Jim Goulart

Sizemore was discussed in January, we'll link to it here for the previous commentary, and if someone wants to continue the discussion, just reply to the linked thread, thanks.

WTMJ - Brewers Weekly 02/10/11 Dan and Corey with worthwhile interviews with Randy Wolf, Zach Braddock, and Courtney, the "kabobs" winner of the concession contest.

Bernie's Crew with their recent podcast that included a Jonathan Lucroy interview. Lucroy begins at the 65:30 minute mark, but enjoy the entire show.

His name is somewhat anonymous, but reliever David Johnson is entering his 8th season in the organization and is part of a deep bullpen corps at the big league / AAA level. David Johnson Q&A -- Sounds' site

Appears this issue has been addressed -- thanks, casey.

Here's what I reported to casey as well, so it's not just a user vs. moderator issue -- I'm using IE7 and/or IE8. There is no demarcation between the various forums, none between topics, and none between posts, so the issue carries over to those three levels of hierarchy minimum. With no differentiation between posts, while you can tell where one ends and begins because you can still see user avatars to the left, it's still very disconcerting to the eye. The white-out chuckie reported is a good term for it. *** Certainly everything is still "readable", but hopefully will be resolved before too long. It's awkward, but survivable for a day or two...

RHP Roque Mercedes, just removed from the 40-man, still gets to begin spring training at big league camp as a non-roster invite. (Brewers site master list of NRI's)

Haudricourt tweet on Raul Mondesi, Jr. Mondesi (stats) was signed last spring and played all summer for the DSL squad, and was mentioned often in Link Reports here. But better eight months late than not at all, we always say.

Money is still on Roque Mercedes, who already slipped past half the teams in baseball to the Brewers this offseason, and whose rights the Brewers would still control if he passed through waivers. Good call, Mass! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif Mercedes has cleared waivers and is safely back in the Brewers system. He'll be eligible for minor league free agency after 2011 unless he is re-added to the 40-man roster.

WSSP -- Mon. 02/07 Hot Stove Weekly Show (audio includes Mark Kotsay's interview, but drops at the 24-minute mark prior to the other interviews) To download the individual interview links -- Kotsay Counsell Hart

Jim Breen of Bernie's Crew with news of a Dominican youngster (outfielder Elvis Rubio) signing with the Crew.

Young and the merits of looking into him already being discussed here.

Minor league guru John Sickels with a Weeks career profile

And Chris Mehring took note of Welch's NO-HITTER, yikes...

You can click on the individual team names here to see the Caribbean World Series rosters. No Brewers to speak of, not even Mr. Maldonado. So thus concludes Brewerfan's winter league coverage.

The always-entertaining Tim Dillard is interviewed at the Sounds site -- Your new throwing motion. With new pitching coach Rick Kranitz taking the helm in Milwaukee, do you know if you will continue to throw sidearm in 2011? I was told last year in spring training that Assistant General Manager Gord Ash and then pitching coach Rick Peterson watched film and decided I could benefit from lowering my arm angle. Gord has seen me throw over these many years, and for him to be behind this decision, I knew it was the right career move. I'm looking forward to coming into spring training a bit more polished and effective than last spring.[/i] You ended last season throwing four consecutive quality starts in the rotation. Do you know whether you will be a starter or in the bullpen in 2011? I enjoy the starting rotation and the stamina and consistency it requires, however, there are not many right-handed side-arm starters in the baseball world. With that against me, I was told the bullpen is where I'll be looked at this spring. That means the chance to pitch everyday which is very possible with the less straining arm slot. Link for the full Q&A, good stuff.

Here's a nicely detailed Q&A session Chris Mehring conducted with new Rattler Manager Matt Erickson.

Catching up with LHP David Welch in his native Australia and his hopes for 2011.

Rosiak will probably become WSSP's new Brewer "insider", so what he provides in his audio segments there will hopefully be more interesting than what one can provide in terms of a gameday beat.

Here's why the light-hitting Maldonado was added to the 40-man roster this past offseason in the first place. Even though he won't be 25 years old until August, the premier defender has his seven years of service time in (early on with the Angels, then with the Brewers). I'm sure that after the 2010 season, the Brewers tried to have Maldonado sign a minor league deal for 2011. His agent wisely held out, and on or near the final day before players qualified for minor league free agency, the Brewers added him to their 40-man roster to retain his rights. Maldonado's bat showed signs of life in the second half of 2010, and it's unlikely that the signing of Wil Nieves would alter the Brewers' thinking from last November 3rd. I'd be very surprised if Maldonado would be removed at this point, as the Brewers would probably lose him via waiver claim or Maldonado's right to choose free agency. Money is still on Roque Mercedes, who already slipped past half the teams in baseball to the Brewers this offseason, and whose rights the Brewers would still control if he passed through waivers.

Of course, former 40-man roster pitcher Alex Periard (career stats) is from Montreal suburbs in Quebec, and is another "Alex". Unless he's re-added to the 40-man after the 2011 season, Periard will be eligible for minor league free agency next October at the age of 24 (drafted at age 17).

Link while active, text follows: Ex-Napa Valley College star Cravy moving up on Milwaukee’s ladder Marty James, Napa Valley Register Tyler Cravy got some good news a couple of weeks ago. He got a call from Lee Tunnell, the Milwaukee Brewers’ minor league pitching coordinator who works in scouting and player development for the organization. Tunnell was on the phone, informing Cravy that he’ll be assigned to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, a Class A team based in Appleton that plays in the Midwest League. “I’m ready for it. I’m excited,” Cravy said Tuesday. “It’s good to move up from where I was last year and the year before.” Cravy, chosen as the Bay Valley Conference’s Player of the Year for Napa Valley College in 2009, will be starting his third year of professional baseball when he reports to spring training on March 9 in Maryvale, Ariz. He pitched for the Arizona Brewers in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009 and spent last year with Helena, Mont., which won the Pioneer League title. The goal, he said, is to stay healthy, continue to improve, get stronger and throw even better. “It’s going to be my first full-length season,” said Cravy, who was named to the Community College Baseball All-America team as a pitcher-position player for Napa Valley. “I feel good. I’m real excited to be there.” Cravy, selected by Milwaukee in the 17th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, was 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA in 12 games for the Brewers’ rookie-level team in the Arizona League. He was the 526th overall selection in the draft and was chosen after his freshman year. The right-hander was 6-6 with a 5.87 ERA for the Helena Brewers. He appeared in 15 games with 12 starts. “I feel I’ve gotten a lot better the past two years — my velocity’s gone up, the control’s gotten better,” said Cravy, 21, who makes his home on Mare island in Vallejo. “I figure if I keep on moving up every year, then hopefully I’m in the bigs before I’m 27 or 28.” Cravy (6-foot-4, 198 pounds) is a starting pitcher who throws a four-seam and two-team fastball, a changeup, curveball and slider. Helena beat the Ogden (Utah) Raptors in a best-of-three championship series. “I’ve been working out, staying in shape, and just getting ready for it,” said Cravy, who has been clocked at up to 96 mph on his fastball. He’s been working out with the NVC team at Storm Field, throwing long toss, trying to keep sharp and staying on top of his game, so that he’s ready to go for four weeks of spring training. He’s also been helping out some of the pitchers on the Storm’s staff. “It’s been great,” he said of his first two years in pro ball. “It’s pretty much everything I’ve wanted it to be.” The players on the 2010 Helena team will get their championship rings at spring training. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers start their season on April 7. There are two divisions in the Midwest League, made up of 16 teams. Cravy said he learned to trust his pitches last year, throwing any pitch in any count with confidence. “I got my confidence up a lot, especially in the playoffs last year. I pitched in a couple of big games and it really helped out, just being able to throw anything I wanted.” Cravy, a pitcher-infielder, was chosen as the Bay Valley’s Player of the Year in 2009 as the Storm (22-18 overall, 16-11 BVC) took third place. He was 8-3 in 15 appearances with a 2.99 earned-run average. He broke Phil Simpson’s school record, set in 1988, by striking out 110 batters in 90 1?3 innings. Opponents batted .188 off Cravy, who went to Hogan High School-Vallejo. He made 12 starts with three complete games. Cravy also starred as a shortstop and first baseman, batting .335 with three home runs, 10 doubles, five triples and 40 RBIs. Milwaukee Brewers prospect Tyler Cravy, chosen as the Bay Valley Conference’s Player of the Year for Napa Valley College in 2009, will be starting his third year of professional baseball when he reports to spring training on March 9 in Maryvale, Ariz. He pitched for the Arizona Brewers in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009 and spent last year with Helena, Mont., which won the Pioneer League title. Richard Bruns (Napa Valley Register photo) http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/napavalleyregister.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/5/98/05b/59805b2a-2ea9-11e0-b9cd-001cc4c03286-revisions/4d491a9b161ae.image.jpg

Guessing the Brewers will try to sneak RHP Roque Mercedes onto waivers to clear the 40-man spot. He had an unimpressive AA stint in middle relief with the Diamondbacks while on their 40-man last offseason.

Kyle Smith, GM of the Manatees, will be sending out a little Q&A with all of the Sea Cows' coaching staff for the 2011 season, including new skipper Jeff Isom. If you have any questions you'd like to ask, please send them to Kyle. You can submit questions for Isom, pitching coach Fred Dabney, and/or hitting coach Dwayne Hosey. Send your questions ASAP to ksmith "at" spacecoaststadium.com A chance for you minor league diehards to have some direct involvement in the Q&A's...

Story on the history and current status of the Caribbean World Series, the six-day event set to begin Wednesday 2/2. To our knowledge, the lone Brewer participant will be 40-man roster catcher Martin Maldonado, representing not his home island of Puerto Rico, but the Dominican Republic squad he began playing for after his Puerto Rican league team failed to qualify for the postseason. But we'll keep an eye on boxscores should a surprise Brewer pop up.