Jim Goulart

Chris' snow post now has video -- first time ever in the snow for a couple of the guys?

Nashville broadcaster Stu Paul on getting to Iowa Kameron Loe 11 groundouts to only one flyout (six K's) in his six innings -- nice guy to have stashed.

We'll need to follow-up. Published links and even the affiliate reports indicated that 24 is the AAA and AA roster limit, yet Nashville had 25 active for Opening Night. Brevard County remained one short at 24. Once that dust settles, we'll close this thread and begin the regular season transaction thread.

25-year-old C/OF Anderson DeLaRosa, signed out of Venezuela in August of 2003, has been officially named a player / coach with Brevard County. So while he's still chasing the dream, he's preparing for another one.

Below is the 2010 webcast schedule. Additional games may be added as circumstances require. Thu 4/8 7:05 PM vs. Daytona (opening night) Thu 4/15 7:05 PM vs. Dunedin Thu 5/6 7:05 PM vs. Tampa Sun 5/16 6:05 PM vs. Palm Beach Thu 5/27 7:05 PM vs. Ft. Myers Mon 6/7 7:05 PM vs. Bradenton Sat 6/12 7:35 PM FSL All-Star Game Wed 6/23 7:05 PM vs. Clearwater Wed 6/30 7:05 PM vs. Daytona Tue 7/6 7:05 PM vs. Tampa Wed 7/14 7:05 PM vs. Charlotte Thu 7/29 7:05 PM vs. Port St. Lucie Tue 8/3 7:05 PM vs. Jupiter Tue 8/17 7:05 PM vs. Dunedin Fri 8/20 7:05 vs. Lakeland Wed 8/25 7:05 PM vs. Tampa

From Doug Scopel, Director of Baseball Operations & Communications (Nashville Sounds) We are planning to post pregame interviews and audio clips on our site. I'm not sure if we'll have them with any sort of regularity from this first road trip. At worst, we'll be banging on all cylinders beginning with our home opener on Friday, April 16. Thanks for everything you do to promote our site and the organization as a whole. *** Doug is incredibly thorough and helpful with us, so thank you, sir.

PDF documents: Nashville Media Notes Huntsville Media Notes

Notice that you will need Adobe Flash player to listen to any of the broadcasts (we believe). Stephen has a link at his Space Coast (Manatee) site.

Check out this blog post from Brett Christopherson at the Post-Crescent -- insights from Michael Marseco into last year's and this year's team chemistry, note the contrast. Interesting... *** Normally we'll "link" to non-game-story blog posts (we know bloggers like to track those "hits"). The main reason we copy-and-paste (as well as link to) newspaper feature stories is not only for your convenience, but because those links, particularly for the Huntsville Times, for instance, often only remain "active" for a short time.

The Post-Crescent's Brett Christopherson does a great job following the Timber Rattlers. *** The Rattlers will hand the ball to Nick Bucci – and Del Howell – for Thursday’s home-and season-opener against Kane County. Milwaukee likes to use a tandem pitching system within its minor league affiliates in which two pitchers are scheduled to throw in the same game. In this case, Bucci, a 19-year-old with what Wisconsin pitching coach Chris Hook describes as a “power” right arm, will be on a pitch count of between 75 to 80 pitches to begin the season before giving way to Howell. The two hurlers will reverse roles the next time their spot arrives in the rotation. Bucci was selected by the Brewers in the 18th round of the 2008 June draft and is rated by Baseball America as the 29th-best minor league prospect in Milwaukee’s minor league system. He went 6-3 with 66 strikeouts and a 4.41 ERA through 69 1/3 innings and 13 appearances last season at Helena. Howell is a 22-year-old lefty who was drafted by the Crew in the 15th round in 2009. He’s rated as the 22nd-best prospect in the system and threw just 11 2/3 innings over five appearances between rookie level Arizona and Helena. Wisconsin manager Jeff Isom said Bucci and Howell will be part of three pitching tandems this season, with right-handers Kyle Heckathorn and Maverick Lasker and righties Jake Odorizzi and Damon Krestalude scheduled to work together. Isom said Arnett, another right-hander, and lefty Efrain Nieves will also start but won’t be part of the tandem set-up.

Our friend David Weiser has a roster summary on his starsboxscore.com web site. We'll often copy and paste David's first-hand game accounts into our Link Reports.

Link while active, text follows: Rivas on mound for Stars opener By Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times Sports Staff For Huntsville Stars pitcher Amaury Rivas, "it's just the same game." Maybe that's the best philosophy for a pitcher's perspective. But for baseball romanticists, Opening Day is never just the same game. The Huntsville Stars, with grand hopes built upon the past success of rising young prospects, begin their 2010 season tonight in Chattanooga. Game time is 6:15 and it can be heard on WTKI-AM (1450) and sister station WEKI-AM (1490) in Decatur as well as WTKI's FM signal at 92.9. The Stars' home opener is April 14 against Jacksonville. Among those prospects is Rivas, a 24-year-old righthander from the Dominican Republic who went 13-7 with a 2.98 ERA last season at Single A Brevard County, earning himself the Brewers' Minor League Pitcher of the Year award and a spot on Milwaukee's 40-man major league roster. It showed he was clearly back at full-strength after undergoing "Tommy John surgery" on his right elbow in 2007. "His trail back from injury has been successful has been successful health-wise and in getting hitters out," said Huntsville pitching coach John Curtis. He has a full assortment of pitches, relying on a two-seam fastball, slider and change-up. "He's our opening day pitcher both on merit and because he represents what the Brewers want our pitchers to be: quick tempo, he's a bulldog out there," Curtis said. The Lookouts, the Double-A farm club of the Dodgers, counter with Chris Withrow, who was 2-2 with a 3.95 ERA at Chattanooga last year in six starts. The Lookouts have 15 players returning from last year's roster. Rivas is one of five starters in the Huntsville rotation who have a total of eight Double-A starts, though the bullpen is loaded with veterans. Mark Rogers, Alex Periard, Evan Anundsen (starting the season the DL with a mild shoulder strain) and Michael Bowman join Rivas in the rotation. Only Periard, with Huntsville late in 2008, has been at this level. "In experience they come up short, but we're not hesitant about what they can do here," Curtis said.

Link while active, text follows: Tim Dillard tries new approach to majors By Maurice Patton, THE TENNESSEAN Tim Dillard is a member of the Sounds pitching staff. Again. This spring marks the fourth consecutive year Dillard has been with the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. While it's not the ideal place for an aspiring major leaguer to spend the season, he's aware his situation could be a lot worse. "I was just lucky to make the team," said the right-handed reliever, who as a starter last season led the Sounds with 11 victories. "We had so many good guys in spring training (that) I was just battling and hoping for a job here." Dillard and his wife, Erin, moved to Nashville after his first season with the Sounds and have remained year-round residents, helping ease the disappointment of not making the Brewers' major-league roster out of spring training. "Any time you get to play where you live, it's a blessing," said Dillard, who grew up in Saltillo, in northeast Mississippi. "We didn't really have a place we called home. We came here and she felt this was where we were supposed to live and I felt the same way. "The ultimate goal is to play in the big leagues. But to play here, sleep in my own bed and see all my friends and family, that's just wonderful." But while his 25 wins in three Sounds seasons are tied for fifth-most in franchise history, Dillard hasn't been able to match that success for Milwaukee. In 15 appearances with the Brewers over the 2008 and '09 seasons, Dillard is 0-1 with a 6.27 ERA, with 11 walks and six strikeouts in 182/3 innings. In an effort to make him a more viable candidate for the major-league roster, the Brewers have adjusted Dillard's motion. "He was more on top. Now he's a little lower on the side," Sounds Manager Don Money said. "On top, he had a good arm and he was never hurt. He just wasn't getting the job done when he went to the next level." In four spring training appearances with the Brewers, Dillard allowed four earned runs over 3 1/3 innings (10.80 ERA) with a loss, a save, four walks and three strikeouts. "He's still getting used to the new delivery," Nashville pitching coach Rich Gale said. "The stuff is there. The ball is coming out of his hand nicely, with life and sink. He's trying to get a consistent feel for his slider, his changeup and his command. "When you throw from a different arm slot, that's the biggest thing." For the former junior-college catcher, it's just the latest in a series of changes. "In '08, I had a 2.00 ERA here in the bullpen, and the next year, they wanted me to be a starter," he said. "Now, they want me to throw sidearm in the 'pen. But … whatever they want me to do, whatever role they want me to fill, I'll do it." Sounds pitcher Tim Dillard has changed his delivery to try to make the Brewers. (Photo by JOHN PARTIPILO / THE TENNESSEAN) http://cmsimg.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20100408&Category=SPORTS0401&ArtNo=4080333&Ref=AR&Profile=2215&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

Video report (from two weeks ago) on what Timber Rattlers fans can expect to see "new" at the stadium. More from Brett Christopherson of the Post-Crescent -- All done The renovation project at Grand Chute’s Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium is complete. So says Rattlers president Rob Zerjav, who said the construction process never impeded plans for Thursday’s opener. “I never really worried that it wouldn’t get done on time,” he said. “The construction company always said, ‘We’re on time, we’re on time.’ And once the weather was so great, we were ahead of schedule. So we never really got to crunch time where we had to get this done and this done.” Blueprints called for the bullpens to be moved to beyond the center field fence, adding new seating areas to the first- and third-base sides in place of where the bullpens used to be completed, the construction of a 2,250 square-foot sand beach beyond the right- center field fence and the extension of a walkway that now encircles 75 percent of the stadium. The project cost $400,000 and was funded by the Fox Cities Amateur Sports Authority, a non-profit group that owns the ballpark and leases it to the Rattlers. “I think it looks great,” Zerjav said. “It’s pretty much exactly what we wanted and really looks like the way we drew it up.”

Follow Thursday's action as it happens: Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Tab or New Window". Choose "Recap". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often. MiLB.com now has Gameday available for AA as well as AAA this season. Nashville: Huntsville: Brevard County: Wisconsin:

Sports32 is a channel available to Time Warner Cable customers in eastern Wisconsin. They will be telecasting at least 12 games this season, the first is tonight, Opening Night. With any of the TV games, feel free to chime in with your best insightful observations -- many of us, including yours truly, won't have access to these viewings, so thanks!

How convenient of the parent club to have the day off to let the kids shine Thursday night! We wish Stu (new in Nashville), Chad (new in Huntsville), Stephen with Brevard, and Chris with Wisconsin the very best for a fantastic season in their booths... Thursday's Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Click here for MiLB.com's audio page, then click "Affiliation" to group the Brewer choices together Nashville: RHP Kameron Loe at Iowa (Cubs), 6:15 PM pre-game; 6:35 gametime Huntsville: RHP Amaury Rivas at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 5:00 PM pre-game; 5:15 gametime Brevard County: TBD at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime Wisconsin: RHP Nick Bucci in a tandem with LHP Del Howell at home vs. Kane County (Athletics), 6:25 pre-game, 6:35 gametime

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg Welcome back to Link Report season, everyone! If you've been with us in previous seasons, you know the drill. If you're new, welcome, we're very glad to have you. Here's a quick Link Report primer -- in other words, ways that you can help us out and take part. We welcome your comments within the Link Reports, but please try to be insightful or ask worthwhile questions. The Link Report is not an "In-Game-Thread". We realize there will be some congratulatory "in-game type" posts (maybe after a grand slam, or seven shutout innings, etc.). We know early in the season, especially here on Opening Night, we'll probably see a few more posts than usual, simply from the excitement of a new season. We fully expect and look forward to the comments from our Link Report regular commentators, please come back for another season. At the same time, newcomers are welcome to jump in. And as always, if you've attended a game in Grand Chute (Appleton) or anywhere in the system, please, please, pass along your insights, photos, etc. In terms of game content, we expect the Link Report to be available to you with the Daily Menu by mid-afternoon each day. Our goal, although there will be a stray evening when we don't quite make it, is to have linked to all the game summaries, box scores, and game logs, before we "go to bed" for the night (so within a few hours of the games concluding). Importantly, we fully expect to have the next-day newspaper reports linked for you by the time you get up in the AM (or at least by the time you get to your office to read it there). Our new staff member battlekow will be a big help to me again this year. There were other key posters here who really bailed me out last season (the Crew07 in particular), and we'll let you know when we need to recruit a "guest Link Reporter" from time to time. We'll even recruit old friend colbyjack occasionally. For the most part, you'll see my posts to set things up and then in the AM, with battlekow providing evening recap and commentary. Here's to an awesome Link Report season! Health and productivity to all the young men, and wins for all the local fans in the seats!

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Time Warner Cable will telecast a minimum of 12 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers games live on Sports32 in 2010. This season will be the fourth year for Rattlers games shown on Sports32. The schedule begins on Opening Night – April 8, 2010 – when the Timber Rattlers host the Kane County Cougars at 6:35pm. Other games may be added to the broadcast schedule at a later date. Sports32 is a channel available to Time Warner Cable customers in eastern Wisconsin. Below is a list of the Timber Rattlers games to be broadcast on Sports32: · Thursday, April 8 · Tuesday, April 13 · Thursday, April 22 · Thursday, May 13 · Tuesday, May 18 · Thursday, June 10 · Saturday, June 26 · Wednesday, July 14 · Monday, July 19 · Thursday, August 5 · Thursday, August 19 · Thursday, September 2 Most of the above games are slated to begin at 6:35pm. Four games (June 10, July 14, August 5, and August 19) have a scheduled 7:05 pm start time. The game on July 19 has a start time of 12:05 pm.

Post-Crescent Photo Gallery Chris Dennis infield drill This just in -- Mighty Mike Marseco still, well, Mighty Mike (and I love rooting for Mighty Mike)

From Nashville's site -- Media Day Photo gallery -- one photo of Angel Salome in throwing motion is nice Tim Dillard audio interview

Link while active, text follows: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitchers promise good stuff Brett Christopherson, Appleton Post-Crescent The newest "Big Three" — Milwaukee Brewers minor-league edition — offered their salutations onto our little community on Tuesday. Just as they plan, in due time, on extending those same warm greetings to that metropolis 90 miles to the south. You know, the Cream City … Brew City … the Great Place on a Great Lake … the Fresh Coast. Milwaukee, people. "It's all a process and, as much as you'd like to move quickly, it all depends on what upper management wants," said Wisconsin Timber Rattlers hurler Jake Odorizzi, one of the aforementioned "Big Three" and part of an overall staff of, by consensus, electric arms. "All we can do is our thing, and when they feel our time is ready, they'll make the decision to send us up. But until then, we're working every day, getting better. We're coming — eventually." That would be to the bigs, people. The show. The dream. So be sure to check these dudes out ASAP. Because if all goes well, their visit to Appleton could be a quickie. Sure, that stinks. But it's also pretty cool since it's yet another sweet perk the locals are getting out of this Rattlers-Brewers deal. Grand Chute today, Miller Park tomorrow. Hopefully. "I'm not kidding when I say I've got 10 guys who can start and are serious major-league prospects," Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook said with a hint of disbelief. "We're very fortunate to have that, and it should be interesting to see how it all pans out." Odorizzi and the rest of his Rattlers teammates were made available to the faithful as part of Tuesday's annual Fan Fest festivities at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. As far as print on paper, this year's club appears locked and loaded throughout its roster as it continues the countdown to Thursday's home- and season-opener. But no more so than on the bump, where six of the Brewers' top 30 minor-league prospects, as slotted by Baseball America, will be showcasing their stuff. "The staff looks great," smiled 21-year-old right-hander Kyle Heckathorn, another member of the "Big Three." "A lot of experience, a lot of talent. The fans should expect a great season, and I think we'll really do a good job of shutting down the other team's offense. This staff is just so well-built right now." Which brings us back to the "Big Three." Odorizzi, Heckathorn and 22-year-old righty Eric Arnett are all former first-round draft choices of the Crew. Arnett was taken 26th overall last June, while Heckathorn was grabbed 21 selections later as a supplemental pick. The 20-year-old Odorizzi, another right-hander, was taken 32nd overall as another supplemental pick in 2008. Three first-rounders on the same minor league staff? All rated as top 10 organizational prospects? Where's all the pitching Brewers fans? Right here, in your backyard. "This pitching staff is definitely very deep," Arnett said. "It's going to be fun to watch. And I think we're going to be pretty good with the earned run count." Not surprisingly, Hook said all of his pitchers have a checklist of "to-do" items before they'll be allowed to shove off to the next minor league stop. And that includes his celebrated trio. For instance, the 6-foot-5 Arnett is still refining his off-speed command to compliment his low- to mid-90s fastball and mid-80s slider, as well as bettering his control of the running game and cleaning up his delivery. The 6-2 Odorizzi is continuing to learn how to pitch at the professional level while making what Hook said were "subtle adjustments" to bolster a four-pitch repertoire that includes a four-seam and two-seam fastball, curveball and slider. And the 6-6 Heckathorn is tweaking his delivery to enhance a low- to mid-90s fastball with a hard sink and a high-80s power slider. In scouting terms, that's called having a high ceiling. In layman's terms, that's called, well, wow! "The possibility is there for them to move quick," Hook said. "But they've got to show – and (Brewers general manager) Doug Melvin's really big on this – they want to make sure you show that you don't belong in this league. He doesn't think too highly about moving guys too quick. "But if these guys have success, they have an opportunity to move quick if they show that they shouldn't be here." That could be bad news for us. But that would be great news for the Crew. *** The Rattlers' "Big Three" Eric Arnett Residence: Pataskala, Ohio. Throws: Right. Height: 6-5. Age: 22. Acquired: First round draft choice in 2009 (26th overall). Minor league stats: 0-4, 35 Ks, 21 BB, 4.41 ERA, 14 G in one season (2009) at rookie level Helena (Mont.). Baseball America Brewers' prospect rank: Fourth. When he's expected to pitch: Sunday at home against Clinton. Game time is 5:05 p.m. Jake Odorizzi Residence: Highland, Ill. Throws: Right. Height: 6-2. Age: 20. Acquired: First round draft choice in 2008 (32nd overall). Minor league stats: 2-6, 62 Ks, 18 BB, 4.12 ERA, 23 G in two seasons (2008 and '09) at rookie levels Arizona and Helena (Mont.). Baseball America Brewers' prospect rank: Ninth. When he's expected to pitch: Saturday at home against Kane County. Game time is 1:05 p.m. Kyle Heckathorn Residence: Ootewah, Tenn. Throws: Right. Height: 6-6. Age: 21. Acquired: First round draft choice in 2009 (47th overall). Minor league stats: 0-1, 15 Ks, 4 BB, 6.04 ERA, 6 G in one season (2009) at rookie level Helena (Mont.). Baseball America Brewers' prospect rank: 10th. When he's expected to pitch: Monday at home against Clinton. Game time is 12:05 p.m. Eric Arnett, one of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' top pitching prospects, gets used to his new surroundings on Tuesday. Post-Crescent photo by Patrick Ferron http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20100407&Category=APC021102&ArtNo=4070570&Ref=AR&Profile=1019&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

Last night the MLB Extra Innings TV package carried the Rockies' broadcast. I actually like their TV crew quite a bit. Regardless, they mistakenly referrred to Stars GM Buck Rogers, thinking it was the former Brewer manager of the same name now toiling as the Stars' manager (not their GM -- so wrong guy, wrong position).

Stars general manager Buck Rogers (photo from a prior thread story) Eric Shultz/Huntsville Times http://media.al.com/huntsville-times-sports/photo/buck-rogers-3d3e5d140aa0ee20_large.jpg

Link while active, text follows: Stars' Cain eager for more improvement Outfielder, 23, rated among Milwaukee's top eight prospects By Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times Sports Staff Five years ago, Lorenzo Cain was a raw, gangly teenager, still a bit awkward. "His body," recalled Stars manager Mike Guerrero, "was all over the place." Now, on the cusp of 24 and going into his sixth season in professional ball, "you look at him and it's been like the evolution of a player," Guerrero said. Cain has evolved from a league MVP in his first pro stop, in the Arizona Rookie League in 2005, to an outfielder regarded by Baseball America as the No. 8 prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. It hasn't come easy for Cain, who'll start in center field Thursday when the Stars open their season at Chattanooga (6:15 p.m., WUMP-730 AM radio), nor has it come without some bit of trauma. Cain began last season on the disabled list after a hamstring injury in spring training. Four days after being activated, he tore a knee ligament on April 23 while diving for a fly ball in Carolina. That sidelined him until July and he could only cobble together a .214 average in 42 games with the Stars. "When I finally got a chance to play again, I wasn't the same," Cain said Tuesday as the Stars held their first workout of the season at Joe Davis Stadium. "I'm very optimistic about this year, ready to get this year started," Cain said. "Last year was tough. But I was able to bounce back and I'm ready to go forward." As optimistic about his own season, Cain said he feels the same way about this team. "We've got a lot of young players and a lot of talent. The guys are going to play hard," he said. The Brewers have been impressed enough with Cain, who hails from Madison, Fla., to give him some work in big league games this past spring training. He got in 14 games, with 21 at-bats for a .286 average, including a game-winning two-run homer against Colorado in mid-March. Said Cain, "I just tried to make the best of it." It's part of that evolution of a player. "I feel like I've gotten a lot better. When I was young, it was rough. I had to learn this game of baseball," he said. "I'm still learning. I've still got a lot to improve."