Jim Goulart

Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section...2007040611 Brantley's triple propels Power to win By Mike Whiteford Charleston Gazette Staff Writer As the cold evening wore on, West Virginia Power scoring opportunities were slipping away, and the folks in attendance were maintaining a steady trickle toward the exits. On an opening night diminished by freezing temperatures and bitter winds, the Power compounded the unpleasantness by stranding too many runners through six innings. The fans simply surrendered to the cold. Finally, Power left fielder Michael Brantley delivered the big hit that had been so elusive. With runners on first and second in the seventh inning, Brantley launched a triple deep into the right-center gap to break a tie and help the Power open the season with a 4-3 victory over Lake County at Appalachian Power Park. A crowd of 3,642 attended but, in light of the conditions, the total decreased inning-by-inning, leaving only 500 or so to see Power closer Omar Aguilar strike out the side in the ninth to conclude the three-hour, 12-minute affair. Brantley, a Florida native, didn?t like the weather but persevered. ?You have to take it like a man and go after ?em,?? he said. Until Brantley?s blast, the Power had stranded nine runners in the previous five innings, including a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity in the sixth and a first-and-third, one-out situation in the second. The weather may have played a part in both teams? inability to deliver in the clutch. The cold usually gives a slight edge to the pitchers, said Power pitching coach John Curtis. ?Everything from eyes watering to cold hands to whatever, it doesn?t do much good for the hitter,?? said Curtis. ?You always want to make solid contact on a night like this.?? A pitch off the bat handle, he noted, can be agonizing. ?I?ve seen guys have the bees stay with them for about four innings, and they?re reluctant to swing the bat,?? he said. Brantley?s triple brought home Andrew Lefave and Andy Bouchie, each of whom had reached on a one-out single. In the first inning, Lefave?s opposite-field two-run homer to left-center had given the Power a 2-1 lead. Brantley, a .300 hitter in a full season with the Power last year, picked up where he left off, collecting a single, double and triple in four at-bats. The two extra-base hits were especially encouraging, considering that 96 of his 108 hits last year were singles. But he was recovering from shoulder surgery in 2006 and not swinging at his best. ?The key is I?m completely healthy,?? said Brantley. ?I wasn?t fully healthy all year last year, and now that I?m healthy I can go back to my natural swing.?? Power starter Brae Wright pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed seven hits but did not walk a batter. Patrick Ryan followed with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Reliever E.J. Shanks pitched the seventh and eighth to pick up the victory. ?These are fairly trying conditions for both sides, hitters and pitchers,?? said Curtis, ?but I thought our guys pitched very well. They kept their wits about them when things threatened to come apart there. They did a nice job.?? POWER POINT: In the two previous openers at Appalachian Power Park, attendance was 5,354 in 2005 and 5,742 last year. Both nights were warm, but rain interrupted last year?s game. ... The wooden stand that Wheeler Bob occupies for his pregame program sales has an added touch this season. The words ?Wheeler Bob Friedman?s Program Stand,?? complete with the Power logo, are emblazoned across the front. Wheeler Bob has been selling programs and memorabilia at Charleston ballparks since 1973. ... A new two-tier party deck down the right-field line opened. It can accommodate about 250 fans and has its own concession stand. Photos by Charleston Gazette Photographer: Chris Dorst Andrew Lefave celebrates his first-inning home run with Chuckie Caufield, who scored ahead of him to give the Power a 2-1 lead. http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/HOMERUN.jpg Power shortstop Brent Brewer fails to catch a short fly ball, allowing a Lake County run in the third inning. No. 22 is second baseman Kenny Holmberg. http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/flyball.jpg

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com/ WEATHER OR NOT...I knew this would be a chilly night at the ballpark. The temperature during the day never got out of the 50s, even though the sun was shining bright, but once it went down, I knew this was not going to be a pleasurable game to sit through. I'm amazed I lasted 7½ innings in the seats........ It was --- the chilliest opening day in more than five years, and despite a long-sleeved shirt, a jacket, a coat, and gloves (which I didn't wear five years ago), it was still torture. A north wind at 10-12 mph blew constantly toward the stands. There was a rush on coffee and hot cocoa, which didn't become available until midway through the game....... Worse yet, those hard seats that make concrete feel soft at the stadium feel even harder when they're cold. The official temperature of 47° at game-time beats the 50° start when the Stars lost to the Carolina Mudcats, April 4, 2002....... Coincidentally, that was the last extra-inning opener in Stars history, and what I received from looking up the temperature on my cellphone was also 50°. By the time it was over, it had dipped to 44°........ It's hard to imagine the weather being any worse, short of rain, for the rest of the series, but it's supposed to get colder still --- progressively --- for the rest of the series........ Before the game, one Mississippi player before the game told me, "For this, I left Florida." Despite the unavailability of hot cocoa and $2 coffee in styrofoam dixie cups of bathroom-size, and despite the below-normal weather, it didn't take away from the atmosphere. It's a pity they couldn't do better business tonight....... You even have to give credit to the fans who did come, for they all seemed to enjoy themselves on opening day. Most people seem to agree the club's strong suit this year is pitching......... That certainly was evident tonight as Stars pitchers struck out 14 Mississippi batters, the most on Opening Day since 1996, when Bret Wagner, Bob Bennett, Mike Maurer, and Gary Haught of the A's organization combined to strike out 14 Memphis hitters, and if you think this night was cold, that game was played in Memphis under a 41° night sky and a north wind of 20 mph!....... Hmmmm! Brings to mind something I heard Corey Thurman tell me last year. That pitchers prefer cold weather because if favors them. When you think about it, they're the only ones on the field in motion on a chilly night. While the batter just stands there with everyone else in the field, freezing, the pitcher is the only one in motion before a ball is hit, so in a pitcher-batter confrontation, he can use the weather in his favor and control the pace of the game. He decides how long the batter gets to stand there like a popsicle, while he efforts to stay warm with each pitch. With that advantage, I see where the strikeouts can mount in a chilly ballpark. If that was Adam Pettyjohn's strategy, it worked, if not perfectly........ After throwing 13 pitches and not getting ahead on the first two hitters in the Braves lineup, Pettyjohn worked out of trouble with runners on 2nd and 3rd, and retired Brandon Jones, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Juan Esquivel on nine pitches, striking out Jones and Esquivel....... Pettyjohn, who pitched for the Jacksonville Suns back in 1999 and 2000, then retired the side on 11 pitches in the 2nd inning, and struck out three more in the 3rd, but not before allowing the Braves to take a 2-0 lead. With one out, J.R. Holt singled through the right side of the infield into right-center, then on a 2-1 pitch to Brent Lillibridge, Holt stole 2nd despite a strong, accurate throw by Lou Palmisano. Lillibridge proceeded to line a single to left, scoring Holt, a former high school sprint champion........ Brandon Jones, 4th-ranked among the Braves' top minor league prospects, then lined a triple inside the right field line to score Lillibridge to make it 2-0......... Pettyjohn threw 66% of his pitches for strikes in the first three innings, but he used up 48 of his 70-75 pitch count in the 1st and 3rd innings, and he was gone after four. Meanwhile, Braves' starter Matt Harrison made it look for five innings as if it would be a long season for Stars fans, aggressively throwing his fast ball in the 90-93 range, and using it effectively as well, throwing 30 of his first 39 pitches for strikes...... In the 4th inning, though, the Stars used small ball to score their first run. Steve Sollmann, whose name was constantly being misspelled I observed, singled through the left side of the infield on a 1-1 pitch. Ron, or Ulyses (You-lis), Davenport, as he was referred to in the game moved him over on a slow groundball to Holt........ Brendan Katin showed off some of his power, launching a 2-2 pitch deep into the sky to left, but just shy of the track........ With Adam Heether at the plate, Sollmann daringly decided to advance on a 2-2 pitch. Fortunately, the pitch was in the dirt, and Sollmann made it to 3rd anyway........ After hitting a two-out triple in the 2nd that was wasted when Palmisano grounded out, Steve Moss, on a full count, singled past the outstretched glove of Harrison up the middle and past Lillibridge for an RBI single to make it 2-1. The Stars drove Harrison from the game after they left behind a chance to take the lead in the 6th........ Palmisano, who hit .119 last year with runners in scoring position and two out, hit into a force with Moss on 1st and Heether on 2nd. In deference, Palmisano should have been absolved, for Moss beat the toss from Lillibridge to Holt, but the call from 3rd base ump Toby Basner, new to the league, was missed. The Stars pitching corps was able to retire 14 straight hitters after Jones' RBI-triple, striking out five amongst Pettyjohn and relievers Robert Hinton and Mark DiFelice........ It bought the Stars enough room and time to get the lead in the 7th inning off Jose Ascenio...... Yohannis Perez, 0-for-2 for the past two, going on three years, picked up his first hit with a leadoff slap to the opposite field. Mel Stocker, making his debut for the Stars, sacrificed Perez to 2nd........ That was all for Ascenio. Mississippi manager Phillip Wellman then pulled a fateful double-switch, calling in big Greg Creek to play 1st and former Huntsville Stars pitcher Joe Winkelsas from the bullpen.........Hernan Iribarren, behind 0-and-2, fouled off a couple of pitches, then lined a single straight to center. Josh Burrus took the ball on a couple of hops and fired it in, but Winky cut the ball off, seeing more of a chance to get Iribarren who had aggressively rounded 1st, than getting Perez, who crossed the plate....... Winky, however, threw wildly to Creek, and why he wasn't charged with an error, I'll never know....... Creek chased the ball down as Iribarren went full steam, rounding the corner home........ Creek's throw to the plate was wild, allowing Iribarren to give the Stars a 3-2 lead, their first of the 2007 season....... The crowd went wild. But as you might expect on a night like this when everyone's anxious to get home and get warm, the game goes past nine.......... Grant Balfour, in his Stars debut, gave up a ground-hugging single to left to you guessed it, big Greg Creek in the 8th......... Holt, after one failed try to move him to 2nd on a bunt, moved him over with the second chance........ Balfour struck Lillibridge out swinging for the second out, but Brandon Jones, whose 3rd inning triple gave the Braves a 2-0 lead, singled solidly to center to tie the game......... Off to the relative warmth of the press box I went. Now it was a contest between Luis Villareal, the indy leaguer for the past three seasons with a 21-18 record and 3.58 ERA in those three seasons and sometimes-shaky Joey Devine, who gave up two grand-slams in his first two major league appearances a year ago...... Villareal got a lucky break in the 9th, as a sharply hit ball by pinch-hitter Carl Lodenthal with runners on the corners freakily ricocheted off the mound, falling to a waiting Yohannis Perez, who smoothly started an inning-ending double play......... Devine retired Perez, Stocker, and Iribarren quickly in the 9th........ Now the clock-watching was over. It was time to cross your fingers and hope that this game wouldn't be too prolonged as the temperature dropped further down into the 40s. Villareal retired the side in order in the 10th, making Holt and Lillibridge the 13th and 14 strikeout victims for the Stars........ Devine, in the bottom half, walked Sollmann on four pitches........Davenport hit a slow roller to short, enough to move Sollmann to 2nd.......... The tie-breaking run was now on 2nd with Guilder Rodriguez at the plate........ G-Rod hit a broken-bat roller soft enough to move Sollmann up and get him on first. Lillibridge didn't even bother making a play. That left it up to Adam Heether, who had looked like the old Adam of last year according to voices in the press box, striking out in the 2nd and 8th, but patienly drawing walks in the 4th and 6th....... On Devine's 1-0 pitch, Heether lined the ball into no-man's land in left, giving the Stars their 3rd opening-day victory in four years........ The Stars are now 14-9 on Opening Day, 5-2 in openers that have gone extra-innings, and 6-3 in Milwaukee-era openers. Friday, with a high during the day only to go up to 50°, left-hander JoJo Reyes will face Stars lefty Steve Hammond...... Reyes, a 2nd round pick by the Braves in 2003, is the 8th best prospect in their organization. Pitcher Mark DiFelice, hoping for a quick trip to Nashville, has found board with WHNT meterologist Spencer Denton......... The Boosters are receiving calls from other families willing to host players. Ryan Braun has driven in Nashville's first run of the year with a double, but the Sounds lost at Greer Stadium, where it started out at 47°, 4-1 to New Orleans......... Former Stars Alec Zumwalt, Dennis Sarfate, and Luther Hackman pitched in relief of starter Zach Jackson....... The Sounds had only one other hit -- a single by Drew Anderson. Other than Joe Winkelsas, two other former Stars are playing for Southern League opponents this year: Enrique Cruz (Chattanooga) and Johnny Raburn (Carolina).

Huntsville Site Game Summary: www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1099 Stars Successful on Opening Night Adam Heether delivered the game-winning single in the bottom of the tenth inning to lift the Stars to a season-opening 4-3 win Thursday night over the Mississippi Braves on a chilly night in front of 2,128 at Joe Davis Stadium. Huntsville knocked off the visitors for a second straight season in the first game of the year and improved to 14-9 all-time in season starters. Steve Sollman drew a leadoff walk off of Joey Devine to open the tenth, advanced to second base on a Ulyses Davenport ground out, moved to third on an infield single by pinch-hitter Guilder Rodriguez and scored the decisive run when Heether smacked an 0-1 offering just inside the line past a diving third sacker Van Pope. The Braves tied the game at three in the eighth inning on a two-out, run-scoring by Brandon Jones off of former major leaguer Grant Balfour. The visitors put runners at the corners with one out in the ninth but Luis Villareal induced pinch-hitter Carl Loadenthal to ground into an inning-ending double play. The Stars? southpaw then tossed a scoreless tenth to grab the win in his first-ever double-A appearance. Brent Lillibridge delivered a run-scoring single in the third inning and came around to score when Jones followed with a triple to give the Braves a 2-0 lead against starter Adam Pettyjohn, who struck out seven in his four frames. Pettyjohn, Robert Hinton and Mark DiFelice went on to retire 14 hitters in a row before Greg Creek?s leadoff single in the eighth against Balfour. The five Huntsville hurlers recorded 14 strikeouts. Steve Moss singled home Sollman with two outs in the fourth to get the home side on the board and finished with three hits in four at-bats. Braves? starter Matt Harrison was taken out after five frames and replaced by Jose Ascanio, who narrowly escaped a bases loaded, two-out jam in the sixth. Yohannis Perez led off the home seventh with a single and Ascanio was replaced by former Stars? hurler Joe Winkelsas, who retired last season but decided to continue playing again this off-season. Pinch-hitter Mel Stocker advanced Perez to second base with a sacrifice bunt and Hernan Iribarren followed with a single to plate Perez with the tying run. Iribarren appeared to be caught in between first and second base when the relay throw to the plate was cut off but an errant throw by Creek sailed into right field and allowed Iribarren to score the go-ahead run. The series continues Friday night with Huntsville sending southpaw Steve Hammond to the hill against Braves left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes. Coverage of the game begins with the pre-game show at 6:50 pm central time and can be heard locally on 730 WUMP-AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

Nashville Pre-Game Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%204-5.mp3

Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for photo, text follows: www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2246 Sounds Drop Opener To Zephyrs, 4-1 NASHVILLE ? It was a chilly Opening Day for the Nashville Sounds on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium. A game time temperature in the low 40s and a solid effort by the New Orleans Zephyrs pitching staff, which held the Sounds? offense to only two hits on the evening, kept Nashville on ice in a 4-1 season-opening loss in front of 4,297 fans. New Orleans starter Phillip Humber (1-0) held the Sounds offense in check during his impressive Triple-A debut, holding Nashville to one hit over five innings of work while walking three and striking out four. Jose Santiago followed with three hitless innings of relief and Lino Urdaneta finished up with a scoreless ninth to notch the save. Nashville grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning against Humber. Third baseman Ryan Braun (1-for-2), the Milwaukee Brewers? top positional prospect, ripped the second pitch he saw in his Triple-A career for a leadoff, opposite-field double to right, the lone knock permitted by the New Orleans right-hander all evening. AUDIO: Ryan Braun Double -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%204-5.mp3 With runners on first and third following a Joe Dillon groundout and Brad Nelson walk, Braun scored the first Nashville run of the season on a throwing error by New Orleans catcher Mike DiFelice when the veteran backstop misfired while trying to throw out an in-motion Nelson at second. New Orleans stormed back to grab a 3-1 advantage with single runs against Sounds starter Zach Jackson in the third, fourth, and fifth frames. The first and third Z?s runs came in on Anderson Hernandez RBI groundouts. Carlos Gomez gave the visitors a 2-1 lead in the fourth when he led off with a double down the right field line and scored one batter later on a flare RBI single off the bat of Ricky Ledee (2-for-4). Jackson (0-1) worked 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out three. Second baseman Ruben Gotay tacked on the final New Orleans run in the top of the eighth when he belted a solo homer to right off Nashville reliever Dennis Sarfate. The Sounds and Zephyrs continue their season-opening series with another 7 p.m. meeting on Friday evening at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Tim Dillard will make his Class AAA debut when he takes the hill for Nashville to face New Orleans left-hander Jason Vargas. It will be NASCAR Night at the ballpark. Busch Series driver and Nashville native Bobby Hamilton, Jr. will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Stock cars will also be on display near the main entrance at Greer Stadium.

Brevard Game Notes from MiLB.com: Matulia propels Cubs Matt Matulia drove in three runs as visiting Daytona opened the season with an 8-3 victory over Brevard County on Thursday night at Space Coast Stadium. Matulia doubled home Jake Muyco to snap a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning and delivered a two-run single during a four-run eighth. Nate Spears and James Adduci opened the eighth with consecutive singles off Manatees reliever Josh Wahpepah (0-1). Both advanced a base on a passed ball by Nestor Corredor before Robinson Chirinos walked to load the bases. Jesus Valdez singled home Spears and Adduci to give the Cubs a 5-2 lead. An error on the play by left fielder Cole Gillespie allowed Chirinos and Valdez to move up. Matulia followed with a single up the middle to make it 7-2. Chris Errecart, a Pioneer League All-Star last year, homered in the third and plated a run with a groundout in the ninth for Brevard County. Daytona's Mitch Atkins (1-0) gave up two runs on four hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out four in his Florida State League debut. -- Christopher Henderson/MLB.com

West Virginia Site Game Summary: BRANTLEY TRIPLES IN TWO, POWER WINIn a game full of offensive opportunities, Michael Brantley cashed in with a big two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning to snap a 2-2 tie as the West Virginia Power went on to defeat the Lake County Captains 4-3 at Appalachian Power Park. The Captains took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Adam Davis scored on Brent Brewer?s errant throw. In the bottom of the first, the Power struck back with a two-run homer from Andrew Lefave to take a 2-1 lead. Lake County tied the game at 2-2 on Matt Whitney?s RBI single in the top of the third. After Lefave and Andy Bouchie hit back-to-back one-out singles in the seventh, Brantley tripled them in to give the Power the lead for good. Lake County scored one more run in the eighth inning when Ramon Pena crossed the plate on Brewer?s second error, but it was not enough for the Captains. E.J. Shanks (1-0) pitched two hitless innings of relief to get the win, Omar Aguilar (1) struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save and Luis Perdomo (0-1) got the loss. The Power will continue the three game series against Lake County Friday night. The Captains will start right hander Steve Wright (0-0, 0.00) and the Power will counter with right hander Mike McClendon (0-0, 0.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

Final: Huntsville 4, Mississippi (Braves) 3, ten innings Stars' site game summary later on; David Weiser and Huntsville Times reports in the AM... Huntsville Box Score Huntsville Game Log

These links will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally they are updated an hour or two prior to gametime, with Nashville's usually earlier: Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf Huntsville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): Not posted as regularly as Nashville's... www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

Walk-off single Adam Heether! Stars win!

Follow Friday's action as it happens: Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log". 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. Nashville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1 Huntsville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Brevard County: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

Friday's Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Tim Dillard at home vs. New Orleans (Mets), 6:40 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: LHP Steve Hammond at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime Audio link (top-right of linked page): www.730ump.com/ UPDATE: Word from Huntsville is that the audio feed is in the process of being fixed (we'll let you know when we've been notified that it has). If needed, the Mississippi feed can be found here: www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp Brevard County: RHP Will Inman at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 6:00 PM Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp West Virginia: RHP Mike McClendon at home vs. Lake County (Indians), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp UPDATE: We've been told that all Power games going forward should be available at the above link, despite last night's absence.

Extra innings in Huntsville -- you can listen to the Braves' webcast at this link: www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

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

Close call for the Stars in the top of the 9th -- what a job by lefty newcomer Luis Villareal: Mississippi Top 9th - Matt Esquivel grounds out, second baseman Hernan Iribarren to first baseman Steven Sollmann. - Van Pope singles on a ground ball to left fielder Ron Davenport. - Josh Burrus reaches on fielding error by second baseman Hernan Iribarren. Van Pope to 3rd. - Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Carl Loadenthal replaces Joe Winkelsas. - Pitcher Change: Luis Villarreal replaces Grant Balfour, batting 4th. - Carl Loadenthal grounds into double play, shortstop Yohannis Perez to first baseman Steven Sollmann. Josh Burrus out at 2nd.

Final: New Orleans (Mets) 4, Nashville 1 Complete detailed game summary later on, always a given with the impeccable Doug Scopel of the Sounds' on the job; only two hits for the Sounds tonight... Nashville Box Score Nashville Game Log

Heck of a game in Huntsville, tied at 3-3 after eight. Even a Joe Winkelsas appearance for the M-Braves. Where's our audio http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif ?

Final: West Virginia 4, Lake County (Indians) 3 The Power made this one so much harder than necessary -- stranding runners in bunches (check out some ugly at-bats in the game log in the 2nd, 6th and 7th innngs, and an unlucky double-play lineout in the 3rd), and with some shoddy defense. We'll be talking about Brent Brewer's defensive development, good or bad at shortstop, all season. Brewer was 0-for-5, three K's. Hope it's not too late for me to call dibs on closer Omar Aguilar, who I loved entering this season -- check out the 9th inning log. Lots of K's on both sides -- plenty of great coverage from the two Charleston newspapers Friday AM... West Virginia Box Score West Virginia Game Log

Huh, the West Virginia game, which was listed on the MiLB audio page earlier today, is no longer there -- odd, we'll have to follow that. Also, can anybody get to the Huntsville game, perhaps from the link to WUMP from the Stars' site? It'll be important that we let Power and Stars staff know we're having audio issues. Looks like it's on to Nashville... www.huntsvillestars.com/

Final: Daytona (Cubs) 8, Brevard County 3 Things fell apart late, and normally reliable defensive catcher Nestor Corredor had a rough evening behind the plate; we'll have to see if game summaries and media reports improve from the Florida State League this year -- it's unlikely, but at least we now have audio. Jeff Samardzija vs. Will Inman Friday night... Brevard Box Score Brevard Game Log

In progress: Daytona (Cubs) 3, Brevard County 2, after seven Chris Errecart's HR one of only four Manatee hits thus far; Derek Miller's going to name his son when born in a couple of months Nolan Ryan Miller -- yes, enjoying the Manatee webcast tonight; rain beginning to fall more heavily than the early drizzle... In progress: Lake County (Indians) 2, West Virginia 2, bottom of the 4th in Charleston Let it be known 1B Andrew Lefave hit the organization's first HR this year; Power wasted huge scoring chances in the 2nd and 3rd; Brent Brewer's first-inning error led to an unearned run... In progress: Mississippi (Braves) 0, Huntsville 0, after two Steve Moss was stranded after hitting a two-out triple in the 2nd... In progress: Nashville 1, New Orleans (Mets) 0, after two Gameday working perfectly, as is Zach Jackson through two; Ryan Braun doubles and eventually scores in his first AAA at-bat...

Just-released first baseman Grant Richardson has found a job in the independent American Association, signing with the Coastal Bend Aviators, who are based in Robstown, Texas.

First, a link to the lengthy recently closed Offseason / Spring Training Transaction Thread: p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...mp;stop=40 Nashville LHP Lindsay Gulin has officially been placed on their 7-day DL with a right ankle sprain. Must be minor, he's pitched all spring.

Just a reminder that the Link Report is not meant to be a simultaneous four-way In Game Thread (IGT). We will post major in-game updates occasionally within the "Report", but please refrain from making minor one-line in-game comments -- we invite all to make use of the chat room, especially on evenings like tonight, with no game for the big-league Brewers. Thanks. Feel free to make post-game comments in the thread. I'll be around for the post-game updates this evening; beyond tonight, pogokat (Brad) will be helping me out with many of the post-game box scores and summaries. Of course, we then follow-up with press reports the following AM.

MiLB.com has a video package for subscribers as well -- Nashville is available online tonight: www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../video.jsp