Jim Goulart

Another auction round on Nashville jerseys

Probably an interesting backstory here, thanks again, Nashville -- RHP Sandy Nin - The 28-year-old Dominican-born right-hander has not appeared in affiliated ball since a 2006 stint in the Rockies organization but posted a 1-1 record and 3.52 ERA (6 ER / 15.1 IP) in 16 games this off-season for Azucareros del Este in the Dominican Winter League. Nin went 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA in six starts for Colorado Springs (AAA-Rockies) in 2006, his only career experience above the Double-A level. Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by Toronto in 2000, he has logged a 2.72 career ERA in 94 games (87 starts), including 433 strikeouts against only 84 walks in 539 1/3 innings. Career Statistics Nin had a fractured elbow that cost him the entire 2004 season. Baseball America on his '05 season (don't you miss the Oakland A's colors on their old site format?) Righthander Sandy Nin has made a strong return from a fractured elbow that sidelined him in 2004. The Rockies farmhand has been the best pitcher in the Texas League since June and is 8-5, 2.90 overall in 16 starts for Double-A Tulsa. Nin, acquired from the Blue Jays prior to last season in a three-team deal that also brought Joe Kennedy to Colorado from Tampa Bay, had a 2.18 ERA over his last 13 starts through early August with a sterling 52-10 strikeout-walk ratio. Overall (including an opening stint in the Cal League), Nin had walked just 20 and struck out 97 in 141 innings. "He has a low-90s fastball, a very good changeup and a slider that's inconsistent but at times is a good pitch," Rockies assistant general manager Bill Geivett said. "He's king of the hill when he's out there. He maintains his mechanics and his command when he's under pressure; he's tough mentally and very aggressive."

More from the same Nashville link: P Mike Burns - The 30-year-old right-hander joins his fifth career organization with the Brewers in 2009. He has spent the majority of the last four years at the Class AAA level, including an 8-12 record, two saves, and a 4.67 ERA (69 ER / 133.0 IP) in 37 games (14 starts) for Iowa (AAA-Cubs) in the PCL last season. Originally a 30th round pick of the Astros in 2000, Burns logged 45 games in the majors from 2005-06 while pitching for Houston, Cincinnati, and Boston. He carries a career 3.74 ERA and a 4.1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (735 K / 179 BB) in 300 minor league appearances (106 starts). Mike Burns 2008 Statistics, including winter ball (22 relief appearances in Mexico) OF Adam Stern - Stern, 28, joins the Brewers organization after spending each of the past two years with Triple-A Norfolk in the Orioles system. Originally a 3rd-round pick of the Braves in 2001, the London, Ontario, Canada native spent 46 games in the majors with Boston in 2005-06 as well as two contests with Baltimore in 2008 and carries a .272 career average in 506 minor league games over his eight pro seasons. In 2008, Stern batted .221 (27-for-122) with eight RBIs in 38 games at Norfolk before being released on June 10 and did not play the remainder of the year. In this case, Wikipedia provides a good summary -- I remember here in Massachusetts when he was considerd a "hot" Rule 5 pick He's got a fan site... Why we started this site... One evening, we decided to go and hangout at a PawSox game. Little did we know what that night would bring... Knowing Adam, we decided to cheer vigorously for him (among others.) He was extremely receptive to our enthusiasm, waving and throwing us a ball. After the game, we met Adam and chatted for a few minutes. After future attendance, we also had some conversations with Adam while we showed him our handiwork (signs, t-shirts, etc.) Simply put, we feel thankful to have had the opportunity to meet such a humble and caring professional baseball player -- we hope our fandom will help spread the atmosphere of respect that Adam brings to the game, while also encouraging Adam to continue his great behavior as he makes his living.

Ginter returns to the Brewers organization -- that'd be Matt, not Keith, folks... From the Nashville site: RHP Matt Ginter - Ginter, who was a late-season Brewers signee in 2007 and pitched for the Sounds in the PCL playoffs that year, returns to the organization after splitting the 2008 campaign between the Cleveland Indians and their Triple-A affiliate, Buffalo. The 31-year-old went 6-6 with a 4.14 ERA (46 ER / 100.0 IP) in 18 games (17 starts) for Buffalo and added a 1-3 record and 5.14 ERA (12 ER / 21.0 IP) in four starts for the Tribe. Ginter, who enters his 11th professional season, carries a career 3.46 ERA in 225 minor league appearances (114 starts) between the White Sox, Mets, Tigers, Red Sox, Pirates, Cardinals, Brewers, and Indians organizations. Trivia -- Matt can play the banjo, so Nashville should be user-friendly for him -- Jim

Link while active, text follows: Umatilla's Jonathan Lucroy gets invitation to Brewers camp Joe Williams, Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer UMATILLA - Jonathan Lucroy's progress since he was picked in the third round of the 2007 baseball draft by the Milwaukee Brewers has been steady. Now he will have the opportunity next month to attend spring training with the major-league club. Lucroy, a catcher, received the invitation last week. There are no grand expectations from Lucroy, 22, that he will catch on with the major-league club this year, but the excitement of being around big-leaguers will not be lost on him. "I just want to be able to go in there and ask questions and learn," said Lucroy, a Umatilla graduate who played three years at Louisiana-Lafayette before being drafted. "I am going to be very open-minded and pick the brains of some of the older catchers and hitters. [i'll] get the information I can attain and try to use it. "It is a great opportunity for me to go there and learn. I am pretty excited about it." Lucroy has climbed through the minor-league ranks from his rookie-league season in Helena, Mont., in 2007 to splitting last season with the Brewers' low Class A team in West Virginia to their high Class A team, the Brevard County Manatees. In 129 games last season, Lucroy hit .301 with 20 home runs, 50 extra-base hits and 77 RBIs. In 61 games with Helena in 2007, he hit .342, with four home runs, 24 extra-base hits and 39 RBIs. He was one of three catchers, and 12 players total, to receive special invitations to the Brewers camp. They are not part of the Brewers' 40-man roster. Other catchers invited are Carlos Corporan and Martin Maldonado. They will join the Brewers' four other catchers on the 40-man roster, including Jason Kendall. It is not unusual for teams to bring in extra catchers early in spring training to handle all of the work the pitchers have to get in. Brewers pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Phoenix, Ariz., on Feb. 13. "I fully realize I am not going to be in the big leagues [this year]," Lucroy said. "I am going in there probably as the fifth catcher. I know I am going there to be an extra guy to catch in the bullpen, but I am going to be catching big-league pitchers. "I fully realize that I am not going to the big leagues this year or maybe even next year, but it is good experience. I will get better from it." He expects to spend this season with the Brewers' Class AA team in Huntsville, Ala., but as Lucroy said, that is not guaranteed. Since last baseball season ended, Lucroy returned to Louisiana-Lafayette and got one more semester of studying out of the way. He is one semester shy of finishing his degree in environmental science. He has been training at the All-Star Sports Academy in Paisley.

Infielder Chris Barnwell, who posted a .276 / .364 / .397 line for AAA Albuquerque in the Marlins' offensivcely friendly AAA environment in '08, has signed on with Houston for '09. Chris will turn 30 in March.

Alex Periard interview at RightFieldBleachers.com -- nice job, guys!

Sounds extend Greer lease through 2013; millions in upgrades promised

Brewers may re-open Dominican camp A very detailed update and analysis by Adam McCalvy, as thorough an off-season article as you'll see. Great job, Adam! Just to fill in one blank, Roque Mercedes' signing bonus was $375,000.

Link while active, text follows: By Rudy Coggins Goldsboro (North Carolina) News-Argus Milwaukee Brewers manager Doug Melvin felt fortunate that Rob Wooten remained available when the 13th round of the Major League Baseball draft began last June. Wooten wasn't so sure. The Fremont, N.C. native started having second thoughts when he sat on the bench for two-plus weeks with Helena (Mont.) on the Rookie League scene. It took two weeks for Wooten to get his physical completed and each day he missed valuable time in the bullpen. Wooten called his mom, Terry, every day. "If Coach (Mike) Fox wanted me right now, I'd run back to Chapel Hill," said Wooten, who starred for two seasons with the Tar Heels. His mom laughed. "I thought it was a long run," she said, which drew laughter from the audience at Fremont United Methodist Church on "Rob Wooten Day." Wooten's wife, Katie, encouraged him to deal with the adversity. "Don't you give up and come home," Wooten recalled of the conversation with his newlywed wife. He didn't. "Once I got back on the mound and started having that competitive edge again, I knew this was what I like to do," said Wooten. And becoming part of the team helped Wooten, who still owns several pitching records at Charles. B Aycock, relax more. "It was tough at first because you really don't know what people's strengths and weaknesses are, and you didn't have that chemistry," said Wooten. "You didn't have people waiting for you on the top step of the dugout when you got a big strikeout. "It's a much-more relaxed atmosphere." Wooten adjusted to the culture shock of minor league baseball and once he started to play, he felt right at home. The right-hander posted a 0.00 earned run average in four appearances and earned two saves with Helena. The Brewers' organization immediately moved Wooten to the West Virginia Power of the Single A South Atlantic League. Wooten logged 30 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings and surrendered six earned runs. He compiled a 1-0 record in 10 appearances and finished with a 2.38 ERA. Wooten knows he's there to focus on pitching and getting better each day, instead of trying to juggle classwork and baseball as he did while at UNC. He works on the fundamentals each day, throws fastballs in bullpen sessions, sprints and long-distance runs. The Power coaching staff is developing Wooten as a closer, which is a role he relished with the Tar Heels. Unlike other Major League closers, Wooten relies on his location and off-speed stuff. "Whatever role they put me in, I could care less," said Wooten, who currently lives in Sanford. "Whatever they tell me to do, I'll do it." The 6-foot-1, 208-pounder has increased his workout routine since the new year started, and will workout each day until spring training begins March 14 in Phoenix, Ariz. Wooten won't know his assignment until the Major League rosters are set. "My job is go into spring training, bust my tail and do everything right," said Wooten. "I liked to get moved up to High A (Brevard County, Fla.) and Double AA (Huntsville, Ala.). At least, that's the rumors." Wooten feels like he's been in a whirlwind since reporting to Helena once the College World Series ended. He's found time to relax and has taken on speaking engagements. "That's really cool and it doesn't get old," said a grinning Wooten. "Right now, I'm really enjoying it and taking it all in. "I just want to have fun." And blossom in his career.

MiLB.com's Lisa Winston is a big Lorenzo Cain fan, getting in touch with him every so often including for this profile interview. Cain is one of three top prospects they've invited to Lansdowne, Va., to participate in next week's MLB Rookie Career Development Program. OK, so we need to know the other two invitees now. We'll poke around. Lorenzo has to be one of the easiest players to root for in the system. Humble beginnings, both on and off the field, unassuming and respectful, not just in this interview, but in all the prior articles we've seen.

Sickels looks at the Padres -- Will Inman # 8, Steve Garrison among others noted.... I like Inman more than the scouts do, and yes I have seen him in person. He's got flaws and I might go down to C+, but there is just something about him that makes me think he will continue to surprise people. We will see if that remains true in the PCL. -- Sickels

Lucroy, Corporan, Maldonado to big league camp for spring training

Doug Melvin Audio Link

Notice Bryson also questioned the Indians rushing him back for the Sally League playoffs, so it's not just the Brewers who should look themselves in the mirror. However, Bryson's comment about several Brewer pitchers who were seeking medical assistance in the terms of MRI's and such and having the organization make it difficult for them to do so should send chills up our spines, given the Brewers' excrutiating history of developing pitchers. Go the 39:45 minute mark for the exact quote, and the 32:00 minute mark for the start of the interview, as noted above. It'd be very interesting for Adam McCalvy to take that exact quote and present it to Gord Ash in particular, who oversees the medical aspect of the minor leagues, and have him address the comment on the record. In fact, we'll drop him a line, and Tom H. as well, to determine if they plan on following it up. It seems simple enough to ask -- "Gord, Rob Bryson recently said... in this interview, care to comment...? We know we'll get a standard pat answer from Gord, it's not like he'll say, "yes, that's right", but maybe this will lead to a bigger analysis of the Brewers' medical procedures. By the way, Rob Bryson was incredibly well-spoken for a just-turned 21-year-old, wasn't he? He certainly went on the record with his comments. Could this be part of the reason Lee Tunnell was hired to replace Jim Rooney as Organizational Pitching Coordinator this year?

The next portion of Baseball America's catcher analysis is available. You'll find Jonathan Lucroy (# 25) and Angel Salome (# 37) listed, but more interesting is the meat of the article itself.

Your current Brewers (13) -- right? Luis Pena Omar Aguilar Alex Periard Lorenzo Cain Jeremy Jeffress Taylor Green Brent Brewer Brae Wright Stephen Chapman Nick Tyson Cam Robulack Chris Dennis Kristian Bueno Are most, if not all, scheduled to be in Maryvale in mid-January, for the six-week session that ends just a few days before spring training? Now that the holidays are just about over, do you get the sense guys are anxious for the January-February pre-camp sessions? Thanks.

Huntsville GM Buck Rogers put together a Top 10 List from the Stars' season after compiling suggestions from Stars' fans -- Buck's not a big Matt Laporta fan, by the way, at least off the field -- Because you can't watch a post-game interview in the world of sports without hearing some of the cheesiest clichés I thought that this would be a good time to keep the tradition alive a la Nuke LaLoosh...you know, I'm just happy to be here, I just wanna contribute, God willing, staying healthy and all of that. So, without further ado, let's post the Top Ten Moments from the 2008 Huntsville Stars so we can put this year in the books. #10: It's More Than Baseball I had a woman approach me this summer and say, "We never hear about the Stars players doing things in the community like they used to do when it was an A's team." Clunk. That was my jaw dropping to the pavement. Naturally, this hit my nerves because our staff has accompanied our players and coaches on many charitable events and appearances. I responded that maybe our guys do it out of the goodness of their hearts and aren't looking for recognition; maybe they're doing it for the right reasons and not the publicity. No matter, but this subject is really near and dear to our staff and is something we take personally. So when your responses started coming in it validated that our players are in touch with the community and will continue to be in the future. Thank you for your comments and we do forward responses on to Milwaukee. We received so many personal notes about how a player had interacted with a fan that we couldn't list them all, but we included a couple here. My favorite 2008 Stars memory happened during the July 4th weekend series against the Barons. I was sitting in the stands with Cole Gillespie's dad, when Cole hit a three-bagger. His next at bat went out of the park and the expression on his dad's face reminded me why I love Minor League Baseball sooo much! It's all about the game and each player giving their all and about the family and the fans! That was the same weekend when Matt LaPorta was traded. There was talk that Cole might be in the mix. I remember talking with his dad and him telling me that Cole loved the Brewers organization. - Pat Drosten, Brevard County Manatees Season Ticket Holder, New Smyrna Beach, FL My top memories include the stadium clean-up days, time shared with pitcher Joe Bateman during the Booster Club's welcome banquet, bringing my grandson to games (we've been bringing him since he was born but he's 6 now and taking more interest in the goings-on) and the general resurgence of energy brought to the Joe by you and your staff. Looking forward to 2009, GO STARS, - Johnny Phillips, Killen, AL We had Stars players show up to our grandkids Little League games in town. It had to be on an off day because I know the Stars don't have a lot of free time, but they showed up to watch and encourage the kids. I never would've suspected that they were Stars players themselves because they were more like older brothers to the kids, cheering them on. - Jackie Weckerle A few of us on staff accompanied some players on a visit to the kids' cancer center at Huntsville Hospital. Mike Jones promised one young patient that when he got well he'd have him out to a Stars game and let him throw out a first pitch which he (Mike) would catch. Mike lived up to his promise and I'll never forget the boy's smile that night. I could go on, but of everything on the list that you provided as 2008 memories it's these stories that are probably the dearest to my heart. #9: Tom Sawyer Whitewashing the Fence Many of you wrote in regarding Operations Clean Sweep I and II. In February our staff faced a dilemma. We conducted a thorough walk-thru of the stadium and made a laundry list of things that needed repairing, repainting or just plain scrapping. Realizing that the stadium's water was shut off thru the winter to prevent pipes from freezing, the task at hand wasn't going to be started until mid-March just before the season began. With not enough time or bodies to accomplish the mission ourselves, the call went out for volunteers. There were a few staff members who doubted that more than a few hardcore fans would show up. But the civic pride of North Alabama was on display as 144 of you enlisted for battle armed with brooms, rakes, pressure washers and paint brushes. A weekend's worth of sweat changed the look of The Joe and left me stunned. I had privately hoped for 50 people, but the outpouring of the fans to show their support for this organization and the stadium was overwhelming. This single event set the wheels in motion that this community will rally around the team and the activities at the stadium. A second OCS was conducted November 1st to winterize the ballpark. You can say what you want, but when you're facing whitewashing a fence and it's not all fun and games, it's good to have a Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher willing to join in the 'fun.' Brian Burnham was one of many that participated and commented on the clean-up. We'll be at it again in mid-March. #8: The Thrill on the Hill or the Dooka in Chattanooga There were four Stars' fans that wrote in regarding this one. It was the final game of a road trip at Chattanooga. There was already bad blood between the Stars and the Lookouts, the AA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. CF Michael Brantley walked up to the plate and told the Lookouts' catcher that he wasn't going to play their silly game -- hit the batter or actually words to that effect. In fact, it was prob'ly worded differently. Earlier in the game Beef (Stars Pitcher Patrick Ryan) had dusted a couple Lookouts batters in an on-going back and forth Jedi mind game, and things went from bad to worse. Beef batted ahead of Brantley and it became comical when the Lookouts pitcher tried to hit Beef with some payback but kept missing as Beef leaned backwards to avoid the beanballs. Beef walked and Brantley came up with a bad attitude. There was no fun in his eyes and he took two close-in pitches before he started the march to the mound and that was that. Dugouts and bullpens emptied and you could almost hear Michael Buffer...: "Ding...Ding...Ding...: Ladies and gentlemen...uhhhhhh...LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!" The thing I'll remember most was three different Lookouts player approached catcher Angel Salome who was just standing at the rail of the dugout taking in the melee. Angel is built like a middle linebacker and somebody you normally wouldn't want to mess with, even in the heat of battle, but these three guys decided he was open for business. Angel rabbit punched one right after another dropping them to their knees, including the Lookouts Manager Mike Goff who took a couple swings at Angel. It was a Stars franchise record for fines and suspensions. In the end the Lookouts came to town and Goff was classy enough to visit the Stars' clubhouse and apologize to Stars Manager Don Money regarding some comments made about Don and the Stars resembling barnyard fowl's waste by-products. Here's a rehash for those interested: http://www.timesfreepress...-lookouts-punished-fight/ #7: Brian Massey, the Human Piñata Again, we received a few emails regarding this promotion. Cinco de Mayo at the Ballpark was as real as it gets. Paul Westbrook played a legitimate flamenco guitar, the staff was dressed in Mexican-style clothes and fans received numbered Green Cards as they entered the ballpark, one that was worth a million pesos in tickets if one of the Stars players hit for the cycle. None did, but it was fun to wish for it to happen. But the thing that made the night most entertaining was the Human Piñata. There's something magical about selecting somebody like Director of Media and Public Relations Brian Massey for this event. He knows he's screwed as soon as we begin asking for a volunteer. "Low man on the totem pole?" he asked. "Nah, you're just the fan favorite. Everybody loves you. You know the deal. Oh, and when the kids beat you senseless with a baseball bat, don't make a sound unless you're broken or bleeding." If you weren't there, it was a priceless moment as the Massinator tried to stay quiet while the first unassuming kid whacked him with a softee (padded) baseball bat. The blindfolded kid thought he was hitting a cardboard piñata. Then a couple staff members took their shots. A classic moment and we couldn't help but laugh. Relive it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YTHfOKHTr4 #6: The Tripleheader No, not the Hansen Brothers from that hockey movie 'Slapshot,' this was more like that old commercial for Certs Breath Mints....three, three, three games in one. Nothing says hardcore like three baseball games on one night, actually the completion of one game and a doubleheader, but three games nonetheless. I first saw this happen back in Fayetteville, NC, in the mid-90s and when I mentioned it to a couple fans that because of the playoff scenario and the bad weather we could end up playing a tripleheader, they thought I was joking. But because the games were needed to settle the playoff picture the league OK'd the games. Even League Prez Don Mincher admitted he hated doing it, but Minor League Baseball will always make every attempt to play its games to determine its championships. Naturally there were some unhappy folks from players, coaches, staff, fans and day-of-game employees, just about everybody when I think back, but you always have to look at the bright side...how many people do you know that can actually say that they sat thru a tripleheader? No plans to make this an annual event, even though a couple of you asked about it. "Thriple Header! What a night (what a lead into that night, from mgnts point of view / jumping thru hoops)!" - Mike Smith #5: The Trade Again many of you wrote in regarding what has come to be known as The Trade. For those that just woke up from a 26-year nap, the Milwaukee Brewers traded away Stars RF Matt LaPorta and three other Minor Leaguers to the Cleveland Indians for CC Sabathia. The Brewers ended up making the playoffs on some of the most amazing pitching by CC and restoring hope to Brewers fans everywhere. LaPorta, whose first at-bat of the season was a grand slam, went to the AA Akron Aeros where he dropped his bags and went to the MLB Futures Game and later the Olympics in China. LaPorta could hit the long ball but had a reputation for not being fan-friendly with the autograph seekers. Fans in the Eastern League actually found out what some Stars fans had discovered early on: good luck getting something signed. In the end I think the Brewers got the better end of the deal. You can say what you want about what the future could hold for LaPorta, but a guy with a Terrell Owens attitude isn't going to help you in the long run. Ask Jerry Jones. Clubhouse Manager Marcus Commander asked Matt to sign his jerseys before he left; the same jerseys that were to be auctioned off in our MDA and St Jude's fundraising auctions. "What's in it for me?" was the response. Go figure. Good luck, Cleveland. Karma is a two way street. You know the champagne that was on ice had we clinched the first half? Some of the players popped the corks and celebrated after the Brewers pulled the trigger on The Trade. Morale improved after that, players smiled more. Must be something in the water here, too. By the way, those two jerseys were sold without autographs and helped the two fundraisers anyways. #4: The Team The Stars were batting over .300 as a team in July. Those are absolutely ridiculous numbers. At season's end the Brewers had three of our 2008 Huntsville Stars in Milwaukee: C Angel Salome, SS Alcides Escobar and 3B Mat Gamel. The lineup of the Huntsville Stars was voted the #1 in MiLB by Minor League News. These three players are just the beginning of what the future of MLB will remember of the 2008 Huntsville Stars. Who can forget the body moves and throws by Escobar? There were nights where I thought he didn't have a skeleton because a human body wasn't supposed to bend that way. Gamel and his 'Aw, Shucks,' southern guy demeanor and Angel, the Human Bowling Ball, proposing to his fiancé on field after the game, all will bring back good memories. And let's not forget that Angel had the league high and new record .360 batting average. How about David Welch's no-hitter? Sam Narron's two-hitter with a home run to help his cause? We even had a triple play in '08. Stars fan Brad Miller added many good comments including the 10 Stars named to the All-Star team. That's 10, even though four were gone before the game came around. Even one of the Carolina players asked why the league didn't just form a league-wide All-Star team and come to Huntsville to play the Stars. Many of you emailed in moments of the play on the field regarding what was a season for the ages. Hopefully you got to meet some of these guys before they left because it was a memorable bunch. I suspect a Stars caravan will make a couple trips to Nashville this season just to see this line-up together in action again. In my baseball career I have never experienced this much talent on one team in one season. I think many of you feel the same way. It might be a long time until it happens again. Doug Palmer, you were right, unless there is a rehab assignment somewhere down the line, we won't see many of these guys in Stars uniforms again. #3: The Horns "...The kids in the stands with the horns...home team 10th man! Love the horns!" - John Eichstaedt. You either loved 'em or thought that they blew (I'll wait for you to finish groaning), but the horns raised the volume and atmosphere at The Joe. Last spring fans complained that the atmosphere of the stadium was like a funeral home. One guy said it best: "This place has all the charm of a mausoleum...it's gray, quiet and has no life. Do something." We did. The stadium horns became the #1 seller at the team store. If you doubt that, go to a local hockey game and you'll see (and hear) those same horns wreaking havoc...pun intended. The quiet ballpark was no more. For those in attendance, think back to one of those Kids' Days or the 9,444 fans on the 4th of July. I could only imagine that on the field it might have sounded like the Battle of Jericho. This season there will a horns-free section located behind home plate directly below the radio booths. If you wish to avoid the noise, the view can't be beat and the only thing to your back will be the voices of the radio broadcasters. John, you hit the nail on the head; fans can raise the tempo and intensity of the game. #2: World Record First Pitch A slam-dunk by over 90% of you that took the time to write in. In August we opened the gates at midnight (19 hours before game time) so that everybody could throw out a game's honorary first pitch for the record books. Keep in mind that it was rocket-fired, non-stop, step up and throw one after another for 19 hours until game time for a total of 11,689 first pitches. That's a pitch every six seconds. Big Paul Thompson was one of 50 fans present when the event started and he stayed thru the light rain, took a power nap on a dugout bench and kept chunking day and night. We had fans, players, coaches, umpires, and staff, even the Mayor showed up to join the fun. The bottom line was that the sponsor of the event - Cabinet NG - wanted a fun-filled event for Stars fans and those of you that participated had a good time. Classic comments included when I introduced myself to one elderly man. He said his name was Ben. "Ben what?" "Son, after this throw, what'll be my fifth today, it'll be Ben Gay." He said his real name was Arthur, Arthur-itis. Touché. Now, before we hit #1, I need to take a moment to thank all of you for writing in and sharing your highlights and memories. Our staff realizes that we don't have the best ballpark with all of the amenities, or the biggest and best of what other teams and cities enjoy. But we know that we have the best fans, bar none and together we can make baseball here at The Joe the best that we can! We realize that there is only one way to improve our operation and that is to make sure that each of you are treated like family members and understand that you're an important part of our operation. We can't thank you enough for a wonderful season and for being a part of our extended families. We also couldn't begin to thank or compensate the Booster Club for the help that they have provided us. I don't think fans walking in the gate will ever completely understand how much work goes into this operation behind the scenes. We couldn't do it ourselves and our Booster Club really alleviates some of the problems that we face on a daily basis and I thank each of you for your commitment to the club. So from the bottom of our hearts, our ownership, players, coaches and staff want to thank each of you for a wonderful, enjoyable and memorable 2008 season. We thank you for believing in the Stars and selecting us as part of your family's entertainment options. And now, after a few more clichés, here's the top vote getter. This list is what it is. It was like Manny being Manny putting this list together: 90% mental and 50% luck. And I felt like a batter waiting for his pitch while waiting for you fans to email in your top moments of the season. Jeez, who created these phrases anyways? A Manager needs a good wife, a great pitcher and a .300 hitter; not necessarily in that order. Enough, already. Our top vote getter got to me early and often. It wasn't just one moment, but a season long presence. #1: Hit Me a Homer Hands down, the top vote getter was Homer the Polecat, the official mascot of the Huntsville Stars. Say it with me: Amen. Nowhere with any other team have I had such a hard-working mascot. I think just about everybody's responses included testimonials about Homer. I've included a few of them here: Brewerfan insert -- Homer the Polecat (skunk) was born in 1995 after skunks were seen coming out from behind the outfield wall and running past the outfielders. The players are very grateful to have Homer close by instead of the skunks that preceeded him!! Homer resides behind the center field wall and loves to participate in his favorite promotion, the BASE RACE. Unfortunately, Homer is 0-for-his-career (winless) against the fans here at Joe Davis Stadium in the nightly run around the bases. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2005/03/31/89ewXwvo.jpg My second favorite memory (of 2008) is when Homer the Polecat got called into Buck's office to be told "They were bringing down some hotshot mascot from the majors" (Roger 'The Rocket' Clemons). This of course was done on TV Bull Durham style. - Wil Elrick, Fox-54 Having Homer come up and visit with the girls (in their seats) over & over during the season. - Jerry Staniero Homer winning the employee of the year. - Allison Tofflemire The master of mischief had undoubtedly won over the hearts and minds of Stars fans and your comments were flattering. Some of the things we hadn't even heard about before, but it's apparent that Homer was a huge reason fans enjoyed coming out to the ballpark. Homer, of course, isn't going anywhere and will back in '09 to create some more childhood memories! There you have it, the year's best memories provided by you, the best fans in baseball! We wish everybody a safe, Happy New Year and remember there are only 98 days and a wake-up until Opening Day!

Courtesy Baseball America (minor league deals all) -- Washington signed RHP Jorge Sosa. Pittsburgh inked LHP Edwin Walker; wow, Walker was a promising but raw San Antonio high schooler who was the Brewers' 2002 9th round pick. Arm injuries, including Tommy John surgery, saw Walker released after the 2004 season. He's toiled some in independent ball since, and it would be great to see him bounce back. He turned 25 last October. LHP Brian Mazone (High Desert, 2003) has had some AAA success in recent years but no big league call-up. He signed with the Dodgers. Baltimore signed C Chad Moeller, OF Dave Krynzel The Brewers' first-round pick (11th overall) in 2000, Krynzel lasted exactly one homestand with the Diamondbacks last season, appearing in four games for Triple-A Tucson, three times as a pinch-hitter, before drawing his release in early April. He played in just 23 games in 2007, his first season with Arizona after an offseason trade, so the 26-year-old needs to make up for lost time. -- BA

I'm going to give you all a Doug Melvin "hit" and "big miss" all on the same player that I can pretty much guarantee hasn't been discussed in detail online before. On June 7th of 2004, Melvin acquired OF Peter Bergeron and RHP Saul Rivera from Montreal for C Jason Belcher and RHP Jason Childers. Bergeron had seen significant big league AB's as a very young outfielder with Montreal, but had fallen to AAA fodder with the Brewers' Indianapolis club that year. Belcher was once the "catcher of the future", and is still toiling in indy ball, I believe. Jason Childers was wrapping up a long stint as a Brewer farmhand, and would have a cup of big league tea with Tampa Bay in '06. But the interesting name in the deal, as it turns out, was the RHP-tiny 5'11", 155 lb. Rivera, who posted a 1.64 ERA in 26 games in Huntsville. Rivera was 26 years old at the end of that season, and was wrapping up his 7th minor league year, having been drafted out of Puerto Rico as a 9th rounder by the Twins in '98. So the Brewers would have had to have had the foresight to add Rivera, who had never pitched above AA, to their 40-man roster after the '04 season in order to maintain his services. Or, more likely, they could have approached him about re-signing a minor league deal with incentives like a big league spring training invite. But neither happened, and Rivera re-signed with Montreal, the organization that had just traded him away, after the '04 season. So after yet another AA season in '05, Rivera works his way to the big league Nationals early in the '06 season, and what a successful workhorse he's been while toiling at or just above league minimum for three seasons, posting ERA's of 3.43, 3.68 and 3.96 respectively (his age 28-29-30 seasons), allowing only eight home runs in 237.1 innings. Among Brewer "ones that got away" alumni in recent seasons, no one has been nearly as productive. So here's to Doug Melvin for acquiring him, here's not to Doug Melvin for letting him walk, and here's to Saul Rivera for proving little RHP's can be successful. Saul Rivera Baseball Reference Page Scouting Report Assets Has a rubber arm, and is capable of being used several days in a row and for long outings when needed. Pitches with plenty of guile. Flaws Doesn't have a true strikeout pitch, and struggles with his control from time to time--which leads to big innings. Career potential A quality middle reliever.

Not really, teams like the Brewers usually trade potential free agents in July, where they are scooped up by teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, who then allow them to walk and benefit from the draft picks after just a few months of player ownership. The powerhouse teams can afford the risk to offer arbitration to players that mid-to-small market teams cannot, thus benefitting more when those players leave as well. These two teams in particular have had an insane number of additional prime draft picks in recent years.

Threadworthy based on the Brewer mention of the former Milwaukee farmhand -- his signing would have made some sense, actually, as there figures to be more need for a durable long reliever this season.

The offseason independent league transactions involving former Brewer farmhands are too numerous to mention, but it's worth noting when a player works his way back to affiliated ball from the indy leagues, as SS Ryan Barba did with the Braves.

Chris Smith Scouting Report from SoxProspects.com: Average 89-93 mph fastball with a power 82 mph breaking curve and a pretty good change-up. Good knowledge of pitching. Missed most of 2002 season after an ATV accident, from which he took a couple years to recover fully. Great preparation skills. Throws off-speed pitches for strikes, often at unexpected counts. Pounds the strike zone with great command, doesn't walk many batters. Works quickly on the mound. Similar style to Mike Mussina. Converted to a reliever in 2007 where he demonstrated some very good success.

Nashville's Doug Scopel and staff provide the following updates: RHP Ryan Houston - The 29-year-old Houston has spent the majority of the past three seasons at the Class AAA level within the Blue Jays and Astros organizations. He went 1-3 with a 7.54 ERA (38 ER / 45.1 IP) and one save in 39 relief outings for Round Rock (AAA-Astros) in 2008. Prior to joining the Houston chain via a waiver claim, he spent his first nine pro seasons in the Toronto farm system after being selected by the Blue Jays in the 31st round of the 1998 draft. Houston carries a career 4.12 ERA in 318 minor league contests (64 starts). Ryan Houston's Career Statistics RHP Chris Smith - Smith, 27, joins the Brewers organization in 2009 after spending his first seven seasons in the Boston Red Sox chain, including making his Major League debut with the BoSox last season. The right-hander split the 2008 campaign between Triple-A Pawtucket and Boston. He went 1-5 with 15 saves and a 3.19 ERA (21 ER / 59.1 IP) with 52 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings in 37 games (four starts) for Pawtucket and was 1-0 with a 7.85 ERA (16 ER / 18.1 IP) in 12 relief appearances for Boston. The UC-Riverside product was selected by Boston in the 4th round of the 2002 draft. Chris Smith's Career Statistics Neither signing is that exciting based on secondary stats; competition for pitchers like Steve Bray and David Johnson, who would hope to make up a portion of the 2009 AAA relief corps.