily Peralta at home vs. Carolina (Reds), 6:43 PM gametime Live Audio LinkiPad/iPhone: Listen Brevard County: RHP Evan Anundsen at Tampa (Yankees), 6:00 PM gametime Sorry, no audio available for this contest... Wisconsin: RHP Matt Miller at Cedar Rapids (Angels), 6:15 PM pre-game; 6:35 gametime Live Audio Link

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As for Wednesday's action, we'll have a lunchtime treat of a Nashville contest with Mark Rogers on the mound, so look for the day's Link Report by late morning. Welcome to minor league baseball -- evening doubleheader followed by a matinee. The Sounds are already one arm short as the backfill for Brandon Kintzler has yet to be named. (The roster is at 23, Manny Parra's slot doesn't count.) On top of that, it's a given Edwin Maysonet (hamstring last night) will be sidelined Wednesday, and as Jim from Bernie's Crew tweeted here, Eric Farris is apparently day-to-day with a foot injury. Thus the Anderson Machado - Taylor Green middle infield will likely be in place again today. In a game with no DH, two of the three catchers on the roster will be the only available bench players.

Here's a preview for Wednesday's Link Report -- Pitching-rich Huntsville Stars open home schedule tonight against Carolina By Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A bit bleary-eyed from a bus ride from Florida that ended at 5 a.m., Stars manager Mike Guerrero nursed a cup of coffee early Tuesday afternoon and reiterated the theme for his Huntsville baseball team this season: Pitching. "If you get good pitching, you can win in this game," Guerrero said. "Our pitching has been good so far." The Stars open their 2011 home schedule tonight at 6:43, hosting the Carolina Mudcats, the Class AA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Huntsville took three of five at Jacksonville in its first series, holding the two-time defending league champs to a .193 team batting average and only 16 runs. Not that the Huntsville bats have been anemic. The Stars are hitting .294 as a team, but with only one home run. Carolina is off to a 1-4 start, courtesy of the Mobile BayBears. Wily Peralta, who'll be the Stars' starter tonight, allowed only one hit, striking out six in six innings, in his debut. Jesus Sanchez held the Suns to two hits in six innings in the third game. Michael Bowman allowed a leadoff single Monday and then retired 17 in a row. Mike Fiers has one win and one save out of the bullpen. Peralta is listed as the Brewers' No. 3 prospect and Cody Scarpetta, who'll start Saturday, is the No. 2 prospect, according to Baseball America. The Stars are a little thinner than usual when it comes to high-ranked prospects. Indeed, the Milwaukee organization is a little more thin as a whole, shuffling off some of its top prospects in recent years to land big-name pitchers. The Brewers essentially leased CC Sabathia for two months in 2008, losing Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley in a trade. This past offseason, former Stars Jeremy Jeffress, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and shortstop Alcides Escobar were swapped to Kansas City for pitcher Zack Grienke. Brett Lawrie, the Southern League All-Star second baseman a year ago and a top-20 prospect, was swapped to Toronto for pitcher Shawn Marcum. The Stars' front office has put together a busy promotional calendar, beginning with tonight's Oktoberfest celebration. A German folk band will be playing outside the stadium and there is a discount on Beck's beer. A fireworks display is planned for after the game.

From the Cedar Rapids Gazette -- But Mike Walker took reliever A.J. Schugel opposite field for a three-run home run to left-center in the eighth, and the T-Rats (4-2) added an insurance run off him in the ninth. Del Chiaro pointed to Walker’s at-bat as a perfect representation of what he’s talking about when it comes to his pitchers’ inability to put hitters away. Schugel got ahead in the count 0-2. “We have the guy right where we want him,” Del Chiaro said. “It was just a mistake. We tried to go back inside on him, and just left it out over the plate. The guy made him pay for it.”

Amazingly, the Tennessean has already provided more coverage than they did all of last season -- nice to see. Parra's rehab stint fades fast by Greg Sullivan, The Tennessean Manny Parra was dominant against the first four batters he faced Tuesday night for the Sounds, but then he could not get another out. Parra, a Milwaukee Brewers pitcher in Nashville on a rehab assignment for a back injury, was charged with three runs on two hits in 1-1/3 innings in the Sounds' 8-7 loss to Oklahoma City in the opener of a scheduled seven-inning doubleheader. He threw 35 pitches, 17 for strikes, ranging from 77 to 93 mph. "I think my stuff was there, but later on I lost the command a little bit," Parra said. "I fell behind, and it hurt me a little." Parra struck out three of the first four batters he faced and induced a groundout to the second baseman, but then in succession gave up a double, an RBI single and two walks. The two hits came on an off-speed fastball and curve. "Unfortunately these games count for these guys," Parra said. "I didn't have spring training, and I'm just trying to sharpen up. These are the types of things I'm trying to clean up." After Parra left the game with the bases loaded, Sounds reliever Jim Henderson gave up a two-RBI double to the RedHawks' Brian Bogusevic to account for Parra's other runs in the game that went eight innings. Despite the mixed results, Parra said he believes he is still improving. He struck out four batters in two scoreless innings in a previous rehab outing Saturday for Single-A Wisconsin. Parra said he still needs more repetitions, but said he is still on track to rejoin Milwaukee soon. "We have a good ball club up there," Parra said. "I just wanna get sharp so when I go up there I'm ready to jump in and do what everyone else is doing." In the meantime, he said, he is enjoying his time back in the comfortable surroundings of Nashville, where he pitched in 2007 and 2009. "It doesn't feel like that long ago," Parra said. "(Tuesday's appearance) is really the first bad memory I have of this place."

My goodness, do I heart the always uber-economical Kyle Heckathorn.

Manny Parra was strong in his first Nashville inning, but struggled in his 2nd and contributed to an Oklahoma final-inning rally to tie, game now in extra innings -- Okla. City Top of the 6th Pitcher Change: Manny Parra replaces Sam Narron, batting 9th. Koby Clemens called out on strikes. Carlos Corporan grounds out, second baseman Anderson Machado to first baseman Mat Gamel. Drew Locke strikes out swinging. Okla. City Top of the 7th Tommy Manzella strikes out swinging. Oswaldo Navarro doubles (1) on a line drive to center fielder Brett Carroll. Jose Vallejo singles on a line drive to right fielder Brendan Katin. Oswaldo Navarro scores. J. B. Shuck walks. Jose Vallejo to 2nd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Brian Dopirak replaces Gustavo Chacin. Brian Dopirak walks. Jose Vallejo to 3rd. Shuck to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Jim Henderson replaces Manny Parra, batting 9th. Brian Bogusevic doubles (1) on a fly ball to right fielder Brendan Katin. Jose Vallejo scores. Shuck scores. Brian Dopirak to 3rd. Jim Henderson intentionally walks Koby Clemens. Carlos Corporan strikes out swinging. Drew Locke strikes out swinging.