Jim Goulart

Final: Lansing (Blue Jays) 5, Wisconsin 1 Wisconsin Site Game Summary RATTLERS MISS OPPORTUNITIES AND LOSE IN LANSING LANSING, MI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers just couldn't get the key hit and it cost them. The Rattlers went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position on Saturday night at Oldsmobile Park and lost 5-1 to the Lansing Lugnuts. The game was tied 1-1 until the Lugnuts scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning. Lansing (33-57 overall, 7-14 second half) took the lead in the first inning on a very close call. Tyler Pastornicky had walked and stolen second with one out. Brian Van Kirk sent a sinking line drive to left center and Pastornicky lit out for home. Rattlers centerfielder Lorenzo Cain appeared to make a diving catch on the play. He calmly got to his feet and threw the ball to second to double off Pastornicky to end the inning. But, base umpire Matt Benham ruled that Cain had trapped the ball and Pastornicky scored on the play for a 1-0 lead. Wisconsin (45-46, 11-10) tied the game in the top of the fourth. Brett Lawrie's one out, ground rule double drove in Pete Fatse from second base. But that was the last hit Wisconsin had with a runner in scoring position. The next two batters of the inning left Lawrie stranded at second. In the fifth, Wisconsin had runners at second and third with one out and both were still there when the inning ended. In the sixth, the Rattlers again had runners at second and third with one out and could not score. In the seventh, there was a Rattler at second with one out and he was still there when the inning ended. In the eighth, there were Rattlers at first and second with two outs. But, the score was still tied heading to the bottom of the eighth. Rattlers starting pitcher Dan Merklinger allowed the one run in the first and worked seven inning while striking out seven and giving up three hits. The usually solid Rattler reliever Nick Tyson ran into trouble in the bottom of the eighth. A single, a sacrifice bunt, and a single put runners at first and third with one out. Kenny Wilson sent a grounder towards second, but Tyson deflected the ball. Lawrie had a chance to get the runner at the plate, but threw wildly and the lead run scored with the other runners winding up at second and third. A walk to Pasternicky loaded the bases and Van Kirk followed with a two-run single to left and the Lugnuts were up 4-1. Then, Pasternicky stole third and scored on a throwing error to make it 5-1. Wisconsin went down quietly in the ninth for their fourth consecutive loss. The Lugnuts have the worst record in the Midwest League this season, but they are 4-0 against the Timber Rattlers in 2009. The Rattlers and Lugnuts meet in game two of the series on Sunday afternoon. Cody Scarpetta (2-6, 3.11) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Chris Holquin (0-0, 5.40) is set to start for Lansing. Game time is 1:05 PM CDT. Wisconsin Box Score Boy, that game summary just oozes with futility, doesn't it? It's games like that when we wish Chris Mehring didn't write such thorough recaps; LHP Dan Merklinger's development in 2009 is turning into a fantastic tale... Wisconsin Game Log

An astute reader and longtime fan and ticket holder of the Rattlers has reminded me that Cody Adams was on the disabled list to work with Wisconsin pitching coach Chris Hook on some new mechanics in his delivery. They did not send him out to Arizona to do this because Hook has been the one working with him this season. Adams also went from May 25 to June 11 without pitching in a game. So he was not going to be going back to 75-100 pitches a game right away. He was working his way back up to that level with each start since. I tend to rant and speculate a bit after disheartening Brewer losses and jumping online here. My mentioning of Adams' mysterious absence and pitch count level upon his return seemingly had nothing to do with his testing or suspension, I now agree. I realize this sheds no new light on Adams' suspension, but was worth clarifying.

Defensive Treat from "The Hurricane" Friday night: AUDIO -- Iribarren / Escobar Team Up Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Don Money

Jack Z. released OF Steve Moss, who was playing at low-A. RHP Chad Paronto back in the bigs with Houston.

Jack Z. released OF Steve Moss, who was playing at low-A. RHP Chad Paronto back in the bigs with Houston.

Looking forward to what RHP Adrian Rosario does tonight -- Helena play-by-play voice Steve Wendt indicates he just buggy-whips that fastball and it gets on hitters quickly. He gushed about him again last night in previewing Saturday's game.

Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 52 40 .565 - 30-20 22-20 W1 Iowa 47 45 .511 5.0 26-18 21-27 L1 Memphis 45 46 .495 6.5 29-18 16-28 L1 Omaha 37 54 .407 14.5 16-24 21-30 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 15 8 .652 - 7-3 8-5 L1 Chattanooga 11 10 .524 3.0 6-4 5-6 W3 Tennessee 11 12 .478 4.0 4-6 7-6 L1 Huntsville 10 13 .435 5.0 4-6 6-7 W1 Carolina 7 15 .318 7.5 3-9 4-6 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 12 7 .632 - 6-5 6-2 W2 Tampa 11 7 .611 0.5 4-4 7-3 W2 Dunedin 11 9 .550 1.5 7-6 4-3 L2 Clearwater 10 9 .526 2.0 2-4 8-5 L2 Lakeland 10 10 .500 2.5 3-4 7-6 W2 Daytona 9 11 .450 3.5 4-8 5-3 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Missoula 13 10 .565 - 9-4 4-6 L2 Great Falls 12 11 .522 1.0 6-4 6-7 L1 Helena 12 11 .522 1.0 5-7 7-4 W1 Billings 8 15 .348 5.0 4-7 4-8 L1

Midwest League Standings Arizona League Standings Dominican Summer League Standings

The Nashville series at Iowa is available via the MiLB.TV subscription package

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated a few hours prior to gametime. Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): *** We're going to include the link to Kraig McNutt's Nashville blog in the same post as the Nashville media notes link going forward. *** "Voice of the Rattlers" Chris Mehring's informative and entertaining Rattlers Radio Blog includes game notes an hour or two before gametime.

Saturday's Menu: Times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: LHP Lindsay Gulin at Iowa (Cubs), 6:40 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime Live Audio Link Huntsville: RHP Donovan Hand at Mississippi (Braves), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime Live Audio Link Brevard County: RHP Michael Bowman at home vs. Jupiter (Marlins), 6:05 PM gametime Live Audio Link (Hammerheads' Feed) Wisconsin: LHP Dan Merklinger at Lansing (Blue Jays), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime Live Audio Link Helena: RHP Adrian Rosario at Casper (Rockies), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime Live Audio Link Arizona Summer League: Idle Dominican Summer League Brewers / Orioles: at home vs. the DSL Giants (see this thread for some roster background) -- all games are 10:30 local time in the Dominican, and no need to ask about web audio; we usually won't see updated box scores until the overnight...

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

Link while active, text follows: Huntsville attendance frustrates Brewers By Maurice Patton THE TENNESSEAN While the Nashville Sounds have had their issues with the Milwaukee Brewers, they can be thankful that attendance hasn't been among them. The Huntsville Stars, Milwaukee's Class AA affiliate, can't quite say that. In the July 7 issue of The Huntsville Times, Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash warned that a lack of fan support could cause the major league franchise to break ties with the minor league club once the working agreement between the two expires at the end of the 2010 season. As the Brewers and the Sounds entered their working agreement prior to the 2005 season, hopes were high for a new facility to replace Greer Stadium, which debuted in 1978. The new stadium has still not materialized, but frustration from the big-league club is significantly higher with Huntsville than with its Class AAA counterpart, according to Ash. "The last several years, going into Huntsville - it's just a very apathetic community," Ash said over the all-star break. "What I was trying to say in the article was, don't, after the fact, get upset that you've lost baseball. Now is the time to do something about it." Serving as the Brewers' Double-A team since 1999, the Stars are last in the 10-team Southern League in average attendance (1,523 per date over 59 openings) this season. They trail the ninth-best team, West Tennessee (2,202), by nearly 700 per game. Attendance has been trending downward at Joe Davis Stadium over the past three years, despite the Brewers putting a quality product on the field in Huntsville. In 2007, the Stars advanced to the Southern League championship series but were next-to-last in attendance with an average of just 2,449 per game. Last year, despite a roster that featured five of the Brewers' top 10 minor league prospects, attendance fell to 2,389 per game - ninth yet again. In Nashville, attendance has not been particularly stellar. The Sounds' per-game average of 4,288 coming out of the All-Star Break is the second-worst total in the 16-team Pacific Coast League and down by 1,005 over the final reported average from last season. The team's new ownership group, though, has Ash and the Brewers optimistic about the future. "I think there seems to be a renewal of enthusiasm, of interest," Ash said. "I know there's been a tremendous amount of effort, time and money put into renovating a ballpark to satisfy the fans and our concerns over the next couple of years, but I know the goal's still to get a new facility if possible. "I think the Sounds' new ownership has been extremely forthright and extremely positive in its relations with the Brewers, and we're prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt in terms of moving forward." Frank Ward, one of the partners in the MFP Baseball ownership group that finalized its purchase of the Sounds in February, shares Ash's optimism about continuing his team's relationship with the Brewers. "I can't say I'm not disappointed (in attendance), but part of the problem is it's been out of people's minds for so long. We've had to rebuild the fan base. That's what we're attempting to do, get the fans back. I have no reason not to believe it would work for both of us." Progress on a new facility for the Sounds continues to be slow, if any, but it seems the Brewers are willing to be patient as the two teams also approach the end of their working agreement following the 2010 season. "What I'm hearing from the new ownership is that they're working diligently behind the scenes and doing things in the proper manner, and we'll wait to see how it unfolds," Ash said. "We've made no secret of the fact that if it can be made to work in Nashville, we'd like to be part of it. It's a great city, it geographically works for us." "The only drawback is the ballpark, and that's been at least temporarily improved. We'll hope there are better days ahead."

Final: Helena 5, Idaho Falls (Royals) 3 Helena Box Score Milwaukee faced Kansas City on three rookie levels Friday, taking two of three; Brewers scored three in the first, then two in the decisive 7th -- both innings detailed below, gifts in the 7th from the Chukars (it's a bird); slugging 22-year-old RF Scott Krieger has struck out 29 times in 87 AB's -- perhaps the next Brendan Katin in three years; 2nd baseman Mike Brownstein, still 21 until August, has a .467 OBP between Maryvale and Helena, he reached four times here; RHP Damon Kretalude was fine until a three-run 4th, then big 6'6" RHP Robert Currie, and fellow righties Ryan Platt and Michael Fiers finished up nicely... Helena Game Log Helena Top 1st Joshua Prince doubles (5) on a fly ball to right fielder Allen Caldwell. Mike Brownstein singles on a fly ball to center fielder Hilton Richardson. Joshua Prince scores. Mike Brownstein to 2nd on the throw.Scott Krieger strikes out swinging. With Chris Ellington batting, Mike Brownstein steals (7) 3rd base, Mike Brownstein scores. Throwing error by catcher Salvador Perez.Chris Ellington homers (6) on a fly ball to left field.Cameron Garfield flies out to center fielder Hilton Richardson. Michael Roberts walks. Joseph Paciorek walks. Michael Roberts to 2nd. With Kyle Dhanani batting, Michael Roberts steals (2) 3rd base. Kyle Dhanani strikes out swinging. Helena Top 7th Chad Stang triples (2) on a fly ball to right fielder Allen Caldwell. Joshua Prince walks. Mike Brownstein walks. Joshua Prince to 2nd. With Scott Krieger batting, wild pitch by Carlos Arias, Chadwin Stang scores. Joshua Prince to 3rd. Mike Brownstein to 2nd.Scott Krieger strikes out swinging. Chris Ellington hit by pitch. Cameron Garfield strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Carlos Arias. Joshua Prince scores. Mike Brownstein to 3rd. Chris Ellington to 2nd.Michael Roberts called out on strikes.

Final: Arizona Brewers 11, Arizona Royals 4 Arizona Box Score Usual third baseman Wayne Dedrick, focusing at the plate tonight as the DH, tripled, singled twice, walked, stole two bases, and drove in four to lead the way; second baseman Brandon Sizemore homered and trripled, it was his 2nd homer and the team's 7th; four Brewers were HBP and the boys also drew three walks to go along with 12 hits; Max Walla (slugging only .291) with a needed double as one of two base knocks; effective mound work from three RHP's, none older than 20 years old -- Jose Oviedo, Maverick Lasker, and Jose Sanchez... Arizona Game Log Brewers scored in six different innings, including from the 2nd through the 6th...

Helena wins 5-4, and the Maryvale kids are up 8-4 late with Wayne Dedrick having a big night at the plate. Details in the early AM...

Final: Nashville 4, Iowa (Cubs) 1 Brief Game Summary from the Cubs' Site: Nashville's summary is delayed this evening... The Nashville Sounds defeated the Iowa Cubs 4-1 Friday night at Principal Park in front of 11,235 fans. The Sounds got off to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Angel Salome hit a run-scoring single. Salome was 3-for-4 with a run scored tonight. The Sounds made it 2-0 in the second inning when Adam Heether doubled to start the inning and scored on Cole Gillespie's single to left field. Iowa plated their only run in the fourth inning. John-Ford Griffin doubled to right field to lead off the inning. Jason Dubois single to advance Griffin to third. Griffin then scored on Bobby Scales' sacrifice fly to trim Nashville's lead 2-1. Nashville solidified their lead with a two-run sixth inning for the 4-1 final. Jose Ascanio (2-2) was tagged with the loss for Iowa allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits. Chris Cody (4-4) picked up the win for the Sounds. Iowa and Nashville play the third game of the series tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Nashville Box Score Angel Salome and Cole Gillespie continue to see their averages climb -- Angel has hit .295, .315 and .314 monthly since his .191 April; just a wonderful line for Chris Cody, and after Toby ("And That") pointed out a less-than-stellar AAA strikeout ratio for Chris a few starts ago, look who has struck out 15 in his last 17.1 innings... Nashville Game Log

Final: Huntsville 4, Mississippi (Braves) 3 Huntsville Site Game Summary Lucroy Long Ball Leads Stars to Victory Huntsville Halts Three-Game Slide With Comeback Win By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars Jonathan Lucroy belted the game-winning home run in the seventh inning and the bullpen tossed four shutout innings to push Huntsville to a 4-3 come from behind win over Mississippi Friday night in the middle of a five-game set at Trustmark Park. The Stars improved to 10-13 in the second half and 48-44 overall, while the Braves dipped to 9-14 in the second half and 40-53 overall. Willie Cabrera tripled with one out in the second inning and came into score on a base hit by Eric Campbell against a drawn-in infield. Cabrera pushed his hitting streak to 12 games and has now reached base in 34 straight, the longest active streak in the league and the second longest in the league this season behind Carolina's Chris Heisey, who had reached in 35 in a row to begin the season. Campbell advanced on a groundout and scored on a two-out single by Travis Jones, who moved to second on the throw home and came around to score on a Matt Young base hit to complete the three-run rally. Stars' pitcher Sam Narron drew a one-out walk in the fifth and advanced to third base after a walk to Shane Justis and a Michael Garciaparra single. Drew Anderson's lineout to center field was deep enough to push across Narron with the visitors' first run of the game and their first of the series against a Braves' starter in 16 1/3 innings. Anderson has knocked in a run in five of the last six games. Narron went five frames in his first start with the Stars this season, allowing three runs on six hits, while walking two and fanning two. The Stars strung together three singles to load the bases with one out in the sixth inning and knock Lyman out of the game. Tim Gustafson took over and retired pinch-hitter J.R. Hopf on a popout before issuing walks to Justis and Garciaparra that forced in runs to tie the game at three. Lyman was charged with three runs on six hits, while walking four and fanning three and remains winless in his seven starts. Lucroy blasted his sixth home run of the season over the wall in straightaway center field off of Gustafson, who dropped to 1-1, to give the Stars their first lead of the night and first of the series. Mike McClendon worked scoreless relief in the sixth and seventh innings, allowing two hits and striking out two to grab his fourth win of the season and first since May 23. Bobby Bramhall walked Jason Heyward to open the eighth before he struck out Freddie Freeman and was followed to the hill by Juan Sandoval, who got two groundball outs to end the inning. Rob Wooten retired the side in order in the ninth to nail down his fourth save in as many chances. The series continues Saturday night with Stars right-hander Donovan Hand taking the hill against Braves' southpaw Scott Diamond. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville Box Score Jonathan Lucroy also nabbed the lone attempting basestealer; Shane Justis and Michael Garciaparra each walked three times at the top of the lineup, Garciaparra added a single; Stars drew nine bases on balls; Taylor Green 0-for-5 hitting cleanup... Huntsville Game Log

Link while active, text follows: Easy Money Terry McCormick, Nashville City Paper As a baseball player, Don Money enjoyed a long Major League career that stretched between 1968 and 1983. But as a manager, the current Nashville Sounds skipper took an unconventional route to get where he is today. Money, a four-time American League All-Star as an infielder with the Milwaukee Brewers for 11 of his 15 major league seasons, finished his big league career with a .261 batting average, 176 home runs and 729 RBIs. But once he retired, Money didn't jump right into coaching. He took some time off away from the game - 15 years away to be exact. What did he do during his time away from baseball? "Nothing," he said. "I went home. My kids would have been like 12 and 13, so I went home and just got out of the game." Well, he didn't exactly do "nothing." Money still dabbled in the game, coaching baseball at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Vineland, N.J., and doubling up as a coach in a men's league on weekends, all the while tending to family matters. "Of course, they graduated from school, got married and had their own families, and I coached high school for five years," Money said. "Then I said, 'You know, this is a seven-day-a-week job. High school five days during the week and the men's league on the weekends. My kids got out of the house, and I started to get the itch to get back in." Fortune smiled down on Money, now 62, because at that time there was an opening in the Brewers organization for him. A connection with former teammate Cecil Cooper, who was working in the Brewers front office, helped hook Money up with his first managing job. "Cecil Cooper ended up getting the minor league director's job in Milwaukee, so I called him up in probably March (1997) and I just happened to ask him if he had any openings coming up," Money recalled. "I said I'd be interested. "He said, 'I have some openings, but I can't tell you when and where.' He said, 'I'll call you back later in the summer.' So he called me back sometime around August and he offered me the manager's job in Helena, Mont., which is in Rookie League. I said, 'OK, fine.' " Money was all set to spend time in the mountains of the Northwest in the summer of '98. However, that Montana managing stop never materialized. Cooper called Money back a few weeks later with a different sort of assignment for his old Brewers teammate. "About three weeks after all this came about, they were still looking for a manager in Beloit, [Wisc.]. Cooper said, 'Nah, I've changed my mind. I want you to go to Beloit, which is a full season,'" Money said. Money was pleased with the change, because it meant he would be managing a full-season team rather than the short-season team in rookie ball. It worked out well enough that Money stayed in Beloit for seven seasons before being promoted to the Double-A Huntsville, Ala., Stars. Money managed in Huntsville for four seasons before taking over the Sounds' top job this year. For a guy who spent a decade-and-a-half in the majors, Money doesn't mind the slow climb up the ladder as a manager. "It's like anything else, you've got to pay your dues," he said. "A lot of players I played against think it's easy. But it's not an easy job. You've got to learn the ropes. "As players, you know the playing side of it, but we don't know the other side of it," he added. "You know baseball - [like] when to bunt and when not to bunt. But it's all the other behind-the-scenes stuff that you really don't know as a player. Like dealing with personalities." According to his Sounds players, many of whom he has managed in Beloit and/or Huntsville, dealing with them is Money's strong suit. "He's up front. He'll tell you what he expects, and the team understands what to expect from him," said outfielder Cole Gillespie. "If you're not getting the job done, he's not afraid to make some moves." The fact that Money spent so much time in the majors also counts plenty for prospects who have yet to realize their own big-league dreams. Plus, as a former player himself, Money understands the ups and downs of baseball life. "If you see a guy that's been in the 'Bigs' for a long time, you've got to respect that," said catcher Angel Salome. "He's one of the best managers I've had. He knows what it is to be a baseball player, he knows how it is when you're tired, or when you're struggling." According to Money, players on the Triple-A level are also more appreciative of his past than the youngsters he dealt with at the lower levels. "When I got back into it, I was back in low A-ball. You're dealing with kids who are 18 to 21 or 22 for the most part and they know everything about the world already," he said. "When I first started, the players I coached didn't even know I'd played in the big leagues. I'd talk to the opposing third baseman, and he'd say, 'Coach, did you ever play in the big leagues?' And I'd say, 'Yeah, I got a little time,' and just leave it there. "These players here are a little older and they might know your stats. I'm not one to go out and say I did this or I did that. Go look it up. It's in there someplace." Money knows there are difficulties that come for a manager. Having to teach younger kids the same fundamentals over and over can become frustrating, and he said it's never easy to have to tell a player he's been released. "I think the biggest thing as far as a manager's standpoint is not sending a guy down, it's releasing a guy," Money said. "Sometimes when you release a guy, he might show up on other teams, maybe that year or next year. Some guys you release, they go back to independent ball, or they go get a real job. That's the hardest part." As for what the future holds for him as a manager or big league coach, Money has a low-key approach to all of that. "My goal is to win today's game first. It's one game at a time. We don't look at next week or win tomorrow," he said. Surely, being so close to being back in the majors, Money has some aspirations for such a promotion. "It's irrelevant. If it happens, it happens, and if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen," he said. "Some guys, their goals are to try to get back to the big leagues. My goal is to just try to win today's game, and we'll see what happens down the road." Another unique perspective to Money's approach is his loyalty to the Brewers organization, where his two stints have now totaled 23 years. He said he can't see himself working for any other franchise at the current time. "It'd have to be in Milwaukee. I don't think I'd go anywhere else. I played for them for 11 years, and managed for 12. I couldn't foresee myself moving," Money said. "Of course, you could get laid off or fired, but I don't think I would get on the phone and say, 'Hey, what do you have?' I'd probably just go home. "This is the team I grew up with. I got traded over here when I was 24, and I played for them for 11 years. I got out of it and got back into it for 12 years. When you've been with them for 11 of your 15 [playing] years and 12 years coaching, I really couldn't foresee myself moving. Could it happen? Yes, but I really don't foresee it."

Link while active, text follows: Gonzales on life in the big leagues, Ripken's record By JASON SCOTT - Helena Independent Record Editor's note: Helena Brewers manager Rene Gonzales took advantage of the All-Star break to relax and let his short-A club team take the day off. He also recently took the opportunity to sit down with Independent Record reporter Jason Scott, the beat reporter covering the Brewers this season. This is Part 2 of an excerpt of the interview. JS: Did you enjoy playing with Cal Ripken Jr.? RG: When I was playing there, every one forgets. Forget the consecutive game thing, he had consecutive innings. He didn't miss an inning for 10 years. He hadn't missed an inning, an at bat, nothing. It was a joke, like, "Who's the only backup shortstop never to play shortstop?" Finally his dad pulled him out of the game. He told him, "You're not going back in there." I think it was in Toronto, and I think Cal was taken aback, too. I was sitting next to him and he was literally tearing up. JS: Do you have any lasting friendships? RG: That's the coolest thing about my career is that I can call all those guys my friends. You know, Cal, Eddie Murray, Dave Parker. I played with Pete Rose in Montreal. That was awesome. Tim Lollar, Terry Francona, guys like that. If you saw my contact list, you'd be amazed. JS: At what level did you have the most fun? RG: I think like a lot of things, whether it's baseball or whatever career, when you look back, it's almost cliché, but the journey is the most fun part. The funniest and craziest stories come out of the minors. The long bus trips, the bad food and hotels and all that stuff. The big leagues are everything that you could imagine. You're staying in the best hotels, eating at the best restaurants, you never wait in line for anything, you hardly ever pay for a meal, you never see your luggage, it just shows up in your room and you play in front of thousands of people. It's an absolute joke. People go, "Wow, you live this big league life." With that, everybody thinks it's the greatest thing in the world. But it's much more cutthroat than people think. You perform or you go home. I can't tell you how many times I'd come into the clubhouse and look at the locker next to me and it's empty. That guy's gone. He was struggling, not hitting the ball. See you. That part about it is not glamorous at all. It's all well-earned and it's short-lived. The careers are very short and people are saying, "How are you paying this guy $15 million?" It's because very few people can do it. How does Tom Cruise get paid $20 million for a movie? JS: I guess if people are willing to watch it, those superstars are going to want to get paid. RG: It just makes you nervous. I remember we opened the season in Cleveland in the old stadium, the "Mistake on the Lake." There were 70,000 people for Opening Day. It was just unbelievable. People would ask me if I was nervous. I never was. I was more nervous on the bench for my teammates than I ever was on the field. JS: It's something you can control. RG: Yeah. It's like driving. You're with your best buddy, who's driving the car and you're totally comfortable, but you would be more comfortable if you were driving because you are in control. When I would break it down, there are all these people and you're hoping to get a ground ball hit to you, I thought I was still in my back yard with my brother hitting me ground balls. The surrounding and atmosphere doesn't really change; it's just fielding a simple ground ball. It was funny. In Cleveland with all the 70,000 people and the fireworks and all that, the next night there were like 19,000. That old stadium was horrible. The new stadium, Jacobs, is pretty awesome. In Baltimore, John Miller was our play-by-play guy. He was in Baltimore forever. I knew before anyone else that he was good, I think before the rest of the world did. Now he's so national, but he was our everyday guy. There's another friend. What baseball has brought me is stuff like that. John Miller is now a good friend of mine. Tim Kurkjian was our beat writer. Those guys were like part of the team. They were on the buses and planes with us. They're with you in the locker room every day. It's pretty cool. JS: Now, in 2009, what has changed. What have you noticed is different since when you were a player? RG: I think a lot of things have changed. The guys coming up now don't have the history and knowledge of the game that is as good as it was back then. I think there's just so much more going on in their lives and the culture and stuff like that. JS: Would you say that the athleticism is better? RG: I think overall the size of the guys is bigger. I wouldn't say the athleticism is better at all. I think the era like in the '70s, teams were so fast and athletic. I think Astroturf changed it a lot. No, I don't think the athleticism is better, I'd say it's less. I think guys get a little bit more one-dimensional. They can do this but they can't do that. JS: Any really strange moments? RG: Tons of them. But there's so many of them. I think my friends are better at telling them because they have their favorites. JS: You were on hand when Ripken broke the record, right? RG: Yeah. That was really huge. We had talked about being there when that would happen. At the beginning of the year, I looked at the schedule and saw that I would be in town when this happened. It was so cool. I played in that game. It was so cool. I think I was supposed to be there. He being my friend, I think it was meant to be. Even if I was on the other side. He came through and shook all of our hands and eventually I gave him a big old hug. It was great. Sometimes my friends and I stay up all night telling stories. JS: Now you're a manager. What's it like? RG: Baseball is the same as it ever was. Being on the field with the players and in the dugout is still the greatest thing ever. Even the umpires will tell you the same. Umpires are probably the most hated guys on the field but they wouldn't say that. They're part of a pretty cool thing going on. Now it's a little bit different, seeing guys succeed and follow up and move on is the greatest thing for me. Dealing with 30 different personalities is a challenge. I think that's what makes me a good coach is my ability to do that. Even as a player, I played for seven different teams. That's tons of ballplayers. You could name anyone. I bet I spent time with all of them. The challenge is to know how to treat people. Knowing that with this guy, you have to put your foot in his butt and this guy you have to stroke him a little more. A lot of it is semantics. It's Sociology 101. I think I'm really good at that. I think that's what made Buck Rogers a really good coach and what makes me a good coach. Doing reports and sending in all that stuff is not the fun part of it. I used to be the first one to the ballpark and the last one to leave as a player and now I still am even more so. I don't leave here until midnight. I get here at 1 p.m. for a 7 o'clock ballgame.

Woot-off! Stars win 4-3, as Rob Wooten is now 4-for-4 in AA save chances with a sweet 1-2-3 effort with two K's , the rest of the bullpen shined as well, and Jonathan Lucroy with what proved to be a game-winning blast in the 7th. Details soon...

Final: Great Lakes (Dodgers) 7, Wisconsin 5 Wisconsin Site Game Summary Loons sweep Rattlers By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers MIDLAND, MI -- The Great Lakes Loons erased a 3-1 deficit with a six-run sixth inning and held off a late Rattler rally for a 7-5 win Friday night at Dow Diamond. The win gave the Loons a three-game sweep of the Rattlers in the series. The teams traded runs in the second inning. Juan Sanchez gave the Rattlers (49-49 overall, 11-9 second half) a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single. But, the Loons (50-41, 10-11) answered with an RBI single by Nick Buss. Brock Kjeldgaard untied the game in the top of the sixth against Loons reliever Geison Aguasviva. Corey Kemp started the inning with a single. and Kjeldgaard followed with a two-run homer for a 3-1 Wisconsin lead. The homer was Kjeldgaard's fifteenth of the season. But Rattlers starting pitcher Wily Peralta couldn't hold the lead. He walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth and gave up a single to the second batter. Alfredo Silverio was next and his double drove in a run and put runners at second and third with no outs. Matt Wallach followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game 3-3. Nick Buss singled and put runners at first and third. Then, Dee Gordon singled in a run to put the Loons up 4-3 and knock Peralta out of the game. Rattlers reliever Liam Ohlmann entered the game and gave up a two-run double to Jaime Pedroza that put the Loons up 6-3. Ohlmann would walk the bases loaded after getting a strikeout for the second out of the inning. The righty would force in a run to make the score 7-3 by walking Anthony Hatch. The Rattlers got a little help from Aguaviva in the top of the eighth inning. The lefty walked the first two batters he faced and Jose Duran doubled them in to cut the lead to 7-5. But, Aguasviva got the first out of the inning and Luis Garcia got the next two to keep the Rattlers at bay. Wisconsin made it interesting in the ninth. After Garcia struck out the first batter, he gave up a single to Lorenzo Cain and walked Brett Lawrie to put the tying runs on base. Cole St. Clair relieved Garcia and got a strikeout for the second out. Kjeldgaard kept the game alive with an infield single to load the bases and put the lead run on base. But, St. Clair struck out Duran to end the game and sweep the Rattlers out of Dow Diamond. The Rattlers continue their road swing through Michigan with a three-game series at Lansing that begins on Saturday night. Dan Merklinger (3-2, 2.74) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The Lugnuts will send Joel Correno (0-1, 4.41) to the hill. Game time is 6:05 PM CDT. Wisconsin Box Score LHP Brandon Ritchie retired the only man he faced to strand three of Liam Ohlmann's baserunners to keep it close, and LHP Evan Frederickson only faced one over the minimum as he tossed two scoreless frames; RHP Wily Peralta allowed 13 baserunners in his 5.1 innings, so even before the disastrous 6th inning, he was uneven tonight; Michael Vass pinch-hit for SS Michael Marseco in a non-obvious pinch-hit situation in the 6th, no apparent reason for Marseco's exit; Lorenzo Cain one of four Rattlers with multiple hits, his second consecutive such game... Wisconsin Game Log

As of 10:00 PM Central, the Stars are clinging to a 4-3 lead in the 8th, a good chance to catch the end of Brett's call for those of you online at this time.

Defensive gems for Hernan Iribarren and Jason Bourgeois in the 9th inning of a 4-1 Nashville win, a nice listen of Chuck's calls by popping in after another big league disappointment -- details soon...

Final: Brevard County 12, Clearwater (Phillies) 5 This team rocks... Brevard County Box Score Manatees scored in each of the first four innings, rolling to an 11-1 lead at that point; Mark Rogers strong, as noted by an astute poster http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif above; LHP Lucas Luetge settled down and earned a four-inning save despite being hit up for a four-spot in his first inning of work; Zelous Wheeler drove in five on a perfect night with two doubles, a sacrifice fly, and two walks; Steffan Wilson 3-for-5, now hitting .294, good for 10th in the league -- my Wilson-autographed Manatee cap has been on all summer, kid; Logan Schafer and Lee Haydel joined Wilson by reaching three times each, three others were on base twice, including Caleb Gindl, who smacked HR # 10, a three-run shot; Sergio Miranda hit first homer of the season; catcher Anderson de la Rosa made his first appearance in a month, coming off the disabled list... Brevard County Game Log