Jim Goulart

Baseball America reports that the Brewers have granted free agency to RHP Chris Smith, a bit earlier than when the full list of all minor league free agents is published. Players such as Smith who were on 40-man rosters in 2010 get a head start in open waters. Other former Brewer farmhands who were part of the early release list are RHP Saul Rivera, C's Mike Rivera and Eliezer Alfonzo, and 3B Mike Lamb.

Baseball America reports that the Brewers have granted free agency to RHP Chris Smith, a bit earlier than when the full list of all minor league free agents is published. Players such as Smith who were on 40-man rosters in 2010 get a head start in open waters. Other former Brewer farmhands who were part of the early release list are RHP Saul Rivera, C's Mike Rivera and Eliezer Alfonzo, and 3B Mike Lamb.

Manager Mike Guerrero leads the Surprise Rafters (Brewers, Royals, Tigers, Rangers, Cardinals) Final: Surprise 8, @ Peoria Javelinas 6 Box Score 2B Eric Farris singled twice in five trips and stole a base; Caleb Gindl, playing right field, once in four trips. RHP Mike McClendon said get me back to a big league mound with a "hold" in which he allowed two inherited runners to score, then allowed two runs of his own while recording five outs. RHP's Jeremy Jeffress, Michael Fiers and Brandon Kintzler, LHP's Daniel Merklinger and Lucas Luetge, and corner infielder Hunter Morris did not see action. Old friend LHP Steve Garrison threw for the opposition, representing the Yankees. Recap Hitting ground balls, as he should be... Eric Farris strikes out swinging. Eric Farris singles on a ground ball to second baseman Dustin Ackley, deflected by shortstop Jose Iglesias. Eric Farris grounds out, third baseman Nate Tenbrink to first baseman Michael McDade. Eric Farris singles on a ground ball to center fielder Juan Carlos Linares. Engel Beltre scores. With Zack Cox batting, Eric Farris steals (1) 2nd base. Eric Farris grounds out, second baseman Dustin Ackley to first baseman Michael McDade. Caleb Gindl strikes out swinging. Caleb Gindl singles on a ground ball to left fielder Jack Shuck. Caleb Gindl strikes out swinging. Caleb Gindl flies out to center fielder Juan Carlos Linares. Peo Javelinas Bottom of the 6th Jose Iglesias reaches on throwing error by third baseman Francisco Martinez. Jose Iglesias to 2nd. Dustin Ackley grounds out sharply, shortstop Cale Iorg to first baseman Tony Cruz. Eric Thames singles on a line drive to center fielder Engel Beltre. Jose Iglesias to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Mike McClendon replaces Patrick Keating. Ryan Lavarnway reaches on force attempt, throwing error by third baseman Francisco Martinez. Jose Iglesias scores. Eric Thames to 2nd. Nate Tenbrink flies out to center fielder Engel Beltre. Michael McDade doubles (1) on a line drive to center fielder Engel Beltre. Eric Thames scores. Ryan Lavarnway to 3rd. Koby Clemens strikes out swinging. Peo Javelinas Bottom of the 7th RHP Mike McClendon remains in the game. Juan Carlos Linares doubles (1) on a sharp ground ball to left fielder Ben Guez. Jack Shuck triples (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Engel Beltre. Juan Carlos Linares scores. Jose Iglesias out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Caleb Gindl. Jack Shuck scores. Dustin Ackley grounds out, second baseman Eric Farris to first baseman Tony Cruz. Eric Thames called out on strikes.

LHP Efrain Nieves lost to Cuba this weekend, as Puerto Rico fell 4-0. Nieves allowed three runs in four innings. Box Score USA and Canada have qualified for important 2011 tournaments, as Baseball America details here. Only the USA, and perhaps another apperance from RHP Andre lamontagne, advance in the current tournament, with schedules detailed here.

Brad's blog assigns the Defensive Rattler of the Year Award

Weekend Updates: Nick Bucci's Friday start for Canada -- 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K (took the loss as the D.R. won, 5-2) Taylor Green 0-for-1 Saturday -- Canada defeats Panama, 9-5 Hiram Burgos gets the win Saturday as Puerto Rico defeats Nicaragua, 5-1 -- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K Andre Lamontagne shines with three innings of relief in the U.S.6-3 win over Venezuela -- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

Huntsville-area players are making impact in professional baseball Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times Hunter Morris, a Grissom grad drafted by the Brewers out of Auburn, was at Milwaukee's low-A club in Appleton, Wisc., and has been selected to play in the Arizona Fall League, where his manager will be Stars skipper Mike Guerrero. Morris "took the summer as more of a learning process than trying to put up great numbers. I wanted to do great from the first day, but it usually doesn't work like that," he said. He was "trying to find consistency ... to stay on an even keel the whole time, to level out the peaks and valleys." If the typical career-ladder is followed, Morris could be the Stars' first baseman in 2012, if not late next summer. "It would be awesome," he said. "I would love to be able to play in Huntsville in the year or two I'd be in Double-A. It would be really exciting to get to play at home. My family is here and my friends are here. "It'd make my life a lot easier to go down the street to my parents' house to have some decent meals."

Second base was assigned to the Brewers as a "priority position", but how was it going to work if both Farris and Lawrie were on the roster? Eric Hosmer of the Royals is the starting first baseman, but another was needed. Why not reward 23-year-old Sean Halton for an 88 RBI season instead of reaching to low-A for Morris, whose turn will come down the road? Hosmer's backup will probably get only one-two starts a week. Gindl deserves his chance, but one wonders if Schafer had a setback of some kind.

Canada rolled over the Dutch Antilles 10-1 Wednesday. Taylor Green got his first AB (0-for-1). Free agents-to-be Adam Stern (HR, four RBI) and Jim Henderson (scoreless IP) also took part. Ryan Braun also pitched for the Canucks. Restauranteur, T-shirt magnate, Canadian pitcher, he's something, that guy...

As part of its press release announcing the formal extension of the Milwaukee / Huntsville relationship, this was also included: The Brewers also announced today that the coaching staff from 2010 will take the field again at Joe Davis Stadium in 2011. The staff will consist of manager Mike Guerrero, pitching coach John Curtis, coach Al LeBoeuf, athletic trainer Aaron Hoback, and strength and conditioning coach Jake Marx. This will be Curtis' third season with the Stars and the second for Guerrero, LeBoeuf, Hoback and Marx. The Stars hold a 67-73 record under the helm of Guerrero.

A link to the 2010 Coaching Thread for reference only. To kick off 2011, here's the Don Money, Rich Gale, Sandy Guerrero, etc. press release.

Brad Krause discusses his site's plans for the offseason and names the Rattlers 2010 Offensive Player of the Year.

RHP Andre Lamontagne had an apparent tough 6th inning when he entered what would become a 13-6 U.S. victory over Columbia. It was 11-2 when Lamontagne began his day, and he allowed four runs in the 6th, but only one was earned. He went on to pitch a scoreless 7th. Taylor Green made a defensive appearance at second base in Canada's 13-2 rout of Argentina.

Why Nick Bucci only went two innings -- With Canada leading 2-0, and starter Nick Bucci having worked his second straight scoreless frame, rain forced a 90-minute delay. “We had some momentum going and all of a sudden the rain came,” said Canadian Manager Ernie Whitt. “Unfortunately, you can't control it (the weather).” When play finally resumed it had been too long a wait for Bucci to continue and Tom Boleska came on in relief. “Once the delay hit forty minutes we couldn't send him (Bucci) back out there,” explained Whitt. “I couldn't live with myself to put him back in, especially a kid with his type of arm.”

RHP Nick Bucci was added to the Canadian roster and got the start Sunday, pitching two scoreless innings in Canada's 5-3 loss to Venezuela. All the box scores from the tournament are now available. No Taylor Green nor Andre Lamontagne yet. Martin Maldonado is splitting time as Puerto Rico's catcher with old friend Carlos Corporan. Maldonado is 3-for-6 with a double thus far. Of course, it just dawned on me that like Canada's Adam Stern and Jimmy Henderson, Maldonado is also a likely minor league free agent. Good for Bucci, the international tournaments can't but help in the long run. All the box scores are here.

Rough start for Puerto Rico RHP Hiram Burgos and LHP Efrain Nieves, as the two 2010 Rattlers combined to allow seven runs (six earned) in six innings in a 7-4 loss to the U.S. Burgos struggled with control, walking three in 2.1 innings. Nieves threw strikes, but also allowed five hits and three runs. Catcher Martin Maldonado had a base hit. Puerto Rico did win their opener 12-0 over Aruba. This was the USA's opener, RHP Andre Lamontagne did not pitch. Burgos photo Box Score Canada won their opener, 7-6 over Nicaragua, no box score available. Nothing against OF Adam Stern and RHP Jim Henderson, but since they are likely minor league free agents, the focus for us is on Taylor Green, who was not mentioned in the linked game story.

Not so much -- it's tough in a 16-team league. Odorizzi the only Rattler, at # 8 among the top 20.

9/29 Cory Provus Pre-Game Interview w/ Jake Odorizzi Obviously taped at Miller Park last week, but this is when they could squueze things into the pre-game...

9/28 Cory Provus Pre-Game Interview w/Milwaukee Brewers Minor League Player of the Year Erik Komatsu

Green with national team in Puerto Rico By Earle Couper - Comox Valley (Vancouver, CN) Record Canada’s national senior men’s baseball team, including Comox Valley’s Taylor Green, flew to Puerto Rico Tuesday en route to the Pan Am Games and World Cup Qualification Tournament. The team will practice Wednesday in San Juan and open Group B play Friday against Mexico. They play Venezuela Saturday, Argentina on Sunday, Cuba on Tuesday, Netherlands Antilles next Wednesday and Nicaragua on Oct. 7. The top four teams from Group A and Group B play each other from Oct. 8 to Oct. 11. Semifinals go Oct. 12 followed by the bronze and gold medal games on Oct. 13. When the national team arrives back in Canada on Oct. 15 it will mark the end of another successful season for the 23-year-old Green. He had a solid year with the Huntsville Stars (the AA affiliate of the MLB Milwaukee Brewers) in Alabama, leading the team with 13 home runs and 81 RBI. Those numbers helped Green achieve his goal of improving his power numbers, such as slugging percentage, OPS and extra base hits. He was in the top 10 to 15 in the Southern League in home runs and doubles. After a brief trip home, the hard-hitting third baseman headed to the Brewers Instructional League in Phoenix and learned a new position – catcher. “He didn’t have to do it, he wanted to, just to give himself another advantage or set of tools that can help him get to the big leagues,” said Taylor’s father Bill Green. “The ability to play many positions is certainly a strength and that is what Taylor is aiming to do,” he added. The Canadian national team spent Sept. 26-28 in Cary, North Carolina taking part in an exhibition series against the U.S. national team to prepare for this weekend’s big event, which will be held in San Juan, Ponce and Mayaquez. Team Canada has Green listed as a second baseman, but he is expected to see action at third base as well.

Anthony's game log -- 7th inning: Brandon Kintzler got the Marlins in order thanks to a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play. 8th inning: Jeremy Jeffress got the side in order thanks to a 4-6-3 double play from Maybin. My brain fluid just dissolved. At least he made the same foolish comment twice just to prove to us it wasn't a flukish mistake the first time. Faced the minimum, Tony. Not retired in order.

In the TV booth: Jake Erik Video: Bruce Seid *** Journal-Sentinel article

McCalvy: Odorizzi, Komatsu named top farmhands http://www.fareastgizmos.com/entry_images/0508/14/Komatsu-thumb-450x346.jpg Scooped it over Brett Lawrie...

John Sickels on Brett Lawrie

Results as per Buck Rogers: The jersey auction is now closed. Those with winning bids will be contacted tomorrow via email and/or phone for payment & shipping information. All remaining jerseys will be sold in the team store and raffled or auctioned off during 2011 Stars home games. If you'd like to purchase a jersey, stop by the stadium or give us a call at (256) 882-2562. Here are the winning bids. ## Size Color Players & Coaches Current Bid High Bidder 2 L Gray Shane Justis $150 Brad Miller 3 L White Caleb Gindl $165 Brad Miller 6 XL White Jonathan Lucroy $200 Josh Kraner 6 XL Gray Jonathan Lucroy $200 Josh Kraner 13 XL White Brett Lawrie $415 Jamie Schultz 13 XL Gray Brett Lawrie $415 Jamie Schultz 13 XL Blue BP Brett Lawrie $300 Jamie Schultz 15 XL Gray Jim Henderson $150 Gersheon Carver 24 XL White Mark Rogers, Frank Catalanotto $250 Emily Sullivan 24 XL Gray Mark Rogers, Frank Catalanotto $250 Emily Sullivan 40 XXL White Lucas Luetge, Dan Merklinger, John Axford, Zach Braddock, Josh Butler $150 Bill Braddock