Jim Goulart

Rottino psyched about Classic Vinny Rottino is on Italy's provisional roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic in Toronto. Rottino, the former St. Catherine's standout whose great, great grandfather Antonino Rottino was born in Patti, Sicily, recently got the blessing of Milwaukee Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash to play in the Classic - even though Rottino could miss about seven spring training games. "Obviously, I want to make the big leagues and I wanted to make an impression on the new coaches," said Rottino, referring to new Brewers manager Ken Macha and his staff. "But Gord Ash said, 'Go, play. It'll be a great experience for you.' "I'm very excited. What an opportunity. This is the Olympics of baseball. Our pool includes the United States, Canada, Venezuela and Italy, so there are a lot of good players on each of those teams. It's going to be a lot of fun." The 28-man rosters for the WBC will be set Feb. 24. The WBC games in Toronto begin March 7.

The well-spoken and new American citizen Angel Salome is interviewed by Lisa Winston in this podcast -- scroll to the bottom of the linked page to go to the 10:00 minute mark.

With an option remaining, there's virtually no need to consider releasing Pena regardless of his spring training performance.

SportsBubbler's home page currently has a series of brief video interviews (top right-hand corner) from the Warm-Up, including minor leaguers. The interview roster is Fielder, Macha, Gamel, Hardy, Nelson, Dillard, Periard, Weeks

Roderick wrote: I am fairly new (or don't pay enough attention to names), what is this according to Mark? If by Mark, means you are using the 40 man roster salaries listed on bfan.net, please note that the kids that are in the minors do not get $400K a year. I figure the 25 man roster as it currently stands at $76.25M (assuming Hart and Weeks at max arby and only a little above minimum for the unknown roster spots). Hi Roderick. Let me explain one issue with the Brewerfan salary page that may clarify for all. Each player on the 40-man roster is assigned a "salary" on our page. The salaries page normally displays only those on the 25-man roster plus the big league disabled list. But in the offseason, there is no "25-man roster" and the 40-man is listed. Once the 15 or so 40-man minor leaguers get assigned to AAA or AA in the spring, they will no longer appear on our salaries page. But if one was to get called up, the salary info would appear for us. We realize that a player like just-added Alex Periard won't make $400,000 next spring while in Huntsville. Just a technicality, but a good question.

OF Ryan Jensen, the Brewers' 33rd round pick in 2007 out of a British Columbia high school, has been released, as per Baseball America. After appearing in 19 games for the rookie Maryvale Brewers in 2007, our own colbyjack wrote the following in his 2007 season drfat recap: 33. Ryan Jensen, CF .193/.370/.246, 1 2B, 1 3B in 57 at-bats with Arizona Despite his smallish stature (5'10", 180 pounds), Jensen has some pop in his bat from the left-hand side of the plate. He played for the Langley Blaze with Travis Nevakshonoff, hitting .350/.442/.463 in the competitive British Columbia Premier Baseball League. His 13 walks in 57 at-bats during his pro debut are worth mentioning as it does give a hint for his disciplined eye, and while he didn't hit that well in limited duty this spring, he could turn things around next summer as he'll return to rookie ball. Jensen spent the entire 2008 season on the "restricted list". He likely failed to report, although that's not confirmed. The Brewers have finally relinquished his rights, meaning he's probably signed the necessary paperwork to leave pro ball.

While I disagree with Law (I have Escobar-Gamel-Jeffress-Salome top four), I can understand his thinking in that given the bleak state of catching these days major league-wide, a stud catcher can be worth exponentially more in the big picture within an organization.

Link, text follows: Perspective: Giving a helping hand By Lisa Winston / MiLB.com Milwaukee Brewers catching prospect Angel Salome has spent most of his life embracing two different cultures -- his Dominican roots and his New York City home. Salome, who moved to the United States with his mom when he was just 3, is a citizen of both his native and adopted countries and is completely bilingual, graduating in 2004 from George Washington High School (alma mater of Manny Ramirez) before being drafted by the Brew Crew in the fifth round of the First-Year Player Draft. And from the moment he left his Washington Heights home for Milwaukee's Arizona complex nearly 2,500 miles away, he has done more than just rake -- a .322 career batting average in five seasons notwithstanding -- and develop as a catcher. He's also served as a cultural touchstone for some of his Latino teammates, many of whom were still in their teens, who were still working on mastering the English language and the customs of a foreign country. From Phoenix to Helena, Mont., to Charleston, W.Va., to Viera, Fla., to Huntsville, Ala., Salome took under his wing any young teammate who needed assistance, from helping them set up their utilities to lending them money for groceries to just being there for moral support. While there has been less need for the real basics as he's moved up the ladder (he finished the 2008 season in Milwaukee), he has always let teammates know he was there if needed. "You're always going to have some players who might speak a little bit of English, but don't feel comfortable with reporters," Salome said. "Sometimes they'll say, 'Leave me alone, Angel, I can do it myself, but just be right next to me in case I get in a little trouble.' And that's what I do. But I am just proud of them as they try to learn every day." So Salome's participation in the recent one-day Latino Rookie Career Development Program session that preceded the "main event" was familiar territory, even though he probably didn't need to be there for his own purposes. The RCDP dates back to 1991 and is perhaps the only program in baseball that is co-sponsored joyfully by the Players Association and Commissioner's Office. The program, which takes place over a long weekend, brings together a handful of top prospects from each of the 30 organizations, players who have already spent some time in the big leagues or who their clubs think will be there very soon. During the three-day event, players participate in interactive sessions, lectures and discussion groups that address challenges they will face when they reach the big leagues. They range from working with the media, protecting their careers from issues like gambling and drugs, knowing all the rules about performance-enhancing substances, maintaining their health and financial and fiscal responsibility. In addition, the program utilizes a team of "baseball resource players," former Major Leaguers who take the time every year to share their own experiences, both in large group sessions and smaller breakout groups. "I pretty much knew most of the things they were telling us, but it was different to have those players tell us that they'd been through these situations before and we would probably go through the same things," Salome said. "The main reason we're here is to learn to believe it." The one-day Latino program, however, was not added to the RCDP until the last decade, when it became clear that to make it more meaningful and rewarding for Spanish-speaking players, an additional facet was needed. Several of the clubs' top prospects, who had varying degrees of mastery of English, are brought in a day early and treated to a one-day crash course on many of the topics that will be discussed further over the rest of the weekend. This session is conducted exclusively in Spanish and gives players an initial comfort level and familiarity with the subjects. Then, when the other players arrived on Thursday evening to kick off the rest of the program, the Latino players could use headsets through which interpreters kept them apprised of all of the discussion. In addition, players who had little or no English background were together in one discussion group, while those with more varying degrees were in another group with a few other bilingual players. Among the speakers during the Latino program was Sal Artiaga, who has been involved in the game for more than 40 years, including a term as president of Minor League Baseball, and who serves as director of Latin American operations for the Philadelphia Phillies. There are few, if any, people in baseball more devoted to trying to make the transition easier for these players than Artiaga, who has written a handbook just for that purpose that includes a Spanish-English glossary of baseball terms. "There are approximately 8,000 professional baseball players, ranging from the Rookie leagues to the Majors," Artiaga explained. "Of that group, 3,500 or about 44 percent are foreign. And of that group, 91 percent are from Spanish-speaking countries." For the most part, the Latino program follows the script, condensed though it is, of the regular program. But there are a few topics addressed that are exclusive to the one-day session, such as immigration laws, cultural differences and language barriers, the latter two of which are Artiaga's domain. "There are a lot of things they do differently in the Dominican, that have to be taught," Salome said. "And you have to learn how to handle yourself, how to dress, how to say 'Hi' to the people, how to tip when you go to restaurants, just all the little things you have to do to get better." Perhaps the hardest-working people over the course of the program, however, are the two women who sit in the tiny booth in the back of the ballroom and, in alternating 20-minute shifts, serve as interpreters: Susana Santangelo and Eva DesRosiers. Santangelo, who hails from Argentina, and DesRosiers, who grew up in Ecuador, are self-employed freelance translators who spend most of the year working for such employers as the U.S. Department of Justice, State Department, foreign embassies and law firms. They have both been regulars at the RCDP since the addition of the Latino program, and both say it is by far the job they look forward to most all year. "This is the most fun job we have," Santangelo said. "Everything else in this area is either political or legal." During the program, and especially during the role-playing skits performed by the noted Second City improvisation troupe, the language can get a little ... well, salty. So it might be disconcerting if players turned around and saw these two well-bred ladies rapidly translating what is being said. But that aspect of the job doesn't faze either one of them. "Sometimes you have to use vocabulary you wouldn't use in everyday life, but you get used to it," DesRosiers said. "Working in courts, we have to do that, too." "I personally don't mind the street language and slang," Santangelo added. "The thing that is hard sometimes to interpret is the nitty-gritty of the game vocabulary or when they go into high detail about the plays." That's where Artiaga's glossary was a huge help. And by now, both women are familiar enough with the terms that they rarely need to refer to it. Angel Salome was the first catcher since Jason LaRue to win the Southern League batting title. (Photo courtesy Huntsville Stars) http://ww2.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2009/01/20/kDb6cf7I.jpg

The guys at RightFieldBleachers have an audio interview (and transcript) with Josh, several worthwhile insights on his Brewer kids, including Taylor Green and Brent Brewer, with all his Milwaukee clients discussed or mentioned in some detail...

Adam McCalvy at MLB.com: Doug Melvin said that left-hander R.J. Swindle would decline an invitation to pitch for Canada in the upcoming World Baseball Classic so he could focus on winning a roster spot with Milwaukee.

Link while active, text follows: Rattlers manager expects to field competitive team in '09 By Brett Christopherson Post-Crescent staff writer APPLETON - Jeff Isom won't know the makeup of his roster until shortly before the 2009 Midwest League baseball season begins. Still, he has a pretty clear idea on what fans can expect when they head to Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute to check out the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. "One thing's for certain," the first-year Rattlers manager said on Tuesday during a visit to the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, where he attended the annual Red Smith Sports Award Banquet. "It will be a competitive club." That's because the Brewers have relied on one of the top minor league systems in baseball - their own - in forging into a playoff contender. Milwaukee's homegrown talent includes such stars as Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy Corey Hart and Yovani Gallardo. Meanwhile, potential stars like catcher/third baseman Brett Lawrie (third) and outfielder Cutter Dykstra (seventh) are ranked by Baseball America as among the top 10 prospects in the Brewers system. Both were drafted by Milwaukee last June and could be slated to open the '09 season with the Rattlers. "You look at our major league club, and you've got guys like Prince Fielder and Corey Hart and Ryan Braun," Isom said. "All of those guys made stops at every spot from A-ball, all the way up. So we value the minor league system." Isom would know firsthand considering he skippered the West Virginia Power - the Brewers' low-Class A affiliate the previous four seasons - to a spot in last year's South Atlantic League Championship Series. He also managed the Helena (Mont.) Brewers, Milwaukee's rookie level club, to a 48-28 record in 2007. Conversely, the Rattlers suffered losing campaigns in five of their final seven seasons as a Seattle Mariners affiliate. "Brett Lawrie, he's a 19-year-old kid who can flat-out hit - fun to watch," Isom said. "And there's a whole handful of guys, guys like Cutter Dykstra, just a good group. Our scouting department's done a great job of not only finding talent, but good kids, as well." A league of his own: The 36-year-old Isom spent parts of two of his three minor league seasons pitching in the Midwest League. Among his stops were Springfield, Ill., in 1994 and Clinton, Iowa, in 1995. He played collegiately at Purdue University and resides in West Lafayette, Ind. "I've been here," Isom said of Appleton, which has housed a Midwest League franchise since 1962. "I'm looking forward to it, understanding that it's developmental. We polish players at this level, and as a manager, you kind of have to understand that coming in. "It's not what can you do for me now. The attitude is what can you do for me in three or four years and end up being in the big leagues. That's the fun part of my job." Scoreboard watching: The installation of a new LED video board and scoreboard will be the latest improvement project to take place at Fox Cities Stadium. According to Rattlers president Rob Zerjav, the project will cost roughly $500,000 with the majority of that total funded by the Fox Cities Sports Authority, a nonprofit organization that owns the stadium and leases it to the Rattlers. The new video board/scoreboard will remain in left field and include video, replays, head shots and animations. Zerjav said the LED lighting will also make for easier viewing, even in direct sunlight. The project is expected to be completed by the end of March. "There will be a lot of new features," Zerjav said. "We wanted to enhance everybody's experience at the ballpark." Opening day: Zerjav said the club's first home game - April 9 at 6:35 p.m. against Quad Cities - will feature a double bobblehead giveaway. He said fans will receive a twin bobblehead of Rattlers mascot Fang shaking hands with Brewers mascot Bernie Brewer. This will commemorate the Rattlers becoming a Brewers affiliate.

Nashville's Spring Training Game Schedule is Out, for you ultra-diehards in Maryvale and other AZ locales

6'5" Carlos vs. 5'11" Omar Can't wait to see how Aguilar produces that smoke from such a height-challenged (for a RHP) frame...

Link while active, text follows: Aguilar on cusp of Opening Day roster By SEAN LYNCH, Merced (CA) Sun-Star slynch@mercedsun-star.com Things are happening quickly for Omar Aguilar. After a trip to Washington D.C. last week, the former Merced College star is set to fly out to Milwaukee on Thursday to be a part of the Brewers' Fan Fest. Life becomes a little more exciting when you're named to a Major League Baseball 40-man roster. But despite the whirlwind of activity, Aguilar is determined to take his time and enjoy the moment. "It's hectic, but awesome," Aguilar said. "Fan Fest is something I've never done before, so I'm really looking forward to it. "I want to meet the guys and just try to take the whole thing in." The 2009 season could be one of many firsts for Aguilar. He had a brilliant start to 2008, moving up from High-A Brevard County to Double-A Huntsville after recording a 3-0 record with 13 saves and a 0.35 earned run average. The Livingston grad didn't skip a beat moving up a level. Aguilar posted a 3.08 ERA and four saves in 47 games at Double A. Aguilar capped his brilliant year with a good showing in the Arizona Fall League. He was named an AFL rising star after allowing just two runs in 11 games. The Brewers apparently agreed with the AFL's assessment, adding Aguilar to the team's 40-man roster. "I think they've known all along what he's capable of," Merced College baseball coach Chris Pedretti said. "Anytime you have a pitcher who has arm trouble, there's going to be a little concern. "But watching him and talking to him, he says his arm feels as good as it ever has. "It's easy to see why the Brewers are excited. I've never, in my 27 years, been around a kid who throws as hard as he throws." Aguilar's career flashed before his eyes when he had to have Tommy John surgery in 2005. After a year's worth of rehab, a throwing program and rebuilding arm strength, Aguilar regained his electric fastball. The adversity also taught him how important his complementary pitches are. Aguilar's development of those pitches -- particularly his changeup -- is what has him on the cusp of the major leagues. "My fastball is what got me drafted. But when I hurt my arm, I realized I need to have a few other tricks," Aguilar said. "My first two years in the minors I was a thrower. "Last year I really worked on becoming a pitcher." Because of the strides Aguilar made, the closer will head into Spring Training with an outside chance of making the opening day roster. "If it happens, that will be great," Aguilar said. "But if I'm in Triple-A or back in Double-A, I'm just happy to be pitching and trying to get better. "It'll happen when it's meant to happen." If Aguilar's 2009 is anything like 2008, it could happen much sooner than later. Aguilar File POSITION: Pitcher THROWS: Right YEARS PRO: 3 ORGANIZATION: Milwaukee Brewers DRAFTED: Selected in the 30th round by Milwaukee in 2005. LAST YEAR: Aguilar had a combined 3-3 record with a 1.98 ERA and 17 saves in High Class A and Double A. Was named to the Brewers' 40-man roster after earning Arizona Fall League rising star honors. Merced Sun-Star - Photo by George MacDonald http://media.mercedsunstar.com/smedia/2009/01/19/23/490-MER_p0121_S21_AGUILAR.standalone.prod_affiliate.111.JPG

It depends with the minor leaguers. This note was in a recent Scout.com paid premium article at their site on Erik Komatsu: On Jan. 18, Komatsu is scheduled to begin a six-week session at Milwaukee's facilities in Arizona. He'll get a few days off and then return for training camp, after which Komatsu will find out whether he'll be taking his next step with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Midwest League or at Brevard County in the Florida State League. So several of the top prospects are there now. Some others may arrive for workouts around March 1st, but the official date when all farmhands are due is March 13th, we believe.

Link to Trading Post thread regarding the Huntsville jersey sale

This link will probably be included elsewhere on our site as well (Major League, Minor League), but in particular someone should scoop up the Lorenzo Cain jersey quickly -- Huntsville GM Buck Rogers -- Mail Bag, Jersey Sale

This link will probably be included elsewhere on our site as well (Minor League, Trading Post), but in particular someone should scoop up the Lorenzo Cain jersey quickly -- Huntsville GM Buck Rogers -- Mail Bag, Jersey Sale

John Sickels discusses Cole Gillespie in this link -- the Gillespie text is pasted below: Cole Gillespie, OF, Milwaukee Brewers Bats: R Throws: R HT: 6-1 WT: 205 DOB: June 20, 1984 Gillespie was a third round pick in 2006, out of Oregon State. He's been quietly solid as a pro, producing moderate power with a high walk rate and double-digit steals, despite tools that scouts rate as just average. He posted a +14 percent OPS in the Southern League last year, good but not excellent. More impressive was his .418 Secondary Average, showing a broad range of production beyond his batting average. He lacks the speed for center and the arm for right, but he's acceptable in left field. Scouts like his leadership skills and work ethic. I think he's a Jason Bay type; a guy who scouts often overlook, but who always performs to the best of his ability and will sneak up on us someday. His main limiting feature is age: at 25 he doesn't have a lot of room to grow, but his skills are strong and he should not be underestimated. Grade C+ but a guy I like a lot.

Looks like just-signed OF Adam Stern is on Canada's provisional squad as well, according to this article. I believe the rule is that if a player's grandparents were from that country, he can play on that team. That's how former Brewer Chris Barnwell is on Canada's squad, which includes other former Milwaukee farmhands Vince Perkins and Max St. Pierre.

Batting Around with Will Inman Padres prospect gives an inside look at life on and off the field

From Baseball America via Northeastern's site: Northeastern University senior RHP Kris Dabrowiecki Former Huskies ace Kris Dabrowiecki (2005-08, undrafted as a senior) signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday. This week was an important one for Dabrowiecki, as he flew to Milwaukee on Monday and conducted his tryout on Tuesday. The Brewers liked what they saw and Dabrowiecki was presented a contract on Wednesday. Dabrowiecki will report to spring training on March 13. The Brewers train at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix, AZ. As a Husky, the 6'4 righty Dabrowiecki marked his career with constant durability, and leads NU as its all-time leader in innings pitched with 286 and 1,269 batters faced. He finished third in school history with 21 wins and 236 strikeouts and was named one of the team's captains by head coach Neil McPhee for his senior season. Dabrowiecki, a native of Toronto, was originally drafted by the Brewers in the 34th round of the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft before coming to Northeastern. Bio and stats via Northeastern's site I'm just such a fan of these underdog signings. And we just can't get enough Canadian connections. But what's up with the names of some of these Canadian kids -- Dabrowiecki, Wawrzasek, Nevakshonoff... Dabrowiecki part of national squad at World University Baseball Championships (July 2008article)

Check out how many times "injury" comes up in John Sickels' review ot the top 50 pitching prospects of 2004. Here's his position player list.

What we've seen in the past, especially at the low minors level where the jersey would have more significance and value to a young player and his family, is that the player is allowed to purchase jerseys up-front in fixed-value sale situations, before any remaining jerseys are made available. We've seen that with Helena in the past, I believe.

Putting together this post reminds me how exciting it will be when you locals have the Timber Rattlers in April. I don't even get a chance to watch visiting Brewer affiliates in the Northeast here any more (since the AAA move to the PCL), so it was a kick for my daughter and I to say hello to slugging 1B / 3B / OF Steffan Wilson (two-year stats), just as he was wrapping up a kids' hitting clinic locally here in southeastern Massachusetts. Congrats to Steffan (currently at #44 on the Power 50), who just completed his studies at Harvard. I've met and shook the hands of Brewer farmhands before, but a Harvard graduate of any occupation? Probably a first. He signed my Manatees cap -- I'm not a big memorabilia guy, but that was pretty cool, and I reminded him to avoid the frustration of death valley at SpaceCoast and work the ball to right-center http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif. He was wearing the tannish Power cap, which was nice to see on a ten degree day in Massachusetts. I also had a Power cap with me (black) which he got a kick out of, I'm pretty sure. There aren't a lot of Brewer farmhand "stalkers" in the Northeast, I hope this brief hello didn't qualify me as one. Just an appreciative fan.... A reminder that many of our Brewerfan Player Index pages include links to articles and interviews featuring specific players, and that Steffan has been featured in several of the most detailed and interesting. Here's his Player Index page with those links, and yes, there's still some Ben Sheets to his appearance (see the BrewCrewBall interview link photo). As my 5'8", 170-ish self can attest, Steffan looked primed for pre-camp in two weeks at his listed 6'1, 220. Should he or Brewers' management stumble upon this post, I just want to thank him again for his time, as he was extra courteous. My daughter was wowed by the facility, which is part of a Nokona Sporting Goods manufacturing complex here. Finally, it wasn't part of our brief chat, but Wilson is the first "Steffan" to play professional baseball ever, minor or major leagues. So you learned something today http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif.