Jim Goulart

Chuck Caufield with a walk-off deep single to drive in Chris Errecart for the 4-3 win -- the Braves committed two big errors just prior, but the boys will take it. Details later...

Huntsville goes to the bottom of the 9th tied at 3-3 as of 9:50 Central -- join Brett Pollock on the call.

In his latest blog entry, agent39 mentions Lorenzo Cain -- Lorenzo Cain had his first in game action yesterday in Arizona. The plan is to get him 20 AB's before shipping off to Huntsville (so I've heard). It was his birthday yesterday so obviously that was a pretty good present.

Final, Game Two: Brevard County 5, Tampa (Yankees) 3 Brevard County Game Two Box Score Starter Josh Butler walked four and struck out none in six innings, but was otherwise effective; ugly (final) 7th inning for Rob Wooten and the Manatee defense, but the closer hangs on; Brevard batters did not draw a walk in either game of the double-dip -- that's not good, kids; Logan Schafer now has both (and all) of the Manatee home runs on the season... Brevard County Game Two Game Log One-out Caleb Gindl triple wasted in the 3rd; a line-out double really helped Butler in the 5th...

Final, Game One: Tampa (Yankees) 4, Brevard County 3 Brevard County Game One Box Score 9th inning rall comes up one run short; Eric Farris still looking for his first hit (0-for-14) now has more errors (one) than base knocks; the disastrous first inning described early in this thread proved the ultimate killer... Brevard County Game One Game Log Two-run Manatee 3rd could have been much bigger...

Doug Melvin Q&A at the Appleton blog includes the following: On making the trip to Grand Chute: "I had looked on the schedule and planned on coming here anyway. But it is good to get outside, to see a game. I saw some of the kids playing down in spring training, but now that the team is assembled it's good to come here. ... Anytime I get a chance where there's a day game (here) and a night game at our place or vice-versa, I'll come here. On the Rattlers' pitching and defense: "The pitching and defense have been good. The bats will get going a bit later on when it gets a little bit warmer. But I think the strength of this team will be on pitching and defense." On what he was hoping to take from the visit: "It's like a family visit is what it is. It's a little bit like your kids are away from home and you go visit them. So there's nothing specific from a standpoint of players individually. I visit with (Rattlers manager) Jeff Isom, went through the clubhouse, nodded to the kids, shook a few hands, wished them the best of luck. And then I observe from a personnel and a skill-set standpoint while I'm in the stands." More at this link

Final: Fort Wayne (Padres) 6, Wisconsin 0 Wisconsin Site Game Summary Rattlers drop third straight By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers GRAND CHUTE, WI -- The Fort Wayne TinCaps are 6-0 to start the 2009 Midwest League season. They took advantage of the few opportunities presented in the Wednesday's game to defeat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 6-0 on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The starting pitchers were locked in a scoreless duel for the first six innings. Wisconsin starter Efrain Nieves retired the first 14 batters he faced. Fort Wayne starter Anthony Bass struck out six and allowed three hits over his six innings. It was Nieves who flinched first. The Rattler lefty retired the first two batters of the seventh inning, but issued a walk to James Darnell. Nieves got two strikes on Allan Dykstra, but the TinCap designated hitter lined a double down the line in left to drive home Darnell with the first run of the game. Nieves looked like he would get out of the inning when Matt Clark sent a high fly ball to left, but Wisconsin oufielder Michael Vass lost the ball in the sun. The ball dropped in for an RBI double. Brandon Ritchie replaced Nieves and allowed an RBI single to Angel Mercado to give the TinCaps a 3-0 lead. Tom Davis and Eric Gonzalez each worked a scoreless inning out of the Fort Wayne bullpen. Then, the TinCap hitters put the game away in the top of the ninth inning. A two-out error kept the inning alive for Robert Lara and the Fort Wayne catcher delivered a two-run double. Drew Cumberland followed with an RBI double and the TinCaps were up 6-0. Colt Hynes closed out the Rattlers with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Wisconsin had won the first three games of the season, but the TinCaps sweep puts the Rattler record at 3-3 after six games. The Timber Rattlers hit the road for the first time in 2009 on Thursday. Wisconsin will take on the Clinton LumberKings in the first game of a four game series. Trey Watten is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Steven Hensley is set to go for Clinton. Game time is 6:30 PM. More from the Appleton blog on the game Wisconsin Box Score Four lonely baserunners for the T-Rats; Efrain Nieves was beyond wonderful -- his pitch count allowed him to pitch deep into the7th, he was a ground ball machine, struck out five, and if not for a ball in the sun, would have allowed only one run in the 7th, not three; just guessing that Cody Scarpetta is always going to fare better on the starting side of the piggyback outings, but Nieves / Scarpetta is one exciting tandem... Wisconsin Game Log Literally, a two-out Brett Lawrie double in the 1st constituted the only Wisconsin "rally" of the day, sigh...

Final: Nashville 7, Oklahoma City (Rangers) 1 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Brendan Katin photo, text follows -- Katin, Burns Lead Sounds To 7-1 Victory NASHVILLE - Brendan Katin homered and drove in four runs and Mike Burns turned in the club's first quality start of the year to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 7-1 victory over the Oklahoma City RedHawks on Wednesday afternoon at Greer Stadium in the third game of four-game set. Katin (2-for-4, 4 RBIs), the Sounds' cleanup hitter, has hit safely in his last four contests and ranks second among Nashville batters with a .385 average on the young season. Every Nashville batter recorded a hit in the contest, except Joe Koshansky (0-for-4). Katin continued his strong start to the year by putting the home team in the board in the bottom of the first inning with a mammoth two-out, two-run homer over the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center. The blast, his first of the year, came off RedHawks starter Doug Mathis and also plated Tony Gwynn, who had opened the contest by reaching on an error by third baseman Esteban German. AUDIO: Katin Homers Over The Guitar Nashville upped the lead to 5-0 in the second with three more runs, two of which coming unearned after Oklahoma City first baseman Scott Thorman's two-out fielding error. Jason Tyner contributed an RBI single in the frame, his first hit of the year. RedHawks designated hitter Ben Harrison put the visitors on the board in the top of the fourth when he slugged a one-out solo homer to left-center that careened off the scoreboard. The roundtripper, which came against Sounds starter Mike Burns, was his first of the year. Burns (1-0) earned the win after allowing one run on four hits while walking three batters and striking out three in his six innings of work. The Sounds padded the lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the seventh when Katin delivered a two-run single off Oklahoma City reliever Michael Ballard. R.J. Swindle followed Burns to the hill for Nashville and earned his first save of the year with three innings of hitless relief, striking out seven batters in the outing. Mathis (0-1) drew the loss for the visitors after giving up five runs (one earned) on six hits over his six frames of action. Second baseman Hernan Iribarren singled in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to five games for Nashville. The Sounds wrap up their season-opening eight-game homestand with a 7:00 PM finale on Thursday evening against Oklahoma City. It will be a battle of prospects on the hill as left-hander Chase Wright (0-0, 2.25) will man the bump for Nashville to face RedHawks right-hander Neftali Feliz (0-0, 0.00). Nashville Box Score Angel Salome on base all four plate appearances; don't gloss over the R.J. Swindle mention above -- check out that line... Nashville Game Log

Sometimes you have to weigh in roster placement -- the Brewers saw fit to have him skip both Helena and Wisconsin. I'd say that qualifies as bonus points in Almonte's book.

Once again, is anybody able to get the Wisconsin audio feed? This is getting to be annoying. EDIT: Working now, thanks.

First, a link to the offseason / spring training transaction thread -- I was about to post to our Alumni thread that former Brewer outfielder Drew Anderson had been released by Cincinnati. David Wesier passes along a note from Huntsville --

Wow, ugly start for the Manatees -- four-run Tampa 1st, two Brevard errors plus a passed ball. Eric Fryer sighting (Chase Wright trade), by the way -- he drew raves in spring training reports we saw (pay site) from the Yankees complex.

You'll be disappointed, but you make a wonderful point. I really wanted to pull the trigger and push him into my personal P50 list this time out. Every pitcher we've seen quoted on Carlos raves about throwing to him. If Mike Rivera went down (or Jason Kendall for that matter), the Brewers would probably feel better short-term about Carlos on the 25-man rather than Angel Salome. He's not an embarassment at the plate, either. In fact, I really thought a team might have taken a flyer on him in the last Rule 5. They may just do that next December. Good call.

Rattlers Radio Blog: April 15, 2009 Timber Rattler Pitchers April 15, 2009 Game Notes Chris also confirms that shortstop Michael Marseco is indeed a switch-hitter.

Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memphis 4 1 .800 - 4-1 0-0 W3 Iowa 4 2 .667 0.5 0-0 4-2 W1 Omaha 4 2 .667 0.5 0-0 4-2 L1 Nashville 2 4 .333 2.5 2-4 0-0 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 4 2 .667 - 0-0 4-2 W2 West Tenn 4 2 .667 - 0-0 4-2 L1 Tennessee 2 3 .400 1.5 0-0 2-3 L2 Huntsville 2 4 .333 2.0 2-4 0-0 W1 Chattanooga 1 5 .167 3.0 0-1 1-4 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clearwater 3 1 .750 - 1-1 2-0 W1 Daytona 3 2 .600 0.5 3-1 0-1 L1 Lakeland 2 2 .500 1.0 2-0 0-2 L1 Tampa 2 2 .500 1.0 2-0 0-2 W1 Dunedin 2 3 .400 1.5 0-2 2-1 W1 Brevard County 1 3 .250 2.0 1-0 0-3 L3

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):

Midwest League Standings

Follow Wednesday'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: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2009_04_15_orhaaa_nasaaa_1 Huntsville: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t559&t=g_box&gid=2009_04_15_msbaax_hunaax_1 Brevard County Game One: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2009_04_15_tbyafa_breafa_1 Brevard County Game Two: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2009_04_15_tbyafa_breafa_2 Wisconsin: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_04_15_ftwafx_wisafx_1&did=t572&sid=t572

Wednesday's Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Link here for the live audio choices - audio will no longer archive. Sorry, no audio for this Brevard County series Nashville: RHP Mike Burns at home vs. Oklahoma (Rangers), 10:45 AM pre-game; 11:00 gametime Huntsville: LHP Chris Cody at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime Brevard County: RHP Amaury Rivas and RHP Josh Butler at home in a doubleheader vs. Tampa (Yankees), 9:35 AM gametime; each game seven innings Wisconsin: LHP Efrain Nieves at home vs. Fort Wayne (Padres), 11:45 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime

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

Post-Crescent Blog Entry with a Q&A with roving infield instructor Garth Iorg includes this -- Q: What are your impressions of the Rattlers' infielders? A: They've played very well. They've turned eight double plays. Our focus this year in spring training, we wanted to turn double plays throughout our organization, and this team is off to a great start. And they've figured in every game, so it has been very pleasing to me to see them take what we did in spring training and implement it into the game and see it come to fruition, that we're doing what we set out to do. Q: Has that been surprising to you, particularly at this point as players are getting acclimated to their first full season of pro ball and the cool weather? A: We're fortunate that we've got a great shortstop. Michael Marseco, he's incredible. Got great hands, really adept at moving around the bag. I think he kind of anchors our defense out there. And in spring, he was just phenomenal. He won our gold glove award that we offer that's available to anybody from Triple-A on down - and he won it this year. So it's nice to have a guy who can pick it like him in the infield, and he's going to help (second baseman) Brett Lawrie. It hasn't been that surprising. And these guys are excited. They haven't been around long enough to know it's bad weather. They know it's bad weather, but most of these guys were in Helena (Mont.) last year. Or they're like Brett, who are just getting their feet wet, and they're just excited to be in pro ball right now and to get playing. Whatever it takes. It's very youthful enthusiasm, and they're taking advantage of a great situation here. Q: Lawrie was drafted as a catcher but then moved to second base. What are your impressions of him? The transition has seemingly been seamless. A: He's a great athlete, and he's getting more comfortable out there. He kind of gets lost sometimes with his positioning - things you'd expect. He needs to work on turning double plays a little bit better. But he has done really well. He's just so athletic. He's a big, strong guy, but he can run, he can move. He's got good hands. I'm very pleased with what he has done. More with Iorg here.

Link while active, text follows: Too many walks continue to haunt Timber Rattlers pitching staff in Midwest League loss to Fort Wayne By Brett Christopherson Post-Crescent staff writer GRAND CHUTE - When Michael Bowman was asked to think back on his first outing of the season, he didn't see the four strikeouts or the three hits allowed over four solid innings. Instead, it was that costly two-out walk he issued in the fourth, followed by that crushing two-run homer. "It kind of hurts looking at that," the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers right-hander said following Tuesday's 3-2 Midwest League loss to Fort Wayne at Fox Cities Stadium. "You don't really see the rest of the outing. The first time out, I'm pleased. But the walks, I'm not happy with." It was a pair of walks, in fact, that played a factor in the setback. Two innings later, reliever Liam Ohlmann issued a free pass to lead off the sixth inning and the TinCaps took advantage the very next batter when James Darnell roped a liner to right-center to plate the go-ahead run. That capped the scoring for Fort Wayne, which bounced back from an early 2-0 hole to win its second straight against the Rattlers. "It frustrates me," said Bowman, whose hanging slider on a 1-2 offering was hammered by Adam Zornes over the left field wall in that key fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2. "I try not to walk a lot of guys, I pride myself on that. But I think our pitchers are doing great. We're just falling behind, and we're still trying to get comfortable with this cold weather. But you can't have any excuses." Nor would Wisconsin pitching coach Chris Hook, who didn't seem all that concerned about the number of walks his staff has racked up over the first five games. Fort Wayne walked seven times on Tuesday, raising the Rattlers' team total to 27 through 46 innings. They came into the game the league-leader in walks allowed - the only blemish of an otherwise stellar early-season performance by a Wisconsin pitching staff that currently has a 1.37 team ERA. A pair of walks came back to sting Wisconsin during its 2-1 10-inning loss on Monday. The TinCaps drew leadoff walks in the ninth and 10th innings and scored each of those runners as they rallied from a 1-0 deficit. More from the Post-Crescent blog

Final: Fort Wayne (Padres) 3, Wisconsin 2 Wisconsin Site Game Summary TinCaps still perfect at Rattlers expense By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers GRAND CHUTE, WI -- An RBI triple by James Darnell in the sixth inning snapped a 2-2 tie and sent the Fort Wayne TinCaps to a 3-2 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Tuesday night on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. After Darnell's triple, Wisconsin managed just one base runner over the final four innings and the TinCaps remained unbeaten on the season. Juan Sanchez started a Rattler rally in the second inning with a double that banged high off the wall in left field. He would move to third on a grounder and score on a sacrifice fly by Shawn Zarraga. Wisconsin (3-2) used a near carbon copy to get their second run in the third inning. Cutter Dykstra singled and took second on a throwing error to start the frame. A grounder off the bat of Michael Marseco moved Dykstra to third base. Brett Lawrie drove in Dykstra with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. But, the TinCaps rallied without small ball in the top of the fourth. James Darnell drew a two out walk from Rattler starter Michael Bowman. Catcher Adam Zornes was next and he drilled a 1-2 pitch from Bowman over the wall in left for his first pro homer and to tie the game 2-2. Fort Wayne (5-0) took the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Rattler reliever Liam Ohlmann walked Allan Dykstra to start the inning. Darnell lined a triple to rightcenter and Dykstra scored easily for the 3-2 lead. Reliever Mike Watt retired the next nine batters he faced -- seven by strikeout -- to carry that Fort Wayne lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. Wisconsin's John Delaney singled to start the ninth, but TinCap closer Brad Brach got the next three batters to record his third save of the season and to close out the Rattlers. The Timber Rattlers wrap up their season opening homestand Wednesday afternoon against the TinCaps. Efrain Nieves (1-0, 0.00) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Anthony Bass (1-0, 0.00) is the scheduled starter for the TinCaps. Game time is 12:05 PM. Wisconsin Box ScorePitchers and catcher Shawn Zarraga 0-for-3 in holding basestealers; zero walks and 14 K's for Rattler batters -- ouch... Wisconsin Game Log Zarraga K'd in a big spot (1st and 3rd, one out) in the 4th, Erik Miller couldn't pick him up; Cutter Dykstra's throw home in the 6th was big to keep it a 3-2 game, but in the end, didn't prove to be a game-saver...

David Weiser had an update after Monday's ball game at starsboxscore.com Never trust the weatherman. 90% chance of rain they said.... Well, technically, they were right. It came pouring down at around 3 am with all the wind and fury behind it, blowing an envelope containing my state tax payment from my mailbox into my neighbor's yard. I hope my federal stayed in the mailbox. The top four hitters in Mobile's order this day scored 12 of the team's 13 runs in this sunny slugfest...... David Welch was getting 'em over the plate -- 7 first pitch strikes in the 1st inning. Unfortunately, the Bay Bears were lining them all over the place -- On his 4th pitch, Chris Rahl homered off the front wall in left. On the 6th, James Skelton singled. Gerardo Parra lined a single to left on pitch #8. Ricardo Sosa's infield single off the glove of Yohannis Perez came on pitch #12....... So it took 12 pitches from Welch for the Bay Bears to homer and load the bases...... Skelton came home on a long fly ball to dead center and Parra and Sosa scored with two out on Orlando Mercado's double...... 30 pitches by Welch in the 1st, 19 for strikes....... Parra's 2-run triple in the 2nd inning highlighted another 4-run inning for Mobile in the 2nd, as 10 men came to the plate...... By the time Welch was removed, the first six men in the Bay Bears' order had come to the plate in each of the first three innings...... David Welch, an 11-game winner last year whose shortest start was four innings (twice), finished the day with one of the worst lines I've seen by any starter for Huntsville: 1 2/3 - 11 - 8 - 7 - 0 -2. Alexandre Periard gave up 8 runs on 8 hits in an 1 1/3 last August 16 vs. Chattanooga, but to find anyone to give up double figures in hits in the quickest time, you'd have to go back to Tim Dillard on April 12, 3 years ago. Dillard gave up 6 runs on 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings. There were as many balls in play in the first four innings (36) as there were in all nine innings of Sunday's game. Kevin Melillo became the 20th player in Stars history to hit 3 doubles in a game. The first was lined to right-center with two out in the 1st, the second, grounded just inside the first base line in the 34d, drove in the Stars' only runs, and his third and final double came in the 8th with one out, sending left fielder Cyle Hankerd to the track in left. I don't know why Shane Justis was held up on that one. But it didn't matter. It was an 11-run loss for the Stars who start out their silver anniversary season, 1-4...... The 2005 Stars started out 1-7, by the way, as did the 1987 Stars, who made it to the post-season....... Adam Stern (.316) continued his hit streak, picking up an infield single in the 3rd. Justis and Melillo and also hitting over .300, but disregard these three hitters, and the rest of the team is hitting .133 (14-for-105)..... The Stars reached double figures in hits for the first time, Monday, raising their team average to .201. The Stars open a five-game series with the Southern League champions, the Mississippi Braves, starting Tuesday. I'll get my first look at Jeremy Jeffress, the Brewers' top pitching prospect. This is when you need the speed gun on the scoreboard to be working, but the fact is, nothing on the scoreboard at Joe Davis Stadium works except for the line score. I think Buck needs to just tear the thing down. I'd be happy with a manual scoreboard like Wrigley Field or Fenway Park or some of the former stadiums that utilized them. It would create a few jobs, at least. Mat Gamel is raking the ball at a .556 clip for the Sounds so far, but has three errors at 3rd base, as well....... At Brevard, Caleb Gindl is hitting .429....... Former Greenville Brave Scott Thorman, who was released by the Brewers as the teams broke camp, landed a job with the Rangers' organization and actually went hitless tonight as the Sounds played host to Oklahoma City, Monday night. Former Southern Leaguer Tom Glavine (11-6 for Greenville in 1986), who has more recognition for winning 305 games in the majors, is on a rehab assignment with Mississippi.

Link while active, text follows -- Stars' Errecart not worried about lull Batting average still down, but first baseman confident BY BRAD SHEPARD Special to The Huntsville Times Chris Errecart managed just one hit in his first 14 at-bats this season, and the Stars first baseman isn't the least bit concerned. That mental approach is an encouraging turn of events from 2008, when an injured wrist and fractured psyche turned a once-promising season sour. "Last season, especially coming back from injury, I tried to do too much and took every bad game as the end of the world," Errecart said. "Now, I realize there are 140 games, and I'm trying to stay even-keeled. "I think struggling was kind of a blessing in disguise." Compared to last year's slump, that little lull - which ended with Tuesday's 3-for-6 performance against Mississippi - is nothing. After hurting his wrist making a swipe tag on July 4 and missing three weeks, Errecart never approached the numbers he posted through 2008's first three months. Through Independence Day, the 24-year-old was hitting .290 with 13 homers, 33 RBIs and 47 runs scored. After returning, Errecart hit .138 with two homers, 13 RBIs and 10 runs scored through the final 32 games. It was a stretch that landed him back in Huntsville. "I think he knows he needs to put up bigger numbers than last year, especially after the injury," Stars manager Bob Miscik said. "He's going to get the opportunity this year. It's a big year for him." It's also a season Errecart has been preparing for ever since the last one ended. Rather than take time off, he returned to Southern California to condition with functional strength exercises. He focused on rotational movements to help with his hitting, plyometric exercises to get the lower half of his body in the proper hitting position and also worked out with a speed coach and a hitting coach. But he said the biggest help came from Karrie Klassen, a self-professed performance breakthrough coach who has worked with NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce, among others. Their sessions lasted two or three hours once a week but the lessons, Errecart said, have endured. "She tells me just to take it day-by-day and see the bigger picture," he said. "We sort of clicked right off the bat. "I think I've always been the type of person who tries to be a perfectionist, and especially in baseball, you can't be. Struggling like that made me realize I needed to do something about it." The Stars are depending on reaping the dividends. Despite his slow start, Errecart had a torrid spring training, and he is being counted on as a run-producer in the middle of the Huntsville lineup. "We need him to produce, Miscik said, "and I think he will." Errecart is in no hurry to be promoted, either. He still feels like he has unfinished business with the Stars after finishing 2008 batting .247. "I think being back here is a fresh start," he said. "It's sort of a blessing being back. I ended last season on a sour note, and I'm trying to take this year and really flourish."