Jim Goulart

Nashville's Brendan Katin came into the AAA Home Run Derby leading the PCL participants with 19 homers on the season, but only sent three balls out and did not advance to the second round. Full account of the AAA derby, including a local high schooler who put a scare into the competitors with his prowess, here.

Final: DSL Mets 7, DSL Brewers / Orioles 6 DSL Brewers / Orioles Box Score Brewers / Orioles scored six runs in the 6th to tie the game, lost it in the 7th; just-turned 20-year-old 6'5" LHP Jose Ramos has appeared in 17 of the club's 38 games, averaging nearly two innings per appearance -- he was a very-tough luck loser here, allowing only an unearned run over 2.2 innings, stranding two inherited runners while striking out four and walking none; Joan Abreu, Andres Martinez, and Jhonatan Javier participated on offense, you'll see their lines among the first four in the box score... DSL Brewers / Orioles Game Log

Final: Brevard County 7, Lakeland (Tigers) 0 Manatees' Anundsen tosses another gem Brewers prospect gives up one hit over six innings By Mason Kelley / Special to MLB.com Most pitchers have an off night every now and then. With so many games and a myriad of potential scenarios, even the best arms meet their match from time to time. But through 15 starts this season, Evan Anundsen has yet to give up more than three earned runs in any outing. When asked to explain his consistency after his latest appearance -- one hit and five strikeouts over six scoreless innings during the Manatees' 7-0 victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers -- the 21-year-old couldn't come up with an explanation. "Honestly, I'm not 100 percent sure," he said. "The only overall change I've had from last year is focus, concentration in between each pitch and during each throw. Just knowing that, at any time, one pitch can get you out of a jam." On Monday, Anundsen said he felt good, but gave most of the credit to his defense, especially the outfield, for tracking down several long fly balls. The only hit he surrendered was a leadoff single by Christopher White in the third. "Fastball command was probably my biggest strength," he said. "I kept the ball away from the middle of the plate. I didn't get the ball down as much as I usually do. To be honest, I got a lot of fly balls -- there were some well-hit fly balls, so I've got to give props to my defense." One of the harder lessons for young players to learn is finding their focus against struggling opponents. It's something Anundsen figured out early this season. "It's kind of tough to go into every game with the same mental approach and attitude," he said. "It's one of those things that I've been working with some of our coaches and treating every game the same." Last season, the fourth-round pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft went 12-8 with a 4.28 ERA over 28 starts for Class A West Virginia. This year he is already 8-4 and his 1.85 ERA leads all active Class A Advanced starters. But he still isn't quite sure why he's been so successful this season. Maybe it's focus. Maybe it's his newly acquired slider. "Overall everything has gotten a little bit better, a little bit sharper from last year," Andunsen. "I'm not sure. Maybe I'm getting lucky a lot." With his three-quarters arm slot, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander has always been told a slider would come naturally. But his coaches insisted he work on his curveball and changeup. Master those and then move onto the slider. It worked. He added the slider a few months ago and it's already his second-best pitch. "Really, now I've pretty much picked up my fourth pitch," he said. "I don't know if I'm going to be picking up another one." The next step for Anundsen is to find a way to stay physically and mentally sharp later in the season. Last season, right about this time, fatigue became an issue. The Englewood, Colo. native faces and even tougher challenge this year in Florida's summer swelter. Like every season in the Minors, it is something to learn from. "This definitely will be a huge advantage later on," he said. "That's one of the biggest things I picked up from last year, just the experience of going through my first complete full season and getting up to 150 innings, knowing what I feel like. "I'm just waiting to see how my body reacts." Brevard County Box Score Evan Anundsen echoes some of the sentiments he shared with our friend battlekow in his excellent BrewCrewBall interview here; RHP Omar Aguilar and LHP Rafael Lluberes finished up for the shutout; Baseball America reported this week that the Brewers released Lluberes and then re-signed him, probably some contract technicality; all nine men in the lineup reached base at least once, and all but catcher Martin Maldonado had at least one base hit, and six Manatees reached at least twice... Brevard County Game Log Brevard scored in five separate innings, see how here... Evan Anundsen's 1.85 ERA leads all active Class A Advanced starters. (Photo by Jerry Hale/MiLB.com) http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2009/07/13/pHcEI3eX.jpg

Final: Casper (Rockies) 7, Helena 1 Helena Site Game Summary Brewers Lose Series to Ghosts By Dan Douts / Helena Brewers HELENA, MT-- The Brewers are probably ready for the off-day after tonight's game. Helena committed seven errors, had only two hits as they lost 7-1 to the Casper Ghosts in the rubber match on Monday night. Jon Pokorny gave up one earned run on two hits in three innings and was given his first loss of the season. The Brewers used five pitchers on the night. The staff gave up seven runs, five of which were earned. Josh Prince and Mike Brownstein had the two hits for the Brewers with Brownstein picking up his lone RBI, his ninth of the season. The entire Pioneer League will have a day off tomorrow as play will return on the 15th. The Brewers will open up a seven game road trip against the Idaho Falls Chukars on July 15th. Helena Box Score Surprisingly, the Helena Independent Record did not provide their usual complete coverage of this game, so we look to the comments above of our Montana friend tonight; I've always appreciated MTBrew's insights (I did have to edit out one acronym that isn't allowed here), but I like the fact he's looking for the old-school fundamentals and watches everything closely from pre-game warm-up routines to the nuances of the game itself; it is odd how every player speaks so highly of "Gonzo", maybe that's not how rookie ballers should be referring to their manager; from afar, it does seem that some reigns need to be placed on Josh Prince, but the .429 OBP shines -- 19 singles and three doubles make up his first 22 hits; 20-year-old LHP Kristian Bueno has been limited to mid-game very brief appearances, none of his seven outings lasting more than 1.2 innings -- he's been very effective, allowing only one hit and four walks in 6.1 innings (last season he walked 32 in 39 Maryvale innings)... Helena Game Log

Final: Wisconsin 5, South Bend (Diamondbacks) 2 Wisconsin Site Game Summary NIEVES AND RATTLERS HAVE A NICE DAY GRAND CHUTE, WI -- Wisconsin Timber Rattlers starter Efrain Nieves struck out seven over five innings and picked up his third win of the season in a 5-2 win over the South Bend Silver Hawks Monday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Field. Brock Kjeldgaard homered and Juan Sanchez drove in two runs for some of the offensive support. The top two draft picks of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2009 draft combined to give the Silver Hawks (35-51 overall, 8-10 second half) a 1-0 lead in the first inning. A.J. Pollock, the #1 pick of Arizona out of the University of Notre Dame, singled with two outs. Marc Krauss, the second round pick of out of Ohio University, doubled to right-center and Pollock scored easily. But, that was all Nieves would allow on the afternoon. Wisconsin (45-42, 11-6) tied the game right away in the bottom of the first. Sanchez walked to start the inning. Peter Fatse doubled off the wall in left and Sanchez, who was running on the pitch, scored without a play to even the score 1-1. The Rattlers broke the tie with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Michael Marseco reached on a fielder's choice with two outs as the Hawks could not complete a double play. He stole second to get into scoring position. Sanchez singled off the glove of shortstop Victor Estevez and Marseco scored the go ahead run. Nieves turned the game over to the bullpen at this point in the game. He allowed four hits and walked three in his five innings. The seven strikeouts was a season high for the lefty. After Brandon Ritchie pitched a scoreless top of the sixth, Kjeldgaard lined a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to put Wisconsin up 3-1. The homer was Kjeldgaard's fourteenth of the season. Marseco padded the Rattlers lead in the seventh inning. He drove in a run with an RBI triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sanchez. Cody Scarpetta pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, but needed help to close down the Silver Hawks in the ninth. South Bend loaded the bases with no outs and Scarpetta allowed a sacrifice fly to Isaias Asencio to make the score 5-2. That run was the first allowed by Scarpetta in 16-1/3 innings. Asencio was also the final batter he faced. Nick Tyson relieved and got the final two outs for his fifth save in five chances this season. The Timber Rattlers are off on Tuesday. They return to action on Wednesday against the Great Lakes Loons at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan. Wisconsin has Trey Watten (4-7, 3.98) as their scheduled starting pitcher. The Loons have Nathan Eovaldi (1-4, 3.80) as their scheduled starter. Game time is 6:05 PM CDT. Wisconsin Box Score LHP Efrain Nieves has had an insane split as a starter / reliever in his piggyback role with Cody Scarpetta this season, entering the game with an ERA over 9.00 as a starter in his nine previous starts, but with an ERA of 1.25 in 21.2 relief innings pitched, so this starting effort was big... Wisconsin Game Log

Apparently for you locals, this afternoon's Timber Rattler game is one of those televised on Time Warner.

Catcher Carlos Corporan returns to Nashville from Brevard County. Catcher Martin Maldonado heads back to the Manatees from Wisconsin. RHP Mitch Miller is moved to the Helena roster to make room for Maldonado. Hopefully we'll see Miller pitch soon, he left an ealier game after being hit by a line drive. Maldonado just needs to be assigned to Huntsville to complete the yearly tour above rookie ball. We're pretty sure he's a decent guy, but we're still waiting for an explanation as to why once-every-two-month catcher Patrick Arlis continues to tie up a AAA roster spot.

We'll probably see a press release down trhe road, but RHP Amaury Rivas is your Florida State League Pitcher of the Week.

Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 51 39 .567 - 30-20 21-19 W2 Iowa 46 44 .511 5.0 25-17 21-27 L2 Memphis 44 45 .494 6.5 29-18 15-27 W1 Omaha 36 53 .404 14.5 15-23 21-30 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 14 6 .700 - 7-3 7-3 W1 Chattanooga 9 10 .474 4.5 6-4 3-6 W1 Huntsville 9 11 .450 5.0 4-6 5-5 L1 Tennessee 9 11 .450 5.0 4-6 5-5 W1 Carolina 7 13 .350 7.0 3-7 4-6 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tampa 9 5 .643 - 4-4 5-1 W3 Brevard County 9 6 .600 0.5 5-5 4-1 L2 Clearwater 9 7 .563 1.0 1-2 8-5 L1 Dunedin 9 7 .563 1.0 6-6 3-1 L2 Lakeland 8 8 .500 2.0 1-3 7-5 W2 Daytona 8 9 .471 2.5 3-6 5-3 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Falls 11 8 .579 - 5-2 6-6 L1 Missoula 11 8 .579 - 8-4 3-4 L1 Helena 10 9 .526 1.0 5-6 5-3 W1 Billings 5 14 .263 6.0 2-6 3-8 L2

Midwest League Standings Arizona League Standings Dominican Summer League Standings

Rattler Radio Blog: July 13, 2009: Starting Lineup July 13, 2009: Today's Pitchers July 13, 2009: Game Notes

Kraig McNutt's Nashville blog has plenty of interesting Brendan Katin updates and photos today. The AAA Home Run Derby includes Katin.

Follow Monday'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. Brevard County: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2009_07_13_lakafa_breafa_1 Wisconsin: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_07_13_souafx_wisafx_1&did=t572&sid=t572 Helena: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_07_13_casrok_helrok_1&did=t433&sid=t433 Dominican Summer League Brewers / Orioles: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2009_07_13_dobrok_dmerok_1

Monday's Menu: Times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: Idle for the All-Star Break; game is Wednesday Huntsville: Idle -- All-Star Game is Monday evening, more details can be found here Brevard County: RHP Evan Anundsen at home vs. Lakeland (Tigers), 6:05 PM gametime Sorry, no audio for this series Wisconsin: LHP Efrain Nieves at home vs. South Bend (Diamondbacks), 11:50 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime; RHP Cody Scarpetta will also see mound action Live Audio Link Helena: TBD at home vs. Casper (Rockies), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime Live Audio Link Arizona Summer League: Idle Dominican Summer League Brewers / Orioles: at the DSL Mets (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...

Monday night's Southern League All-Star Game begins at 7:05 Central and can be heard via this link. Follow the action online (box score and game log) here. Hopefully there will be a Gameday option available as well. Summary comments on the game should be posted here as opposed to Monday's Link Report. Prior All-Star updates are in some of the previous posts in this thread.

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

Link while active, text follows: Sounds ace finds motivation in All-Star snub Dillard's June stats undid stellar start to the season By Larry Taft THE TENNESSEAN If anything, a career as a professional baseball player has taught Tim Dillard to be patient. And he has learned that he has limited control of his destiny. So it should come as no surprise that the Sounds' right-handed pitcher was philosophical when he was overlooked for Wednesday night's Triple-A All-Star game in Portland, despite having won a league-best nine games heading into this week's break. "Your goal is that wherever you are, whether it's 'A' ball, Double-A, Triple-A or the big leagues, you want to be the best," Dillard said. "You want to be on the All-Star team. I have been on a few in the past. I haven't been on one in Triple-A, and I was kind of pulling for this one. I thought this might be it. But I don't think there is frustration. If anything, it's like it is a little more incentive to try to do even better." Essentially, Dillard's omission from the Pacific Coast League team is a result of two factors - his own poor timing and a numbers game. Dillard won his first five starts this season, notching his fifth victory the first week in May. Then after losing three of his next five decisions, he had a horrible June swoon, failing to win a game between May 30 and June 29. All-Star balloting was conducted during that period, and Dillard's slump went a long way toward keeping him out of the game. "The thing about it is that (managers) only get to vote for two starters, two relievers and a player at the other positions," Nashville Manager Don Money said. "The rest of the team is picked by the league. There are teams that we haven't even seen yet so you don't know about some guys when you're voting. "At the time of the voting, he was having a rough time. But did he have credentials to make it? Yeah, he was pitching as well as anyone else." Dillard, a native of Mississippi who makes his offseason home in Nashville, isn't quite sure what led to his unproductive stretch. "I just got away from the game plan here and there. Usually, when you have a good start, you want to build on it," he said. "Somewhere, I kind of had an OK start. "Then it got to be a little bad and then it got really bad. "It kind of went from there and I had nothing to build on. "Finally, I ended up having a good one, and I've just been trying to build off of that." Dillard, who was a reliever last year, already has beaten the odds. A 34th-round pick by Milwaukee in the 2002 draft, he had two call-ups to the Brewers last year. This season he's in Nashville's starting rotation, and he has had success by expanding his repertoire of pitches. "I'm classified as more of a sinker-slider guy. Last year, that's pretty much all I threw out of the bullpen. As a starter, you have to have three pitches, and I've really harped on my change-up," he said. "Lately, it's been my go-to pitch. I get in a bind, and I throw the changeup. But on Thursday night, I threw 30 sliders and I threw 25 of them for strikes. That's the best it has been all season. "Things seem to be coming together. And if they do, he could get another shot with Milwaukee. At least, he's patiently clinging to that hope. "The biggest thing in Triple-A is that it is easy to get bitter. There are guys around the league that we've seen - pitchers and position players - that are big-league guys. That's obvious that they can play," he said. "But in the minor leagues, a player might not get called up because the guy above them is an All-Star. Think of the guy who is playing first base at Memphis right now. He' got Albert Pujols in front of him. That's tough. "You just have to keep plugging away and keep doing what you are supposed to do and believe that things will work out. "If not, you know this is where you are supposed to be for now, where you have to be and what you have to do. It's not easy, but that's the approach you have to take." Sounds pitcher Tim Dillard has won a league-best nine games heading into the break but was left out of Wednesday's All-Star game. Photo by SHELLEY MAYS / THE TENNESSEAN http://cmsimg.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20090713&Category=SPORTS0401&ArtNo=907130335&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

Birmingham's doing well...

This story's been around for a while -- perhaps the Orlando Manatees down the road? Impact to the Brewers or any other affiliation down the road with Brevard County would be minimal, with fine facilities either way...it's a two-page article via the link.

The really poor facility is a much, much bigger issue. Buck Rogers said he has met with city officials to discuss the Brewers' desire for drastic stadium upgrades, including the addition of indoor-hitting facilities. Brewers business manager Scott Martens, who also oversees the team's minor-league operations, was more blunt about the Stars' future. "In my opinion, in order for baseball to survive and thrive in Huntsville, a new stadium is needed," Martens said. "A stadium where fans will want to come out and support the team."

It should be all about the facilities as it relates to player development, not so much the fan atmosphere -- the Manatees play before fireflies, yet in a major-league quality spring training facility, crowds are not a concern in choosing the Florida State League over the Carolina League at high-A.

Final, Game Two: Lakeland (Tigers) 2, Brevard County 1 Brevard County Game Two Box Score RHP Roque Mercedes has been good, but as they say, he's no Rob Wooten, and a 1-0 lead is lost in the top of the final frame, and the boys go down meekly to end it; RHP Michael Bowman had walked 13 in his prior three starts, so this line is a welcome sight; Caleb Gindl and Eric Farris teamed up to cut down a man at the plate and preseve a then-scoreless game in the top of the 5th; Manatees scored their only run of the 14-inning doubleheader via small ball in their half of the 5th... Brevard County Game Two Game Log Apparently the mess below is goofing up the bats more than the arms... June 30 @ Charlotte, Postponed: Wet Grounds July 1 @ Charlotte, Postponed: Rain 7 @ Tampa, Suspended: Rain 8 vs. Clearwater, Postponed: Rain 10 vs. Clearwater, Postponed: Rain 11 vs. Lakeland, Postponed: Rain

Final, Game One: Lakeland (Tigers) 4, Brevard County 0 Brevard County Game One Box Score Lots of line drives in Mark Rogers' 2nd and final inning, detailed below -- Rogers has been scored upon in four of his last five mini-starts, not sure about the rest of you, but let's just get us into 2010 already concerning Mark, these appearances border on uninteresting, sorry, but glad you're healthy, kid; RHP Brandon Rapoza and LHP Lucas Luetge finished up nicely, as the 'Tees actually outhit the Flying Tigers, 6-4; Brevard wasted nice chances in the 3rd and in particular, the 4th... Brevard County Game One Game Log Lakeland Top 2nd Chris Carlson walks. Devin Thomas singles on a line drive to left fielder Lee Haydel. Chris Carlson to 2nd. Audy Ciriaco lines out to second baseman Eric Farris. Maiko Loyola singles on a ground ball to shortstop Brent Brewer. Chris Carlson to 3rd. Devin Thomas to 2nd. Joshua Workman grounds out, shortstop Brent Brewer to first baseman Steffan Wilson. Chris Carlson scores. Devin Thomas to 3rd. Maiko Loyola to 2nd. Adrian Casanova singles on a line drive to right fielder Caleb Gindl. Devin Thomas scores. Maiko Loyola scores. Justin Henry called out on strikes.

By the way, the start of Casper at Helena is being delayed by rain.

Final: Nashville 3, Round Rock (Astros) 1, completed early, eight innings, rain Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Brendan Katin photo, text follows -- NASHVILLE - The Nashville Sounds beat the Round Rock Express 3-1 in a rain-shortened eight-inning game at historic Greer Stadium on Sunday. With the win over Round Rock, Nashville (51-39) takes three out of five in the series and enters the All-Star Break with a four-game lead in the American Northern Division. Sounds starter Chase Wright allowed one run on three hits in three innings. Round Rock scored on a leadoff triple / sacrifice fly in the 2nd inning. Sam Narron (1-2) threw five scoreless innings in relief, striking out five and earning the win. Sounds first baseman Joe Koshansky hit a leadoff single in the Sounds' half of the 2nd to start the charge for Nashville, and was brought home to tie the game at 1 on a double by outfielder Brendan Katin. Outfielder Cole Gillespie followed with a double of his own to score Katin, with Johnny Raburn singling home Gillespie for a 3-1 Sounds lead. AUDIO: Cole Gillespie Double Express starter Yorman Bazardo (7-4) took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in six innings. The Sounds take the next three days off during the Triple-A All-Star break before resuming their schedule on Thursday evening in Des Moines, Iowa, when they open a four-game series against the division-rival Iowa Cubs. Right-hander Tim Dillard (9-3, 3.91) makes the start for Nashville in Thursday's 7:05 PM series opener. Iowa has yet to announce its starter for the contest. Katin will compete in the American Family Insurance All-Star Home Run Derby scheduled for Monday, July 13 at 9:00 PM CT at PGE Park in Portland, Oregon. The All-Star Home Run Derby is being held in conjunction with the 2009 Cricket Wireless Triple-A All-Star Game, a matchup between the top players from the Pacific Coast League and International League that will take place at PGE Park in Portland, OR. The 9:00 PM CT game will air on ESPN2 and Sports Radio 560 AM. Shortstop Alcides Escobar, left-handed pitcher R.J. Swindle, and Katin will be representing the Sounds. Nashville Box Score LHP's Chase Wright and Sam Narron dazzled, Wright's first game off the DL with an unconfirmed ailment, likely the reason for his three-inning stint; Cole Gillespie doubled, singled, and walked... Nashville Game Log