Jim Goulart

Nice way to land on his feet, considering at the time of his dismissal, he was just hoping to be reassigned within the Brewers' organization. Skaalen to A's

Peter Gammons Blog: Cashman backed off the Mike Cameron deal because Melky Cabrera has improved his plate discipline in winter ball, and there are voices in the organization who still believe Brett Gardner is going to be a useful major league player. No one will argue his energy and intensity, but watch him take batting practice, and you'll find out he's a lot stronger than he looks. Granted, he has to take it into games, but there is something on which to place hope.

Link while active, text follows: Thorman signs with Brewers Josh Brown TheRecord.com (Ontarion, Canada) Representing Canada at the World Baseball Classic in Toronto sounds mighty tempting. But Cambridge slugger Scott Thorman will politely decline if national team manager Ernie Whitt comes calling for his services in the March showdown. Not because he isn't proud of wearing the Maple Leaf: the first baseman did represent Canada at the Beijing Olympics this past summer. But after inking a new one-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this month, Thorman is focused on resurrecting his major league career. "The biggest thing for me is to find a way to get back to the big leagues and find a way to stay," he said from his Cambridge home. "At this point, it's more important to be with the Brewers in spring training and make a good impression." So Thorman, wife Kelly and son Robbie will head to Arizona for the full six weeks of spring training early next year and watch the World Baseball Classic on television. "It's obviously cool that it's in Toronto and it would be great to be a part of it but at the same time playing baseball is how I feed my family and that's what's important." Half a dozen teams contacted Thorman's agent during the off-season after the first baseman hit the market. The 26-year-old spent nine years with the Atlanta Braves after the franchise selected him in the first round of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft. He peaked with the club two summers back when he hit 11 homers and collected 36 RBI over 287 at-bats. Last year, he spent the season with the Braves' triple-A affiliate in Richmond, Va. "Not many people can say they made it to the big leagues with the team that drafted them and that's something I accomplished and I'm very proud of that," he said. "But it's time to move on. It's a business. It's a fresh start. It's a great city and a great opportunity for me." The change of scenery has Thorman pumped. He's running and lifting weights daily and hitting the batting cage sooner and harder than usual. He has played both hot corners and patrolled the outfield in his career with the Braves. But he realizes he won't be displacing all-star first baseman Prince Fielder with the Brew Crew. "For me I would be looking to make the team as a pinch hitter or backup first base, third base or left field," the former Preston High School student said. "Hopefully it's somewhere I can make the big league club if not out of spring training, then some point through the year." Milwaukee is full of Canadian connections. General manager Doug Melvin is a Chatham native and his assistant Gord Ash hails from Toronto. Ironically, Ash was interested in drafting Thorman nine years ago when he was GM of the Toronto Blue Jays. "I met Gord a few times when I was young," he said. "It's funny how things come full circle."

Frank Kremblas to Manage AAA Indianapolis for Pittsburgh

Atlantic League press release on the Brian Reith signing -- flourishing as closer

LHP Manuel Ruiz is the latest Latin American youngster to be signed, according to Baseball America. More info at press guide time in the spring, but any signing that begins with "LHP" gets an automatic approval bump just on potential alone http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif.

The Brewers have signed former big league RHP Brian Reith, who last pitched in affiliated ball in 2005, to a minor league contract. Reith has pitched in Taiwan and with Somerset (N.J.) of the independent Atlantic League since '05. Reith has been pitching in Mexico in winter league ball. He'll be 31 when the '09 season opens. Career Statistics A Whatever Happened to Brian Reith Posting Maybe the Reith's will expand on the blog they started

Audio WSSP interview

Hawaiian League No More -- Moving to Arizona (Baseball America)

Since we don't seem to have a specific farmhand catcher thread, here's a link to a Baseball America post that discusses the SB / CS defensive aspect of many, including Jonathan Lucroy and Angel Salome. Lucroy's work in this regard was just insane last season.

Here's news on the local radio deal for you folks driving around the Appleton area -- you locals would be more familiar with the (apparently strong) signal strength and such. All the broadcasts should be available via the web and MiLB.com.

Council to hear Greer improvement plan (Video via link is outdated -- from last spring) Buyers say fixes to be noticeable By Michael Cass THE TENNESSEAN If all goes as planned, Greer Stadium will feature renovated bathrooms and concession stands, more parking and a better sound system when the Nashville Sounds open the 2009 baseball season in April, the team's buyers said Monday. "We'll try to make enough of a change so fans notice it," said Frank Ward, one of the three principals at New York-based MFP Real Estate and MFP Baseball. A proposed new lease for the Sounds at the city-owned stadium sailed through a key Metro Council committee Monday, paving the way for final approval tonight. Ward and one of his two business partners, Steve Posner, said they were thankful for the city's support. "It ensures the continuity of Pacific Coast League baseball in Nashville for the foreseeable future," Posner said. "And it gives us the opportunity to improve the condition of the stadium to a hopefully more enjoyable fan experience in the near future." Council Budget and Finance Committee members asked no questions about the deal, which Mayor Karl Dean's administration hammered out with MFP after the firm announced its plans to acquire the team in late October. The lease at the 30-year-old ballpark would be good for five years, with an option to extend it for another five. MFP would invest at least $1.75 million but no more than $2 million in Greer upgrades and repairs by Dec. 31, 2009. Metro would reimburse the buyers as much as $250,000 for capital improvements each year, in line with the city's annual stadium maintenance obligation under the current lease, if the buyers invested at least $500,000 a year through 2013. Jon Cooper, the council's attorney, said in a written analysis that the lease would be more favorable to Metro than the current agreement and would lead to significant improvements to the city's facility. The deal would require the Sounds to play baseball in Davidson County, whether at the current stadium on Chestnut Street or a new stadium, for the next five years. If they were to leave town before then, the Sounds would have to reimburse Metro. Construction of a new ballpark - which the buyers plan to pursue at some point - would require a new lease with a significantly longer term. MFP is trying to buy the Sounds from Al Gordon, who has owned the franchise for about 12 years. The transaction still must be approved by the Pacific Coast League and Major League Baseball, which could take another six weeks. Ward said he hopes renovations can start around Feb. 1. The Sounds start the new season on April 9.

Baseball America entry confirming Jones was re-signed.

You don't have to agree with each and every aspect of RockCoCougars' initial post, but he deserves kudos for putting together one of the more insightful thread topics here in some time. For those of us old enough to remember that group from 16 years ago, his post was thought-provoking, at least to this reader. Nice job!

Newsday says the Yankees have dropped out of the Sheets chase, which is good, since the Brewers would have been stuck with no better than a 3rd round pick in compensation from the Yankees: They have ruled out going after oft-injured Ben Sheets, someone familiar with their plans said, because of too many "red flags." Instead, they will await a decision from Andy Pettitte.

Here's the June 21, 2007 Link Report thread which features newly-acquired Mark Holliman's seven-inning no-hitter against Huntsville (a game in which he also hit a two-run home run). If you don't want to review all the posts, and my goodness, you don't realize how chock full a Link Report can be sometimes until you go back for something like this, here's the story from the Knoxville Times. Holliman's reaction to the Minor League Phase Rule 5 pick: Holliman said his initial reaction to being selected by Milwaukee was one of surprise. "I didn't even know I was eligible (for the Rule 5)," he said. He said he was excited, though, and that he was familiar with a few players in Milwaukee's farm system already.

The always informative (and timely) BrewCrewBall has saved us some google time this evening with their Rule 5 recap. If / when we find pertinent newspaper articles and such, we'll keep you posted. Patrick "Beef" Ryan was a long-time Link Report favorite, and we're happy he'll get a new lease on life with the Mariner organization. His family members were Brewerfan readers, and had been nothing but cordial in their appreciative communications with us over the years. Hope to see you on a Safeco Field mound some time, Patrick!

The minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft is a way for clubs to take flyers on established organizational soldiers, and basically fill in gaps they believe they have within their own minor league chains. If you sort our Player Index by position, you'll see that there aren't many true shortstops in that AA-high A range. I think it was Jim Callis of Baseball America that did an analysis of all Minor League Phase Rule 5 selections for the past couple of decades, and there has not been a player who has gone on to have a big league career of any extended significance.

The receiving team can place them at any level, no restrictions whatsoever...

Minor League Phase -- Brewers grab Mark Holliman, RHP (Cubs), as noted above and Jonny Ash, 2B (Astros), Shane Justice, SS (Dodgers) and Juan Sanchez, SS (Twins) More on those guys later on...

Minor League Phase -- RH reliever Patrick Ryan lost to the Mariners (Darn you, Jack Z.!) Utility infielder Guilder Rodriguez lost to the Rangers

I'm not sure what the past few posts actually are implying, so just ignore those and peek at Josh's blog, which he updated early Thursday.

As per Baseball America, the Brewer eligibles -- Player Position Age Bateman, Joe RHR 28 Bell, Mike IF 23 Bray, Stephen RHR 27 Chapman, Stephen OF 23 Corporan, Carlos C 24 Delarosa, Anderson C 24 Ellison, Derrick LHS 30 Fermaint, Charlie OF 23 Garciaparra, Michael SS 25 Gardner, Richie RHS 26 Gulin, Lindsay LHS 32 Heether, Adam 3B 26 Hinton, Robert RHR 24 Holmberg, Kenny 2B 25 Johnson, David RHR 26 Jones, Mike RHS 25 Katin, Brendan OF 25 Lluberes, Rafael LHS 24 Maldonado, Martin C 22 Mercedes, Roque RHS 22 Miller, Derek LHS 27 Narron, Sam LHS 27 Narveson, Chris LHS 26 Palmisano, Lou C 26 Parejo, Freddy CF 24 Rodriguez, Guilder SS 25 Ryan, Patrick RHR 25 Sandoval, Juan RHR 27 Wahpepah, Josh RHR 24 Welch, David LHS 25 All teams eligibles

Reminder -- Rule 5 draft at 10:30 Central Thursday morning -- MLB and MiLB.com provide live coverage for subscribers Among the Brewers mentioned on various blogs as possible picks are RHP's Joe Bateman, Steve Bray, and Juan Sandoval, LHP David Welch, and slugging OF Brendan Katin. The Brewers will also pick up and may lose minor league phase players -- ironically Bateman, Bray and Sandoval were all acquired by the Brewers via the minor league phase, and are now candidates to be selected in the major league phase.

From Bernie's Crew's Interview with Helena Play-by-Play Man Steve Wendt: BC: Wily Peralta spent quite a bit of time with Helena this season, but has recently been called up to West Virginia. His stats certainly make the call-up seem deserved. Was it? What pitches are in Wily's arsenal? SW: Wily's promotion for me was certainly well-deserved. For my money, he was the best pitcher in the league. His stuff is filthy and he has a demeanor on the mound that can be down right scary for opponents. He has a look about him that he couldn't care less if the hitter lives or dies, as long as he makes an out first. He has a fastball that was sitting at 97 with command. He also featured a jelly-legging slider that was nearly unhittable at this level. He throws a change too, but didn't throw it too much. If you are talking about a promotion, this is a guy that I would throw at a higher or maybe the highest level in the spring and see where the chips fall.