Jim Goulart

Nashville Site: PHOENIX -- The Nashville Sounds dropped a 2-1 decision to the Sacramento River Cats (AAA-A's) on Monday afternoon at Maryvale Baseball Park in the teams' second of three spring meetings. In his first minor league game of the spring, outfielder Laynce Nix -- who led Nashville with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs last season -- had two hits in three at-bats, including a double and a triple, and scored the Sounds' lone run. Catcher Vinny Rottino plated Nix for the club's only RBI. 2B Steve Sollmann went 2-for-3 to join Nix as the only Sounds with multi-hit efforts. A pair of big-leaguers started things out on the hill for Nashville while getting in some extra work. Brian Shouse worked a scoreless frame and David Riske tossed 18 pitches in the second before turning things over to Nic Ungs, who threw 3 2/3 innings of relief, allowing only one run. Tim Dillard allowed the go-ahead run in his two frames of action before Mitch Stetter closed things out with a scoreless inning of relief. Nashville (2-4-3) hosts the Salt Lake Bees (AAA-Angels) at Maryvale Baseball Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Talkin' Brewers Archive

Re-signing with their independent Atlantic League clubs this week are RHP Joe Valentine (Long Island), OF Ruben Mateo (Newark), and utilityman Elio Ayala and catcher Jason Belcher (Somerset).

Red Sox released Junior Spivey. White Sox released RHP Vince Perkins and LHP Brian Logan.

OK, who's this guy in the Parra uniform? Those are lollipops up and down the middle....

Wow, that was a bonehead play by Dillon at 3rd...

It's video only, no mlb.com audio...

Round Two Underway Zelous Wheeler is holding his own against a # 1 seed, Callix Crabbe is off to a big early lead, and it's tough going for Noochie Varner. Vote via the link above at the recap.

Nashville Site: PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Nashville Sounds defeated the Tacoma Rainiers (AAA-Mariners), 6-3, on Sunday afternoon at Peoria Sports Complex in spring training action. Right-hander Mark DiFelice made the start for Nashville and allowed one run on two hits in his one inning of work. Jason Shiell followed by allowing two runs over four frames before David Johnson (2.0 IP), Erasmo Ramirez (1.0 IP), and Luis Pena (1.0 IP) combined for four innings of scoreless relief to close out the contest. At the plate, Mel Stocker collected three hits, including a triple, in five at-bats and drove in three runs to pace the Sounds' offense. Hernan Iribarren went 2-for-3 with a triple and a team-best three runs scored in the winning effort. Nashville (2-3-3) hosts the Sacramento River Cats (AAA-A's) on Monday afternoon at Maryvale Baseball Park for the clubs' second meeting of the spring.

Huntsville Site: Ryan Crew collected three hits and drove in five runs to carry the Stars past the Frisco RoughRiders, the double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, 9-2 Saturday in Maryvale, AZ. Huntsville improved its' spring record to 5-2 with a fourth straight victory. Crew missed hitting for the cycle by a double, while Michael Brantley totaled four hits, scored four times and knocked in a run to help pace a 14-hit attack. Mike Bell added two hits, including a double, as the Stars piled up seven extra base hits. Derek Miller tossed 3 1/3 innings of scoreless, hitless relief.

LH reliever Craig Breslow, who was out of options with Boston, was claimed by Cleveland, possible reasoning here.

$1, but pick up some nice shiny dollar coins from the bank to have on hand.

Nashville Site: PHOENIX -- The Nashville Sounds came up on the short end of an 11-6 loss to the PCL rival Oklahoma RedHawks (AAA-Rangers) on Saturday afternoon at Maryvale Baseball Park. Left-hander Zach Jackson made the start for Nashville and took the loss after allowing six runs (three ER) on 10 hits over his 4 2/3 innings of work. Joe Bateman (2.0 IP, 1 R), Thomas Atlee (0.2 IP, 2 R), and Robert Hinton (0.2 IP, 2 R) also pitched for the Sounds in the contest. Vinny Rottino, making his first minor league appearance of the spring after being optioned to Nashville by the Brewers, paced the Sounds offense with a 2-for-4 afternoon that included a home run and two RBIs. Brendan Katin also homered and scored two runs for Nashville. Steve Moss (2-for-3) added the club's only other multiple-hit effort of the day. Nashville (1-3-3) travels to Peoria Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon for a road meeting with the Tacoma Rainiers (AAA-Mariners).

Brewers Team Doctor's Study: Lower Pitcher's Mound Will Reduce Baseball Injuries

22-year-old infielder Matt Cline (Helena in 2007) got himself another at-bat Saturday, doubled and scored the Brewers only run. Cole Gillespie 0-for-1. Chris Narveson roughed up for the first time this spring, althogh technically he's outside the parameters of this thread as a non-roster big league camp invitee.

Doug Melvin Rickie Weeks Jason Kendall Tony Gwynn, Jr.

Huntsville staff says thanks.... David Weiser details the day. General manager Buck Rogers would have been happy to have 50 show up for what he called "Operation Tom Sawyer" or "Operation Clean Sweep" as I call it......... What he got was a response of least 100, most of whom showed between the hours of 9 and 11 am, on this sunny Saturday at Joe Davis Stadium. They were still coming after 2 pm........ So it's safe to say that Rogers' first interaction with the fickle fans of Huntsville and the sometime inert community in general was a total success....... I saw people I don't ordinarily see at games........ Volunteers were spread inside and outside the stadium, sweeping, raking, painting, and cleaning the ballpark, front, back, and side, in advance of their April 3 opener against Mississippi. (Season ticket holders can pick up their package this Thursday at the stadium at the 3rd floor pick-up party.)....... Buck met and got to know many of the regulars for the first time. Those that didn't meet him -- wanted to; and the unanimous consensus I got from the several I talked to is that they like what they see from their new GM....... "He's alive" is the comment I got from Janet Whiteside, a vocal critic of the Van Schaak era....... At noon, Buck gathered his forces for a group photo, filling the top of the home dugout four deep and extending to the front two rows. WAAY's sportscaster Will Kennedy was on hand to capture the moment for the evening news while Brian Massey fidgeted with his still camera, trying from several angles to get the entire group in. While we waited in the chow line for hot dogs, chips, and soda, courtesy of the Stars' concessionaire, Sodexho, Brian came back down with the computer print of the group. If you want a copy, just e-mail info@huntsvillestars.com or brianmassey@huntsvillestars.com. ........ Buck, never to miss an idea, says the photo will be displayed in front or inside the stadium for volunteers to autograph and for all those to see once the season gets started...... I was told Buck is intent at doing something to kill that ubiquitous gray color you see once you're inside the stadium, coming of course from the concrete walls, which is what critics have used when they call this ballpark "The Mausoleum". One fan likened it to a prison yard. It'll be a massive project, but Buck says it will get a paint job for the first time in its history, and has even been offered the help of a muralist to put some splash and some life into those gray walls.. I also met the charming, bespectacled Brevard-transplant Kylee Hanish, the Stars' bubbly bundle of enthusiasm who serves as Rogers' Sales Associate. She signed the volunteers in and out so they would get the deserving number of game tickets to the first fireworks game of the year on Friday, April 4........ And a thank you from me for helping make this participative project a success. Thank you for your spirit.

That is contrary to everything that has been written about LaPorta. Honest to goodness, I don't get the whole autograph thing unless you're under 12 or with someone who is, but even if you are an adult and that's your hobby, I'm not going to rip into you. But to expect each player to be "on" every single moment that fans are around is unrealistic and not fair to the player. You don't know what circumstances were at that very time and place that kept him from signing. I'm sorry that your enjoyment of any future LaPorta home runs for the Crew will be forever tainted by this experience. That's a potential big part of your future Brewer fandom that you're going to let three random minutes in Maryvale effect.

First hour guests include Special Asst. to Doug Melvin Dan O'Brien, Jim Gantner, Astro broadcaster Brett Dolan and Cardinal broadcaster Jay Randolph. Hour # 2 is your calls with Jim and Ueck -- it's a special shout-out to bring some big-time quality calls and discussion to the table in Hour 2, so we're going to make it as easy as possible for you to do so. There are certainly enough issues to discuss. WTMJ Local Studio Line: 414-799-1620 Toll-Free Line: 1-800-877-1620 (Call WTMJ talk shows from throughout the country) We need to make this a Podsednik-free 2nd hour -- I'm sure you guys and gals are up to the task! Listen live here Archive will likely turn up on Tuesday or so at the Bubbler, we'll link when available... By the way, it looks like Mark Attanasio and Bud Selig on the final Talkin' Brewers next week. Regular season is around the corner!

Adam McCalvy with an excellent piece on Mike Jones; nice job, Adam.

DHonks, keep in mind Stetter was just optioned (top of this thread)...

Also posted in our minor league transaction thread, but feel free to discuss here: Vinny Rottino and Mitch Stetter optioned to Nashville, Rottino can be optioned again in 2009 and Stetter in '09 and '10. Yovani Gallardo to 15-day DL, he'll have to miss the first five days of the regular season at a minimum.

More independent league signings, all with the Atlantic League: RHP Corey Thurman, LHP Wayne Franklin and OF Travis Ezi with York (PA) LHP Jeremy Lewis with Camden (NJ) A bit surprised Thurman couldn't ink an affiliated deal...

Nashville Site: SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Nashville Sounds were defeated by Omaha (AAA-Royals), 9-7, on Thursday afternoon in a spring training contest at Surprise Stadium. Russell Branyan had a nice day at the plate for the Sounds, going 2-for-3 with a home run, double, and a walk. Adam Heether added a home run for Nashville as part of a 2-for-4 afternoon. Mel Stocker also enjoyed a two-hit day and legged out a triple. On the hill, Mark DiFelice made the start and worked a scoreless inning. Lindsay Gulin followed and surrendered six runs on seven hits in two frames of action to take the loss. Brett Campbell (1.1 IP, 2 R), Tim Dillard (2.0 IP, 1 R), Robert Hinton (1.0 scoreless IP), and Luis Pena (1.0 scoreless IP) also worked for Nashville. The Sounds (1-2-3) take a day off from spring training action on Friday, when they'll participate in intrasquad workouts at Maryvale Baseball Park. Nashville hosts the Oklahoma RedHawks (AAA-Rangers) on Saturday in Maryvale.

SportsBubbler podcasts available from this week for your office / home listening pleasure: Ned Yost Carlos Villanueva Bill Hall Prince Fielder Yovani Gallardo Joe Dillon Craig Counsell Mike Cameron Corey Hart Tom Haudricourt's Radio Podcasts have been a nice added feature this spring as well.